Our Letter From Havana.

OUR LETTER FROM HAVANA .

TFIE past year was ended by the Cuban Masons in a splendid manner . In the beautiful city of Cienfuegos the celebration of the 41 st anniversary of the establishment of the actual Grand Lodge was celebrated in a fashion totally unknown in Cuban annals . The ceremony , presided

over by the acting Grand Master ( now Grand Master ) , the popular and beloved Bro . Pellon , began by the consecration of a new and most comfortable Hall erected by Asilo de la Virtud Lodge . Next , that Lodge , together with the veteran Fernandina de Jagua in assembly united , celebrated the

day with speeches and historical addresses , ending with a magnificent supper and a humanitarian act , as was the present made to the city sick poor of the hospital of over 200 blankets , most needed by them . Masons from Flavana , Villaclara and other places were present , making the event a memorable one .

Lodges continue to be established all over the island in a manner steady and enthusiastic ; those at Puerto Padre and Remedois and a new one at Flavana are the latest arrivals . Cuba Lodge , the one composed of past Cuban refugees

in the United States , presided over by the Under Secretary of State , keeps its place valiantly . It had the great honour of initiating , passing and raising , a short time ago , Major Baker , of the Quartermaster ' s Department , and Lieut-Col . H . L . Scott , Chief Adjutant to General Wood . The last

degree conferred on them attracted the utmost attention . The ceremony took place a few days ago , when in-consequence of the absence of General Wood and of Dr . Tamayo ( the Secretary of State ) , Lieut-Col . Scott was acting Governor General of Cuba , and Brother Figueredo acting Secretary of State .

Undoubtedly that has been a very wholesome example for a society like ours where many Brethren , when raised to a high social position , abandon the Lodge room , not to be troubled by the presence of many humble people . Not very long ago a . Brother who had received from us the

distinction of having been elected' Deputy Grand Master in former times asked his dimit from his Lodge on account of having been elected associate judge of the supreme court . Coincident with the initiation of Col . Scott and Major Baker in Cuba Lodge , Flavana Lodge , the English speaking

one of this community , asked the Grand Master for the monopoly of initiating American and English people solely , which , was immediately refused by our clear-headed Grand Master . Of this incident you spoke in the editorial section of your paper , but failed to see why . I hope you are now able to find it out . It was only a question of jealousy .

Another decision of the Grand Master has been greatly commended . Several Americans hailing from the Grand Lodges of Mississippi and Nebraska , two American Grand bodies that have not recognised us , presented themselves as visitors before one of our Lodges . They were , of course ,

refused admission , but as the case was referred to the Grand Master , he ruled that henceforth any Brethren from those places be admitted . to visit our Lodges , that being the best manner to show those Grand Lodges the injustice in withholding their recognition from our body , which is as regular

and worthy as any other . The annual communication of the Grand Lodge in March was a success . The address of the acting Grand Master was , as everybody expected , a jewel . It touched everybody ' s feelings and made way for the unanimous election of Bro .

Pellon for the Grand Mastership . The other Officers , including both Bro . Miranda and Bro . La Torre , Grand Secretary and Treasurer , were also re-elected . We closed the Masonic year with over 1 , 300 Brethren on the rolls and nearly $ 2 , 000 in cash in the treasury . The excellence of

the new Grand Master Pellon ' s address was such that an edition of it was printed by request of Past Grand Master Segundo Alvarez , to be distributed profusely abroad . The sections in it referring to clandestine Masonry and the relations between us and the Catholic Church are specially commended as having a very good dose of common sense .

The proceedings of the present year are in the hands of the printer , so the world over will see how we are progressing . The American Grand Lodges will see clearly that we are true Masons . I mean to say , the Grand Lodges that wish to find it . out , for while we are greatly indebted to

Our Letter From Havana.

many of your Grand bodies which have done very much to encourage us , by word and by deed , there are some other Grand Lodges that slight us disdainfully for not speaking English , giving us a shoulder as coin as the north pole . As long as we find time to read and write English sufficiently

to be understood , we also expect that Americans will try to find out what we are about . If not so , they cannot be judges of our affairs . The question is very simple : to be our teachers you need to understand a little what we talk . — F . De P . Rodriguez , in " American Tyler . "

Masonic Oaths.

MASONIC OATHS .

BRO . HENRY T . SMITH recently delivered an address on " Masonic Oaths , Obligations , Affirmations , Covenants , and Penalties , " before the Companions of the Royal Arch '

Chapter of St . Andrew and St . John and the Brethren of Alpha Lodge , Toronto , of which we give a summary . He traced the use of oaths or obligations from pre-historic time up to the present day . After going fully into the question of what binds the people of the various countries and nations

of the world together in form of oaths , affirmations , etc ., he said that the Masonic oath is described by Anderson in these words : "' In Freemasonry a number of men form themselves into a society , whose main end is to improve in commendable

skill and knowledge , and to promote universal beneficence and the social virtues of human life under the solemn obligation of an oath . This liberty all incorporate societies enjoy , without impeachment or reflection . "

Flusenbeth says : " Freemasons in their secret societies obligate their disciples , similar to the ancient Brethren , to keep their doctrines , their engagements and transactions from those who are out of the Order . This obligation is not composed of such tremendous oaths with which we are charged

by bigots , who , ignorant as they naturally must be of the whole of our transactions , unless they had been received into our society , thunder their unholy anathemas and excommunications against us , and thereby make fools approve their

rash acts . The world wonders and the Mason smiles at their daring insolence to condemn their fellow creatures for imaginary sins against God and religion , which must ultimately be laid to the charge of those triflers with their neighbours' consciences . "

Dermott , in speaking of perjury , says : " Let any unprejudiced man pronounce his opinion of Freemasonry from experience of the benefits it has conferred on society , and his judgment cannot be unfavourable . Take the great body of Freemasons , and their most determined enemies must

admit them to be honourable in their actions and estimable in private life . Look over the criminal calendar at any assizes and you very seldom find members of this Order charged with felonious offences , or accused of disturbing social order . "

The Master of a Masonic Lodge is authorised to administer obligations to candidates , and confer upon them the . degrees of Masonry , by the authority of the Grand Lodge of Canada , in the Province of Ontario , under the laws it has made regulating admission of candidates .

The Grand Lodge of Canada is a legally organised body , holding a charter in a legal way by descent from the beginning of the Masonic organisation so far back in the mystic mazes of the past that the memory of man runneth not to die contrary . Subordinate Lodges deriving their

authority from the Grand Lodge are authorised to initiate candidates into the Order only under such regulations as are prescribed by the Grand Lodge , which are specified in the charter and in the general regulations of the Order . No

one but an Installed Master of a Lodge can legally make a Mason in the Province of Ontario , and he can do so only in a regular Lodge when there is present a constitutional number , with a charter from the Grand Lodge empowering them to work .

It is a remarkable fact that opposition to the Fraternity on account of the obligations taken by its members comes from religious sects that are supposed to know nothing about that which they proclaim against . The Catholic church was the first to issue bulls , as they were called , of

excommunication against Masons belonging to that church . The first was issued in the year 1738 , by Clement XII , at that time Pope of Rome . Fie assigned as a reason of his condemnation that the Masonic Institution confederated persons of all religions and sects in a mysterious bond of union and compelled them to secrecy by an oath taken on the Bible ,