Masonic Unity.

MASONIC UNITY .

1—APPILY the occasions are very rare in Freemasonry *¦ - * when its Lodges or individual Brethren are in open antagonism one with another , but even in the best regulated families there must at times be

differences of opinion , and so it is in Freemasonry there are occasions , exceptional though they be , when unanimity does not reign supreme , and when discord makes itself apparent .

Such a case recently occurred in the Mark Degree , when the Grand Lodge had to assert itself against a body of Brethren in Lancashire , Cheshire and Derbyshire , who were working what they termed a Grand

Mark Lodge in actual , if not directly active , opposition to the Grand Mark Lodge of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown Happily good counsels prevailed , and all has now ended

satisfactorily , as a reference to our report of the proceedings will show . We congratulate the Brethren primilarily concerned on the happy ending of the trouble , trust their Lodge may have a long and

prosperous future , and that none of them may ever have occasion to regret having so for given way as to bow to recognised authority . In Freemasonry , of all human Institutions , there should be naught but harmony and unanimity .

We tender our hearty congratulations to Bro . Sir Alfred Newton , Bart ., the Lord Mayor of London ; and to Sir Alfred H . Bevan Grand Treasurer of England , one of the Sheriffs ; who , with their companion Mr . Alderman Treloar ,

have been specially honoured by Her Majesty—the former with a baronetcy , the two latter with knighthoods—not only in accordance with the custom which has prevailed with

reference to Royal visits to the City , but to mark Her Majesty ' s sense of the distinguished services which the City of London has rendered to the Empire within the last few months .

The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Brother Colonel ( local Major-General ) Sir Francis Reginald Wingate , K . C . M . G ., C . B ., D . S . O .. A . D . C .. an Ordinarv

Member of the Military Division of the Second Class , or Knights Commanders , of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath , in recognition of his services during the pursuit and defeat of the Khalifa in November last .

Brother Lord Sandhurst , G . C . I . E ., who has just retired from the Governorship of Bombay , has been appointed by Her Majesty a Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India .

The Marquis of Zetland Provincial Grand Master North and East Yorkshire has been created by Her Majesty a Knight of the Order of the Thistle , in the room of the late Marquis of Lothian .

H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has not yet fixed the date for laying the foundation stone of the new Schools at Bushey , for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , but in all probability it will be on a day in the second or third week of May .

West Lancashire Charity.

WEST LANCASHIRE CHARITY .

UNDER the chairmanship of Bro . Major J . D . Murray Past Grand Treasurer of England a special meeting of the Committee of Management of the West Lancashire Alpass Benevolent Institution ( established for the

maintenance of the widows of Freemasons ) , was held on the 7 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool . There was a large and influential attendance of the chiefs of the Order interested in the Charity .

The particular business was the consideration of an offer received from the Lord Lathom Memorial Committee , with regard to the advance of money for the purpose of making a presentation of a candidate , or of more than one candidate ,

for the foundation of the London Charity . After considerable discussion it was resolved to accept the money at 3 per cent , interest , and subsequently to arrange as to the amount to be paid for the Annuitant on the funds of the Metropolitan Institution .

New Lodge For South Devon.

NEW LODGE FOR SOUTH DEVON .

TO meet a long felt want—a Lodge assembling in the afternoon in the South Devon district—Bro . the Rev . J . Henning P . P . G . C . P . M . 1456 , of Cockington , and Bro . F , J . W . Crowe P . P . G . O . P . M . 328 , of Torquay , have obtained signatures to a Petition for a Lodge to be established at the Parish Room , Cockington , Torquay . The acting Prov . G .

Master Brother Major Davie , D . L ., P . A . G . D . C . Eng . has " recommended" the Petition , so there is little doubt that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . will assent to the prayer . The title of the Lodge is to be " The Lodge of the Three Pillars . " The other signatories to the Petition are Bros , the Rev . T . H . I . Child P . P . G . C . P . M . 750 , W .

Pierpoint Roberts P . M . 1358 , Rev . W . E . Windle P . P . G . C . P . M . 710 , T . C . Lindop 328 , H . Square P . M . 2641 , Rev . J . H . Jones 2641 , Rev . E . C . Atherton P . P . G . C . P . M . 328 , Dr . Wiggin 328 , His Honour Judge Woodfall P . G . J . D . Eng . P . M . 2022 , Dr . Grimbley P . P . G . D . P . M . 1138 , the Right

Hon . Lord Churston P . P . G . S . W . P . M . 548 , Dr . Sykes 242 , Superintendent Roberts 109 , A . H . Dymond P . P . G . R . P . M . 112 , Leonard Lees 1358 , and H . G . Michelmore 1138 . The career of the Lodge will be locally watched with great interest . It is intended to be mainly a professional Lodge

for South Devon . The first three Officers nominated are the Rev . James Henning W . M ., W . Pierpoint Roberts S . W ., and Rev . W . E . Windle J . W . Bros . Lindop and Crowe have consented to act as Treasurer and Secretary respectively pro . tern .

Mark Grand Lodge.

MARK GRAND LODGE .

A MOVABLE Grand Lodge of the Mark degree was held at Dukinfield , on the 17 th ult ., and created considerable interest in the district and , in view of the peculiar circumstances under which the gathering took place , may be said to have marked one of the most important events in the modern history of the Order—the establishment of unity in a district where for some years past a schism has existed .

It will' be remembered that some time back Mark Grand Lodge took action against the Ashton District Lodge of Mark Master Masons , which had been in existence a great number of years , and held the designation of a " travelling " Mark

Lodge , holding its meetings in Lancashire , Derbyshire , and Cheshire , but which did not own allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Mark Masons of England , Wales , & c , the members rather regarding themselves as an independent Grand body . After some amount of controversy the members arranged to