Freemasonry In India.

FREEMASONRY IN INDIA .

THE March number of onr esteemed contemporary , the Masonic Record of Western India has just reached ns . It contains the nsnal quantum of interesting matter , from which we glean the following particulars : —

In the course of his address at the meeting on 27 th December last of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal , the District Grand Master referred at considerable length to a difference which had arisen between him and the

Grand Lodge of all Scottish Freemasonry , owing to the establishment by the latter of a Scotch Lodge " Caledonia , No . 661 , " at Mussoorie , where there was already the English Lodge " Dalhousie , No . 639 . " When first he heard of this ,

the D . G . M . said , he anticipated that some unpleasantness might arise in consequence , and with a view to prevent this he addressed himself to Bro . Captain Morland acting G . Master of the Scottish Craffc in the absence of Bro .

Balfour . Matters seem also to have been somewhat complicated by the action of Bro . Fitch P . M . of the Dalhousie Lodge . The difference does not appear to have yet terminated , but it is only just we should observe of the action taken by the D . Grand Master of Bengal

to say , that he has apparently acted throughout the affair with a due regard to the principles of the Fraternity . In the course of the proceedings a vote of condolence with Mrs , Garfield , widow of Brother Garfield , late President of the United States , was unanimously agreed

to . It was also announced that , as the result of the labours entrusted to the Committee appointed to do honour to the late D . G . Tyler Bro . J . Blessington Roberts , who had held that office for the period extending from 1848 to 1875 , ifc had been resolved to erect a cenotaph to him , and to have

his portrait hung in their banqueting hall ; and before D . G . Lodge was closed the portrait in question was unveiled by the D . G . Master The following are the District Grand Officers for the year 1882 : —Bros Hon . Justice Prinsep D . G . M ., W . D . Crnickshank D . D . M ., W . H . Fitze S . W .,

Adam Paxton Jnnior Warden , Rev . T . J . Rawson Chaplain , A . P . Handley Registrar , H . M . Rustomjee Secretary , W . R . Barry Senior Deacon , W . Girling Junior Deacon , G- T . Sparlce Superintendent of Works , P . C . Dutt Dir . of Cers ., W . 0 . Bishop Assistant Dir . of Cers ., W . Ames

S . Bearer , F . F . Handley Organist , J . S . Old Purs ., Geo . Alexander D . G . Tyler , R . B . West , J . Louis , and J . C . Banerji Stewards . Afc the last meeting of the District Grand Lodge of Bombay , a long correspondence was read in reference to a

question some time before raised , as to whether it was competent for an Irish or Scotch regularly Installed Master to occupy the chair of an English Lodge in tbe absence of the Installed Masters of that Lodge . Snch a case had , ifc seems , occurred in Queensland , the result beinc

that the work of the English Lodge had had to be done all over again . It . had also been ruled in 1879 , by the then Ueputy Grand Master of Bombay , that it was incompetent tor

a foreign Installed Master to perform the duties of the cnair . Under these circumstances , ifc seems to have been thought desirable to obtain the opinion of the responsible authorities o . fche Grand Lodge of England , tbe upshot being

Freemasonry In India.

that Grand Registrar has expressed it as " bis individual opinion , " thafc although it would not be illegal under the above circumstances " ( as described ) " to allow a Foreign Installed Master to sit in the E . chair , it ought to be done under most exceptional circumstances . " Grand Secretary

Gierke , after consultation with Grand Registrar , writes , " as it is always considered that at the conferring of degrees an Installed Master should occupy the chair ( although not necessarily working the ceremony ) , there seems no reason whv the Wardens , with the

concurrence of the brethren , should not invite some English P . M . —not a member of the Lodge , or failing snch , a Foreign regularly Installed Master—to occupy tbe chair during the ceremony , the Wardens still remaining

responsible for its procedure and discipline . " Brother Mclnfcyre ' s letter was addressed to the D . Grand Secretary of Bombay , and Bro . Gierke ' s to the D . G . Secretary of Queensland .

The Quarterly Communication of all Scottish Freemasonry in India was held in Freemasons' Hall , Nesbit . lane , Byculla , on 28 th January , under the presidency of Bro . Balfour Grand Master , who was supported by M . W . Bro . Mackintosh Balfour Grand Master , R . W .

Brothers Captain Henry Morland Immediate Past Grand Master , K . R . Cama Hon . Depute Grand Master , J . D . Wadia Khan Bahadoor Hon . Depute Grand Master , J . Y . Lang Sub . Grand Master , M . 0 . Murzban Khan Bahadoor Hon . Sub . Grand Master , D . P . Mehta G . Senior

Warden , J . R . Johnson G . Junior Warden , C . D . Furdoonjee G . Junior Warden , E . Freeborn Grand Secretary , W . Bro . Darasha S . Tarapoorwalla G . Treasurer , R . W . Bros . R . V . Reid Grand Senior Deacon , D . D . Shroff Grand Jeweller , W . Fearn Grand Bible Bearer , W . Bros .

M . M . Cowser Grand Koran Bearer , Janardhan Gopal 3 rd Grand Director of Ceremonies , R . W . Bro . Mirza Hoosscin Khan 2 nd Grand Standard Bearer , "W . Bros . Meer Abdool Ali 2 nd Grand Marshal , F . Mahon as G . Pursuivant , J . C . Houghland Grand Tyler , and a number of representatives and members .

The principal business of the meeting was the passing of a resolution of sympathy with His Excellency Bro . Sir James Ferguson , Bart ., K . C . M . G ., & c , Governor of

Bombay , at the great loss recently sustained by him through the death of Lady Ferguson . The resolution was unanimously agreed to , and ordered to be engraved on vellum , and transmitted to His Excellency at an early date .

The monthly meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bros . Joshua Nnnn President , James Brett Junior

Vice-President , and Rev . A . F . A . Woodford Past Grand Chaplain , occupied the three chairs . There was not a large attendance of brethren . The Lodge first confirmed recommendations made afc last meetine- to the extent of £ 235 . There

were thirty-seven new cases on the list . Thirty-three of these were relieved , with a total of-6775 . Two cases were deferred , being incomplete , and two cases were dismissed as not being entitled to relief .

Ar00101

JiiJL JL io ^ ( COMFORTING ) VUVUAI