The Masonic Year 1875.

Communication at London , Ontario , on the 14 th July , under the presidency of R . W . Bro . J . K . Kerr , acting G . M . At the outset , R . W . Bro . Kerr deplored the serious losses which the Grand Lodge had sustained by the deaths of M . W . G . M . Wilson , and their Grand Secretary , R . W . Bro .

T . Bird Harris . Both these eminent Masons died m harness , and their funerals , AA'hich were conducted Avith full Masonic honours , had been most numerously attended . During Bro . Wilson ' s illness , Bro . Kerr had acted as his representative at the dedication of the New Masonic Hall at Hamilton .

Masonic Halls had also been dedicated at Seaforth , and for the use of the Malahide Lodge , No . 140 , Aylmer , Ontario . Several dispensations had also been reneAved by the late G . M ., and HOAV ones granted during Bro . Kerr ' s tenure of office . The auditor ' s report shoAved invested funds to the

amount of 47 , 569 dollars . M . W . Bro . J . Kerr Avas then elected G . M ., and the other Grand Officers having been elected , theceremonyof installingthem in their several offices was duly performed by M . W . Bro . Col . A . A . Stevenson , Montreal . At the Quarterly Communication , held on 3 rd March ,

the Grand Lodge of Quebec Avas acknowledged by Grand Lodge , England , as an independent Grand Lodge . On the 8 th October , the Masonic Hall Avas the scene of a most interesting event , the retiring G . M ., Bro . Wm . Dunbar , being presented with a magnificent set of Past G . M . ' s

jewels and regalia , in token of his long and valuable services to the Grand Lodge , and especially for the successful part he took in arranging amicably the disputes between the Grand Lodges of Canada and Quebec . There Avas a large attendance of brethren , and the addresses ,

both of R . W . Bro . Thompson , in presenting , and of R . W . Bro . Dunbar in acknoAvledging , the testimonial , Avere applauded to the echo . Nor is the Grand Lodge of New BrunsAvick behind its sister Grand Lodge of the Dominion of Canada . NCAV Brunswick Masonic Hall

Company , which proposes to erect a Masonic Hall in St . John , held a meeting on the 7 th June , for the purpose of appointing directors . The capital of the Company will be 100 . 000 dollars , and the cost of ground , hall , & c , & c , is expected to reach the sum of 70 , 000 dollars . The

new Hall will be a commodious building , four stories high , and besides offices and reception rooms for the Grand Secretary , -will contain rooms for the use of Grand Lodge , Grand Chapter , and the Templar and other Masonic bodies . The Company has already purchased , for 18 , 000

dollars , a block of buildings 100 feet on Germain Street and 200 feet deep , and notice has been given to the several tenants that their leases Avill determine on 1 st May of next year . Active operations Avill then commence at once , and it is hoped the neAV Temple Avill be complete and ready for use in about tAvo years .

Among other colonial items may be mentioned that on 15 th January a large number of the Craft attended the meeting of the Leinster Marine Lodge , New South Wales , No . 206 , under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge , Ireland , for the purpose of commemorating the fiftieth anniversary

of the Lodge . R . W . Bro . the Hon . J . S . Farnell , P . G . M ., attended , and installed the UBAV W . M ., Bro . A . S . Appleton , and his officers , after Avhich a banquet was held , at which Bro . Appleton presided . The toast of the evening Avas drunk with great enthusiasm . According to the Graaf

Beinct Herald a scheme has been set on foot , originating with the Jaffa Lodge , No 861 , Cape Town , for the purpose of establishing an independent Grand Lodge for South Africa . The question has been submitted to all the Lodges in the Colony , and in due time , no doubt , a decision

will be arrived at . On the 23 rd September the Trafalgar Royal Arch Chapter , St . Helens , New Zealand , held its installation meeting . Comp . W . B . Sealy , M . D . and W . W .

Squires , M . D ., were re-elected M . E . Z . and H . respectively , and to the former of these , as well as to Comp . W . M . Stanton , re-elected Scribe E ., testimonials Avere presented , in recognition of their valuable services .

If Ave next turn our attention to the condition of Freemasonry in foreign parts , Ave shall find , on the Avhole , very great cause for congratulation . Where attacked , the Craft has held its own most successfully . Elsewhere , unmistakable progress has been made . In France , the chief event

in connection Avith the Order is the silly , and , bevond all question , bitter attack of Bishop Dupanloup , AVIIO , lacking occupation perhaps , has found leisure to utter a most violent

denunciation of the principles we not only profess , but practise . Were there the slightest prospect of our satisfying this angry bigot of the perfect innocence of Freemasonry from the charges advanced against it , it might , perhaps , bo

The Masonic Year 1875.

worth our Avhile to argue the case , in order to prove , as even the feeblest-minded Mason could not fail to do , that his violent hostility Avas unjust . But the most conclusive argument AVOUUI avail nothing . We content ourselves ,

therefore , with a bare statement of facts . Without rhyme or reason , this foolish bigot , a monk of rank and station , both in Church and State , attacked Freemasonry , early in the year , denouncing it as a secret body , Avhose sole aim Avas the overthrow of relisrion and social order . No Ion ?

time elapsed Avhen another bigot , of even higher ecclesiastical rank , to wit , Pio Nono , gave expression to similar sentiments , and in violent and unchristian language denounced a society Avhich numbers among its professoi-s , kings , princes , nobles , and Avise men of nearly every land . These attacks

had a certain effect , as every attack has , but it was one the strikers never anticipated . Instead of overwhelming Masonry , these disturbers of the public peace have been themselves overthrown . Counterblows also Avere struck , among the most effective being the reply to Bishop

Dupanloup s pamphlet by our esteemed Bro . Caubet , one of the Secretaries to the Council administering the Grand Orient of France . The only result , thus far then , is , ignominy to the Bishop of Orleans and his abettor , the Pope . Even the profane world laughs at them , and our Saturday Review

explained tho hostility of the Ultramontanes on the ground that a church Avhich itself Avorked secretly , would never tolerate secret working in others . But to pass to more genial matters . Progress is made everywhere . In France , new Lodges have been constituted , and , better still , the Order

has been strengthened by the accession to its ranks of such men of eminence as M . Littre , member of the Academic Francaise , M . Chatrian , one of the ablest and most brilliant Avriters of the day , and others of similar stamp . Moreover , the Grand Orient has shown itself eager in the practice

of that particular virtue to Avhich Masonry more especially devotes itself . The subscription opened under its auspices toAvards the relief of the sufferers by the very terrible inundations in the South-East of France amounted , on the 12 th of December , to little short of sixty four thousand francs .

In the month of September a Congress assembled at Lausanne , consisting of delegates from certain Supreme Councils of tho Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in various countries . The Congress , before separating , issued a manifesto or declaration of principles , in Avhich Avere set

forth , in accordance Avith the ideas proper to this branch of Masonry , the aim and object of our noble institution . The several councils assembled , have entered into a treaty of alliance , establishing a "Confederation of Supreme Councils of the A . and A . Scottish Rite . " It further recognised the

jurisdiction of the folloAving Supreme Councils : namel y those of North America ( Boston ) , and South America ( Charleston ) , Central America ( Costa-Rica ) , England , Belgium , Canada , Chili , Colon ( Cuba ) , Scotland , States of Columbia , France , Greece , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , Mexico ,

Pera , Portugal , Argentine Republic , Switzerland , Uruguay , Venezuela . It was further arranged that the next Congress should be held at Rome , in 1878 , and that after that , one should assemble every ten years , at such place as had been determined on at the preceding Congress . In the interval

betAveen two conventions , a tribunal of five delegates , chosen by the Confederation , will take cognisance of any difficulties that may arise among the various Councils . The interest in the proceedings of this Congress , confined , as it is , to this particular Rite , will be limited to those

Avho recognise the high degrees , and among these , the principles enunciated will , nccor & irigtoLeMoiideMarouni . que , be only partially accepted . As regards Masonry itself , it is held in high esteem in Switzerland . There is a Grand Lodge , " Alpina , " Avith twenty-seven Lodges under its

jurisdiction , and including not far short of tAvo thousand members . In Italy , likewise , the Order has made Avonderful progress . On the 5 th of March , the New Masonic Temple , a very handsome building , Avas formally opened and dedicated to the purposes of the Craft . Over two hundred

brethren Avere present , and a procession Avas marshalled by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies , the brethren marching in order of juniority , and after them the representatives of Foreign Grand Lodges and the officers of the Grand Orient of Italy . Having traversed

the several halls , the procession at length reached the doors of the Temple itself , and , having entered , the Grand Orator , Bro . J . Macchi , delivered a long , powerful , and impressive address , in the course of Avhich he made graceful allusion to the presence of foreign representatives