A. And A. Rite In The United States Of America.

A . and A . emissary shonld encroach npon his domain . On tho same day , when the advertisement appeared , Bro . Mulligan , in company with a Frenchman by the name of Cerneau , visited Bro . Jacobs at his sohool , and invited him to attend to some high'degree Consistory ( or something of the kind ) in New York . Jacobs replied thafc no one but himself had a right to call such meeting in New York , and referred them to the advertisement .

As already said , Jacobs admitted Christiana and Jews alike into his organisation : there were , however , in New York high-toned Christian Masons ( amongst whom were De Witte Clinton , the Governor of the State , who was also the G . M . of the State ) ; these could not very well stomach the idea of having a Jewish Boss in Masonry . But it luckily happened that Cerneau arrived in New

York in 1806 , who claimed to have received in the West Indies from Stephen Morin 33 degrees , with the necessary powers to establish the A . and A . Rite in New York . Now , be ifc remembered , that in 1762 Stephen Morin brought from France to the West Indies twentyfive degrees only , with powers to establish those degrees only . What became of Morin afterwards no one knows , save and except , according

to Ragon , Morin was deprived , in 1766 , by the French authorities of the Rite , of the powers given to him in 1761 or 62 . Where Morin obtained the eight degrees manufactured in Charleston , and who gave him the power to confer the 33 degrees , never troubled our New York Christian Masons . Cerneau , who could not speak English , was put as a figure head for Sovereign Great Commander ; bnt , in reality ,

Clinton was the real Commander—this took place in October 1807 . Unfortunately , there appears to have been no records kept by the Cerneauites . Dr . Folger , who is a partizan of the Cerneauites , admits that there is great confusion about the origin of the Cerneau concern j and he also admits that Cerneau did not perfeot his organisation till a year later ; nor is there any claim made that the

Cerneauites gave warning of their new Institution in the newspapers . However , from that time to the present , the American A . and A . Riters continued fighting like wild oats , and no one knows when this fighting will terminate . What finally became of Jacobs' concern I know not , for ifc evidently oonld not long maintain itself when opposed by high Christian respectabilities and audacity , lst , the Cerneanites

in 3808 petitioned the two A . and A . concerns in France for recognition . 2 nd , it invaded Rhode Island , where Charleston had long before established a concern . These invasions brought De La Motta from Charleston to New York in 1813 . The Charleston " Thrice II . lustrious" challenged Cerneau to prove himself a 33 degreer . Cerneau would not , and most probably could not . Thereupon the

Charlestonian denounced Cerneau as an impostor , & o . De La Motta then created John James Joseph Gourgas , also a Frenchman , as Sovereign of the Northern Jurisdiction . This Gourgas concern was also a failure—it melted away in a few years . But Gourgas tenaciously clings to his titles and pretensions ; and , for many years , he alone formed the Supreme Counoil of his claimed Jurisdiction . 3 rd , in

1814 , the Cerneauites established a concern in New Orleans ( right in the heart of the Southern jurisdiction ) . This concern is still flourishing , and some years ago it established in Louisiana a G . L . of its own , and Louisiana has had two Grand Lodges ever since ; and 4 th , in 1816 , the Cerneauites established a Consistory in Charleston itself , and for the next ten years there was plenty of Masonio

fighting in Charleston . In 1825 , General Lafayette , the American revolutionary hero , visited the United States , and was everywhere received with deserved acclamation . The Charlestonians invited the General to visit their oifcy , and the invitation was accepted . Thereupon , the Grand Mother Supreme Council decided , npon the arrival of the

distinguished visitor , to invite him into their sanctum , and confer npon him the thirty-three degrees . This heiug decided , we con naturally imagine that they went to work , brushed up their old uniforms , polished up their swords , renovated their ribbons , trinkets , tinsel , feathers , & o ., and probably obtained a new banner , or cleaned up the old one .

Well , the General at last arrived ; a committee was sent to invite the General . But , horror of horrors ! At the twelfth hour , the Grand Mother Counoil received information that the Cerneauites had got the General into their sanotnm , and had already conferred upon him the thirty-three degrees . Was not this enough to make an angel

swear ? As already stated by Bro . Carson ( only there is no if or bnt about it ) : In 1832 , the Cerneauites made a treaty of alliance , & c , with several Supreme Counoils , whioh was effeoted through the agenoy of Count de St . Laurent . * In 1837 , Henry C . Attwood , keeper of a small publio house in Division-street , New York , was the Sovereign

Grand Commander . Atwood got into a muddle with tho Grand Lodge of New York , and was expelled from Masonry . Thereupon , by virtue of his high powers as Sovereign , & c , he established a Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , & c , of his own ; bis expulsion caused a split among the Cerneauites , and for about a dozen years , the State of New York had two Masonic Sovereigns and also two Masonic Grand Masters .

* Folger says that Lafayette was appointed by the Cerneanites as their representative at the Supreme Council of France , and held that position until his death in 1834 , when he was succeeded by Count de ! a St . Laurent . " [ To be continued . ]

Care Of Lodge Funds.

CARE OF LODGE FUNDS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I wonder what sapient member of the Fraternity conceived the idea of every Lodge handing over its funds to Grand Lodge , as if the members of such Lodges were children , not to be trusted out of leading strings , and that G . L . shonld ever continue to be a nursing father or mother to them ? If the Lodges have lot sufficient respect for themselves to stand well in the eyes of the

Care Of Lodge Funds.

Craft , I do not think they hold Grand Lodgo in sufficient awe to induce them to do so . As to tho Treasurer being only an ornamental personage , it is his own fault , and much to his discredit if he permits himself to be made a dummy , or his office a sinecure Decidedly , Secretary and Treasurer should work together , the one to be a check upon the other ; but certainly the praise and blame as

to how the Lodge accounts stand should bear with equal weight upon both ; the W . M . also should make himself acquainted with the state of his Lodge Funds , from time to time , and not content himself by merely attending the annual audit . The following is a question I should like to have answered ; viz ., the Treasurer of Lodge 1527 ( which does not exist ) at very short notice leaves the country , just after the last meeting of the Session , proposing to return in a month

or so . Time passes on , and at the commencement of the ensuing Session , his absence may be prolonged indefinitely , " Is it not within the power , and should it not be the duty , of the W . M ., for the time being , to appoint a deputy Treasurer nntil the next period of election within the Lodge ?"—No resignation having been sent in by the absent member . —Or " Is ifc necessarv to ballot for the new Treasnrer

pro tern ? " My own opinion is , that ifc is in his power ; but I should like to hear an expression of views from more experienced CraftBmen . YOUTH fraternally , P . M . 1607 . 25 th September 1882 .

The annual installation meeting of the Montague Guest Lodge , No . 1900 , which was consecrated in July , last year , is fixed to take place on Wednesday , the 11 th of next month , at the Inns of Court Hotel , when a large and distinguished attendance is anticipated . As we have had

occasion to point out heretofore , the brethren of this Lodge , which is named after Bro . Montague Guest , M . P ., the Provincial Grand Master of Dorset , were fortunate in securing the interest of many influential supporters , and Bro . W . H . Dean , also a Dorsetshire man , expressed , as its

first Wor . Master , that the circumstances under which the Lodge had been consecrated were so auspicious that he looked confidently forward to much good work being accomplished in it . In this hope he has been more than justified by the results , which have proved that good sound

Masonic work has been accomplished , to which , as a Lodge in the first year of its existence , it may refer with pride . Bro . Dean has proved himself a most efficient and zealous Master , and has gained the high and sincere respeet of his officers and all the brethren for his assiduity and tact in

controlling and directing the affairs of the Lodge . He will retire at the end of his term with " all his blushing honours thick upon him , " not only for the excellence of his working , but also his zeal on behalf of the interests of his Lodge and the Craft generally . As a proof of the thorough

earnestness of his Lodge it may be mentioned that at the recent Festival , at Brighton , Bro . George P . Festa , the Worshipful Master elect , and who officiated as a special Steward to receive the Lord Mayor , took up the very respectable sum of £ 182 18 s lid , which ( with the exception

of five guineas given by Bro . Dean himself ) was all his own list . Such exertion and liberality on the part of a Lodge as yet in its swaddling clothes is most commendable , and needs no further comment . It is not at all likely that under Bro . Festa ' s reign the welfare of the Lodge will

suffer in the least , for all who know that brother ' s robust activity and earnestness in tbe cause will readily believe that the best interests of the Lodge will be conserved and

consolidated , and tb at he will prove a worthy successor to the first Master , who has done so much to establish the reputation and influence of the Lodge over which he has so ably presided during the past year .

It may be interesting to many of our readers to know that the Ancient Order of Freemasons have a Lodge , under the Grand Lodge of England , at Cairo ( No . 1 , 105 ) , and many Freemasons who are now serving with our army in the Egyptian capital have been able to assemble in Lodge in the surrendered city . His Royal Highness the Dnke of Connaught well represents the English Order in

Egypt , and the name of his illustrious brother , His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England , is honoured in all parts of the world where Freemasonry exists . The 4 th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards , who are now quartered in the Citadel at Cairo , will hold their Masonic gatherings whilst on service as regular as if at home . No better regiment exists than the

4 th Dragoons , and the Masonic feeling amongst all ranks which has existed for many years has caused the crime of insubordination to be unknown in the corps . The squadrons of the Household Cavalry in Egypt boast of many Craftsmen . Amongst the- many regiments who have regimental Masonic Lodges the most prominent are the 12 th rrince of Wales's Royal Lancers , 17 th Duke of Cambridge's Own

Lancers , the 12 th Suffolk Regiment , the 14 th Prince of Wales ' s Own West Yorkshire Regiment , the 26 th Cameronians , the Lancashire Fnsileers ( the old 20 th ) , the 29 th Worcestershire Regiment , the 39 th Dorsetshire Regiment , the Royal Fusiliers , the Royal Military Lodge , Cavalry Depot , Canterbury , and the Brownrigg Lodge ( Royal Engineers ) , Chatham . — Portsmouth Times .