Provincial Grand Chapter Of East Lancashire.

The ceremonies throughout were rendered by Comps . Sillitoe and Jefferis in a most impressive manner , several companions present remarking that they had never seen them rendered so beautifully . Comp . Clement V . Haworth was installed as first M . E . Z . ; Comp . H . Andrew , H . ; and Comp . Bottomley , I . ; and the officers vvere invested by the M . E . Z . , The chapter was then closed .

Immediately Comp . Col . Starkie resumed his chair , and opened Prov . Grand Chapter . Upon ( railing over the roll of Prov . Grand Officers , all were found to be present , vvith the exception of thc Prov . Grand Chaplain , who , as we have before mentioned , vvas indisposed .

All the chapters in the province were represented , with the exception of two , and they were ordered to be fined . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed , and the yearly report was read by the Prov . Grand H ., Comp . SILLITOE , which proved the Province of East Lancashire to be in a highly flourishing condition .

The Treasurer ' s accounts were adopted , and there being a considerable balance in hand , Comp . SILLITOE proposed 20 guineas be given to the East Lancashire Systematic and Educational Benevolent Institution . This was unanimously carried . Comp . W . F . Lean vvas appointed Auditor , with another , whose name we did not catch . The Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year were then invested as follows :

Comp . J . H . Sillitoe ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ J . Heelis ( by Deputy ) ... ... Prov . G . J . „ John Chadwick ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ Rev . J . Clayton , P . Z . ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ Wm . Forrest , P . Z . ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ Wm . Hardcastle , P . Z . ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S .

„ H . S . Duckworth , P . Z . ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ James Butterworth , P . Z . ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ H . Taylor , P . Z . ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Dr . Foreman , P . Z . ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . Hothersale , P . Z . ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ J . Holyoak ... ... ... Prov . G . Org .

Immediately the Prov . Grand Chapter vvas closed , and subsequently a banquet was held at the Union Club , where a first-class musical entertainment had been arranged by Comp . J . Clayton , assisted by the beforementioned companions .

Consecration Of The Bootle-Wilbraham Lodge. No. 2403, At Knotty Ash.

CONSECRATION OF THE BOOTLE-WILBRAHAM LODGE . No . 2403 , AT KNOTTY ASH .

1 he consecration of the above lodge lodge , bearing a name which is honoured , not only in West Lancashire , but throughout thc world where English Freemasonry exists , took place on Thursday , the 23 rd ult ., at the Village Hall , Knotty Ash , West Lancashire , when there was an attendance of about 90 brethren , nearly half of whom vvere Grand and Prov . Grand Officers . The name of the new lodge is in honour of Bro . thc Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Lathom , G . C . B ., Pro G . M ., P . G . M . West Lanes ., and the hint

thrown out by his lordship at thc Provincial Grand Lodge some years ago will be adopted in connection with the new lodge . This was to the effect that it was desirable if lodges would devote all initiation fees , after deducting the Grand Lodge expenses , to the cause of the Masonic Charities . The Village Hall , Knotty Hill , Knotty Ash , is a handsome erection , is most admirabl y adapted for Masonic purposes ; and was decorated for thc occasion in a suitable manner . The initial meeting vvas of the most genial and successful nature .

Bro . W . Goodacre , P . G . S . B . England , Prov . G . Sec , efficiently fulfilled the duties of Presiding Officer , and he vvas assisted in the impressive consecration ceremony by Bros . T . Forrester , P . G . Std . Br . ; R . Wylie , P . G . D . ; J . Christie , P . J . G . W . ; W . Savage , P . G . Treas . ; j . I .

Lambert , P . P . G . R . ; D . M . Gaskin , P . P . G . Treas . ; R . Armitage , P . G Reg . ; C . Heywood , P . G . D . C ; Rev . J . Pcmblctt , P . G . C ; R . G Bradley , P . G . S . ; and W . Johnson , P . S . G . W . The founders of the lodge were Bros . C . Fothcrgill , P . G . S . ; E . II

Cookson , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . Oversby , P . M . 1393 ; G- Holme , jun ., W . M . 2294 ; E . Berry ; W . H . Bucknall , P . P . A . G . D . C . Staffordshire ; Samuel L . Fraser , P . M . 1264 ; W . Rawsthornc , P . M . 1182 ; Hedley Oliver , 1264 ; H . Whittingham , 216 ; T . Holme , J . D . 1182 ; VV . Pye , P . M . 1094 ; W . Lothian , 249 ; G . Barclay , 2316 ; D . Lothian , j . W . 1182 ; Dr . R . J . Richardson ; Thomas Scotson ; J . R . Clarke , 1182 ; and W . j . Davidson , 1182 .

I here were also present—Bros . ] . T . Callow , P . P . G . Treas . ; J . C . Robinson , P . P . A . G . D . C ; J . M , Smythe , P . P . A . G . D . C ; J . R . Bottomley , P . P . A . G . D . C ; R . Foote , P . P . G . Treas . ; J . B . Mackenzie , P . P . S . G . D . ; A . Cotter , P . P . G . S . B . ; Eli Brooks , P . J . G . D . ; R . Sharrock , P . G . S . ; W . E . Coxon , P . P . G . S . ; J . Shield , P . M 1086 ; H . B . Wrieht , Off , 1182 ; T . I . Sparlinjr . Sec . 21 u . R . VV . M'Lachlan .

P . M . 241 , W . Griffiths , W . M . 2114 ; T . Vernon , P . M . 292 ; E . B . Ironsides , W . M . 12 C 4 ; J . Tarbuck , W . M . 2316 ; W . J . Garrett , P . M . 2290 ; ] . Scott , LP . M . 2294 ; A . Morris , I . P . M . 1182 ; J . Procter , I . P . M . 66 7 ; J . Leach , W . M . 1 299 ; H . J . Pye , P . M . 249 ; J . Edwards , P . M . 1182 ; G . Banner , P . M . 32 ; T . Ldwards , W . M . 460 ; C . Stewart , P . M . 2375 ; R . Tunnicliffe , S . W . 11 S 2 ; W . H . Bicknel ) , S . W . 2204 ; and numerous other brethren .

In thc course of the ceremony an eloquent oration was given by Bro . the Kcv . J . DIMBLETT on "The Nature and Principles of the Institution . " At thc conclusion of the consecration ceremony , Bro . C . Fothcrgill , J -G . S ., was installed the first W . M . of the lodge , and the officers vvere the following : Bros . E . II . Cookson , P . P . J . G . W ., S . W . ; W . T . Oversby , } , - 'M ., J . W . ; VV . Pye , P . M ., Treas . ; G . Holme , jun ., Sec . ; Samuel L .

¦ raser , P . M ., S . D . ; W . Rawsthornc , P . M ., j . D . ; W . H . Bucknell , J . M . D . C ; H . Whittingham , Org . ; E . Berry , I . G . ; and Dr . R . I . Richardson , D . Lowthian , Hedley , Oliver , and G . Barclay , Stwds . Hie names of four gentlemen were then proposed for initiation , including that of the Rev . Frank J . Powell , M . A ., Vicar of Knotty Ash . There vvere ¦ l'so many brethren proposed as joining members .

An excellent banquet was provided by Bro . J . Casey , ancl the music u ( . e ceremony , as vve / 1 as at the after gathering , was very charmingly rendered b y Bros . Kirkham , Edwards , Heginbotham , Whittingham , and others .

Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.

SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND .

The meeting for annual election and installation of office-bearers was held on Monday , the 20 th ult ., in Freemasons' Hall , Edinburgh . The Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Haddington , M . E . Past G . Principal Z ., opened Grand Chapter , after which apologies for absence were read from Comps . the Ri ght Hon . Lord Saltoun , M . E . G . Z . ; the Most Hon . the Marquis of Breadalbane , G . H . ; and others .

1 he G . S . E . then read over the list of nominations to the various offices , and the . following companions were elected and installed :

Comp . James Dalrymple Duncan ... ... Depute G . Z . „ Major F . W . Allan ... ... G . f . „ Robt . S . Brown ... ... ... G . S . E . „ J . McNaught Campbell ... ... G . S . N . ,, James Melville ... ... ... G . Treas . ,, C C . Nisbet ... ... ... G . Recorder .

„ Col . John Campbell ... ... ... G . Chancellor . „ John Carruthers ... ... ... G . ist Soj . „ James Simpson ... ... ... G . 2 nd Soj . „ Major Adam Elliot Black ... ... G . 3 rd Soj . „ Sir Jas . R . G . Maitland , Bart . ... ... G . S . B .

,, Lieut .-Col . N . Ivison Macadam ... ... G . D . of C „ James H . Forshaw ... ... ... G . Depute D . of C . ,, P . Lyle Henderson ... ... ... G . S . of VV . „ W . S . Hunter ... ... ... ist G . Std . Br . 1 , Wm . Adamson ... ... ... 2 nd G . Std . Br . ,, John Taylor ... ... ... G . janitor .

At the conclusion of the installation ceremony the M . E . ActingGrandZ . installed Comp . James Berry as P . G . Superintendent of Angus and Mearns , and Comp . George Christie as P . G . Superintendent of Stirlingshire . The Grand Chapter vvas then closed , and the companions adjourned to the Board Room , there to celebrate the Festival of the Vernal Equinox by dining together . The chair vvas taken by the Right Hon . the Earl of Haddington , and the croupiers were Comps . James Simpson and John Carruthers .

On the removal of the cloth the usual loyal , patriotic , and Masonic toasts vvere given and responded to , " Thc Supreme Grand Chapter " being . given by Comp . L . MACKEKSY , and responded to by Comp . J . D . DUNCAN . The CHAIRMAN replied to the toast of " The Grand Lodge of Scotland , " proposed by Comp . WM . OFFICER , and Comp . LINDSAY MACKERSY replied for "The Supreme Council of Scotland , 33 , " proposed by Comp . J . DALRYMPLE DUNCAN . Other toasts followed .

The Religion Of Freemasonry.

THE RELIGION OF FREEMASONRY .

The Old Charges , which are still ordered to be read at the making of a Freemason , demand of him the belief in the existence of a Supreme I 3 eing ; and an active belief in God is the foundation of all religion . They further "oblige him to that religion in which all men agree , " qualifying it by the additional words : "to be good men aud true , men of honour and honesty , " that is , to be strictly moral men . These two ideas in their combination give us the " Religion of Morality , " to wbich no sane man can or will object .

Thc axiom , that man by nature is a religious being , is deduced from general observation . The fact of an inherent religious sense , common to all people , leads tothe conception of a general religion , the source of all particular religions and religious sects , having for its object the veneration ol God , and the goodness , piety , and morality of men . - and this is the " Religion of Freemasonry , " all the rest being dogmatic by-work ; different in the different religions , in which all people never can nor will agree .

Ihe people , pre-eminentl y endowed with this innate sense of religiousness in antiquity , vvere the Jews , vvho vvent even so far as to establish their political government on a religious idea , called " theocracy , or Divine government . " Christianity is the historical , logical , and therefore , legitimate , outcome of Judaism . But man has not only a religious soul , he is also possessed of the faculty

of the mind which varies in its operations according to environments and the individual nature of persons and peoples . Acting upon this inborn religious disposition , it became , by its diversifying power , the factor of the various religions and religious sects of the world , of which each and every one pretends to be the only true one , condemning all the others as spurious and false—hence their mutual conflict vvhich , stimulated by fanaticism , often led and still does lead to the most cruel and merciless prosecutions .

The grand and sublime idea , underlying as a solid foundation the structure of Freemasonry , is the spirit of tolerance and reconciliation . The primeval conceptions of all religious manifestations were in their origin polytheistic , vvhich a higher intellectual development of the mind reduced to the idea of monotheism . The lews , originally Elohists ( from

Elohim , a plural expression ) , became , in the course of time , Jehovists . From the innalcness of the religious sense , as we have seen , sprang b y the diversifying power of the mind the various religions of the world , and to this source by the same power , in its final harmonising tendency , all must ultimately return again .

If , in the comparative study of all these various religions , we merely look at their outwardness , if vve only consider them in their spirit according to the letter and their historical traditions ; they fill diverge in different directions . But if vve examine and weigh them according to their true inwardness and intrinsic value , their primeval source and fountain , vve find that the most prominent religions converge again towards a common

centre . But that these religions may meet , there must be a place , a temple must be built for this purpose . Such a temple is our temple—the sublime Masondom ! Here we shall be re-united again by reason and intelligence , by the spirit of love and

reconciliation , what Popes and anti : Popes of all religions by their mutual curses in the name uf God have divided and separated . Such is the lofty and divine mission of universal Freemasonry . A man must not have a spark of true religion in his soul if he cannot comprehend this noble duty . —E . R ., in the Freemasons' Journal .