Scotland.

Comp . Humphries ; but he had now filled every office in a chapter inside the door , and trusted he shonld not bring discredit on that of Z . He considered it a very high honour to sit in that chair at this meeting of the three chapters . His two fellow First Principals had been pleased

to speak of his efforts in both their chapters ; it had been a source of pride to him to be able to be useful to his companions in those Chapters ; they had rewarded him by honorary membership , and now giving him the place of honour . This meeting he considered an auspicious omen ; they

had here the emblem of the Order , the Equilateral Triangle , with the Three Chapters , while the three Principals of each might represent the Triple Tau . He hoped that the three Chapters would be even more friendly united than they were at present ; to effect that he would

suggest a meeting of the Principals , to completely identify their work . And they might get others to co-operate , as at present , out of the twelve chapters in the province , these were not two that worked precisely alike . Companions who , like him , from his connection with the Freemason

had to visit all those chapters , and frequently had to assist in the work , found it very annoying , and not at all conducive to the general welfare of the Order . Comp . Annand , Z . 144 , proposed , and Comp . Humphries , 469 , seconded the thanks of the three chapters to Comp . Balfour ,

for the excellent way in which he had performed the installation ceremonies , and that the same be recorded by their respective Scribe E . ' s . Comp . Wheeler , on putting it , observed that Comp . Balfour was deserving of thanks , not only for his services to-night , but for his readiness at

all times to assist any chapter in any part of their work . This was carried by acclamation . Comps . WJieeler , Humphries , and Annand , then closed the chapter , the companions adjourning for refreshment to the Small Hall , where Comp . Wheeler presided as chairman , with Humphries

and Annand as Croupiers .. CHAPTER 67 , according to dispensation from the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , held their meeting for election and installation on Friday , a ^ th inst , at 22 , Struthersstreet , Calton . The chapter was opened in

the Royal Arch degree , and the nominations made at previous meetings read . The nomination of Scribe not holding good , David French was duly nominated for that office . The following names being read over individually , were declared duly elected for the year : —Comps . James

Duthie , Z . ; John Cunningham , H . ; John Main , J . ; David French , Scribe E . ; John Mason ,. N . ; James Wood , Treasurer ; David Ronald , 3 ? irst Soj . ; J ohn Nagle , Second Soj . ; James Dickie , Third Soj . ; Andrew Crawford , Janitor . Comp . Halkett , M . E . Z ., 1 , 3 , installed the

officebearers in a most solemn and impressive manner . Comp . James Duthie then thanked the companions for re-electing him , nnd said that every effort would be made by him for the good of the chapter , and hoped that his officebearers would not be wanting in supporting

him , and doing all that they could to add to the growing prosperity of the Cathedral Chapter . He also returned thanks to his past office-bearers and companions , who had been regular in their attendance , supporting the work of the past year , and remarked those of them who he

thought had failed to do what they ought to have considered they were in honour bound to do . Comp . Duthie , P , Z ., returned thanks ' , to Companion Halkett for services rendered on the present occasion to the Cathedral R . A . C . Comp . Halkett said it gave him very great pleasure to

be here to-night , and wished success to the future working of the chapter . There being no further business the chapter was closed in due and ancient form , James Duthie , P . Z . ; John Cunningham , P . H . ; John Main , P . J . ; other Companions standing to order . Thc

Mark Masters Lodge was opened , with Brother Duthie , Right W . Master , in the chair , Bro . Ronald , ; jS . W . ; Bro . Main , J . W . There being no business of this degree the brethren Were called from labour to refreshment . The

usual loyal toasts , with song and sentiment , were given until the brethren were called from refreshment back ] to labour , and the lodge was closed in due and ancient form by Bros . Duthie , Ronald , and Main .

Freemasonry And Roman Catholicism.

FREEMASONRY AND ROMAN CATHOLICISM .

COMMUNICATED . [ We print the following communication , on thc principle of allowing free discussion of all passing events affecting Freemasonry , but we are by no means prepared to say that we should endorse all the arsruments of our able

correspondent—Ed . ] The perversion of the Marquis of Ripon , the Grand Master of the Order of Freemasons , to Roman Catholicism has naturally enough , in the present " dead season" of politics , given rise to a good deal of comment in the press ; but

comparatively little attention has been drawn to Freemasonry , in the sense of its being a " secret society , " and as such lying under the curse of the Church of Rome . Papal fulminations ofthe most malignant type are ever and anon being hurled against secret societies in general , and

the society of Freemasons in particular ; anathemas fierce , and spiteful , are continually being launched from the Romish pulpit by the subordinates of Pius IX . against institutions of this class ; and , to crown the terror and rage , the threat of excommunication is made ever to rinsr in the

ears of those worshipping within the pale ofthe church—hanging over them like the sword of Damocles—should they attempt to join the brotherhood of any so-called secret institution . No exception is apparently made either on account of the religious nature or the beneficent results of

many of these societies : Orangemen and Ribbonmen(?)—Freemasons and Odd Fellows—Good Templars and Philanthropists , who may meet in private to disburse bounties to the poor , are under the ban ofthe Romish Church ; every society , —in short , which likens itself to the

Church of Rome , in its exemplary strict seclusion—burrowing like a mole in the earth —is vehemently denounced as being projects established and promulgated by the Evil One . With the exception of societies such as the " International , " or may we venture to add , the "Home

Rule" order , which have political objects to serve and if possible accomplish , there are very few " secret" bodies , at least in this country , which keep their light under a bushel , and none less so than the venerable Orderof " Free , Antient , ancl Accepted Masons . " From time

immemorial the Craft has borne an irreproachable character , both in public ancl private . Its members have all along been the trusty friends of truth and true religion . In troublous times they lent powerful aid to stem the tide of infidelity and error , and the Church of Rome

perceiving that the foundation upon which Masonry rested was heavenly in design , made strenuous efforts to overthrow it . Monarchs , who were little more than undei lings of the reigning Pope , were directed to stamp out the Order , and persecution against the Craft followed . But

extermination proved impossible , and the last and only course Rome could pursue was to " curse it with an awful curse . " This , then , is the secret of the spite and enmity which the Church of Rome bears towards Freemasonry , and hence it is that no Roman Catholic dare enter into its brotherhood . Freemasonry is not a " secret "

society in the commonly understood meaning of the term ; it is more of the character of a select society . In corroboration of this statement we quote the following from an excellent work entitled , " Fieemasonry and its Jurisprudence , " written by an influential member of the Order , Brother Chalmers I . Paton , Edinburgh : —

" If the term [ secret society ] refers , as , perhaps , in strict language , it should , to those associations whose designs are concealed from the public eye , or whose members are unknown , which produce their results in darkness , or whose operations are carefully hidden from the public gaze , a definition which will be appropriate to

many political clubs and revolutionary combinations in despotic countries , where reform , if it is at all to be effected , must be effected by secret combinations—then clearly Freemasonry is not a secret society . Its design is not only publicly proclaimed , but is vaunted by its disciples as something to be venerated ; its disciples are known , for its membershi p is considerned an

Freemasonry And Roman Catholicism.

honour to be coveted ; it wotks for a result of which it boasts—the civilization and refinement of man , thc amelioration of his condition , and the reformation of his manners . But if by a secret society is meant—and this is the most popular understanding , of the term—a society in which

there is a certain amount of knowledge , whether it be of methods of recognition , or of legendary and traditional learning , which is imparted to those only who have passed through an established form of initiation , the form itself beinq *

also concealed or esoteric , then in this sense is Freemasonry undoubtedly a secret society . Now , this secrecy is inherent in it , existing with it from its foundation , and secured to it by its ancient landmarks . If divested of its secret character

it would lose its identity , and would cease to be Freemasonry . " It is abundantly evident from the foregoing that the secrecy of Freemasonry applies solely to " the methods of recognition amongst the brethren , " and that it has no significance or object in drawing a cordon—as understood by the Romish Church—to exclude all free-born

moralhving men of whatever creed , political or ecclesiastical . Lord Ripon ' s secession , therefore , from the ranks of the Freemasons—in itself a comparatively trivial matter to the Craft , as within its extensive membership are princes oftheblood royal , whowill gladlyandcan worthily fill the Grand Master ' s chair—demonstrates in a

marked degree , let it be said—and that secretly wrought—the bitter malevolence of the Church of Rome against a society which , in its spirit and practice is a useful and munificent public institution . Hoary with antiquity , it has won worldwide reverence , and in proof of its vitality it is

at the present day stronger in its muster roll than at any period of its long history . Hence it is invulnerable against the thunderbolts of Rome , the greatest and grossest secret society in Christendom . Edinburgh . J . Y .

Rome And Freemasonry.

ROME AND FREEMASONRY .

While lamenting the recent event which will for ever associate the hitherto honoured name of Ripon with that of renegade , I cannot conceive that the present moment is one to be employed in vain regrets for our lost Grand Master , or in attempts to magnify the services which

he is supposed to have rendered to the Craft . It is precisely because Lord Ripon sat upon the throne of English Freemasoniy that we , as English Freemasons , have a right to judge him by his acts , and it is generally admitted that his perversion to the Church of Romo acquires all

its sinister significance from the very fact of his rank in our Order . It therefore becomes our imperative duty to review with frankness and without fear , all the circumstances relating to this melancholy fact in which such dear and sacred interests as those which appertain to

Freemasonry are indubitably involved . There can scarcely be a lingering doubt in the mind of any thinking man that the abruptness of the Marquis of Ripon ' s resignation was but part and parcel of a deep laid plan to strike a treacherous blow at an Institution for which up to the very

eve of his secession , the noble lord professed so profound a veneration , " Freemasonry was a fortress of which Lord Ripon was Governor , ' says one of your contemporaries , and how did he repay this boundless confidence ? B y doing the work of our inveterate enemy in secret , for as

the same journal remarks , a man ' s religious convictions are as rarely changed in a single night as the colour of his hair ; hence the fatal conclusion is irresistibl y forced upon us , that our late Grand Master maintained his bond of

brotherhood with the Craft , and sought its highest honours in order that his open defection , on the eve of our great national Masonic assemblage , might inflict upon us a stronger and deadlier blow .

In this connection it is impossible to avoid alluding to certain rumours of a startling character , which are at present rife amongst the fraternity generally , but more especially amongst metropolitan brethren . It is asserted that the Councils of the Craft in this country have for years been directed by a brother who is affiliated