Grand Mark Lodge.

Bro . J AMES TERRY responded for "The Grand Stewards , " and stated that this was the first time in Grand Mark Lodge there had been an organised Board of Grand Stewards . The brethren then separated . A beautiful selection of music was delightfully performed by Bros . Beckett , Freyer , Egbert Roberts , Henry R , Rose , and W . A . Frost , under the direction of Bro . Henry R . Rose .

The following brethren formed the Board > f Grand Stewards : Bros . James Terry , Middx . and Surrey , President ; Jabez Church , Middx . and Surrey , Treasurer ; John Ramsey , Old Kent , Secretary ; J . W . Fuller , Bon Accord ; George Edwards , Middx . and Surrey ; James Boulton , Middx . and Surrey ; H . C . Burt , Dorset ; W . M . Lowick , Gloucestershire ; R . Glasspool , Berks and Oxon ; R . Owen , N . Wales ; J . T . Seller , W . Yorks ; B . T . Fountaine , Bucks ; E . H . Thorne , Staffordshire ; and R . Fitzhugh , Notts .

The Jubilee Badge referred to in the above report and recommended by the General Board , can now be obtained at Bro . George Kenning's Masonic Depot , Little Britain , London .

American Masonic Statistics, 1886-7.

AMERICAN MASONIC STATISTICS , 1886-7 .

The statistics of the Grand Lodges and other Masonic Bodies in North America , are not a little startling , and indicate how strong is the hold that the Craft has on the brethren in the Western Hemisphere . The proceedings of the various Organisations are statistical in character , as well as historical and descriptive , so that full information is afforded respecting the growth of lodges , chapters , and commanderies , British North America being generally included in the survey of the Grand Bodies flourishing in the adjoining United States .

There are 48 Grand Lodges in the States and Territories of thc United States , with some 9 800 lodges , and 557 , 000 subscribing members . The largest of these is New York , which has 715 lodges on its roll , followed closely by Illinois with 691 , and then come Missouri with 552 , Indiana , 505 ; Kentucky , 49 6 ; Texas , 486 ; Ohio , 469 ; Tenuesse , 411 ; Iowa , 395 ; and Pennsylvania , 380 lodges . The smallest is Arizona Territory with 5 ,

Wyoming having 6 , and Utah 8 lodges . The average is rather over 200 for the United States Grand Lodges , with about 11 , 600 members . The average of members per lodge is 57 , which is lower than we anticipated , some lodges having several hundreds of members on their Registers . The Secretarial department for the whole of these 48 Grand Lodges costs some 56 , 000 dollars , or in other words a trifle over . £ 11 , 000 for all , being an average of about £ 235 for each Grand Lodge . This is a very small average ,

but it must be remembered that many of the Grand Lodges are so low , as to be scarcely worthy of the title , though of course they are really what their name indicates , for their / ferritory or State . In some Grand Lodges the Grand Masters are paid salaries " including clerk hire , " additional to the Secretarial department , and the representatives and Grand Officers are also paid the whole or a portion of their travelling expenses , the funds being obtained by "Dues per capita" and fees exigible on the conferring of either of the Three Decrees .

For British North America , there are the following Grand Lodges , Canada ( for Ontario ) with 349 lodges and 19 , 000 members ; Nova Scotia , 66 lodges and 2 , 800 members ; Quebec , 59 lodges and 2620 members ; New Brunswick , 32 lodges and 1959 members ; Manitoba , 27 lodges and 1092 members and Prince Edwards Island , 11 lodges and 454 members . These represent a total of 544 lodges and some 28 , 000 members , or with

the United States , a grand total of about 10 , 350 lodges and 585 , 000 subscribing members . As , in some returns , Cuba is also included , the grand total would in that case be raised by 77 lodges and 4000 members . In other words in North America , taken in all the lodges under all the jurisdictions , including England , there are some 600 , 000 brethren who are active members of our fraternity 1

In Royal Arch Masonry , the statistics are equally remarkable , and the progress of the Capitular Craft is as strikingly manifested on consulting the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter and other volumes . We are indebted for those of the G . G . C . to Bro . Alfred F . Chapman , of Boston , who , until recently has been the honoured G . G . High Priest of that organisation , and whose portrait adorns the "Proceedings" for 18 S 6 . He has

been succeeded by Bro . Noble D . Lamer , of whom Washington , D . C , is justly proud . The Triennial Convocations have regularly been held since 1 S 26 , six meetings having been held before that time , including the two during the year of its organisation 1798 . There are 3 8 Grand Chapters which are thus united under the wing of the General Grand R . A . Chapter , and 26 chapters in Territories or Countries not yet organised into Grand

Chapters . These united , represent a total of 1977 chapters , and 124 , 663 members , all of whom , be it remembered , are also Mark Masons , " Past Masters , " and Most Excellent Masters . The Grand Chapters which do not participate are those of Pennsylvania , Virginia , and VVest Virginia . Then there are the Grand Chapters of the British Provinces in North America . Altogether they represent a grand total of considerably over 140 , 000 Royal Arch Companions in North America . These totals are largely on the

increase when compared with the years 1 S 78-9 18 S 0-1 and 1882 , all of which were below those of 1 S 77 . From 1 S 83 , the advance has been well maintained , the year 1 S 85 being by far the largest yet attained . The summaries in the proceedings are carefully compiled , and exhibit the number of exaltations under each year , during each successive term , also the number affiliated , restored , expelled , suspended , demitted , and died . The financial and statistical returns of the Grand Chapters are most exhaustive documents .

In the Knights Templars , all the subordinate * ' Commanderies " are either under the Grand Commandries for the individual States , which are all connected with the Grand Encampment for the United States , or on the roll of the latter body , because not yet formed into a State organisation . There are 33 Grand Commanderies , and 27 subordinate Commanderies in the United States , with a total of 752 Commanderies , and 69 , 300 members ! In Canada , the " Preceptories " are under the rule of the Great Priory for

that dominion , which raises the grand total in the United States and British Provinces by about a thousand more . Add to them the numbers under the rule of the Grand Priories of England and Ireland and the Chapter General of Scotland , and the total of Kni ghts Templars is increased by some 4600 , so that the grand total in English speaking countries of the Masonic Knights Templars amounts to about 75 , , by which it will be seen how much more Masonic Knighthood is practised in the United

American Masonic Statistics, 1886-7.

States than in Great Britain and Ireland . Our statistics have been derived through the medium of our good Bro . Stephen Berry , of Portland , Maine . The "Ancient and Accepted Rite" is also very popular in the States , there being , doubtless , at least , 15 , 000 to 20 , 000 Rose Croix Masons

under the two jurisdictions or Supreme Councils for the Northern and Southern States . In no country in the world has Freemasonry found a more congenial soil than in the United States , and we trust that the brotherhood on both sides of the " big pond " will continue to be on terms of intimacy and friendship so long as the need for such associations exist . W . J . HUGHAN .

A Review.

A REVIEW .

THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY " . By Bro . ROBERT FREKU GOULU . Vol . VI . London : Thomas C . Jack , 45 , Ludgate Hill . 18 S 7 . The Sixth Volume of Bro . Gould ' s invaluable "History of Freemasonry" is now before us , and the exacting task which he entered upon with so much ardour some three or four years since , and has pursued with such marked ability and so perseveringly is at length completed—not , as he tells us , quite so much to his own

satisfaction as he bad anticipated , but undoubtedly to the edification of the bulk of his readers , who would have known nothing of the omissions he refers to , had he not himself proclaimed them , and promised they should be made good in a supplementary volume . That it isa grand work , and redeems Masonic historical literature from the charge laid against it by Hallam , there is no doubt . Bro . Gould is too prone to make searching investigation into everything directly or indirectly

associated with Freemasonry to allow of there being much room left for the play of his imagination . Many an old familiar allegation , which for several successive generations had passed currenfcas an unimpeachable verity , has , after undergoing his rigid scrutiny been either routed from its pride of place , or converted into such a miserable scarecrow of a vrai-seiiiblancc that its author , were he now living , would fail to recognise it as his own progeny . In saying this , we do not forget that we have had occasion to differ

from him in opinion on sundry points—the Wren theory , for example—but such differences of opinion are perhaps inevitable , and only prove that Bro . Gould , in spite of all his researches , and the acumen with which he has tested whatever came to his knowledge , has not been able to solve all the knotty problems he has encountered to the satisfaction of all students of Masonic history . However , if he has not succeeded in determining all the open questions he encountered in the

progress of his work , has done probably more than any previous or contemporaneous writer , to give form and substance , and a reasonable basis to our history . Others will follow in his footsteps , but unless they are fortunate enough to light upon new material of unquestionable value , there is little likelihood of their setting aside his history , which there are fair grounds for believing will continue to be for generations , if not always , our safest and most trustworthy guide to the intricacies of Masonic history .

The present and concluding volume opens with the remaining portion of Chapter XXVII ., in which the course of Freemasonry in Germany is described . The chapter that follows carries us through Southern Europe , the rise , progress , and present position of Freemasonry in Austria-Hungary , Switzerland , Italy , Portugal Spain , Greece , Turkey , Roumania , and Malta being successively sketched , the authorities which have been consulted by the author being in every case set forth ,

while , in the case of the Italian , Portuguese , and Spanish Grand Lodges , charts arc added which will enable the reader to trace the various " permutations and combinations , " if we may be allowed the use of the expression , which have taken place at different times in the somewhat difficult progress of the Craft in these countries . Indeed , without these charts we question if the most enthusiastic student would have courage to wade through these sections of the chapter , so difficult is it to trace the connection between the different Councils , Orients , and other bodies .

The 29 th chapter , in which we are taken through Asia , Africa , the West Indies , Mexico , Central and South America , Australasia , and Oceania , is eminently interesting , because the greater part of the narrative relates to our home Freemasonry , nearly all the lodges existing in the majority of these countries having been constituted by , and remaining subject to , the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom . The same may be said of the Chapter devoted to " Sea and Field

Lodges , " and for the same reason , because the bulk of those lodges are of English , Irish , or Scotch constitution , or were founded by bodies—mostly American—which originally emanated from the Grand Lodges of the Old Country . Chapter XXX . is devoted to" Freemasonry in the United States of America , " while Chapter XXXI . completes the survey by a short treatise on " the Dominion of Canada and Newfoundland . " In the former of these there is abundance of matter for the careful

consideration of the reader , and , so far as we have had time to follow Bro . Gould in his researches and the conclusions he has seen fit to adopt therefrom , he seems to have traced the history of the Craft in this portion of North America with clearness and precision , and most assuredly with every desire to play the part of a strictly impartial historian . We cannot venture to give an opinion offhand as to whether his views on the rival claims of Boston , Massachusetts , and Philadelphia to be

what our American friends call the " Mother City" of Freemasonry in the United States are such as will commend themselves generall y to those who have given their attention to tbe subject . We feel sure that what he has said will prove the result of a candid examination of the facts , so far as it has been possible to ascertain them ; but it is because wc have received the volume so recently that a fair digest of its merits on this point has been as yet impossible , that we find it necessary to deal with this Chapter in a future article .

A brief acknowledgment of thanks to those who have assisted him in his arduous task will be found in the 33 rd chapter , and then comes the Appendix , which Bro . Gould tells us he has been compelled to bring within narrower limits than he had intended , and to supplement which he hopes to do " in a further or supplementary volume . " The most noteworthy contents of this are reprints of certain

so-called exposures of breemasonry , that of "The Grand Mystery of the Freemasons discovered "—2 nd edition—published in 1725 , being one of them . There is also an Index , which , so far as we have been able to judge , is sufficient and accurately compiled . The plates too , with which the volume is embellished , are well executed , so that in this respect likewise the hi gh character of Bro . Gould ' s work is maintained to the very last . As we have hinted already , we shall have occasion to revert to portions of this volume in future articles .

on a visit to England . He aided to found and was a member of the Lodge " Drei Kanonen , " at Vienna , constituted in 1742 , and it was no doubt owing to his influence that during Maria Theresa ' s great reign or forty vears , Freemasonry was tolerated in Vienna . It is averred that

on one occasion , which is alluded to in the " Pocket Companion " of I 754 > one hundred Grenadiers were sent to break up the Lodge , and they took 12 prisoners , and the Emperor himself only escaped by a back staircase , —Kenning ' s Cyclepadia of Freemasonry .

FKANCIS I . ( Franz ) EMPEROR OI * AUSTRIA . —Born in 1708 , died in 1765 . Hc was the eldest son of the Duke of Lorraine , and in 1729 succeeded his father in that dukedom . He was also Duke of Tuscany . He married the famous Maria Theresa , Empress of Austria , and was elected Emperor of Germany in 1745 . Hc was a zealous Freemason , having been initiated at the Hague in 173 1 , at a special lodge , at which Lord Chesterfield and Dr . Desaguliers and others were present , and was made a Master Mason at a special lodge held at Houghton Hall that year , while