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CONTENTS . LKADKRS— PAGE Freemasonry in the Transvaal ... ... ... ... 443 The Grand Lodge of New Yoik ... , ... ... ... 443 United Grand Lodgeof England ( Quarterly Commuication ) ... ... 444 Mark Grand Lodge ( Qu rterly Communication ) ... .. ... 446 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Cumberland and Westmorland ... ... 447

Consecration of the Victoria Lodge , No . 2669 ... ... ... 447 Women in Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 447 MASONIC NOTESQuarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of England ... ... 449 Ouarterrly Communication of Mark Grand Lodge ... ... ... 449 i ' eath of Bro . T . W . Whitmarsh ... ... ... ... 449 Death of Bro . Daniel Spry ... ... ... ... ... 440 of

Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lod ^ e Cornwall ... ... 449 Annual Communication of the District Grand Lod ^ e of the Transvaal ... 449 Grand Lodge of Oregon ... ... ... ... ... 449 Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... 450 District Grand Lodge of the Transvaal , South Africa ... ... ... 450 Reviews ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 450

Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland and Durham ... ... 450 Bradford Royal Infirmary ... .,, .,, ... ... 451 Craft Masonry .,, ... ... ... ... ... 451 Inaugural Festival of the Transvaal Masonic Educational Institution ... 451 Lodges of Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... 452 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 452 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 454

Freemasonry In The Transvaal.

FREEMASONRY IN THE TRANSVAAL .

It is marvellous how Freemasonry in the Transvaal has prospered during the past few years . The senior lodge on the roll of its District Grand Lodge—the Transvaal , No . 1747 , Pretoria —has not yet been in existence a score of years , having been

warranted as recently as 18 7 8 , while the next in order of seniority—the Johannesburg , No . 2313 ; the El Dorado , No . 2314 , Zeerust ; and the Royal Albert , No . 2315 , Klerksdorpdate from the year 188 9 . Since then 11 other lodges , located

in various towns , have been warranted by his Royal Highness the M . W . Grand Master , so that when the Grand Lodge Calendar for the current year was published in December last , there were no less than 15 lodges in the South African Republic , holding

under the English Constitution , to say nothing of the Scotch , Irish , Dutch , and American , which have likewise been established there , and which , as far as our information goes , are in a more or less highly prosperous state . In 18 95 thc

English lodges were constituted as a District Grand Lodge , and placed under the administration of Bro . GEORGE RICHAR S as the first District Grand Master , nor can there be the slightest doubt that he lias most abl y fulfilled the duties

of his office . The lodges , too , and their members appear to be thoroughly imbued with the true Masonic spirit and do their appointed work with a zeal and energy of which those of older standing and greater experience would have no cause to be

ashamed . But the most recent events that have taken place in this District , and which , we rejoice to say , will be found chronicled in another part of our present issue , appear to us to have been carried out , at least as regards one of them , on a

scale of magnitude to which even the Masonic body , wilh all its brilliant achievements in the cause of Charity , is unacvustomed It is but the other day that a scheme for the establishment of a Transvaal Masonic Educational Institution was projected , the

directing spirit of the movement being Bro . J OSEPH DA SILVA , Dist . G . Secretary under the English Constitution , and on the 28 th April the Inaugural Festival was held at Freemasons' Hall , Johannesburg , the chair being occupied , in the unavoidable

absence of Bro . RlCHARHS , District Grand Master , by Bro H . F . E . PlSTORIUS , Deputy District Grand . Master . The pro ceedings were of the usual character , the only regret felt by thos <

present at the meeting being that Bro . DA Sll . VA , who not only , as we have said , initiated the movement , but likewise used his utmost efforts to promote tho success of the scheme ? , was prevented b y a severe domestic bereavement from attending . In the

Freemasonry In The Transvaal.

course of the evening a total of donations and subscriptions amounting to upwards of , £ 10 , 000 was announced , this sum being made up of the Stewards' lists , which totalled up £ 6418 and the value of a plot of land given by Bro . G . SALMON ,

estimated at . £ 7000 , but returned , to be on the safe side , at £ 4000 . Of the former sum £ 2553 n ' as contributed by the lodges of the English , Irish , and Dutch Constitutions , and two English lodges of instruction , while District Grand Lodge gave £ 105

and individual brethren and their friends £ 37 60 . Shortly after the announcement , which we need hardly say was received with every possible demonstration of enthusiasm , the Subs . District Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution stated that the

Scottish lodges had resolved on supporting the scheme , and Bro . RlDEAL declared that its lodges would endeavour to raise a further , £ 10 , 000 , but might certainly bc

depended on to contribute , £ 5000 , towards which he intended to subscribe 400 guineas for himself and 100 guineas for his wife . Thus the result of the Inaugural Festival in behalf of the Transvaal Masonic lulucational Institution must

be set down at certainly not less than £ 15 , 000 , paid and promised , nor from thc fact that within the brief space of three hours the sum of £ 75 , 000 was subscribed towards the relief of the sufferers by thc terrible dynamite explosion , which occurred

some time ago in the Transvaal , is there the smallest reason to doubt that the £ 15 , 000 raised and promised at this Festival will be increased to any extent in reason that may be found necessary or desirable .

We also publish elsewhere the address voted to her Majesty the Queen on thc completion of the Goth year of her reign by the District Grand lodge , and bearing the signatures of brethren of all the different Constitutions—Dutch , and American , as well

as English , Irish , and Scottish—which are represented in the Transvaal , together with certain letters relating to the said address which have passed between the District Grand Master and the Grand Secretary . The District Grand Master ' s letter

is interesting from the evidence it furnishes of this harmony existing among the lodges of the several Constitutions in the South African Republic , while that of the Grand Secretary will also be read with pleasure , from the fact that it contains the

heartfelt expression of satisfaction by his koyal Highness the M . W . G . Master of England , at the existence of the harmony , and of a hope that it may continue , and be attended with even more beneficial consequences to the whole of the community in the Transvaal .

VVe have also received a report of the proceeding at the Third Annual Communication of the District Grand Lodge ( E . C . ) of the Transvaal , but this we find it desirable to hold over till next week .

The Grand Lodge Of New York.

THE GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK .

Of the 50 Grand Lodges meeting in the United States , that of New York is one of the oldest and most influential , while , numerically , it is far and away thc strongest of them all . For this reason it is that we note with pleasure the firmness with

which it opposes those numerous innovations which find favour in the younger , less well-informed , and more ambitious jurisdictions which fiourish under fhe protection of the Stars and Stripes .

Time was when anything in the nature of even the slightest infraction of thc original scheme of Freemasonry was regarded in North America , as in England , as rank heresy . Then " the scheme , the whole scheme , and nothing but the scheme , " was