Our Colonial Visitors.

OUR COLONIAL VISITORS .

There is every reason to hope that the present visit of several of our most distinguished Colonial brethren will have the effect of strengthening the bonds of brotherhood alreadyexisting between the Masons of our vast Colonial Empire and those living in the United Kingdom . There was a time—and

not so very long ago—when it was by no means an unusual experience to hear people talk of the separation of some of our most important self-governing Colonies from the Mother Country as an event which was sooner or later inevitable : but the inevitable has not come yet , and the tie which unites

them politically under our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady the Q UEEN appears to be stronger than ever . In Masonry a separation between the brethren in four of our great Australasian Colonies , and the Grand Lodges of

England , Ireland , and Scotland has actually taken place during the last half-dozen years , just as such a separation took place some 35 years ago between the Masons of Canada and the same Grand Lodges ; yet the feeling of loyalty in the four Australasian Colonies as well as in Canada towards

the Grand Lodges in the Old Country remains , and as we have already suggested , will , in all likelihood , be strengthened all the more , the more they see of each other , ancl have the opportunity of hearing and understanding the opinions by which each is actuated towards the other sections of the

Masonic community . The visit of the late Earl of CARNARVON to Australia , and the recommendations he made to his Royal Highness the GRAND MASTER on the subject of Freemasonry in New South Wales must have had the effect of

dispelling many absurd illusions which at one time existed in the minds of not a few Colonial brethren . One illusion , in particular , must , we think , have disappeared altogether , namely , that the Grand Lodge of England was determined to maintain under all circumstances the connections it had once succeeded in

establishing with the Colonies and Possessions of the Mother Country . The idea prevailed—or , perhaps , we ought to say appeared to prevail—that our Grand Lodge—and for the matter of that the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland likewise—had no other policy than that of issuing warrants for the constitution of

new lodges whenever they were applied for , and then keeping a tight rein on their allegiance ever afterwards . However , the course adopted towards our South Australian brethren when they resolved on setting up a Grand Lodge of their own had the effect of weakening this belief and the action of our late PRO GRAND

MASTER in reference to the Fraternity in New South Wales as it was when he visited that Colony , followed as it since has been by the cordial recognition of its Grand Lodge as well as of those of Victoria and Tasmania , must have pretty well destroyed it ; while the reception accorded to Bro . the Hon . Chief Justice WAY , Pro

wand Master of South Australia , will have given it its quietus . We even venture to think that the refusal of our Grand Lodge to recognise the so-called Grand Lodge of New Zealand will remove any lingering doubts that may exist in any quarter as to our desire to maintain and promote the real interests of Freemasonry . Had the lodges in that Colony shown anything like unanimity in their recent attempt to establish an independent Grand Lodge , it vuuia

ha -ve been immediately recognised , and the Governor of the Colony , who is a Past Grand Officer of England , would have been accepted as its Grand Master . But only a minority of the od ges gave in their adhesion to the movement , and our Grand . ° dge has ri ghtly declined to recognise a state of things , which ls m fact a reproduction of that discord , amounting almost to ° P * * : hostilit y among the lodges of the different Constitutions , c '" ch the late Earl of CARNARVON SO deeply deplored in the ase of New South Wales , and which he was primarily instrumental in removing .

out our Colonial visitors , of whom Bro . WAY is the most 0 u OI ^! nent ~ the reception they have everywhere met with from r r ^ and Officers and lodges has been most cordial . They e had the opportunity of visiting our Institutions , and have

Our Colonial Visitors.

taken part in the Anniversary Festival of one of them . They have assisted at the installation of two Provincial Grand Masters , of whom one during his Governorship of New South Wales rendered most important services to the Craft as the first Grand Master of its newly-established Grand Lodge ;

and they have been entertained by our Empire Lodge , whose raison d'etre is to provide a Masonic home in this country for brethren who visit us from the Colonies , and in the case of Bro . Way , by our Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , of which the Duke of Clarence and Avondale is W . M . That the attentions

they have thus received on all sides have been fully appreciated is beyond all doubt . Indeed , it is impossible to read the eloquent speeches which Bro . WAY has delivered on various occasions without arriving at the conclusion ( i ) that the Fraternity in this country have spared no effort to show special honour to

him and his brother visitors as representatives of British Colonial Freemasonry , and have succeeded in their efforts ; and ( 2 ) that by the course which events have recently taken , and the hospitality we have had the privilege of dispensing towards him and them , the prosperity of the Craft generally throughout the whole of the British Empire has been very materially enhanced .

The New History Of Freemasonry.

THE NEW HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY .

The " History of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons and Concordant Orders , " * now published , is written by 22 specialists , including Past Grand Masters Anthony , of New York ; Drummond of Maine ; Graham , of Quebec ; Hall , of Vermont ; and Nickerson , of

Massachusetts ; J . Ross Robertson , Grand Master of Canada ; the late Colonel W . J . McLeod Moore ; Dr . Perry , Bishop of Iowa ; Charles E . Meyer , of Pennsylvania ; John Lane , Torquay ( England ); E . T . Schultz , of Maryland ; and C . T .

McClenachan , of New York ; all of whom have signed the divisions for whichtheyarealone responsible . There arealsoover 50 additional contributors , mostly Grand Secretaries , who supply the vital statistics , which are thus official , exhaustive in character , and down to date of issue .

Bro . Henry Leonard Stillson , of Bennington , Vermont , who is the originator of the enterprise , has been the editor-in-chief throughout , having as consulting editor Bro . Hughan , of Torquay , who requires no words of praise or commendation from the Freemason or any other organ of the Craft , his labours on behalf

of the Fraternity being so widely known and appreciated . These two brethren are also contributors , their chapters materially assisting to render the work acceptable to the student as well as to the general body of brethren , for whom the volume is mainly written .

The introduction by Bro . Hughan will rank with his best efforts , and it is quite a Masonic history in brief . Our able contemporary , the Keystone , describes it " as alone worth the price of the book . " It is more elaborate and descriptive than usual with such productions , and furnishes a valuable summary of the most recent facts and evidences in elucidation of the

operative and speculative character of the Society prior to the formation of Grand Lodges . In this department unquestionably Bro . Hughan has no superior , and but few would be competent to present such an epitome or resume of the present state of Masonic research and archaeological investigation in relation to the British Craft .

There are 21 divisions in all devoted to the Ancient Mysteries , the " Old Charges , " Craft , Capitular , and Cryptic Freemasonry , Knight Templary , Ancient and Acceted Rite and Allied Orders ,

Masonic Jurisprudence , and various eulogiums , statistics , and an immense variety of subjects concerning the Fraternity , to enumerate which , and at all adequately describe , would require a small work of itself . With so much of value , abiding interest , and of conspicuous ability , it is utterly impossible in a short notice of this massive