South Africa.

the visiting brethren generally , as also in my own name , to congratulate you very sincerely and very heartily on the successful accomplishment of your labours in building , and setting apart to the purposes of our ancient and honourable institution , this very pretty , commodious , and well appointed lodge . You now possess a Mansion Hall which is an ornament to this town , and highly creditable to all the members who have in anywise contributed to , or

assisted in erecting it . Freemasonry in Uitenhage has now and henceforward a local habitation and a home , and I sincerely hope that , within its consecrated walls , as often as the brethren shall meet for the practice of our ancient rites and ceremonies , peace and concord , and love and harmony may richly abound , and that many may go forth from your midst charged to make known and disseminate amongst mankind the benefits resulting from the regular and

constant exercise of those three grand principles of our Order —Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . We have just solemnly , according to our wont , dedicated this hall to Freemasonry , to Virtue , and to Univeral Benevolence . May it always be used to advance the best interests of the Craft ; to promote honour aed virtue , and to encourage the practice of that greatest of all graces—Charity . May this lodge grow and prosper , and become a blessing to all who

shall receive the benefit of initiation within its sacred portals , and here , as in all the Temples of our Order the world over , may the fond dream of a Poet-Brother be fully realised , and then " At thy shrine , O Masonry , Shall admiring nations bend ; In future times thy sons shall see Thy fame from pole to pole extend .

To worlds unknown thy heaven-born light dispense , And systems own thy influence . " An excellent banquet was provided , to which ample justice was done . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts followed . In the evening a Masonic ball ( well attended ) took p lace , dancing being kept up until 3 . 30 a . m . the following morning . The arrangements throughout appear to have been in excellent hands . Bros . Madge , Simpson , and Cook were particularly active in this connection , and

deserve special commendation for their efforts to render thc whole of the proceedings a success , which unquestionably they were . The catering was good even for Uitenhage , which , in such things , has long acquired a well-deserved and enviable reputation . The new lodge is situated in Market-street , within a few minutes' walk of the railway station . It is a neat , commodious , and well-appointed building , and a credit to Bro . Wright , of the Public Works Department , who designed it and superintended its

erection . ALBANY LODGE ( No . 389 ) . —Monday , September 20 th , being the anniversary of this lodge , the brethren met in the temporary lodge room , Anglo African-street , Graham ' s Town , for the purpose of installing thc W . M . and officers elect for the ensuing year . Bro . O . Lester , P . D . G . S . W ., and a former W . NL of the lodge , at the election meeting of the lodge having been ( for the third

time ) voted to the same honourable position , was now installed by the I . P . M ,, Bro . the Rev . Dr . Ross , P . D . G . Chap ., and P . M . Bro . A . S . Dudley , of St . John [ s Lodge . The interesting ceremony having been most satisfactorily performed , and the W . M . elect having being duly honoured by the brethren he proceeded to instal his officers as follows : — Bros . G . Reynolds , I . P . M . ( absent ); J . Vialls , S . W . ; Dr . H . Becker , J . W . ; VV . Wedderburn , P . M ., Treas . ; A . C . Evans , Sec . ; A . Will , S . D . ; W . Gillham , J . D . ;

A . B . Hay and S . VV . Ward , Stewards ; D . Patterson , I . G . ; F . E . Orren , Tyler . The lodge was then closed in due form , after which the brethren adjourned to meet again in the evening to partake of a substantial repast , served b y Bro . E . Zarnikow in astyle unsurpassed in colonial catering . Ample justice having been done to the good things so well provided , the W . M . proposed "The Queen ana Craft , " and also the toast of

" H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . M . W . G . M ., " both of which were heartily responded to by the brethren . The next toast was that of "The Pro . G . M ., Deputy G . M ., and Grand Lodge Officers , Past and Present , " which was proposed by I . P . M . Bro . the Rev . Dr . Ross , Grand Chap ., in a very suitable speech , and was most heartily responded to . P . M . Bro . Dudley , of 828 , then rose to propose the toast of the evening , " The W . M . " In a few well-chosen sentences

the proposer referred to thc many and acknowledged services Bro . Lester had for many years rendered to the cause of Masonry , and who , by Ins amiable , sociable , and straightforward conduct , had ever been a consistent member of the Craft , whose main object appeared at all times to be the promotion of the welfare of the Albany Lodge . The toast was most enthusiastically drunk with honours . The W . M ., in reply , thanked the brethren for the

handsome manner the toast of himself had been received b y them . He assured them that he felt very pleased to think and sec he had given satisfaction , and would endeavour to do his duty . After further suitable response the worthy brother resumed his seat amidst general remarks of approval . Bro . Scott , of No . 82 S , next ably gave "The Retiring- Officers , " which was responded to in a humorous speech by Bro . Sampson . The toasts of " Visiting

Brethren , " with which was coupled the visitors from St . Andrews ' Lodge ; "The Officers Elect , " coupled with which was the name of Bro . J . Vialls , S . W ., who for many years has held the post of Secretary to the lodge with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned , and which that brother very good humouredly responded to , and "Wivesand Sweethearts" having been duly honoured , the Tyler gave his toast , which was drank in solemn silence . I . P . M . Bro .

the Rev . Dr . Ross , P . D . G . Chap ., having obtained the consent of the W . M ., proposed " The Health of Bro . Angus Hay , " who as Hon . Sec . had done much to ensure the success of the banquet , and to whom they were deeply indebted for the use of the admirabl y suitable room in which they were then assembled . " ' 1 he Health of the Host , Bro . Zarnikow , " who is a veteran Craftsman , was not forgotten . To the "Host" not only were the company indebted for the good cheer provided but also , at much trouble and

expense to himself , for the artistic decorations which adorned the banqueting hall . Bro . Zarnikow responded , and thanking the brethren for the kind reference to himself , he said he would on any future occasion , when he was more settled , having only just arrived amongst them , endeavour to make them more happy and comfortable . He further introduced a very pleasing feature into the evening's festivities by bearing to the Masons of the Eastern Province the fraternal greetings of the " Goodc en Getroww" Lodge of Capetown .

Literary, Art, And Antiquarian Notes.

Literary , Art , and Antiquarian Notes .

Messrs . J . R . Osgood and Co . announce " The Dream of Fair Women , " illustrated by Mary Hallock , Foote , Fredericks , Moran , Wand , Sheppard , and Merrill , engraved under the supervision of A . V . S . Anthony . The New York Herald says that the head of Helen is after

Mrs . Cameron ' s photograph , and has a melancholy face . We learn from the Academy that a tombstone of Aberdeen granite , about eight feet in length , has just been placed over the grave of Flora Macdonald , in Kilmur Churchyard , Skye . This new memorial replaces the original monument , which was broken in 17 S 4 .

The St . George ' s Museum at Sheffield possesses a few fine English coins , and of these Mr . Ruskin has in the press a pamphlet of descriptive notes , some of which are of a very characteristic kind . Admirers of Queen Elizabeth will be shocked to find her described as a " minx . "

The AthcncEitm says that the editors of " Charles Dickens's Letters " are anxious to get together more of his correspondence . Miss Dickens and Miss Hogarth will , therefore , be gratefulif any persons possessing letters of Dickens which have not been published will send them under cover to Miss Hogarth , at 11 , Strathmore-gardens , Kensington , VV . Thc letters will be most carefully preserved , copied , and returned to their owners with as little delay as possible .

The smallest book in the world has been discovered in Florence , the Paris Globe tells us . It is a miniature " Office of the Virgin , " printed at Venice in 1649 , and comprises 256 microscopic leaves formed from a single ordinary page . Including an elaborate red leather binding with silver clasps , this tiny volume is rather under an inch in width , and not quite two inches in length , thus being

smaller than thc famous modern editions of Dante and Petrarch . " Africa ' s g ift to America " is what New York calls the Egyptian obelisk shortly to be erected in that city . The corner stone was recently laid with due Masonic formalities , and " theobelisk pageant" occupies accordingly a prominent place amonsr the occurrences of the day . 'I he

preparations made were evidently worth y of such an august occasion , for when " a platoon of police swept the broad avenue of the line of march from kerb to kerb , " every available window bad been made " bright with happy faces . " At two o ' clock the great procession of the troops commenced , and while "the marching of the Knights Templar , proverbially correct , was commended" by all

the spectators , "the decorum and dignity of the Masonic lodges were praised on all hands . " Reaching the site of the ceremony— " the knoll which is to be made historic by the monolith from the quarries of Syenc "—the Masons grouped themselves round the stone , and " the spectacle was superb . " The hills , the paths , and the roads were , we are told , " a parterre of high hats , fall bonnets , and upturned

faces , " and " on the south-west of the corner-stone floated " the beautiful flag of the greatest Republic the world has ever seen . " In due course the foundation-stone was laid , and while one dignitary scattered corn upon it , another poured wine over it , and a third anointed it " with the oil of peace , " and then the ceremony terminated , after an address by the Grand Master—in which he warned the Craft against

hastily concluding , from the presence of triangles and circles on the obelisk , that the Egyptians were all Freemasons—with a Masonic cheer . It has been proposed , we see , in New York , to use the needle as the finger of a monstrous sundial , and thc idea is certainly characteristic ofi the practical people across the water . —Daily Telegraph .

Masonic And Grneral Tidings.

Masonic and Grneral Tidings .

FROM RECENT RETURNS , corrected up to the end of September of the present year , received b y the Editor of the "Cosmopolitan Masonic Pocket Book , we learn that in the various States ' . of America there is the enormous number of five hundred and fifty-two thousand , five hundred and thirty Freemasons—regular subscribing members . —

THE MANSION HOUSE BANAUET . —We omitted to mention in our report last week that the G . D . C , Bro . Sir Albert Woods , was ably assisted in his arduous duties by the Assist . G . D . C . for the year , Bro . Magnus Ohren , and Bro . T . Fenn , P . G . D .

M . Arsene Houssaye will shortly bring before the public a superb folio , in which he describes " MoIieYe , sa femme et sa fille . " It is not a mere trifle called forth by the bicentenary , but a work on which he has been long engaged , but which certainly has found an appropriate moment for its appearance .

The Academy mentions the death of Dr . W . A . Hallock , tor 45 years Secretary pi the American Tract Society . Up to the time of his retirement in 1870 , he had edited 4000 distinct works , of which SSi are volumes . He was the author of various volumes and tracts of which , in all , about 1 , 400 , 000 copies have been circulated .

FARRIERS ' . —A Livery Dinner is to be held at the Albion on the 19 th of November , when Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Fowler , M . P ., and Bro . Sheriff Waterlow , will be present to support the present Master , Mr . VV . Carter . The installation meeting of the Clarendon Lodge , No . 17 G 9 , takes place at the Guildhall Tavern , Greshamstrcet , on Tuesday next . Being Lord Mayor ' s-day , the

customary banquet will be postponed . A public dinner is to be given to R . W . Bro . Col . Francis Burdett , Bart ., Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , at the Star and Garter Hotel , Richmond , on Wednesday , November 24 th . Among those who have already promised to be present are the Duke of Teck , Sir J . Trevor Lawrence , M . P ., and Sir H . VV . Peek , Bart . M . P .

Mr . John Ruskin has in preparation a small guide to the Cathcdraljat Amiens , where hehas been visiting of late . Mr . Henry Garland , of St . Lawrence-road , Brixton , has been appointed Official Liquidator of the London and Provincial Masonic Club Company , Limited .

Masonic And Grneral Tidings.

H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , P . G . W ., has promised to preside at the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Asylum of St . Anne ' s Society Schools early \ n February next . Bro . Joshua Nunn was unanimously elected on Wednesday last , Treasurer of Grand Chapter Officers " Mess , in place of our lamented Comp . E . Snell .

Bro . Joseph Tanner is a candidate for the vacancy of Architect and Surveyor to the Incorporated Society of Licensed Victuallers . The annual select private Masonic Ball of the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1642 , was held at the Town Hall , Kensington , on Thursday evening last . A report will appear in our next .

Bro . R . G . Thomas . acting Manager of the Philharmonic Theatre , takes his first complimentary benefit at that house on Thursday next , Nov . nth . An inquest was held on Monday by the Coroner for Westminster , in regard to the death of Bro . Charles Harcourt , who met with a severe injury by falling into a space below the level of the stage of the Haymarkct Theatre . A verdict of accidental death was returned , and the jury exonerated all parties from blame .

Bro . the Rev . Dr . Cox has returned from Canada and America after a satisfactory visit , and will resume his duties at St . Helen's , Bishopsgate , on Sunday morning , November 7 th . Bro . Count Des Geneys was installed W . M . of the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 1705 , on the 2 Sth ult . We are glad to see that our esteemed brother , whohas been indisposed for some time , was sufficiently recovered to be present .

The Installation of the Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire , Bro . Sir J . R . Bailey , Bart , ( of Glanusk Park , Mon . ) , is fixed for the nth inst . He has appointed Bro . Thomas Jowett , Esq . ( of the Old Weir , Hereford ) , P . D . P . G . M ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

In the report of the meeting of the Metropolitan Lodge , the W . M . was by a printer's error described as " Rev . C . J . Scales" instead of " Bro . C . J . Scales . " The installation meeting of the Brixton Lodge of Mark Masters will be held at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleetstreet , on Saturday , thc 13 th inst ., at five o ' clock , when Bro . H . Lovegrove , P . P . G . S . J . W . Middlesex and Surrey , will be installed by Bro . T . Poore , P . M ., P . G . I . G ., Sic .

The installation meeting of the Trinity College Lodge , No . 1765 , took place in the Trinity College , Mandeville-piace , VV ., on Thursday . A report of the proceedings will appear in our next . Among the guests present at the dinner given to the Prince of Wales at the Mansion House on Monday week , we omitted to give the name of Bro . Montagu Williams , the eminent barrister .

THE ORDER OF ST . MICHAEL AND ST . GEORGE . —Chancery of the Order of St . Michael and Saint George , Downing-street , Oct . 30 . —The Queen has been graciously pleased to make the following appointments to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George : — To be Ordinary Members of the Third Class , or Companions of the said Most Distinguished Order : Colonel Richard Thoma ; Glyn , C . B ., for services in the late Zulu War :

Colonel William Pole Collingwood , for services in the late Zulu War ; Captain Claude Bettington , for services in command of " Bettington ' s Horse " during the late Zulu War ; Francis William Rowsell , Esq ., C . B ., British Member of the Commission appointed by his Highness the Khedive of Egypt for thc _ management of thc Daira Lands , for services rendered in connection with the Island of Malta . —Gazette .

THE MASONIC BAN & UKT—In roughly analysing the dinner plan I found that amongst the brethren present there were 3 Princes , 14 Marquises , Earls , and Barons ; 8 Baronets , 4 Knights , 9 Members of Parliament , 10 Clergymen , 1 Admiral , 4 Generals , 13 Colonels , 4 Majors , 5 Captains , 9 Aldermen , 2 Sheriffs , 6 Ex-Sheriffs , 2 Under-Shenffs , 3 Ex-Undcr-Sheriffs , 2 Deputies , 39 Common Councilmcn , 4 Q . C . ' s , 7 Physicians , and 3 C . B . 's . —City Press .

ALEXANDRA PALACE . —On Wednesday the plant and stock of this place of entertainment , belonging to Bro . lames Willing , was publicly disposed of by auction . Bro . Willing ' s lessceship of the establishment ceases on the 15 th inst . In May last Messrs . Bertram and Roberts had a similar sale , when they relinquished the management of the Palace .

ACACIA LODGE , NO . 1309 . —The meetings of this lodge will in future be held on the fourth Tuesday in the months of February , May , July , and October , at the Ship Hotel , Halliford ( Shepperton ) . ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . —The Anniversary Festival of this Institution will take place at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , London , on Wednesday , May nth , 1881 .

A SANITARY ASSOCIATION . —An important and influential meeting took place at the Langham Hotel , on Monday last , to consider the desirability of forming a Sanitary Assurance Association "for the purpose of securing to its members , at a minimum cost , those advantages which the progress of sanitary science has made available . " The

chair was taken by Sir Joseph Frayner , K . C . S . L , and the objects of the association were explained by Mr . Mark HJudge , who said it was an attempt to bring medical men an ? architects together on the great question of house ventilation . In view of the great interest now being taken "j this matter we believe that such an association would meet with a large measure of support .

A special meeting of the whole of the members of the Frederick Lodge and Chapter of Unity , No . 45 z . " ' called for Thursday next , at the new place of meeting ' Harewood House , 105 , High-street , Croydon . The meeting will open at 5 . 30 p . m . precisely .