Freemasonry And The Roman Catholic Church.

when he returned and resumed the Lodge , the Board duly proceeded to the consideration of the said matters , and summoned before them the several parties . The W . Master , Brother Hackwell , delivered up the Warrant and Minute Book of the Lodge .

The complaining Brethren , the W . Master and Others , were severally heard at considerable length , and the Board bestowed great trouble and pains to ascertain the state of feeling amongst the Members , and it is with deep regret that the Board feels itself imperatively called

upon in the interests of the Craft to report that the antagonistic feelings prevailing amongst the Members of the British Oak Lodge , No . 831 , are such that it appears quite certain that the continued existence and assembling of the Lodge

cannot possibly be attended with favourable results either to its own welfare or that of the Craft . Under these circumstances the Board , unwillingly but unanimously , recommend that the Lodge be erased and the Warrant declared forfeited .

The Board consider they should not close this Report without stating , for the information of Grand Lodge , that complaints of a very grave character were heard before them from members of this same British Oak Lodge , No . 831 , on August 26 th , 1 S 73 , when , although the Warrant was returned to the W . Master , he and the

Brethren were severely reprimanded by the President , and were then informed by him that the Members of the Board had grave doubts as to whether they ought not then to suspend the Lodge , and earnestly cautioned them as to the future . ( Signed ) J A . RUCKER , Vice-President .

Freemason ' s Hall , London , W . C , 17 th February , 1874 . Bro . At . J . Mclntyre , Q . C ., Grand Registrar , said : It had been resolved by himself and the other members of Grand Lodge that this case should be asked to be adjudicated upon by tlie

Craft of England . It was a case which had not happened for a great many years that such a resolution had been recommended by the Hoard of General Purposes . The members of Freemasonry were always careful whenever submission had been made by a lodge , where the Master and Wardens were to be censured it was

known that they would have an opportunity of explaining their conduct to Grantl Lodge . It had always been the custom of Grand Lodge to give them that benefit . He therefore begged to move "that Lodge 8 31 , should be summoned for the next Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge to shew cause why they should not be erased . "

Bro . F . Roxburgh , Q . C ., seconded the motion , which was put and carried . Bro . Mclntyre—and 1 beg also to move that until the next Quarterly Communication the suspension of the lodge be continued . This was also seconded by Bro . Roxburgh , and carried unanimously .

To the Report of the Board of General Purposes was subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge Accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 13 th

day of February instant , shewing a balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer of ^ £ 4 , 905 us . 6 d ; and in the hands of the Grand Secretary , for Petty Cash , £ T $ ; and for Servants ' Wages , £ () 0 T ? s . There being no further business before the Grand Lodge it was then formally closed .

KILMARNOCK . —TORCH LIGHT PHOCKSSION . — On Friday , Feb . 20 , the members of St . Clement Lodge of Masons had a torch light procession . The lodge , preceded by an instrumental band , went through the principal streets to Riccarton , and thence returned to the lodge room in the town . A large crowd followed the novel spectacle .

A Grand Ball will be given by the Domatie lodge ( Bro . F . Kent , C . C , W . M . ) in aid of the Masonic Charities , on Thursday , April 9 th . pull particulars will be duly advertised .

The Red Cross Of Constantine.

THE RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE .

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE GENERAL GRAND CONCLAVK . On Monday the annual assembly of the General Grand Conclave of the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of

Constantine was held at the Regent Masonic Hall , Regent-street . At six o ' clock the armed Knights were drawn up in two lines , and shortly afterwards a procession was formed , and Sir Frederick M . Williams ,

Bart , M . P ., entered the room , passing under an arch of steel , whilst Sir Kni ght Parker played a solemn march on the organ ; and , in the absence of the Earl of Bective , the Most Eminent Grand Viceroy , took his seat on the throne . Sir Knight

Colonel Burdett , officiated as the Most Eminent Viceroy . The grand conclave having been opened in Imperial form , Sir Knt . W . R . Woodman , Grand Recorder , read the following report of the Executive Committee for the past

year . " The Executive Committee have much gratification in submitting their Tenth Annual Report , and in congratulating the members of the General Grand Conclave upon the continued

progress and prosperity of the Order in all parts of the globe . During the past year twenty-four Conclaves have been established , making a total of 115 , chartered by the Grand Imperial Council of England since the revival in 1 S 65 . By the

organization of independent Grand Councils m the States of Pennsylvania , New York , and Illinois , 30 Conclaves have been removed from the roll ; and the Committee have also recently received official notification that a fourth Grand

Council was duly organized on the 22 nd Dec , 1873 , for the conjoined States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island j that Sir Knight Nathaniel G . Tucker was elected Grand Sovereign , and Sir Knight George E . Hoyden , Grand Recorder .

The post of Representative of the new Grand Council has been very cautiously tendered lo Sir Knight Robert Wentworth Little , Grand Treasurer of the Order in the British Empire ; but inasmuch as that Officer is already

Representative for Pennsylvania , he desires to decline the intended honour , and has recommended that the name of Sir Knight Thomas William White , Grand Assistant Treasurer , be forwarded for the approval of the Grand Sovereign of

Massachusetts and Rhode Island , as the Representative of the sister Grand Council in England . In thus holding out the right hand of knightly fellowship to our American fratres , the Committee feel that they simply reflect the

sentiments which will actuate every British Knight when he hears the announcement of the spread of the Order in America ; still , it is but right to add that , while acknowledging the perfect right of the American Grand Councils to

restrict the Red Cross Order to Knights Templar within their own several independent jurisdictions , the Executive Committee , in view of the original Statute of the Order , which recognizes every Christian Master Mason as

eligible for admission , cannot allow Conclaves duly formed in the United States , in strict accordance with that ancient regulation , and holding charters from England , to be stigmatized as ' spurious' and ' clandestine ' because they

do not insist upon the Templar qualification , but admit Master Masons professing a belief in the Christian faith . The Committee cherish the hope that the Conclaves referred to—viz ., Chicago Conclave , No . 81 , and St . George ' s Conclave , No . 82 , Boston , will be regularly

recognised by the Grand Councils of their respective States , and be formally admitted under their jurisdiction ; after which , as a matter of course , those Conclaves will be bound to conform to the rules adopted by the Supreme Bodies of the Red Cross Order in Illinois and Massachusetts .

The Red Cross Of Constantine.

" Turning to Great Britain , it is very pleasing to be enabled to note that a large proportion of the Conclaves chartered last year are located in the ' old country ; " of these , England counts nine , Scotland one , and Wales no less than four . " Great credit is especially due to Sir Knights

Captain F . G . Irwin , Captain G . Turner , and W . Williams , Intendants General , for the great energy which they have evinced in promoting the spread of the Order in their respective divisions ; and the Committee have every reason to believe that in Sir Knight C . G . C . Christie , the recently

appointed Intendant General for Midlothian and adjacent counties , the Grand Council has secured the services of an officer who will display equal ability and zeal in the important Scottish Division entrusted to his care ; and they feel

convinced that he will be worthily supported by the Scottish Knights , whose attachment and fidelity to the ancient landmarks of the Order , have ever been conspicuously exemplified during their connection with the Grand Council of

England . " The Committee beg to report that , in pursuance of the resolution , adopted by the General Grand Conclave in March last , a special Grand Conclave was convened at Leicester , by direction of the Grand Sovereign , on the 21 st

of October , at which Sir Frederick Martin Williams , Bart ., M . P ., who has held the office of Grand Viceroy since 1866 , was nominated as Grand Sovereign in succession to the Earl of Bective , M . F ., whose term of office expires at this meeting , in accordance with the Statutes

( No . 5 . ) As the minutes of the moveable Grand Conclave will be duly published , the Committee need only add that the arrangements made for the reception of the Grand Council and Senate by the Leicester Knights , under their esteemed Intendant General , Sir

Knight W . Kelly , and the M . P . S . of the Byzantine Conclave , No . 44 , Sir Knight S . S . Partridge , K . G . C , were so admirable as to merit and elicit the warmest thanks of the presiding Officer , Colonel Burdett , G . S . G ., and the Illustrious Knights who accompanied him .

' Ihe Committee regret to state that the Order in India , and particularly in Bombay , has suffered a severe loss by the return to Europe of Sir Knight J . Percy Leith , Chief Intendant General , whose assiduous labours in

the cause are so well known ; consequently , little progress can be recorded in the East ; they trust , however , that Sir Knight Leith will continue to give the benefit of his assistance to the Order at home .

"A Charter for the Diamond Fields , South Africa , has been issued to Sir Knight R . W . H . Giddy , Treasurer General of the Colony , who entered the Bective Conclave , No . 2 A , during

his stay in England . An application for a Provincial Grand Conclave has been received from New Zealand , where the Order is rapidly extending , under Sir Knight Dr . Buhner ' s sway , and the Committee will recommend the Grand

• Sovereign to comply with the request of the applicants . "The Accounts of the Grand Treasurer were audited on the 14 th October , and showed balances on the General Account of £ 33 5 s ; the G . H . Almoner ' s Fund of ^ 84 17 s . 2 d . ; and the Suspense Fund , of £ 19 is ., making a total of ; £ i 37 3 s- 2 d .

" Ihree donations have been granted from the Almoner ' s Fund—viz ., ten guineas each , to the Royal Masonic Institutions for Boys and Girls , and ten pounds to the Fund , raised for the

benefit of the widow of the late V . E . Sir Knight Rev . N . Haycroft , D . D ., G . Standard Bearer , whose decease was recorded with regret in the last report of the Committee . "February 25 M , 1874 . "

The reading of this report gave the hi g hest satisfaction , and it was unanimously adopted . Sir Knt . Little said the next business before the Conclave was to elect a Grand

Sovereign , in the place of the Earl of Bective , whose period of office had expired . Sir Knt . Colonel Burdett said : he rose with pleasure to propose that Sir Frederick M . Williams , Bart , M . P ., their present Most