United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The following Circular , -we are convinced , will be hailed with great satisfaction by the Stewards : —

INAUGURATION FESTIVAL . Sir and Brother , —You are requested to a'tend a Meeting of the Stewards at this place , on "Wednesday the 11 th day of August , at four o ' clock p m . precisely , to audit the ' i reasnrer ' s

accounts , and for other bir-iness . The Commemoration Jewel will be presented in Grand Lodge at the next Quarterly Communication , on the 1 st September , to those of the

Stewards who may be present on that occasion . Those who may be unable to attend may receive their Jewels ou application to thc Graud Secretary after that day . ( By order )

JOHN HERVEY , G . S . lion . Sec . Freemasons' Hall , London , 4 th Aug' -st , 18 G 9 .

The Order Of Knights Templar In The United States.

THE ORDER OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR IN THE UNITED STATES .

The Fourth Grand annual conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knig hts Templar of Minnesota was held in Masonic Hall in this city , on Thursday the 24 th June , It K . J . Al . Cole , of Winona , Giand Commander , presiding . All the Commanderies in the State were fully

represented . The following Sir Knig hts were elected as Grand officers fur the eusinig year : — R . E . Sir E . I ) . Ii . Porter , Mmkato , Grand Commander ; V . E . Sir Geo . L . Otis , St . Paul , Dep . Grand Commander j E . Sir Al . W . Oetohell ,

St . Anthony , Grand Generalissimo ; li Sir R . A . Jones , Roches'cr , Grand Capt . Gen . ; E . Rev . Sir D . B . Knickerbacker , Minneapolis , Grand Prelate ; E . Sir Charles Nichols , St . Paul , Grind Sen . Warden ; E . Sir E . A . Groff , Minneapolis , Grand Jr . Warden : E . Sir H . L . Carver , St .

Paul , Grand Treas . ; E . Sir G . A . Savory , Alinneapolis , Grand Recorder ; E . Sir H . Ji . Upinan , Rochester . Grand Standard Bearer ; E . Sir S . li Barney , Mankato . Grand Sword Bearer ; E . Sir B . H . Langley , AVinona , Grand Warden ; E . Sir A . Richardson , St . Paul , Grand Capt . Guards .

The next annual conclave will be held in the city of Rochester , June 24 th . 1-70 . After the adjournment of tho Grand Commandery , the visiting Sir Knig hts , as the guests of Mankato Commandery , wero invited ton banquet , prepared b y Brock way Brothers , and spread

in Red Jacket Hall . At half-past nine , o ' clock , the Sir Knig hts , numbering between sixty nn 1 seventy , having assembled at Masonic Hall , marched in a body to the banquet room , where everything was in readiness . Two l . nig tables were spread , and adorned with a most tempting

repast . Full justice was done to the entire bill of fare—Brock way ' s inimitable strawberry .-hortcake in particular—after which an hour or more was very agreeably spent in social c mv r .-m , interspersed with impromptu speeches , ab miiding in humorous points unci telling hits . Sir Knights

Otis , R . A . Jones , Carver , Savory , and G'tcholl were especially face / ions . The former , iu response to ivpo ited calls , said that ho li id been thinking for some , time of the propriety of locating tho Grand Commandery , liko the other grand bodies of tho State , iu someone of our prominent

cities , nnd ho had hoped that St . Paul mi g ht be selected us the place . After partaking of the sumptuous fettst provided by the Sir Knights of Mankato , ho had changed his mind , au I wm now in favor of locating the grand cotninau lory

here , and in strawbeny time . Judge Cleveland , of the Union made a br ' ef response to a toast complimenting the Mankato press , and about eleven o ' clock the assemblage dispersed , all deli ghted with the evening ' s entertainment . —Exehaiuie .

WK are glad to announce that thc warrant for a new lod ge iu the nei ghboiiihood of Bethnal-grecn has been granted ; ami when we state that Brother J nnes lerry is to be the first W . M ., the craft iniy * rest assured that the lodge will he admirably conducted . The name of a great and good lady , Miss Burdett Coutts , will be associated with the lodge , and under such honored , auspices it cannot fail to achieve ¦ uccess .

Ineligibility Of Bastards As Freemasons.

INELIGIBILITY OF BASTARDS AS FREEMASONS .

The article on the Ineli gibility of Bastards as Freemasons , which appeared in our columns of the Pith June , bus called forth a reply , given to the world

by a Masonic contemporary , on the 26 th of June under the remarkable titles of' Ears of Wheat from a Cornucopia . " Tho title exhibits the modesty of the author , and his estimate both ot what he has produced , and of what ho is able to produce . The author is Bro . 1 ) . Murray Lyon , " A . M ., Mas , nic University of

Kentucky , U . S . ; Hon . Corresponding Member of the Union of German Freemasons , and of tho Rosicrucian Society of England ; one of the Grand Stewards of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; P . G . S . W . of Ayrshire ; author of the 'History of Mother Kilwinning . ' & c . " We have great pleasure in quoting

all the honorable designations which Bro . D . Murray Lyon appends to his name , but we cannot express our belief that the ears of wheat from his cornucopia are well ripened and well filled . He tells us that no Scottish Masonic statute known to him bears out our statement as to tho ineligibility of bastards as

Freemasons . AVe believe him thoroughly ; and in like manner , we would believe , him if he were to tell us that he does not know whether Hudson ' s Bay is situated in Europe , Asia , or America , or whether it was Charlemagne or Julius Ceasar who , on one important day in the world ' s historv , crossed the Rubicon .

But really it is ot no great importance to the world to be informed how ignorant Bro . D . Murray Lyon is . AVe quoted in our article of 12 th June , the Eighteenth Landmark , in which it is declared as amongst the necessary qualifications of a candidate for admission into tho Ancient and Honourable Order

of Freemasonry that he ' * be able in all degrees—that is , free born , no bastard , of a good kindred , true , and no bondman , and that he have his ri ght limbs as a man ought to have . " AVhat does Bro . D . Murray Lyon make of this ? He takes no notice of it at all ! He assures us that the statutes of the

Ayr Squareliien Incorporation , dated lo . " > 6 , and the ordinances of William Shaw , Master of Work to James VI .. dated loUS-99 , and the records of the Lodge of Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . 1 , dating from 1598 , and those of the mother Lodge of Kilwinning , dating from 1042 , contain nothing as to the

exclusion of bastards . His mode of reasoning reminds us of a case which came under our observation some years ago , when a man accused of falsehood , fraud , and wilful imposition in respect of certain transactions , endeavoured to defend himself by showing that in these transactions he had dealt with perfect honesty .

The defence was not found satisfactory , and neither do we find liro . 1 ) . Murray Lyon ' s argument satisfactory in thc jiresent cas . ' . He is so well satisfied with it himself , however , that in his concluding paragraph he say .-, ' ou the part of Scotchmen and scotch Masons , therefore , we repudiate the dogma of

the 'ineligibility ol bastards as Freemasons , ' as in any respect applicable to lodges working under the Grand Lodgo of Scotland . " B y what right does Bro . D . Murray Lyon put himself forward as the representative of Scotchmen and Scotch Masons ? Hoiv many Scotchmen have heard of this man ?

How many Scotch rrcoaiasons tire aware that they have the honour to reckon him as a brothel * ' ? Now they find that they havo in him a self-elected representative ; but it do s not follow that they will acknowledge him in that capacity , or approve of tlie vio . vs which he expresses ou

their behalf Bro . 1 ) . Murray Lyon is almost unknown in the Grand Lod ^ o of Scotland , mid lor the last ten years has probably not been more than three times present at her mecliags , and in it Glasgow lodge , numb ring nearly 800 members , when his name was mentioned a few davs ago , it appeared that nobody

had ever heard of him before . Again , in a lodge that made nearly 100 members in a single year , his name was broiigat up one day last week and they had never b .-f ' oiv heard of fir . D . Miii'rry Lyon . So much for a the self constituted representative of-cotchuieil and Scotch Freemas ins .

Wc repeat what we said in our article of tho 12 th June , tli . it the Ei ghteenth Liudni . irk expressly declares bastards to bo disqualified for admission into the Ancient and Honourable Order of Freemasons ; whilst the Tweiity-lil ' ili Landmark says , " Tlio last anil crowning Landmark ot all is , that these Landmarks

can ii . cer be dunged . Nothing can be subtracted from the II , uotii ig em bo added to them ; not the slightest m -dilicaliou can be made iu them . As we have received thou from our pred * ccssors we are bound , by thu most . solemn obligations , to transmit lliciu lo our successors . One of the ancient charges

read at the making of wary Freemason , and which is of very old date , but to be found in a manuscript of th . i year \ l ) Hi ) . contains the following words , " Ami that tho apprentice bo free-born , and of limbs whole as a man ought to be , and un bastard ; " and these

\ \ ' . ry words are engrossed iu the minute books of some of iho oMer . Scottish Freemasons' lodges . How can Bro . 1 ) . Miirrav Lyon be ignorant of all this ? These landmarks were founded , and the ancient charges Were in u .-. e , long previous to the Grand Lodgo

Ineligibility Of Bastards As Freemasons.

of Scotland ; and it is quite clear that they adopted them , for in the tenth paragraph of the installation charge we read thoso words , *¦•* You admit that it is not in the power of any man or body of men to make alterations or innovations in Freemasonry 1 " The Grand Lodge of Scotland has therefore clearly adopted

the law that bastards arc ineli g ible for admission into the Order ; and Scotch lodges and Masters are bound by the old laws , which are unalterable . Bastaids may have been admitted as Freemasons , but this has been contrary to the law , and cannot take away its validity . AVe have made enquiries of authorities in

Freemasonry in Edinburgh , Glasgow , Dundee , Perth Aberdeen , Inverness , Forfar , Brechin , Montrose , Leith , Portobollo , Musselburgh , Dalkeith , Melrose , Jedburgh , Hawick , Linlithgow , Ayr , Irvine , Kilmarnock , Kilwinning , Greenock , and Dunfermline , and have also met with several thousands of Freemasons in

Scotland and have put the question to them as to the eligibility or ineligibility of bastards , and all agree ¦ that bastards are ineli g ible . Looking also to the lodges highest on the roll for Intrants for the last , ten years , of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , we cannot find a single instance in which a bastard has been initiated .

A Masonic Lodge is formed on the model of Solomon ' s temple—nothing can be allowed in it but what is clean and perfect . The bastard was not permitted to enter the temple under the Levitieal law , nor can he now enter our ancient and honourable Order under the ancient and unalterable laws of Freemasonry . AVe

may pity the bastard for all tbe disadvantages of his birth , for which he is not himself to be blamed , but we cannot wish to see him relieved from them , because it would remove one of the restraints on vice , and as he cannot inherit property under the law of the land , so we think he ought to be excluded from the Masonic

Order , of which one chief characteristic is its maintenance of moral puritv . AA e repent , and add to our statement , that in a a number of lodges holding charters under the Grand Lodge of Scotland , bastards have been i - fused

initiation on the ground that the ancient landmarks and charges of the Order prevented their admission . Some years ago , an article appeared in the Scottish " Freemasons" Magazine , " maintaining the ineligibility of bastards as members of the Order . No Scotchman

attempted to controvert the statements of that article . But Br . D . M . Lyon had abundant opportunity of doing so , and he must have been well aware of the publication of the article to which we refer . —but probably

he could not venture on it in a Scottish publication as he now does iu an English one . However , it is hardly to be supposed that either in England or Scotland a protcstatun of ignorance should be accepted as a display of learning . CIPES .

Metropolitan Masonic Meetings

METROPOLITAN MASONIC MEETINGS

For the Week ending August 14 , 18 G 9 . Monday , August 9 . Lodge Xo . 870 , " Peckliitn . '' _ dinbro' Castle , Pocklwm .

Chapter 720 , " Panmure , Loughboro' Hotel , Brixton . Tuesday , August 10 . Lodge No . 5-18 , " Wellington , " White Swan Tav ., Deptford . „ 831 , "Itanelagh , " AViudsor Castle Hotel , Hammersmith .

„ 03 . 1 , " Doric , " Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street . Metropolitan Chapter of Instruction , Ouorge Hotel , Alderm . inliiiry at 7 ; Coinn . Ilrett , Preceptor . Domatic Lodge of Instruction , Paliucrston Tavern , Grosvenorpnrk , Canilicnrell , nt 7 ., ' 1 < I . Faith Lodge of Instruction , Metropolitan Hallway , A ictoria Station , at 8 .

Wednesday , August 11 Committee of lloyal Masonic Benevolent Institution , FreeinaseiB' Bali , nt 3 . Lodge No . 1017 , " Montefiore , '' Freemasons' Hull . „ 1 : 228 , " Ilcaciintree , " private rooms , Leytonstone . United Strength Lodge of Instruction , No . 228 , Dull an Gate , Kentish Town road .

Thursday , August 12 . Lodge No . 107 G "Capper , " ' Marine Hotel , Alctoria Dork . „ 1227 , " Upton , ' Spotted Dog Tav ., Upton , Kssex . Friday , August 13 . Emulation Lodge of Improvement for M . M . ' s , Freemasons '

Hall at 7 . Metropolitan Lodge of Instruction , George Hotel , Aldermanbury , at 7 ; Urn . Brett , Preceptor , Belgrave Lodge of lustra-, tion , Duke of Wellington Hotel , Spring-gardens , Chariiig-cross .

Saturday , August 14 . Lodge No . 171 , "Caveac , " I'adlcy's Hotel , THackfrinni . Duinatic Chapter of Instruction , Horns Tavern Kennington , at 7 ; Preceptor , Comp . If . Wentworth Little .

A CI . EVEK article which appeared in thc Sunday Times some weeks ago on * ' Cardinal Cullen and Freemasonry , " has been republished in the shape of a letter to his Eminence by the author , who signs himself " A Past Provincial Grandmaster . "

Tin-: National Artillery Association commenced its annual meeting at Shoeburyness , on Monday , the 2 nd inst . We notice that our esteemed friend and Bro ., Lieut . J . S . Charlton , of the 1 st Middlesex Artillery , is again at his post as the senior Brigade tiuartermastcr .