Glasgow.

Secretary ; Jno . Fletcher , S . D . ; Thos . Best , J . D . An after meeting of the lodge in which the office-bearers of P . G . L . took part was a pleasant and harmonious one . Lodqe Clydesdale ( 556 ) . —The minutes of

the Provincial Grand lodge , read at its meeting on the 29 th ult ., bore reference to the consecration of this lodge , which took place within the Crown Street Assembly Rooms , on the 17 th of September last ,

Bro . F . A . Barrow , D . P . G . M . presided , assisted by a competent number of officebearers of P . G . L . The approaches to the Hall having been securely guarded , the P . G . L . was opened in due and proper form ,

and the ceremony of consecration thereafter performed in a decorous and solemn manner , according to the prescribed ritual .

The usual congratulatory speeches were exchanged , and the installation of officebearers was then proceeded with . The following is a list : William Phillips ,

R . W . M . ; J . B . McNaught , S . W . ; J . Mc

Naught , S . M . ; J . Howie , S . W . ; JohnFrcu , S . D .: James Weir , S . S . ; John Doig , B . B . ; J . Brown , J . G . ; McDougall , J . S . ; Wm . J . E . Dobson , Provincial Grand Steward ; Henry Jackson , Architect ; Thos . Russell ,

D . M . After the installation , the D . P . G . M . expressed his opinion that from Bro . Phillips ' s past experience in the capacity of R . W . M ., his well-known zeal for the order , and the active position he had occupied

in its affairs generally , that Lodge Clydesdale would in the future hold a prominent position in the annals of Freemasonry on the South side of the river , and he hoped

the succeeding Masters would emulate the example of the first . A hearty vote of thanks to the P . G . D . M . forhis services concluded the proceedings .

Chapter Commercial ( 79 ) . —Some months ago a movement on the part of a number of the members of this Chapter , and a few of the brethren of the Lodge Commercial , No . 360 , being Royal Arch Companions ,

was originated , having for its object , the resuscitation of the chapter , which has for some years been in abeyance . Owing to certain rather exceptional circumstances , the charter and other property of the

chapter could not be got possession of by the parties interested , and as the difficulty in consequence of this seemed for the time to be insurmountable , it was deemed necessary to apply to the Supreme Grand Body

for a dispensation to open the chapter and instal officers in the absence of the constitutional authority . In accordance with this a meeting , summoned for the evening of Friday , the 23 rd ult ., by authority of

Comp . F . A . Barrow , the worthy Provincial Grand Superintendent for the West of Scotland , was held and largely attended by the elite of the order in Glasgow . Companion Barrow presided , and , after reading

the requisite documents , proceeded to open the chapter , after which the nominations to the various offices having been made and confirmed , he performed the ceremony of installation in his usual lucid and

impressive style . Companions Julius Brode , Allan M'Kenzie , and Andrew Ritchie were duly elected and installed as Principals , A . M . Taggart and W . Smith as Scribes E and N , G . M'Phcrson as Treasurer , and Baird ,

Morton and J ack as Sojourners . Companion Brode thanked the Provincial Grand Superintendent for the very efficient manner in which he had conducted the

ceremonial , and alluded to the substantial exertions he had made in assisting in procuring the reponal . The M . E . Superintendent having replied in brief but courteous terms , the chapter was thereafter closed in proper

Glasgow.

form , all being delighted with the complete success of this , the first meeting of the chapter ' s second existence . It is but right to say that since their

installation the property of the chapter has been delivered to the office-bearers , so that it will not be necessary to meet again under the special dispensation .

Lodge Thistle ( 87 ) held their usual meeting in the hall , No . 12 , Trongatc , on Tuesday , the 20 th inst ., Brother John Miller , R . W . M ., in the chair . There were also present Bros . John Fraser , P . M . ; C . K .

Jenkins , D . M . ; Thos . Paton , Treasurer ; and a numerous gathering of members and visiting brethren . The lodge having been opened in the first degree , after some preliminary business Bro . Fraser proposed

Bro . W . H . Bickcrton , 360 , for affiliation , which , having been duly seconded and carried , was accordingly done by the R . W . M . After the initiation of a candidate into the

mysteries of the order , the lodge was passed to the degree of Fellow Craft , and then raised to the Sublime degree of Master Masonwhen a Fellow Craft received that

high honour from the R . W . M . in a masterly and impressive manner . After the transaction of some private business , the lodge was closed in due form .

Dumfries.

DUMFRIES .

Presentation Hipper . —It having been intimated to some of the brethren of the Thistle Lodge of Freemasons , Dumfries , that it was the desire of Bro . John Crosbic , of Lantonsidc , to present the lodge with a

banner , it was resolved to entertain Bro . Crosbic to supper on the occasion . Accordingly a large number of the brethren met in the Lodge Room , White Swan Hotel , last night , Bro . Dykes in the chair ,

and Bro . Riddick , Croupier . Ample justice having been done to the good things provided by Mrs . M'Gowan , the lodge was opened by Bro . Robert Wilson , R . W . M . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were

then given , after which Bro . Crosbic , in a few neat and well chosen remarks , presented to his Mother Lodge , Thistle , a very elegant banner , and the R . W . M ., in name of the lodge , thanked Bro . Crosbic for his

magnificent present , which will be publicly displayed at Lockerbie for the first time on Friday next . The banner was ordered through Bro . Piddick , and was supplied by

Bro . George Kenning , 145 , Argylc Street , Glasgow . Toast , song , and sentiment followed in the usual Masonic style , till the lodge was closed in due form

Ireland.

Ireland .

IRISH FREEMASONRY . IN the Fireman ' s Journal a column or so is devoted to publications on the authority of " The Catholic Union of Ireland . " It professes to supply trustworthy intelligence

on Catholic subjects , domestic and foreign , likely to be of interest to Irish Catholic readers . It is not often , indeed , that the subjects treated of are of interest outside that communion , or that the mode of

treating them adopted is such as to recommend these communiques to the general public as likely to supply " trustworthy intelligence . " It may be interesting , however , to the public to learn that these unfortunate " Irish

Catholics" arc afflicted with a new grievance , if we arc to believe the Catholic Union . The last publication of the Union refers to the bugbear of Freemasonry , and we learn that it is an untold insult to good Catholics

Ireland.

that the Prince of Wales in England and the Duke of Abercorn in Ireland , should have accepted Grand Masterships in the Order . But , true to the provincialism which seems fated to pervade everything

really " Irish , " the Union are much more incensed against the new Irish Grand Master than against his illustrious English colleague . Speaking of the Prince of Wales , the Union seems inclined to be

merciful , if strong : — " We protested , as most of the Catholics of the empire did protest , against the parade which His Royal Highness made of his Masonic belongings , and we are convinced that it would have

been more prudent for the Prince of Wales not to have done so . " How did His Royal Highness survive such a crushing disapproval of his masonic doings ? In the reign of George IV . an absurd English

journal hinted that the Duke of Wellington was aiming at sovereign power in the State , but added for the reassurance of affrighted Royalists— " But we shall take care , & c . " Possibly the spirited protest of the Union ,

even if it never reached its distinguished object , brought consolation to many a pious Irish Catholic heart . It is to be hoped so ; for , otherwise , there was a great waste of

virtuous indignation . But , as we said before , the Union reserves its bitterest resentment for the conduct of the Duke of Abercorn . We are told that whatever excuse might be made for the Prince of Wales there is none

for the Irish Viceroy . "He shares largely in the actual government of Ireland , and has at his disposal a huge amount of valuable patronage . Therefore it is that we say that it would be injudicious , and

would most probably be attended with serious suspicions as to the mode in which the Castle work of Ireland would be done , were his Excellency to take office in an organization that is looked upon with

odium by the vast majority of the Irish people . That vast majority has no sympathy with Freemasonry . It is a condemned association , whose members are held together by a bond of profane oath ,

and which is a recognized branch of the most anti-social , anti-Christian secret societies of the Continent and of America . " Then the reader is reminded of all that the " secret societies" of the Continent are

doing against the faithful in Germany and Switzerland , and " the frightful evils which Freemasonry is accomplishing in Brazil ! " And—will the reader believe it ?—as a piece of "trustworthy information , " the

Union states that here at home Freemasonry " is struggling to crush our Catholic enterprise ; to keep back Catholic youth from employment in various public offices ; to shut the hospital professorships against

Catholic doctors , and to monopolise various departments in connection with the legal administration of the country . " Freemasons will smile at the petty spite which could dictate such falsehoods . The numerous Roman

Catholics who , scorning the presumption of the Italian priesthood , have found their way into the craft , will blush for their coreligionists . And the general public , who know the characters of recognised Masons ,

comprising the best and most distinguished men in the country , will know what to think of the authors of such scurrility—only to be equalled by the pastorals of the Papal Legate . Seriously to reply to such

falsehoods—advanced by those who , if they be honest , can know nothing of Freemasonryis not our object . We simply desire to

show our readers the character of one of the influences at work in forming Roman Catholic opinion in Ireland . We are free to admit that very few Roman Catholics