Royal Arch.

GIBRALTAR . —Calpeah Royal Arch Chapter . — The regular meeting of this chapter was held on the 12 th February . A goodly attendance of the companions presented themselves , in a measure influenced no doubt by the fact that the business of the evening consisted in exalting two brothers ,

whose popularity throughout the garrison is generally acknowleged . The chairs were occupied by Companion MacLoughlin , as First Principal , Companion Morgan as second , and Companion Balfour Cockburn as third Principal . Companions Marshall and Browne as Scribes ,

and Companion Elmes , Principal Sojourner . The very excellent Companion Beal , First Principal of the Irish Chapter , was also present . The candidates for exaltation were Bro . Rcilley , of Lodge 278 , Lieutenant Sist Regiment , " and liro . Ponsonby , Lieutenant R . N ., H . M . S . "Sultan . " The ceremony was conducted by * * * Companion

MacLoughlin in his usual impressive manner , Companion Balfour Cockburn giving the explanation of the signs , and Companion Alorgan the final charge . After the discussion of some matters relative to the disposal and distribution of a sum of money recently voted for local charities , the Chapter was closed in due form and the companions retired .

Red Cross Of Constantine.

Red Cross of Constantine .

PREMIER CONCLAVE « V RED CROSS OV Cos-STAN-TIKE . —A meeting of this conclave was held on Monday atthe Freemasons ' Tavern , Sir Knt . Little ( in the absence of V . G . Sir Knt . George Kennim ** , presided . The conclave having been duly opened several candidates were duly

installed as Knights of the Order . A College of Viceroys was then opened and several Sir Knights were advanced to the degree of Priest Masons . A Senate of Sovereigns was then opened , and the highest degree was conferred

upon seven candidates for that high honour : — viz ., V . E . Sir Knts . Kingston , Aloore , Silifant , Brelte , the Rev . C . J . Martyn , ind two other Sir Knights . The conclave was then closed in imperial form .

Bro. Holmes's Lecture On The United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital.

BRO . HOLMES'S LECTURE ON THE UNITED ORDERS OF THE TEMPLE AND HOSPITAL .

BY LUPUS . Observing in the last issue of The Freemason a letter signed " Sero , Sed Serio , " desire to say ( without any offence ) that I have no knowled ge whateverof its authorship . I shall have to quote the letters referred to by the writer , but I do not know

what may be the source of his information , still evidently correct , nor do I join him in the hard words which his letter contains ( words to which Bro . Holmes lias , unhappily , been leading , as 1 not long since predicted ) unless I could believe

that Bro . Holmes had been prompted to tht baseless , and therefore vindictive , assertions contained in the preface of his last communication , and of whicli I will in my next expose tlie gross untruth .

In 1788 , the French Langues numbered no less than 808 Knights of thc whole Order , the grand total of which in 1874 was , we learn from Clarke ' s book , only 1 , 000 . and it must be obvious that so powerful a proportion would feel that their voice in the welfare of the

fraternity was entitled to the greatest weight and inflience , if not wholly as much as the words ofVertot would convey . That most competent historian , Sutherland , says of the commission elected by the French Knights , that " the government being declared concentrated in this

commission , it was empowered to regulate all political , civil , and financial affairs connected with the Order . " And from these Knights did our own Sovereign Geo . IV . accept the Cross of St . John . The French Kni ghts were joined by

those of the langues of Arragon and Castile , who had resisted the change in constitution of the Order in Spain , and thus a representation of five out of the then existing seven divisions of the Order , forming an everwhelming majority ,

Bro. Holmes's Lecture On The United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital.

became allied for purposes for the general benefit , and prosecuted those evidences of entire power of action so amply demonstrated by historic facts , of which one other proof may be added in the circumstance that the official memorial of tlie

Order to the Congress of Verona was signed by the Count Achille de Joutfroy , as authorised to represent the three langues of France and those of Arragon and Castile . In addressing my observations to the document , or protest , which has been published by

Bro . Holmes , and so happily placed at Ins disposal by Sir George Bowyer , " a simple Knight ofthe Order , and nothing more" ( but made the medium of this document nevertheless ) , I may set ont with the very evident proposition , that if there had been nothinsr in the claims of the

English langue , nothing 111 its revival , nor any substantial fact in its actual existence , the occasion would not have been deemed worthy of this protest , and its authors , as Colonel Porter aptly says he should have done , would have passed over the subject in silence . Bnt no , this

could not be , the ostensible authors ofthe protest , and ihe Council they represented , were too deeply committed to the English langue in honour and in truth , to render it possible that they could retreat from the alliance to which they had positively agreed , in writing , without making some

show of excuse for the circumstances which led to its rupture . Tin ' s " protest" has been in print before , and is no secret , but as it may not be familiar to all your readers , I am obliged to liro . Holmes and his new allies , much as I regret this discussion , for the opportunity to throw a little light upon its

history . It will be observed that it is signed by the Count de Medici Spada , " Vice-Chancellor " ( called in Bro . Holmes ' s very accurate documents " Deputy Knight ; " O if the shade of the Vice-Chancellor could only see this ' . ) aud the Comit de Gozze , " Alagisterial Secretary , " both ollicers of the body calling itself the Sacred Council .

It ori ginated in the breach of certain negociations which had occurred between the Council of the English langue and the Roman Council , for an alliance which it is to be regretted , for the sake of the time-honoured Order , was not effected . The negociations were complete , and the formal ratification of the alliance alone required accomplishment .

The terms had been propounded in writing by the Count de Gozze , endorsed by the Count de Spada , approved by the Roman Council and finally accepted by the Council in London , on the 14 th of July , i 8 j 8 . The proposition , in general terms , was that a Roman Catholic branch of the

Order should be formed in England , which should then notif y " the Protestant section , as ul remit / e . iisting , " and that the latter should be acknowledged n a non-Catholic branch , separated from tlie ordinary jurisdiction , but appertaining to the Ortler in its generality ; and it * , vas to be expressl y

understood that no jurisdiction could be ever , in any manner , exercised over the members ofthe English langue in opposition to their perfect lawful allegiance to the Sovereign of Great Britain . I'he proposition was not , in all its details , such as the Council in England could

have fairly expected , bnt they believed that the interests of the Order in general would be better advanced by the union of all its branches , and , after some interchange of suggestions , they assented to the terms with a condition that the Sacred Council should accept the alliance with

the English langue as it then stood , " receiving our Catholics according to the ancient rules , and our Protestants on the principles enunciated b y your Excellency in conformity with the precedent established in the Bailiwick of

Brandenburg ; a precedent acknowledged and put forward by the Count de Gozze , but in the private opinion of Bro . Holmes ' s [ new friends , who must surel y have been hoaxing him , "irregular , illegal and unrecognised . "

The conditions were accepted by the Roman Council , their Secretary saying , in reference to the letter of the English Council , and the stipulations it contained , " I see in its

arrangement all the characteristics of moderation , of justice , of loyalty , and of prudence , which the Council of London desires to bring to the settlement . " Their Vicc-Chancellor said , " with your permission , I have read all , and I must say

Bro. Holmes's Lecture On The United Orders Of The Temple And Hospital.

that in my opinion the conditions are acceptable . " But it may be fairly assumed that he feared , if not anticipated , the interposition of malignants , as he strongly urged expedition in the final settlement of the alliance , and added , " thus to prevent the intrigues which mi ght be the means of causing our plans to miscarry . "

In these negociations all the circumstances attending the revival of the English langue were discussed , and it was after the consideration of these that the terms were proposed , any objections being then cast aside [ as untenable after a lapse of thirty-two years ( during which no

objection whatever had been made to an alliance save ~" on the ground of religions belief ) and the Count de Gozze declaring that " whatever may be the opinion of the Mastery in regard to position and . princip le , we perfectly agree with the idea that it is now too late to discuss the

origin ofthe establishment of I lie . actual lungite \ qf England . " Thus then , were both Councils agreed , and , as a worthy member of the langue once wrote , " neither partl y doubted that a cordial union was at hand , which was not only to raise the institution from its ashes , bnt to place it on a pinnacle

of glory and usefulness it had never before attained , by suiting it to the spirit of the age , and constituting it a vast and extended field , on which the hi gh-born , noble and enlightened of both religions throughout Europe mi ght meet for generous purposes , and emulate each other for the good of mankind . "

The counsel offered by the Count de Spada was an instance of strange and remarkable foresight ; but the Englishmen , confident in mutual honour , did not accelerate the confirmation of the alliance with the dispatch he so sagaciously recommended , the

foreshadowed intrigues worked their sinuous way , awakened the demon of discord which lias cursed the Order , and frustrated the endeavours which both parties had brought to such an apparently satisfactory conclusion . The breach thus created was followed by the concoction of

this " protest , " in the hope , no doubt , iu certain quarters , that the heretical ( from the Papal point of view ) langue of England would be effectually strangled . This , I am happy to know , was not , nor is at all likely to bej

the ease . The Order in England flourishes ; it has done good deeds , I trust , and believe , will do more , and it has the sad satisfaction of being one of the only two branches of the venerable Order of St . John devoted to the work which throughout centuries has been its beneficent purpose . ( 'Jo le continued . )

Grand Chapter Of Pennsylvania.

GRAND CHAPTER OF PENNSYLVANIA .

The Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter ot Pennsylvania held its Annual Grand Communication on Friday , December 27 last , being St . John ' s Day . The following Grand Officers were duly installed : —Comps . Charles E . Meyer , Grand High Priest ; John Wilson , Jun .,

Grand King ; Andrew Robeno , J un . Grand Scribe ; Thomas Brown , Grand Treasurer ; John Thomson , Grand Secretary . After the installation , the AL fi . Grand Hi gh Priest delivered his annual address , principally a resume of his official doings during the past year , after which he announced

his appointments for the present Masonic year : From the 27 th December , 1871 , to December ist , 1872 , there were 685 candidates marked , while 763 were received and accepted Alost Excelent Alasters , and 7 . 3 2 were exalted to Royal Arch Degree in the subordinate Chapters of Pennsylvania .

Comp . Win , James Hughan , of Truro , Cornwall , Enghiiid , who furnished the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania last year with a most interesting history of the Alark Degree in England , has this year forwarded to Comp . Ch . is . E . Meyer , Grand High Priest , the following valuable letter on the Past Alaster ' s Degree . By kind permission , we

are enabled to present it to our readers in advance of the published proceedings of the Grand Chapter . "Truro , England , Oct . 1 , 1872 . " Aly Dear Friend and M . E . Grand High Priest : I am anxious to write you re the Past Master ' s Degree , according to promise made by