Provincial Grand Lodge Of Northumberland.

muster under their respective banners , and the brotherhood in the adjoining county of Durham was well represented . The chair of S . W . was filled by Bro . Ralph Cook , and the greater part of the officers were present . Among the visitors from the Province of Durham were Bros . John Wood , P . P . J . G . W . ; Thomas Coulson , P . P . G . D . ;

J . C . Moor , P . P . G . D . ; J . J . Athey , P . P . G . S . of W . ; H . C . Jepps , P . P . G . D . Surrey ; J . Barker , P . P . G . O . Durham ; and others . An interesting feature in the proceedings of the meeting was the consecration of a new lodge named , by permission of the Prov . Grand Master , the Ridley Lodge , No . 2260 . The consecration ceremony took place in a most impressive manner , the principal officers who took part in the ceremony being the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart . ;

the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Richard Henry Holmes , P . G . D . ; the acting Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . Rev . T . B . Nichols , M . A ., P . P . S . G . W ., who gave the address and the prayers in a most effective manner ; the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . B . J . Thompson ; the Prov . Grand Registrar , Bro . J . M . Winter ; the Prov . Grand Director of Ceremonies , Bro . Adam Robertson : and the Prov . Grand Wardens and other officers .

Bro . George Eugene Macarthy , P . M ., P . P . G . R ., was installed as the first Worshipful Master of the new Iodge , and he afterwards . appointed the officers for the Ridley Lodge , which will meet at the Masonic Hall , Maplestreet , Newcastle , on the first Tuesday of each month . It is some twelve years since such a Masonic function has taken place in the county , and

it was consequently new to many of the assembled brethren . The choral service was much enhanced by the assistance lent by Bro . J . Nutton , of Durham Cathedral . The consecration ceremony opened with prayer by the acting Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . Rev . T . B . Nichols , P . P . S . G . W ., followed by an anthem , " The Glorious Majesty , " and there were several chants interspersed throughout the service .

The PROV . GRAND SECRETARY read the petition and warrant of the new lodge , bearing the signature of the M . W . Grand Master , the Prince of Wales . An " Ode to Masonry " was sung in fine voice by Bro . NUTTON , the first stanza of each verse being repeated by the whole brotherhood :

Hail ! Masonry divine , Glory of ages shine ; Long mayst thou reign ; Where ' er thy lodges stand , May they have great command , And always grace the land , Thou art divine .

The unveiling of the Lodge Board , with all the symbols of the Craft , was done in solemn silence by the Prov . Grand Stewards , and after prayer the Prov . Grand Deacons presented the vessels of the consecration to the respective officers , and corn , wine , and oil were poured forth , and salt scattered , while the respective Prov . Grand Officers declared the mystic symbolism of the rites .

Much ceremonial was otherwise manifested , and after the anthem " Behold , how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity , " the Prov . Grand Director of Ceremonies , Bro . ADAM ROBERTSON , proclaimed the Ridley Lodge duly constituted . The Worship ful Master of the new lodge having taken an obligation as regards the government of the new lodge , duly installed his officers , and

thereafter , with their assistance , proved his ability to officiate by closing the lodge , the PROV . GRAND CHAPLAIN pronouncing the final benediction . Past Masters Bros . John Page , P . P . J . G . W . ; John Walker Gibson , P . P . S . G . D . ; and four others assisted in the installation of Bro . E . G . Macarth y , as the W . M ., and Bro . Macarthy afterwards invested the following as the

officers of the new lodge : Bros . C A . Bushell , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., I . P . M . ; J . H . Bentham , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., S . W . ; W . G . Reynolds , P . M ., J . W . ; J . Walker , P . M ., P . P . G . C , Chap . ; B . J . Thompson , P . M ., P . G . Sec , Treas . ; James D . Dixon , P . M ., Dir . of Cers . ; A . F . Ball , Sec ; J . B . Lazenby , S . D . ; T . O . Robson , J . D . ; T . Roberts , I . G . ; and W . J . H . Ryder , J . W . 1427 , Org .

Bro . Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY , Bart ., R . W . Prov . Grand Master , in addressing the brethren generally , remarked that happy was the country that had no history , and he was happy to say that they had had an uneventful history during the year , at all events of an unfavourable description . He would be happy to report to the Most Worshipful Grand Master of England ( H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ) that the utmost harmony and

goodwill prevailed throughout the boundaries of their province . He was glad to know that the financial affairs of all the lodges were in a satisfactory condition—even the lodge which was " now considering "—( laughter )—an additional gift to the cause of Charity . He reminded the brethren that since Bro . Thompson , P . G . Sec , undertook the Stewardship of the Charities the result had been most satisfactory . His- predecessor had five years ago

mentioned that Bro . Thompson had been able to take up from the province £ 1222 for the Aged and Benevolent Institution . The sum had been exceeded this year by the contributions amounting to over ^ 1250 , which had been on Bro . Thompson ' s list . ( Applause . ) He was glad they had been able to do so much for the Charity , and that the medium had been Bro . Thompson , who deserved so well of this province and their Masonic

life . ( Applause . ) Let him say how pleased he had been with the compliment paid him by those who had petitioned for the new lodge in the province . They were all workers in the cause of Masonry , and let them not forget it was not the mere increase of numbers they should look to , for it was the intention of Masonry to have working members in the hi ghest interests of the Craft that they desired . There had been no decline in the

numbers or in the standard of Masonry since he took the chair , and he hoped both would be maintained in the province . ( Applause . ) He also expressed how pleased he had been with the compliment that had been paid to him by the brethren who had formed the new lodge in the province . When he heard that they proposed to pay him the compliment they had done , -to call the lodge by his name , he felt highly honoured , and itwas

impossible for him to refuse to advance the prayer of their petition , and he had had great pleasure in duly constitutiug the lodge in accordance with the Constitutions of the Order , and the charter of the Grand Lodge of England . He expressed his best wishes for the welfare and prosperity of the Ridley Lodge , of which , in the course of the proceedings , Bro . Sir Matthew White Ridley was proposed as a member .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Northumberland.

The Prov . Grand Master afterwards appointed the following as the officers for the ensuing year :

Bro . R . H . Holmes , P . G . D . ... ... ... Prov . Dep . G M „ J . D . Dixon , P . M . 1427 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W ' „ J . F . Beckingham , P . M . 1 S 63 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . Herbert Bott , 1863 ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ Thos . Anderson ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ John Strachan , P . M . 1664 ... ... Prov . G . Ree . '

,, B . J . Thompson ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ W . M . Lyon , P . M . 406 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ Teesdale Wilson , P . M . 1626 ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ R . H . Dickenson , P . M . 636 ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ Adam Robertson , P . M . 1167 ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . D . C .

„ Hy . bpittle , P . M . 1342 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ J . D . Garland , P . M . 24 ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br „ J . W . Lambton , P . M . 431 ... ... } p p _ „ Jas . Carmichael , P . M . 659 ... _ J ttov . U . Md . | Brs . „ R . Liddle , 48 i ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Reid , P . M . 431 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst .

„ J . Barbour , P . M . 1676 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . ,, George Parsons , 1664 ... ... ... " 1 „ George Senior , 1676 „ George Elphick , 1 7 ... ... ... in r . o . , „ John Usworth , 893 i'Prov- G- Stwds-„ Ridley , 406 ... ... ... ... | ,, Thomas Waters , 636 ... ... ... J „ Joshua Curry ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . T yler .

A special vote of thanks was accorded to the Northumberland Lod ge for the use of their lodge furniture , and an address on vellum was ordered to be prepared for presentation to Bro . Henry Hotham , who retired after acting as one of the Auditors of the Provincial Grand Lodge for 24 years . Hexham was named as the place of next annual meeting . The ceremony of consecration was one of the most beautiful and solemn that has been witnessed in the north for some years , and the Ridley Lodge was altogether constituted under the most favourable auspices .

The musical portion of the ceremony was performed by Bros . John Nutton and G . Leatham , of Durham Cathedral choir , and Bros . R . Ferry and R . Liddle , P . G . Orgs .

Freemasons Among The Catholics.

FREEMASONS AMONG THE CATHOLICS .

A correspondent , under the title " A Catholic , " communicated some interesting thoughts concerning the Papal edicts issued ever since 1738 against the Society of Freemasons . In the conclusion of his letter he urges the propriety of all the Masonic Catholics in this country uniting in an appeal to the Pope in repudiation of the charges so unjustly persisted in .

He says : " Will any man tell me that if he were besieged by a petition with one hundred thousand signatures or [ more , containing a solemn assurance that Ancient Craft Masonry has no undue concern either with religion or politics , and that our morality is that which is inculcated by

Christianity and by all religions , the authorities at Rome would not heed it ? I am sure they would , coming from intelligent and educated citizens of these United States , who are capable of doing their own thinking , and who can see and judge for themselves of what material our Order is composed . "

In regard to the great number of Catholic Freemasons he says : " I became a Mason many years ago , and have travelled much since . In Portugal and Spain I met with hundreds of ecclesiastics who were Freemasons , and who understood the Papal decrees to be ' merely local . ' Hundreds of Catholics from conscientious scruples are deterred from joining the Fraternity , and vast numbers among the many thousand Catholics

who have belonged to it , or do now belong to it and to other secret societies , feel greatly annoyed and often disturbed in their peace of mind at the species of uncertainty created by these sweeping and silly condemnations and unjust prohibitions of what we all know to be innocent and moral , and almost coeval with the birth of mankind , second only to the Divine command of God . "

Masonry is not proselytising , we ask no man or body of men to come within our told , but here is a large class of our fellow citizens , intelligent , educated , bright men , charitable in deed , and liberal in their views with whom we come in daily contact , we mingle with them in our business life , we

engage with them in similar benevolent affairs , we meet in our daily walks < and we learn to esteem them , and they learn to respect us ; yet there comes a voice from Rome , a strong influence from a foreign country denouncing our Benevolent Association and prohibiting Catholics from joining with their fellow citizens in deeds of charity and benevolence .

The correspondent above referred to says further— " For over 30 years I have been a member of my lodge , and 1 have yet to learn of the fifst case where Masonry makes any distinction in creed or marks any one f ° exclusion if he is of good moral character , and able to comply with the requirements of the Order .

" I have frequently met with Catholic brethren , honest , zealous , and sincere admirers of our Institution , who are active in the Order , yet labour under a constant dread , and in fear of that mythical bolt , that only emanates from Rome , and many more are anxious to become Masons , whd from regard of family ties and similar circumstances , now refrain . "

Our correspondent says further : " It is not possible to believe that the Church of Rome , composed of educated , learned , and brainy men , does not know that Masonry teaches the highest morality and is not opposed to any religion or creed , and further that it demands of its votaries an ope " and firm belief in the existence of a Supreme Being . What then is tne

cause of all this enmity ? Is it because they do not want to recede frt > nj the stand taken centuries ago , or does the Church still adhere to the view that the entrance to heaven is only throu gh the portals of their Church , andai others must forever be damned , and hence do not look with favour up "

that universal tolerance inculcated by the Fraternity ? " Be that as it may » it is certain that thousands upon thousands of Catholics are anxious t become Masons , whose intelligence , reason , education , and all ' °£ j deductions prompt them to it , but yet they are deterred by that undehn tj fear of a ( to them ) unknown authority ; to those a plan such as sugge ^ by the correspondent above referred to would be a desideratum , and wou bring peace to their troubled mind ; but it is not for the Masonic Fraternt y to take the initiative : it is their business , not ours . —New York Dispatcli-