Freemasonry In 1897.

OBITUARY . Wc cannot say that the tale of the losses we have suffered by death during the year is more fordimable or contains the names of more honoured brethren than in past years , but it is quite

formidable enough and several brethren ol distinction have passed away , the memory of whose services will be always respected . Among the most noteworthy may be mentioned Bro . the liarl of Hardwicke , who held the office of Prov . G . Master of Cambridgeshire from 1 S 72 to to 1891 , and then retired from any active part in Masonry ; Lord Monk Bretton , who was J . G . Warden " in i 860 , and the Hon . Mr . Justice Cave , P . G . W . ; Bros .

the Rev . Joseph Senior , LL . D ., a prominent Durham brother , and the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , both Past G . Chaplains ; Bros . Lt .-Col . H . Somerville Burney and C . F . Marshall , Past G . Deacons ; R . G . Glover , I ast Dep . G . D . C . ; W . G . Lemon , Past A . G . D . C ; Col . James Ward , C . B ., P . G . S . B . ; J . H . Sillitoe , and

C . F . Hogard , Past G . Std . Bearers ; and T . W . Whitmarsh , and Walter Hopekirk , Past G . Pursuivants . Among Provincial or Past Provincial celebrities will be found Bros . Sir H . St . John Halford , Past Dep . P . G . M . Leicestershire ; T . R . jVrter , Prov . S . G . W . Worcestershire , only a few clays after the consecration at Moseley of the Lodge which bears his name ; Thomas Holland ,

P . M ., P . Z ., P . Prov . G . D . C Suffolk ; and W . Watkins , P . M ., P . Z . ; P . Prov . G . W . Monmouthshire ; while among other brethren we include Bros . Deputy Salmon , John Larkin , P . M ., P . Z . ; Stephen Barton Wilson , P . M ., P . Z ., No . 59 , son of the famous Preceptor of the same name ; John Clark , Reuben Ward , Benj . Fullwood , P . M ., P . Z . ; Thomas Bull , P . M ., P . Z . ; E Spooner , J . Vaughan ,

P . M ., P . Z . ; Sir Norman Pringle , P . M ., P . Z . No . 92 ; Dr . W . Sparks , of Leeds , author of our Masonic " Liber Musicus , " J . Firth Watson , J McDougall , P . M ., P . Z . No . 913 ; T . D . Humphreys , P . M ., P . Z . ; M . Rosenberg , P . M . No . 1 245 ; W . E . Willby , P . M ., P . Z . No . 538 ; Major E . H . Peacock , J . W . No . 4 S 8 , St .

Helens ; G . Houldsworth , P . M . No . 1327 ; W . R . Felton , A . F . Lamette , P . M . No . 271 , M . E . Z . No . 271 ; Thos . W . Gay , P . M . No . 1901 ; Thomas Maylcr , P . M . No . 26 7 ; James S . Naish , P . M . No . 1 S 33 ; J . Lund Simmonds , P . M .. P . Z ., and author of the

History of Mark Lodge , St . Mark ' s , No . 1 , and Bro . William Paas , together with many other worthy brethren , whose sevices lo Freemasonry were known and appreciated more especially in the circles in which they moved .

SCOTLAND . Under the government of Bro . Lord Saltoun , who has just entered upon the second yearof his G . Mastership , the Craft has fared most prosperously . There have been no occurrences of exceptional interest during the year now about to close , but steady progress and consolidation have been the order of the

day . At the Quarterly Communication in February , ( irand Lodge voted the sum of £ 100 lo the Indian Famine Relief Fund , while two days later the foundation stone of the new Hall of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 175 , Greenock , was laid with Masonic ceremonial by llro . James Reid , the R . W . M ., Dep . P . G . M . of Renfrewshire West . Slill later in the same month the new

Masonic premises in Glasgow were consecrated by Bro . Lord Saltoun , M . W . G . Master . On the 19 th April , the Dcnnistoun Chapter ( R . A . ) was consecrated by Comp . Major 1 " . VV . Allan , G . Superintendent of the Lower Ward of Lanarkshire , and Comp . Capt . A . II . Dcnnistoun installed in office as its lirst

M . Ii . Z . In May , al the Quarterly Communication on the 6 th , current Grand Lodge voted with loyal acclamation an address of congratulation lo her Majesty the Queen on the completion of the 60 th yearof her reign , ln August , Bro . F . C Buchanan was installed in office as Pruv . G . Master of Dumbartonshire ,

there being a strong muster of brethren present on the occasion , while the ceremony itself was performed b y tbe ( i . Master Mason of Scotland . There has likewise been a considerable amount of activity shown by the brethren of the Scottish Constitution in India . In June , Mro . Lord Sandhurst , Governor of the

Presidency of Bombay , who is Pro . District ( I . Master under the English Constitution , was solemnly installed as M . W . G . Master of all Scottish F ' reemasonry in India , and the day following this interesting ceremony his lordship , in his dual capacity of head of the two Constitutions , laid the foundation stone of a new Masonic

Ball which is about lo be erected 111 Bombay for the accommodation of our Anglo-Scottish brelhren . Later in the year , loo , a similar ceremony was peilormed by Bro . ( . ' apt . C F \ Wise , Acting G . Master , in respect of ihe new Anglo-Scottish Masonic Hall in Calcutta , Bro . t apt . Wise taking the opportunity afforded by his

visit to the capital ol the Bengal Presidency to inspire some of the lodges and chapters located there with an increase of enthusiasm lor the work of Masonry . On the whole , though our record of occurrences may be somewhat briefer than in past years , there is every reason to be gratified with the work accomplished during the past year .

IRELAND . In respect of Masonry in the sister isle , we have the satisfaction of being spared the necessity of reiterating our complaint of recent years that we have little , if anything , to record about the Irish Craft . Thanks to the kindness of a distinguished Irish brother , we have at all events several items of interest lo

include in our annual survey , not the least important being the installation at the regular Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in June of Bro . J . Creed Meredith , LL . D ., as Dep . G . Master in succession to the veteran Bro . R . VV . Shekleton , Q . C , who had held the office for many years , and had won the respect

and regard of our Irish brethren during his term of service . There was , as may be imagined , a large number of Grand Officers and brethren present , and both the G . Master and Grand Lodge are to be congratulated on having enlisted the services of so dislin-ruished a Mason as Bro . Dr . Meredith for

so important a post , and as the successor of so strong a Deputy as Bro . Shekleton . At this meeting Grand Lodge passed a resolution of congratulation to the Queen on completing the 60 th year of her reign . A few days subsequently a numerous body of ladies and brethren from Belfast , to the number of 400 ,

paid a visit to the Masonic Orphan Schools in Dublin , where they were most kindly and cordially received by thc leading friends and supporters of those Charities—prominent amongst these being Bro . Lord Justice Fitzgibbon—and had every opportunity alTorded them of inspecting the Institutions and learning

all about the manner in which they were conducted and the success which had attended the efforts of the executive and the educational staff . Later in the year , the Duke of Abercorn , M . W . G . Master , presided at the distribution of prizes at the Masonic Female Orphan School , the prizes being given away by

the Duchess of Abercorn , who was most heartily thanked for her kindness . 'There have also been sundry meetings of Provincial G . Lodges , both for the despatch of regular business and on special occasions , so that though the events we have been privileged to report are comparatively few in number , we have been

able to communicate information of an important character , and shall be only too glad if in future years , our opportunities of publishing particulars respecting the doings of our Irish brethren are considerably augmented in number . VVe must not , however , lose sight of the fact that il is to an Irish brother—Dr . Chetwoode

Crawley—that we are indebted for the chief addition during the year to our store of Masonic literature in the shape of the second Fasciculus of his "Cimentaria Hibernica" to which we have referred under the head of " Masonic Literature . " Nor must we

omit to mention that by the death of Bro . thc Rev . Lord Plunket , Archbishop of Dublin , who had been G . Chaplain for a quarter of a century , the Craft in Ireland has sustained a very serious loss .

TIIE COLONIES , & c . In the Colonies and Possessions of the British Crown , Freemasonry , whether existing under separate and independent organisations or holding under the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom , has had its full share of the prosperity which has

attended the Craft . At the annual meetings of the independent Grand Lodges , whether in British North America or in Australasia , the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen has been made the subject of congratulation , aud addresses have been voted with the most enthusiastic loyalty . So , too , has it been the case

with the District Grand Lodges , and even many private lodges have acted similarly , the most conspicuous case of all being tbe Grand Lodge of South Australia , whose M . W . G . M ., Bro . the Rig ht Hon . Chief Justice Way , look the opportunity afforded him when he was made Past ( irand Warden nf lingland in the

Albert Hall by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , of presenting personally the address which his Grand Lodge had voted . The ( irand Lodge of Canada ( Province of Ontario ) held its annual meeting at Branlford on the 21 st July , and exhibited its loyalty by voting a congratulatory address , while the District Grand

Lodges of Bengal , Bombay , and others acted similarly , the District Grand Lodge of Northern China marking the auspicious event by attending divine service at thc Cathedral , Shanghai . Other modes of celebrating thc same anniversary have been adopted , the most remarkable case being lhat of the brethren in

the 'Transvaal whicli now musters some 18 lodges . These started an liducational F ' unil and inaugurated its establishment by subscribing towards ils support and maintenance the very large sum of £ ' i 5 , 000 . In India the various District ( irand

Lodges have done some good work , the installation of Lord Sandhurst as M . W . G . M . ol all Scottish F ' reemasonry in India and the laying of foundation-stones of new Masonic Halls in Bombay and Calcutta being the most noteworthy events . In Nv . w Zealand Mro . R . Dunn Thomas has been installed District Grand Master of Canterbury , vice Mro . Peter Cunningham deceased , but the question of recognising the ( irand Lodge of