Aids To Study.

strangers . I , the Lord have spoken it , and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt . The sceptre of Egypt shall pass away . . . It shall be a base kingdom ; it shall be the basest of kingdoms . "

How has all this been fulfilled r In the middle of the thirteenth century , the Mamelukes deposed their rulers , and usurped the dominion of the country , establishing such a mode of government

as has no parallel . Eacli successive ruler was raised to the supreme authority , from being a stranger and a slave . No native of Egypt ascended the throne , but a chief was chosen from

among a race of imported slaves . During subsequent times , any attempt made to emancipate the country , or create a prince of tlie land , has proved abortive . Gibbon remarks , that a more

unjust and absurd constitution cannot be devised than that which condems the natives of a country to perpetual servitude , under thc arbitrary dominion of strangers and slaves . Yet ,

such has been the state of Egypt for centuries . The Copts , the descendants of tlie ancient Egyptians , are a degraded race . They fast long , and are almost constantly drunk . Thev are . indeed

fulfilling the word of prophecy : " They shall be a base kingdom . It shall be the basest of kingdoms . Neither shall it exalt ilselfany mure above the nations . Fori will diminish them , that thev

shall no more rule over the nations . The pride of her power shall come down . ... I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked for vile ] .

Aud there shall be no more a prince ofthe land of Egypt" ( Ezek . xiix , 14 . 13 3 xxx , 6 , 7 , 1 . 2 , 13 : xxxii , J j ) .

Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS .

We gave last week a condensed report of the meeting of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master

Masons at Manchester . \\ e are enabled this week to give a in ore detailed account of the proceedings . On Wednesday , October 3 , a Grand Lodge of

Mark Master Masons ol England , AN ales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown was held at ihe Freemasons' Hall , Man Chester , for the puropose ol carrying into eliect

the fusion of the two Provincial Grand Lodges hitherto existing under the English and Scotch Constitutions . There was a large attendance ol brethren .

The Provincial Grand Lodge , E . C ., bavin : been opened , the Provincial Grand Lodge S . C was next opened , and after that the Grand Lodg . of Mark Master Masons of England , by th

M . W . Grand Master , the Rev . G . Raymond Portal , M . A ., the following Grand Odi ' . vrs being present : —The Right Worshipful Bros . Lord Skelmersdale , P . G . S . W . 5 F . Binckes , P . G . [ . W .,

G . S . ; J . Porter , G . S . D . ; T . Pcrkington . P . G . S . O . and P . G . M ., West Yorkshire ; Rev . 1 ) . Shaboi P . G . Chaplain ; Rev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope P . G . Chaplain ; Rev . C . j . Martyn , P . G . Chap

lain ; j . C . Parkinson , P . G . J . W . ; J . P . Stebbing , G . T . : C . F . Matier . G . J . W .. G . P . Brockbank , P . G . J . W . 3 T . J . Lancashire , P . S . 11

J . Copley ( iodmorden ) , i' . ti . S . ti . ; I . Margraves , G . J . D . C . ; J . Stevens , P . G . C . , Magnus Ohren , P . G . M . O . 3 J . P . Goepel , P . S . G . O . 3 F . Davison , P . G , Org . s Captain Burgess , G , Reg .

Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

Colonel Burdett , P . G . M . Middlesex and Surrey , and others . . The Provincial Grand Officers present were : Bros . W . R . Callender , P . G . M . ; Thomas

Birchall , P . J . G . W , 3 W . O . Walker , P . G . M . O . J . Duffield , P . G . T . 3 W . H . Prince , P G . S . D . J Joseph Handley , P . G . I . G . 5 R . Seed , P . G . O . 3 W . Roberts , P . Prov . G . S . D . ; A . Milne , P . G . S . ;

W . Walker , P . Prov . G . I . G . 3 E . Hartley , P Prov . G . S . 5 T . Oakden , P . G . Swd . B . West Yorkshire : G . Galloway , P . G . T . 5 L . Booth ,, P . G . Supt . Works 3 Thomas Entwisfle , P . G . S . ;

D . Stnnsiield , P . G . S . B . ; James Holroyd , P . G . S . B . ; Dr . II . Hopkins , P . G . J . W ., and ' others Letters of apology were read from Lord Leigh ,

Past G . AL ; Lord Holmesdale , Past G . AL : Lord Carnarvon , Past G . M . : Earl Percy , G . M . Elect 3 Lord Bective . P . G . S . W . ; W . Beach , M . P ., Past G . AL ; Sir F . Williams , Ba-t ., P . G . M ., & e .

The business of the Grand Lodge was then proceeded with . The arrangements and conditions for the fusion of the Provincial Grand Alark Lodge , hitherto under the Scotch

Constitution , with the Provincial Grand Alark Lodge under the English- Constitution , were ratified niui confirmed . The Provincial Grand Alasters of both

jurisdictions resigned their patents into the hands of the Grand Alaster , who gave the lodges under ( he Scotch Constitution new warrants . tiro . \ V . R . Callender was then proposed fo :

appointment as Provincial G . AI . by Bro . Entwistle . and seconded by Bro . Matier , and recommended by the unanimous vote of the Provincial Lody _ e . and lie was then duly installed by the Grand

Alark Alaster , who expressed his great gratification in acceding to the request of the P . G . L ., and his deep sense of the Masonic good feeling which had induced the brethren under the Scotch

Constitution to unite with their English brethren in forming one Provincial Grand Lodge . Thc G . AL then invested Bro . Entwistle , P . G . AI . 'S . C . ) as P . Prov . G . AL ; Bros . Birchall ,

Brockbank , Wike and Binckes were invested as P . Prov . | . G . Wardens , and the charity medal was presented to the brethren who served the Stewardship on the last occasion , by the Alark' Benvolent

Fund . The following Provincia . ] Grand Oliicers for Lancashire were then appointed : —Bros . Lord Skelmersdale , D . P . G . AI . ; G . -Mellon , P . S . G . W . :

G . Galloway , P . J . G . W . ; U . S . Alpass , P . M . O . ; J . Handley , P . S . O .: . T . J . Lancashire , P . J . O . Rev . J . L . Figgins , P . G . Chaplain ; Thomas Radlev , P . A . G . Chaplain ; | . Duirield , P . G ,

Treasurer ( re-elected by the Province ) ; P . B . Ashworth , P . G . Reg . ; John Chadwick , P . G . Sec . ; W . G . Turner , P . S . D . ; C . Dayis , P . J . D .

Dr . Moore , P . G . Supt . of Works " : W . Walker , P . G . D . C ,: G . Cornfield , P . A . D . C , ; W . Morris , P . G . S . B . ; | . Brandwood , P . G . S , !! .: R . Seed ,

P . G . Org . ; T . Chambers , P . G . I . G . ; D . Mitchell W . Davis , and W . Mountcastle , P . G . Stewards and W . Dawson , P . G . Tyler .

\\ hen tne business of the Provincial Grand Lodge was brought to a close , about ijjo brethren sat down to a banquet , at which the

Provincial Crand Master , W . R . Callender , presided , supported 011 his ri g ht by the Kev . G . R . Portal , the Grand Master , and on his left by Bro . J . C . Parkinson , P . G . W .

Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

After the banquet the Chairman gave ' ¦ The Health of the Queen , " and then of " The Prince of Wales , and the rest ofthe Royal Family . " In proposing the next toast , the Provincial

Grand Master said it was often a matter of regret to them that , except on some few and far between occasions , they had to drink the health of the distinguished brethren who ruled

over the various degrees of Masonry in their absence . 'Many were thc privileges which they , as Alark Masons , enjoyed . The . Province of Lancashire had twice within the last two years ,

had the pleasure of seeing the chief of their Order , Bro . Portal . They were assembled in a three-fold character . The Moveable Grand Lodge had been held 3 it had been their

Provincial Grand Lodge meeting ; and more than all , they had consummated that day the union of the Rose and the Thistle ( cheers ) , banding together those sister constitutions which ought

for ever to be united . He thought they must all admit that had it not been for the conciliatory manner and tactics of their Grand Master , they

would not have obtained the union which they now consummated . He gave them " The Health of Bro . Portal , the Grand Mark Master / if England and Wales . " ( Cheers ) .

The Grand Alaster ( the Rev . G . R . Portal , ) in response , said that upon an occasion such as that he felt they had a right to expect from him more than common thanks . When he succeeded

to ihe throne four years ago , their admirable and ancient Order stood in a position of regretable isolation . His lirst duty was to make alliances and obtain recognition where available , and he

had had the satisfaction of obtaining recognition , in the lirst place , from the Grand Chapter of Ireland , and in the next place from the Grand Chapter of Canada , and next from the Grand

Chapters of Pennsylvania and Iowa . As there were several important bodies acting independently of the Craft in this country—the 33 rd degree , the Knights Templar , and the Red Cross

ofthe Order of Constantine—he thought it important to get a recognition of the Mark Grand Lodge being the legitimate head of the Mark Degree . That had been accomplished , and there had

been an acknowledgement which had surpassed in importance any of those which lie had named , and for this reason . In every state of the United States there was a Supreme Grand Chapter , and ol

these bodies there was composed a representative Grand Body , called the General Grand Chapter ofthe United States , the head of which

was called the Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter , who had written him a letter , which he would now read to them : —•

" General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the " United States of America . "June 16 , 1872 . " Dear Sir and Brother , —1 avail myself of

the visit to England of Bro . A . G . Goodall , your special representative , near the capitular bodies in this country , to acknowledge the receipt of your several favors , including the printed

documents , and to reply thereto . After the most careful examination of the papers submitted , I am clearly of opinion that your Grand Body was

regularly organised , and is the supreme Masonic authority in England , kc , oyer the Mark Degree , and that nil Mark Master Masons , regularly made