Bro. Juan Antonio Perez And Freemasonry In Spain.

are already disorganised , and destitute of qualified Masters or officers ; Bro . ' Percv is without Masonic prestig -e . ' 2 nd ( page 575 ) . " That Bro . Perez does not seem to have put in a claim to succeed to thc chair , vacated by Bro . Ruez Zorrilla . * * ' On thc contrary he ignores thc Grand Lodge which was reconstituted in the spring of 1 S 70 , and he claims to bc , not the Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Spain , but thc Head of the Grand Orient of Perez .

3 rd . " That on thc 27 th December , 1875 , 1 * 10 was not a Mason of any standing in the Order . He was then in the chair of a lodge . - ' * He was furthermore a member of the Thirtieth Degree . 4 th . "That when Grand Master Sagasta was elected to succeed Grand . Master la Somera , in 1 S 75 . it began to be rumoured in Masonic circles in . Madrid , that Bro . J . A . Perez had dubbed himself an Inspector General of thc Thirty-Third Dec-Tee , and that he had assumed the Grand

Commandership of a rival Grand Orient , the Grand Orient of Perez . 5 th "That of course he soon had followers ; but it required more than his own individual prestige to make his Orient a success , so he took it into his head to supplement the Antient and Accepted Scottish Rite with that of Misraim , and that having already taken the Thirty-Third Degree , he took the remaining fifty-seven Degrees at a bound . "

'These are thc only statements which have appeared in the articles on " Freemasonry in Spain" which in any way effect Bro . Perez , or his Orient . Let us compare them with the general refutation which Bro . Perez has thought fit to favour us with . ist The statements contained in the paragraph on page 205 are not called in question by Bro . Perez in his letter . Indeed , he will probably consult his own interests best by

not challenging the criticism of the writer on " Freemasonry in Spain , " by denying that his present jurisdiction is of a " limited nature , " or that "a considerable number" ofthe lodges which figure on his muster roll exists on paper only ; or that "others are already disorganised . " We have lying before us , at the present moment , important printed documents issued by the Lodge and Chapter Justicia , and the Lodge Reform a , which have recently withdrawn their

allegiance from the Orient of Perez , and in which serious charges arc brought against Juan Antonia Perez personally . As these documents are addressed to all the Grand Orients of the Masonic world , we may have occasion to refer to them on a future occasion ; meanwhile they afford ample proof that some at least of the lodges belonging fo the Orient of Perez are already in a completely disorganised state .

2 nd . In regard to ihe statements made by our writer that Bro . Perez does not seem to have put in a claim to succeed to the chair vacated by Bro . Zorrilla , we have Bro . Perez ' s confirmation of tliis in hi ; explicit dec-laration in the letter he has written , that he does entirely ignore the Grand Lodge which was reconstituted in 1 ^ 70 , wilh Bro . Zorrilla at its head , lie furthermore confirms the statement of the writer lhat lie ( Perez ) claims not to be head of

tlie Grand Orient ol Spam , but of the Grand Orient of Perez , or , as he himself styles it in his letter , " El Oricnte formal de Perez . " 3 rd . Bro . Perez distinctly admits , in his letter , that at the date on which the election of Giand Master , Bro . Sagasta , took place , viz ., on the 27 II 1 of December , is ' 75 , li \ Perez , only had ihe 30 th D .-giv . : in 1 thus he could not possibly -according lo tin * regulations nf Ihe Si-olch Kite

—beolccled li supreme command : nor ran In * now pretend to have been then a candidate for the Giand Mastership . . ( th . Bro . Perez , in his leite . * , says he did not take the 33 rd D . 'gree himself , but that it was conferred upon bim by . 1 man 11 . lined Pardo , after thc said Perez had arrogated to himself the Grand Mastership , Bro . Perez strifes thnt when ho assumed the Grand Mastership , ( hi * ma * i Pardo

assumed the Grand Comm-uidorship , and subsequently dubbed Perez a Grand Inspector of llie 33 rd Degree . We would ask what right had Pardo to confer this Degree : On Bro . Perez ' s own showing this Degree was to all intents and purposes " self conferred . " It would further appear from the letter of Perez that Pardo was discarded so soon as he was no longer necessary as a stepping stone by which Perez could assume the Grand Inspector-Generalship , and

thus qualify himself for the post of Grand Commander . 5 th . The only definite charge against the writer in Bro . Perez's letter affects this , the last of our paragraphs . Bro . Perez assumes that Ihe writer of the article " Freemasonry in Spain " has stigmatised the Grand Orient of Perez as an Orient workiiv . r after the Rite of Misraim ; whilst the writer distinctly asserts that " there is no evidence that Bro . Perez has got so fairly initiated into the maze of

Misraimism as to have hazarded the appointment of oflicers , & c , " and again he distinctly stales that he has never " heard that Bro . Perez has attempted to establish his own pretensions , tec , & c . " Furthermore tlie writer distinctly states that "bretliren who have joined lodges warranted li } - Perez are very probably ignorant of Misraimism even by name . * ' In fine , not the slightest suggestion is made in the article in cine , ' . ion that the Grand Orient of Perez ( or

as he calls it in his letter to us " El Oricnte formal de Perez ") has been , or is , working in any peculiar way ; or that it does not strictly conform to the ancient and accepted landmarks which guide the Scottish Rite of 33 rd Degree . 'The writer of "Freemasonry in Spain" has not yet directed his attention to the Perez Orient , farther than to remark that it is one of those claiming sovereign authority over Freemasons in Spain . I lis remarks have had

reference , so far , to the head of this Orient—to Bro . Perez himself . Nor were the writer ' s remarks about Bro . Perez and his dabbling in the mazy waters of Misraimism intended to discredit him on that account . We , on our part , shall be glad if this " redoubtable knight of ninety Degrees" will g ive his fellow mortals of a lower Masonic sphere the benefit of that knowledge which a familiarity with the secrefs of these truly Sublime Degrees must sooner or laler confer upon

him . We do not gather from Bro . Perez ' s letter to us that he . desires to repudiate hisuwn personal connection with Misraimism , bill only that he desires In ' repudiate any intention on his part of Misraimising hisuwn Grand Orient . Of course , the writer in our journal did not allude to Misraimism in connection with Perez without g * ood authority . An 0 tlici . 1

statement to the satin- effect was published 111 Madrid , some months ago , by the Grand Council of the Grand Orient of Spain ; and , so far as we know , neither Bro . Perez , nor any one on his behalf , has attempted to rebut , or even deny , these charges . We think wc have now met every objection which Bro .

Bro. Juan Antonio Perez And Freemasonry In Spain.

Perez ma ) - have intended to cover in his wholesale condemnation of the articles on " Freemasonry in Spain . " The greater portion of bis letter is devoted to an exposition of how his own Grand Orient is composed . There are other passages in his letter , as wc said before , which contains language neither Masonic nor gentlemanly , and we entirely refuse to be the medium for its publication . Bro . Perez speaks of Grand Master Bro . Sagasta , and his Secretary ,

in language which is evidentl y prompted by unwholesome weak personal feeling , alike improper and unreasonable . He applies the un-Masonic epithet of " buffoon " to one high official , and the equally un-Masonic appellation of "scoundrels" to others . He , furthermore , particularly desires that we shall make known to the Grand Secretary of the Grand Orient of Spain , Bro . Juan Utor y Fernandez , that " never again shall be admitted into the true

Orient either Juan Utor y Fernandez or the greater part of those by whom he is surrounded . " Furthermore , these brethren are stigmatised by Perez as " ambitious men , " who have been expelled by him from his own Orient for offences grave and ugly . This is strange language for a " Grand Master " to indulge in .

Let us now conclude this , perhaps too lengthy , notice of a very uncalled for and un-Masonic letter , by advising thc writer to cultivate Masonic charity and brotherly love ; let him give good heed to the very pronounced beam which is in his own eye before he attempts to pluck out the motes from the eyes of his brethren !

The Prince De Ligne On Freemasonry.

THE PRINCE DE LIGNE ON FREEMASONRY .

Bv BRO . R . F . GOULD . I am indebted to a friend in Belgium , an indefatigable , albeit not yet a Masonic student , for a copy of some interesting remarks on Freemasonry by the Prince de Ligne . * Thinking that the readers of the Freemason might like

to know something of the writer ' s history , 1 appealed to my friend for information on this point , and the following is his response : " 'The Prince de Ligne was the head of thc first family in Belgium , of whom the Dues d'Aremberg arc a branch . Charles , Prince de Ligne , was born in 1737 , and served in the Austrian army—Belgium then belonging to Austria .

Being possessed of great wealth and holding a semi-independent principality , besides laving himself out for that sort of thing , he was much in request at the Courts of Paris , Vienna , Berlin , and St . Petersburg . He accompanied Catherine of Russia in her famous progress through Ihe Crimen , as well as in her army , as a volunteer against the 'Turks . Having considerably impaired his fortune by his

prodigality , and being entirely ruined by the confiscation of his estates by the French , he spent the remaining days of his life in a small apartment granted to him in the Palace at Vienna , where he died , during the Congress of 1 S 14 , of a cold , caught at a midnight assignation . During the latter period of his life , from 17 S 0 , he wrote and published an immense deal . His works have naturally a n-ood deal that

is trilling , but , as he was conversant with men and things , and wrote about wl-. at he had seen and known , and was not a mere bookworm or philosopher , his work's have a certain value , besides which he possessed a certain amount of wit nnd talent , and the courtliness of a grand seigneur . The family subsequently recovered their estates , ami arc * still the first in Belgium . The grandson , the present Priive , was

President of the Belgium Senate . *; year or two ago . 'The family e-lale of Bclo'il has belonged to them I ' or 300 years . "The extract 1 send you is from a small piece , entitled ' Mes ecarls on ma fete en liberie , ' which may be translated as ' Stray 'Thoughts . ' 'They are detached pieces jotted down without date or sequence , but they would , in all probability , be between 1700- 1 S 00 . "

I lie extract referred to in Ihe preceding paragraph , and the substance of which gives a heading to this ariHi-, reads as follows : — " 1 do not at present know how Freemasonry stands in the world . 'They have had many ups and downs . It is amusing to see eccentricities , but possibly they may have good reasons for their enthusiasm , for I am convinced that

what is practised by the ordinary run of Freemasons , ol " which number I am one , is as nothing in comparison to what some know , and seek lo know . It is impossible that so old a society could sustain itself without some great interest . Meanwhile . when they happen to belong to good society , which unfortunately is but seldom , everything tends to emulation , knowledge , social pleasure , and excellent good

fellowship . Masonry requires eloquence , memory , presence of mind , courage , bnl In if body and mind , gentleness patience , moderation , sobriety , prudence , charity , generosity , love of our neighbours , imagination , voice , complaisance , and cheerfulness . If we would ascend lo their , perhaps , mythical origin , we must consider the cabalistic science of the lews , the genius for architecture , the watch-words of the

poor Templars , and perhaps even the most abstract and most useful of sciences , that of numbers—everything-in short that the Egyptians enshrined in their pyramidsdoubtless we should reach Ihe great work ( probably the philosophers stone 111 the elixir of life ) , the universal medicine—in short , a thousand discoveries yet to be made .

Therefore , let us admire , speculate upon , and recognise the existence of such mysteries , or—if it so please you—ignore Ihem . ' 1 he Rosicrucians , those small pretended magicians , with ( heir spirit-raising , have spoilt everything , and have transformed a laudable and agreeable institution into one which is either ridiculous or dangerous , divided between two classes of men , the dupersand the duped . "

Centenary Of St. John Lodge, No.2, Halifax, N.S.

CENTENARY OF ST . JOHN LODGE , No . 2 , HALIFAX , N . S .

'This lodge celebrated the centenary of its existence by a supper at the Halifax Hotel , on the 30 th June . The Worshipful Master , Bro . D . Robertson , presided , supported on the right by Grand Master Crowe , nnd on his

left by Past Grand Master Laurie , while around the tables were ranged some sixty of the leading members of thc Craft in this city , wilh several distinguished representatives of country lodges . One of the principal features of the evening ' s celebration was the reading of the following paper in reference to the founding and history of this lodge , which , it will bc seen , has had enrolled amony its mem-

Centenary Of St. John Lodge, No.2, Halifax, N.S.

1 SS 0 , one hundred years ago to-day , when nine true and lawful Master Masons met at what was then called the Golden Ball , in this good city of Halifax , and inaugurated thc Lodge of St . John , under whose banner we now meet , and whose centenary we celebrate to-night . Let us endeavour to picture thc scene and its surroundings . The virgin city of Halifax was then just thirty-one years and nine days old . 'The Province of Nova Scotia ,

bers not a few of the best known and most honoured names in our provincial history : " A bridge across a hundred years , Composed of warriors , statesmen , peers , Comprise our roll of Masonry . " A centenary of time , an epoch in the world ' s history , pregnant with momentous events of more that ordinary interest , has passed away since the 30 th of JuneA . D .

then comprised , in addition to the province proper , thc whole of New Brunswick , the late French colony of Cape Breton , and Prince Edward Island , then called the Island of St . John . Its Governor General was Francis Legge , Esq . He had been appointed in 1775 , but during the six years of his incumbency he resided most of tbe time in England , and the administration of the Government was confided to a succession of Lieut .-Governors . On the 30 th June , 17 S 0 ,

Capt . Richard Hughes , R . N ., was Lieutenant-Governor . He became a rear admiral , and eventually a baronet shortly afterwards , and was succeeded b y Sir Andrew Snape Hammond ( afterwhom Hammond ' s Plains were named , and the Lady Hammond Road after his ladv ) . 'The year ( and especially the summer of 17 S 0 ) must have been a period of great excitement in Halifax . 'The American Revolutionary War was then at its very height . George

III ., then in the full vigour of his manhood , was King of England . Louis XVI . was King , and supposed to reign over France . The Great Frederick of Prussia , although thc days of his warring were long past , was still the object of admiration in all European military circles . Washington , the "Father of his Country , " as he , was afterwards called , was then the idol of the American insurgents . But there were others , then born into the world , who were ere

long to make that world forget even the wondrous achievements of the great Prussian King . 'Two men , who were then boys about eleven years of age , were destined to be — the one , the great disturber of European pence ; the other , the great Pacificator . The first was the Corsic . in , Napoleon Bonaparte ; the other , Arthur Wellesley , afterwards named the "Iron Duke . " In those days Voltaire still lived , and was in the zenith of

his fame ; the great German poet , Goethe , was still a youth , and only beginning to court the muses ; Samuel Johnson was then the Great Mogul of English literati , and almost absolute dictator ns to the reputations of literary men . In Scotland there was one Robert Burns , about twenty-two years of age * , then but little known beyond the limits of his own Ayrshire , but now w dcly known , and how intensely admired during ihe hundred years that have since

elapsed ! But to return to Am-rica . As has been said , the American Revolution was then raging" . Never since its commencement had the cause of the insurgents seemed so hopeless as it then was . The British Kin ;* : and Cabinet , and Ihe Royalist army in Anvrica , were in high hope . ; that th ' -. rebellion was on the eve of extinction ; and they had special cause for sc ] thinking , for Ibis was Ihe linn-when Ihe celebraled

negotiations were pending between Major General Arnold , of the insurgent forces , and . Major Audi * .-. Adjutant-General of the British army . W'ilhiti three n ; cilhs from thot -ot !; June * , 17 . ^ * 0 . ihe / wll-d .-vised plot had exploded . Arnold had to lly from his home , while Andre was seized bv the insurgents , and 0 : 1 the 2 nd October , 17 .-10 , was executed as a spy . Th , ; British , from that time , became , disheartened , and never afterwards made tiny headway against tin .-

insurgents . Ancl now let us s -e what our own little Halifax eras doing during these troublous time ; . 'The civilian population iu 17 S 0 was less than 3000 , but was often doubled and even trebled during t \ e war by Ihe uceo , sinu of naval and military men . The town itself could not have extended much beyond tbe limits as originally surveyed and enclosed about 174 c ) . 'Thai is , east by the harbour , west bv Un

citadel , north by Jac -ob-slrei-l , aud south by Suiter-street . Even within UICM- limits the town was not closely built up with contiguous houses , as we now - ; ,- <; it . Sketches of the town at this period ( of which there are a few still extant , some , if not all , in tin- possession of Hon . Senator Almon ) , show it to be more li let- a village , with larga- buildings standing * singly , or in detached groups , with large spaces between . 'There was a small outlying settlement in the

north , outside tin- original stockaded limits , inhabited by Germans , and then , as sometimes now , called Dutch town . Within the town proper the streets existed rather in the design , than as serviceable highways . Many of them were impassable for wlneled carriages , i .-ving to the presence of rocks and slumps , the remains of the primeval forest . 'The present Ordnance Yard , the site of the adjacent pentagon buildings , and the neighbouring streets , were a vile

swamp . By land ( here was only one means of approach to Halifax , and that was the old road from Windsor , which entered the town by a circuitous route from Bedford Basin , by the way of the Common , near St . Andrew ' s Cross , wound round to the southward of the Citadel Hill , along what is now portions of Ouccn-Ktrcet and Spring Garden-road , and into the town al one of the south gales of the Stockade nt the head of Salter-street , just near the present site of the

old . Masonic Hall , which was then ( he main guard house and military prison . 'The dwelling houses iu Halifax at tbis period were more quaint looking- and anions than architecturally beautiful ur comfortable . 'They were for the most part small and low , and always nf wood , often mainl y formed of hewn log's , sotnelimes of round logs unhewn , real lug shanties such as are now seen iu die backwoods . Some old specimens of ( he better class , wilh their tin \

windows , and the unci * fashionable " g . imbrel roof , " may still be seen in tlienorth-end of the cily . After the ciinimi-nivment of Ihe Kevululiornry War , Citadel Hill hn . d been , as was ( Inn thought , effectively fortified . On tlie . summit , which was Ihcn eighty feet higher than it is now , a large wooden octangular block bouse was pi-rclu-d . Outside of this was an encli sure of

ramjiarts built of earth and timber on which guns were mounted , and tin- whole * was cnc ) o .-ed by a dilch , and a close line of pickets so set as to slope outwards . On the lower hill , imtnediafely south ol" this , there bad been erected a block house with . 1 small battery . 'This was named Fort Massey , in compliment to Gen . Massey , who was Commandcr-in . Chief at Halifax at that time . There