South Africa.

These are points which others may , debate . I assert the fact , patent to everyone who has eyes to see , that there is no spot in the whole wider world in which a ALisonic Lodge has been founded where the members do not keep up with all their hearts and souls their aprons , sashes , and

jewels on St . Jtihn ' s day . Visit any city or town in the United Kingdom on the 24 th of June and you hear the Freemasons' Alarch . Go to the AVestern Continent , or the Eastern Continent , and the same soul-stirring sound greets your ear . To India go and see with what splendour

that day is celebrated . Throughout the Colonial Empire of great Britian , it is the same , and in that Dutch possession—coffee-growing Javawhere every * man who is not a Alason , is looked upon with suspicion , the day is a . general holiday . In that beautiful " Isle of the Sea , "

Alaurititis , St John s Day festivities are kept up for a week at least . East , west , north or south —go which way you like , and the same Alasonic enthusiasm ! prevails on this auspicious day . In Greenland , where they " Dance the twilight all away , " as well as at Alecca and there are

Alasonic Lodges in both these places , St . John ' s day is kept up . "Turks , infidels , heretics , " as well as Jews ancl Christians , are to be found doing suit and service to Saint John on the 24 th of June . Is there any other Saint who has a " day " that is so honoured ? I know of none .

Certainly neither St . Peter , nor St . Paul , nor St . Alark , nor St . Luke , great as was their labours for the good of human kind , arj so well remembered on any day in the year . This being the case , it is but fair to say that there must be something in Alasonry which none

but Alasons understand , feel , and enjoy . Alark Here in these fields , w here neither town— no , nor camp , was known two years ago , there are already two lodges established , and both of them celebrated St . J ohn ' s Day with a fervour not surpassed in any part of the universal world . I

was present at th . e festivities of one—the Octahedron , and I am bound to claim sufficient space of you to let the world know how the gay and festive members of that well-regulated lodge did honour to their patron saint . I venture to say that no Alasons in any part of the globe did

more honour to St . John on Alonday last than did the Octahedrons . This was their manner of doing it . Ihey assembled in their temple at high noon , and went through " the usual ceremonies . " What they are , it is not for any one of the uninitiated to guess at . All I can say regarding that

is , that the following officers were appointed for the ensuing year : —Bros . I . S . Gordon , W . AL ; J . . Harsant , S . W . ; A . JI . Gooch , J . W . ; Du Toit , S . D . ; Read , J . D . ; Webster , Treasurer ; Maxwell , Secretary ; Robinson , Chaplain ; Reus , I . G . ; Giani , Tyler . That they rife all known to be "true and accepted Alasons , " is a sufficient sruarantee that the allairs of the

Octahedrons will be well administered during the next twelve months . The morning service was all solemnity , the evening was all festivity . The Alasons are renowned for their hospitality , indeed hospitality is one of the prominent virtues of the Craft . It is not the fashion of Alasons to confine . the

enjoyments of St . John s Day within the limits ol their own circle . A ball is considered the correct Alasonic ticket . The Octahedrons never do anything but the correct thing , ancl they , therefore , decided to g ive a ball , ru . d they gave it as Masons should , to as many of their friends and neichbours as they could accommodate .

The hall was most tastefully decorated . Over the main entrance was that all-seeing eye , without which no Masonic gathering could be tolerated . On the walls were Alasonic emblems in silver and gold transparencies , interspersed with these were inscriptions in Greek , Latin , and English , expressive of the sentiments and objects

01 tlie Craft . Glittering stars formed of bayonets well placed , added brilliancy to the hall . Festoons worked in vvith evergreens of red , white , and blue , hanging gracefully from the corniceover the other decorations , and the effect , when the room was lighted , and the company hnc arrived , was daz / . ling . At nine o ' clock tin Grand Alaster of the Lodge—I . S . Gordon , Esq . —surrounded by his cull , a Hies in office . officially opened the ball , ami welcomed the

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company . The musicians struck up , and the ball was all life and animation . The hall had the appearance of a living kaleidescope . The patterns changed every minute . Sashes , headdresses , necklets , and neck ribbons , were one minute blended with red , blue , and white

Alasonic scarfs and aprons , and the next minute the whole were in contrast . It was a charming sight , and I stake the word and honour of a " special " upon it , that there never was a ball in which the ladies were more tastefully dressed . The dresses were

unexceptionable . 1 here was not an ill-dressed lady in the hall . The dancing was quite equal to the dressing . Beauty conspired with fashion to bring gallantry to the test , and they succeeded . The gentlemen of the Craft , and the gentlemen innocent of craftiness , yielded to the

blandishments of the conspirators . " As merry as marriage bells " would ill convey * the merriment of the evening . Quadrille , galop , and waltz , fol-1 nved each other in succession . Not a minute was lost . Bros . I . S . Gordon and A . R . Gooch , were Alasters of the Ceremonies , and they

deserve great credit for the manner in which they did their work . There was not a hitch anywhere . Air . Commissioner Campbell , who has been half a century in the Queen ' s service , and who is a Alason of forty years' standing , tripped it with the youngest . His face shone with as

much glow as his shoe buckles . I don ' t believe he is a day older than when I knew him first , and I doubt if he ever will be . Air . Commissioner Bowker , the valiant and venerable , did good wall flower business , for he is as charming in his conversation as his brother Commissioner

is at dancing . The ladies know best how churn ing our able Public Prosecutor is , and the belle of the room is my authority for saying that what Mr . Commissioner Campbell said at the supper table was quite correct . It is impossible to name all the heroes of the evening , it must be

sufficient for your readers to know tbat every single Alason threw his whole heart into the festivities . At midnight the ladies were , after a parade with their partners around the hall , the band playing the " Freemasons' Alarch , " taken to the

supper-room , where a most elegantly arranged supper was ready for them . That prince of caterers , Davis , of the " Sir Henry Barkly Hotel , " excelled himself on this occasion . There was nothing wanting . The turkeys were done to a turn , the jellies vvere firm rmd good , and the table groaned under every delicacy of the

season . The Grand AIaster filled the chair , and was well supported by Bros . Hnrsant , S . W . ; A . R . Gooch , J . W . ; Du Toit , S . D . ; Read , J J ) ., and the other ollicers present , who serve ! the ladies .

Before the ladies left the table , the Grand Alaster proposed first " The Queen and the Craft . " That toast having beeu responded to , he called upon the company to fill their glasses , and do honour to " The Guests of the Evening and the Commissioners . "

After speaking generally to the toast , he took occasion to pay a compliment to the Commissioners , who , he said , he believed , were anxious to do all they coulel to serve the people , and to

promote the prosperity of thc Fields . The Grand AIaster concluded by expressing a hope that all present had enjoyed themselves , and that they would have many * more such merry meetinos .

Air . Campbell was called upon to respond , fie did so , although he said he thought Air . Commissioner Thompson better qualified tc speak to 1 idles than he was . The Commissioners were desirous to do all in their power to promote the welfare of the Fields , and he thought

such gatherings as these calculated to do gooel . There must be more of them ( loudly * cheered ) . His concluding expression was , " We are but a small community , and must try to live iu harmony together . 1 do think the very best feeling exists amongst us at present , and I hope it

will always so continue . " . The honourable genrleman resumed his seat amidst loud applause Dancing was kept up until several of the small hours had passed away , the last dance being '' Sir Roger de Cuveriey , " in which twenty couples Buttered their fantasies charmingly . 1 he ball will be lung remembered . It is the

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talk of the day . The Alasons are glad they gave it—the guests are delighted they were there . Mr . Davis is praised most deservedl y for the catering ; and the musicians Alessrs . Haygarth , Richards , and Bands , will be in request as long as there is a piano , violin , and cornet in Klipdrift .

Western Australia.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA .

ANNIVERSARY or FREEMANTLE LOUGE . — ( No . 1 , 033 . ) The Brethren of the Freemantle Lodge celebrated their anniversary by a banquet , on Monday , June 24 th , 1872 , St . John ' s Day , one ofthe patron saints of the Order , at Bro . Herbert ' s

freemasons Hotel . The occasion was marked by the brethren with much heartiness . Previous to the banquet , the brethren assembled in their Lodge-room , in William-street , for the purpose of installing the Worshi pful Alaster Elect , and his colleagues in office , for the ensuing year . —

Bro . D . K . CongcUm , W . AL , presided , and opened the Lodge in regular form . There , were present- -Bro . G . BA- [ umble , S . W . : Bro . G . Pearse , J . . ; Bro . Sampson . Treas . ; liro . j . II . White , Sec . ; Bro . E . F . Duffield , J . D . ; Bro . T . Wardle , I . G . ; Bro H . Jarvis , Tyler ; Past Alasters Bro .

T . F . Stone , Bro . W . Jose , Bio . W . Snook ; Bro . P . Sherwood , W . AL of Lodge 485 : together with about a dozen more of thc brethren of the lodge , and other visitors from Perth , Bros . Summers , Tymperley and Dean , who attended along with their Worshi pful Alaster , at the special

invitation of the brethren of the Freemantle Lodge . After various business had been transacted , the brethren proceeded tothe installation of Bro . Geo . Bland Humble as Worshipful Alaster : Bro . Jno . F . Stone , P . AL , taking the duties of Installing Alaster on the occasion , and conducting the

ceremony in a manner which won the admiration of the brethren . Having beeen duly installed into offic e , Bro . G B . Humble , the newly-elected Alaster , said—Brethren , it is only just that 1 should express to you how deeply sensible I am of the

honour conferred on me , in being placed in the hig h and honourable position of Worshi pful Alaster ofthe Lodge—the highest rank of esteem you can confer on a brother . Although deeply sensible of the honour , ancl very grateful to you fv > r your election of me to that high office , yet 1

am deeply sensible ol the duties and responsibilities that will devolve upon me in connection with that ofiice . I have , for some time past , been connected with that lodge , and served the offices of Junior and Senior Ward . MI respectively , and have great pleasure in thinking that my election to

the Alaster ' s chair in this lodge , is in some measure to be regarded as a recognition ofthe faithfulness with which 1 have already filled the former offices . Perfection , you all know brethren , is unattainable , and I am certain , therefore , that you do not look for that iu me , but

that every allowance will be made for any shortcoming or deficiencies that may appear . I can promise , however , that no honest and persistent effort will be wanting on my part to attain to a knowledge of the right discharge of the duties of the ofiice ; and I am happy to think that I shall

have the very efficient assistance oi the Wardens and other office-bearers ir " . the lodge . 1 trust that I may be enabled faithfully to perforin its duties to the satisfaction of my conscience , and with what next to this I mo . ' - ' : of all desire * , the approbation of the brethren of ihe lodrre .

Ihe W . AIaster then appointed and invested the following brethren as his officers for the ensuing year : —Bro . G . Pearse , S . W . ¦ Bro . E . F . Duffield , J . W ; Bro . [ no . De Alansfield Absolon , Treas . ; Bro . Sam . 1 ' . Solomon , Sec . ¦ Bro . 'I ' . Wardle , S . D . ; Bro . L . Henderson , J . D . ; Bro . G . A . Forsyth , LG . ; and Bro . IL [ arvis . Tvler .

The lodge having been closed in due form , the brethren adjourned from labour to refreshmer . t , at the Freemasons' Hotel , where about thirty sat -down to orn- 1 I' ihe most , if not th , most , excellent spread ever prepared there on similar occasions . It was served in Bro . HerberA usual excellent style , and rellected great 1 red it also on the caterer , Air . H . Albert . Thf W . AL