The Craft In Northern China.

THE CRAFT IN NORTHERN CHINA .

The brethren in Northern China , though by no means a numerous body , appear to have excellent notions as to the manner in which the duties of Freemasonry should be carried out . At the regular communication held in the Masonic Hall ,

Shanghai , on the 7 th January , the District G . Master , Bro . J . I . MILLER , found himself in a position to congratulate the brethren both on the progress which had been lately made by the lodges under his superintendence , on the soundness of their finances .

the stability of their School Fund , and the services it was rendering to the children of necessitous members . He was particular in pointing out to them " that it was not so necessary to increase the number of members as to secure worthy and trusty brethren ,

who would reflect credit upon the Craft . " As regards the School Fund , the D . G . M . in the first place remarked , that not only was it no longer in debt , but that it had closed the year 188 9 with a balance in hand of 125 , 75 tis . ; and in the next he showed from

the Report of the Council that " during the past year" it hacl " boarded and educated one orphan and educated two , costing an outlay of 432 tis . per annum , being the equivalent of eight and a quarter per cent , on the total amount of subscriptions and

donations to date ; " and that "beside the three children admitted free by Masonic right , six other children , sons and daughters of Masons , have been educated free of charge , and a number received at low rates , by the kindness of our Bro . LANNING , the

Head Master , so as to place a good education within the means of all Masons—the object for which the School was established . " He also referred to the Charity Fund of the District , which he described as having " assumed a stable and sound position . "

This is fully borne out by the Report of the Council for ib 8 g , which states that " after payment of the necessary disbursements the year closes with a sum of 1500 tis . at the credit of the Capital Account and 443 , 09 tis . at the credit of the Current

Account , whilst the regular income of the Fund may be estimated at about 300 tis . per annum , exclusive of the amount which it is hoped will be realised from the Masonic Charity Ball . " In estimating" the value of the work described as having- been

accomplished during the past year , our readers must take into consideration the fact that there are only five lodges under the District Grand Lodge of Northern China , with an aggregate of less than 200 subscribing members . Under these circumstances ,

it is hardly possible to speak in terms too complimentary of the zeal and energy which the brethren have displayed to such excellent purpose . We congratulate the District Grand Master on presiding over so compact , but , at the same time , so loyal and devoted a body of Masons .

The Dutchman As A Freemason.

THE DUTCHMAN AS A FREEMASON .

The dinner by the Holland Society , in New York , Friday , January 10 , 1890 , is said to have been the largest society dinner ever given in that city . The toasts proposeel related closely to the Hollanders , ancl gave good subjects for oratory to Rev . Dr .

Henry Van Dyke , Hon . Theodore Roosevelt , George G . De Witt , jun ., Gen . Wm . B . Stryker , Hon . Chauncy M . Depew , and Hon . John W . Vrooman , Grand Master of Masons in New York , who responded to the toast , " The Dutchman as a Freemason . "

The opening remarks of the Grand Master were of a playful character , in happy accord with the occasion , but these we omit , and commence with the historical part of his valuable address , as printed in the Dispatch .

MR . PRESIDENT : I beg the indulgence of this distinguished audience , for the remaining time assigned me , in hastily shaping a few imperfect links in the historic chain of "The Dutchman as

a Freemason . If I were favoured with the word-painting of a Van Dyke , and gifted with the eloquence of a Depew , I would trespass upon your patience to connect these links into a chain replete with Masonic history of general interest .

Ihe beginning of the sixteenth century witnessed the Grand Master of those Christian and Masonic Crusaders , the Knights of Malta , pleading with the Monarchs of Europe for a house where they might obtain occasional rest from those labours and

sacrifices which will ever challenge the sympathy and admiration of a civilized world . Failing before all other courts , it remained for an imperial son of Holland to give them a beautiful retreat , where , for many years , "they waved the banner or St . John , an

The Dutchman As A Freemason.

honour to Christianity and a terror to the infidel of the East . ' ( Applause . ) In 1731 Freemasonry firmly established itself in Holland . The nobility extended their cordial support , and became active members . Success , however , quickly provoked opposition , and

in 1735 the Grand Master—a nobleman of the House of the Prince of Orange—was ordered before the judicial courts and compelled to state , publicly , that he would never again attend a

Masonic meeting . A further order of the court prohibited the assemblage of Masons . Nevertheless , a lodge meeting was held in Rotterdam , speedily followed by a court summons ancl trial .

The Freemasons refused to recant . Faith in the justice of their cause emboldened them to become the aggressors , and they made answer by offering to initiate one of the judges . The offer was accepted , and the judge made a Mason . His report to the full bench was so favourable that each member of that court was

initiated , and became a zealous Craftsman . Judges , dukes , and princes then uniting with the Fraternity settled for ever the Dutch question—Masonically . In May , 178 7 , a number of respectable citizens petitioned the Grand Lodge of Free ancl Accepted Masons in the State of New

York to form a lodge under the name of " Holland Lodge . " They also begged the indulgence of " performing their labours in the Low Dutch language , by which means many worthy persons would join , and thereby increase the respectability of the Grand Lodge . " I may add , in passing , that Hollanders always considered themselves eminently respectable . ( Laughter . )

The Grand Lodge in that early day was " quite English , you know , " as action upon this petition for the " Dutch to capture Holland " was postponed until the next regular meeting . Meanwhile , a " combine" of Dutch pipes and English ' alf-and- ' alf was evident ! } ' formed , which resulted , in the month of September

following , in the presentation of a second petition by the always " respectable" Dutchman , who then promised to keep their proceedings "both in the English and Low Dutch language . " ( Laughter . ) I believe this was the first recorded instance where Americans pooled their issues , and then , as now , it proved

a success . The prayer of the second petition was granted , and the mother lodge of the Hollanders in this country was constituted by the Grand Master , Chancellor Robert R . Livingston . Masons were especially charged in ancient times to be loyal

to the government in which they lived . ( Applause . ) The love of liberty in the Dutchman gave birth to the loyalty in the Dutch Mason , which was fully attested in the earliest days of this republic by the official seal of the first Holland lodge . It bravely proclaimed to the world the fealty of the Dutch Freemason to his

government . Examine the impression made by that seal for proof , and you will discover the American eagle and the Dutch lion in happy combination . And thus sweet memories of the mother country and pledges of affection for the adopted home lovingly clustered around each other . ( Applause . )

In 1793 the Grand Lodge again assembled in this city , and the Dutch Masons' uniting with their brethren , further demonstrated their loyalty to the government by unanimously voting to invest all the money of the Grand Lodge—^ 700— " in the funds of the United States . " A Committee of three—one a Holland

Dutchman—was appointed to carry the resolution into effect . On the 22 nd day of August , 1814 , the Grand Lodge convened in the city of New York , by order of that statesman , De Witt Clinton , Grand Master of Masons . Again the loyalty of

the Dutch Freemason was tested . Following the matchless leadership of Clinton , all the members of the Dutch and English speaking lodges " volunteered to perform one day ' s labour on the fortifications , " then in process of construction to protect this and your sister city . ( Applause ) .

Their work must have been faithfully performed , as it resulted in one of the forts being named " Fort Masonic . " Two weeks later they again met , pursuant to resolution , to work another day to complete the fort , and the official records state they "

diligently laboured" as operative Masons and loyal men . ( Applause . ) Mr . President , my love for the " Dutchman as a Freemason " constrains me to continue this hasty sketch of his devotion to duty and deeds of Charity , but I observe that my time has expired .

Permit me , in closing , to say that the names of eminent Dutch Masons in this country might by quoted by thousands . If I were permitted to reveal a Masonic state secret , I would be glad to inform you that the great majority of members of our beloved Holland Society are Dutch Freemasons .

To-day the great fraternity numbers in this State nearly 8 o , ooo , and in the nation nearly 606 , 000 . Rallying around the standard of brotherly love , equality and Charity , under its inscription of " Duty to God , your neighbour and yourself , " the power for good in such a Society can scarcely be estimated .