St. John's Day In India .

ST . JOHN'S DAY IN INDIA .

LAHORE . The brethren of the mystic tie held hig h festival in Lahore on the " Eve of sweet St . John . " To " do good by stealth and blush to find it fame" is from year to year characteristic of the brotherhood ; but on this day of installations , pre ; clamations , and salutions , the Masons , with

a pardonable pride , let their light shine before men , by formally proceeding to a place of worship , and listening to a public exhortation ; after which slight labour , refreshments followed in the evening . On the present occasion the gathering was a large one . From cast and west and north and south , the Masons hurried in . From Umballa whose " Charity , " first in the Punjab , sees the light of the

rising sun ; from deserted Simla and frozen Dalhousie , where the " Light of the North " glimmers on her peaks of snow ; from far Peshawur , where the Grand Sword Bearer stands in the " Khybcr" to keep off all Jowakis from Masonry , and , if they do come , to see that we are properly prepared ; " but why should we tell their separate style ?" All within length of their cable tow feel a tug at it on the

memorable 27 th , and act as lambs would do under similar circumstances . This year , as we noted , the gathering was a very considerable one . Early in the morning the lodges were opened in the Masonic Hall , and the new Masters of the local lodges installed : Wor . Bro . H . L . Jones in " Hope and Perseverance , " Wor . Bro . J . J . Davies in " Ravee , "

Wor . Bro . Carroll in " Industry , " and Wor . Bro . Colonel Brown in " St . John the Evangelist . " These then appointed their officers . Afterwards the District Grand Lodge was opened with an attendance of over fifty brethren , and arrangements made for the march to church . The lodges were then arranged under their respective banners , the band struck up an unknown tune , the brethren put on

a variety of hats , apron ' , and jewels , and strode out manfully for the church of St . James . What more appropriate place of worship could Masons have ? The tomb of ancient vice and heathenism , taken possession of by our Western pioneers of progress , converted into a shrine for the most crystalised form of religicus guidance , and dedicated , as if in amity to that brotherhood which includes

all who worship the Great Architect , to St . James , the brother of the patron saint of Masonry , " the loved apostle John . " The brotherhood well filled the body of the church , and it was a distinguishing feature of the assembly that the Parsec , Mohammedan , and Bramo-Somaj brethren showed that enlightened spirit which their education and social standing authorise their friends to

expect of them , by entering with the Masons , and although not quite comprehending the English service , yet listening attentively and intelligently to the eloquent exhorations ot the Chaplain , the Rev . Mr . Tribe . It is not usual to give reports of sermons , suffice it to say that the discourse they listened to was both interesting and appropriate , referring with peculiar point to the secrets of Masonry , the power the unknown ever has over our imaginations and

springs of action , and directing our attention , whether as men or Masons , to the secret of Nature , the secret of humanity , and those wonderful and awful secrets which we contemplate in a life beyond the grave . Before dismissal , a subscription for the poor was taken , the Masons subscribing liberally , and also making the usual grants from the lodges for this purpose . Service over , the Masons returned to the Hall :

Big drums in front of them , Phaetons to right of them , Tomtoms to left of them , Hurried and thundered ; Flashed all their jewels rare , Waved all their aprons fair ; With all their flags in air Marched the half hundred .

On arriving at the hall they were immediately grouped on the steps by a worthy hrother , who artistically brought them "into light" by taking a first-rate photograph of all assembled . After which came , as they say in the bills , an interval of six hours . In the evening the brethren met in the Lawrence Hall

for the usual symposium . The tables occupied the length ofthe hall , the walls of which were ne-: t ] y decorated with Masonic emblems . Then , after all had agreed to be thankful for what we were about to receive , a most magnificent dinner " a la Noor Khan" was placed on the table , and line the Boojum , " softly and silently vanished away . "

We cannot undertake Jto give a full report of the postprandial speeches ; most of them were of a purely formal character , although all of them contained some little point which elicited much enthusiasm and hearty reception and response . The toasts on the programme were "The ' Queen , " "The Grand Master Mason , " ' H . II . the Lieutenant-Governor "

( a worthy Mason himself ) , "The Army and Navy , " responded to by Colonel Medley . "The new Wor . Masters , " responded to by W . Bro . H . C Jones , to the tune of " My love is like a red , red rose " from the band ; " The Guests , " replied to by Colorel Davidson , the band suddenly remembering " Auld Lang Syne ; " "The Lodges of the District , " proposed by Wor . Bro . Major Gorham , in an eloquent speech , in which he detailed the progress of the

lodgesforthe pastfew years , and replied to by Bro . Lord Ossulston , of "Khybcr , " whom the band thought deserving of another dose of the " Red , red rose , " and administered it accordingly . "The District Grand Lodge , " proposed by Colonel Davidson , followed , responded to in very hearty terms by our popular R . W . D . G . Master , who throughout the day , and at the festive board , carried out his arduous and responsible duties with that accuracy , suavitv , and

St. John's Day In India .

geniality which have invariably distinguished his incumbency . The toasts not on the programme were " The Ladies " and "The I . P . M . " The first was really a great surpris e , for when the W . Junior Warden called the brethren to order for the toast of " The Ladies , " by Bro . Jussawalla , there were suspicions of its being one of his accustom ed

jokes . But when our Parsee brother got on his legs , and began boldly and forcibly to pay compliments to our English sisters , which could not have occurred to any but a true-hearted man , and followed up these by the most eloquent allusions to their influence for good , and morality and truth , upon the English race as compared with the ladies of other races , his strong common sense and

excellent feeling elicited such a storm of enthusiastic applause as certainly no man of Oriental race ever received in the Lawrence Hall . He nominated W , Bro . Fenwick to reply , who however , in a few humorous remarks , skilfully shifted the onus of responding on to W . Bro . G . Davies , as a brother of less experience and therefore probably of more enthusiasm than himself . " The Punjab Masonic

Institution " was then proposed ! by Bro . Lord Ossulston , of Lodge " Khybcr , " and replied to by its hard-wotking Secretary , Wor . Bro . G . Davies , who gave full particulars of its working , and intimated that there were now over Rs . 20 , 000 invested in the Institution . After the speeches , various songs and recitations

enlivened the proceedings , and the brethren finally dispersed about one in the morning , having fully enjoyed every phase of Masonic occupation , whether labour , when the sun-was at its meridian , or in the ' noon of night , ' the refreshment which is every true Mason ' s due . " So mote it be I "

ALLAHABAD . The Masonic service took place at Trinity Church . Over fifty Masons walked in procession from a tent in the compound to their places in the church , under the banners of Ledges Unity and Allegiance , the oldest lodge , viz , Independence with Philanthropy , holding aloof from this festal service as a lodge , though several of its members

were present , either with the other lodges or among the people in church . There were a good many of the Masons' friends also present , forming altogether quite a large congregation . The church had been decorated , in addition to the Christmas decorations , with Masonic banners and flags , and the lodges were preceded each by its banner as they marched up the church . The volume of the

Sacred Law preceded the Master of each lodge , and was placed on a desk , open and surmounted by the square and compasses , as is the custom in lodge . The service , morning prayer , was said by the Rev . A . H . Etty , Past District Grand Chaplain of Bengal and of British Burmah , assisted by the civil Chaplain , Mr . Stephenson , and by an excellent choir , composeel of the i-sth Fusiliers'bandsmen

conducted by Sergeant James , anel accompanied by their band instruments . They performed their part exceedingly well , the "Te Deum" ( Jackson ' s ) being particularly well rendered . We should not omit to mention that Mrs Corbett , wife of the W . M . of Lodge Unity , also assisted in the choir , and took a leading part in the " Te Deum . " The same lady also made and presented to her husband ' s

lodge the very elegant banner which was used for the first time on this occasion . This is , we believe , the second time that she has herself worked a banner for a Masonic lodge . The sermon was by Mr Etty , who spoke from St . Matthew v ., 16 , anil specially directed his remarks to the points that Masonry and Christianity had always been , and were now , perfectly in accord as to principles , and

that secrecy as a part of the Masonic system was not inconsistent with light , the light of knowledge and of welldoing . He also briefly noticed the absence of a few of the members of one lodge , regretting it , and hoping that another year every Mason in the place would join in their festal celebration . A collection at the end of the sermon

for the St . John's Fund of Benevolence ( to be divided between Lodges Unity and Allegiance ) amounted to Rs . 150 . This first , at least for a long time , of special Masonic services may be regarded , as many present were heard to remark , as a very successful revival of a general and old custom . gjjgg ^ J

ADEN . An emergency meeting of Lodge Felix , No . 355 , ( S . C ) , was held on Wednesday , the 21 st November , 1877 , at which the following brethren were present : W . Bro Campbell , R . W . M . ; Bros . Hunter , ( Honorary ) D . M . -, Hay , S . W . ; Gallop , J . W . ; Duke , S . D . ; Ferguson , J . D . ; Ganzlandt , I . C . ; Todman , Secretary ; Massey , Tvler .

Members : Bros . White , Wade , and Owen . Visitor : Bro . A . Wickham , No . 415 , Orion in the West . W . Bro . Campbell said bis reason for convening this meeting was to elect a W . Master for the ensuing year on account of hi'i being about to leave the station , as he was anxious to hand the lodge over to some trustworthy brother and have the lodge in good working order before leaving . The lodge

was then opened in the Second Degree . Ballot was then taken for a W . M . for the ensuing year , which proved unanimous for Bro . Wade . Bro . Wade was then called to the dais , when the charge was read to him by Bro . Campbell . A vote of thanks was proposed by W . Bro . Hay , P . M . and Secretary , seconded by Bro . Ganzlandt , to our retiring W . M ., Bro . Campbell , for the pains he had taken in getting the lodge up to its present very prosperous condition

and for the able manner in which he had held the position of W . M . of Lodge Felix for the past twelve months . Bro . Campbell returned his sincere thanks . The lodge was closed in peace and harmony at 8 p . m . [ We see this lodge is under the Scottish Constitution , and we suppose that it is legal . Such a proceeding would be utterly illegal under thejEnglish Constitution , and it appears to us to be very irregular . ]

Notes On Art, &C.

NOTES ON ART , & c .

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION . —Professor Dewar ' s recent lecture at the Royal Institution was occupied with experiments illustrating the movements of fluids ia plants . The contact of two fluids of different surfacetensions leads to motion . This was illustrated by a drop of alcohol on water . Fragments of camphor dropped oh

water , as they dissolve , originate a solution of different surface-tension from water , and rapid movement follows from the alterations of elasticity . Charcoal soaked with ether produces a similar result . The passage of fluids through membranes was illustrated in a simple way , anil the electric currents set up by decomposition and the formation of salts were shown with a very delicate

galvanometer . It is not possible to demonstrate the decompositions themselves . Clay electrodes were used with portions of a stalk of a cabbage . The effects of different surface-tensions , the Professor said , deserves more attention than it has received . The coming Paris Salon is now being busily prepared for by French artists . Among the most prominent

paintings will be a picture of Louis XIV . receiving the " Great Conde , " by M . Ge ' rome , while M . Henner will , as usual , furnish a sacred subjecl— " Mary Magdalene at the Sepulchre kissing the Hand of Christ" —and the three war painters , MM . Detaille , Neuville , and Berne-Bellecour , will contribute military scenes , the subjects being respectively " Napoleon I . in Egypt , " the " Capture of Bourget Church

by the Prussians , " and " A Bivouac of Chasseurs . " UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL GOWER - STREET . —Mr . Justice Denman has presented £ 900 to this charity , that being his share ( less expenses ) ofthe amount realised by the sale of Serjeant's Inn . New Year ' s Day in Japan is noted by the tasteful ornamentation of the native houses , we learn from the

Japan Times , an interesting weekly journal , which , after having been incorporated with the Japan Mail , has reappeared in its original form of eight years ago . The public buildings are gay with straw and paper devices , flags and evergreens , green arches ornamented with flowers and berries , cross the streets , and the private houses are decked out with plumes of bamboo and wreaths of straw and fir

branches . HOSPITAL FOR HEART DISEASE AND PARALYSIS . —The annual meeting of governors of the National Hospital for the Diseases of the Heart and Paralysis , was held at the hospital , Soho-Squarc , on Tesday . Major-General the Hon . Percy Feilding , C . B ., occupied the chair . The report and balance-sheet for the past year were read and ,

adopted . The prospects of the hospital were reported as encouraging , the receipts , notwithstanding the financial , depression of last year , being larger than those recorded on ' any former occasion . The number of attendances ( 7564 ) had also increased , including patients sent from all parts of the world . The amateur performers who recently

appeared at the " Gaiety" in the pantomime written expressly for the occasion by Messrs . Gilbert , Burnand , Byron , and Reece , are to repeat their performance to-day at Brighton—Mr . Gilbert appearing , as before , in the character of harlequin . " OURS . "—An annual bearing this title is announced to appear next month , edited by Annie Thomas ( Mrs . Pender Cudlip ) , Messrs . G . A . Sala , F . C . Burnand .

Clement Scott , the author of " Hogan , M . P ., " I-I . S . Leigh , R . S . Francillon , & c . Mr . Hollingshead has purchased the English rights over the new play of M . M . Meilhac and Hatevy before its production in Paris . Its French title is " Le Mari de la Debutante .

At the sale , in Vienna , of the late Herbeck ' s valuable collection the pianoforte belonging to Haydn was not exhibited , having been disposed of in advance by Herbeck ' s widow for the miserable consideration of twelve hundred florins in favour of an amateur , who made a present of it to the Musikverein . It mi ght and ought to have fetched five times the sum . —The Times .

THE PARIS EXHIBITION . —Another fine new steamer named the Victoria , which the Bii ghton and Western of France Railway Companies have had constructed for the Paris Exhibition traffic , has'been successfully launched from the yard of Messrs . John Elder and Co . at Glasgow . This new paddle-wheel steamer is steel-built under a special survey of the Board of Trade-ahd

of Lloyd's , and is expected to be a vessel of great power and speed . The fittings in respect to caoin accommodation for this new steamer have also been carefully considered add provided for . The Brighton , new paddle Steamer , 'which is a sister vessel to the Victoria , and is also built of steel , was launched on the Clyde about a monthago . and both '

vessels will be ready for the service between Newha-veh and " Dieppe in the course of < i few weeks . The old Palace of Meudon , inhabited by Prince-Napoleon , and much injured during the war of 1870 , is tey be converted into a Government Observatory , where an ? enormous and powerful telescope will be installed .

Herr Wagner has determined that the first performance of his next work shall not be marred by the untoward presence anil criticisms of unappreciative musicians , as was the case at the production of the "Nibelungcn Ring . " He promises his adherents that he will

bring out " Parsival" in the summer of 1880 atBayreuth , and significantly remarks that this time the performance shall be " strictly between ourselves . " The "Wagner Tetralogy , " by the way , is to be played this summer at Munich .

On Saturday , the rtfth inst ., the Grosvenor Gallery will be open to the public free , after which date the present exhibition will be closed .