Official Bulletin Supreme Grand Council 33° , Southern Juris Dic Tion, United States.

blindness , resolved on the nth of December , 1743 , to regard the Masons of the 4 th degree , i . e . the Maitres Ecossais , as only common Apprentices and plain Craftsmen . " " In 1748 the Rite de la Vielle Bru was established at Toulouse with nine degrees . " I The" Historical Noticeofthe St . Clairs , " copied

from the Freemason , and said to be b y Bro . Chalmers I . Paton , so far as the documents themselves are concerned , have already been shown to have been ori g inally communicated by Bro . D . Murray Lyon , the Scottish Mason'c Historian , a fact we desire to bring to the notice of the etlitnr of the . Bulletin . Our motto is

" honour to whom honour is due , " and I know my friend Dr Mackay , has a similar faith . But we have pretty well exhausted the Bulletin , and so conclude the review by expressing our satisfaction at the general excellence of the publication . WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN ,

Freemasonry In Australia.

FREEMASONRY IN AUSTRALIA .

FUNERAL CEREMONIAL IN MEMORY OF THE LATE R . W . P . G . M ., THE RIGHT HON . THE EARL OF ZETLAND . The Worshi p ful Master . Bro . Wm . Little , of the Yarrowee Lodge of Freemasons , Ballarat , E . G ., evidently has a good idea of how the rites and ceremonies of the ancient Order should be

carried out . On the 20 th May the new Masonic Hall , in Camp-street , had on the garb of mourning . The splendid dais over the Worshipful Master ' s chair was draped in crape and black velvet , the columns , pedestals , candelabra , wands , and all thu paraphernalia used by the

Craft in their secret workings vvere also craped , and altogether the lodge-room had a most solemn and impressive appearance before opening . But this was intensified tenfold when the brethren entered and quit <» filled the room , all dressed in mourning costume , and the three Rev . Chaplains ,

suitably robed , took up the position just outside the grand dais and directl y in front of the Master ' s pedestal . A scene of this kind in a Masonic lodge is seldom witnessed , every member of the Craft seeming to feel ( if their solemn demeanour was

an index to their hearts ) that there was but a step between them and death . A Masonic choir of singers and the string band of the lodge , were stationed in the southwest corner , under the leadership of Bro . Thomas King , and we can safely say they well performed

the part allotted to them , Past Master Richard Kent presiding at the harmonium . The lodge was dul y opened in the first degree , as on other lodge nig hts , after which Bro . the Rev . J . W . Inglis engaged in prayer , and in such eloquent and appropriate terms , when referring

to the illustrious departed that caused a thrill of holy awe to pervade the assemblage , 'lhe Worshi pful Master . Bro . Wm . Little , P . G . J . W ., who occupied the chair , rose and remarked that , as Master of the Yarrowee Lodge , the solemn duty devolved on him of formall y announcing the

death of the Past Grand Master of England — thc Right Hon . Earl of Zetland . A loss so great to Masonry demanded at the hands of the lodge more than a mere passing notice ; indeed , the departure of one so illustrious—of one who held the reins of English Masonic government

twenty-six years , deserves permanent record in the annals ofthe lodge , as well as to be engraven on the hearts of its members . He had , therefore , anticipated their wishes in lhat respect b y putting the lodge into mourning , by postponing their ordinary business until the following Tuesday ,

and by showing every mark of respect to his memory . He invited the brethren to engage in the labours of the evening with befitting solemnity , and take part with heart and voice in the following exeicises , which he said were as complete as the shortness of the time enabled

them to be made . There was much he could say why they should cherish the memory of their illustrious departed , but not wishing to be tedious or say what would be belter said by his Bro . Chaplain , he would conclude his remarks b y wishing all to join in singing the first hymn—

Freemasonry In Australia.

Solemn strikes the funeral chime-Notes of our departing time , As we journey here below Through a pilgrimage of woe . Mortals now indulge a tear , For mortality is here ; See how wide the trophies wave O ' er the slumbers of the grave , o

God of Life ' s eternal day Guide us lest from thee we stray By a false delusive light To the shades of endless ni ght . Lord of all below—above—Fill our souls with truth and love , And when dissoly'd our earthly tie Take us to th y Lodge on hi gh .

The Rev Bro . Watson then read a portion of Scripture from the Books of Isaiah and Ecclesiastes , after which Bro . Lamble , sang with excellent voice , "O Rest in the Lord . " ( Elijah ) . The Chaplain , Bro . Rev . Watson , then delivered

the following extempore oration admidst breathless silence . The clear distinct utterance and fervency of the rev . gentleman told with good effect upon those present and at the conclusion a general feeling pervaded the minds of all , that the address was a masterpiece of Masonic

oratory . " Worshi pful Master and Brethren , —In the volume of the Sacred Law , that "unerring standard" and guide which our all-merciful Creator has revealed to direct our steps in this moral life to an immortal one , our departure

from this woilci is spoken of as a being " gathered unto our fathers . " A very simple , yet it must be confessed a very beautiful and striking way of describing the death of God ' s people , and especially so in view of the fact that there are manv who regard death as the " king of terrors . " But

had we been left , like the old pagans , or as the heathen of our own day , without the precious volume , we could not have looked upouii thus ; we could then but have groped in the darkness anxious for some glimmer of li g ht , that we mi ght not only find the " unknown God " and

be enabled to serve Him , but also know something of that world to which we are hastening . But , now thank God , through this revelation we have "life and immortality brought to li ght , " and so can wend our stead y footsteps , by a life ol holiness and obedience to the commands of God ,

to our home of rest on hi gh . Now though our thoughts as individuals are frequentl y drawn to the subject of death by the immortality which we are dail y witnessing around us , yet it is not often that as Masons we are speciall y called upon to comtemplate it , unless indeed in our sublime and

solemn ceremonies . Not because deaths are not frequent among us—but because it rarely occurs among those who occupy such a position in the Order as warrant , our being called upon to " stand slill " and lay aside our regular business that we may join together in a commemorative

service ( as we do to-night ) in which we dwell upon departed worth and seek to impress one another wilh more solemn thoughts of , and a more anxious desire to be ready lor , our great change when it shall come . But to-day our ordinary gathering , generally so p leasant and

cheerful , presents to us signs of mourning . A great man has fallen among us—not merely one of noble blood , and ou this account , as true and loyal men , entitled to our regard and esteem—not merel y one who , like thousands of others , has wrought for the good of the Craft . But one

who has been thought worth y by his compeers throughout the length and breadth of our fatherland to fill for more than a quarter of a century the highest office anel dignity that Masons have to bestovv—that of Most Worshi pful Grand AIaster . lt is he whose signature we have attached to our warrant constituting this lotlge .

It is the death of this man we in lodge assembled , this ni ght commemorate . Now , it is not necessary for mc to speak of the private life of the Ri ght Hon . Eail of Zetland . Suffice it to say , that he was born in 1795 , so that at the time of his death he had attained to a good old age , having passed the three score years and ten . But it is of Masonic life on which we would dwell ,

Freemasonry In Australia.

and more particularly upon his Grand Lod ge labours . He took a very warm interest j n Masonry from the timethat he joined it . And certainly during the time that he was Grand Master its success seems to have been unprecedented . Its annual issue of certificates was increased from

about 1300 to 7000 , while its income was increased from about £ 12 , 000 to £ 38 , 000 . But besides these signs of success and prosperity , the Masonic Hall in London , with its suite of offices , & c . was built at a very heavy cost , large schools , boflt boys' and girls ' , established for the children of

Masons , and many other things done that tended to consolidate our Order and give to it that position in the world that so important society should occupy . And these , doubtless , were in a great measure to be traced to his wise rule and tender regard for the welfare of the Craft and

the good of his fellow-men . It was in consequence of this sterling worth that he came to stand so hi gh in the estimation of our English brethren ; so that when it became necessary for him to retire , in consequence of increasing age and failing health , from the position that he had

so worthil y and honourabl y filled for twenty-six years , they presented him with a very handsome testimonial , consisting of a p iece of plate and £ 2 , 730 in cash , which would have been £ to , ooo if he had not said at the outset that he would not accept it for his private use . Now , in this , they

not only showed their appreciation of his labours for the Craft , but expressed their own feelings towards him personally . But , as if to carry out one of the great principles of Masonry and thus impress his brethren with his singleness of purpose , he accepted the large sum that I have named

onl y to have it invested for the relief of distinguished Masons and their families who mi ght become reduced . As we cannot doubt that he was a good and true Mason , practising its duties and cultivating its virtues—as we cannot doubt that he lived as one true to the Great

Architect of heaven , obeying the divine precepts anu seeking alone for acceptance through Israel ' s God and Saviour , so we trust that thus " his grey hairs came down to the grave , " aud his eyes closed upon this mortal scene with the conscious assurance that his God was with him-

that His rod and staff would be his stay and comfort as he passed over Jordan ' s stream . But while we would dwell upon the Masonic life antl work of the Earl of Zetland , we must not forget that there are lessons , if not to learn from his death , at least to be impressed upon us . As

Masons it must be confessed that there is something peculiarly appropriate in our pausing to reflect upon the death of this noble man . I do not say that it would be desirable for us to turn aside frequently from our usual lodge work for this purpose—it would lose its effect if we did ,

and , moieover , would be likely to lead to abuse . But I do say that occasionally when there arises a sufiicient cause , there is something peculiarl y appropriate in our so doing . In our most solem n ceremonies , it is this truth that is most forcibly and with such telling effect taught us

—( aught , in such a way , and in connection with such events , that it ought never for one moment to be absent from us . But amidst the trials of life , its pressing business engagement mil our owu naughty hearts , there is a tendency il not lo lorget , al least not to dwell upon il with

that earnest attention and that eleep feeling that so wei ghty a subject requires and our interest therein demands . Wo seem to be so absorbed in the things of this world , thai too many of ns forget that we have to ' go up higher ; ' and though as we witness our ceremonies we are

reminded again antl again of this truth , yet as our duty to God , our Redeemer , who brought us up out of thc land , is in some things too frequently omitted , so our thoughts are too often turned away from this matter . Now , a contemplation on the present occasion of this most

solemn subject in connection with the death of our Most Worshipful Past Grantl Master , should lead us not onl y for our own sakes as men , but as Masons , to a renewedexainination of ourselves and ti determination to be guided more faithfully

by lhc "Volume of the Sacred Law , " that when the day shall come for us to depart we may , through the mercy of God , be ready . But our preparation , we must remember , is the work of our life . It is not to be put oil