Grand Lodge Of Canada.

GRAND LODGE OF CANADA .

We quote from the annual report for 186 S , the •¦ following interesting account of a special meeting ¦ of the Grand Lodge of Dundee Centre Province

of Quebec , on July 1 st , 1868 , when the foun-• dation-stone of a new church was laid with Masonic honours by Bro . A . A . Stevenson , D . G . M .:

—The Grand Lodge was opened in due form . The Acting Grand Secretary read the summons issued by command of the W . M . the Grand Master , calling this Especial Communication of Grand Lodge . The Acting Grand Director of Ceremonies was then instructed to form the j _* ocession in the order laid

down in the Book of Constitution . On arriving at the site of the new building , the procession opened out , and the Grand Officers marched through to the spot where the stone was to be laid . The Acting G . M . and the other Grand Officers then ascended the platform , when the Acting G . M . spoke as

follows : — " Men , women , and children , assembled here to behold this ceremony , know all of you that we are lawful Masons , true to the laws of our country , and professing to fear God , who is the Great Architect of the Universe : to honor the Queen : to confer

benefits upon our brethren : and to practice universal benevolence towards all mankind . We have amongst us , concealed from the eyes of all other men , secrets which may not be revealed , and which no man has discovered ; but those secrets are lawful and honorable , aud are placed in the custody of Masons , who

alone have the keeping of them to the end of time . We admit into our Order only such as are reported to be good men and true : of a lawful age , good morals , and sound judgment We meet upon a level , and are constantly instructed to square our conduct by the principles of morality and virtue .

Men of every class and rank of life are enrolled as members of our ancient and honourable fraternity ; even monarchs , the most powerful and enlightened , have in all ages been active promoters of our art , and have not thought it derogatory from their dignity tojoin ourassembliesand participate in ouriuysteries .

The lapse of time , the ruthless hand of ignorance , and the devastations of war , have laid waste and destroyed many valuable monuments of antiquity on which the utmost exertions of human genius have been employed . Even the Temple of Solomon , so spacious and magnificent , and constructed by so

many celebrated artists , escajied not the unsparing ravages of barbaric force . Freemasonry , notwithstanding , has still survived . The attentive ear receives the sound from the instructive tongue , and the mysteries of Masonry are safely lodged in in the sacred repository of faithful breasts . Tools

and implements of architecture are selected by the fraternity to imprint on the memory wise and serious truths ; and thus , through successive ages , are transmitted , pure and unimpaired , the excellent tenets of our institutions . Unless our Craft were good and our calling honourable , we should not have existed for so

many centuries ; nor should we see to-day , as im all time past , so many distinguished aud illustrious brethren throughout the civilised world sanctioning our proceedings and contributing to our prosperity . Followingthe example of our illustrious predecessors , we have assembled at your request to lay the

foundation stone of this church , iu accordance with the rites of onr fraternity . We pray God to prosper -this undertaking , and enable those who have commenced the good work to carry it on to comjiletion . May the Great Architect himself direct aright all ¦ who are connected with the erection of this building ,

which is to be consecrated to the worship of tho Most High . May it prove a blessing to this community ; and may many within its walls be brought from darkness into light , and made meet for that spiritual building—that house not made with hands , eternal in the Heavens . Amen . "

The Acting Grand Chaplain , Rev . Bro . Joshua Fraser , then invoked a blessing from the G . A . O . T . U . upon the undertaking . After the ceremony of laying the foundation stone had been duly jierformed , the implements and plan of the building were handed over to the

• architect , whom the A . Grand Master appropriately ¦ addressed . Coin was then placed upon the stone , for the benefit of the workmen , by the Acting Grand Treasurer , after which the Acting G . M . addressed thc pastor of the congregation , as follows : Rev . Sir ,

Having completed our work according to the ancient usages of our fraternity , we congratulate you upon / the commencement of this work ; and as it has been so happily begun , may it be steadily continued , anil carrieel on to a speedy and successful termination .

The procession being reformed , the brethren marched back to the old church , and were briefly addressed by the Acting Grand Master . The business of the Especial Communication being finished , the Grand Lodge was closed in due form .

Annual "Pic-Nic" Of Lodge Of Unity, No. 613, Southport.

ANNUAL " PIC-NIC" OF LODGE OF UNITY , No . 613 , SOUTHPORT .

On Wednesday , the 9 th inst , the annual pic-nic of the members and friends of the above lodge took place , when about fifty ladies and gentlemen left Southport by the nine o ' clock " express" for Knowsley , the seat of the Ear ] of Derby . For the

greater comfort and convenience of the party , saloon carriages had been provided as far as Huyton , where a capacious omnibus was in waiting to convey them on to Knowsley Park . The morning was one of the brightest , and the spirits of the company were

equally bright . Huyton is at all times a pretty neighbourhood , abounding in tasteful villa-residences and their invariably well-kept gardens , and on this day looked refreshingly picturesque , so that the drive from the station , passing by the town of Prescot , was richly enjoyed by the happy

excursionists . Their arrival had been anticipated at the park , and the servants most courteously explained the many attractions of the Hall and grounds . Such a combination of elegances with utility is rarely met with . The most cursory observation shews that

the owner is a man of the noblest rank . Although nowhere is any attempt made at disjjlay , yet magnificence is beautifully surrounded with an air of comfort , making it evident his Lordship believes " Beauty unadorned " to be " adorned the most . " The picture galleries and library attracted ,

jierhaps , the most attention , some of the friends whose tastes more especially were of an artistic aud literary turn , lingered , with very unsatisfied feelings , in these rooms , whose contents consist principally of masterpieces of the most eminent English and foreign painters . Perhaps the object of greatest

interest , however , was the manuscript copy of his lordship ' s translation of Homer , beautifully written with his own hand . The gardens , conservatories , and vineries were much admired , the latter being so arranged that ripe grapes are obtained during eleven months of the year . The stables , wine and beer

cellars were duly visited , and several of the party found enjoyment in tasting his lordship's renowned " old ales . " But in the midst of the rajpturous enjoyments of our more ethereal nature , there will intrude feelings of a material character . A practically-minded member of the party calling out

" Dinner ! " had the most extraordinary effect in calling the most poetical to a sense of that animal gratification which is so marked a feature of English human nature . To the tent , where dinner had been spread , there was , accordingly , a " quick march , " and on arrival all "fell in" without word of

command . The presidency of the occasion was voted to the Mayor of Southport ( Mr . S . Boothroyd ) , the vicechair being occupied by Bro . G . B . Scholes , P . M . The comjiany , with great alacrity , fell to with one accord to the disposal of the abundantly sumptuous

provision made by Mr . and Mrs . Lloyd , of the King's Arms Hotel , Prescot , who are reputed to be adepts in catering for parties of this kind , and certainly maintained their reputation on this occasion . The after dinner toasts were discreetly limited , being , " Her Majesty The Queen , " " The Earl of Zetland ,

Grand Master of England , and all Freemasons , " and ' Earl of Derby and the House of Stanley , " all of which wero honoured with thc utmost enthusiasm . After a satisfactory refreshing of nature's wants , the company again perambulated the grounds until evening , when they returned by the same route as

taken in the morning , arriving in Southport a little before nine o'clock , having enjoyed as much unalloyed pleasure as could well be jiressed into one short day . Much of the success of tho trip was due to the admirable arrangements made by Bros . G . B . Scholes and R . Jeffries , the Stewards , aud which were so efficiently carried out by Bros . Scholes and Wilkinson .

WE are informed that thc Crystal Palace Chapter , No . 742 , held an emergency meeting on Thursday evening , at Anderton's Hotel , Fleet-street , for the purpose of considering the propriety of removing from the Crystal Palace to another place of meeting . THE Order of Knights Templar in the United States had a procession and other services in

Philadelphia , on June loth , to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of one of the oldest commanderies in the country—St . John's Commandery , formed in this city in 1819 . There are about 10 , 000 Knights Templar in the United States , a large proportion of whom took part iu this celebration .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . " ] THE CHAIR DEGREE AND THE STATUS OF THE LODGE OF GLASGOW ST . JOHN .

( To ihe Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — At page 4 of THE FREEMASON for May 29 th , Bro . " Ammi" says , " It would be hard to understand in some things what ' Leo ' means . " Well , I admit it is one thing to read an article , but it is another matter to understand it ;

however , if Bro . " Amnu' really wishes to comprehend the inconsistency of many of our Masonic notions anent Solomon ' s Temple , & c , he may again peruse my remarks thereon at page 8 of THE FREEMASON for May loth , and page 5 of May 29 th . Thereafter , when he has time—if he takes any

interest in its study—he should read up some standard and reliable work upon architecture , beginning with its origin in Egypt , spreading thence to Greecewhich , however , was also influenced by Assyrian artthen to Rome ; thereafter , rising up in our Gothic styles , and so on down to our own day ; when he has

done that , he will , I have no doubt , get his field of view enlarged , and also be able to " understand " and appreciate many Masonic points in which he , perhaps , at present sees little interest . The above remarks will also serve for Freemasons in general , whose real knowledge of Masonry—with some honourable exceptions

—has hitherto been very small indeed . The advice I am giving to Bro . " Ammi "—and which , I trust , he will accept in the fraternal feeling it is given—will also serve for Bro . J . II . North , whose letter , at page 9 of THE FREEMASON for May 22 nd , contains a lot of supposititious historical Masonic nonsense ; and Dr .

Mackey's work—the Lexicon I suppose—to whi 2 h he refers , is , like many more past pseudo-Masonic histories , a dangerous book for any one to read who may not be able to distinguish when the author is wrong or when he happens to be right . Not to recapitulate what I have already said , I would refer to

my article in THE FREEMASON of April 10 th , page 6 , also to the remarks of Bro . Hughan—who , as a Masonic scholar , is a credit to England—at page 13 , May 1 st . Until some real evidence is brought forward to the contrary , I suppose we may consider it settled that the Royal Arch is only about 130 years old , and

that there is no proof of our Master Mason degree being older than about the beginning of last century . The real " mother " of Freemasonry I have for some time considered was England , and , as we now have it said , Freemasonry was not in existence previous to the beginning of last century ; however , the old

operative lodge was chosen as the stem upon which to graft our modern Freemasonry , and thus thc old operative Masonic lodge , and the new speculative I reemasonic lodge were so blended together , thc ^ one springing out of the other , that it would be a difficult matter to discover a jiroper point to disjoin them . Therefore , the Grand Lodge of Scotland acknowledges

its relationship to the pre-existmg operative Masonic lodges , and accords to them a right of precedence so far as they can show proof of antiquity ; and this leads me to the question , raised by Bro . " Ammi , " of the antiquity of the Lodge of Glasgow St . John , which gave in its allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Scotland

in 1850 , and , on account of the jiroofs ot its antiquity , which it then brought forward , received the position on the roll of I'No . 3 bis . " Anent this , " Ammi " Say 29 th , page 4 ) says , " At the time the Grand dge so decided regarding the St . John ' s Lodge , they were not aware that the status they had given them

on the roll was based on a charter since declared to be a forgery . " I am happy to be able to ease Bro . " Animi's" mind about that by quoting from the charter granted by the Grand Lodge to St . John ' s on May Gth , 1850 , what proves that "Ammi" is wrong and does not really understand what he is writing

about , and which also shows that thc Grand Lodge was not so blind in 1850 as he would give out : — " Which petition having been maturely considered by said Grand Lodge , and evidence having been taken on the accuracy of the statements therein contained , and the said Grand Lodge being fully satisfied—without

admitting the antiquity of a charter founded on by the petitioners , and alleged to have been granted to said Lodge of Glasgow by Malcolm III . ( Cacnmore ) , King of Scots—that the said lodge is one of undoubted antiquity , and that it , moro than two centuries ago , with the then other lodges of Scotland , granted a

charter to Sir William St . Clair of Rosslyn , " & c . This 1850 charter of St . John's is signed by "Athole , Grand Master ; Whyte Melville , Dep . Grand Master ; John Kinloch , Substitute Grand Master ; William Miller , Senior Grand Warden ; J . Murray Bclshes ,

Junior Grand Warden ; Samuel Hay , Grand Treasurer ; Wm . A . Laurie , Grand Secretary ; and J . Linning Woodman , Clerk . " From the abovo we learn two things ;—Firstly , that the St . John's did not receive its " status " on account of the " charter since declared to be a forgery ;* ' and ,