Foreign Masonic Intelligence.

Foreign Masonic Intelligence .

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF EGYPT . A meeting of the District Grand Lodge of Egypt was he'd at Cairo , under the auspices of the Bulwer Lodge , No . 106 S , on Saturday , the 24 th June , 1871 . Present : V . W . Bro . Raph . Borg , Deputy D . G . M ., as D . G . M . ; W . Bro . Ch . S . Carr , as S . D . G . W . ; W . Bro . Ed . Tompson , as J . D . G . W .: W . Bro . E . T .

Rogers , as D . G Treas . ; Bro . W . Brough , as D . G . Sec . ; Bro . J . Wilson , as D . S . D . G . ; VV . Bro . L . Zaja , as D . J . G . D . ; VV . Bro . D . Moraitis , as D . G . D . Cers . ; Bro . A . Castelbolognese , as D . G . S . B . ; Bro . M . A . Floris , as D . G . P . ; Bro . J . Ablitt , as D . G . Tyler ; & c , & c .

The lodge was opened in form with solemn prayer . The Acting D . G . M . having caused to be read the circular convening the meeting , stated that the R . W . the D . G . M . had appointed him to transact the business of the district , and directed the acting Sec . to read the patent , which is as follows : —

HALIM , D . G . M . for Egypt , to all to whom these presents shall come . We , Halim , Prince of lhe Viceregal family of Egypt , Right Worshipful District Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England in and for the territory of Egypt—send greeting .

Know ye , that reposing speci . il trust and confidence in the skill , prudence , and integrity of our well-beloved Brother Raphael Borg , and by virtue of the power vested in " us by patent of ihe M . W . the Grand Master of England , have nominated , ordained and appointed , and by these presents do nominate , ordain and appoint , our said

Worshipful Brother Raphael Borg to be our Deputy in and for the said District of Egypt , herely granting him all power and authority as sanciioned , authorize ! and allowed by the Constitutions of the United Grand Lodge of England . And we do further specially empower him , the slid Worshipful Brother , to act for and on behalf of ourselves

during our absence from the said District of Egypt . And this our Patent shall continue in force during our pleasure . Given at Constantinople this Thirteenth dav of May , A . D . 1871 , A . L . 5871 . II < z \ By command , ^ u , a' J . ZAGIELL , Act . D . G . Sec . W . Bro . E . T . Rogers was unanimously re-elected D . G . Treasurer .

The Acting D . G . M . proceeded to nominate , instal , and . invest the following District G . Officers , those absent being invested by proxy : —

W . Bro . E . W . J . Tinney ... S . G . W . „ J . C . Milbourne ... J . G . W . „ E . T . Rogers ... G . Treasurer . „ A . E . Simond ... G . Registrar . „ C . S . Carr Pres . B . C . P . „ E . Tompson ... G . Secretary . „ J . Walton S . G . D . „ H . Phillips ... ... J . G . D . „ J . Wilson G . Sup . Wks . „ G . Grey G . D . C . „ W . Crompton ... Asst . G . D . C . „ L . Zaja ... ... G . S . B . „ D . Moraitis ... ... G . Organist . Bro . VV . B . Brough ... ... G . Pursuivant „ J . Rowsell ... ... G . Steward . „ A . Le N . Foster ... „ „ M . M . Levy „ „ VV . Weston ... ... „ „ VV . Jameson ... ... „ „ J . Ablitt ... ... G . Tvler .

The District Grand Officers having been duly appointed and invested , the Acting D . G . M . adverted the limited attendance of the members on the present occasion , and requested the officers to provide themselves with the proper clothing , as it was probable the M . W . the Grand Master would honour

Cairo with a visit next winter . He ( Bro . Borg ) expected to sec all the members wearing , at future meetings , the collar and jewel ofthe office by virtue of which they attend this D . G . L . The Acting D . G . M . then addressed the brethren as -follows : —Worshipful Brethren and Brethren ,

three years have now elapsed since we last met within these walls for the discharge of our duties in connection with this District Grand LoHge . During that period , several of its original members have quitted the country—one , especially , under circumstances which have been , and , I have no doubt , arc

still a source of pain and regret to us all . I allude to the R . W . Brother who was forced into exile , and who since his banishment has been visited by a severe bereavement in the death of his mother . I regret that Masonry in general cannot be said to have made much progress during that interval ; for according to information I have received , several

lo Iges holding tindet forei , ; n jurisdictions hive ceased to exist . The causes which have led to their closing arc various , and 1 think it will not be ont of place here to allude to some of them . From my jjersonal observations during seven years' residence in Cairo , I feel convinced that sufficient enquiry is not made into the antecedents and character of the

Foreign Masonic Intelligence.

persons who offer themselves as candidates for initiation into our mysteries ; a certain influence or name they may have acquired during their stay in the country is often , I am sorry to say , allowed to turn the scale in their favour , and , on the other hand , the careless and matter-of-course manner in which

the ballot is treated by the members of some lodges has caused to be admitted into the Order several persons wlio have proved to be anything but acquisitions . Moreover , it would appear that of ihe members to whom I aliude , few enjoyed independent positions , and this has had the effect of

hastening the collapse of their several lodges . For , owing to the different elements of which those lodges were formed , the various objects they ascribed to the institution , and the inability of coping with the sordid persecution which proceeds from high quarters towards every known member of the Craft , their

existince was well nigh exhausted even at the time of the foundation of this District Grand Lo Ige , and it was then felt that the least shock would have levelled them to the ground . The several Masonic assemblies that were held during past years had in a measure foreseen the catastrophe and tried to

avert it . But some important resolutions that were then passed have , unfortunately , remained a dead letter , nnd the exile of our Chief , the dissension that was suffered to creep in , and the iinabnted persecutions , direct and indirect , have ultimately led to their closing . While we cannot but deplore this state

of things with regard to foreign Masonry , it is extremely gratifying to find that English Masonry has been little affected by it , and that , if we have made no progress , at least , we have not lost ground . When I say " no progress" I mean to apply the phrase to numbers only , for it is a source ot great

satisfaction to me to know that the works of the two lodges now extant in Alexandria are carried on in an efficient nianner , whilst the other two in this place leave little to be desired . This I conceive to be mainly due to their having at their helm Masters who , apart from their Masonic qualifications , have

acquired in the country a certain experience which gives them the peculiar tact which W . M . 's are required to display on nearly every occasion . The Hyde Clarke Lodge , No . 10 S 2 , has , for doubtless good reasons , returned its warrant ; of the other two—St . John and St . Paul , No . 1154 , and the

Egypthn , No . 1156—I regret I can get no information , because of the absence on account of ill-health of the Master , to whom the warrants were entrusted . The Grecia Lodge , No . 1105 , had for some time past suspended its labours , but I am glad to lcirn thev are about to be resumed . On the other hand ,

against the last-mentioned drawbacks wc have to set the inauguration of a new lodge the labours of which will be carried on exclusively in the Arabic language . The importance of this new temple cannot be underrated when we bear in mind the prejudice — nay , almost hatred—that is entertained

against us by high nnd low , and the deeply-rooted suspicion with which the intelligent classes regard us . It is in dispelling those prejudices nnd suspicion that the new lodge will prove highly serviceable to the Craft ; for through it . I hope , the time may not be far distant when , as in India , we may reckon

under our banner the most pious , the most illustrious , and the most learned of the Mussuhmns . Meanwhile , if we would materially aid in the attainment of that object , we sho'ild meet all misconceptions by a carriage and conduct worthy of the name of Masons , and by creating a reputation for

ourselves which will lay a sound foundation for confidence nnd resp ? ct . To that end we must be particularly careful in the choice of our members , cautious in the parade of our own connexion with Masonry , and hst , though not least , we should disro'inifnance all persons of dissolute and

disreputable conduct who , although untouched by the 1 tw . reflect great discredit noon us , because such men are more eagerly pointed at by our enemies than are the good among us acknowledged . I have to recommend to you great c ; iu : ion in designating Orientals as Masons , for while Europeans may

boast of their connection with the Institution becuise they run not the least risk of any evil consequences , the committal of native brethren may render them subject to persecutions which we are not yet in a position to avert . With reference to lodges holding under foreign jurisdictions , we should

profit by every occasion that might enable us to exhibit sympathy on common grounds and give brotherly assistance to all , generally , as Masons ; but at the same time we should be cautious in entering into close associations wilh them until their nrinciplcs b * well known to us and are found to be ilentic . il with our own . Above all , we should

seriously repudiate any innovation thev might attempt to introduce into the s \ st '' m of Masonry . These and similar views , I am glad to si v . hive been at different times propounded bv the District Grand Lodge of Turkey — with which we have doubtless a communion of interests , on account of the several Masonic jurisdictions which arc alike represented in both places , and the various

nationalities which compose the lodges in existence—and I have no doubt we could do no better than follow them , dictated as they were by a lengthened experience . Before I close the subject of foreign lodges , I feel it my duty to warn you against a change that I am informed is meditated by the Loge Ecossaise

No . 166 , of Alexandria . I am not yet in a position to say anything with certainty about it , but leave it to you to ascertain how far such change , if . any , would affect the landmarks of the Order , and _ I recommend you to act , with reference to the admission of visitors from that lodge , in strict conformity

to the charges which you pledged yourselves to maintain . I cannot sufficiently recommend to your assistance two establishments which owe their existence solely to Masonry . I mean the Free Schools of Alexandria and Cairo . The fact of their having been started by foreign lodges should not be suffered

to influence us against them , because . 1 have no doubt , they will materially contribute hereafter in clearing the cloud which has gathered over us , as I understand that , amongst others , a certain number of native children receive therein d-ii ' y instruction Education is one of the elements w i : h help in

turning the scale of public opinion in our favour , and the fact of its having been hitherto somewhat neglected generally , should impel us to forward it as much as lies in our power . By furthering that object , and by enabling the natives to receive a good , sound , and moral education , wc shall by degrees win

them to us , and accomplish the task we cheerfully accepted when we took our respective O . B . Through it they shall come to learn weare neither a political nor a religious sect , but that we belong to an institution which has for its main object peace on earth and good-will towards all men , and seeks to establish

brotherly love , relief and truth . Before taking my leave of you on the present occasion , allow me , brethren , to return to you all my sincere thanks for the congratulations you have offered inconsequence of the high honour which R . W . the D . G . M . was pleased to confer upon me ; and let me assure you

that I am fully alive to the fact that the dunes attached to my new post will prove by far too onerous . unless I receive from you all that assistance which , I venture to hope , you will not withhold . VV . Bro . Rogers returned thanks to the Acting D . G . M ., in the name of the brethren present , for

theaddress ; and , in his own name , for the flattering manner in which mention is therein made of the Star in the East Lodge , No . 1355 . The Acting D . G . M . having replied in suitable terms , a charitable collection was made , and the D . G . L . was closet ^ in form with solemn prayer .

Cape Of Good Hope.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE .

[ From the Eastern Province Herald . ] The installation meeting of the Lodge of Good Will , No . 711 , took nlace at the Masonic Temple on the Hill on St . John ' s Day at high noon . Owing , however , to the unpropitious state of the weather , there was not so large a gathering of the brethren

as is usual on this occasion . Bro . S . Bam , VV . M ., presided , supported bv his officers , and Bros . F . S . Fairbridg " , J . C . K .-m ' sley , and Geo . Smvth , P , M . | s , and several visiting brethren . Bro . F . S . Fairbridge dulv presented the W . M .-elect , Bro . H . E . Tonks , S . W ., according to an . 'lent custom for

installation , and after the brethren hid retired , he was duly and most impressively installed into the chair of K . S . by the VV . M . The customary salutations followed , and the VV . M . then proceeded to the

appointment and investiture of his officers , as f'dlows . viz .: —Bros . F . A . Pcnrson , S . W . ; C . E . n . insterville , J . W . ; G . Armstrong . Treas . ; H Frost . Sec ; J . A . Bell , S . D . ; A . Hill . J . D . ; J . F .

Gertenbach and J . VV . Clark , Stewards ; T . Crage , I . G . ; J . Morley , Tyler . Tho addresses were given with much earnestness and feeling by the Installing Master , and , after the usual routine business , the lodge was closed . In the evening the brethren again assembled , in number about fifty , to the

annual banquet , wiiich was sumptuous and well served by Bro . Phillips , of the Club . Dessert followed , nnd , after the customary toasts were given , of" The Queen and the Craft , " and others , with Masonic honours , the toast of the evening was proposed by Bro . S . Bain , P . M ., who observed

that this was the second pleasurable duty which had devolved upon him on this occasion , the first being the installation of their esteemed VV . M ., and the second that of proposing his health , which he was sure the brethren would respond to with enthusiasm . Bro . Tonks had faithfully served the office of S . W .

during his ( "Bro . Bain's ) first year of office , and had acted in that capacity during the greater part of his second year , owing to the continued absence of the officer appointed to that post , and if ever mcr ' t deserved preferment it was in the case of their

present VV . M ., and being , as he believed , the oldest Mason present , he would be of infinite service to the brethren if they would only rally round him and give him the support which he undoubtedly deserved at their hands . In the early days of thejlodge , the W . M ., as an old and experienced Mason , had done