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$ ** % > Utarriagcs , anb £ ) enf () s . —*—MARRIAGE . BROAD— GITTINGS . —On the Sth instant , at St . Mark's , New Brompton , near Chatham , by the Rev . A . "Willis , vicar , Bishop-designate of Honolulu , Bro . Geo . Broad , Lodge of Benevolence , 1 S 4 . to Emma , third daughter of Capt . Gillings , R . N ., GilJingham , Kent . DEATH . MARTIN . —On loth inst ., at Clyde House , NctherfieWroad , Liverpool , aged nine years , Emily Alice , second daughter of Bro . K . R . Martin , Temple Lodge , 1094 , and Treasurer of Mariners' Lodge , 249 . ( Friends will please accept this intimation . ) All communications for Tim FRF . HMASON should be writtenlegibl ) on one side of thc paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not Liter than 10 o ' clock a . in . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases , 'l'he name and address of arery writer must be sent to 11 s in confidence .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY JANUARY 20 , 1872 . TH * FREEMASON is published oa Saturday Mornings in time for thc early trains . The price of THE FREEMASON is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance ) . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to thc EDITOR . 19 I , Fleet-street , E . C . Tkt Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him , kit camiet undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Manitoba.

MANITOBA .

IT may safely be asserted , without presumption , that Freemasonry treads in the footsteps of civilization . Wherever the presence of man is found , whether it be in

the ice-bound regions of the frigid zone , 01 on the burning coasts of Africa , after tlie log-hut which serves the settler as a home , comes the lodge-room , consecrated to the

spirit of fraternity and love . We have heard of lodges on board ship before now —although , possibly , none exist at the present day—and can readily comprehend

the solace which Masonic intercommunion must have afforded to the brave sons of Neptune in the olden time , when cruising from shore to shore was not so speed ily

effected as it is in these days of steam propulsion . But , even if naval lodges no longer exist , ample compensation is found

in the fact that , in places which were trackless wastes but a few years ago , there are now flourishing branches of our Frater-

Manitoba.

nity ; that in lands , like Japan , formerly inaccessible to the advances of commercial enterprise , the voice of civilization is now heard , and the principles of Freemasonry are being rapidly diffused .

In reviewing these gratifying results , we are satisfied that none will ascribe the assertion either to egotism or to arrogance , if we record our opinion that British Freemasons

may reasonably indulge in the pleasing reflection that much of thc Masonic progress is clearly attributable to the sons of the " old country . " Nearly every Grand

Lodge in Europe has derived its existence from the Granel Lodges in London and Edinburgh , anel our American brethren will be the first to acknowledge that the

powerful Masonic organizations which flourish at present in the States are proud to trace their origin to the same source . Wherever the English flag is unfurled ,

wherever the pioneers of a British colony congregate , thc banner of the Masonic Order is , sooner or later , sure to wave ;

and one of the most recent examples of this curious , but undoubted fact , deserves , wc conceive , something more than a passing tributeinasmuch as it evinces the virtues

of zeal and perseverance to a remarkable degree . It is known to our readers that the " Dominion of Canada " now comprises all thc British possessions in North America ,

with one or two exceptions , to which it is unnecessary to allude . Besides the maritime provinces , British Columbia , and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec , the vast

territory formerly under the rule of the Hudson ' s Bay Company now forms an integral part of the Dominion . This enormous district is called " Manitoba , " and

until quite recently , was nothing but a " happy hunting-ground " for trappers and other agents of the Company . That some attempt had been made to colonise it was

evident sonic time ago , when an insurrectionary movement occurred at thc Red River settlement ; but English Freemasons arc , perhaps , scarcely prepared for the

intelligence that the population has , since that period , increased so rapidly as to necessitate the formation of several Masonic lodges in the province . Such , however , is

the case , and we are indebted to the very lucid and complete " Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada for 1 S 71 " for much interesting information on the subject .

Tiie Rev . Richard Stuart Patterson , Deputy District Grand Master of the province , seems to have proved himself a true Alasonic missionary , and from his narrative

we glean the following items of intelligence The first lodge named in Bro . Patterson ' s report is called " Prince Rupert ' s , " now 240 on the register of Canada . This lodge

commenced work at Winnipeg about tlie latter end of December , 1870 , and "has been enabled to procure suitable furniture and regalia . " The brethren contemplate

building a Masonic Hall , anel the utmost harmony has prevailed in the lodge since its formation . The " Lisgar " Lodge meets at Lower Fort Garry , and the brethren

Manitoba.

were fortunate enough to secure all the valuable lodge fittings , furniture , and regalia of the late Northern Light Lodge , formerly held under the Granel Lodge of Minnesota .

The " International " Lodge has been opened at North Pembina , but has not yet been enabled to obtain a suitable room for lodge purposes—the reason assigned being ,

that , until the international boundary line between the Lake of the Woods and the Rocky Mountains is ascertained , there is no possibility of houses being built on the

Canadian side . At present , thc Canadian Custom House and the Hudson Bay Fort are claimed by thc Americans to be within the limits of their territory . The American

brethren located in and near Pembina , however , have promised to assist the new lodge in every possible way , anel there is every reason to believe in its permanency and success .

Bro . Patterson also delivered a dispensation for thc establishment of the " Assinibonie " Lodge , at Portage la Prairie , and several meetings have been held by the

founders for instruction in the work . The greatest harmony appears to prevail amongst tbe brethren of the new Masonic province , and wc cannot refrain from tendering our

hearty congratulations to the Grand Lodge of Canada upon the vigorous nature of its youngest offshoot . The introduction of Masonic lodges into those wild and

formerly desolate regions cannot fail to prove of incalculable benefit to the inhabitants . The habits of order which are engendered , and the principles of morality whicli are

strengthened , by a faithful adherence to the Craft , must eventually leaven the mass of tlie rude population , and soften and humanise their manners . We welcome these

latest additions to the Masonic flock with feelings of no ordinary interest , and , in the name of the Freemasons of the British Islands , wc heartily wish every success to the pioneers of Freemasonry in Manitoba .

LORD C ARNARVON ' HEALTH . —We are glad to learn from our Newbury Correspondent , that it is now hoped at Highclere Castle that Lord Carnarvon ' s convalescence is established . BRO . M . DIOSY , W . M . Polish National Lodge ,

has recently been honoured with the appointment , by Prince Metternich , as sole agent to the trade for the sale of the world-wide celebrated Schloss fohannisberg Cabinet Wines . In spite

of the general cry for cheap , cheap wines , which by-the-way , has inundated us with much that is cheap and nasty , the taste for what is really excellent has , thank heaven , not yet died out amongst us .

FALMOUTH . —On Friday se nmght , a party of " unattached " Masons , under the presidency of the Mayor of Falmouth , Bro . W . II . Lean , dined at the Greenbank Hotel , to celebrate the festival of St . lohn . Although strongly urged

by the principal officers , Bro . Augustus Smith , the Provincial Grantl Master , declines the establishment of a second lodge in Falmouth , and as there is a pretty numerous and respectable body

of Masons here who will not have any connection with the present lodge , Masonic matters here have been for some time past in an unsatisfactory state , and " brotherly love " appears to be at a discount .