Freemasonry In China.

—outside world pass , on almost every occasion , ' unnoticed , in short , as if they had not been heard . This is our only danger—an insignificant one perhaps , but still a danger , that it is necessary to provide against . I am sensible of my own shortcomings , but with the unanimity and concord that now obtains amongst you , I

entertain no doubt but that your lodge , and mine , will continue on her path of duty and usefulness , to a greater attainment of success under her present officers than I could have anticipated during my first year of Mastership . May the Almighty , our Guide , our Comforter , be ever with you , bless and prosper you as a lodge , as Masons , and as His children .

Your loving fraternal servant , HENRY E . SIDFORD , P . M . 1027 and 1433 . The Worshipful Master , Officers , and Brethren ,

Done Lodge 143 . 3 , Chin-lvtang . Worshipful ISro . Sidford will have the satisfaction on leaving Chin-Kiang as , we are informed , he shortly intends , of knowing he has left a good work behind him .

Masonic Bibliography.

MASONIC BIBLIOGRAPHY .

Among some books which came into my hands the other day there is bound up with another treatise a copy of a little work mentioned by Kloss , page 22 , No . 251 . This is , it seems , a defence of Freemasonry by the Chevalier Ramsay , according to Klois , and it had the high honour of being burnt at Rome

by order of the Inquisiton in 1783 . This little woik is written in French , and is alleged to be printed at Dublin by Patrick O'Donoho , 1738 . Kloss mentions a copy primed at London , 1 749 , but does net say whether any English translation of it ever existed . German translations of it do exist . A . F . A . WooDl'ORIl .

I see that Kloss mentions " Clypeum Yeritatis" at page 185 , No . 2523 , and " Speck auf der Fall , " at the same page No . 2526 . while at page 188 , No . 2554 , he mentions the " Rosea : crucis Frater Thrasonico . Mendax , " the book to which 1 alluded , as all written b y

Christopheri IMIUIS Mundus . A . F . A . WOODI'ORI ) . Let me call attention to the " Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry and its kindred sciences , comprising the ] whole range of arts , sciences and literature , as connected with the institution by Albert G .

Wackey , M . D ., author of ' Lexicon of Freemasonry" "A Text Book of Masonic Jurisprudence , " " Symbolism of Freemasonry , " & c , & c , with illustrations . " Bro . George Kenning having been appointed

sole agent for the United Kingdom for the above work , is now prepared to supply the same at his Wasonie Depots , London , Liverpool , Glasgow , and Edinburgh . A . F . A . Wooni'ORn .

The Masonic Charities.

THE MASONIC CHARITIES .

We are much pleased to inform our readers tlat the excellent pamphlet by our Brother Ihnry Watson , W . M . J . 386 , Lincoln , on oar "Masonic Charities " has been reprinted in the Rxisonic Magazine for March , 1874 . ( George K-nning , 198 , Fleet-street , London , 7 d ., postage

frte ) . We beg again to express our warm appreciation of Bro . Watson ' s valuable little book , and wsh most ardently that every Freemason in this cdintry had a copy thereof to carefully study .

PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTICE . Messrs . Moses and Son have published two vey good and wonderfully cheap photographic "Cartes de Visite" of H . R . H . the Duke of Edinbi-gh , and H . I . H . the Duchess . We were not piviously aware that these enterprising "

cntreprneurs" of modem habiliments were turning thir attention also to photographic art . We wre well acquainted with the fact indeed , that thy were prepared to clothe completely even Lrd Macaulay ' s famous New Zealander at the

sbrtest notice , on the easiest terms , and in the mst satisfactory and fashionable manner , so th :, that interesting personage would no longer shck the feelings of those respectable members ofheM . P . F . who patrol Westminster Bridge . tut still , as the specimens of photography

The Masonic Charities.

they have sent us are very good in themselves , we think them deserving- both of notice and commendation . Any of our brethren who want these two portraits for their photographic albums , as most probably all do , cannot do better than apply for them forthwith .

Surrey Masonic Hall.

SURREY MASONIC HALL .

The Directors of the Surrey Masonic Hall Company have at length completed all preliminary matters , and the excavations for the foundations for the new building are in course of progress . To such of our readers who may be interested in this undertaking , we recommend an

inspection of the new plans and drawings which we have authority for stating can be seen at the offices of the architects to the Company , Messrs . Pain and Clark , Essex-street , Strand . The builder , Mr . John Oliver , signed his contract for the work on " Monday last , and has engaged to

have the most important portion of the building complete and ready for occupation by the 1 st of September in this year . At the Board meeting on Monday it was resolved to make almost immediate preparation for the laying of the

foundation stone , and it is anticipated that that ceremony will be performed by a hig h Masonic personage , whose convenience will , of course , have to be studied before a date can be absolutely fixed .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . WILLIAM HENRY SMITH , OF HOLYHEAD .

The deeds of the brave and S 2 lf-sacrificing brethren who have , from time to time , taken their place in the Masonic ranks are worthy of a place in a journal which is peculiarly for the Craft ; and , therefore , notice is this week due to the obituary of a worthy brother , who for many

years has been well-known and highly esteemed in Holyhead . The funeral ceremony of Bro . William Henry Smith , proprietor of the Marine Hotel , a member of St . Cy bi Lodge , No . 527 , which took place on Saturday week , was an event of more than ordinary interest , and the

brethren of that and other lodges showed their respect for the deceased b y attending on the occasion in large numbers . Amongst those present were : —Bros . John Ellis , W . M . ; the Rev . O . W . Jones , M . A ., S . W ., and Chaplain ; J . Peters , P . M ., P . G . S . D ., Treasurer ; J . Lloyd ,

J . W . ; A . F . Snelson , J . D . ; It . Parry , Organist ; W . Jones , I . G . ; E . Mellor , P . M . ; W . Lewis , P . M . ; O . R . Ellis , 507 ; J . M . Harden , I . G . 755 ; and about 20 other brethren . The funeral service was impressively read by Bro . Rev . O .

W . Jones , S . W ., Chaplain , and at the proper time the brethren went round the grave , each dropping a sprig of acacia on the mortal remains of the departed brother , all evidently feeling the loss which had been sustained . Bro . W . H . Smith served in Her Majesty ' s customs for

nearly 26 years , and in 1853 he was appointed collector for Beaumaris and its dependencies , from which he retired in 1 S 66 with a wellearned pension . He was not only well known throughout the counties of Carnarvon and Anglesey , where his official duties lay , but also

by repute beyond the United Kingdom , in consequence of his noble exertions in 1859 in succouring those saved from the wreck of the illfated Royal Charter , superintending , on behalf of the Crown , all the operations for recovering the bodies , as well as the specie and cargo . His

zeal was most indefatigable ; and so much were his services appreciated by the friends of those who perished , that a nobleman started a subscription for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to him . Bro . Smith , on hearing of the movement , at once declined to receive anything , stating that if he had done more than his duty

he had only done what humanity dictated . The Treasury , however , were so highly pleased with his services that a special allowance was voted to him , the secretary being instructed to write acknowledging his great zeal and the satisfactory way in which he had carried out his painful and irksome duties . Exposure to the weather and his unwearied exertions laid the seeds of

rheumatism , which compelled htm to accept a pension in 1866 . The deceased who was 52 years 1 of age , died somewhat suddenly on the 5 th inst .

Obituary.

As a mark of respect , the tradespeople in Holyhead closed their places of business during the hour of interment .

Soc : Rosicruc : In Scotia.

SOC : ROSICRUC : IN SCOTIA .

EDINBURGH . —Edinburgh College of the East of Scotland . —A special meeting of this College was held in Freemasons' Hall , Georsre-st ., on

Saturday , the 14 th inst ., presided over by O . Frater John Laurie , Primus Adeptus , VIII . , when the following brethren were admitted ,

members viz . J . M . Coventry , W . S . ; H . J . Dickson , and John A . L . Barnett .

GRAND LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE . The Lodge of Benevolence , met on Wednes day , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . J . M . Clabon , President , Bro . Joshua Nunn , S . V . P ., and

Bro . James Brett , J . V . P . There was a very large large attendance of brethren . There were twenty-one cases relieved with a total of £ 46 , 3 . Of this sum two cases were relieved with ei £ < : o

each , three with £ 40 , and two with £ 30 ; the remainder were relieved with smaller sums . The lodge sat for three hours . Six cases were

deferred for further consideration , not being complete .

Masonic Intelligence.

MASONIC INTELLIGENCE .

T . he rank ol C-iueen s Counsel nas been conferred on Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Grand Junior

Deacon . Bro . Mackey ' s new work has just reached us , and we propose to call the attention of our brethren to it fully , next week .

A Comprehensive Curse For The Freemasons.

A COMPREHENSIVE CURSE FOR THE FREEMASONS .

A Leeds correspondent sends us the Valparaiso Mail , of Jan . 2 , and calls our attention to this paragraph in it : — " The Bishop of Rio Grande and the Masons . —The Bishop of Rio Grande , says the Opinion Nacimiale of Rosario , excommunicated and

anathematized the Masons of that province , cursing them in the name of God the Father , God the Son , and God the Holy Ghost , of St . Peter , St . Paul , and St . Andrew , of all the Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ , of the four Evangelists , of all the Martyrs from the beginning of the

world to the end of time ; he cursed them all by the heavens and the earth , all the things therein , in their houses , when travelling on land and on water , in church , coming , going , eating , drinking , playing , when courting sleep , asleep and awake , walking , riding , sitting , working , and resting , Pie cursed all the power of their bodies , interior

and exterior , their hair , eyes , head , ears , jaws nose , teeth , throat , shoulders , arms , legs , feet , all the joints , and finally wound up as follows : — Curse them , Jesus Christ , Son of the living God , with all the power of thy majesty , and may they be delivered up to eternal condemnation if they do not repent' and confess their faults . Amen . Amen . "

That is as bad a curse as that of Ingoldsbyvide "The Jackdaw of Rheims '"—and approaches that quoted by Sterne in " Tristram Shandy . " This was the curse on . the thievish Jackdaw" He cursed him at board , he cursed him in bed ; From the sole of his foot to the crown of his

head ; He cursed him in sleeping , that every night He should dream of the devil , and wake in a fright ; He cursed him in eating , he cursed him in drinking ,

He cursed him in coughing , in sneezing , in winking ; He cursed him in sitting , in standing , in lying : He cursed him in walking , in riding , in flying , Pie cursed him in living , he cursed him in dying !"

As to the curse of Bishop Ernul phus , of which Mr . Shandy obtained a copy from " the Chapter-Clerk of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester , " some parts could not be reproduced in the columns of the Chatham News—readers of "

Tristam Shandy " will know why . But all three excommunications are tolerably alike in the main —they are of a " common form . " " Our army swore terriby in Flanders , " cried my uncle Toby — " but nothing to this . " We hope not . — Chatham News .