Freemasonry In Bombay.

debentures . That means the yearly payment for some time to come of interest at 4 per cent , and will necessitate that the lodges and other Masonic bodies which use the building will be called upon to pay a hi g her rental for their accommodation .

Everything , however , seems to proceed so smoothly in this favoured district that we have every confidence the amount required will be forthcoming in the form which is considered most desirable .

The District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

THE DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BENGAL .

A mere reference to the Grand Lodge Calendar for the present year will suffice to show that Bro . Sir II . TtiOBY PRINSEP is no longer District Grand Master of Bengal . Some time since he announced in open District Grand Lodge his

intention of resigning the important office he had held for the past 18 years , and since that announcement was made 'his Royal Hig hness the M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to appoint as his successor Bro . Br ' ur .-Gcncral A . G . YEATMAN-BlGGS , C . B .

It seems , however , that Bro . Sir II . PRINSEP more than a year before had made arrangements to hold an emergent meeting under the auspices of one of the up-country lodges , the members ol which , in consequence of their being located at a distance from

Calcutta , have very few opportunities of being present at the meetings of District Grand Lodge in that city . Accordingl y the promised meeting was held under the auspices of Lodge

Independence with Philanthropy , No . 391 , Allahabad , at which Bro . Sir II . PRINSEP appeared as Past District Grand Master , and as representing the actual ruler of the District . There was no such numerous attendance of

District Grand Officers and brethren as is the rule when the District G . Lodge is held in Calcutta , the lodges up-country being very widel y scattered , but this perhaps was , at least in one respect , a fortunate circumstance , as the Past District Grand

Master took the opportunity of referring at some length to a movement which lias , it seems , been . started with a view to obtaining a sub-division of the District , so that one section micrht remain , as at present , under the rule of the District Grand

Lodge of Bengal , and another be constituted into a separate and distinct District Grand Lodge under the rule of some brother hereafter to be appointed . Bro . Sir II . PRINSEP in his remarks pointed out that some short time previous to his appointment in

18 7 8 to the office he had just vacated , a somewhat similar movement was set on foot but came to nothing . He further pointed out that the main argument in favour , then and now , of this sub-division , was based on the distance of the up-country

lodges from Calcutta and the consequent difficulties which brethren experienced in attending District Grand Lodge . He was in a position , however , to show that though this plea may have carried with it a certain weig ht iS or 19 years ago , it had no

such force now . Then the journey to Calcutta occupied several days and cost a round sum of money ; now the journey can be accomplished in a few hours . Moreover , the same difficulties would present themselves if a District Grand Lodge were

established at Lucknow or Allahabad for the up-country lodges , and he pointed to the fact that at the emergent meeting held at Meerut in the autumn of 18 95 , as well as at the meeting then being held , there were in attendance only the representatives of a

few lodges . It would follow , therefore , that the management of the affairs of the new District Grand Lodge would be practicall y in the hands of the representatives of the two or three lodges located at the head-quarters of the said District Grand Lodge ,

and though , as he said , those affairs mig ht be managed equall y as well as now , the arrangement would become less satisfactory than it was at present . He then turned his attention to the position of the Bengal Educational Fund , which had 42 children under

its charge . As showing that the claims of the up-country lodges to a participation in the benefits of this Fund , Bro . Sir II . PRINSEP pointed out , that 22 of these children hailed from up-country , lie further pointed out that the difficulties in maintaining

this Fund in a state of efficiency were sufficiently great with upwards of 40 lodges to appeal to for support , and that those difficulties would be still greater if the District were sub-divided . Asfor the argument that the District was too large he pooh-poohed it , remarking that if Dist . Grand Lodge honours were augmented

The District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

in number , they would cease to be of any value , and he pointed to the far stronger Provinces of East and West Lancashire , and West Yorkshire , in all of which the number of lodges on the roll is far greater than in the District of Bengal . At the conclusion of the address and when the remaining- business bad been

disposed of , Bro . A . PAXTON , Past Dep . Dist . G . M ., rose , and in an eloquent and feeling speech , expressed the gratitude of all present to their Past Dist G . Master , "for that peace and harmony " which had been characteristic of his rule during the past 18 years , and the hope that he would long live to enjoy the

goodwill and hearty good wishes of those who had been associated with him in Freemasonry , but more especiall y of those older members of the Craft , who from their longer experience were in a better position to appreciate the many valuable services he had rendered to the District .

Consecration Of The Guardian Lodge, No. 2625.

CONSECRATION OF THE GUARDIAN LODGE , No . 2625 .

The Guardian Lodge , No . 2 C 25 , was consecrated on the 15 th instant , at the Ship and Turtle Hotel , Leadenhall-street . The new lodge , which is for the City of London , and membership of which is intended for those who are associated in the administration of the Poor I . iw , originated in the City of London Union , its principal mover being Bro . James Tollworthy , a

well-known member of that body . It was to have been consecrated same lime ago , but the convenience of many persons had to be consulted , and delay consequently occurred . At length , however , all obstacles were overcome , and a very large party of brethren were got together to witness the cerenony of launching the new ven tire .

The ceremony was performed by Bro . Edward Letchworth , G . Secretary , Bros . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . W ., acting as S . W . ; Robert Grey , P . G . W ., as J . W . ; the Vm . Archdeacon Stevens , G . C ., as Chaplain ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., as Director of Ceremonies ; and J . Morrison Mcl . ec d , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., as I . G .

The musical pa-t of the service was conducted by Bro . Herbert Schartau , who had for his assistants Bros . Frank Tebbutt , Wm . Fell , and Wingrove Ives .

1 here was a large attendance of brethren . After the lodge had been formally opened , Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , addressing the brethren , said it was unnecessary for him to occupy their time for many moments with any words of his on sich an occasion . They were mtt together for a purpose which could not fail to enlist the sympathies and secure the good wishes of all who had at

heart the good of the Masonic Order . Tne ceremony they were met to perform was a very interesting one , and , at the same time , a very solemn onethe constitution of a new lodge and the dedication " of it to the service of God . He could only hope that the lodge they were about to start into existence that day might be the means of advancing the best interests of the Order , and that it might more particularly accomplish those special objects which he

understood its founders had in view—of uniting those who were associated together in discharging the duty of administration of the Poar Law in connection with the great City of London . He must congratulate the founders of the lodge on the fact that they had in their first Master so accomplished a brother as the one he should shortly have the privilege of installing in the chair of that lodge . He trusted that the lodge had before it a career of unclouded and unbroken prosperity .

Bro . the Ven . Archdeacon STEVENS , in delivering the oration , said : A few days ago , the M . W . Grand Master , before proceeding to lay the foundationstone of a building , referred in brief , but very significant terms to the nature of the Masonic Brotherhood and its responsibilities ; he reminded the brethren at that time assembled , and there were many of them present , that they had been entrusted by the brethren who had gone before them with secrets which no man

had discovered , and he went on to point out that they were entrusted with certain duties to the outside world ; he referred to the early material building that was wrought in days gone by , a work specially in charge of the Order there could be no doubt , and of duty along with it . He ( Archdeacon Stevens ) took it that Masons had a duty before them , the building of a moral edifice , and that was the work they were now met to promote . The world outside Masc iry knew very little of the Masonic but it

mysteries , observed much of the moral edifice j and every one who took part in it had a great responsibility for the way in which the building was reared , in other words , they were judged by their fruits . There were some who spoke slightingly of Masons ; there were others who ridiculed them ; there were many who tl . ought the Order mischievous and irreligious . It rested with Masons to give the lie to each by the way in which they went about their duties

and by the way in which they conducted themselves in the world at large , that men might judge Masonry by its fruits , by the fidelity of Masons , and by their allegiance to those grand principles , brotherly love , relief and truth . Although he spoke with diffidence in the presence of Masons much more experienced than himself , he thought it not inappropriate when they were met to consecrate a new lodge that he should dwell on this great fact that Masonry had its great responsibilities

to the world outside , and it was on an occasion like that to show that Masonry rested upon a very firm foundation , because it was not merely that they met for good fellowship—it had a foundation deeper than that ; they should make known to the world at large and spread abroad in society the principles on which Masonry rested . There could be no doubt that the Guardian Lodge , by its constitution , was connected with , as the Installing Master had reminded them the administration of reliefand the brethren would

, have a special cause to pay attention to that great truth . But more than that , it seemed to him they had a duty to the world at large , to show by thsir conduct that those great principles of Masonry—brotherly love , relief , and truth , were both valued and put in practice by Masons . And , turning from that to what Masonry taught , surely it was practical in its teachings . It taught them to try to become wiser , to acquire