Dedication Of A Masonic Lodge At Jerusalem.

Canada , vested in us for that purpose , and at the humble petition of our rig ht trusty and well beloved brethren , Rob Morris , J ohn Sheville , Rolla Floyd , Richard Beardsley , Charles Netter ,

Peter Bergheim , Robert Macoy , fames M , Howry , C . W . Nash , George D . Norris , A . T , Metcalf , Alexander A . Stephenson , Chauncey M Hatch , Martin H . Rice , John W . Rison , A . J

Wheeler , John Scott , Albert G . M . Mackey , John H . Brown aud DeWitt C . Cregier , do hereby constitute the said brethren into a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , under the title or

denomination of The Royal Solomon Mother Lodge , No . 293 ; the said lodge to meet at the city of Jerusalem , or adjacent places in Palestine , on the first Wednesday of every month ;

empowering them , in the said lodge , when duly congregated , to make , pass , and raise Freemasons , according to the ancient customs of the Craft in all ages and nations , throughout the world . " Given under our hand and the seal of the

Grand Lodge , at Hamilton , this 17 th February , A . L . 5873 , A . n . 1873 . By command of the M . W . Grand Master , "THOMAS WHITE , J ., D . G . M .

"TIIOMVS B . HARRIS , Grand Secretary . " l . ' nder this authority the Rev . Bro . John Sheville left New York , April 8 th , conferred with a Masonic company at Cairo , Egypt , 2 nd ;

may arrived atjerusalem May 6 th ; finally on the 7 th of May , the clay named in the warrant , organised the lodge . Collecting together twelve of the resident and

visiting Masons of Jerusalem , including four of those specilied in the warrant , Bro . Sheville entered the vast and gloomy vault at two p . m ., and proceeded , with guides and lighted torches ,

to "the Chamber of the Brotherly Covenant " already named , where the Masonic emblems , engraved by Dr . Morris in 1 S 6 S , remain to designate the place . Upon a square plate which marks the centre of the chamber the essential

objects constituting the " Great Lights" of Masonry , were displayed in traditional order . A proper arrangement of officers and members followed , and the well-known forms ol

organising the lodge and dedicating the work to the royal patron , King Solomon , were proceeded with . On the same evening a resident of Jerusalem , a gentleman of distinction , was initiated .

The first act of the new lodge , after the Grand Marshal had pronounced the organisation perfect , was to declare that " all Master Masons who are members of the American Holy Land

Exploration are hereby recognised as lionoran members of No . 293 , with corresponding rank . " The number of these is some two thousand .

Il has been demonstrated by instruments that the floor of this cavern is higher than the surface of the temple site , a quarter of a mile south , and as the great stones which still remain ia the

walls around Mount Moriah unquestionably had their origin in this quarry , much light is thrown by this fact upon the manner of moving them . The operatives had only to construct an inclined

plane and roll these blocks , which are twenty , thirty anil forty feet iu length , down to their places . Our readers who know that the Masonic Order in the United States and Canada are

Dedication Of A Masonic Lodge At Jerusalem.

reckoned at a half million members , in 9 , lodges , will not wonder at the interest taken in this movement by the American Craft at large . That the Order " sprung from the east and moved

to the west " is an admitted fact in Masonic history , and as the Masonic membership of the world is less than a million , the American branch represents more than half the entire body . That

there is a general uniformit y in Masonic ceremonies and secrets the world over was fully established by Dr . Morris ' s researches in 1 S 6 S . and confirmed by the observations of Mr . Seward ,

two years after . But the Americans have taken hold of Freemasonry in a broader sense than other people . It has entered more deeply into the business and domestic relations of the people .

Sixteen periodicals are devoted to the instruction of its members . This very month , when the remains of the American Ambassador to Russia , Governor James Lawrence Orr , reached New

York , the guard of honour , at his own dying request , consisted mainly of Freemasons . In the beginning of June a convention of more than two thousand Masons , representing 700 lodges .

met in New York to consult upon matters of interest to the fraternity . At this moment there is a Convention holding in New York , of

delegates from eyery State and Territory in the Union , arranging the Rituals of the Royal and Select Masters' Degrees of Masonry . Under this view of the condition of the world-wide

institution in America , it was thought eminently fitting that the first lodge in the Holy Land , should go ' •' from the west to the east , " and so

the light and knowledge of thirty centuries should be returned , as Christianity and science had already been returned , to the place from whence it came .

To the Past Grand Master of Kentucky , Rob Morris , LL . D ., is due the inception of the plan , and to the liberality of some two

thousand of the Masonic fraternity , under his earnest appeals for five years , its successful accomplishment .

The condition of societ y in the Turkish empire , social and civil , is extremely encouraging just now to the establishment of Masoniclodg

there , and it is proposed during the coming year to organise them in sufficient number at Joppa , Acre , Nazareth , and Nablou to justify the formation of the Grand Lodge of Palestine . It is known that the ancient Craft is favoured

by the Sultan , Abdul Aziz , and that a good proportion ol the Pachas and high officials are members in the Craft . The celebrated Fuad Pacha , long Grand Vizier of Turkey , was a

warm advocate of Masonry , and at his death was Deputy Grand Master of Turkey , under the English Constitution . The Sultan , some j'cars since , commanded one of his favourite

Secretaries to "join the Masons and tell him who they are and what they do . " He did so , and reported so favourably of " the hig h character of the members , the innocence and propriety

of their secrets , their devotion to good order and decorum , their abhorrence of p lots and conspiracies agaiii ; t the civil powers , " Sc , that the

imperial inquirer let it he known [ mm that time forward that he was favourable lo the sons of King Solo lion ( Melek Suleyniaii ; and theii work . " This adds his name to a royal and

Dedication Of A Masonic Lodge At Jerusalem.

imperial group of patrons of Masonry , which is worthy of record . William , Emperor of Germany , is a Freemason of forty years' standing ; also his son , the

Heir Apparent of the Empire . The father of Victoria , Queen of Britain , was a Freemason , also three of her sons , and herself , by royal consent , Patron of the Order .

Victor Emmanuel , King of Italy , is a Mason ; as is also his son Amadeus , the late Ring of Spain . To them might be added the Kings of Holland and Sweden , and a host of princes and the nobility of Europe .

The want of a society like Freemasonry is more keenly felt in the Turkish empire , and particularly in Palestine , than in any other country in the world . So numerous are the

religions , so keen the religious hatreds and feuds , that quarrels , such as those reported at Bethlehem a few weeks since , illustrate the normal condition of the country . Mohammedan , Christian , and

Jew have no common ground of union there , except on the checkered pavement of the lodge . This is proved by the facts collected in Dr . Morris' Masonic researches there . He found in

Smyrna seven lodges , no two of which employed the same language in their rituals , and whose members represented all the religions of the Levant , yet meeting and associating in a harmony

which is a standing marvel to those who are familiar with the jarrings and contentions so common in the city . So at Damascus and elsewhere , in the private convocations of Freemasons

to hear the Masonic lectures of Dr . Morris , the Consuls of France , Italy , England , Germany , Persia , the United States , & c , joined hands

with Pashas , Sheikhs , Beys , Cadis , Karniakams , Americans , Protestants , Greeks and Tews , in the one work of giving and receiving pleasure . — New York Herald .

Another Masonic Hall In New Zealand.

ANOTHER MASONIC HALL IN NEW ZEALAND .

The Masons of New Zealand seem to be in earnest in the great work . It is only a fortnight ago we had to record the laying the foundation of a Masonic hall at Timaru , now we copy the following from the Grey River Argus : —

lhe , consecration and dedication of the new Masonic Hall , on the 22 nd May , took place at Grey mouth , in the presence of perhaps the largest gathering of the fraternity ever assembled at any time on the West Coast .

'lhe first Masonic lodge was established at Greyniotith on 20 th March , J 86 " 8 , under the English Constitution . The founders at first held their meetings at the Albion Hotel , but the accommodation becoming too limited for the rapidly

increasing members ol the Masonic body , the lodge was removed to a fine hall , built expressly for Masonic purposes by Messrs . Gilmer Brothers . The brethren of the Scottish Rite formed a lodge under their own Constitution , and inaugurated it on St . Andrew ' s Day , 1 S 71 .

Both lodges held their meetings in the same , building , but the still increasing numbers of the . fraternity justified the leading members of both lodges in considering tint the time had arrived when the Freemasons should erect -a bniMine :

over which they would have sole control . A joint stock company was formed , all the members of which are Masons . A suitable site was secured , and on 271 ) 1 December , 18 72 , the

Feast of St , John the khangelist , by special itispciis ' . ttiou from the District Grand Lodge , Lite foundation stone was laid with . Masonic hoiio" : ' .-. by Bro . Jam-is Kerr , W . M ., Greyinouth Lodg .- .