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CONTENTS . LEADERS— PAGE . Freemasonry Abroad ... ... ... ••••¦•6 47 The Craft in Illinois ... ... ... - ¦••64 S

The Masonic Veterans ... ... ¦••¦¦¦ ••••••C 4 Craft Masonry ... ... ... - •••¦¦•6 49 Mark Masonry ... ... ¦•••••••••••65 [ Cryptic Masonry ... ... ... ••••••¦¦•c 5 ' MASONIC NOTESRoyal Masonic Institution for Boys—Cambridge University Examinations ... C 53 Centenary of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1 , Prince Edward Island ... ... C 53

Reviews ... ... ... ••¦ ••••¦••••O 54 Royal Arch ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 654 Board of Benevolence ... ... ... ... ... ... 654 Ledge and Chapter of Instruction ... ... ... ... ... 654 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 054 Hymn—Masonic Gathering at St . Paul ' s ... ... ... ... 655 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 655

Freemasonry Abroad.

FREEMASONRY ABROAD .

As far as our information goes , hrecmasonry in those countries in Europe with which the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom are on terms of friendly intercourse lias fully sustained its reputation during the past year , nor have the attacks of

cither the open and avowed , or the secret enemies of the Craft had the slightest influence upon the strength of the Grand Lodges or the favour they justly enjoy in the estimation of the public . The anti-Masonic Congress , which was held at Trent in the autumn , has thundered forth its anathemas against our

Fraternity , but , for aught we know to the contrary , it has passed through the ordeal unscathed ; at all events , there is no evidence that the onslaught ot the Romish bigots has done it the slightest

harm . On the contrary , the mere fact , on which we commented at the time , that the Congress resolved on establishing charitable institutions wherever Masonic Institutions of that character

already existed , may be said to have done the Society a most essential service . At present , however , we have not heard of any such institutions having been formed in rivalry to ours ; if there have been , we charitably wish them God-speed in their

kindly enterprises . As regards the personnel of the European Grand Lodges , there is only one change of importance , and that is in the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , of which Bro . W . SCHVVAN'CK

is Grand Secretary , in place of Bros . PAUL A . I ' xiiEllAC . EN and M . S . MEYER , who , according to our Grand Lodge Calendar , jointly discharged the duties of the office at the close of last year . In Sweden there is at least one most auspicious event which is

worthy of being recorded , namely , that king OSCAR II . has completed a period of 25 years' presidency over the Craft in his kingdom , and considering how close has been the alliance between the Swedish and English Grand Lodges , and that his

Majesty is a Past Grand Master of the latter , it is somewhat of a surprise to us that it has been allowed to pass unnoticed by our Grand Lodge . But after all , when we speak of " Freemasonry Abroad , " our mind naturally reverts to that vast body

of English-speaking Masons which nourishes under the jurisdiction of upwards of half-a-century of other Grand Lodges , some of which arc located in British Territory , but the bulk of which are organised throughout the States and Territories of the United States of North America . Between them and us the

strongest feeling and fraternal sympathy exists , and we earnestly hope that no political or other crisis may ever occur that shall have the effect of in the slightest degree weakening the tie that has bound us together so long and so greatl y to our mutual advantage . In our opinion , 110 greater evidence of the strength

Freemasonry Abroad.

of that tie is to be found anywhere than in the fact that two of the oldest and most influential among the American Grand Lodges—those of New York and Pennsylvania—the General Grand Chapter of the United States , and the Masonic Veterans ' Association of Illinois forwarded through H . R . H . the Prince of

WALES , our M . W . G . Master , addresses of congratulation to her Majesty Queen VICTORIA on the completion of the 60 th year of her beneficent reign , nor among the innumerable addresses of

a similar character which the QUEEN has received do wc imagine there arc many that can have afforded her Majesty a greater measure of gratification .

Among the more noteworthy events that have occurred in

the United States during the year 1 So . 7 are the centenary celebrations of the Grand Chapter of Maryland and the General Grand Chapter of the United States . Both these bodies date their constitution from the year 1797 , and both , after

experiencing many , and even serious , vicissitudes of fortune , have at length succeeded in attaining to a very high degree of prosperity , the General Grand Chapter , which regulates and directs the general interests of Royal Arch Masonry under the Stars and

Stripes , being composed of the representatives of the Grand Chapters of 45 States and Territories , with an aggregate membership of between 175 , 000 and 180 , 000 Royal Arch Masons . The celebration of its centenary was held in

Baltimore , in which City it was only natural that the General Grand Chapter should meet with a most enthusiastic welcome , not only because Maryland , of which it is the capital , was one of the earliest to assist in giving it stability , but also because the

General Grand II . P . —Comp . GEORGE L . McC . vilAX—was a Marylander . In respect of Craft Masonry , the statistics , for the careful and accurate compilation of which we are indebted to Bro . JOSIAII II . DRi ' . MMONl ) , Past G . Master of Maine ,

show that in North America there are at the present time 57 Grand Lodges , with a total membership of close upon 805 , 000 . But from these must be deducted the seven Grand Lodges of Canada ( Province of Ontario ) , Quebec , Nova Scotia ,

New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , Manitoba , and British Columbia , with , a membership of about 35 , 000 , ' so that the Masons in the United States who are subscribing members ol lodges number about 770 , 000 , the Grand Lodge of New York

taking the lead with over . So , 000 , while the Grand Lodges of Pennsylvania , Illinois , Massachusetts , Ohio , Michigan , and others that might be mentioned are likewise very strong . Templar Masonry , which enjoys a very high degree of popularity , musters

in all some 112 , 000 members distributed amongst 44 Grand Commanderies , the strongest of which are those of Massachusetts and Rhode Island , New York , and Pennsylvania , each of which can point to a membership of 11 , 000 , while Cryptic Masonry has

under its banner between 15 , 000 and 20 , 000 members distributed amongst some 34 Grand Councils , about two-thirds of which are presided over by a General Grand Council , just as the Templars have their Grand Encampment . It will thus be seen that as far as

members and organisation go , these bodies have had their full share of the prosperity which has been enjoyed by Craft Masonry . Then there is the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rile , which is organised in two grand divisions , of which one is

known as the Supreme Council , 53 ° , for the Southern Jurisdiction U . S . A ., with its Grand East at Charleston , and the other as the Supreme Council , 33 ' , for the Northern Jurisdiction , U . S . A ., with its Grand East at Boston , Mass . Both these bodies keep pace with the Craft , Arch , Templar , and Cryptic