Freemasonry Abroad.

bodies , and there are scattered here and there other offshoots of Masonry , which are continually being strengthened by the acquisition of new members , whose zeal and ability are undoubted . But the most gratifying feature

which we have noticed for some years past in connection with United States Freemasonry is the greater encouragement which is being given to the . establishment ol " Charitable Institutions in connection with the Craft , Charity has always been in America

as elsewhere , the distinguishing characteristic of Masonry , but now that the Craft has assumed such enormous proportions , it has become necessary to make larger , and for the general convenience , permanent provision for indigent brethren and their

belongings , and we are glad lo perceive that the establishment of these permanent institutions , which are known for the most part as Masonic Homes , and are devoted lo benevolent and educational purposes , has latterly been receiving increased

encouragement , so that in the course of the next few years we look to see every Grand Lodge jurisdiction throughout the United States ampl y furnished in this respect . We g ladl y notice also thai the monstrous idea which has gained favour in Wisconsin and resulted in the formulation of what is known as the

Wisconsin system of relief , is being rejected on all sides , and that the Gran Dieta of Mexico is , except here and there , about equall y friendless . Our United States brethren must excuse us if on more than one occasion we have spoken of their proneness to

innovation , but even they are sure to admit that Wisconsin ideas about Masonic Charily and the pseudo-Masonic organisation , which passes current for " pure and anlienl" Masonry in

Mexico are bevond their acceptance , and we trust they will ever remain of this opinion . In the meantime , United States Freemasonry has our sincerest wishes for its continued success and prosperil v .

The Craft In Illinois.

THE CRAFT IN ILLINOIS .

The Grand Lodge of Illinois held its 58 th Annual Communication in Chicago early in the month ol October last , when Bro . OWEN SCOT !' , M . W . G . Master , presided , and then ; were

present Grand Officers and the representatives of nearl y 700 lodges , the number in attendance being set down at yiS . The Grand Master ' s address necessarily covered a good deal of

ground , but the bulk of the matters he dealt with wen ; of local interest . He , however , spoke in favour ol the proposed memorial service to lie held at Mount Vernon and b y Grand Lodges and lodges on the 100 th Anniversary of the death ol Bro . General

GEORGE WASHINGTON , while the Grand Lodge passed a resolution unfavourable to " any form or system of life membershi p " being adopted b" its constituent lodges . The returns show that there are 722 lodges on the roll of this Grand Lodge , the

aggregate number of subscribing members being upwards of 53 , 000 . The installation of the new Grand Master—Bro . EDWARD COOK—proved more than usuall y attractive , not so much from the manner in which the ceremony was performed as

from the fact that Bro . 1 ) . C . CREGIER , Past G . Master , who acted as Grand Marshal on the occasion , had 34 years previousl y initialed the Grand Master-elect into the mysteries and privileges of our Order .

It is not , however , with the proceedings in Grand Lodge so much as with the Report on Correspondence compiled b y Bro . JOSEPH ROBBINS , that we are desirous of dealing . To judge from the ; particulars furnished of this report in the I ' oice of

Masonry for October , Bro . ROBBINS would seem to have directed his attention to more of the vexed questions which are stirring the minds of onr brethren in the United Stales than is usuall y the case with the Grand Lodge reporters , and to have spoken his

mind on each with the utmost clearness and precision . Those who may desire to know more of the subjects reviewed b y Bro . ROBBINS and the opinions he has expressed thereon than is possible in the compass of a single article will do well to read

the half dozen pages devoted to the report in our contemporary But it will serve to g ive a very good general idea ol the subjects dealt with if we mention as among the more important those of

Masonic Homes and Degrees . As regards the former liro ROBBINS says that on the whole "the institutional method is neilhei the most economical nor the most desirable method ol Masonic

The Craft In Illinois.

relief . On the subject of Degrees , apropos of the contention of Bro . GREENLEAF , of Colorado , that " Masonry was ' a perfect system at the start' indeed , more perfect than to-day , " it is Bro ROBBINS ' opinion that "like every other human institution it is

an example of evolution from the simple to the more complex " and he argues "that if it is a known fact instead of a remarkable supposition "—that "the lodge of 16 31 "—mentioned b y Bro . COXDER , " was in possession of the csotery which has

descended to us "—though it mi g ht " establish the anti quity of Masonry as set forth in its traditions " it would " prove nothiivv as tothe truth of traditions which refer to a period some thousands of years ago as the date when Freemasonry first existed

amonomen . " On the subject of Masonic Mutual Relief Association and the commendation bestowed on such a scheme by the Grand Master ol " the District of Columbia , he writes very strono-ly declaring that " the attempt to engraft the insurance feature on

the institution itself is revolutionary , and Grand Lodges in permitting the same have been derelict in their duty . That duty is not supervision , but prohibition . " The Gran Dieta of Mexico we may be sure , is not lost si g ht of . He is very outspoken

against that body and expresses his belief that its " final dissolution " is " imminent . " He also deals with the questions of Masonic relief and jurisdiction over rejected candidates , the latter being a subject peculiarl y American , to which we have

referred from time to time in former articles , and as it is not a question that greatl y interests us , there is no need for us to go further into it . As to " Masonic Relief , " the Wisconsin theory he regards as being " practically dead " and he is evidentl y

deli g hted with the fact . " The general consensus , " he remarks , " had not onl y been overwhelmingl y against it , but on such fundamental grounds as to leave no hopeor fear—of a change of front . The manner in which it has

been handled b y most Grand Lodges leaves no doubt of their being safely grounded in the charitable faith which reflects the primary engagements b y the Craft . There was need of the reassurance which the response to this overture has given . The

open advocacy of reimbursement for so-called Charity , the legislation against non-affiliates—prompted b y and reflecting the theory that the ri g ht to relief in distress ( as well as other Masonic rights ) is contingent upon cash contributions , and not

upon the possession ol the Masonic status ; the toleration of the use by business enterprises , variously called mutual benefit , benevolent , indemnity , or insurance associations of the prefix ' Masons' or 'Masonic , ' and the fact that in one or two instances

Grand Lodges had taken the initiative in organising associations so named , and other outcroppings from a common commercial root , all showed that Masonry was being honeycombed b y its environment of imitative Societies , from which its ranks are

largel y recruited , and yet nobod y knew how much . " There are other comments equally noteworthy in the summary g iven of Bro . ROBBINS ' Report ; but for these we must refer our readers to the pages of our contemporary . We have said enough lo illustrate its merits .

The Masonic Veterans.

THE MASONIC VETERANS .

Since writing my article on the above subject for the Diamond Jubilee . Freemason , I have obtained more information as to some of the Associations referred to , especiall y as to the one formed in 188 X for Brooklyn , New York State . This Society was duly incorporated , as from the 15 th December . 1888 , and was

then composed of 47 founders . The By-laws which are operative at the present time , wen revised and adopted on February 25 th , 18 94 , and are of a yen interesting character . A new edition was also quite receiitl ) published . The aims of the Veterans are well expressed in tin

preamble , viz . : " Its objects shall be to perpetuate existing friendships and fraternal ties , and form new ones ; pay the final tribute of respects lo its departed members and

preserve in its archives a memorial of them , and proclaim thai the fraternal bonds of our youth are not weakened b y age , nor our interest in the Fraternity aiui good fellowshi p dimmed b y passing years . " The Officers are Brothers John W . Molt , Musi Vencrabh