Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

believed sincerely that the same feelings which had actuated hiai from boyhood—namely , of speaking as he thought , and acting on sincere convictions—had actuated his lordship in the case . Still , he ( Bro . Latham ) could not but wonder that the first mandate , which seems to

have come from the Vatican , did not in some measure shake his lordship ' s resolution . When he found that the first condition of leaving his faith was that he must say farewell to a society of which he must have never known anything but good , which was a great promoter of charity ,

he mig ht well have hesitated in the step which he had taken . He had a more intimate knowledge of the Craft than any one in England , and he must have known that there was no moral or social reason why he should become disassociated with it . By the mandate he had received he had

to say " good bye" to those with whom he had been intimately associated for many years ; and this severance of ties was conveyed in a letter which was so short as to appear positively discourteous . In this letter there was not one word of desire for the welfare of the Craft , nor

any expression or regret—the only expression of feeling which it contained being the hope that the brethren would not be inconvenienced by his resignation , but without one word of sympathy . He ( Bro . Latham ) was there to return thanks for a body without a head . All

they wanted now , however , was time and opportunity to recruit their forces . He hoped the Earl of Chester would accept the offer matle to him of presiding over the Craft , but if he and his advisers thought it better for the Craft that one so near the throne should not sit on the Masonic

throne of this country , but continue to occupy the present position which he held , he ( Bro . Latham ) felt there remained plenty of true and noble men to take the Grand Mastership—men like the head of the Province of Cheshire—who were perfectly able to preside over the daft , under

whose presidency the Grand Lodge would not lose its lustre , nor the Craft generally lose the glory of its name for charity and benevolence , attained under the presidency of him whose absence they now deplored .

The toast of " The Right Hon . Lord de Tabley , R . W . P . G . M ., " and others of of a Masonic nature , were subsequently given . Excellent music was furnished during the evening by Bros . Halliday , Knowles , and Cuzner , and Mr . Orme , the accompaniments being played by Bro . Kirk , P . G . O .

The Marquis Of Ripon And The Craft.

THE MARQUIS OF RIPON AND TH * CRAFT .

However much Protestant readers and brethren may regret the perversion of the Marquis of Ripon , it is quite clear according to the fundamental principles of Freemasonry—unconcerned

as it is with questions of a religious or political nature—tbat the individual right of following any special form of worship cannot be violated . Tlie Grand Master of Freemasons in England in a somewhat curt way conveyed his resignation

to Grand Lodge , and however suggestive the phraseology to those acquainted with the forms of procedure common to perverts , it was , as Hamlet says , " caviare to the general . " Yet , if disposed , he was in his right .

But these spectral appearances happening now and again in a century , of the falling oft * of a good man from a brave and honest profession of faith , need not dismay us . On the other hand the very shallowness of modern political Jesuits

is the thing to be wondering at ! Great jubilation has been entertained in the Roman Catholic camp upon the important conquest of a large income ; for to the conqueror the

comparative jeopardy of a soul or two can be nothing when their chief holds the keys of Heaven and Hell . Hence to them , judiciously , or otherwise , overlaying the pervert ' s ^' conscience with purgatorial asbestos , warranted to preserve

" the delig hted spirit To bathe in fiery floods , " it matters little or nothing . The fact remaining that the gain to Romanists may be represented on the present occasion as being exactly equal to zero , Of course the fealty of the Marquis of Ripon is transferred—

The Marquis Of Ripon And The Craft.

his brother Pius IX . of Rome is now his master—to him and his subordinates he owes an allegiance if he be aught of a man , which should be , in truth undivided . It is , in fact , impossible to temporize with Rome—bnt it is equally

impossible to avoid such occurrences as the present . That , however , Freemasonry is likely to suffer cannot be entertained for a moment . The present state of things will ultimately do more good than harm . The secession of an

individual , however distinguished , is after all only the secession nf an individual , and , for my part , if our late Grand Master finds comfort environed by the sophistries of the Jesuits , I wish him a good viaticum and a happy

deliverance . Sep . 18 , 1874 . CRYPTOXIMUS .

The New Masonic Hall, Hobart Town.

THE NEW MASONIC HALL , HOBART TOWN .

One of the handsomest buildings recentl y erected in Hobart Town is the above hall . It is situated next the Savings Bank in Murraystreet . The foundation stone was laid on Thursday , the 20 th March , 1873 , by His Excellency the Governor , in the presence of a large muster of the members of the Order and

visitors . It has been erected from plans and specifications furnished b y Mr . H . Hunter , architect ; Mr . J . Gregory being the builder , and the handsome edifice , now nearly- completed , reflects great him on him . The style of the building is Italian , of a

plain and unpretending character , and is of brown stone , relieved with white dressings or mouldings . The entrance is from Murraystreet , and is approached by a flight of seven stone steps , leading to a lobby and spacious entrance hall , 2 jft . ' x 9 ft . The ground floor

consists of a fine banqueting hall , 33 ft . y . 25 ft ., with a height of 14 ft . 6 in ., with a handsome panelled ceiling ; off " the banqueting room isa library and reading room , 20 ft . x i ( 5 ft . ; committee room , rjft . 3 in . x 12 ft . pin . The domestic offices are all below , and are fitted

with every requisite comfort and convenience . Under the grand staircase is a lavatory , & c . The top floor comprises a spacious landing , robing room , ifjft . 6 in . x 15 ft . , 3 in ., ante room , 20 ft . x 16 ft . The lodge room is a very fine chamber , 20 ft . high , and 4 . 3 ft . x 25 ft . It has a

handsomely encircled cornice and panelled ceiling , with a frieze of cornice and Masonic emblems . The room is lighted by five windows , and from the centre flower a 72 burner gas light , specially imported from England , will be suspended . At one end of the hall is a raised

platform , on which the Master of the lodge sits . The Ionic pillars are beautifully got up , as also are the Corinthian and Doric pillars . The tympanum ofthe pediment over the entrance has the all-seeing eye in the centre on a shield , surrounded by handsomely carved foliage ,

interlaced with Masonic emblems , the same being introduced throughout the building wherever convenient . The whole of the plaster work is specially worthy of mention ; the cornices and mouldings in the chief room reflect great crsdit on the workmen , and were done by three

brothers named Paton . The furniture to be used will be that belonging to the Tasmanian Operative Lodge , 34 J , I . C ., which meets at Riley ' s Hotel in Murraystreet . When thc building is finished and opened it will be one of the handsomest Masonic halls in the colonies , and reflects great credit on the spirited and enterprising gentlemen who conceived the idea of building such a hall , and have so successfully carried out their undertaking .

Germany possesess at the present time 32 J Masonic lodges , with altogether about , 30 , 000 members , under eight German Grand Lodges of different rites , of which three are at Berlin , and the others are those of Saxony , Hamburg ( the oldest in Germany ) , Frankforton-the-Maine , Bairettth , and Hessen ,

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . SAMUEL SOMERVIL ., E . The grave closed , on the iSth inst ., over the remains of an old Mason who was much respected and beloved in Edinburgh . Bro . Dr . Samuel Somerville , Hart-street , Treasurer of the Royal

College of Physicians , whose sudden death on Saturday last cast a deep gloom over a wide circle of friends and patients . The place of interment was the family vault at Carnwrath , and the funeral was attended by the President ,

Council and Fellows of the College in their official costume , and by a large train of friends and acquaintances , as well from Edinburgh as from the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire . The funeral service was conducted by the Very

Reverend the Dean of Edinburgh . Bro . Dr . Somerville was the representative of the ancient family of Somerville of Ampherlaw , near Carnwrath , and was held in hi gh estimation in that neighbourhood , both as an improving proprietor

and a most honourable and upright man . As Treasurer of the College of Physicians , he proved himself an excellent man of business , and had the gratification of knowing that the institution had attained unprecedented prosperity

during Jus tenure of office . Every one acquainted with him well knew his gentlemanl y bearing and his genial and unobtrusive manner . But his more immediate friends alone knew how deep were his feelings and attachments , and how

anxious he was to consult their welfare . To some of them , indeed , his loss can never bo replaced . Bro . Dr . Somerville had attained to the highest degree in Freemasonry , and was greatly esteemed by the brethren . He also represented

in Scotland the Grand Lodge of Ireland . In politics he was a staunch Tory of the old school , as he was dolighted to declare all his forefathers

had been before him . Th" immediate cause of his death was found to be the ruptuio « r aneurism in the chest , and he passed away with " out any struggle .

BRO . J AMES HAMER . On Friday , " 18 th inst ., Bro . James Hamer , for many years closely identified with Masonry in Liverpool and district , died at his house in Crown-street , Liverpool , after a serious illness ,

which lasted for exactly seven weeks . Our deceased brother was conspicuously known for eleven years as P . G . Treas . of the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire , and for many years he was familiarly known to the brethren , as

P . M . of several lodges , P . Z . of more than one chapter , and P . M . of a local Mark Lodge . The deceased was for 34 years a Mason in Liverpool , and during the whole of his Masonic career lie endeared himself to every brother in the district , as much by his Masonic zeal and ability

as well as by his invariable courtesy and brotherly feeling . He was for some time identified with the Liverpool Licensed Victuallers' Association as chairman , and therefore he will for some time be very much missed in many circles . His funeral , which took place on Tuesday , was of a private nature .

HOLLOWAY ' PILLS . —The most popular medicine fur tlie cure of female complaints . After many years'experience it is incontestibly proved tliat there is no medicine equal to Holloway ' s Pills for the cure of diseases incidental to females , and for the subjection ot the many ailments to which the young- and delicate arc liable . The invigorating and purifying properties of Holloway ' s

medicine render it invaluable . They may be taken by females of all ages for any disorganisation or irregularity of the system , speedily remove the cause , and thus restore the sufferer to robust health . As a family medicine they are unequalled , and may be taken by old and young , renewing health and energy after all other means have proved unsuccessful . — ADVT .