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CONTENTS . - PAGE . LRADERSFreemasonry Abroad ... ... . ••• 6 S 3 Masonic Clothing and Regalia ... ... ... — 68 + The Story of the Old Charges ... ... ... ... ... 6 S 5 Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire ... ... ... GS 5 Provincial Grand Chapter of Nottinghamshire—Installation of Comp . Judge W .

Masterman as G . Supt . of Nottinghamshire ... ... ... 6 S 6 Consecration of the Leyton Lodge , No . 2626 ... ... ... 687

MASONIC NOTESChristmas Greeting ... ... ... ... — . . .. 6 S 9 Approaching Festival of the R . M . B . L ... ... ... ... 6 S 9 Centenary of the South Saxon Lodge , No . 311 ... ... ... 6 S 9 Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... 690 Great Priory ... ... ... ... ... ... 690

"Send-off" Dinner to Bro . Will E . Chapman ... ... ... 691 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 692 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 694 Board of Benevolence ... ... ... ... ... ... ^ 94 Our Portrait Gallery ... ... ... ... ... ... C 94 Masonic and C—> eral Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 696

Preemasonry Abroad.

PREEMASONRY ABROAD .

Our annual review of Freemasonry in the British Empire invariably occupies so much of our time and the space at our disposal that the remarks we may have to make on the Craft in other countries are usually relegated to a separate article and

even then we are unable to do more than furnish a few particulars of a more or less general character . As regards Freemasonry in Europe , the facts that have commanded our notice are few in number . We remark that the Protectorship of H . R . H . Prince

FREDERICK LEOPOLD OF PRUSSIA , winch has hitherto been limited to the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes at Berlin , has now been extended to the other Berlin Grand Lodges , namely , the Grand National Lodge and the Grand Lodge Royal York of Friendship ,

but the changes in the personnel of the three lodges are few in number , the most important beingthesubstitution of Bro . HERAiANN MUMMENTHEY for Bro . CARL A . BOUCIIE as Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge Royal York of Friendship . Bros . General VON

REINHARDT and FRIEDRICH ENGEIL are Grand and Deputy Grand Masters respectively of the Grand Lodge of the Sun at Bayreuth . Bro . HENRI BERGE is Grand Master of the Grand Orient of

Belgium , while the vacant office of Grand Master of the United Grand Orient of Portugal , has been filled by the election of Bro . Dr . BERNARDINO ALACHADO . As to the character of the Craft on

the continent of Europe , there is no reason to suj > pose that it has altered in any respect . In Germany , Sweden , Denmark , and one or two other States , it adheres more or less strictly to that of Freemasonry in the United Kingdom , but elsewhere it concerns

itself very particularly with the political and religious controver'~ - of the day and is as unlike the Freemasonry we preach and practise as possible . Hence the antagonism which exists between Masonry and the Roman Catholic Church and which

seems to become more and more bitter every year ; though why the Romish priesthood should persist in condemning the whole Masonic body , because certain sections of it deliberately violate both the letter and spirit of its laws , passes our

comprehension . The anti-Masonic Congress , which met at Trent during the autumn , has certainly not done much towards strengthening the position of the Romish Church as against Masonry , and for this principal reason—in Protestant countries the Freemasons are indifferent to the anathemas which are

launched against them ; in Roman Catholic countries they treat them with contempt or resent them . Possibly , however , some good may result from the determination of the Congress to establish Charitable Institutions wherever such have been already established b y the Freemasons . It is difficult to imagine that

Preemasonry Abroad.

two antagonistic bodies can work together , side by side , in behalf of the same laudable object without acquiring a knowledge of each other ' s merits , and in time , perhaps , exchangin < r courtesies

and compliments . If such a result as this should follow from the anti-Masonic Congress of the present year , it will not have been held in vain .

But , though we admire and respect the Craft in Germany , Sweden , Denmark , and wherever else in Europe it abides , as we have said , more or less closely by its fundamental principles , when we think or speak of Freemasonry abroad , it is towards the

brethren in the United States that our attention is more especiall y directed . Though more than a hundred years have elapsed since those States—or at least such of those as were once British Colonies—were separated from us , both politically and

Masonically , and though , in the course of time , some of the Grand Lodges then established have deviated from sundry of the rites and observances of Freemasonry—matters which are ceremonial rather than essential—we still hold them to be a part of our

Masonic system . What are now the Grand Lodges of New York , Massachusetts , Pennsylvania , & c , were originally Provincial Grand Lodges under our Grand Lodge . Their laws are derived from or modelled after our laws ; and their ritual

is in the main ours . And as those earlier Grand Lodges derived from us , so their middle-aged—if the word may be applied to bodies corporate—and younger G . Lodges have derived from them . In fact , the Masons of the United States , though rano-ed

under 50 Grand Lodges , with those of the United Kingdom , its Colonies and possessions , form one immense family , having but one Masonic faith in common , and iiUreprcting the articles of that faith uniformly , at least , in all things essential . Thus what

happens in the jurisdictions of the several Grand Lodges of the United States creates amongst us almost as deep an interest as what happens in our own lodges and Provinces . Hence it is that we rejoice always when we hear that Freemasonry in this

English-speaking country is prosperous , and grieve when there is rumour of anything happening which has seriously affected , or is likely to affect , its fortunes . Happily , the course of its progress has been seldom interrupted . Some 70 years ago there

was a strong Anti-Masonic fever set in , but it had its origin for the most part in the keen rivalry of political parties , and quickly died out . Now , though the Craft , no doubt , has its enemies , those enemies are able to do it but little harm . The few

hundreds of brethren on the lodge rolls a century since have grown to some hundreds of thousands , while the Chapters , the Councils , the -Consistories , & c , are proportionately numerous . It is . indeed , marvellous , how the Americans of the United States

have taken to Freemasonry , and how numbers upon numbers of its foremost citizens delight in preaching , and , what is more to the pointjpractisingitstenetsand principles . Latterl y the brethren in several of the jurisdictions have given a more practical turn to

their Freemasonry , and have devoted their energies to the establishment of Masonic Homes for the Aged , the Widow , and the Orphan , some of these Homes being entirely educational , while others are intended for the poor brother and his widow . The result

has been the institution of the Home at Utica by the Grand Lodge of New York , of that in Philadelphia by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and of others in other States , the outcome of

the latest effort in this direction being the raising of a sum of 50 , 000 dollars towards the Kentucky Masonic Home , which it is proposed to establish a short time hence when the Grand Lodge celebrates the centenary of its constitution , as a memorial