Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

EDINBURGH . The brethren of St . Stephen ' s Lodge , No . 145 , held their annual meeting on Wednesday , the 27 th ultimo , in the Guildford Hotel , for the purpose of installing the office-bearers and celebrating the festival of St . John the Evangelist . Bro . John Thompson , R . W . M ., who presided ,

having opened the lodge in due form , at once proceeded to instal Bro . Robert S . Brown as R . AV . M . for the ensuing year , which ceremony he performed in an able and impressive manner . Bro . Brown having been duly installed in the chair of K . S ., thereupon proceeded to instal

his colleagues 111 their respective offices as follows : Bros . William Hawley , Depute Master ; George Drummond , Substitute Master ; Robert Irland , S . W . ; Thomas Sinclair , J . W . ; James A . Elliott , Treas . ; George Darling , P . M ., Sec . ; James B . Macleod , P . M ., Chan .: A . Naismith ,

Bible-bearer ; D . Thomas , S . D . ; J . AY . Nicholson , J . D . ; John Cameron and A . AVilliamson , Standard-bearers ; James Inglis , Architect ; AY . S . Gray , Steward ; T . AA . Greenstreet , I . G . ; and James Montgomery , Tyler . The following brethren beinur members of Committee : Bros .

John Taylor , P . M . ; A . M'Pherson , P . M . ; D . M'Nab , Scott , AY . AY . Mooney , and J . B . Mercer . The lodge was thereafter called from labour to refreshment , and the brethren sat down to a sumptuous repast , which was set before them by the widow of the late Bro . Peter Carrie , and to

which they did ample justice . The toast of " The Queen and the Craft" having been given and responded to with the utmost enthusiasm , the R . AV . M . then gave the toast of " Bro . H . R . H . the Prince of AVales , Patron of the Scottish Craft , " alluding , in appropriate terms ,

to his late serious illness , and expressing what he felt sure was the earnest and fervent [ prayer of every good Mason and loyal subject , a hope that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales would still be spared by T . G . A . O . T . U . to fulfil a high and noble destiny in the land , and bind to himself

still closer the sacred bonds of loyally andaltection which had been proved so tmmislakeably to exist in the hearts of the British nation . Other loyal and patriotic toasts followed . Deputations were sent to , and received from , nearly all the sister lodges in the district , and after spending

a very pleasant hour , toast , song , and sentiment abounding , the lodge was recalled to labour . The R . AV . M . intimated his intention of holding fortnightly meetings for the purpose of instruction , which was very cordially agreed to . The lodge was then closed in harmony and in due form at high twelve .

Nova Scotia.

NOVA SCOTIA .

St . Andrews Lodge of Freemasons lately held a very entertaining meeting . The Grand Lodge visitation took place . A third degree was given ; several presentations to the lodge were made , and last , but by no means least , the lodge made a present of a very valuable Masonic jewel to

Past Master Bro . J . M . Taylor , who for very many years has been Tyler to the various lodges of Halifax . It was in honour of the latter event that the lodge room was artistically decorated . On the west , over the door , were the square and compass with two swords in the centre . Over

the Senior AVardens chair was a portrait of St . Andrew with the motto " nem 0 me laeessilimf > une " under it , and above , the designation of the lodge ; "St . Andrew ' s Lodge , established A . I ... 5767 . " And just above the chair was a Prince of AVales feather , with the motto "Cod save our brother the Prince of AVales . '

At the east , on the canopy , was " In Cod is our trust ; " round the pillars between the twining evergreens were , on the right hand side , " AVisdom , Strength and Beauty , " on the left ,

" Faith , Hope and Charity . " The same mottoes were on the south and north sides of the room , and , together with other decorations , presented a tout ensemble , gratifying to the eye and suggestive to the Masonic mind . Bro . A . H . Crowe presented the lodge , as the oldest lodge in British America , with the chair

Nova Scotia.

used by his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent at the old theatre here but lately burnt down . Bro . J . D . Nash presented the lodge with a neatly framed steel engraving of the Prince Regent dressed in Masonic regalia . This picture is over a hundred years old . Bro . Crowe , on

behalf of a brother of the lodge , presented two old decanters and goblets , marked with St . Andrew ' s Cross and Emblems . These mementoes of a former time , when there was much call from labour to refreshment , were the

innocent cause of several remarks upon the great change which had come over Freemasonry in respect to drinking habits . Formerly , the danger of acquiring a habit of drinking was great . Now , ever effort is made to prevent any such habit .

After those and other interesting presentations had been made , the third degree was given in a style which attracted immense attention as a splendid exhibition of good Masonic work , AV ' orshipful Master , Bro . R . C . Hamilton , and the other officers of the lodge receiving high commendations for their faithfulness to the

traditions of the past . Bro . J . M . Taylor was then presented with the jewel before referred to , the following address being read by "Worshi pful Master , Bro . R . C . Hamilton : —

" To the Right Worshipful Post Master . Bro . J M . Taylor . " Brother , —In the name and on behalf of the members of St . Andrew ' s Lodge , it affords rac very much pleasure to present you with this jewel as a token of their brotherly love and

esteem . During the many years you have acted as Tyler , wc have always found you a faithful sentinel , ever cheerful , obliging and courteous ; and though your patience has been often severely tried by late hours and otherwise , yet we have

never heard you murmur or complain . " We have always found you ever ready to extend a helping hand in aid of anything that would tend to advance the interests of the Craft . 110 matter how onerous the duly imposed upon you may have been .

During our intercourse with you as a Mason , we have ever found that you have always lived up to those truly Masonic principles which you so admirably inculcate , not by words only but by example . " We trust that von may be long spared to

wear this emblem of our esteem , and be assured that the warm brotherly love which is felt for you in St . Andrew ' s Lodge will not be soon abate . "In the name of St . Andrew ' s Lodge I invest you with this jewel of a Past Master . May you

long live to wear it and when called from earth to heaven , may yon find beyond the ' clouded canopy' a jewel more rich , more lasting , in the approval of the Grand Master of Heaven and Earth . "

lo this Bro . Taylor made a very feeling reply , which was received in a most enthusiastic manner by those present . After several speeches had been made b y brethren present , the lodge was closed , all present expressing themselves highly gratified with the evening ' s work .

Hon . A . Keith , Grand Master , honoured the occasion with his presence , and about eighty Master Masons were present . The Masonic jewel is a fine piece of workmanship , and the inscription on the back reads

as follows : " Presented to Past Master Pro . L M . Taylor , by the members of St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 1 , R . N . S ., in appreciation of his uniform kindness and attention as Tyler , and his many good qualities as a Mason . "—Halifax Evening Reporter .

jjREAKl'AST . —Ll'l ' . s ' s Ci > i : < > A . —GRAT EI'UL AND CUM 1- - < II ; TINO . — " V , y a l ! i ( jn ) iiL ; h knowledge of the natural Saws which govern the operations of di . Lieslion ami murilion , and hy n caicfal applicalian of the iine properties of well-selected cocoa , . Mr . Lpps lias provided our

breakfast tallies with a dclicalely-llavourcd beverage winch may save us many heavy doctors' hills . "—Civil S ' . VT -. V . ' tin :, ' / A ' . . Made . ' . imply with lloiling Water or Mill ; . Lach packet is labelled— " [ AM KS KITS & Co ., Ilomo . 'opaihic Chemists , London . " Also , makers of Lpps ' s Milky Cocoa ( tloeoa and Condensed Mill ;) .

_ Till ' . BEST FIRST . — Turner ' s Tamarind Cough Kmulaion for the Throat and lironchia , ijjjd . and 2 / 9 per hoi . —All wholesale houses in London and Liverpool , and any respectable Chemist . —[ Adyl . J

Royal Freemasons' Girls' School.

ROYAL FREEMASONS' GIRLS ' SCHOOL .

On Tuesday , the 23 rd inst ., the children of the above Institution , numbering 109 , visited the Crystal Palace , on the invitation of Mr . AVilkinson , the Company's respected Manager . On their arrival , they were permitted to inspect

the Aquarium , with the contents of which they appeared to he deeply interested . The highly successful pantomine of " Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves " also afforded considerable amusement to the young people ; and they

were altogether much delig hted with the treat provided for them . Messrs . Bertram and Roberts , the enterprising contractors for the refreshment department , displayed their wonted kindness and hospitality by providing dinner

and tea for the little folks and the resident officials , free of charge . The children were accompanied by Bros . Paas , Sheen , and E . Cox , as members of the House Committee : Bro . AV . Lane , of the Secretary ' s Department ( in the absence of Bro . Patten from illness ) ; and Bro . Muggeridne , the Collector of the Institution .

SIR A LIIERT AVoons , Carter Principal King Of Arms , arrived at Windsor Castle the other morning , and p laced the banner and regalia of the Emperor of Brazil over the sovereign stalls of the Knig hts of the Garter in St . George ' s Chapci , AVindsor .

AT the annual conclave of the Mount Calvary Encampment of Knights Templar held at the London Tavern on the 12 th inst , Sir Knight S . Rosenthal ( P . F . C . Grove Encampment ) was installed as Eminent Commander , and appointed the officers for the year . A banquet was served after the encampment was closed .

H . R . H . PUIXCT . NAI ' OI . KOX , the Princess Clothildc , Prince Murat , and suite , honoured Bro . Morton ' s charming theatre , the " Philharmonic , " with their presence on AVednesday evening last , and expressed their great gratification atthe excellent performance of Offenbach's opera boufie of Genevieve De Brabant .

Tin-: Marquis of Ripon presided on AVednesday over a meeting of the General Purposes Committee appointed by her Majesty ' s Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1 S 51 to carry out the current series of annual International Exhibitions . There were also present Sir Francis Sandford , Mr . Edgar llowring , Mr . T . F . Gibson , and Major-General Scott ( Secretary ) .

Tin : Sunderland Times of the 20 th mst ., states that : — " The Rev . HenryBakerTristram , ZZ . X > ., Master of Creatham Hospital , left England the other clay for Palestine , via the Overland route , to resume his researches in his old field of travel and research , under the auspices of the Palestine

Exploration Fund Committee . Our readers will be pleased to know that Dr . Tristram , besides being a distinguished Eastern traveller , is also a distinguished Mason . He is a Knight Templar and S . P . Rose Croix 18 , and either is

or was Chaplain to the Eclectic Lodge of Mark Masons . Bro . Tristram is also an F . R . S . and Honorary Canon of Durham , and Churchmen and Masons will be interested to learn of his researches in the land so dear to both .

EVF . RY physician knows that if only brandy can reach his patient in the form in which it quits the vineyards of Cognac , it is in many diseases the most valuable remedial agent in his p harmacopoeia , and thoroughly deserves the name—cuu de Tie—given to it by the monks who first distilled it . It is then ,

indeed , a veritable " water of life . " But there has been hitherto far too much difficulty in procuring it . Therefore it is not too much to describe Messrs . A'ictor J ouannet and Co ., as public benefactors for a reform thev arc introducing . These gentlemen , the proprietors of the famous "Grande Marque "

Cognac , have determined to bring their brandy , which is justly celebrated for its age and purity , within the reach of the smallest consumer , by issuing it in bottles of all sizes—from seven-pence upwards •—protected by their trade-mark and capsule . It is fortunate , indeed , that Messrs . Jouannet are large

holders , for we venture to prophecy that by their bringing their splendid brandy to the hand , as it were , of every purchaser they will cause a run on " La Grande Marque ' such as will soon decrease their immense stock of " 1865 " brandy now lying in the Alcloria docks .