Freemasonry And The War In South Africa.

which is everywhere numerously represented , may be able to do something towards mitigating thc horrors of war . Nor have we the slig htest doubt that the Freemasons in the United Kino-dom and the rest of the British Empire will be

ready enough , should thc call be made upon them , to lend a helping hand to those who may need their help . Among the thousands of British subjects who have been compelled to abandon their homes in the Transvaal , the

Free State , and those portions of Natal , which are the scene of the present struggle , there must be a large number of the members of our Order , who , till the present crisis arose , must have been living in a state of affluence , or , at all events ,

were well-to-do as regards their worldly affairs . They are now homeless , and , it may well be , without the means of maintaining themselves and their families , and we are sure that not only our

Grand , but also our private , lodges will readily assist them to the utmost of their power until peace is restored , and they are once again able to assist themselves .

We have said that Freemasonry is very numerously represented in the British and other territories into which South

Africa is parcelled out . Under the English Constitution , which is by far the strongest of all , there are between go and ioo lodges , and u we reckon the number of members at 50 per lodge , there will not be far short of 5000 English brethren , of

whom a very large proportion will be sufferers , directly or indirectly , by the war now raging . These lodges , or rather the bulk of them , have been formed into the following five Districts namely , South Africa , Central Division , with eight lodges ,

Eastern Division with 29 lodges , and thc Western Division with 15 lodges ; Natal with 18 lodges ; and the Transvaal with 22 lodges ; the remainder being located at other stations in Matabeleland , Rhodesia , & c , & c , but not under any District

Grand Lodge . There are also close upon 30 lodges under the Grand Lodge of Scotland in two Districts—those of Natal and the Transvaal ; and a few lodges under the Irish Constitution at Johannesburg , and , it may be , elsewhere . In addition , there are over 20

lodges holding under the Grand Orient of the Netherlands , and presided over , according to the " Cosmopolitan Calendar , " by Bro . CHARLES EDWARD LEWIS , who holds the rank in the Netherlands Constitution of " Deputy Grand Master for the

South of Africa and adjoining country . " Among the towns at which lodges have been established , and with whose names the events of thc last few months , and in particular thc war news of the last few days , have made us all so familiar , arc Kimberley ,

which has three lodges , Mafekmg , and Vryburg , in thc Central Division ; Aliwal North and Bloemfontein , in the Eastern Division ; Dundee , Ladysmith , Newcastle , and Pictermaritzburg ( with three lodges ) , in Natal ; and Pretoria , Johannesburg ( with

three lodges ) , and nearly every town of any size in thc Transvaal . Altogether , there must be about 150 lodges under one or other of the four Constitutions , which till now have fulfilled their Masonic duties so harmoniously together .

But as regards their duties at the present , we fear there is b' ut slight probability of their being fulfilled . Not a few of the members must be enrolled among thc combatants on the Dutch or British side , and will be found fighting against each

other for their country ' s honour , instead of settling amicably , side by side , and expounding to each other thc princi ples of Masonry in their Halls . It is to be hoped that the knowled ge of those principles which the now hostile brethren may possess

may not be without its influence in mitigating , as far as may be consistent with their military obligations , the calamities of war . It is possible for thc soldier who is a Mason to do much in this

respect without being disloyal to his country ; and the more readily and effectually the brethren do this who are enrolled in thc Dutch and British armies in South Africa , the more certainl y will they command the sympathies of their brethren elsewhere .

THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURV came to town on Monday morning , and was engaged for a time at the Foreign Office , but returned to Hatfield later in tne day . THE PIOUS MEMORY of the founder of Christ's Hospital , King Edward the Sixth , was honoured on Monday , when about 130 Old Blues dined together at the Hotel Cecil . The chairman was Mr . Arthur Shaw . M . A .. and the toast list was rnmmprvlaM ,,

shott , but in giving " Church and Queen , " Mr . Shaw paid an eloquent tribute to the gallantry of the troops in South Africa , and referred , amid loud cheers , to the many Bluecoat boys now holding her Majesty ' s commission . The time-honoured toast of " . The Religious , Royal , and Ancient Foundation of Christ ' s Hospital . May those picsper that love it , and may God increase their number ! " was drunk with thc greatest enthusiasm .

Canongate Kilwinning Lodge.

CANONGATE KILWINNING LODGE .

One of the most entertaining , interesting , and valuable histories of old lodges , is that concerning the " Lodge Canongate Kilwinning , " by Bro . Allan Mackenzie , the esteemed W . M . 1883-7 , and its widely recognised Historian . In this artistic volume , Bro . Mackenzie begins with the year 16 77 , and so is on

firm ground . Quite recently , however , I understand , there has appeared a wee booklet , published by a member of the lodge , but not officially , in which it is

stated"Thc traditions of Canongate Kilwinning , as an operative body , begin with the building of Holywood Abbey and Palace * * * The Abbey was built by King David in 1128 . "

This startling claim appears to have been unknown to Bro . Mackenzie , and every one else until lately , and seems to be a modern piece of antiquity . At all events , if not so , but a genuine fact , the result will be that the daughter is older than its mother , as the ancient and revered Lodge of Kilwinning

traditionally , only goes back to 1140 ! In the same pamphlet it is declared that" The Canongate Masons , while dating their corporate privileges from King David ' s charter to the Canon of Holywood * * * * identified themselves in 16 77

with the general body of Freemasons in Scotland . In that year they accepted a charter from Mother Kilwinning , which was at the time—as the head , though in influence only the second lodge in the kingdomexercising the functions of Grand Lodge . "

So far as evidence goes , either in the Grand volume aforesaid , or in thc great work on the " Lodge of Edinburgh , No . 1 , " by my dear friend David Murray Lyon ( which , I am glad to say , will soon be arranged in a second and revised edition ) , or , in

fact , in the " History of Freemasonry , " by Bro . R . F . Gould , the general Masonic historian of the world , there is no justification whatever for such novel statements , and therefore the sooner they are nipped in the bud ' the better .

The records of " Mother Lodge Kilwinning " prove that a part of their number resident in the Canongate , Edinburgh , were granted permission to " enter , receave , and pase ony qualified persons that they think fitt in name and behalf of the ludge of

Kilwinning . This was on December 20 th , 16 77 , but of the existence of the Lodge Canongate before that date there is not the slightest information or evidence . Indeed , the present Grand Secretary of Scotland observes in his History of No . 1 that

" the earliest documentary proof of Canongate Kilwinning ' s existence as a separate Lodge is derived from its own minute book , February 16 , 1736 , when it is represented as having a Master and other officebearers . "

However that may be , we arc generally content and happy in dating back No . 2 to 16 77 , but certainly not earlier , and its best friends will , I am sure , deprecate such unhistoric statements and claims as those herein noted .

The eventful past of the lodge , with its grand roll of distinguished Freemasons , and having Robert Burns as its poet laureate , besides others celebrated and noteworth y , are alone sufficient to place and keep it in the front with other old and remarkable lodges . W . J . HUGHAN .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The following is the business to be transacted on Wednesday next , the ist prox .: The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation .

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL PURPOSES . TO the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royaj Arch Masons of England , The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 19 th July , to the 17 th October , 18 99 , both inclusive which they find to be as follows :

To Balance , Grand Chapter £ 1548 40 By Disbursements during the „ „ Unappropriated Quarter £ 340 15 7 Account ... 247 20 „ Balance 1633 3 n „ Subsequent Receipts .. 427 94 „ „ Unappropriated Account ... 24 S 16 0 £ 2222 ' 5 4 £ 2222 15 4

which balances are in the Bank of England Law Courts Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following petitions : 1 st . From Comps , William Henry Cole , as Z . ; James George Vigo , as H . ; Arthur George Darby , as J . ; and nine others for a chapter to be attached to the Hizpah ; Lodge , No . 1671 , to be called the Mizpah Chapter , and to meet at the Hotel Cecil , Strand , London .