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rated in 1775 , and Frederick the Great of Prussia declared one of them the Supreme Grand Lodge of all Lodges in Prussia . Literary men , philosophers , savants , military heroes , philanthropists , flocked to the Prussian Masonic Temples , to work under the greatest man of his age . Protected and supported by the royal family of Prussia ever since the time of Frederick the Great , the Graft flourishes there to the present day ; the heir

presumptive , the Prince of Prussia , is the protector and Grand Master of the Prussian Lodges . To his influence mainly may it be attributed , that the persecutions to which our Order has been exposed in Saxony , and which nearly resulted in the closing of all the Lodges in the kingdom , were put an end to . The powerful papistical party in Prussia is now waging a contest against Freemasonry , the issue

of which , under the present auspices , we may calmly await . A further and ( if we may call it ) a material guarantee for the future prosperity of our Order in that part of the continent has been given by the accession to our Craft of the son of the Prince of Prussia , Frederick William , the future King of Prussia , which event took place on the 5 th of November , 1853 . A short sketch of the proceedings of the initiation of this illustrious Brother will , we trust , be of interest to our readers .

Bro . Prince of Prussia , M . W . G . M ., invited for the initiation of his eldest son , Prince Frederick William , a number of the distinguished Brethren of the three Grand Lodges in Berlin to his palace , at 5 . 30 p . m . One of the saloons of the palace was completed and furnished as a Masonic Temple . As soon as the Brethren were invested , the august G . M . appeared amongst them , was saluted , took his seat , and addressed them as follows : — - " My worthy Brethren , —The purpose of our present meeting , to which I have called you together , is the reception of my son into the Order of Freemasons , and I hope he may be worthy of it .

Long since he has communicated to me his desire to be received amongst us , but as I did not wish to extend the necessary dispensation of the legal age ( twentyfive years in Germany ) too far , I waited until he had accomplished his twentysecond year . His future , if he be spared , will be the most powerful protection to the Order for a long time , but then certainly only if you continue to preserve the pure doctrine . I have selected the Grand Lodge of the Freemasons of Germany for the reception of my son , because I myself , though under different circumstances , and for all Lodges together , received my consecration therein . I now

request the M . W . G . M . Bro . Burch to prepare the reception of my son as a Free and accepted Mason , and as a member of the Grand Lodge . " The royal candidate was thus initiated into the first , passed to the second , and raised to the Sublime Degree , and full explanations were given to him of all our ancient rites and ceremonies . Of the many excellent addresses at the banquet following the proceedings of the Lodge , that of the Prince of Prussia is of paramount interest ; he addressed his newly initiated son as follows : — " For many years you have

expressed a desire to be received in the Order of Freemasons ; your wish is now fulfilled . Your initiation has been performed in the same manner in which I was admitted into the Order , and as I desired it myself for you . You will have perceived that the work of the Order is most serious , that it is solemn and elevating ; that to human life there is one starting-point , and one conclusion ; to this desired end the Order will lead you , if it be your continued endeavour to receive its holy doctrines , and if you let them ripen into deed and truth . Loud clamour is not wanting in the popular world , wishful to obscure and calumniate our work , but as

I do not grant a right to any one , who does not know the Order , to judge it , therefore I shall never listen to such voices , by reason of the knowledge which I possess . May also your future give the proof , that with clear and unveiled look you may be able to discern and to defend the Order . It is attacked because it envelopes itself in mysteries , and its adversaries will not take the trouble to convince themselves that these are necessary ; as it is in the manner of those

who want to destroy to be satisfied with the superficial , also in this case our adversaries do not go deeper , in order that they may not be taught better . I rely on your ever continuing a powerful protector to the Order in which you have entered ; then , not only your own future happiness will be secured , but you will also have the agreeable consciousness of having endeavoured to propagate around you the true and the good . "