Freemasonry In Germany.

FREEMASONRY IN GERMANY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MARCH 3 , 1866 .

The Freimcturer Zeitung , Avhicli , from the begirming of tlie present year , has become the property of its editor , Bro . Moritz Zille , has published a retrospective revieAV of Masonic events in 1865 , in Avhich the condemnation of Masonry by the

Pope , the Masonic Jubilee of the King of Prussia , and the meeting of three German Grand Lodges are treated separately , as the three distinctive features of Masonic life in Germany during the past year . In his criticism of the Papal

excommunication the author concurs with our own views already so fully and exhaustively expressed in these columns , and sums up in the folloAving Avords : — " How was the allocution of the Pope received in the various countries ? In Italy it has met with

raillery , in Prance with indignation , in England with contempt , in Germany with regret . The most energetic and telling ansAver has been given to the Pope ' s anathema , on German soil , by the foundation of tAvo new lodges a few days

subsequent to its issue , viz ., that of Pforzheim , on the 15 th of October , and of Constance , on the 22 nd of the same month . " With reference to the twenty-fifth anniversary

of the initiation of King William I ., the author tells us : — " Since the time of Frederick the Great , all kings of Prussia , with the sole exception of Frederick William IV ., have been Freemasons . They have derived an immense benefit from their

participation in the labours of our Order ; as members of the Craft , they have joined and assimilated themselves to their people , though only in a limited compass . For such abnegation and acknowledgment of those rights and duties of

man , that are common to all , the highest title to glory , the love of the people , is due to them . The present king joined our confederation ia 1840 , while his father , King Frederick William III ., was still alive . On the 18 th of May , 1840 , the

Grand Master , Bro . Count Henkel von Donnersmark , informed the meeting of the Association of Grand Masters ' that Prince William of Prussia , the son of his Majesty King Frederick William III ., had devoted his attention to Freemasonry , and

that the Confederation had secured his Royal Highness e s sympathies , opportunities having been afforded to him , through communication with some brothers of high standing , of receiving a general knowledge of its objects ; and that he had

been pleased to submit to the examination and decision of his Royal father , his intention of entering into a closer connection Avith the Order , and that his Majesty had approved of this intention . His Royal Highness wished to become a member , nob

of any individual lodge , but of all the three lodges of the Prussian kingdom , irrespective of their rites , to assume the joint protectorate over all of them / The reporter then moved ' that a joint address be forwarded to the Royal Prince by the

lodges of tho kingdom . ' ' The motion having been carried unanimously , Prince William Avas solemnly initiated in the Masonic brotherhood , on the 22 nd of May , 1840 , at a special meeting of the three Prussian Grand Lodges and the fifteen W . M . 's of

the Berlin lodges , by Bro . Henkel von Donnersniark , supported by Bros . Oetzel and Link . He then became a member of the Craft ancl devoted

himself to that art which is called royal , because ib considers as its fundamental law the royal precept of love . Prince William ' s chief merit was his conduct Avith respect to Dr . Hengstenberg s doings . At the time Avhen this enemy of

Freemasonry declared that it Avas incompatible with the duties of a minister of the Gospel to take any part in the labours of lodges , Prince William , showed that he had not assumed the dignity of protector in vain ; he repeatedly attended lodge

meetings in various parts of the Prussian monarchy ; and on the 2 th of November , 1853 , he introduced his son . Prince Frederick William , into the Craft . In remembrance therefore of the benefits that

the Order derived from the participation of this illustrious brother , the twenty-fifth anniversary of the initiation of King William was celebrated Avith great eclat in all the lodges of the kingdom . "

Last not least , the various steps that have been taken towards the foundation of a Masonic " central authority" form a chief feature of German Masonic life during 1865 . The Darmstadt Grand Lodge Zur Eintracht has addressed a formal

proposal to this effect to its sister Grand Lodges . Bro . Zille is of opinion that the diversity of the systems will form the great stumbling block in the carrying out of this proposal . Thus , the " Grand Land Lodge" of Germany is working after the

socalled Swedish system , and besides , the three Grand Lodges of Prussia form a kind of compact mass opposed to all further progress . He thinks that all aspirations towards' a greater uniformitx should come from beloAV , not from above , and con-