Mark Masonry.

the chair . There was a very large attendance of M . M . M . ' s owing to the fact that the worthy Mayor was one of the candidates to be advanced . The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , the ballot took place , when Bros . Lorenzo Augustus Homfray ( Mayor ) , AVilliam Henry Wickey Homfray , Charles David Phillips , William Henry Pickford , Anthony Phillips Williams , and Henry Thomas Davies

were unanimously admitted , and , those six gentlemen being in attendance , were , with Bros . Stone , Sheppard , and Jacob , duly advanced as M . M . M's ., the ceremony being most admirably rendered by the whole of the officers . One candidate was proposed to be advanced at the next meeting , ancl , after a hearty vote of thanks had been passed to Bro . Roberts for presiding , and to Bro . AVarc , of Cardiff , for giving the lectures , the lodge was closed in harmony at 9 . 15 p . m .

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR . LANCASHIEE . PEESCOT . —The WilHam de la More Encampment— -On the 25 th ult . the above encampment was opened at Preseot ( on its removal from Manchester ) , by Sir Knight AV . H . Wright , V . E . D . P . Grand Commander for Lancashire . There were

present : —Sir Knights G . Galloway , P . G . S ., Prior ; G . P . Brockbank , P . G . Chancellor ; T . " II . Winder , P . G . E . ; J . Gnskell , P . G . H . ; J . T . Hall , P . G . F . Expert ; J . W . J . Fowler , P . G . F . A ' ide-de-Camp ; S . Morris ; AV Craukshaw , P . E . C . The conclave having been opened , the ballot was taken for several joining members , after which it was proposed that the William de la More Encampment be stationed at Preseot , in

place of Manchester . Sir Kt . J . T . Hall was then elected E . G . for tbe ensuing year . A number of Companions were proposed for installation . The business before the conclave having been concluded , it was closed in due form and with solemn prayer .

MEMORIAL OF THE LODGE OE GLASGOW , ST . JOHN , ANENT , CARRYING THE AVORKING

TOOLS . "To the Most Worshipful , the Grand Master ; theR . AV . Depute ; and Substitute Grand Masters ; the R . W . Senior and Junior Grand AVardens ; and the Remanent Office Bearers , and members of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Scotland . The petition of the members of the Lodge of Glasgow '

St . John , on the roll of the Grand-Lodge of Scooland , No . 3 ( three bis . ) and holden at Glasgow . Humbly sheweth That your petitioners and their predecessors , as members of the Lodge of Glasgow , St . John , have undoubtedly exercised all the privileges of the Craft , from a very ancient date , as has been proved to the satisfaction

of the above Grand Lodge more especially , certain rights and privileges within the Province of Glasgow , in connection with . Operative Masonry , and your Petitioners ' now feel aggrieved by the assumption of those ancient rights and privileges , by the members of tbe Lodge , Edinburgh , Journeyman , No . 8 , inasmuch as they were permitted to carry , or be the bearers of the working tools ,

implements , & c , on the occasion of the ceremonial of laying tbe foundation stone of the Albert Bridge at Glasgow , on the third day of June , One thousand eight hundred and seventy , contrary to the laws ofthe Grand Lodge of Scotland , and the usages of the Craft , and your petitioners do hereby claim that the said assumption by the Lodge of Edir . gurgh , Journeyman 8 be set asideand

, , , that acting on the said occasion , do not form a precedent for the future , and that for the following reasons , First . — That tbe Lodge of Glasgow , St . John , No . 3 , Ms , had by charter dated 1157 , conferred upon them and their predecessors , the whole rights and privileges of Masonry within the City of Glasgow , and that they enjoyed

and exercised those rights from the said date , aye and until passing of the Act , abolishing all Burghal and Corporate privileges about the year 184 ? And the members of the said Lodge , St . John , even though not in connection , or under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , were conceded those rights and privileges , and assigned by virtue of their position ,

precedence in rank over all the daughter Lodges of Scotland , on the occasion of the ceremonial of laying the foundation stone of the Glasgow Asylum for Lunatics in 1810 , and several others of like nature . That consequent upon the abolition of the Burghal , & c , restrictions Act , your petitioners lodge accepted a charter of confirmation from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , it being distinctly understood

that their ancient and undoubted privileges were to be maintained them as witness the same year their officiating as the operatives at laying the foundation ol the Barony Poor House on the 9 th August , 1849 , as well as in a succeding ceremonial of an unprecedented magnitude of a similar character when the Grand Master , ( His late Grace the Duke of Athol ) and Office Bearers of the

Grand Lodge laid the foundation stone of the Victoria Bridge . On this latter occasion the rights and privileges of your petitioners were never doubted , and were at once conceded to them the prerogative of

carrying the working tools as the following excerpt from the minutes of the Grand Lodge amply testify . The Level was carried by Operative Freeman , T . Brownlie Plumb „ „ Chas . Wilson Compass „ „ Jus . Douglas Mallet „ „ Wra . Nielson Square „ „ John Christie

Wine „ „ James York Corn „ „ David Manuel Oil „ „ Wm . Brown Records „ „ Alex . Young Plate „ „ T . Mo Guffie Coins „ „ George Dick and those privileges . were never called in question till the

late assumption by the Edinburgh Journeymen Lodge , N " o . 8 . Second . — That the practice invariably exercised hitherto by the Grand Lodge of Scotland in the ceremonial of laying tbe foundation-stones in provinces other than that of Edinburgh , has been to concede both in courtesy and right to the senior lodge of the province in which the ceremonial is to be performed , to appoint such Operative Freemasons as they shall think fit to select to carry the Workinsr Tools for the work in hand .

Third . —that the right and privilege of carrying the Working Tools on the occasion of laying foundationstones by the Edinburgh Journeymen Lodge is distinctly circumscribed and confined to the province or district of Edinburgh , as laid clown in Grand Lodge lam ; chap , xx ., seel . 3 , and your petitioners would respectfully impress on tbe members of the Grand Lodge that the law referred

to defines their position ' as being that of Edinburgh , and no other place , ' and that they have no rank or precedence over other members ofthe Craft but what is conferred on them in their own district . Ancl your petitioners would further impress on the members of the Grand Lodge that as the members of the Lodge Edinburgh Journeymen , No . 8 cannot be compelled to visit district ceremonials ;

, it would be most invidious to delay arrangements for the ceremonial until the last moment , when it might he ascertained if it was the villi and pleasure of ihe ILmourcMe Members of the said Lodge Journey men to honour the members of tlie Graft by their presence , ancl he Capable of carrying the ¦ impli ' iii . cnts in question . Fourth . —That your petitioners would further

respectfully direct the attention of members of Grand Lodge to tbe Grand Lodge Laws , chap xi ., sect . 13 , whore it is distinctly enacted and laid down ' that if any doubt shall arise as to the interpretation of a law , tho poicer of deciding the same shall not be vested in the cliuii ; but the