Freemasonry In The Levant.

tection will not be from Bro . Salvotti or any advocates of Masonry as a new religion , but from the consistent supporters of English Masonry . In view of this , the English Masons throughout the Turkish Empire have consistently declined to

compromise themselves by any countenance of Masonry being treated as politics or religion . At the present moment , the Italian lodges , by their recruiting agents , are collecting shoals of members everywhere , ten or twelve in a drove ,

without any regard to their understanding the language . The result will be generally what has taken place already in Alexandria—a Masonic rabble under the tutelage of political agents , and most probably , in the end , some disagreeable incident , as already referred to .

The lodges at present existing in Turkey are : — At Constantinople : Oriental ( English ) , Deutsche Bund ( German ) , Bulwer ( English ) , Arete ( Greek ) , working under the Grand Lodge of England . Germania ( German ) , under Grand Lodge of

Hamburgh . A Lodge , under the Grand Orient of France . Italia , under the Grand Lodge of Italy . At Smyrna : Homer ( English ) , La Victoire ( German ) , St . Jean ( French ) , Dekran ( Armenian and Turkish ) , St . George ( Greek ) , under the

Grand Lodge of England ; Ionia ( Italia ) , under the Grand Lodge of Italy . At Ephesus : A Lodge , under the Grand Lodge of England . At Beyroufc : Eleusinian ( a summer lodge ) ,

under the Grand Lodge of England ; Star of the Lebanon ( English ) , under the Grand Lodge of Scotland .

At Alexandria : St . John ( English ) , under the Grand Lodge of England ; one or two lodges , under the Grand Lodge of Italy . At Alexandria there are several irregular lodges , and two lodges are considered to have collected the scum of the Levant .

At Tunis is another irregular lodge . The first step in a country having many nationalities and many languages was to organise the European nations . This was done by the English authorities , and by means of this

organisation materials have been provided for the initiation and affiliation of national members , and afterwards for the establishment of lodges . These proceedings will now go on much more rapidly , and will ultimately produce a solid body of Masonry in Turkey and Greece , with national Grand Lodges ; but it is to English Masonry and

Freemasonry In The Levant.

English Masons that the laying of the foundationstone and building of the foundations are due , and to them is honour to be given .

Masonic Duties.

MASONIC DUTIES .

We commend the following address , just issued , to the attention of the brethren throughout the Craft : — In the name of tJte Great Architect of the Universe . Amen .

Brother Robert James Simpson , Provincial Grand Chaplain to the Brethren in Masonry , trusty and well-beloved of the Province of Berks and Bucks , sendeth greeting . BRETHREN , —It has seemed good to our Right

Worshipful ( acting ) Grand Master to lay his command upon me as your Chaplain to address to you a communication at this interesting and solemnseason . I shall attempt to perforin this duty in . all sincerity—and in all humility , too ,

knowingwell how largely imperfection must attach to it , and how much the admonitions I venture to lay before my brethren are needed hy myself . I have said this is an interesting and solemn season . Is it not a solemn one , my brethren ? Another year has passed away ! How many of our brethren have passed away witli it , never to meet

us again on this side of the grave ! We are spared , by God's Providence , to see the dawn of the new year . Lift we up our hearts , then , in devout gratitude for this bounteous mercy . That year that has just gone has taken with it and registered in

the book of unerring remembrance many acts , ancl words , and thoughts . Let us take a just estimate of these . It is this : that all the works we undertake , all the plans we lay down , all the successes we achieve , all even that Ave gain , are , in

themselves , and apart from their influence on our condition in a future state , so many disappointments ; that , do what Ave may and succeed as we may , it is only for a time ; that all success is imperfect , and that the most perfect success gives way

afterit is attained , and often in the midst of its attainment , to Aveakness , old age , and death ; that in everything we obtain of this Avorld , so far as it is of this world only , Ave may be said , to gain a fortune only to lose it . " We heap up riches , and

cannot tell who shall gather them . " "What profit , " saith the great Solomon , "hath a man of all his labour Avhich he taketh under the sun ? I