Scotland.

this the only surely Masonic medium in Great Britain and lieland , was gradually increasing in the North , aud , he felt assured were the prico of it reduced , comparatively few Scotch Masons would like to pass by the MAGAZINE . The annual Festival of the lodge held on the 27 th ult ., in tho Merchant ' s Hall , was a great success ; and a report of the proceedings will be given , space permitting , in our next .

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE . Visitation and Lnspection of Private Lodges . LODGE NEPTUNE ( NO . 419 ) . —The Lodge Neptune as appropriately indicated by its name , is particularly a nautical lodge , many of its members being connected with the Mercantile Marine of Glasgow . Bro . Wightman the present R . W . M ., has been several times re-elected to the chaira leasing evidence of

, p the confidence reposed in him by the members . The Provincial Grand deputation headed by R . W . Bros . F . A . Barrow , Sub . Prov . G . M ., and W . Smith , Prov . G . Sec ; upon the occasion of their visiting this lodge on the 10 th ult ., congratulated the office bearers and members generally upon the satisfactory state in which they found the lodge , and upon the steady progress it was making .

ROXBURGHSHIRE . CENTENARY OI ? ST . JOHN ' LODGE ( NO . Ill ) , HAWIOE :. The St . John's Lodge ( No . Ill ) , at Hawick , having attained the hundredth year of its existence , on the 15 th ult ., it was determined by the Craft to celebrate this auspicious event in as appropriate a manner as possible ; and , accordingly , arrangements were made for a procession and dinner bthe members

y , and a grand ball in the evening . The brethren met on Friday , the 20 th ult ., in their lodge room , at twelve o'clock , from whence they sent a deputation to escort the members of Grand Lodge and and Provincial Grand Lodge from the railway station . The lodge was opened in due form b y Bro . Henry Inglis , Substitute G . M . M . of Scotlandand ProvGMof Peebles and

, . .. Selkirk shires , assisted by the Wardens of St . John's , No . 111 . The Grand Lodge of Scotland was represented by the following distinguished brethren : —Bros . H . Inglis , Substitute Grand Master ; A . Stewart , G . C . ; A . Hay , G . Jeweller ; Owen Gough , Vice-President of the Grand Stewards ; W . Hay . G . Steward ; Henry B . Kay , G . Steward ; and W . M . Bryce , G . Tyler . The Provincial Grand Lodge office-bearers present wero : —

Bros , the Rev . David Waddell , Prov . G . Chap . ; aud K . Sanderson , Prov . G . Set . All the business before the lodge having been transacted , the lodge was closed . The brethren were formed into procession by Bro . Bryce , and , headed by the band of the 4 th Roxburgh , Volunteers , inarched to St . Mary's Church , where the G . Chap , delivered a short but impressive and highly appropriate sermon

from Zechariah i ., 5— " Your fathers , where are they ? " —which was listened to attentivel y by the brethren . Upon leaving church the procession was again formed , and proceeded through the town by way of Kirk Wynd , Slitrig Crescent , High-street , and Bridge-strest , through Wilton to the Sandbed , and thence by the Tower Knowe to the Exchange , where dinner was sumptuously laid out by Bro . Scott , of the Victoria Hotel .

J lie R . W . P . G . M . Bro . Inglis , occupied tha chair ; supported on the right by Bro . Wilson , R . W . M , 111 ; Rev . D . Waddell , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . J . Thompson , Chap . Ill ; R . Sanderson , P . G . Sec ; and the Rev . H . Scott Riddell , Bard of St . John ' s , 111 . On the left by Bro . Stewart , G . C . ; Hay , G . J . ; Gough , V . P . G . S . ; Kay , G . S . ; and Hay , G . S . A blessing being asked by Bro . Thompson , ample justice was done to the viands ; after which Bro . French returned thanks .

The lodges represented on this occasion were as follows : — St . John ' s . Ill , Hawick , sixty present , Bro . Wilson , R . W . M . ; St . John ' s , 23 , Dunse , three present , Bro . Edington , R . W . M . Kilwinning , 24 , Peebles , four present , Bro . Dickson , R . W . M . ; St . John's , 32 , Selkirk , three present , Bro . Clapperton , R . W . M . ; St . John ' s , 104 , Jedburgh , thirteen present , Bro . Blackie , R . W . M . ; St . Luke , 132 , Lauder , five present , Bro . Stewart , It . W . M . ; St . John ' s , 216 , Stow , seven present , Bro . Dewar ,

R . W . M . ; St . John's , 262 , Galashiels , thirteen present , Bro . Scott , R . W . M . ; Celtic , 291 , Edinburgh , four present , Bro . Kay , R-W . M . ; St . James ' s , 424 , Hawick , twenty present , Bro . Laurie , R . W . M . —in all , 133 brethren .

Scotland.

When the cloth was removed , " The Holy Lodge of St . John , " " The Queen and the Craft , " ' and " The Prince and Princess of Wales , and other Members of the Royal Family , " were successively proposed by the chairman . The chairman then proposed " The Army , Navy , and Volunteers , " which was replied to by Bro . Turnbull , Jedburgh . The Senior Warden proposed " The Grand Lodges of England , Irelandand Scotlandand their respective Grand Masters . "

, , The chairman proposed " Prosperity to the Lodae of St . John , Hawick ( No . Ill ) , " to which Bro . Wilson , R . W . W . Ill , replied . Bro . the Rev . Henry Scott Riddell , the Bard of the Lodge , then delivered a poetical address . Bro . Dr . Brydon , in eloquent terms , proposed " The Health of the Rev . Henry Scott Riddell , " and in conclusion said : We have good reason to be proud of our Bard , for in this respect we

are unsurpassed by any other lodge in Britain . We have a Bard who has engraved his name in ineffaceable characters on the brow of immortality ; and of whom , when he has passed away , it will undoubtedly be said , in his prophetic

language" Then sleep , gentle bard , though silent for ever , Thy harp in the hall of the chieftain is hung , No time from the mem ' ry of mankind shall sever The tales that it told , and the strains that it sung . " But we trust and think that the time when this will be applicable is yet far distant . For although he is on the verge of three score and ten he is yet strong and hale and hearty . Hisintellect is as keen as ever ; and his heart , as he said of

hisfriend Hogg , does not grow old in proportion as his head grows grey . Bro . the Rev . H . S . Riddell , in a very feeling manner , replied to the toast . " The Provincial Grand Lodge of Peebles and Selkirkshires , " was proposed by the R . W . M . of No . 111 . The R . W . Prov , G . Master Mason replied . The chairman then proposed " The

Lodges who had sent Deputations to the Festival , according to their seniority on the roll of Grand Lodge , " which was replied to by the acting R . W . M . ' s present . The chairman then successively proposed " The Magistrates and Town Council of Hawick , " " Town and Trade of Hawick , " and "The Clergy , " to the latter of which Bro . Thompson replied . The Rev . Bro . Thompson then gave " Freemasonry over all

the World . 'He said ; My toast implies that ireemasonry is as extensive as the wide wide world . Our temple is the great Universe ; its pillars are the green mountains ; its vault the blue concave of heaven . It is lighted up most gorgeously with sun , moon , and stars . We listen to the teaching of the Great Architect in murmuring stream , gentle breeze , and rolling thunder . Music is provided for us from ten thousand throats —from lark and linnet' merle and thrushand cooing

cushat-, , dove ; and wherever we find a being who bears the name ot man , and in whose bosom there beats a human heart , we are willing to hail him brother . I could go on , but I must conclude . I propose " Freemasonry over all the World ; may it prosper and help to make man to man over tho world friends and brothers . " "The Ladies" were not forgot , and the chairman then gave

the parting toast— "Happy to meet , sorry to part , and happy to meet again . " Excellent songs and recitations wero given during the evening by Bros . Scott , Kay , Aitken , Dewar , Mclntyre , Gowans , Laurie , Taylor , and other ! ' , and the proceedings , which were characterised by the greatest harmony , were brought to a close in due form . The brethren from a distance then hurried to the train which was to convey them to their respective homes .

Japan.

JAPAN .

YOKOHAMA . ST . JOHN ' DAY . Banquet at the Masonic Sail . Rarely has our settlement seen such a handsomely spread table as that prepared by Bro . Pasquali , under the directions of the J . W . and a committee of brethren acting with him , for the

banquet on St . John ' s Day . The Masonic Hall , a room admirably adapted for the purpose , was tastefully decorated with evergreens and Masonic emblems and devices , and over one end of it was suspended the flags of