Freemasonry In China.

Letter No . 3 . R . W . Charles E . Parker , D . Prov . G . Master of Masons in China , E . C . R . W . Sir and Brother , —Your esteemed favour of the 11 th inst . was duly received , ancl I beg to

offer to you my warmest thanks for the promptitude with which you have replied to my communication of the 10 th inst ., as well as for the expressions of good feeling contained in your reply . My knowledge of your deep interest in the welfare

of the Fraternity emboldened me to write as I did . I am fully aware of the difficulties in whicli the matter under consideration is involved , and the measure proposed by you seems to me to be the best—perhaps the only one which , under the circumstances , can be adopted . It will , at least , prevent any lodge from using material rejected by

another lodge , in ignorance of such rejection ; and I feel quite sure that no lodge in Shanghae will initiate into the mysteries of our ancient and honourable Fraternity any candidate whom they have good reason to believe unworthy .

You suggest that we sometimes "black balF ' a candidate upon whom our committee have reported favourably , and in that you are quite right , but I beg to inform you that the committee , in addition to their written report , make an oral

report , seriatim , and it sometimes happens that the committee , although not feeling at liberty to report unfavourably , make oral statements concerning the character of the applicant which- lead to his rejection .

With the assurance that I shall ever be ready to do all in my power to advance the prosperity of the Fraternity , I remain , R . W . Sir and Brother , Yours truly and fraternally ,

( Signed ) J . B . EAMES , D . D . G . Master of Masons in China , M . C ., U . S . A .

¦ »»¦¦¦ ¦ Minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge of China , held at the Masonic Hall , Shanghae , May 24 , A . D . 1866 , A . L . 5866 . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in form by the D . P . G . M ., Acting P . G . M . at

halfpast three p . m . Present : Bros . C . E . Parker , D . P . G . M ., acting P . G . M . ; A . R . Lilloy , P . J . G . D ., D . P . G . M . W . Jackson , W . M . 501 , P . S . G . W ; B . A . Jamioson , W . M . 570 , P . J . G . W . ; Rev . M . Kaufmann , 570 , P . G . Chap . ; R . J . Fearon , 570 . P . G . Treas . ; C . E . Endieoff 601 , P . G . Reg . ; J . M . Hockley , 570 , P . G . Assist . Sec ; R . S . Gundoy , W . M . 1027 , acting P . S . G . D . ; T . Loaman , S . W . 501 ,

P . J . G . D . ; W . Kidnor , 570 , P . G . Supt . of Works ; C . 51 . Donaldson , P . M ., P . G . Dir . of Cors . ; W . C . Blanchard , Ancient Landmark , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cors . ; J . McMillan , 1027 , P . G . Sword Boaror ; R . A . Houston , 527 , P . G . Assist . Purst . ; D . Patridgo , 501 , acting P . G . Steward ; H . W . Hardy , 570 ; W . Pearson , 501 ; W . E . Stophenson , 501 ; E . W . Rico , 501 ; T . W . Eckfoldt , 501 ; J . Jacques , 102 T ; 23 . W . Fellowes , 001 ; Jeffreys , P . G . Tyler ;

P . II . Underwood , P . M . 570 ; E . C . Windmaus , acting J . W . 1027 ; E . Wkittall , 501 ; J . A . Maitlaud , 570 ; A . J . Jolinston , 570 ; H . J . Ganham , 501 ; M . L . Smith , 501 . 'Visitors : Bros . J . B Eamos , D . D . G . M . Massachusetts Constitution , U . S . A . ; H . D . Cartivriglit , P . P . G . M . Wostern India ; A . il . Moore , P . P . S . G . W . Bombay ; T . S . Borradailo , W . M . Cosmopolitan Lodgo ; F . B .

Forbes , 32 ° , Now York , U . S . A . ; S . C . Farnham , W . Tarrant , F . G . Walsh , and J . P . Martin . N . B . —The Prov . G . Chap ., Bro . 0 . H . Butcher , having to perform service in the church , was not present at the opening of the P . G . lodge , but

officiated in his proper capacity during the ceremony of laying the stone , as will be seen below , his place in the P . G . lodge being occupied by Bro . M . Xaufmann , Chaplain of lodge 570 . The minutes of the annual meeting of the

Provincial Grand Lodge of China , held at Hong Kong , on the 13 th day of January , A . D . 1866 , were then read by command of the Acting P . G . M ., and unanimously confirmed .

Bro . R . A . Houstoun was then invested as P . G . Assist . Purst ., in accordance with the request of the P . G . M . contained in his letter of the 10 th May , 1866 , to the D . P . G . M . The Acting P . G . M . then stated that the next

business on the summons Avas to consider a recommendation to the English , lodges concerning the passage of an especial bye-law in re-initiation of candidates , and that the consideration of this subject had been undertaken on this occasien on

account of the holding of the P . G . lodge , being a fitting opportunity for bringing before the Masters of the lodges a point which is of much importance to the Masonic bodies working under different constitutions . He stated that he had been in

correspondence on the subject with the D . D . G . M ., Massachusetts Constitution , U . S . A ., the R . W . Bro . J . B . Eames , and he then read the letters numbered 1 , 2 , and 3 , copies of which are inscribed at the head of these minutes . The A . P . G . M . further

remarked that the reasons for bringing this subject to the attention of the P . G . lodge were , he had no doubt , clearly apparent to the brethren in the correspondence just read , and that the difficulty was one which arose from the requirements of the

different constitutions being quite dissimilar on the matter of the ballotting for and reception of candidates , and he hoped that the resolution which