Masonry In South Africa.

that has come to hand , that we consider no brother ought to allow it to be out of his reach . "You must be aware that there are many lodges established in this part of South Africa—many are under the English Constitution , some Scotch , and a few Dutch ; in our insignificant little village , Masonry , where once it was thought by a magnificent sister , the very attempt

to establish a lodge would prove absortive , has flourished , slowly , but firmly , and I have tho honour this day to be a member of a lodge that I am proud of ; it is weil attended , and strictly and well worked . All this of course sharpens our views , and wo are consequently apt to watch our sister lodges , and therefore occasionally hear of , and see things which are not according to our idea the

" Spirit of Masonry " ( we may be wrong ) . For instance , not long ago , the following advertisement appeared in one of the local papers inserted by Scribe E ., of a certain E . A . Chajiter mentioning the names of sundry brethren :

ADVERTISEMENT . '" The power granted to the Members of the Saint Paul ' s Lodge , Adelaide , to form and work a Branch Lodge of Mark Masters in connection with this Chapter , has this day been cancelled by resolution , "Now all matters connected with Craft Masonry are , or ought , to be kept from the uninitiated or popular world

—does not E . A . Masonry come under the same category ? then again we often see in local papers that Lodge No .- ~ or Chapter No ., — has installed its officers , A . B . as W . M ., CD . as S . W ., & c , and E . F . as Z ., and G . as J-, & c ., now what possible good is to be gained by getting it into non-Masonic newspapers , the badinage I have been obliged sometimes to hear , as a friend meets you in

company , after tbo usual " well how are you , " by-fche-bye so you are W . M ., or S . W-, as the case may be ; another of the company , simply begins to catechise as , " what is the meaning of B . B . ? " " oh ! says another ? dont you know ? it means bright boys , " & e ., & c , ( a laugh ) , and " what is the meaning of W . M . ? " " that is , eh , working man , " and " S-W . ? " ohebsoak well

, , ; and so on ad nauseam . Sister lodges or chapters mi ght certainly like to know who the officers arc , and what they are , and what has been done on St . John ' s or any other day , and this might easily be attained by each lodge or chapter sending circulars or notices to others .

ibis would create a much desired feeling with us , and quite do away with the public quizzing that always follows , and always will follow , paragraphs relating to Freemasonry whoa they appear in public newspapers . For our own part , wo purpose taking advantage of your publication , and although it will not bo seen in this country uutil three or four months after , yet Ave will feel proud

when we see the name of our little lodge figurino- with those of other and older ones . Some time since wo subscribed to the Oliver Memorial Fund ; the sum , when compared with that of other subscriptions , is perhaps trifling , but it was all wo could afford . It was given willingly , and with true feelings of respect and admiration for the object in view , for , as far as I know , tho

majority of our members revere tho very name of our late lamented reverend brother . The majority ! why not all ? That will be explained by-and-bye—well , not even the slightest acknowledgment , whether tho money has been received—and consequentl y the brother who was then our Secretary feels uncomfortable about the matter . Quite natural . Now this could easil be obviatedif I

y , might be allowed to suggest that a list of names of the subscribers , from time to time , say once a month , be inserted in the Mirror , this would at once be an acknowledgment for the cash , draft , or order , and save tho Hon . Secretary to the Committee much time and trouble . * Why I said majority , was because the rest of our mem-

Masonry In South Africa.

bers are Dutch , and cannot read English , consequently they cannot appreciate the talents of onr departed B . B , This lodge is established in the centre of a community chiefly Dutch ; many of its members are men of intelligence and respectability , most of them are farmers ; some have been received into the ancient order by our giving them the degrees in their native tongue , more we

are unable to perform . Tho consequence is , they are far behind our English members in Masonic knowledge , though they show as much , and in some cases more fervency and zeal . For the advancement we have made , we are indebted principally to the works of the authorbefore mentioned , and the requirements of the foreigners might be relieved , I think , to a great extent , and

eventually add a good round sum to the funds for the Oliver Memorial , if such works as " The Book of the Lodge , " " Jurisprudence , " " Revelations of a Square , " & c , were translated into other languages and 2 Jublished . "We purpose erecting a small building which may be in every way adequate to the requirements of the lodge , to be dedicated to Freetnasomy . Tin ' s object is being attained by a Company ( limited ) of B . B ., consisting of holders of 150 shares at £ 5 each . Remember labour and

material are much higher here than in England . Economy is the order of the shareholders ; they want a building from 60 to 70 feet in length , and from 25 to 30 feet in breadth , double-storied , so as to have the lodge in the upper . Now they require instruction about a suitable and convenient plan , also a front and side elevation of a building that would be neat , commanding , and ornamental . Nowwould not some B . B . Architectwho has

, , a few spare hours , kindly devote them to supplying our need ; for , in regard to means , we are not far from the N . E . ( as wo calculate to lay out from six to seven hundred pounds on the building ) , and in knowledge of architecture , and planning , and designing , about the same longitude ; and hence , being dependent upon such very slender means , our productions might be wanting in

both character and taste , which evil we have observed in such buildings as were designed and planned by architects who were not , or are not , of the Craft , and may , perhaps , therefore be excused—but certainly tho buildings are very much wanting in character , if nothing else . Perhaps our esteemed brother , William Smith , G . E ., will allow himself to bo named as om- intermediaryin the matter .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

CRYSTAL PALACE . I The Easter novelties have been prolonged to this week , and have succeeded in attracting a goodly number of visitors . On Monday last there was a velocipede race , which , from its novelty , drew a great many to witness it . The race may have been considered exciting , but from the puffing and panting condition of the riders whan

they came in , it is evident velocipede riding is not such an easy matter as some people imagine . GAIETY THEATRE . Mr . T . W . Robertson ' s new drama , Dreams ( originall y produced at Liverpool under the title of Lady Glara Vere de Vera , and recently brought out at this theatre ) ,

cannot be pronounced an entire success . The story of "Dreams " is avowedly suggested by the Poet Laureate ' s "Lady Clara Vere do Vere ; " but it has no resemblance to the poem beyond the fact that its hero is made the victim of the passion for flirting in a young lady very much above him in a social station . The hero of Breams has not a " country heart , " nor does he defy the

lady ' s wiles , or declare that " ofhim" she shall not " win renown . " On tho contrary , he takes her rebuke for his presumption and her rejection of his suit very much to heart , " and is only finally cured of his folly by