A Suspension In India.

Douglas being applied to for these dues , what does he do , he endeavours to collect them , and remits eighty rupees—more than half claimed—to the Prov . G . Treas . ; and , moreover , he asserts that , previous to applying to Bro . Clark to know whether anything was due " I paid the arrears of dues for the time I was Master . " If this

be so , we cannot see what claim the District Grand Lodge has upon him ; and , moreover , having done his best to collect arrears from the members of a deceased lodge , Ave think District Grand Lodge should be satisfied . But no , Bro . Douglas is charged with eontumacy

in not attending District Grand Lodge Avhen summoned to do so , to which he replies that he was informed by brethren , Avhose names he gives , that , having paid over Avhat he could realise , it Avould be unnecessary for him to attend . District Grand Lodge , however , took another vieAV of the matter , and he Avas again summoned to the next communication of the Grand Lodge , which

he attended ; and it is from Avhat then took place we gather the facts on Avhich this article is founded , the result of the discussion being that Bro . Douglas is " suspended from his Masonic privileges for six months , and further until he has paid his dues , " or , in other words , he is expelled the Order , unless he chooses to

pay the amount claimed out of his OAVU pocket , at least so far as English Masonry is concerned , for Ave cannot believe that such a decision -will be alloAved to affect his position in Scotcli Freemasonry , of which he is also a member . And here we must be allowed to say Ave do not altogether hold Bro . Douglas blameless in his

conduct towards the District Grand Lodge . He Avas summoned to appear as an English Mason in an English lodge , and it Avas not respectful to appear in other than English clothing ; but here again the officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge were also in the wrong in admitting him Avhen he Avas not properly clothed .

But let us see what is the practice with regard to this laAV iu England . Whilst a lodge is at work the Master is held responsible for the payment of the dues , and in case of non-payment he would have to answer for the neglect to the Board of General Purposes , but when a

lodge has ceased to work no attempt is made to compel the last Master to continue to pay dues , though legally we believe that he might be so called upon , until the lodge is erased . But after the lapse of some four or five years the lodge , not the last Master , is called upon to shoAv cause Avhy it shall not be erased and its warrant

returned to Grand Lodge , and failing a satisfactory ansAA er , the erasure is proceeded with . Some seventy lodges were so erased a short time since ( many of them lodges abroad it is true , including those in Canada which had AvithdraAvn their allegiance ) , but Ave heard of no attempt to make the last Masters responsible for dues in

arrear , or suspend them from their Masonic privileges . We consider Bro . Douglas has good cause of complaint against the District Grand Lodge , ancl can scarcely belieA-e that , should he appeal to the authorities at home , that the decision of the District Grand Lodge will be sustained .

The Mason's Last Request.—A Sketch Of The Battle-Field .

THE MASON'S LAST REQUEST . —A SKETCH OF THE BATTLE-FIELD .

BY EDWARD Z . 0 . Junsoir . Ib Avas a very hot day in the summer of 1778 . The British General , Clinton , with a formidable army , was hastening across the sandy plains of New Jersey to join the forces of General HOAVB , as Sandy Hook . And Washington , with an army once more regenerated into lifedetermined

, , if it lay within the bounds of possibility , to prevent that junction ; ancl , to effect this purpose , sent on a large detachment of light troops , under General Lee . to harass their movements and retard their progress until he could come up with the main force and effect their capture or destruction .

The British Avere overtaken by Lee , whom I have more than once said , and now repeat it , only needed Arnold ' s temptations , and Arnold ' s wrongs , to have been all or more a traitor than Avas the latter . The Avill Avas in Mm , but opportunity did not seiwe . Bat to return to my story . As soon as the American sharp-shooters , in the van of Lee ' s division , began to annoy

the British , the latter drew up in order of battle and prepared for defence . The Americans boldly pushed on , and wore driving all before them , when to their utmost astonishment , and to the deep mortification of their gallant officers , who were flushed with the hope of a victory almost in thenhands , General Lee ordered a retreat . Shame mantled many a brow then an there ; and , in spite of disci

pline , angry AA'ords broke from many a lip ; for even then , as now , the word retreat sounded strangely , aye , almost harshly upon an American ear . But the order had been given by him who had command , and he must be obeyed . But so angry and unwilling were those Avho thus fell back , that they did not preserve the order they Avouldhave done had they only been yielding to stern necessit

y . And the British , overjoyed at a victory so easy , were pushing their advantage , as they ever did , mercilessly , and our brave men were falling fast before them , when suddenly dashing forward upon a horse AA'hich Avas white with foam , rode that matchless man upon whom a nation ' s fate depended . " What means this cowardly retreat ? Who dared to order it ? " he thundered .

" I did ! AA'as the angry response of General Lee . " Eally your men , coward , or go hide your face in shame !" cried Washington , that day giving full vent to a passion AA'hich , hitherto , under all circumstances , he had managed to control .

Halt and form ! he cried again , in a voice so loud that it Ml alike upon the ears of friend and foe . And , though the bullets fell like hail about him , andbraA-e men dropped upon his right hand and upon his left , he sat unmoved upon his horse , stemmed there the tide of retreat , and checked the advance of the triumphant foe . The carnage was terrible . Bayonet clashed against sabre met sabre

bayonet , , AA-hile tho sulphurous smoke almost hid the combatants from view ; and they sprang at each other like fiends , lighted by the flashes of cannon " ancl the blaze of musketry . One gallant officer , Avhose gray hairs had become tinged with blood , fought directly under the eyes of Washington , whom he loved not onlas a generalbut as a brother

y , , bound by that mysterious and holy tie which equalises a peasant Avith a prince . By his side three sons of lesser rank , the youngest scarce eighteen years of age , fought all as bravely as himself . It was at that moment when , with Washington at their head , the Americans drove back the foe at the bayonet ' s point , that he Avhom I call Major Carroll , who was leading

his battalion on , himself on foot ( for two horses had alread y gone down under him . on that day ) , and to Avhom I just alluded , saw a British officer fall , _ who had , Avith heroic gallantry , striven to stem the changing tide . Though Avounded ancl down , the brave officer still struggled , and , drawing a pistol , disabled a man whose bayonet Avas at his breast . Major Carroll ' s sword Avas raised above his head , but quickly a sign , a word , and the