Statistics Of Freemasonry In Tee United States.

other power encroaching on its rights and privileges ; thus , even the Scottish and French lodges of New York ancl New Orleans are subject to the respective Grand Lodges of the States of New York and Louisiana .

The Grand Lodge of New York , the Province of which includes 630 symbolical lodges , with upwards of 41 , 000 members , has for its Grand Master Bro . Robert D . Holmes , and Bro . James M . Austin for its Grand Secretary . This Grand

Lodge entertains fraternal relations with all other Grand Lodges ancl Supreme Masonic authorities of both hemispheres . . There are at present in the United States two Supreme Councils of the Scottish rite , the

jurisdiction of the one extending over the North , that -of the other over the South . The one for the South , having its seat in Charleston , S . C , was the first Supreme Council ever established ; it was created in 1801 . Both Supreme Councils have

various "Grand Lodges of Perfection , " Cross Chapters , and Consistories under their respective jurisdictions , and amongst their members some of the most illustrious ancl distinguished men of the

nation are to be found . In the City of New York there are also held one Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection , one Council of Princes of Jerusalem , one Chapter of the Rose Croix , ancl one Sovereign Cosmopolitan Grand Consistory .

Destruction Of Masonic Property By Fire.

DESTRUCTION OF MASONIC PROPERTY BY FIRE .

For years out of number the brethren of St . George's Lodge , at Doncaster , have been in the habit of holding their meetings in the council chamber at the Town Hall . A few weeks a-o-o , however , they were informed that , in consequence

of some alterations which were about to be made , the room could not in future be rendered available for their meetings . Hence they had it in contemplation to remove to some place where they could meet in a more private manner , and have a

proper room for the purpose . . Before this could be effected , however , they were doomed to suffer a severe loss by fire . A convenient back room , near to the lodge room , was used for the purpose of-storing the Masonic

effects , which were kept locked-up from profane eyes in chests and boxes provided for the purpose . In this room , on the night of Monday last , a man who had something to do with a dancino '

Destruction Of Masonic Property By Fire.

party sat down to smoke his pipe , and was furnished by the hall-keeper with a spittoon filled with sawdust . It is supposed that , having- emptied his pipe into the box , the sawdust ignited , and set fire to the premises . At all events , at about

seven o'clock the next n ' . orning , smoke was seen issuing from the Town Hall , and , on an examination taking place , it was found that the flooring of the room in question had been burnt through , and considerable damage done to the Masonic

property . The entire of the jewels , composed of solid silver , were found to be welded together in the mass ; several aprons , belonging to the brethren , were utterly destroyed ; the vestments used by the

Royal Arch chapter were burnt to rags ; and it is supposed that the loss will not be less than from £ 40 to £ 50 . It is , at the same time , a subject of congratulation that the warrants of both the Craft and Royal Arch lodges were preserved , as well as some valuable documentsthree beautiful tracing

, boards , the chairs and pedestals , some presents which had been made to the lodge at different times , and several matters which it would have been difficult , if not impossible , to have replaced . It is a matter of surprise , considering the inflammable nature of most of the articles in the

room ' , that the entire building was not destroyed by the fire , which must have been smouldering ancl burning for about seven hours .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE X-OPE S A 110 CT 3 TIOS' . The following paragraph , apropos of the Pope ' s recent allocution , appeared in the New Franhfort Gazette of the 10 th ult ., and is translated by a brother of the Third Lodge of Ireland , Cork : — DIEEEEEK ' T EFFECTS . —The Master of the lodge

at Erfurt has , in consequence of the papal excommunication against the Freemasons , resigned his office ; and the Master of the loclge at Calbe has , for the same reason , left the Roman Catholic and gone over to the Protestant Church . Forty years ago , as the Freemasons' lodge at Palermo now revealsthe young

, Lieutenant of dragoons , Count Mastai , belonged to the most zealous members of Italian Masonry ; at present , the same Mastai , now Pope Pius IX ., pronounces curses over the faith of his youth . —E . "W . "W .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

Tie Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents , RELIGION OF FREEMASONRY . TO IHE KUl-tOll 01 ? TUT ' . rKlUmiSO ^ S' MA . Gi . ZlWE . VKD M . VSOSIC lURHOB , DEAR SIR AXT > BEOTHEE , —A worthy and learned correspondent , whose leter signed " J . J . " appears in your last number , has not , I am persuaded , seen m y