Glasgow.

Lodge , and though it was well known to brethren that Grand Lodge had rescinded the decision , sWH no notification of the fact had been received by the Provincial Grand Loelge ; tho question therefore arose , if , under these circumstances , the brother present was entitled to give a vote ? The subject was freely ventilated at the meeting , and after various opinions had been expressed with reference to the Masonic law in such a case ,

'the acting Prov . G . M . ruled that however desirous he and others ¦ of the feretln-en were that the brother present should have accorded to him his full privileges , seeing that his suspension ¦ was known , and that of his brother officers had been removed . Still , in the absence of any notification being received to this ¦ effect from the Grand Lodge , the brother was not considered entitled to vote in Provincial Grand Lodge , and he retired

: accordingly , though under protest . The all-engrossing subject brought under the notice of the 'Provincial Grand Lodge at this meeting was , pursuant to notice ¦ of motion , the submitting by Bro . McTaggart , R . AV . M . of St . 'Mango Lodge ( No . 27 ) , of his " Masonic Benevolent Educational Pund Scheme for the Province of Glasgow , " previously to defining his views as to the proposed modus operandiin order

, to give effect to the objects sought to be attained . Bro . McTaggart prefaced this by moving as follows , viz .: — 1 st . The position of Freemasonry in Scotland is confessedly low as compared with England and other countries . 2 nd . He assigned as the chief reason for this , the fact of there being no properly constituted comprehensive Masonic benevolent institutions in Scotland , no regularly appointed

vork of a charitable nature . 3 rd . He trusted the brethren woulel agree with him that surely the time has now come for wiping off the stigma that afc present attaches to Freemasonry in Scotland . Bro . McTaggart stated that the elements of improvement and progress are visible in our mieist , and he was hopeful of a better state of matters . 4 th . He anticipated that no one would question the propriety of identifying ourselves with works of a nhilanthronic kind : no

one surely , said Bro . McTaggart , would deny the necessity for the scheme proposed in the' motion as a modest scheme , and one that does not call for a great expenditure , but in the event of success is capable of considerable expansion . 5 th . An objection may be advanced against this to the effect that there are schemes of the kind sufficient already in existence . But Bro . McTaggart stated he would easily disabuse the minds of the brethren of this erroneous

impressionremark-, ing that all the educational institutions were already filled , and that there were some 30 , 000 children in Glasgow destitute of the means of education . Bro . McTaggart defined the nature and objects of the scheme to be as follows , viz ., to educate tho children of deceased or decayed Freemasons , to provide them with books , and , if the means at our disposal are sufficient , to clothe them also . He proposed to name the scheme "The

Glasgow Masonic Benevolent Educational Funel . " He proposed to divide Glasgow into four districts , one in each quarter of the city ; that the management should consist of a Provincial Committee with a President and Secretary , the Treasurer of the existing Benevolent Committee to act ' in the same capacity on behalf of the proposed Benevolent Educational Funel . The support of the scheme to be derived from subscriptions from the

brethren of the provirrce , and annual donations from lodges . Every subscriber of one guinea per annum to become a member of committee during fche continuance of his subscription . Each subscriber of ten guineas to be a member for life . Each lodge subscribing ten guineas thereby constitutes its R . AV . M . for the time being a member of committee for fifteen years . Bro . McTaggart ' s motion was received with marked attention

, anel received the hearty approval of all present . Bro . AV . Smith , Prov . G . Sec ., whilst endorsing the views expressed in appreciation of the value of the scheme propounded by Bro . McTaggart , trusted , however , that it would also be made to include the additional feature of making provision for the relief of the widows , the aged , and the poverty-stricken of the Craft .

Bro . McTaggart replied that , although he had it originally in contemplation to include the important and much-required feature alluded to by the Provincial Grand Secretary , still he had not deemed it prudent to risk the carrying of the benevolent educational scheme by tacking to it just now that additional element . He would concentrate the carrying out of the first-named scheme upon a solid basis , and , having got the one into thorough working order , he trusted the province

would not tarry long in carrying into effect a comprehensive scheme including tire views of the Provincial Grand Secretary , as set forth in the touching appeal he had just made on behalf of those who have such just claims upon the consideration and ' protection of the Craft . After a few more remarks , Bro . McTaggart ' s motion was carried unanimousland the scheme referred to the Provincial

y , Grand Committee , in order to report upon the best plan of putting the scheme into a practical shape , so as to allow of its being put into operation with the least possible delay . Some matters of minor importance were disposed of , and the-Provincial Grand Lodge was closed .

America.

AMERICA .

REPORT OF BRO . A . G . GOODALL , OF NEAV YORK , TO THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE , NORTHERN JURISDICTION , UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . ( Continued from . p . 76 . )

EMPIRE OF BRAZIL . The early history of Freemasonry in this country is somewhat associated with its chequered career and persecutions suffered by the fraternity for over half a century in Portugal , where religious intolerance exercised its power to crush liberal principles , declared Freemesonry heresy , tortured its members on the rack , and punished them as galley , ' slaves . This

inquisitorial persecution of the Order continued till the victorious invasion of the French drove the Regent of Portugal to his colony of the Brazils , from whence we find that on the 30 th of March , 1818 , King John promulgated an edict against all secret societies , including Freemasonry , under penalty of fine and banishment , and it was not until after Brazil became independentin 1822 that the Masons were permitted to assemble

, , at their mystic labours , and with that spirit and principle of liberality and toleration so characteristic of the Brazilians , Freemasonry has now become one of the permanent institutions of that enlightened and progressive empire . About 1821 . lodges were established , under French authority , at Rio de Janeiro , Bahia , and Perrrambuco , but their work appears to have been very irregular , and for want of support

they soon ceased to exist . In 1826 David Jewitt , an American , holding the rank of Commodore iu the Brazilian Navy , while on a visit to New York obtained a patent and authority dated the fourth day of the ninth Masonic month , 1826 , from the Supreme Council for the United States Territories and dependencies ( the original document is now in possession of this Supreme Council ) , to establish n Grand Consistorv . which was reerularlv constituted

at Rio de Janeiro in 1827 , lodges and chapters were organised under that authority in all the cities and large towns in the empire ivorking in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite . A Supreme Council 33 ° was constituted soon after , and in time was acknowledged by the various Grand Bodies in Europe , and in 1833 they formed treaties of alliance with certain Grand Powers in Europe aud this country , but the golden rules and beautiful ritualistic teaching so lowingly expressed of peace

g and fraternal union among the Masonic family does not appear to have been strictly adhered to by the brethren in that jurisdiction , as we find on several occasions that discord , disunion , and separation was the ruling spirit , and at one time there were three Grand Bodies in Rio de Janeiro claiming Masonic jurisdiction , bufc in due time they united , and returned to their allegiance under the original council , and so the historical record

has continued with many interesting phases to the present time . Previous to my arrival at Rio de Janeiro in the early part of October , 1865 , I hael learned that there was another separation , and two Masonic Bodies were then in existence at Rio : I at once entered upon the investigation to ascertain which was legitimate , and after a careful examination of the rather

voluminous documents published by each party , giving details of what is claimed to have been the cause of the unfortunate difficulty anel separation , and also of the charters and records in the archives , I was fully satisfied that the Grand Orient and Supreme Council of Brazil , Valley of Lovradio , of which the Most Illustrious Bro . Joaquin Marcellino de Brito 33 ° , is the Grand Master Grand Commander and Ruy Germack Passollo 33 ° , is the Grand Sec . Adj ., was the regular and legiti-