Memoirs Of The Freemasons Of Naples.

but Eocco was a man of whom even the police stood m awe . One day he was preaching to a crowd in the public market-place : ' This day , ' he said , ' I will see whether you truly repent you of yoiu sins . ' Thereupon he commenced a penitential discourse that ' made the hair of the hard-hearted multitude stand upright , ' and when they were all on their kneesgnashing their teeth and

, beating their breasts , and putting on all imaginable signs of contrition , he suddenly cried , ' Now you who truly repent of your sins , hold up your hands . ' There was not one present that did not immediately stretch out both arms . 'Holy Archangel Michael , ' then exclaimed Eocco' thouwith thadamantine swordwho

, , y , standest by the judgment seat of God , hew me off every hand that has been raised hypocritically . ' Instantly every hand dropped , and Eocco poured forth a fresh torrent of invective against the sinfulness and perversity of his audience . "

But some of this friar ' s arguments were fearfully blasphemous . We give one extract more to show the ignorance of the preacher , and the daring blasphemy that he uttered . "Eocco was once engaged in a discussion with a Spaniard , whom he silenced by swearing that there was not a single Spanish saint in heaven . The Castilian was

startled at so unexpected a- declaration , but Eocco maintained the truth of it . ' A few were let iu at first , ' he said , ' but they smoked so many cigars that the Madonna and the other holy virgins were fairly sick , so Saint Peter set his wits to work to find out how he mig ht rid them of such disagreeable guests . He sent a crier to

every part of heaven to proclaim that a bull fight was to he held outside of the gate . Thereupon every Spanish saint without exception ran off to see the show ; and , when they were all out , Saint Peter banged the gate to , and took care never to let a Spaniard in again . '" Eocco lived to a good old age . Just before the

Neapolitan Revolution we find him mentioned by another German traveller , Rehfues . He was at that time eighty years of age , and suffering severely from the gout ; but his wit was unsubdued , ancl he said he was resolved to battle it with the devil to the last . Ferdinand I . being very fond of everything connected with the popular

manners of his capital , showed great favour to Rocco ancl used to talk to him from the windows of his palace ( To he continued . )

Masonry In Ceylon.

MASONRY IN CEYLON .

Few of our colonial possessions are less known to tho Masonic world than Ceylon . The present period—distinguished by the literary valour of a learned and eloquent official long resident upon the island , through whose truthful and vivid descriptions of its scenery , climatesocietyand natural advantagesthe public

gene-, ^ , , rally are beginning to take an increased interest in the well-doing of so important a colony—may be deemed a fitting one to call the attention of the Craft to the paucity of lodges , and consequent stagnation of Masonic progress . The work briefly alluded to above ( C ' ei / lon , by Sir J . Emerson Tennant ) explains clearly the resources

of the country ; and from its pages may be gleaned , by any brother desirous of accurate information , reliable statements of the European population , and of the towns in which our countrymen delight to congregate . A reference to the calendar shows that but one lodge under the English constitution is in existence at Ceylon ( No . 665 ,

Masonry In Ceylon.

meeting at Columbo ) . Besides the town just mentioned , there are several others capable of supporting loclges , viz .: —• At present . Ought to be . Columbo 1 ... 2 Candy 0 ... 1

Point de Galle 0 ... 2 Trinconalee 0 ... 2 Newera Ellia 0 ... 1 Total 1 8

A few lodges holding under the Grand Oost of Holland continue to work spasmodically ; but it is surmised that with few , if any , exceptions , the members of all these bodies would gladly transfer their allegiance to England , as being more in consonance with Masonic usage , than would be a rigid adherence to the sway under which

their forefathers discharged their Masonic duties . There seems to be a way of rapidly effacing the vestiges of foreign Masonry , and of introducing in their place a stable and constitutional system of lodge machinery . The M . AV . G . M ., or some of his subordinates in officeprobably our AV . M . Bro . AV . G . ClarkeGrand Secretary

, —may know , either personally or by repute , a resident in Ceylon , capable of discharging , with zeal and exactitude , the functions of Prov . G . M . To such an individual should be entrusted ( in , the event of this scheme finding favour in the sight of the powers that be , though of this there is but little hope ) the care of the newly-constituted

province ; and , with local supervision and assistance , the Masons of the most lovely island in the Eastern seas , would speedily be in a position to vie with our most cherished English districts in point of numbers and constitutional observances . There is no province under English rule that presents

greater advantages iu the shape of Masonic government than does Ceylon . Can a more compact or clearly defined district be pointed out or imagined ? Buildings there are in abundance , where hosts of brethren might

congregate for the solemnisation of ancient rites without let or hindrance ; and it is the deliberate and well pondered over opinion of the writer , verified by actual experience and observation , that the appointment of an able Prov . G . M . would conduce not only to considerable Masonic jirogress , hut would , after the lapse of three or four yearsrender Ceylon the model jirovince

, under the English constitution . The reasons for so favourable a view of tin ' s matter may be briefly stated . Few Masonic districts , if any , can be thoroughly inspected , through their length and breadth , by the local authorities . Ceylon , on the contrary , could , and , it is to be hoped , woulcl , be traversed throughout by the Prov .

G . M . in his periodic and frequent tours of inspection . An inconvenience to which many provincial brethren are subject would also not be shared by those members on whom the Prov . G . M . bestows his hi ghest honoursdistance could in no case preclude a member of the Provincial Grand Lodge from an annual attendance

thereat , a fact of the highest importance in the flourishing of any body of this kind , and calculated to imbue Masons of all ranks and ages in the island with a greater desire for the piu-ple than if unable , from distance , to attend the Provincial Grand Lodge . Notwithstanding these circumstances , it is believed that the noble Earl at

the head of the Order woulcl object to constitute Ceylon into a Masonic province at present , there being but one lodge working therein , whilst three are fixeel as the minimum at whose petition a Prov . G . M . is usually granted . But , with all due regard to precedents , it is