Masonry At Home And Abroad.

MASONRY AT HOME AND ABROAD .

TO THE EDITOR OE TIIE FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . SIR AND BROTHER , —A few weeks ago , I sent you extracts from a letter received from my highlyesteemed friend and brother the Rev . F . De la Mare , late Chaplain of St . Aubin ' s Lodge ( No . 958 ) , with a running commentary . As I then promised to do so

again from time to time , I forward the following , taken from a letter dated April 4 th and Sth . The circumstances connected with the adoption ofa child by one of the lodges at the Mauritius , are particularly interesting -. — "April 4 th . When I last wrote to you , I do not

think I had attended any lodge , ancl through sickness , have not been able to be present only once since my arrival . It was at a meeting of the Harmony . The evening passed off very well , ancl I confess I was pleased with the proceedings , although the W . M . fell far short of that correctness , fluency , and

impressiveness of my friend , whose name I will not mention . An account of the meeting will , I believe , appear in the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , and you will see that my brethren of St . Aubin ' s and of the Cesaree were not forgotten . Masonry , however , here , is not so

livel y as it ought to be . The Military and the British Lodges are very low . I hope they will revive . The brethren of the Harmony assembled in

an elegant building , belonging to the Lodge La Triple Esperance , a large , airy , and most commodious building . The Temple is at one end , built with columns , ancl covered with a Gothic arch . The ceiling is painted with Masonic emblems , and they have , what would be well worthy of the Masonic brethren in Jersey , the portraits of all the Masters of the lodge

hanging round the Temple . * The throne is well elevated . I shall procure a plan , and when I have examined it , I will send you a more complete description . With one thing , however , I found fault . The Bible is laid on a pedestal in the centre of the lodge , and thither the Master goes to clo his work . I think the

ceremony loses much of its beauty when the W . M . leaves his seat besides , it is a violation of our ritual , and I maintain that the volume of the Sacred Law should be constantly before the Master , occupying the most distinguished place , aye , and the most prominent one , too , in the lodge . I spoke to the W . M .

on the subject , ancl he promised to make the change . Another thing against which I lifted my voice is , that at their dinners , for Masons here dine together monthly , they set aside all sanies d ' obligation , and commence by proposing the health of the newlyinitiated brother . This marks a deficiency in loyalty to our authorities . It will be my aim to endeavour to correct these little matters .

" April Sth . Yesterday evening an emergency meeting of the Harmony was held , to pass to the degree of Fellow Craft Bros . Sheppe , Elliott , and my son . The former two are officers of the R . M . S . S . the Sultan .

The labour was very well conducted . The volume of the Sacred Law was put iu the proper place . After the meeting , a number of the brethren dined at the house of P . Ambrose , Esq ., the W . M . You cannot say too much in praise of this worthy brother . He is the life of Masonry here , and being wealthy , practices true Masonic hospitality . I- must mention an incident connected with Masonry in this island , which I think should be known to the whole Masonic

world , for such publicity will , I have no doubt , encourage our brethren here in their labours of love . Some years ago , the Roman Catholic Bishop of the island thought proper to excommunicate all who joined Freemasonry , and the priests , too happy to pronounce anathemas on all who do not think as they do , refused their ministry to any and every brother who

did not renounce his allegiance to our principles . Fortunately they all stood firm . It happened that j ust at this time a brother fell sick ; his wife sent for the priest ; he refused to visit the sick man , and almost insulted his afflicted wife . The brother died without receiving the last sacramentsand left behind

, him an infant . App lication was made to the priests to baptize the child ; this they refused , on the plea that he was the child of a Mason . The brethren , on hearing of this , were filled with indignation , and after consulting together as to the course they should

pursue , decided to adopt the little persecuted orphan . They invited the mother to allow the child to be baptized in their Temple , which was done . The child was adopted as the child of the lodge ; a sum of 10 ? . per month was voted for his maintenance aud education , till he should be capable of doing something for himselfand nowI believethe young man is in Paris

, , , pursuing his studies , still supported hy the ' Triple Esperance ; ' no doubt he will by-and-bye distinguish himself in the great work of Freemasonry . This fact needs no comment . Might Ave not say to many lodges * Go and do likewise ? ' Another proof of the determination of the brethren not to be intimidated by

the priests , is the fact that they have built their Temple quite close to the Roman Catholic Cathedral , and I believe they contemplate erecting another for a sister lodge in the same neighbourhood . All honour to them . "

The Masonic Temple at St . Helier , Jersey , is now receiving the finishing strokes from the workmen , preparatory to its consecration on May 25 th , for which ceremony the arrangements are nearly made . In reply to an invitation sent to the lodges in Brittany , an intimation has been received that a deputation of twelve brethren belonging to the Grand Orient of

France , will attend , and a meeting of the Masonic authorities here is about to be held , to determine on the mode of reception of them . The names of the Jersey brethren who desire to attend , have now been sent in , from which it appears that there will be space for the accommodation of a considerable number of

ladies , as well as the military aud civil authorities of Jersey , to witness tbe proceedings . The Prov . G . M ., who takes the lead in the arrangements , is most anxious to give all possible eclat to the event of the day . Some disappointment has been expressed in many quarters that there will be no public procession

for the gratification of the inhabitants of the town . H . H . Jersey , May 12 , 1864 .