LOUISIANA.

February, 1872. The address of G. M. Todd is mainly occupied with local affairs. He presented communications from the Sup. Councils of Italy and Cuba, desiring to open up fraternal correspondence. They were referred to an able committee of seven, of which J. Q. A. Fellows was chairman, who thus express themselves:

"THE GRAND ORIENT OF ITALY, OF COLON IN CUBA, AND MEXICO. We share in the doubts implied, if not expressed, in the address of the Grand Master as to the regularity of the Grand Bodies named at the head of this division of our report, and we also have doubts as to the real Masonry of those composing said bodies. We know that there is more or less of political and religious propagandism prevalent in nearly or quite all of the Grand Bodies called Masonic in Southern Europe, including France, Belgium and others, as alluded to in the previous divisions of this report. We think the Grand Lodge in previous years has been too free in acknowledging new organizations called Grand Lodges or Grand Orients. We think before any Grand Lodge should be recognized, a committee should carefully inquire into the proceedings of the organization, and the standing of the bodies uniting in it; whether they were real Masonic Lodges, engaged exclusively in teaching and practising the true Freemasonry, and holding under Grand Lodges acknowledged by us as regular. We doubt if we can properly recognize any Grand Lodge, or Grand Orient, or Grand East, which is not formed by the coming together of delegates of regular Masonic Lodges."

"TAMAULIPAS AND MEXICO.-Our remarks in the other divisions of this report, to a great extent, elucidate the question presented by the Grand Master, under this heading. We doubt if any regular Masonic organization, of a permanent form, ever existed in Mexico. At all events, it seems there is none there now of a national character, and only one or two Lodges, if even there are any regular Masonic Lodges."

The question of allowing Lodges to drop members from their rolls for n. p. d., was debated and declared out of order, being equivalent to an amendment to the By-Laws of the Grand Lodge.

The Masonic Temple Building Committee report having commenced work, a subscription of $27,500 as donations having been obobtained, on which they have made calls for payment of 50 per cent. The cost is estimated at $225,000, which they propose to meet by making the Grand Lodge fee for initiation five dollars, and in due time selling their present hall. The Grand Master remarks they have a great work ahead, and many difficulties to surmount.

Our proceedings of 1871 are fraternally noticed, criticising our judgment that the use of Masonic emblems is a matter of taste, to be excerised according to the fancy of individual members. They say if it means what it says, they do not believe it.

"M. W. Brother Swasey, the R. W. Representative of Michigan, tendered the congratulations of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Michigan on the harmony existing between the various Grand Lodges, and the

desire of the Brethren for its continuance."

Lodges, 149; members, 7,577; initiated, 599.

MAINE.

May, 1872. Complaint was made to Grand Master Lynde, that a Lodge had unreasonably postponed the trial of a member charged with the commission of a heinous offense, for which he was indicted, placed on trial before the court, and the jury failed to agree. Subsequently, charges were filed in the Lodge, the case came up for trial, was fully discussed and postponed until after the time fixed for his second trial in the court. Upon investigation, he found that the principal reason urged for the postponement was that our obligation required us to give a Brother our support and assistance until the civil tribunal had disposed of the case, no matter what the circumstances, or how great the law's delay. Firm in the belief that the doctrine thus enunciated is most pernicious and calculated to bring the Institution into unmerited disrepute, he set aside the action of the Lodge, and ordered them to proceed with the trial without unnecessary delay; for if we once thoroughly convince the community that our mission is to protect our Brethren charged with the commission of crime, no matter whether guilty or innocent, none but those who require such protection will knock at our doors for admission.

We receive fraternal notice from M. W., Josiah H. Drummond, of the Committee on F. C., and a summary of our proceedings for 1872 are given.

One day was occupied in witnessing Atlantic Lodge initiating a candidate, Ancient Landmark Lodge passing a candidate to the Second Degree, and Portland Lodge raising another to the Third.

The Grand Orient of Brazil, Valley of Lavradio, was recognized.

Lodges, 159; initiated, 1,193; membership, 16,571.

David Cargill is G. M., and Ira Berry G. S.

MARYLAND.

Annual, November, 1871; semi-annual, May, 1872. Pecuniary affairs, G. M. Latrobe says, will for some years be the paramount subject of interest in the address of the G. M.

They are carrying a heavy load of debt, incurred in building a

hall, but with strong faith that their efforts will be succeessful in eventually paying all their debt.

He decided that it is unmasonic and deserving of rebuke for the W. M. to allow a Brother to declare how he voted in balloting.

Also, that the W. M. may cause his Wardens to exchange places or take the Master's place and confer the several Degrees throughout, with a view to perfect them, in the duties of their several offices.

Lodges, 83; initiated, 206; members, 5,352. John H. B. Latrobe, G. M., and Jacob H. Medairy, G. S., were re-elected.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Holds quarterly communications, the annual one being held in December. We have received a copy of their proceedings for 1871, it being a goodly octavo of 745 pages.

Masonry is zealously cultivated in this jurisdiction, by highly educated and cultured Craftsmen, and no pains are spared in exhaustively investigating every point as it arises. At the stated communication in 1871, Bro. Wm. Sewall Gardner, M. W. G. M., devotes 110 pages of his address to the memory of Henry Price; in reviewing his life he cannot escape the impression that the Ancient Society of Free and Accepted Masons, through his persistent labor, emerged from a position of comparative insignificance to one of prominence and great respectability in the Province. When he opened the Provincial Grand Lodge at Boston, in July, 1733, the Brethren, with one exception, occupied humble places in life, and were not calculated to extend the influence of the Society, nor to make proselytes from among the best men in Boston. But Henry Price set his standard high. He was ambitious that the Institution should be known by the good character of its members, and that it should be represented by able and respectable officers. The result was, that those who had become members of the Lodges gave the Society a position which commanded the respect of all classes of men. The reverend clergy gave it their sanction; the press spoke of it in terms of respect; and thus the Institution won its way to favor in public estimation. In short, he was successful beyond his fondest anticipations. Wealth, political and social distinction, the high authorities in the Province, the teachers of Christian virtue, and the leaders in the two great parties of loyalty and liberty, had bowed before the altar of Freemasonry.

At the banquet, following the installation of Grand Officers, the troubles in the State of New York, which led to the anti-Masonic excitement which convulsed society at that period, were spoken of as growing out of corrupt Lodges, composed of persons who came to this

country ignorant of our institutions, uneducated, and unfit to be brought into the Institution, and when there, they knew no more of the ritual of Masonry than they did of the ritual of the Church.

The venerable Brother, Charles W. Moore, made a speech briefly tracing the history of the time, and telling how the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, in 1830, purchased land on Tremont St., and in October of that year got together, organized within Fanueil Hall, and marched out of the door into a crowd-and such a crowd! They hooted, they yelled, but the procession moved on, and the cornerstone was duly laid. A few weeks after, as soon as the building rose above ground, some scoundrel, in the night time, wrote upon its corner-stone, "Golgotha." The Grand Lodge hesitated about a declaration to be made public, but impatient of delay, the Boston Encampment of Knights Templars-a body of only some twenty-five or thirty members-appointed a committee, of which Charles W. Moore was chairman, to draft a Declaration. It was adopted and signed by them, and afterwards by 470 faithful Brethren, and soon by over 1,430 Masons in the State. This Declaration, presented to the public December 31, 1831, is a calm and dignified disclaimer of the libels of the anti-Masons, and sets forth briefly but clearly the true character of Freemasonry.

This Declaration was the first heavy blow given to anti-Masonry, but it did not kill it; but the acquittal of Moore and Seavy, tried for libel on Samuel D. Green, editor of the Boston "Anti-Masonic Christian Herald,” in which the defendants proved the plaintiff to be a man of depraved and vicious character, virtually terminated the contest.

We can only regret our limited space. These proceedings are so interesting that we would gladly reproduce many eloquent things which have delighted us in reading.

They have 21,506 members, 1,669 of whom were added during the year. Sereno Dwight Nickerson is Grand Master, and Charles H. Titus is Grand Secretary.

MINNESOTA.

January, 1872. G. M. Nash reports no dissension requiring special notice from him, or their consideration. Nine new Lodges owed their dispensations to him. Authorized to appoint a Grand Visitor and Lecturer, he re-appoints C. N. Daniels, who performed but little service, mainly confined to new Lodges, who paid his expenses, which he recommended to be refunded. He complains of the tax upon the time and patience of the G. M. in answering questions, a majority of

which are answered in their proceedings. Among those reported are the following:

"In a Lodge of Master Masons, during the time the Lodge is at refreshment, a brother has obtained permission from the Junior Warden to retire, has the Master the power, or the right, to prevent him?"

"Yes."

"A decision made by a Worshipful Master on a question of Masonic law, is not a subject to be discussed by the Lodge or its members, without his permission, or by his request."

"There can be no appeal to the Lodge, from the decision of the Master, or the Wardens occupying the chair in his absence."

A party who has made a false statement, in his application for the degrees of Masonry, regarding his age, or any other facts, as for instance-stating that he was of age, when the fact was, that at the time of his application, or initiation, he was a minorwould subject him to Masonic discipline, although he may not have been advanced to the degree of F. C. or M. M. If to either of said grades, the same rule will apply."

The Standing Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence asked him whether, "in their jurisdiction, has the M. W. Grand Lodge exclusive original jurisdiction in the matter of charges and trial of its members ?"

After an elaborate review of the question, and of their local law, he concludes:

"That a Subordinate Lodge has not the power nor the right to interfere with that original exclusive jurisdiction, by instituting proceedings by way of charges against members of this Grand Lodge."

In the matter of commutation of dues by a payment of a gross sum in advance, it was recommended, on his suggestion,

"That each member should pay an amount, which, together with the interest thereon at seven per cent. per annum, during his Life Expectation, (according to the Carlisle Tables of Mortality,) will equal the amount he would pay during such time at $2.00 per annum, as dues."

On his suggestion, also, they referred the subject of a uniform code of By-Laws for Lodges to a committee, to report next year.

He closes his able address with a caution against hasty legislation, and an eloquent encomium on the Order of Freemasonry.

A proposition to allow Lodges, under certain restrictions, to strike members from the roll for n. p. d., was referred to the Committee on By-Laws of Lodges.

Lodges, 95; initiated, 523; members, 5,218. Grove B. Cooley is G. M., and W. S. Combs is G. S.