Freemasonry In Germany.

the Craft was so vehement , so persevering , and flashing up at the same time in all quarters of the German Fatherland , as it was in our days not only in the journals , but also in pamphlets and in parliament . Besides some treatises expressly written

for the Masonic journals , they generally contain speeches made in this one or the other lodge , and therefore characterising the time in which they have been written and offering a proof of the ability of the lodge from which they have been issued .

As nearly every well-bred German understands two or three languages , the German Masonic journals give a pretty complete and exact account of the Masonic

literature and of what happens in the lodges of foreign countries . The German lodges having either their own halls or meeting at least , for work as well as for social entertainment , in houses rented by them exclusively , they are able to lay out the Masonic journals to be read

by every brother , and thus to furnish Masonic intelligence to those of . their members who do .. riot take in the journals for their own particular use . Reserving it for some later occurence , to draw an image of the particulars hi the life of a

German model lodge , let me at least state here that scarcely any lodge is wanting talented brethren , who adorn the solemn gravity of the work as well as the social meetings with their musical gifts ; moreover that everywhere all the brethren

may be heard to sing hi common plenty of Masonic songs , and that nearly every lodge enjoys the possession of a library . Latterly even the Grand Lodge of Germany at Berlin , which is the most averse to progress and addicted to Templary ,

has begun to pave the way for Masonic publicity by founding a monthly circular correspondence edited by Bro . Widman , Doctor at Berlin . It enters the lists for the

Swedish system and the high degrees appropriate to it , which all intelligent brethren in Germany oppose as a deviation and a mischievous offshoot . We only acknowledge the pure , ancient Masonry of throe degrees and are averse to all titlesnamesand degreeswhich set off

, , , our Royal Art as a bauble , and render it contemptible and ridiculous in the eyes of every intelligent and instructed man . A Freemason ' s lodge , we say in Germany , must not incur the danger of being taken for a lunatic asylum .

The present essay can only indicate the general outline ? , from which a picture of German Masonry may be delineated ; at a later period I shall try to render the German Brotherhood familiar to the English by giving a more detailed description

of some of its individual features . At present I confine myself to giving only one specimen from the Baiiliiitte , viz ., a brief report of the Centennial Jubilee of the Freemasons' Institute at Dresden , an educational establishment founded about

the end of the last century with the surplus left from collections for those who had sunk into poverty in consequence of a famine . The said report runs as follows : " On Sunday the 1 st of December , 1872 , the combined lodge ' of the three Swords

and Astraea of the thriving Rue' at Dresden , celebrated in its festively decorated hall the hundredth anniversary of the establishment for the education and instruction of "boys , known ail over the world by the name of ' Freemasons '

Institute . ' After the lodge had been opened with festive solemnity by the Worshipful Master Bro . Rumpelt-Walther , and after a quartett by Bro . Reissiger had been sung , the Master depicted in a brief retrospective survey the beginnings and gradual increase

of the establishment up to its present height , thankfully mentioning the enlightened and energetic brethren who co-operated hi this truly Masonic work , from laying the foundation-stone till accomplishing the building . A hymn

, written by Bro . Spalteholz , set Jo music by Bro . Riccius , and very well sung by the musical brethren , was followed by an address of Bro . Rumpelt-Walther , thanking the board and teachers . Bro .

Fr . Walther , I ., wdio these many years lias been Head-master of the Institute , gave in an interesting brief report some statistical notes , from which it clearly appeared , that the establishment , is well-known all over the world . Then the Grand MasterBro .

EcksteinPro-, , fessor at Leipzig , wished in the name of the Grand Lodge of Saxony , joy to the lodge and to the institute , referring to Less ? ing ' s Freemasons' Dialogues already mentioning the establishment , and setting forth with impressive warmth that promoting

education must be the very aim of Freemasons . Bro . Kretschmar , Deputy Master of the lodge ' of the . Golden Apple , ' washed to