Monthly Masonic Summary.

Monthly Masonic Summary .

THERE is not a great deal to report either at home or abroad . AT the last Quarterly Communication some little controversy arose about a proposal to increase the salaries of

the Grand Lodge official staff , but the - general opinion of Grand Lodge seemed to be , in our opinion , a very sound one , that in these days the maximum of salary offered years ago could not be maintained as the " Ultima Thule" of

payment to efficient men and trustworthy officials . Everything is apparently rising —prices and stipends—and , above all , the " market value" of skilled labour

in all departments . We are very well off just now in our " Secretariat , " to use a new word , and while the work has trebled and quadrupled , the activity and efficiency of

the office have kept pace with increased demands on its time , trouble , and patience . Those who have had any business to transact with our excellent Bro . John

Hervey , will bear witness , Ave know , readily to his unvarying courtesy , his readiness to oblige , his business habits , and his punctuality of correspondence , and the same can be . said of Bro . Buss , and the other officials .

We are therefore very glad that Grand Lodge took the course recommended by the Board of General Purposes , and by true economy . When you have good servants try

and keep them , and pay them liberally and well , for now , as ever , the " labourer is worthy of his hire . "

ANEW Lodge , the Athemeum , 1491 , has been consecrated , in the Camden Eoad , at the Athena-mm there , by Bro . John Hervey , assisted by several other Past Grand Officers , and the new Lodge

promises to prosper well . Bro . Samuel Poynter is the first W . M ., and he is supported by an energetic list of officers , all of some standing in Freemasonry , and of much experience .

Abroad the senseless persecution of Freemasonry by the Boman Catholic Church continues , and the silly calumny is repeated that Freemasonry is a revolutionary society . In some

foreign countries , no doubt the Lodges and Grand Lodges have mixed themselves up with questions which , as Freemasons , we have nothing to do with , and we by no means approve of

the action and practices of many of the Foreign Masonic bodies . But even in England the Boman Catholic Church looks on our peaceful order with great disfavour and condemnation , without , one may say , the shadow of au excuse or justifiable pretext ,