Colonial.

assembled to dine at Stubb ' s hotel . Bro . Hutchons , British Lodge , No . 419 , and Bro . Best , Albany Lodge , No . 545 , were requested to act as chairman and vice-chairman of the meeting . After the cloth was removed , the chairman gave the usual loyal and patriotic toasts in his accustomed cordial and eloquent manner , which were duly responded to . He then called on Bro . Dr . Mack , for the toast of the evening , viz .: — " Success to the Antient Order of Freemasons all over the world . " In the course of his short address the Doctor referred to the grand princiles of tho

p Order as being identical with those words of sacred writ : — " AVhat ye would that men should do unto you do ye also unto them , " and " Bear ye one another ' s burdens . " "But , " he added , "I cannot blind myself by my attachment to our Order to various abuses which , after Lodge horn's , are allowed to creep in amongst us . AVe have done good—witness our Freemasons' Orphan Asylums , containing at the present time orphans of deceased Freemasons to the number of 150—clothed ,

educated , and also provided for with comfortable situations in after lifeask , have we not done good ? But look at others , who forgetting the just use of our society , have mado it only the means ( after Masonic observances have been duly concluded ) an excuse of meeting for other purposes of a decidedly opposite nature . " Various other brothers followed in like strain , re-echoing the same sentiments and agreed that right steps should be taken to found a Lodge of Freemasons in accordance with such views . Bro . Hutchons was unanimously requested to

prepare himself for the discharge of the duties of AVorshipful Master , which , after great reluctance he accepted , and nominated as officers , Bros , Linton , Best AVilson , __ . orden Heise , and Ward , and Bro . Mack , as Secretary—who all agreed to accept office . Their last resolution was to the effect that Bros . Hutchons and Mack were to apply to the Colonial government for the grant of a piece of ground for the erection of a Masonic Hall .

America.

AMERICA .

GRAND LODGE OF NEAV YORK . THE annual communication of the Grand Lodge of this Stale was holden on the 7 th July , Bro . John L . Lewis , M . AV . G . M . presiding . The Grand Master ' s address is interesting , aud those portions which referred to the union of 1858 were received in a very marked and feeling manner , and with great emotion . Upon certain questions of Masonic jurisprudence tlie Grand Master dwelt at considerable length , and with great force and clearness , and the opinions there delivered will be found of

very great benefit to all active officials of subordinate Lodges , and of great interest in a govermental point of view to the whole fraternity . Foreign relations were briefly touched upon , and the gratifying intelligence given that wc were on terms of amity with the whole world , aud in full communication with each jurisdiction . The address contained an allusion to the effort which has been made to establish a National Grand Lodge . The matter came up under a consideration of the General Conventions of Masonswhich have beenand are about to be held in

Ame-, , rica . The Grand Master ' s subordinate officers received kindly notices and thanks for the able manner in which they . snstained him , and laboured for the prosperity of the Craft during the year , aud in thc foreground of his eulogies was placed the name of the R . AA ' . Deputy G . Master , John AV . Simons . How well this marked notice was deserved is known to all who have had official relations with the recipient of the compliments referred to .

MASSACHUSETTS . MONUMENT TO THE FILGHIM FATHERS AT H . Y . MOUTII . THE corner stone of the structure to be erected on the Forefathers ' Bock , at Plymouth ( U . S . ) , was laid on the 2 nd August , by the Grand Master of the State of Massachusetts . The Grand Lodge met in the Hall of the Plymouth Lodge at eight in the morning , and marched thence to the spot where the ceremony was

to be performed . On their arrival , after appropriate prayers , the " Most AVorshipful Grand Master addressed tho President of the Pilgrim Society as follows : — "To celebrate the deeds of tho benefactors of mankind is a service dictated alike by gratitude and benevolent desire to transmit the blessings of their examples to posterity . The memory of the good and brave , whose virtues and exploits challenge admiration and homage , should be

honoured and perpetuated ; and the establishment of institutions affecting happily the welfare of our race , is eminently worthy ef commemoration . A people capable of greatness will not forget the virtues of their fathers ; reverently will they cherish them , and gratefully present them in all their lustre for the respect and imitation of after ages . Impressed with sentiments like these , we are assembled here to-day to solemnize an undertaking designed to perpetuate the renown of that fearless band —the first settlers of Now Englandft was here on this spotthen the

, , border of a wilderness nearly as vast as the continent , where they lauded on the 21 st of December , 1020 . Here , therefore , it is appropriate that a national monument to their memory should be erected ; a work whicli , we are happy to see , has been commenced under the most flattering prospects of success . To the Pilgrim Society belongs the honour of initiating this grateful and patriotic enterprise : and under its auspices it ^ will be , we doubt not , triumphantly accomplished . In compliance with your courteous invitation to the Graud Lodge of Massachusetts to

lay this corner-stone , that body will now discharge that agreeable dut y according to the ancient usages of the Craft , ft is not known , Sir , that any of the passengers of the Mayflower were Freemasons ; certainl y nu record of the fact has been discovered . But since it is well authenticated that our institution was in a flourishing condition iu England in 1620 it is not improbable that some members of a society whieh from tho earliest times has been tolerant as regards modes of religious worshi p , should have united with the members of the Church of the Pilgrims and

fled with them from the persecutions inflicted on dissenters by the established church . That there aro no accounts extant of private or subordinate Lodges in the earlier days of the colonies , is not to be taken as evidence that none then existed in them . In the constitution of a Lodge previous to the past century it was not necessary that its existence and proceedings should have official or durable record ; it received no warrant or charter from the General Assembly—the Grand Lodge of that time ; nor were its meetings confined to any particular time or place : it is not

to be wondered at , that under these circumstances , and after a lapse of two centuries , all traces of it should be obliterated . Thus it is apparent that a Lodge might have existed even in the Mayflower , and . been composed of pilgrims , without the knowledge of their associates or posterity . The principles of Freemasonry arc in no way incompatible with the professions of the forefathers in morals or religious belief , but , on the contrary , are such as would have been approved and vindicated by them , ft will not be out of place for me to mention here a coincidence derived

from the history of our Society and that of the first settlers . I allude to the fact that two of the Grand Masters of England were members of thc " Council established at Plymouth" by the Great Potent which passed the Seals ou the 3 rd of November , 1620 , and became the foundation of all subsequent grants of territory in New England . They were AA illiam , the third Earl of Pembroke , and Thomas Earl of Arundel . The former was Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Lord Chamberlain of the King's household ; the latterEarl Marshal of the

, realm . Pembroke , who was Senior Grand AVarden under the Grand Mastership of Inigo Jones , his friend , and a celebrated architect , succeeded him as Grand Master in 1 G 1 S , and continued to preside over the fraternity until the time of his death in 1030 . Arundel was elected to the office in 1633 , and filled it for a period of two years . It is worthy

of remembrance that , though the Plymouth Company possessed the privileges of a monopoly—it having exclusive right by its patent to all the lands iu New England—the members of the Council were lenient iu their measures affecting the colonists . Towards the pilgrims , especially , they showed much liberality . The latter , compelled by treachery to settle on this spot , instead of that further to the south whicli they had selected before their departure from Europe , found themselves without privileges within tho territorial limits of the

Plymouth Company . Thc Council did not , however , look upon them as trespasser :., but , through the influence of one of its number , caused a patent to bo issued in their favour . This generous act of the Government o £ the Company indicates that its counsels were controlled by sentiments of humanity—by sentiments of brotherly love , such as might be supposed would have influenced the action of those members of it , at least , who were Masons . On former occasions the fraternity have been called upon to consecrate by their rites statues and other

memorials erected in honour of the distinguished dead . To the illustrious Washington , to Franklin , AVarren , Jackson , Clay—esteemed and venerated of our countrymen , esteemed and venerated also as Freemasonshave lasting monuments been reared , whose commencement and completion have been thus signalized . But it is not to eminent characters who were of us alone that our ceremonials of honour arc confined .- ive recognize and respect exalted worth in whomsoever it exists or has existed , and are always ready , as a society , to manifest our appreciation of it . Important events like that wo are now commemorating , whicli have promoted the progress and improvement of

general society and conferred great benefits ou the intellectual , moral , and religious well-being of men , may be celebrated with great propriety by Masons with all the distinction which their ceremonies can bestow . This occasion naturally carries our thoughts back to the times of tho forefathers , and suggests the recital of their trials ancl sufferings and triumphant struggle for religious freedom ; but this duty I leave to others to perform . Though that instructive tale has been often told with power and beauty by the historian , orator , and poet , until it has

become familiar to all , still it is not a worn-out tale—its reiteration never falls upon listless ears , or fails to move the sympathies and arouse the patriotic feelings of an American audience . The Pilgrim Monument will be one of tho most imposing and beautiful monumental works iu the world . The design , so creditable to the taste and genius of the artist , prefigures a structure of vast , yet harmonious proportion-- . AAliile it will mark thc place of the first settlement of New England , it will , also , by inscriptions , devices , and sculpture , signalize the leading

events in the lives of the forefathers , ancl , by appropriate figures , symbolize their cherished principles . May it endure for ages , and decay only when our descendants shall cease to appreciate their rich inheritance of civil and religious liberty The stone was then laid in duo form , and the Grand Master said ; Brother Architect , —It is with much pleasure that I inform you that this foundation , so skilfully and faithfully constructed , meets with the entire approbation of the Gra . id Lodge . They commend , also , tln | design ancl working plans for the superstructure , and trust that yoij ' earnest desire for its successful completion will be fully gratified . ' 1