mark her approbation of my services; but you justly remark, that it is not only the honour itself that must be so gratifying to my feelings, but the way in which that honour has been conferred. There are, I have no doubt, many Scotsmen among you, and they will, I am sure, fully sympathize with a brother Scotsman in his feelings of pride and gratification on attaining so high an honour as that of the most ancient and noble order to which it has pleased my Sovereign to nominate me-an honour of which every Scotsman, be he who he may, would be justly proud. Indeed, I am beholden to her majesty's ministers for many acts of kindness and favour, the more gratifying as conferred on one not of the same political party with themselves—and, I gladly avail myself of this opportunity of publicly expressing to a body of men, whom I may consider to represent in a great measure the community of India, my deep gratitude for, and appreciation of, the kindness and support which I have received from her majesty's ministers, placed by their favour in the high position I occupy as Governor General of India, I shall make it my aim to carry out all objects that tend to the moral advancement and benefit of the inhabitants of this vast empire. I fear, R. W. Sir, and worthy brethren, that you have too highly rated my position in the Craft. It was with great pleasure that I served my apprenticeship, and my brethren in Scotland subsequently nominated me to the highest post in the Craft; but the toils and engagements of political life have interfered with my taking any active part in the concerns of the Craft for a long time past. It is, however, most gratifying to me to be received with so hearty a welcome on my arrival in this remote land by a body of Masons--and I shall be ever ready to promote the interests and benefit of the institution in this country on your pointing out to me the mode and opportunities of doing so. You ask me to become the patron of the Order in Bengal: understanding from the excellent sentiments embodied in this address, that strict discipline will be observed, that precept and example will go hand in hand, that temperance will guide you, and that the Craft will be kept pure-I accept with pride and pleasure the office you ask me to fill, and I do trust that I shall not have cause to regret that I have complied with your request, that I shall not have to be ashamed of any brother of the Order, or blush to hear myself named as a free and accepted Mason. After mutual salutations, the Lord Dalhousie and the deputation withdrew from the hall of audience. THE MASONIC GOVERNOR-GENERAL.-The Earl of Dalhousie, like Theodosius, the Roman emperor, never signs any papers till he has read them himself, or well understands their purport. The mention of one or two incidents will suffice to show his lordship's scrupulous business habits. To every document he attaches his initial D, with the day of the week, and the date of the month. The frequent errors in orthography which unavoidably occur, from haste and inadvertence, seldom or never escape his lordship's vigilant eyes. He even supplies the omission of the numeral adjectives, or articles, as they are wrongly called, a, an, or the, and of a parenthesis ! The Lodges in Bengal reach twenty-nine in number. Of these, there are eight at work at Calcutta, fifteen in the provinces, and six altogether in abeyance; but we can hardly reckon on even the majority of the fifteen in the provinces as in an efficient state; indeed, VOL. VI. Y Y such is the fluctuation in residency, that it is difficult to reckon on comparative regularity. It is a pleasing duty to record the truly amiable and charitable kindness of the Hon. Mrs. Cameron. Her exertions for subscriptions for the Irish destitute, were most zealous, and truly praiseworthy. She personally called at the Provincial Office, and constituted the secretary her almoner-an office, most cheerfully undertaken, and faithfully fulfilled. Mrs. Cameron, God bless her! in the course taken, does equal honour to her sex and to human nature. The delinquency of many commercialists have involved so many of their innocent dupes in ruin that various great objects are suspended, if not abandoned; and we much fear that the progress of our masonic hall is more to be hoped for than expected, unless our highly-respected Governor-General, brother, and patron, should find time, from the cares of office, to bestow upon us the cordial blessing of his patronage and support. We must endeavour here to bring into a better light the great laws of our masonic existence," Natural equality, and mutual dependence," which, by being understood and practised, will do much to consolidate our strength, give weight to our system by improving it, and thus convincing those outside the Temple that the system of Masonry is a pure, holy, and shining light. The fol In thus confessing a failing, we may the more justly complain of the want of good example set us by our home authorities. lowing glaring proofs of the indifference to our state will be read with surprise. After this public statement, we hope it will be brought before the Grand Lodge. In 1845, an appeal against a sentence was forwarded, with a letter from the locum tenens of the Hiram of the P. G. L. To this day no reply has been vouchsafed, but the demands for money are as regular as the clock. We receive no other communications but what are redolent of the l. s. d. Warrants and certificates are forwarded with an astonishing promptitude. Surely it would be well if Bro. White, the Grand Secretary, were to retire on a good pension. It is, however, said that on account of the special urbanity of his manners that he is too popular among the English Craft.* On Dit.-Bro. John Cameron is about to return with despatches, containing all the higher degrees from Scotland, and open an opposition store. We have some idea that a change in the Grand Mastership of England is about to take place; indeed, many are of opinion that it would prove better for the cause of Masonry that periodical changes should be made. MADRAS.-Appeal to the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons by the brethren of Lodge Universal Charity, No. 340, on the registry of England. Respected Brethren,-It will be within your recollection that our lodge of Universal Charity was revived upwards of two years ago, under very cheering circumstances. Since that time it has been actively working. The exertions of the few who originated the undertaking have been crowned with success. Warrants for the Craft and Chapter have been obtained from the Grand Lodge of England; suitable furni Risium teneatis.-Bro. White has a shrewd guess to the contrary. ture, jewels, and clothing have been provided, and a small library established from individual contributions by the brethren, and the lodge has had, since its revival, a goodly accession of members, so much so that it is now, we believe, in point of numbers, one of the strongest lodges in this province. The strength of Indian lodges is, however, liable to much fluctuation. We have witnessed lodges boasting of a large array of members, reduced within a few years by deaths, withdrawals, and removals from the station, to almost an insufficient number to carry on the working. But under any circumstances the pecuniary demands on the brethren continue unabated. The expenses for the proper maintenance and support of a lodge are heavy. Frequent remittances are required to be made to the Grand Lodge of England and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Madras. The monthly expenditure for lights, servants' wages, and contingencies is large, and the repeated calls for the relief of distressed brethren, the widow and the orphan, must also be responded to. The consequence has been that numerous lodges, once in a flourishing condition, have within a few years become totally extinct. In addition to all the usual demands upon the pecuniary resources of a lodge, as explained above, the brethren of "Universal Charity" have hitherto been compelled to hire premises in which to hold their meetings, and whilst the rent is a heavy draft upon their funds, the building is not at all suited, from its form and situation, for a masonic temple. There are at present in Madras only three masonic lodges-Perfect Unanimity, Social Friendship, and Universal Charity. The first named lodge is composed of brethren in the higher walks of life, who have, some years since, raised unaided a magnificent temple. The brethren of Social Friendship have enjoyed quarters in the fort free of expense for the last twenty years, whilst the lodge of Universal Charity alone is without a local habitation. Should the lodge continue in its present flourishing condition, it will have the means of meeting all the demands upon it: but should it, from unforeseen circumstances, lose many of its members, there will be much difficulty in defraying the expenses incidental to a working lodge, and especially the heavy charge for house rent. If the Lodge of Universal Charity had a perinanent temple of its own, it is calculated that a few zealous members, with economy and good management, might always keep it in existence. Taking all these circumstances into consideration, a prospectus was circulated to the brethren of the lodge, inviting them to contribute towards the erection of a temple. The call was cheerfully responded to: most of the brethren are in humble circumstances, yet they have all contributed more or less (some giving as far as a month's salary.) The total sum thus subscribed amounts to Rs. 2,300. Mr. Just. Gantz, architect, a member of the lodge, was requested to frame an estimate for the proposed building. He has submitted the accompanying plan and estimate, from which it will be seen that the cost of constructing a temple of the smallest possible dimensions, consistent with utility, and on the most economical scale, will be Rs. to which should be added the value of the ground, and the expense of walling or hedging it in ; the aggregate outlay may therefore be calculated at Rs. * Although the plan and estimate have not reached us, we would not delay the publication of the appeal. As the brethren of Lodge Universal Charity have not the means, of themselves, to carry out this desirable undertaking, they are compelled to solicit the assistance of the masonic public, and it is to be hoped that their own exertions in the good cause will excite the sympathy and secure the co-operation of their more wealthy brethren. Should a sum nearly equal to the amount contributed by themselves be subscribed by the brethren at the Presidency, unconnected with their lodge, they will at once lay the foundation stone of the proposed building. It should be added, that care will be taken in communication with Provincial Grand Lodge, to secure the temple permanently for masonic purposes. Signed on behalf of the brethren of Lodge Universal Charity, J. Maskell, W. M., Committee appointed by the lodge. G. M. A. Storey, Secretary, THE GENERAL ASSURANCE ADVOCATE. 30TH SEPTEMBER, 1848. NOTICE. Arrangements have been completed for furnishing in our next number reports of the meetings of the various Assurance Companies. LOCALITY AND EMPLOYMENT. Ar a time when governments-forsaking the beaten track which they have so long pursued, of leaving speculation and enterprise to find their own instruments, and use and work them as they will, and throwing overboard the theories of a certain class of politicians, who say that private affairs, as contra-distinguished from public business, should be left to private control and guidance-have undertaken to interfere between masters and labourers, employers and employed, and to define the number of hours during which toil may be carried on, and the ages at which it may begin; and when, in pursuance of this system of interference with what have hitherto been considered as private rights, rulers have given to us at least the nucleus of a sanitary system, it becomes important to all, and to none more than those who are interested in the business of Assurance, to endeavour to form true ideas of the influences of locality and employment upon the happiness and the duration of life of the bulk of the people. Abstaining, as we always shall, as far as possible, from expressing opinions upon questions of governmental policy, we do not enter into the question whether governments are right or wrong upon principle for overstepping their former boundaries, ar.d legislating on the dwellings and labours of the people, we merely point attention to the fact, and its paramount importance, that legislation has a tendency to assume, if not more, at least as much, a social as a political character; and it is only necessary to refer to the opinion which has sprung up of late years, and which is rapidly gaining ground-that the evils which afflict us as a nation, arise rather from social than political causes-to prove the probability that that tendency is likely to become much strengthened; and to bring within the range of legislation, and the duties of statesmen, many objects, the attainment of which is now left to the philanthropist. |