last Monday. He was born in St. Petersburgh, Russia, in 1776, and is consequently 95 years of age. He has been a Freemason since 1805, and is now a member of Locklamount Amity Lodge, Paris, France. He was a soldier against Napoleon in his Russian campaign, and has been an extensive traveler. In this country he has been a resident of Savannah, Ga., and of Boston, Mass., leaving the latter city about six months ago. His intellect is perfect, and he is a most intelligent man-speaking six languages. As his health was not good, he was taken to the residence of Mr. Samuel Fletter, where he is receiving proper care and attention from the Brothers of this city.”

In the next issue of the same paper, we find the following: "The venerable Craftsman who ventured among the workmen recently, and to whom we referred last week, has been called to the Grand Overseer, where his work will be inspected, and his wages will be meted out in full. He has labored long and faithfully in the rebuilding of the temple, and his work shall not be unrewarded. He was called from labor to refreshment early on Friday morning, and the cold form will be consigned to the tomb to-morrow (Sunday) at 10

A. M.

"The Eminent Commander of Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4, issues the following order:

"The Sir Knights of Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4, will assemble, in full uniform, at the Asylum, on Sunday morning, September 10th, at 9 o'clock. By order of the E. C.'"'

CAUTION TO MICHIGAN MASONS.

THE undersigned, a member of Cleveland Lodge and Washington Chapter, Chicago, Ill., and formerly joint proprietor of The Mystic Star, has learned that Mr. James Billings, purporting to be the sole proprietor of The Mystic Star, is negotiating with some party or parties in Michigan for the sale of one half of said magazine, he to retain the remaining half interest.

The said Mystic Star is represented as published in Chicago, which is not the case, but in Elgin, Ill.

Now, I herewith affirm, that the said James Billings having deliberately refused to fulfil the conditions upon which the undersigned was induced to transfer his half interest in said magazine to said James Billings, the latter has no legal, nor moral right to negotiate the sale of one half of said Star, he retaining the remaining half.

Legal and other proceedings have been in operation to compel

payment for my half of said Star or to have my joint possession of it restored.

Till some adjustment is made, no wise man will invest in said magazine as a prospective proprietor. JOHN S. HANNA, Formerly of the firm Hanna & Billings, Editors and Proprietors of The Mystic Star.

NOTE: We print the above with reluctance, and hope there is no foundation in the report that Brother Billings is negotiating to sell a part of the proprietorship of the Star to parties in this State. project would be a bad one to all parties concerned.

Will Brother Billings please give us light in the premises?—[PUBLISHERS MICHIGAN FREEMASON.

"OUR MUTUAL FRIEND."

In reply to enquires regarding the above publication and its claims on the Masonic fraternity, we say after diligent enquiry among Brethren likely to be well informed, in Detroit, we cannot learn that its proprietor has ever even been seen in a lodge in that city.

As to its means of procuring Masonic information, likely to be of any use to the craft, it may be remarked that under its late "Masonic editor" (since expelled by Ashlar Lodge) it was noted for a violent attack upon our M. W. Grand Master, and that too, in regard to a step he took in the interest of the Craft to guard them from imposition, it had the appearance of being in the interest of a clandestine body. Now, either the proprietor knew, or he did not know, the Masonic character of his Masonic editor. Knowing, it would argue, to say the least, recklessness, not knowing it, is it not a blind guide?

With such facts before their eyes, all prudent craftsmen will give the claptrap offers as inducements to subscribe, by this instituion, a wide berth.

COURTESIES RECEIVED.

THE editor is under obligations to the following hotel proprietors for courtesies received :

First, The Forbes House of Marshal, W. H. Witt, proprietor. This is the far-famed Eating House of the Michigan Central Railroad, with hotel accommodations attached. We know of no better Eating House, and the hotel accommodations are equally good.

At Battle Creek, we stop at the Potter House, a new, large and elegantly equipped hotel. C. E. Bruner, the gentlemanly proprietor, is a

member of the Craft, and is one of the best landlords in the State. Fraters who stop at this House will thank us for this notice.

At Niles we are always at home at the Pike House, whose gentlemanly proprietor is also a Mason.

At Goshen, Ind., we find a home at the Violet House, kept by Brother Childs, who knows just how to cater to the tastes of his guests.

EDITORIAL GOSSIP.

MACKEY'S NATIONAL FREEMASON is the title of a new Masonic journal hailing from Washington, D. C., the first number of which is before us. It looks well and reads well. We rejoice to welcome Dr. Mackey back again to the post editorial, a place he has filled in former years with so much ability. His prolific pen has done more for the cause of Masonry than that of any man living or dead, and it has lost none of its power. Here is our hand, good Brother; may great prosperity attend your enterprise. Terms $3 per annum, in advance. Pp. 56 to each number.

BROTHER CHARLES W. MOORE, of the Freemason's Monthly Magazine has just closed up the thirtieth volume, which he dedicates "TO THE MEMORY OF THE HOLY SAINT JOHNS: IN RECOGNITION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY IN FREEMASONRY." We trust this

venerable magazine may continue many years, and always be as true to the noble principles of the Craft as during the past. We are sure that it will while it remains under the supervision of its present able editor.

We have an excellent original Masonic poem from Dr. Alfred for our next issue. His last was extensively copied and much praised. It was one of the very best Masonic poems that have appeared for many a day.

THE space given to the doings of the General Grand Bodies rules us out of this number which will be no loss to our readers. We make up our summary from the New York Dispatch, whose Masonic department is very ably edited by Sir Knight John W. Simons.

OUR present number is printed on new type from the foundry of MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan, Philadelphia, and we think will please the eyes of even the most fastidious of our readers.

BRO. Past Grand Master A. T. Metcalf is preparing an account of our Michigan Sir Knights trip to Baltimore and return, but did not get it ready for this number. We hope to give it in our next.

THE MICHIGAN FREEMASON.

VOL. III.-NOVEMBER, A. L. 5871.-NO. V.

ADDRESS OF M. E. GRAND HIGH PRIEST JAMES M. AUSTIN.

WE give the address of the Most Eminent Grand High Priest, read before the Triennial Convocation of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, in Baltimore, Md. After the preliminary remarks the M. E. Grand High Priest said :

At the last Triennial Convocation, in September, 1868, certain matters were entrusted to your General Grand High Priest, with power to determine the same. Among the first to demand my attention was, to examine into the condition of the Grand Chapter of Delaware, and, if found to be a legal Grand Chapter, to have the same enrolled under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, as requested by the Companions of Delaware.

Having been solicited to visit Washington, for the purpose of instituting St. John's Chapter, which had been chartered by this body at its last Convocation, I did so on the 19th day of October, 1868, and having instituted said Chapter, embraced that opportunity to fully investigate the condition of Royal Arch Masonry in the State, and for that purpose I held interviews with some of the most prominent Royal Arch Masons in the jurisdiction. From those Companions, and from the records, I ascertained that there had existed in Delaware no regular Grand Chapter since the year 1856, at which time the original Grand Chapter ceased to meet and elect Grand Officers. I ascertained that there had been a "Convocation" of Royal Arch Masons at Dover, in 1859, at which meeting but one Chapter, of the three then existing in the State, was legally represented. At that irregular "Convocation" an election was had, Companion George W. Chaytor, being

VOL. III.-NO. V.—13.

elected Grand High Priest. No other Convocation of the (so-called) Crand Chapter was held until January, 1868, a period of nine years. During this time, Companion Chaytor claimed to be Grand High Priest, but he persistently refused to assemble the Craft in Grand Convocation. Some three or four years subsequent to the meeting of 1859, a difficulty having arisen between Companion Chaytor and the other members of Washington and Lafayette Chapter No. 1, of which he was then High Priest, he, in his capacity of Grand High Priest, declared the said Chapter suspended-thereby placing himself in the anomalous position of a self-suspended Royal Arch Mason; that is, provided he possessed any powers as Grand High Priest.

At the meeting in January, 1868, there was simply an assemblage of Royal Arch Masons, no one of whom claimed to act in a representative capacity. Companion Chaytor was present, but he refused to open a Grand Chapter, giving as a reason, that his Chapter was under suspension, and, therefore, there were but two Chapters left in the State. Thereupon the assemblage resolved itself into a "Royal Arch Convocation," and proceeded to elect Grand Officers and to adopt a Constitution. And this was the body which made application at the last Convocation of the General Grand Chapter, to be recognized as the "Grand Chapter of the State of Delaware."

With these facts before me, there was but one conclusion to which I could legitimately arrive. Accordingly, on the 20th of October, 1868, I issued an edict, declaring that any legal existence heretofore attaching to a Grand Royal Arch Chapter, of the State of Delaware, had ceased; that said State Grand Chapter no longer existed; and that the several Chapters heretofore holding under it, had become dormant from non-user and other reasons. And that, by the fact of the cessation of the Grand Chapter of the State of Delaware, all semblance of lawful governmental authority in the State had ceased, and the territory had become Masonically vacant; and therefore the authority of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, did, of right, obtain and was in full force and effect, in said State of Delaware. Thereupon, I did order and direct, that the three Chapters which had formerly held under the Grand Chapter of Delaware, should be received and recognized as Royal Arch Chapters, under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, with authority to resume and continue work under the warrants then held by them, until the pleasure of the General Grand Chapter was made known, or a State Grand Chapter was formed.

On the 9th of January, 1869, upon application duly made, and under the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution of the