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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible fov ihe opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
ADMISSION OP VISITORS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I agree with yonr correspondent who signs himself " A BROTHER " that in some Lodges the rnlo about the admission of visitors is needlessly severe , and can fully appreciate the disappointment he must have felt at having been refused the entree into the Emulation Lodge of Improvement after he had stayed
in town expressly for the purpose of perfecting himself in its working . But I trust ho will pardon me for saying that in his particular case he has only himself to blame . His own account is that the working in Ms mother Lodge is that known as the Emulation work , ing , and that being anxious to mako himself as perfect as possible in it , he was advised to attend the Lodge in question , and stayed the
night in town for that purpose . He presented himself for admission , but without his certificate , and having no one to vouch for him , ho was sent away . Now , is it not strange that " A BROTHER , " having resolved on visiting , when in London , the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , should have omitted to take with him tho talismanic document which , with the test examination superadded , would have
made him free of that Lodge for the evening ? I can understand a provincial Mason running up to town on business or for pleasure , and suddenly bethinking himself of attending this Lodge , either from motives of curiosity , or from the moro laudable ambition to improve his knowledge . In his case the idea of visiting is a mere afterthought , the impulse of tho moment , and having no certificate , no one to vouch
for him , he is refused admission ; bnt though he may experience a sense of disappointment , he has no right to be surprised . But " A BROTHER , " though it may not have been his object in going to London , had predetermined to mako his visit an opportunity for seeing the Emulation working , and left behind him the principal means of iden - tifying him as a Mason . I consider one who is so careless is deserving
of very little sympathy . On the other hand , I think the Emulation Lodge of Improvement is to be congratulated on its rule , which I doubt not is impartially observed , not to admit indiscriminately brethren who may seek admission to its meetings , yet are unprepared with the customary evidence of Masonic identification . It is obviously safer to err on tho side of too great stringency than too great laxity ; in tho former case it may occasionally happen that
a good Mason and true is denied his undoubted right of visiting , but in the latter cose thero is the very serious risk that tho cowan who has picked up a few scraps of knowledge may be admitted into a Lodge . No ono will venture to deny the right of tho Emulation Lodge of Improvement to make their own laws , subject to constitutional approval , and no ono should blame it for observing them , least of all one who has acted as thoughtlessly as did your correspondent "A BROTHER . " Yours fraternally , CAUTION .
BEDFORDSHIRE .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow mo to congratulate Bedfordshire , or rather Stuart Lodge , No . 540 , of Bedford , and its Steward Bro . James Fisher , on having ot last awakened to a sense of its Masonic duties . I have been a reader of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE from its
very beginning , and havo noticed with considerable regret that since January 1875 this county has never once contributed a solitary stiver to tbe funds of any of our central Charities ; that is , at sixteen Festivals tho name of Bedfordshire has been absent from the list of contributin g Provinces , and now , for the first time in six years , the count y is represented by the second oldest of its Lodges , and by the
hands of Bro . Fisher has swelled Bro . Hcdges's list by the fair average sum of forty . five guineas . Now , however , that the ice has been once broken , and the stigma justly attaching to the county for its indifference to tbe needs of our Institutions removed , let us hope the other Lod ges and brethren will follow the example set them by Stuart Lod ge and Bro . Fisher respectively , and that henceforth Beds will be
as conspicuous by its presence afc our Festivals as it has been for a long time past by its absence . It was suggested a short time ago in yonr columns that Beds wonld be all the better if it were erected into a Province . If any one doubts l
"e wisdom of this suggestion , let them note the Province of Worcester , which some timo ago was apparently as indifferent as Beds to tne wants of our Institutions , while now , nnder its new Grand Master , « is doing splendily . Doubtless a Provincial organisation would be as invigorating in Beds as tho infusion of new blood into Worcestershire "as been . At all events , the experiment is worth trying . Yonrs fraternally , G .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . twn E ' - SlE AND BKOTHE " - —I noticed in your issue of a week or intonp - proposalorsil ^ e 8 tion that Bedfordshire sh ould be made a Province—being without one at present , I have often beard it
Correspondence.
remarked that tho combination of Berks and Bucks as ono province is hardly a convenient arrangement , Bucks from most parts of Berk , shiro being difficult of access . I should like to suggest that it might bo moro convenient to combine Bucks with Beds , as , without looking to the matter very minutely , it seems to me the railway commuuicabetween theso counties is much better than between Berks and Bucks . Yours fraternally , X .
QUARTERLY COURTS , BOYS' AND GIRLS ' SCHOOLS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I seo that complaint was made at the last meeting of the general Committee of tho Boys' School that the hour ( noon ) fixed for holding the January and July Quarterly Courts of this Institution was very inconvenient , and I am glad to hear that the motion , of which Bro . C . F . Matier then and thero gavo notice , has
been carried . Thero was no sufficient reason why theso Courts should not havo been held at a timo when most people are leaving off duty for the day . In April and October the elections necessitate tho oarly hour of noon , but for tho other two thero will bo ample time at 4 p . m . for tho transaction of evon a day's heavy business , and much moro for such as is usually transacted at thoso Courts . My object , however ,
in writing to you is to suggest that a corresponding change should bo made as early as possible at tho Girls' School Courts in January and July . The same reasons hold good in both cases , indeed they are , if anything , somewhat stronger in tho caso of the Koyal Masonio Institution for Girls , as at 4 p . m . on Saturdays all business is usually over . Moreover , in such matters it is something to havo UNIFORMITY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — " Thero aro two sides to every question , " says an adage . It happens however occasionally that both sides are wrong : for instance , one party may assert that a certain something is whito , while another may be equally positive it is black , but that something , when produced , turns out to bo neither white nor
THE MASONIC RITUAL .
black , but another colour . Both parties hero wore mistaken and wrong . But it is impossible to conceive in such a case how both sides could be right , for if one is right tho other must necessarily be wrong . And hero is another fact equally cogent , viz . ; whenever a writer is conscious of any truth he wishes to ventilate , and is not debarred doing so either by the laws of the land , or hjr strong public prejudices ,
snch a writer , as a rule , will append his name to his communication . But when one is conscious of tho weakness of his arguments , and is ashamed to bo known as the author of sophistical nonsense , ho will surely , if ho can , conceal his name , and append to his writings a mere nom de plume . The Ritual question is a'fnir illustration of the foregoing facts . T
pointed out certain defects in the ritual , with my namo in full appended thereto . My opponent revealed merely that , he is a clergyman and a P . G . C , and signed himself " OXON , 489 , " Bro . Gottheil , who is well known in London , who took my side in tho controversy , also signed his name , while somebody , who undertook to correct Bro . Gottheil , signed himself " PETER , " * and , ou examining tho arguments
of "OXON " and " PETER , " I find them to be merely on a par with arguments used againsfc all reforms and reformers from the clays of Wycliffe to tho present timo : and precisely the same kind of arguments are now used by tho Emperor of Russia and his adherents for perpetuating the worst form of government now in existence , and hence ifc is no wonder thafc my opponents were ashmed to append their proper names to their communications .
Bros . " OXON " and "PETEH" evidently sanci ion the teaching of tbe early saints , viz . " It is a virtno to deceive and lie in order to promote the interest of the Church , " while I believe that when a church , synagogue , & c . requires deception to aid it , its susceptibility to do harm and mischief will necessarily become grentar than for doing any good , and this is equally true with regard to Masonry .
Thero can be no doubt that tho main object and utility ol modern English Masonry was , and is , to unite men of different creeds and beliefs into a brotherhood , providing thoy aro honorable and upright , and acknowledge belief in a supremo being . Now , among believers in a supreme being , Christians believe in the Godhead of Jesus , and Jews disbelieve in Jesus . If the oarly writings of Christians
are true , when the Jews had power they persecuted Christians tor believing in Jesus , and there is no doubt whatever when Christiana obtained power they repaid the Jews a millionfold for disbelieving in Jesns . In order , therefore , to nnito Jews and Christians into u brotherhood , neither belief nor disbelief in Jesus , or Christianity , should have been suffered to creep into the Masonic ritual . The
first Charge in the new Constitution , defines thoso ideas pretty clearly , viz .: — " But though in ancient times Masons were charged iu every country to be of the religion of that country or nation ,. . . . yet it is now thought moro expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree , leaving their particular opinions to themselves ; that is ,
to be good men and true , or men of honour and honesty , by whatever denomination or persuasion they may bo distinguished , whereby Masonry becomes a centre of union , and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must havo remained afc a perpetual distance . " The above charge means , that whatever a brother believes over and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible fov ihe opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
ADMISSION OP VISITORS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I agree with yonr correspondent who signs himself " A BROTHER " that in some Lodges the rnlo about the admission of visitors is needlessly severe , and can fully appreciate the disappointment he must have felt at having been refused the entree into the Emulation Lodge of Improvement after he had stayed
in town expressly for the purpose of perfecting himself in its working . But I trust ho will pardon me for saying that in his particular case he has only himself to blame . His own account is that the working in Ms mother Lodge is that known as the Emulation work , ing , and that being anxious to mako himself as perfect as possible in it , he was advised to attend the Lodge in question , and stayed the
night in town for that purpose . He presented himself for admission , but without his certificate , and having no one to vouch for him , ho was sent away . Now , is it not strange that " A BROTHER , " having resolved on visiting , when in London , the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , should have omitted to take with him tho talismanic document which , with the test examination superadded , would have
made him free of that Lodge for the evening ? I can understand a provincial Mason running up to town on business or for pleasure , and suddenly bethinking himself of attending this Lodge , either from motives of curiosity , or from the moro laudable ambition to improve his knowledge . In his case the idea of visiting is a mere afterthought , the impulse of tho moment , and having no certificate , no one to vouch
for him , he is refused admission ; bnt though he may experience a sense of disappointment , he has no right to be surprised . But " A BROTHER , " though it may not have been his object in going to London , had predetermined to mako his visit an opportunity for seeing the Emulation working , and left behind him the principal means of iden - tifying him as a Mason . I consider one who is so careless is deserving
of very little sympathy . On the other hand , I think the Emulation Lodge of Improvement is to be congratulated on its rule , which I doubt not is impartially observed , not to admit indiscriminately brethren who may seek admission to its meetings , yet are unprepared with the customary evidence of Masonic identification . It is obviously safer to err on tho side of too great stringency than too great laxity ; in tho former case it may occasionally happen that
a good Mason and true is denied his undoubted right of visiting , but in the latter cose thero is the very serious risk that tho cowan who has picked up a few scraps of knowledge may be admitted into a Lodge . No ono will venture to deny the right of tho Emulation Lodge of Improvement to make their own laws , subject to constitutional approval , and no ono should blame it for observing them , least of all one who has acted as thoughtlessly as did your correspondent "A BROTHER . " Yours fraternally , CAUTION .
BEDFORDSHIRE .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow mo to congratulate Bedfordshire , or rather Stuart Lodge , No . 540 , of Bedford , and its Steward Bro . James Fisher , on having ot last awakened to a sense of its Masonic duties . I have been a reader of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE from its
very beginning , and havo noticed with considerable regret that since January 1875 this county has never once contributed a solitary stiver to tbe funds of any of our central Charities ; that is , at sixteen Festivals tho name of Bedfordshire has been absent from the list of contributin g Provinces , and now , for the first time in six years , the count y is represented by the second oldest of its Lodges , and by the
hands of Bro . Fisher has swelled Bro . Hcdges's list by the fair average sum of forty . five guineas . Now , however , that the ice has been once broken , and the stigma justly attaching to the county for its indifference to tbe needs of our Institutions removed , let us hope the other Lod ges and brethren will follow the example set them by Stuart Lod ge and Bro . Fisher respectively , and that henceforth Beds will be
as conspicuous by its presence afc our Festivals as it has been for a long time past by its absence . It was suggested a short time ago in yonr columns that Beds wonld be all the better if it were erected into a Province . If any one doubts l
"e wisdom of this suggestion , let them note the Province of Worcester , which some timo ago was apparently as indifferent as Beds to tne wants of our Institutions , while now , nnder its new Grand Master , « is doing splendily . Doubtless a Provincial organisation would be as invigorating in Beds as tho infusion of new blood into Worcestershire "as been . At all events , the experiment is worth trying . Yonrs fraternally , G .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . twn E ' - SlE AND BKOTHE " - —I noticed in your issue of a week or intonp - proposalorsil ^ e 8 tion that Bedfordshire sh ould be made a Province—being without one at present , I have often beard it
Correspondence.
remarked that tho combination of Berks and Bucks as ono province is hardly a convenient arrangement , Bucks from most parts of Berk , shiro being difficult of access . I should like to suggest that it might bo moro convenient to combine Bucks with Beds , as , without looking to the matter very minutely , it seems to me the railway commuuicabetween theso counties is much better than between Berks and Bucks . Yours fraternally , X .
QUARTERLY COURTS , BOYS' AND GIRLS ' SCHOOLS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I seo that complaint was made at the last meeting of the general Committee of tho Boys' School that the hour ( noon ) fixed for holding the January and July Quarterly Courts of this Institution was very inconvenient , and I am glad to hear that the motion , of which Bro . C . F . Matier then and thero gavo notice , has
been carried . Thero was no sufficient reason why theso Courts should not havo been held at a timo when most people are leaving off duty for the day . In April and October the elections necessitate tho oarly hour of noon , but for tho other two thero will bo ample time at 4 p . m . for tho transaction of evon a day's heavy business , and much moro for such as is usually transacted at thoso Courts . My object , however ,
in writing to you is to suggest that a corresponding change should bo made as early as possible at tho Girls' School Courts in January and July . The same reasons hold good in both cases , indeed they are , if anything , somewhat stronger in tho caso of the Koyal Masonio Institution for Girls , as at 4 p . m . on Saturdays all business is usually over . Moreover , in such matters it is something to havo UNIFORMITY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — " Thero aro two sides to every question , " says an adage . It happens however occasionally that both sides are wrong : for instance , one party may assert that a certain something is whito , while another may be equally positive it is black , but that something , when produced , turns out to bo neither white nor
THE MASONIC RITUAL .
black , but another colour . Both parties hero wore mistaken and wrong . But it is impossible to conceive in such a case how both sides could be right , for if one is right tho other must necessarily be wrong . And hero is another fact equally cogent , viz . ; whenever a writer is conscious of any truth he wishes to ventilate , and is not debarred doing so either by the laws of the land , or hjr strong public prejudices ,
snch a writer , as a rule , will append his name to his communication . But when one is conscious of tho weakness of his arguments , and is ashamed to bo known as the author of sophistical nonsense , ho will surely , if ho can , conceal his name , and append to his writings a mere nom de plume . The Ritual question is a'fnir illustration of the foregoing facts . T
pointed out certain defects in the ritual , with my namo in full appended thereto . My opponent revealed merely that , he is a clergyman and a P . G . C , and signed himself " OXON , 489 , " Bro . Gottheil , who is well known in London , who took my side in tho controversy , also signed his name , while somebody , who undertook to correct Bro . Gottheil , signed himself " PETER , " * and , ou examining tho arguments
of "OXON " and " PETER , " I find them to be merely on a par with arguments used againsfc all reforms and reformers from the clays of Wycliffe to tho present timo : and precisely the same kind of arguments are now used by tho Emperor of Russia and his adherents for perpetuating the worst form of government now in existence , and hence ifc is no wonder thafc my opponents were ashmed to append their proper names to their communications .
Bros . " OXON " and "PETEH" evidently sanci ion the teaching of tbe early saints , viz . " It is a virtno to deceive and lie in order to promote the interest of the Church , " while I believe that when a church , synagogue , & c . requires deception to aid it , its susceptibility to do harm and mischief will necessarily become grentar than for doing any good , and this is equally true with regard to Masonry .
Thero can be no doubt that tho main object and utility ol modern English Masonry was , and is , to unite men of different creeds and beliefs into a brotherhood , providing thoy aro honorable and upright , and acknowledge belief in a supremo being . Now , among believers in a supreme being , Christians believe in the Godhead of Jesus , and Jews disbelieve in Jesus . If the oarly writings of Christians
are true , when the Jews had power they persecuted Christians tor believing in Jesus , and there is no doubt whatever when Christiana obtained power they repaid the Jews a millionfold for disbelieving in Jesns . In order , therefore , to nnito Jews and Christians into u brotherhood , neither belief nor disbelief in Jesus , or Christianity , should have been suffered to creep into the Masonic ritual . The
first Charge in the new Constitution , defines thoso ideas pretty clearly , viz .: — " But though in ancient times Masons were charged iu every country to be of the religion of that country or nation ,. . . . yet it is now thought moro expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree , leaving their particular opinions to themselves ; that is ,
to be good men and true , or men of honour and honesty , by whatever denomination or persuasion they may bo distinguished , whereby Masonry becomes a centre of union , and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must havo remained afc a perpetual distance . " The above charge means , that whatever a brother believes over and