Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents .

OUR FREEMASONRY .

To the Editor of THE F REEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . Manchester , 31 st May 1875 . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —Probably Bro . Walter Spencer will be acquainted with the following Scottish operative work , which I have only in M . S . " A Mason ' s confession of the oath , word and other secrets of his

Craft . These are to certify concerning that oath , word and other secrets held among the corporation of Masons , wherein I was taken under the same , by sundry of them , gathered together and met at D [ Dundee ] , about the year 1727 . " It differs not materially from Pritchard , and other similar revelations , but is far more persistently operative . After the oath the

adminstrator says : — " Yon sat down a cowan , I take you up a Mason . " " There is a yearly imposing of that oath in admissions among the said Craft , through the land on St . John ' s day as it is termed , being the 27 th of December . " After tho oath he is shown a word in the Bible : and in twelve

months , " when he is admitted a degree higher iu the Lodge , " he is shown another . After other signs the Brother is asked : — Q . " Who made you a Mason ?" A . " God Almighty's holy will made me a Mason , the square nnder God made me a Mason , nineteen Fellow Crafts , aud thirteen entered

Prentices made me a Mason . Q . " Where ' s your Master ?" A . " Ho is not so far off but ho may be found . " " Then if the square be at hand , it is offered on the stone at which they are working , & c . . . . " "He ' s a Mason , thats a Mason born , a Mason sworn , and a Mason

by trade . " " The clay that a Prentice comes under the oath he gets his choice of a mark to be put upon his tools by which to discern them , so I did choose this—which cost me ono mark Scots . Hereby one is taught to such as ask the question : — Q . "Where got you this mark ?"

A . " I laid down one and took up another . " This summarily settles tho mark que-tion , and is confirmed by two operative Masons of one of my former Lodges , who belonged to "St . Mungo" for eight generations , aud for so long received their mark . There is also the " Monday ' s lesson " of the kitcheu . " To know if one or more Masons bo in a company which ono

meets on tho way , he says : 'Who walks ? ' Then if one be there , ho says : ' A man walks . ' If moro bo there tho answer is : ' Men walk . ' Then , says he : ' Good Men and Masters , met you bo ; God bless all your company . ' Or , ho gives the sign by the right hand above the breath , which is called the Fellows' Craft due guard , aud the grip , by clasping his fingers at the wrist , nexb at the elbow , or

placing himself hand to hand , foot , to foot , knee to knee , heart to heart , says : ' Great you , great you , God greateth you , and make you a good Master Mason , I ' m a young man , going to push my fortune , if you can furnish mc , you will do well . "' Comment upon tbe foregoing is needless , there is sufficient to upset

the 1717 theory , whilst proving my assertion that the English speculative Masons inherited a more systematic system than tho Scottish Masons , that , in fact , then , as now , there were good aud bad working Lodges . A comparison with the Rev . Bro . Woodford ' s Sloane MS . No . 3329 is most interesting , as they confirm each other as well as the modern ceremonies . I remain , Yours fraternally , JOHN YAKKEK .

" The Freemason's Chronicle " At The North Pole.

" THE FREEMASON'S CHRONICLE " AT THE NORTH POLE .

To the Editor of Ti'E FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . 11 Cumberland Terrace , Finsbury Park ,

31 st May 1 S 75 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I know not what other Masonic literature may accompany the Polar explorers , bnt I do happen to know that your own interesting journal has been taken by Dr . Kinnis , Medical Otlicer to the Expedition , for perusal during the onerous leisure of tho Arctic winter . I am sure you will share my hone that , ho may return in dun time , safe aud sound , to enjoy a warm Masonic welcome home . Yours , & c . GEOGRAPHER ,

Freemasonry secures its members in the freeclecn of tiioitrjht and of speech , and permits each and every one to act according to tin dictates of his own couyclenco in matters of religion , and of hirj personal preference in matters of politics . It neither knows , nor docs it assume to inflict upon irs erring members , however wide may be their aberrations from duty , any penalties or punishments , other than thoso of admonition , suspension and expujsioti . — Freemason ' s Repository .

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

" The Detective " at the Mirror Theatre— " Money " at the Prince of Wales ' s . Jj E Parricide was not a success in France in either' of its forms , as a novel or as a drama , and it is hard to tell how a play which iu Paris was a failure , could easily bo metamorphosed into a success in London . The task has been attempted by Messrs . Clement Scott and

Manuel , and the result of their labours was produced last Saturday , in the shape of a drama bearing a strong family resemblance to " The Ticket of Leave Man . " Tho plot of the piece is simple and easily followed . Mrs . Lindon , an old lady , is robbed and murdered by two burglars at her house in St . John ' s Wood ; through a combination of circumstances , suspicion falls upon her scapegrace son

Laurence ; he is arrested by inspector Walker , in charge of the case , but on being examined , clears himself , and , on being set free , vows to hunt down the murderers of his mother . In this he eventually succeeds , assisted by Walker , and also by a protegee of Mrs . Lindon , named Ruth Leigh , whom of course Laurence marries . The piece affords plenty of opportunities for that realisation of scenes of low life which

is so popular in sensational dramas ; two scenes in particnlar , tho interior of a booth at Hampton races , and an East End music hall , are very bustling and lively . Except in two instances , tho acting does not rise above mediocrity ; Miss Ernstone as Ruth Leigh contributed more than any one to the success of tho piece : Miss Ernstone is always careful , and possesses sufficient ability , if only the

opportunity wero afforded her , to take a place in the foremost ranks of English actresses . Mr . Horace Wigan ' s Hawkshaw was ono of the features of The Ticket-of-Leave Man , and his Inspector Walker is a better , because more elaborate impersonation : two disguises which he assumes would puzzle very keen eyes . Tho literary merits of the piece are not great , nor is the construction very good : bub The Detective belongs to a class of plays always popular at the Mirror , aud

will probably achieve a moderate success . Mi \ Bancroft has acted wisely in accepting so promptly the verdict of the public upon The Merchant of Venice . It was a charming stage picture , no doubt , only needing life to be perfection , but the life and passion which Shy lock should have supplied were entirely wanting . Mr . Coghlan ' s performance , so long aud anxiously looked forward to , so generally and justly condemned , is but ono moro illustration of the old Horatian saying : —

" Monies parturiunt nascitur ridiculus mus . It is pleasant to turn from this disappointing perform , auce to the rivival of Money , with which comedy Mr Bancroft has filled up the interregnum caused by tho failure of tho Merchant . Increased interest is attached to the play by tho appearance of Miss Ellon Terry as Clara Douglas ,

and of Mrs . Bancroft as Lady Franklin . Clara Douglas is one of the most stilted and unnatural of heroines : yet Miss Terry contrives to make her appear most sympathetic and most loveablo . Those who saw the performance of Sweethearts at this theatre must havo found it hard to decide in which character Mrs . Bancroft was most admiiablo whether her display of girlish wilfulness in tho first act , or of tender

quiet feeling as tho old lady in the last act , was tho moro charnum ? . We cannot afford to lose Mrs . Bancroft from tho ranks of our st : ir : ; o girls , and yet her acting in Sweethearts , and as Lady Franklin , is perfection iu another line , iu which wo have few proficients . Tho scene in which Lady Franklin coaxes tho melancholy Mr . Graves into Uvuujh '

song and dance , has probably never boon hotter played than as now by Mrs . Bancroft and Mr . Honoy . Ib is a scene of pure comedy , played to perfection by two thorough artists . Tho cast rem una iu other respects as before , and wc need hardly say that Money is thoroughly successful .

Reconciliation.

RECONCILIATION .

THE following incident occured in Naphtali Lodgo , INo . 23 , iu the city of St . Louis , aud was thus related in an address delivered by Past Grand Master Thomas E . Garrett , at the unveiling of tho O'Sullivan monument : Two men had been fait friends . In an evil hour they quarrelled . They did not speak , and had not spoken for years . Mutual friends tried the art of reconciliation in vain . Tliev were vowed enemies for

life . One of them became a Mason after the estrangement , and it happened that the other remained ignorant of the fact . One evening he , too , was admitted into the Lodge . Almost the first voice ho heard , and certainly the first face he saw , was that ol his onciiy , who presided over the ceremony oi initiation , and was oe ' iigcd , according to usage , to address him by the title of" Brother . " This wis a peculiar situation , and a severe ordeal for both . After t io Lodge

was closed the Apprentice sought the Master , and without any preliminaries the following colloquy ensued , commenced by the newly made Mason . "Are yon a member of this Lodge ?" The answer was , "I am . " " Were you present when I was elected ?" "I was . "

" May I ask if yon vote I r " " I did . " " Now , will you tell mo how many voles is rcqnircd to reject a can lidate on ballot for admission ?" Tho Worshipful Master answered , "Gee . "

there was nothing more to say . The initiated ex ! ended his ln . r . cl , vhich was warmly grasped by the other , n : ; d uttered , with ihrlliin ;' . cceuts , deep emotion mellowing his voice , "Friend ! Brother ! you , avo taught mo a lesson I shall never forgot . " No language is so eloquent as the silent throbbing nl'n , he-trb full of joyous tears . — Pomeroy ' s Democrat ,