Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . ^ 422 Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

TEETOTAL LODGES . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —I fancy yon are not alone in having noticed the contradiction between the eloquent exposition of Bro . Woodford aa to the nature of Freemasonry and the reason why it has prospered so remarkably , and the objects set forth by the fonnders themselves of the new Teetotal Lodge in seeking a warrant for its

constitntion from the Grand Master . Bro . Woodford says Masonry is to be admired and respected , nnd has prospered , becanse it had " managed to gather together " within its Lodges " mon of different countries , sects , and opinions , and to unite in happy sympathies and harmonious works of charity persons of the most widely . opposed opinions and of different orders and ranks in society . " This is

perfeotly true . A Masonio Lodge affords a common ground on which may meet the Peer and the Peasant—the Quaker , Anglican Churchman , and Jew—the Tory and Radical—the Imperialist and the Democrat . Political and theological discussions are forbidden , and what they have to do when they come together is to enjoy themselves rationally , each after his own particular fashion and in a manner

calculated to avoid offence to the others . This I take it is as near an approach to the Millennium on a small scale as is practicable . On the other hand , Bro . Richardson thinks Freemasonry may be made nse of in promoting total abstinence from a particular kind of food , which food , be it remembered , finds favour—whether rightly or wrongly , whether beneficially or detrimentally to health , is immaterial—with

a great many other people . I say this is destructive of the objects for wbioh Freemasonry was constituted . If A may not discuss politics or religion with B and the other letters of the alphabet inside a Masonio Lodge , and so provide a means for dissipating the harmony that generally prevails , why should be be allowed to discuss the propriety or impropriety of drinking wine or beer or spirits ? How

many thousand instances are there not of men who for years and years were near and dear friends , and yet they fell out and became deadly enemies through differences of opinion about paltry matters ? Bnt in Dr . Richardson's opinion this question of indulgence in , or abstinence from , alcohol is not a paltry matter . From his point of view indulgence in it means death , abstinence from it life . Others ,

however , think differently from Dr . Richardson , and of course , if the subject of drink ia broached in Lodge or at the banquet after the Lodge , a controversy at once arises and with it the very strong probability that a serious disturbance of our sense of goodfellowship will follow . Like Dr . Richardson I hold in detestation the practice in whioh so many indulge in drinking alcoholic liquors to excess , and

like him I shall gladly welcome the day when a considerable diminution in the evils arising from this excess is perceptible . But Masonry has nothing to do with this . It is neither Teetotalism nor moderate alcoholism , any more than it is Anglican Catholicism or Romish Catholicism . It will stand np boldly against all kinds of excess as being of necessity and in their several degrees subversive of morals . It

will not permit , much less encourage , intoxication at its social gatherings , and consequently the question whether alcohol is good , bad , or indifferent is not one which in any way concerns it Masonically . I trust Bro . Richardson will continne fighting his hardest against Intemperance in the shape of Drunkenness , and I wish him and all like him the snecess they deserve in their crusade , but he must do

his crusading independently of Freemasonry . There is one matter I have been nnable to reconcile with my humble idea of sincerity . I am told the King Solomon Lodge banquet might easily have been mistaken for an ordinary Lodge banquet . The li quors looked like wine and the vessels containing them like wine bottles . It was only when you came to taste tbem that you

discovered they were some other compounds . But if alcoholic beverages are so harmful , why hand round counterfeit presentments of alcohol ? Why not boldly go in for water , pure and simple , mineral water , tea and coffee , cocoa and chocolate , & o . ? Are the brethren of King Solomon Lodge ashamed of their opinions that they must deceive the world into the belief they are not teetotallers ? I know there is an old maxium to the effect that ' you may take a wrinkle even

from your enemy , but if teetotalism is so meritorious and so beneficial to health , then teetotal drinks do not need to be handed round just as if they were alcoholic drinks . I have no objection to sitting next to a teetotal brother in Lodge , or at the banquet which follows . I shall not trouble to ask my neighbour whether he is a Teetotaller or not , but if he is one , I hope he will have the courage of his opinions and appear in his proper character , not that of a winebiber . Fraternally and faithfully , TRUE TO THE CORE .

A PROTEST .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . T i , '—? ° * nofc a ^ a 3 on > naa a h'gher esteem for the Craft than 1 nave : it ia therefore with pain that I have read a lecture on

v-hnstianity , delivered at the Masonic Hall , Melbourne , on Sunday evening , 30 fch March . " Christianity and Religion—the one is a deluaion the other a reality . " Snch is the burden oi the " lecture delivered b y a Mr . H . J . Brown in a Masonic Hall . I am , yours , & o . 7 Adel phi-terrace , W . C . F . PETRIE .

Correspondence.

THE ORIGIN OF FREEMASONRY , FROM THE GERMAN OF F . NICOLAl . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —On looking over tho "American Quarterly Review of Freemasonry , " & a ., two volnmes bonnd in one , but lacking the first number , after wading through about two hundred pages , generally filled with learned stuff and nonsense , I was surprised to alight upon an oasis in the wilderness as it were . I mean two very sensible paragraphs , which I herewith enclose for the

pernsal of the faultfinders with Bro . Gonld s conclusion about Sir C . Wren ' s Freemasonry , the firm believers and advocates of Daniel Coxe ' s connection with the Philadelphia Lodge , and Grand Lodge of 1731 . 2 ; and , iu short , for tho pornsal of all orthodox brethren who imagine that Masonio history is an exception to the general rule required for historic composition . Hoping that the perusal of Bro . Nicolai's opinion will do them c / oorf ,

I remain , Fraternally yours , Boston , 20 th Juno . JACOB NORTON . " It is doing Masonry no wrong to deny ifc the prodigious antiquity which some writers have attributed to it . There was a time when just criticism , not yet existing , every historian felt himself obliged to

make history which ho was writing ascend to the most remote an . tiqnity , and ho collected together , without judgment or reflection , relations that wero the most frivolous and unconnected . The same thing has been dono as to Freemasons . Leasing somewhere says ' Bro . Orator is a romancer . ' I am afraid that the same thing must often be said of Brother Historian , especially when we see him as the

author of the "Essai sur les N . N ., " enriching history with his own notions , collecting all the mysterious societies into one , however dif . ferent they may have been : imagining some that have never existed , and believing , like the writer just quoted , that Horace was a Freemason , becanse ho had said , ' flora quota est . ' One , in this way may prove everything , and simply deserves not to bo refuted .

" If a writer wishes to compose a true history , he should advance nothing as certain which he cannot prove by incontrovertible documents , taken from original sources and contemporary authors , and even then , much caution mnst be used . He must know that things that are alike are not the same , and that ' post hoc' is not always ' propter hoc' Tradition is very well for those who are already

convinced , or wish to be so ; and I leave suoh people to their convictions with all my heart . Suppositions , or hypotheses , can never take the place of proofs : not that they are of any value , bufc to make them of any authority they must have a very direct relation to certain facts , and the occurrence of all the circumstances of the case

should give them the highest degree of probability . But violently to unite facts which have nothing in common , to leap over entire epochs , not to be affected at the most manifest contradictions to generall yreceived opinions—so long as fche object is to establish a favourite theory—this is not to write history , bnt to dream ; and genius united to learning can never make it anything else than dreaming .

We anticipate there will be a large gathering of Freemasons on Wednesday next , at Redhill , to support the Most Worshipfnl the Grand Master , who will then lay the foundation stone of the Chapel ' of the Royal Asylum oi the St . Anne ' s Schools . The Provincial Grand Lodge of

Surrey will hold a special meeting at the Schools , at three o'clock , to arrange for the official reception of the Prince of Wales and fche Grand Officers . As there has been some question as to the admission of brethren to the ceremony withont payment , we may state that members of the Craft can attend without any charge being made .

An emergency meeting of the Strand Lodge , No . 1987 , will be held at Ashley ' s Hotel , Covent Garden , on Thursday , 10 th July , under the presidency of Bro . James Willing , the W . M .

Justice Lodge of Instruction , No . 147—On Thursday the 3 rd instant , at the Brown Bear , High Street , Deptford . Bros . Catt W . M ., Penrose S . W ., Cohen J . W ., S . R . Speight P . M . Secretary , Dale S . D ., H . C . Freeman J . D ., Prior I . G ., Hntchings P . M . Preceptor , and Bros . Pitt , J . Bedford Williams , Greener , & c . The evening ' s work comprised the rehearsal of the initiating of a candidate ,

personated by Bro . J . Bedford Williams . Lodge was then called off , and on resuming was opened in the second and third degrees , and closed to the first . Bro . Penrose was elected W . M . for the ensuing Thursday , and a vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . Catt for the able manner in which he had rehearsed the ceremony . Lodge was then closed .

Ad00302

BRO.G.S.GRAHAM, The Popular Tenor and Buffo Vocalist , from St . James ' s Hall , Crystal Palace , & c . ( Provincial Grancl Organist Middlesex ) IS OPEN ACCEPT ENGAGEMENTS FOR Coixcetts , <& tta * iammertts , & fgasorut § mxqvxtis . Bro . G . S . Graham ' s Party of Eminent Artists can be engaged for Masonic Banquets , Consecrations and Installations , & c . For Opinions of the Press , and terms , address—G . S . GRAHAM , St . John ' s Villa , 91 Fernlea Road , Balham , Surrey .