Jubilee Of St. Martin Lodge.

The Brethren afterwards dined together at the Public Eooms , Bro . Cleave catering in his usual good style . The W . M . gave the regular toasts .

Bros . Edyvean and Truscott responded for Provincial Grand Lodge , the former rernarkiug that Bro . Courtney ' s name was known from one end of the county to the other , for the services he had rendered to Masonrv .

For the "Visiting Brethren and Sister Lodges Brother Major Shanks said he had visited almost every Lodge in the Province , and he could safely say that in no other Lodge had he derived greater pleasure and profit than in Lodge St . Martin . He did not wish to introduce politics , but certainly in that gathering they were " all for Courtney . " Bros . Henwood , Crossman , Sach , Thomas , and Mabin also acknowledged the toast . — " Cornwall Gazette . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . 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 .

To the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I observe your contemporary falls somowhat stale and flat on Lord Egerton ' s remarks as published by you last week and by the " Freemason " this week . It seems to be somebody's pleasure to din into our ears that what we have been taught as Masons is not genuine . Is there no topic of general Masonic interest just now , or is this phoenix a mere idiosyncrasy that we must shake our heads at and pass on ?

MASONS' ADVANTAGES .

It is not necessary to beat about the bush . The B . W . Prov . G . M . made the lemark attributed to him quite innocently , no doubc . He believes as most Masons do , and as I do , that every candidate is offered some inducement to join the Order . What this may be , and even whether only implied or expressed , is immaterial—it is hardly conceivable that in 1895 anybody enters Freemasonry without due enquiry , and it is not creditable that instead of a direct answer a correspondent seeking light should be gratuitously informed

" that it is contrary to Masonic principles to ask anyone to join the Fraternitv . " One may as well be told it is against Masonic principles to deny our Brother Mason relief for his necessities , and sympathy under his afflictions , or that-we must act on the square ! As a Mason , I protest against hypocrisy as tho worst enemy of the Craft , and am inclined to think ninetoentwentieths of the Fratornity , including the K . W . Prov . G . M . for Cheshire , are of my opinion .

What the latter meant to say was that there were distinct advantages in entering the Order which ( naturally ) wero not too widely known outside ; and amongst these might bo named provision for the aged and infirm and the education of the young . And if this be not true I have been a Mason over five and twenty years to little purpose .

Permit me also to protest against the constant use of negative evidence against positive fact in matters of charity . The status of a Freemason as such is fixed when a Lodge accepts him , and not , as is nearly always sought to be made out ( with what object I know not ) , when he has the misfortune to need that assistance which he has been solemnly assured was his right . I have been scriouslv told , that however successful , or the reverse , a Mason ' s

application for relief may be , it is invariably a most humiliating process . Well may the Komish Church say we are governed by wire-pullers , and that therefore the rank and file of Freemasons know nothing about it . Certainly I have always understood that a Mason must not regard Craft relief as Charity ; and it seems we shall soon require a Grand Interpreter of Facts as

well as a Very Grand Jester . The latter will be a desirable addition to Grand Lodge , and provide another available collar ; besides , if we cannot laugh at any of his jokes , he can honestly laugh at us . Ho might be sent to represent Grand Lodge at the coming Anti-Masonic Congress at Brussels ; this would , perhaps , allay the fears of your contemporary , and permit " bubbles " nearer home to claim some attention . , Yours fraternally , A CHESHIRE P . M .

WOMEN AND MASONEY .

To the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —You have called attention from time to time to "Lady Masons , " and I have exercised myself occasionally on this matter in consequence . What does it all mean ? Perhaps nothing , but if so , why does it keep coming to the fore iu this desultory fashion ? What is to prevent women setting up an opposition show ? Tho mythological fables are

only partially worked out , and there is no reason why any other name than Freemasons should not answer their purpose . I have no doubt that were a handful of earnest Englishwomen to set about it they could form an Order which would spread far more rapidly than our Fraternity over the world , and if built upon the rock of " Sisterhood " would very soon put us men in the shade ! Now I am not in favour of Adoptive Kites , nor would I admit

women as members of Masonic Lodges . But my objections are such as they would themselves appove , and they are certainly not founded on women ' s unfitness for the best part of Masonry . In fact , as I cannot explain them , I will be fair , and candidly own that I am certain women would make far better Masons than men ! By this I must not be understood to mean that there are few good Masons ; what I do mean is , that there is no grander

In tihiHon tlinn Masonry in its purity , and women would not allow the L ,. n . / ...- . u cUgiinte as maiiy men do . They would care to know more about it than in sought for by men , and their interests generally would bo less personal . Add to these qualifications their eminently superior talents in works of charity , aud we have , as I think , a far better material iu women than the opposite sex will ever attaiii to . But why want to call themselves

Correspondence.

Masons ? Many more suitable names could be found , and whereas Masonry is bound by time immemorial (?) traditions , and still more by old customs and duties , which even when most ignored cannot be denied , all these might be taken into account , avoiding obligations which could only be carried out partially . Humanity and Philanthropy has never changed ; but the world changes , and it has changed Freemasonry ; not in its essence , which cannot

be , but in tho latter-day construction of its obligations and duties , and still more by the influence of a larger section whose interest in Freemasonry is not , and never was , iu bona-flde Masonry . Here , then , is woman ' s opportunity ; let them strike out " on their own hook " if they want to imitate Masons ; for there is no limit to the needs of tho distressed , and no path through this world more cheering than that of the Benevolent . I do not , of

course , overlook essentials in forming such a sisterhood , in the way oi organisation and government ; but there will be time enough to express an opinion on that if need be , hereafter . Meanwhile , " Lady Masons " will never be admitted into English Masonic Lodges as members , and tho idea had better be given up as a real waste of time . Yours fraternally , ORESTES .

The Roman Catholics Again.

THE ROMAN CATHOLICS AGAIN .

THE following letter appeared in the " Weston Mercury " of 31 st ult . SIR , —Knowing so much of the secret design of tho Freemasons , of which the uninitiated members of the Brotherhood know so little ( or the clergy of the Anglican Body , instead of becoming Chaplains , would scorn the idea and repudiate their very existence ) , allow me to ask them to read Mons . Dillon ' s

" War of Anti-Christ" ( Burns and Oates , London ) , or else Greville ' s " Memoirs , " vols . 3 , 4 , 5 , & c , which may be had at tho free libraries . These , if read with honesty of purpose , would very soon thin the ranks of the Craft throughout the whole country . I cannot but hail with joy tho formation of an Anti-Masonic League to counteract the satanic designs contemplated by the former . May the league be speedily established in the Metropolis , with innumerable branches in every provincial town . Procrastination has too

often been the ruination , not only of souls , but of nations . Let us hope that at the " International Anti-Masonic Congress " shortly to be held in Eome , the league may become fully established throughout Europe . All the most estimable and conscientious men—men of position and influence in the land —who are Freemasons , are so in total ignorance of the fact that they are furthering the cause of Anti-Christ . May they read the works I have named , and ponder on the subject ere it be too late .

Yours faithfully , THOS . H . SHAW . Weston-super-Mare .

Here And There.

HERE AND THERE

OUE issue of 27 th July , in recording the death of a member of the Concord Lodge , No . 153 < t , mentioned the fact that he was buried at Prestwich Church . Are our readers aware that in January 1817 , while on a visit to that great Manchester merchant , Sir George Phillips , who resided at

Sedgley Park , Sydney Smith , wit and divine , preached a sermon at Prestwich old church ? In a letter to Lady Mary Bennett ( daughter of his friend , the Earl of Tankerville ) , he says : — " I am going to preach a charity sermon next Sunday . I desire to make three or four hundred weavers cry , which it is impossible to do since tho late rise in cotton . "

In these days , when the doings of our Fraternity aro not only zealously watched , but often atrabiliously and unjustly criticised by officials of tho Eomish Church , it may be _ interesting to reproduce a singular instance of an ancient office which occurs in the title of the Pope of Home . The term " Fontifex , " or " Bridge Builder , " was applied to an order of priests said to

have been founded by Numa , the second King of Eome , and was probably transferred to the Pope on the very foundation of his chair . What the orioin of this title was has been a matter of disputo even among the Eomans themselves ; but the general opinion is that it related to bridges in some way . According to Flutarch , the Pontiffs wero commissioned to keep the bridges in repair , as one of the most indispensable parts of their holy office .

Lord Cockburn , in his very pleasant and readable " Memorials , " reverts to a trial before Lord Braxfield ( the Judge Jofferies of the Scottish bench at tho close of the last century ) , when the father of Sir Francis Horner

happened to be one of the jury . The gentleman in question , as he passed behind the bench to get to the jury-box , was stopped by Braxfield , who whispered to him , " Come awa ' , Maister Horner , and help us to hang ane o * thae damned scoundrels ! "

Although Lord Cockburn does not inform us who the " scoundrel " was , yet if I may rely upon an old MS . autobiography of a sailor ( now in my possession ) , it was Thomas Muir , one of the Scottish Political Martyrs . He is described as an " advocate , " and was tried before the Justiciary Court ,

Edinburgh , on the 30 th of August 1793 , being charged with sedition . The sentence which the overbearing Lord Braxfield pronounced upon him was that of " transportation for fourteen years , on pain of death if he returned before that time . "

Of Muir ' s subsequent career I may have mora to say later on . Certainly if the MS . previously referred to is to be relied upon , and I have every reason to believe in its authenticity , the Scottish advocate met with adventures , which were marvellously surprising and extraordinary , in up holding principles of reform which were then considered criminal , only because they happened to be in advance of the times .

Mark Twain , whose unfortunate financial position I mentioned the other week , has just been interviewed . He says that he is on the point of leaving America on a lecturing tour round the world , with the laudable object of

repaying whatever debts he may have incurred . After an explanation whicn does infinite credit to him , he adds : — " The law recognises no mortgage on a man ' s brain ; and a merchant , who has given up all he has , may take advantage of the laws of insolvency , and start free again for himsolf . But I am not