Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

— : o : — ^ " HEARTY GOOD WISHES . " To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAB SIB AND BROTHER , —Who are entitled to tender " Hearty Good Wishes " to tho Worshipful Master , just prior to the closing of Lodge ? I was always of opinion that it was an aot of courtesy on the part of visitors alone , but I have recently been at meetings where every Brother present seemed to make a point of doing this ; even the Past Masters and Officers of the Lodge rising and uttering the formula . It may be I am unable to appreciate a ioke . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writers , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

or that I am old fashioned enough to desiro to see the work of Freemasonry carried out in a decorous and becoming manner , but certain it is I fail to appreciate the change that seems to be spreading in this direction , and have a distinct objection to the bobbing up and down of nearly every Brother present at a meeting for the purpose of tendering " Hearty good wishes . " It seems about as absurd as the continual desire to drink an Initiate's health at the festive board , and almost equally edifying . Yours , & c , OLD STAGER .

Ashton Mark Lodge And The Grand Lodge Of M.M.M. Of England.

ASHTON MARK LODGE AND THE GRAND LODGE OF M . M . M . OF ENGLAND .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHEONICLE . DEAB SIB AND BBOTHEB , —The formidable inditement brought against me by Bro . Dr . Foreman in last week ' s CHRONICLE , reminding one forcibly of Zola ' s celebrated " J ' accuse , " if it were not a case of abuse your opponent ' s lawyer , ought to make me hide my head for ever under a bushel , and particularly from the censorious eyes of all self-respecting Masons of whatever degree . With one fell swoop Bro . Dr . Foreman would destroy any little

reputation I may have acquired during a Masonic career of considerably over a . quarter of a century , in which my leisure has been largely devoted to Masonic pursuits , and all because I have had the temerity to fill a vacant evening of the Joppa Mark Lodge by reading a paper on the early history and ancestry of the Lodge . This paper proved of sufficient interest to the

members that it was ordered to be printed and distributed at the expense of the Lodge . The Grand Secretary Bro . 0 . F . Matier , a member of the Lodge of some thirty years standing , naturally received one , nor was Bro . Foreman forgotten , for a copy was at the same time sent to him , yet it has taken the latter Brother a year and a half to discover and " prove the worthlessness and unreliable character of the production . "

The one quotation Bro . Dr , Foreman takes from the pamphlet he misquotes ; it really reads : — " The Dukinfield Lodge has always and still meets quarterly on a Sunday afternoon under the Warrant of some Cheshire or East Lancashire Craft Lodge , that most frequently favoured being Lodge Endeavour , No . 830 , Dukinfield . The Craft Lodge is first opened in the three Craft Degrees , when the Mark Master enters and takes the chair . The

candidates are balloted for in the Master Mason's Degree , the Mark Lodge is then opened and the ceremony of advancement worked . The Lodge has at different times been called the Dukinfield Lodge , the Cheshire Mark Lodge , and the Travelling Mark Lodge , and is now called the Honourable United Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of the Ashton-under-Lyne District . "

In the above extract there is no suggestion that the title " Grand " is of recent assumption , indeed ! if Bro . Foreman cannot fix the date of its assumption , the maligned pamphlet will do it for him , since it gives in full a copy of the resolution forwarded by the Dukinfield Lodge , as it was called in 1856 , to the Joppa Lodge , intimating that a resolution had been passed at their last meeting , held on the 19 th October 1856 , to the following effect : — " That a Committee be appointed to consider the present position of the Mark Degree , and report as to the desirability of forming from the Union , a Grand

Mark Mason ' s Lodge .... and inviting the co-operation of the Joppa Lodge ; " to which the Joppa replied by " offering our hearty co-operation . " At the March meeting of the Joppa , 1857 , "A communication from the Dukinfield Lodge was read respecting the proposed organisation of a Grand Mark Lodge . " These extracts , found in the pamphlet , and taken from the minutes of tbe Joppa , prove that the title " Grand " was assumed by the Ashton Body some little time after March 1857 , and , therefore , after tho Institution of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons now presided over by H . R . H . tho Prince of Wales , the first meeting of which was held in June 1856 .

Not having visited tho Ashton Body I am quite prepared to admit that I may be wrong as to the exact " modus operandi , " but to justify myself in some measure for the " worthless , misleading and inaccurate " pamphlet I have ventured to write , allow me to quote my authorities . Bro . John Yarker , who was a member of the Lodge in the early fifties , wrote , January 1893 : " The Body was termed the Cheshire Mark Lodge or Travelling Mark Lodge , it met quarterly on a Sunday afternoon , under the Warrant of some Cheshire Lodge , at the various places at which it decided to hold its meetings . "

Erom the minutes of an Installation meeting of the Joppa Lodge , held at Birkenhead , 27 th June 185 C , we find this— " The Mark Lodge was opened m the Master ' s Degree in due form by Bro . H . Gee W . M ., Shaw S . W ., Bell J . W ., I . Gee I . G . The minutes of the last Lodge were then read and confirmed . Bros . Dixon , Wilson , Davies , and Hicken were then balloted for and unanimously elected , the Lodge opened in the Mark Mastor ' s degree , when they were severally introduced and inducted . "

The Brethren mentioned as Officers on this occasion were all members of the Dukinfield Lodge , who had been specially invited to do the ' work , their expenses being paid as per a resolution ot the Joppa , at the May meeting in 1856 . This was twelve months before the Joppa received its Scottish Warrant , and we may reasonably suppose that the visiting Brethren expounded the old Cheshire system of working , iu all its purity , for tho guidance and improvement of the Birkenhead Brethren . From Bro . Dr . Foreman ' s report of a meeting of tho Ashton Body ,

Ashton Mark Lodge And The Grand Lodge Of M.M.M. Of England.

published in the February ( 1898 ) " Masonic Journal , " we gather that " The Honourable United Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of the Ashtonunder-Lyne District held its quarterly meeting , which was the occasion of the annual installation of Grand Master , on Sunday , the 16 th January , under the auspices of the Craft Lodge of Endeavour , No . 830 , at the Queen's Arms Hotel , Dukinfield , when Bro . Edward Davies W . M . of the Endeavour Lodge attended with all his Officers , and opened the Lodge through the three Symbolic Degrees . "

" The chair was taken by the Grand Mark Master ( Bro . Dr . Foreman P . J . G . W . Lane ) , who opened the Grand Mark Lodge in accordance with ancient custom . The following Brethren were proposed , approved of , duly presented , and advanced to the degree of M . M . M . in strict conformity with the ancient usages , by the W . G . M . " The ancient usage of the Ashton Body , as per the Joppa minutes , was to ballot for the candidates in the Master's degree ; the modern usage seems to place the ballot in the Mark degree .

I have already trespassed too much upon your space , and therefore refrain from criticising the endearing terms Bro . Dr . Foreman has applied , to both myself and my poor pamphlet ; it is , to say the least of it , refreshing after the usual adulation to which one is subject on serving up anything just a little out of the common . We of the Joppa , No . 11 , and likewise of the Fidelity , No . 31 , are distinctly proud of our ancestor , and in mentioning her present name four times only I feel that I have not done justice to that filial affection so interesting a parent inspires and deserves .

I had no idea until I read Bro . Dr . Foreman's letter that I had become so prominent in matters Masonic that a trifle from my pen should attract the attention not only of the General Boards of both Craft and- Mark Grand Lodges , hut as likely to lead , at no distant day , to the only irregular body of Mark Masons in England placing themselves in a regular manner under , the Banner of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , 3 rd October 1899 . JOHN ARMSTRONG P . M . of 11 and 31

French women have the privilege of being enrolled as Freemasons , and , indeed , they can , if they choose , join a Lodge open to both sexes , which has for Grand Mistress a lady named Mme . George Matin . The Mixed Lodge is only some six years old , and already numbers 200 members , two

thirds of these being women . Perhaps one inducement for French women to become Freemasons is that they are entitled to wear the same gay insignia , although their alleged reason is that it prevents husband and . wife from drifting apart . — " Daily Chronicle . "

"A Sprig Of Acacla."

"A SPRIG OF ACAClA . "

WE regret to have to announce the decease of a Brother well known to many West London Masons . Bro . John Cruttenden passed away on Friday , 22 nd ult . He was much respected by many of the Brethren who knew his excellent qualities both in the Craft and Royal Arch . His

funeral took place on Thursday , 28 th ult ., and was attended b } ' several who was anxious to show their appreciation of his services . He leaves a widow and three children , but he having been seriously ill for a long time they have unfortunately been left with very little to help them in their trouble . His age was only 48 years .

THE interment of the late Bro . H . B . Anderson , J . P ., of Howden Hall , took place on Saturday , 30 th ult ., at Hemingbrough . In addition to the relatives of the deceased there were present the members of Howden St . Cuthbert's

Lodge , with several Brethren from Selby and other towns . The service was read by the Rev . James Paton , vicar of Hemingbrough , the Benediction being pronounced by the Rev . W . Hutchinson , M . A ., vicar of Howden .

THE funeral of Bro . Ephraim Andrews , of Sudbury , who died on Saturday , 16 th ult ., took place at the Cemetery the following Tuesday . The deceased had been a member of the Stour Valley Lodge for twenty years , and a number of its members preceded the cortege . The employes of the deceased followed . At the conclusion of the religious rites

at the graveside , the Masonic tribute was paid by the dropping of sprigs of acacia upon the coffin . A WELL-KNOWN and respected resident of Skipton died on Monday morning , in the person of Bro . John

Hogg , aged 69 . He was for some years an active and useful member of the Skipton Local Board , but retired in 18 94 . He had been Chairman * of the Skipton Gas Company , and was still a Director . Bro . Hogg held many other offices in the town .

ON Tuesday afternoon , 26 th ult ., the remains of Bro . Alfred LJias Roberts were interred at Anfield Cemetery , in the presence of a number of Masonic Brethren . The deceased had been identified for sixteen years with the African Steamship Company , and was chief steward of the steamer Bonny .