Correspondence.

Wilson execnted two bonds—one for one thousand dollars , and one tor ten thousand—conditioned on the first day of every month to pay one-half of all money received for degrees , rituals , charters , & e ., and to make on tho first of every month returns of names , residences , and decrees given and money received , under a penalty of one thousand

dollars for each failure . He was never a member of the grand body Sovereign Sanctnary , as that body only met once in fonr years . The previous session was held in June 1878 , at Quincy , Michigan , Wilson took about two thousand dollars' worth of rituals , charters , diplomas , & c , and commenced

work , and made monthly returns for one year . Abont March 14 th 1881 Oionhyateta and McGloughlin had been trying to get Wilson to come or send some one to London ( Canada ) to instruct and put the Chapter in working order . They appealed to me as Grand Master , and I notified Wilson , and ho refused to go to London unless be got

extra pay therefore . They had paid two hundred dollars , ten dollars each , and considered they had been defrauded . I finally consented to go to London , and gavo two lectures there , instructing them in the work , and reconstructed the old Chapter , formed a new Senate and Council ; made some 20 new members , and came back to Detroit

( Michigan ) to find a letter from Wilson , saving he would not pay over any morn money , as he had elected himself Grand Master , formed a new Grand Body , and expelled tne and the bodies in Canada , and some 20 more of the Memphis Masons , and claiming to be the Grand Master himself ; all of which was published by Wilson in

his paper called the ' Legion of Honour , ' and ciiculated extensively in Canada and elsewhere . I immediately issued an edict suspending Wilson , and summoned him to be present at a special meeting of the Grand Body in Detroit , Sept . 14 , 1881 . Wilson held a pretended meeting in Boston , Sept . 6 , and with a few of his followers ( not

exceeding six ) , none of whom belonged to tho Sov . Sanctuary , promptly suspended me and all Canada , and every one else who did not recognise Darius Wilson as Grand Master . I then appointed Oronhyteaka Deputy Graud Representative for Canada ; he formed a few chapters , bnt failed to pay over the money he received for

books and degrees . I suspended him , and he joined with Wilson , who took Dr . Ramsay , of Orillia , and they formed a clandestine body called the Ancient and Primitive Rite , Egyptian Oriental Rite of Memphis for the United States , and Canada , and have succeeded in roping in a few of the soft-headed with more money than brains . "

( Do not all high degreers do that ?) " Subsequently Wilson , McGloughlin , Dr . Ramsay , ancl others of the clandestine body , have been glorifying each other by various high-sounding titles , such as Grand Master , Sov . Grand Magi , & c ., and writing after their , several names 33 , V 6 ; and W . B . Lord , 95 degrees ,

has also become a great Mogul in the Mizraim Rite , and , like the Kilkenny cats , " that ate each other np tooth and nail , " they have been expelling and vilifying each other ever since . Wilson has expelled myself , his G . M . Gen . Laurence G . M . of Massachusetts , C . W . Strait , John Stevenson , W . B . Lord , and a great ; many others ,

and Lord has expelled Wilson . " At the regular meeting of the Sovereign Sanctuary , held in Detroit in June 1882 , Wilson and Oronhyateka were duly tried on charges and expelled , aud Wilson ' s Boston body declared clandestine . " Some time in the fall of 1883 H . Seymour , once a high officer in

the Memphis Rite , died ; and Wilson in some way acquired a charter belonging to Dr . Alex . B . Mott , of New York , G . M . of the Ancient Primitive Rite of Memphis ( another humbug Rite of Mizraim affair ) . Dr . Mott accused Wilson , the self-styled G . M ., of larceny . " Dr . Mott had Wilson arrested in New York , and then Wilson said

ho had bought the charter of me . I never sold , gave , or delivered any charter to Wilson , or any other man . I never saw this charter , although intimately acquaints ! with Harry J . Seymour from 1858 to

1866 . I have Dr . Mofct / s letter , saying that he knows I never had this charter—that Wilson in some way at tho funeral of Seymour obtained it . This is all I know about it , and the New York papers and Dr . Mott deny publishing that I ever had the charter .

In conclusion permit me to say , I have taken all the degrees in Masonry , and am a Past Officer in all , and present Grand Master ad vitam of tbe Memphis Rite in America—fche oldest and best system of Masonry on earth ; and I feel bad to think it disgraced bv such time-serving , unprincipled men . Wilson is now publishing a

monthly called the Masmic World , in which he is bespattering all Masonic bodies with filth , and advertising his nauseous drugs of clandestine Masonry of Memphis and Mizraim wherever he can gain a dollar or find a dupe . He has been duly expelled from the Rite , and shonld be stopped from defrauding the brethren of their money . I

wdl give a hundred dollars if he will satisfy a committee of the 96 deg . that he overbad tho 96 deg ., or the Royal Arch Commandery , or the Consistory degrees , A . and A . Scotch Rite degrees , or any others pave , what I gave him in the Memphis Rite in Boston . Thank God

the Memphis Rite is not dead , nor is its Grand Master an expelled Mason , much ns his enemies ( or ( he enemies of tho Rite rather ) would desire him to be ; and the day will come when all will be acknowledged in truth , ancient date aud power .

Fraternally , d'c . CALVIN C . BURT , Grand Master , ad vitam . " Detroit , May 2 nd 1881 . " The above is a ' air specimen of the style of rnr rival hi <* h deo-rcVs

pugilism . I must , however , add that Wilson ia now encased in pedling far and wide a new system of degrees , which h = calls " Thf Boyal Mnsnnic Rite , " consisting ( according to Bro . Burt ) of 33 90 and 96 degr-es ; all can be had for about . £ 2 . He also recently

issued a , pamphlet , full of woodcuts , which , to say the least , is ver < fnnny . In a lecture he gave last winter , he assured his audienc that Moses received in Egypt 88 degrees of the Royal Masonic Rite . Bat what will Bros . Findel , Lyou , Woodford , Hughan , and Gould say to the important discovery of Bro . Burt , "' Grand Master od

Correspondence.

vitam , " thafc the Memphis Rite " is t he oldest . . . system of Masonry on earth " ? Fraternally yours , Boston , U . S ., 17 th July 1885 . JACOB NORTON .

Renumbering Of Lodges.

RENUMBERING OF LODGES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHRB , —I hoped and believed the correspondence on the above named subject was closed , after the very convincing letter of oar learned Brother Hughan , an authority on all Masouic matters , particularly its history . He pronounces strongly against any

change in tho numbering of Lodges , and gives excellent reasons . In yonr issue of 25 th July , "J . L . " gives Chapter and verse of the 157 Lodges erased since the renumbering in 1863 , and he says , if you add the 20 South Australian Lodges you get 177 in all—leaving 1925 Lodges on the Register .

I fancy " A READER , ' writing on the 1 st instant , cannot have seen the foregoing letters . He thinks it very desirable t'i know the exact number of working Lodges ; he also thinks it difficult what confusion or inconvenience would arise from renumbering . It is quite evident he has not been Secretary to a large , or even a small Province , or he

would be prepared to agree with " T . W . J ., " who asks , " Is not the name and number of each mother Lodge entwined sacredly aronnd the hearts of all its members ? " He is quite content to let matters remain as they are , and I join him in the belief that the Craft in general is of that opinion also .

I imagine there are comparatively few of us remaining , in active working order , who were bewildered by the renumbering iu 1863 ; it created great confusion and irritation , and for several years the annual pocket book had to give the old and the new number side bv

side . I tvusfc you will forgive ray trespassing upon your valuable space at considerable length , in order that the opinion of this Province , at least , may be generally known .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , HENRY SMITH , D . P . G . M . West Yorka St . John ' s , Wakefield , 4 th August 1885 .

Employment Bureau.

EMPLOYMENT BUREAU .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Whatever merit or demerit there may be in the suggestion for the formation of an Employment Bureau , in connection with Freemasonry , belongs entirely to myself . I was struck with the good work done by the Boys' and Girls' Schools , the

Institution at Croydon , and the Benevolent Fund . It appeared to me that the organization for the relief of the fatherless , the help of the widow and the aged and infirm was complete . Even calamities caused by sickness , failure , and other means were provided against , aud the thought occurred to me , that as Masons we ought to set those

ou their feet again who had stumbled ; that we could and should h ^ lp brethren to get employment under regulations that would be mutually beneficial . I suggested that a Bureau shonld be established , under the auspices of the governing body ; that the payment of a small fee would cover all expenses , and that by such a system many

would procure employment to the advantage both of themselves and employers . It appears to me that something of the kind is wantednay , demanded—to make the circle of Jour Charitable organisation complete . Many a struggling brother is driven to seek aid from the Benevolent Fund who would be glad to help himself were

employment to be had . There is always a large amount of floating labour , and in depressed times like these the increase is painful to witness . If charity is to be the practical thing « e Freemasons say it is , and there is evidence of that belief in existing Institutions , why not extend the principle and make ib more

comprehensive ? I daresay there is something to be said on the other side , but it is not my business to anticipate difficulties and objections . When they arise I shall be prepared to meet them . Until then I cau only express the hope that the brethren will take

my proposal into consideration with the view of making it a practical reality . Yours fraternally , WATCHMAN .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Referring to the excelleut article iu your last issue— "An Admirable suggestion "— I venture again to address you even at the risk of being considered obtrusive . There is

a well-known saying— That while the grass is growing the horse starving , " so I think no further delay should be allowed to tike place in this very urgent matter , but that some scheme should be in working order before the winter is upon us .

I would , therefore , respectfully suggest that a working Committee of Management bo appointed , to arrange and carry out the preliminaries for the establishment of an Employment Bureau . Last year I travelled a great many miles , and I assure you that from my own observation I know that great distress is very wide

spread—mneh more so than is generally supposed—while a vast 1 mount of this distress is among the upper middle class . Men with wives and children , delicately nurtured and unused to the fierce struggle for existence they find themselves now involved in . I regret 1 am unable to express myself as strongly as I feel in this

• natter , but I hope that abler pens than mine may bring to a successful issue this laudable scheme of establishing an Employment Bureau . Yours fraternally , Nana