Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

FREEMASONRY AND POLITICS , AT BRIGHTON .

To the Editor of the FKEEJIASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BEOTHEII , —In the last two numbers of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE I havo read with great interest your able and well-timed observations upon the unauthorised way in which the Orderof Freemasonry is perverted and sullied by being used by un .

scrupulous persons to minister to their benefit for trade purposes , in defiance of ono of the firsfc principles of Freemasonry . Ifc is bufc too well known how its emblems have been turned to account by publicans , who aro particularly proud of displaying them on the front part of their houses , for the purpose of bringing profit to them , in

violation of a solemn declaration that ; they , in seeking admission to our Order , were " uninfluenced by mercenary or any other nnworthy motive ; " whereas it is well known , from their subsequent conduct , iu many instances , that one or both these were the active motives for their seeking admission as members . You gave in your lasfc

impression a notice of a shameful violation of fche principles which should govern all true Freemasons , and which calls loudly for action being taken upon it in Grand Lodge , with a view of an adequate remedy being applied , and it is to be hoped thafc this will speedily be done . Tn your last number I read with some interest a report of the

Centenary Meeting of the Eoyal Clarence Lodge , No . 271 , and amongst the speakers on thafc occasion , I see ifc stated that " Brother Edmnnd Yates was received with cheering , to propose the W . Master . He said all present ; wonld realise his feelings when he said how happy he felfc after the week's heavy work and labour to gain a little

rest , and his pleasure in gliding from the stormy seas of controversy to the peaceful haven of the Eoyal Clarence Lodge . " Now here was a direct and unmistakable introduction of politics into the Lodge , for every one knew thafc his allusion was to the Brighton election , which had just terminated , and doubtless there were present

members who had a divided opinion npon the result , and the " stormy seas" which Bro . Yates had done his best to lash into fnry . I would ask , Sir , whether suoh action as this is nofc calculated to " produce dissension amongst fche brethren , and in time bring scandal on the Craft ? " I was always under the impression that we ,

as Masons , should afc all times treat our fellow creatures with love and kindness , whether they come within the pale of Freemasonry civ not , they are not to be despised because they do nofc belong to fche "household of tho faith . " But what shall we say to the following observations which he thought fit to address to his fellow townsmen ,

at a meeting at Hove , on the 24 th ult . He said , " I have been a fighter all my life , and shall remain so . I like a downright upstanding contest between two English gentlemen for fche representation of our borough , but I am rcady to confess that my blood begins to boil when I think that the cause of one of these gentlemen has been

supported hero in Brighton by the imposition on us of a set of hireling advocates of disloyalty and sedition . ( Cheers ) . Those champions aro paid , undoubtedly paid , by the National League , or fche Land League , or the Clau-na-Gael , or the Invincibles—I care not under what title this nest of traitors calls itself , with money wrung

from fche Pats of Connemara , cajoled from the Biddies of New York , to come down here to hoodwink and cajole ns wifch whispered hint or blatant invective againsfc what fchey are pleased to call cruelty and coercion . " These scurrillous , slanderous , and untrue remarks were received , it is said , with loud cheers , as well as his

ungentlemanly observations about the pure air of Brighton being polluted by the odour of potatoes and whisky , aud the pigs " grunting and squeaking , which Mr . O'Connor had been driving about in a cart , but he did nofc know whether with or without a net over them , " and this by a man who calls him a Freemason , and blazons his doings in a

Freemasons' Lodge . Bat as one who cherishes the principles of brotherly love and truth , I cannot read his filthy observations without shame , coming from a man who parades his fellowship in an Order whioh for many years it has hitherto been my pride and honour to belonjr to .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours truly and fraternally , A DISGUSTED BROTHER . P . S . —Ifc should be known thafc the " pigs " here so designated by Bro . Yates are members of Parliament anxious to support fche candidature of Sir Eobert Peel , whose father , afc great personal sacrifice , secured for ever untold benefits ou the working man . 4 th November 1889 .

It may be considered something of " hard lines " when a man reaches the patriarchal age of ninety-two years , and then realizes the facfc thafc " Life is nofc worth living . " This , however , seems to have been the case with Bro . John Hole

one of the residents in tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , at Croydon . He , on Friday , the 1 st instant , in a temporary fit of insanity , committed suicide . Brother Hole had been a resident in the Institution 27 years .

1 * 10 THE DEAF . —A Person cured of Deafness and noises in fche howl of 23 years' standing by a simple remedy , will seud a description of it Fm * K to any Person who n ' " es c NICHO ' . SO ** , 21 Bed r ri . c rare , W . O .

Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

ROYAL SOMERSET LODGE , No . 973 .

rpiIE installation of W . M . for the ensuing year was held on JL Tuesday , the 15 th ult ., afc Frome , Bro . E . Olive was installed W . M . by Bro . A . Duckett , in the absence of Bro . Else D . P . G . M . After tho ceremony Bro . Olive W . M . appointed and invested the following brethren as Officers : —Bros . J . D . Pulham I . P . M .,

A . W . Moore S . W ., E . J . Buck J . W ., W . Mason Treasurer , Eev . A . Brice Chaplain , P . Edinger Secretary , E . Sloper Gough S . D ., F . Kirbell J . D ., VV . E . Bown D . C , W . H . Frankham A . D . C , VV . Igguldeu Organist , A . J . Bozea I . G ., H . Hanley Tyler , J . M . Eafchay , M . March , C . White and C . Cross Stewards . After tho installation o , banquet was held at the George Hotel .

COPE LODGE , No . 1357 .

THIS Lodge held the Festival of St . John , on the 18 th nit ., afc the Brooklands Hotel , Sale , when Bro . C . Neale was installed W . M . for the ensuing year . The following Officers wero invested : — Bros . W . Campbell I . P . M ., 0 . Eeuss S . W ., J . S . Law J . W ., I . D . Simcock Treas ., A . Griffiths Sec , H . Miller Organist

E . A . Anderson S . D ., T . Travis J . D ., E . J . Bradbury Dir . of Cer VV . S . Coppook I . G ., Dr . G . Wright and W . T . Eylance Stewards , and W . Grove Tyler . ARKWRIGHT LODGE . No . 1495 .

ON Thursday , the 10 th ulfc ., fcbe . installation of Bro . John Dawes aa W . M . took place at tho New Bath Hotel , Matlock Bath . Bro . Edgar Howe performed the ceremony of installation very efficiently . The list of Oflicers invested was : —Bros . H . 0 . Heathcote I . P . M ., Eobert Hall S . W ., John Nuttall J . W ., Thomas Parker Treasurer ,

Joseph Hodgkinson Secretary , Thomas C . Drabble S . D ., A . W . Kirk J . D ., VV . Lennox D . of C , Joseph Sladen Organist , Job Smith I . G ., H . G . Hartley and W . Eichardson Stewards , John King Tyler . A banquet was subsequently given by the W . M .

WOLSBY LODGE , No . 1656

A EEGULAE meeting of this Lodge was held at the Greyhound Hotel , Hampton Court , ou Monday , the 14 fch ult ., under the presidency of Bro . E . Drummond W . M . The Lodge having been opened according to ancient custom , Mr . Frank Figg was duly initiated into the mysteries of tho Craft in tho firsfc degree , having been proposed by Bro . Peat and seconded by Bro Simpson . Bro .

J . Miles was then passed to the degreo of fellow Craft . Both ceremonies wero performed by fche W . M . An excellent dinner was provided by Bro . J . B . Mella . Tho after proceedings included the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts , and songs by Brothers Figg , Suggett , Walls , Grant , and Smith ; Bro . Figg officiated as accompanist .

ATLINGWORTH LODGE , No . 1821

THE annual installation meeting took place on the 17 fch ulfc ., at the Eoyal Pavilion , Brighton , Bro . J . Billinghursfc was installed W . M . for the ensuing year , the ceremony being impressively performed by Bro . B . Burfield . The following Officers were appointed for the ensuing year , and were invested with tho insignia of thoir respective offices , viz ., Bros . H . Anscombe I . P . M ., M . Leleu S . W .,

W . 0 . Newsome J . W ., 0 . Embling Secretary , Eev . W . A . Tooth Chaplain , S . Peters Treasurer , H . Stair S . D ., A . Loader J . D ., D . Thompson D . C , S . W . Markham I . G ., J . Parsons and M . Wormald Stewards , and H . H . Hughes Tyler . The Lodge having been closed , the brethren safc down to a banquet , under the presidency of

the newly-elected W . M . Bro . J . Billinghurst . Among the visitors were Bros . Sir VV . T . Marriott , Q . C , M . P ., W . Sendall , Mayor of Brighton , aud F . J . Tolstone . The usual Masonic toasts were duly

honoured , and a pleasing programme of vocal and instrumental music was ably sustained by Miss Maud Bond , Miss Adrienne Lester , Misa Evelyn Gates , Miss Violet Moss , and Mr . G . Marten Burling , nnder the direction of Bro . H . S . Gates .

THAMES LODGE , No . 1895

AT the annual festival , held on Monday , the 7 th ulfc ., afc Henley-on-Thames , Bro . E . Carlisle was installed as Worshipful Maater for the ensuing year by the outgoing W . M ., Bro . W . A . Simmons , and the other Oflicers for the ensning year were invested . At the close of the Lodge a banquet took place at the Eed Lion Hotel .

TENNANT LODGE , No . 1992

ON Thursday , the 10 th ulfc ., a large gathering of the members took place , afc the Masonic-hall , Cardiff , when Bro . M . Tennanfc D . P . G . M . installed Bro . Thomas Evans Worshipful Master of the Lodge . At the conclusion of the ceremony the W . M . invested the following Officers : —Bros . D . S . Verzopollo I . P . M ., W . E . Miles S . W .,

F . H . Williams J . W , T . M . Hale Treasurer , W . W . Jones Secretary , W . Lawrence S . D ., J . Hogg J . D ., A . VV . Hellior I . G ., E . Bnrokhardt Steward , J . E . Deacon Organist , J . Miles D . C . In the evening a banquet was held at the Eoyal Hotel , whioh was largely attended , Bro . Thos . Evans W . M . occupied the chair .

SPENCER WALPOLE LODGE . No . 2197

ON Monday , the 14 th ult ., the firsfc meeting of this Lodge , after the summer vacation , was held in the Masonic Hall , Douglas , Isle of Man , Bro . P . T . Screech W . M ., presiding . There was a good attendunco of members , including several visiting brethren . A lengthy list of business was gone through , two candidates being