Report On Foreign Correspondence.

REPORT ON FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE .

THE following , by Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio , will doubtless interest our readers : — "OHIO APPEALS TO HISTORIAN HUGHAN . "

" The Mason Craft of these latter days owe a debt of gratitude to Bro . "Wm . J . Hughan , of Truro , England , and still fnrthor desire to encourage him in works of research . The relation Masonry bears to the early Guilds of London is worthy of his enlightened and enlightening pen . "

" Masonry should have a friendly Revisal . " " Bro . W . J . Hughan , in the M ; iy number of the Voice of Masonry , in the closing sentences of a ' Word to the Wise , ' says : — All degrees in Masonry aro , comparatively speaking , modern .

Common sense should lead us to preserve the useful , discard the useless , and combine what is good of the residno in as small a compass as possiblo so as to secure their officiont working , thoir general acceptance , and their universal admiration by tho Craft .

There is not a minute to prove the separate and independent character of Masonio degrees anterior to the second decade of last century . " In view of the enlightonmenfc secured to the Craft by such antiquaries as Hughan , Woodford , Lyon , and of a jubilee of Masonry proposed in America afc the " Centennial" period of its civil history , we hope that

others will bo willing to give consideration to topics growing out of a full realization of the true inner life of Masonry , as wo all find ourselves attached to it . Is it practicable for a few of tho more mature men of thought in Masonry , of both sides of the water , on some concerted occasion to confer , and agree how to adapt tho system as it ought to be in the complicated system as ifc now exists ? The age

within , it would seem , is too wise to continue unto a new century the mere surface perceptions of truth , and retain many deep-rooted errors in the body of our formularies . We speak of the day of free thought ; for ifc is kindred in Enrope and America , and knowing that the trno value of Masonry in its enlightened fellowship is dependent very much on forms , which take shape much from the reigning spirit within , wo

would ask of Bros . Hughan , Woodford aud Lyon , if you cstcom tho epoch at hand for a reform in Masonic degrees ? What is your opinion as to organizing anew all tho orders deemed suitable in a college of rites ? The hint givon in last year ' s report , as to topics of proper consideration , referred to our nomenclature . Wo agree as to the fitness of

each epoch making degrees to suit them , Chapter , Templar , Scottish Rite or Constantine . With the now day comes a new duty . Lot enlightened Masons now represent thomsolves , not their forefathers merel y . Changes should not bo mado without reflection , bnt with duo consideration . In the various grades of Masonry there is a plcntitude of titles—a

marked disorder in appropriate designation of offices . Thero is an opening also for an organization of tho orders on merit , or proficiency , so that attainment of a rank in Masonry would bo a true badgo in a roll of honour , where now pertinacious ambitions , perhaps worthless worldly wealth , wears honours nndesorved . If the departure is now to be taken to conform tho Masonry of the

future to the elevated importance of man , as ho now takes rank in tho full light of this century , if well done , ifc will ho of honour to its earnest co-operators . The fetters that havo bound even the best to prescribed beliefs and practices havo left them " cabined , cribbed , confined , " and have made the Craft tho prey of tho designing and the

crafty . " Quosque tandem abutere patientia nostra ? " we say to these usurpers . It was Lord Bacon who said : " It is tho life of an ox or a beast always to eat and never to exercise ; but men are born , especially Christian men , not to cram in thoir fortunes , but to exerciso their virtues . "

The time is that you think goodness the best part of greatness , and that you remember whenco your rising comes , and make return accordingly , to countenance , encourage , and advance able and virtuous men in all degrees , kinds and professions ; to make able and honest men yours , rather than advance thoso that are otherwise because they are yours .

It has been well said : " No reformer can operate successfull y unless congenial ideas or consenting sympathies are existing in those by whom he is surrounded . He rather concentrates and personifies what they also feel and think than invents his proposed improvements . It is in the great civil concerns of life , as in the fine arts , criticism abounds and circulates ; men become conscious of the imperfections in

the state and figure of their ordinary experience . " Socrates said to the celebrated painter , Parrhasius : " You give youth and old age to bodies ; aud when yon represent a perfect being as you cannot find any person bnt who has some defect , your plan is to look at several ; and by taking what is beautiful from each you make ono figure of the whole , which is accomplished in all its parts . "

May we not ask of dear Bro . Hughan , who is expected to be afc our Centennial Exposition next June , from his stand-point to note some hints toward a Masonic eclecticism ? Who is it that says " Most great undertakings are against the calculations of prudence ? that the mind of the bold adventurer is actuated by feelings distinct from judgment , and of unknown ori gin ? " The

Cyrus , the Alexander , the Mohammed , the Tamerlane of his " day , " dares all the probabilities of failure , and plunges into enterprises that are to determine the fate of dynasties and empires , and change the minds and manners of mankind . Who is to project reform into the body of Masonry , and rid the barbaric penalties from its obligations ?

Report On Foreign Correspondence.

Hughan , in Voice , July 1875 , thus discourses as to Grand Masters : "Thoy aro the production of 'The Revival ; ' and though Bro . Preston and others have quoted from ' Old Charges' of 1686 ; etc ., in which it is said tho title of Grand Master occurs , those interested in the subject will find , by consulting our ' Old Charges of British Freemasons , ' that no such reference is in the originals , and consequently

it is a modern interpolation which cannot bo too severely condemned . Wo have published verbatim et literatim transcripts of a dozen of theso ancient and curious documents . So the brethren now can judge for themselves , and will do well to consult exact copies of the originals before being led away by garbled transcripts . " Hnghan , in Voice , July 1875 , thus speaks as to Landmarks :

" The difficulty as to ' Ancient Landmarks' we think light indeed j for unless wo allow the right of Graud Lodges to rescind any old laws when it becomes generally admitted they aro unnecessary in tho present state of tho Craft , we shall havo to refcnrn to tho condition of things prior to tho last century . Who , now , would agree with tho ' Ancient Landmarks , ' considered inviolable in the fifteenth , or even

early in the last century ?" " Aro tho laws now submited for approval to oven tho youngest apprentice ? and are the ' Ancient Landmarks' of our forefathers observed in the institution of Grand Lodges and tho working of tho threo degrees ?" " Is it trno that a portion of tho Third Degreo was removed there .

from , and worked separately as Royal Arch Masonry , during the last century , and that nearly all tho Grand Lodges havo adopted tho innovation ? Is such infringement justified on any other grounds than expediency ? and is ifc of less consequence so to do than to abrogate tho law as to ' perfect limbs ?'" "For our part , wo are contont to let theso points stand or fall

together . " When Freemasonry was operative , or partly so , there might havo been , and indeed there wero many important reasons to induce stringent regulations being passed as to physical qualifications ; but now that the society is speculative , we fail to seo why such a matter might not be loft to tho ballofcitig-box . Under tho Grand Lodgo of England

it has been so left for more than a century , and ifc was only through the legislation of tho secedors , or 'Ancient Masons , ' that England became in any way mixed up in such an uncharitable action . We advocate that ' all just , upright , and free men , of full age , sound judg menfc , and strict morals , ' should bo permitted by the Jaws of all Grand Lodgos to seek initiation , without respect to their creed , colour , or

physical condition . All other matters may bo safely loft to the docision of tho members of tho Lodgo to which the application for membership is made . We live in hope of seeing snch liberty become tho experience of tho Fraternity throughout the United States . Tho subject simply wants a leader in a Grand Lodge , and in due time the remainder will gradually , but surely , ' fall into lino . '"

Hughan also says : " Wo are glad to know that tho Committee on Work and Lectures of tho Grand Lodge of Now York reported in favonr of tho words ' Holy Saints John ' being stricken from the ritual , and we hope their proposition will bo carried . Tho less we have of needless sectarianism the better , and , for our part , excepting the essential portions of our

ritual which aro interwoven with the Christian and Hobrew Scriptures , we -would voto to-morrow for every sectarian allusion to bo expunged from all Masonic rituals . That Freemasonry , early last century , was Christian , was also before then and since until late years , is evident to all Masonic students ; but that is no argument why it should so continue to bo , because it has universally been decided to widen the

basis of tho society , and to practically carry out what was onl y theoretically attempted by our forefathers . " " Since the union of 1813 , England may bo said to have taken tho lead in giving to Freemasonry a cosmopolitan and nnsectarian character , which we trust will , ere long , secure the general support of the Grand Lodges in tho United States , with whom we desiro

particularly to work , not only in harmony aud brotherly love , but entirely on the same foundation . " The Freeborn . —Rev . Dr . Oliver , then an officer of the Grand Lodge of England , thus discoursed as to this paragraph , inserted by Anderson in his " Book of Constitutions , " in 1723 : " Tho men mado Masons must bo freeborn or no bondsmen , of mature age and of good report ,

hale and sound , not deformed or dismombered at the time of makin" - without maim or defect in his body . " " This test appears to cast an indirect reflection on the works of our Almighty Creator ! and therefore the Masons of the present day expunged it from tho statute book ; because a man ' s morals are not determined by physical defect of his body . In fact , it appears to be

opposed to tho direct commands of the Gospel : for Christ himself pronounced the loss of a member of the body of less consequence than that of a single virtue or aS ' ection of tho mind . The truth is , this regulation was never intended to bo introduced into speculative Masonry . " ( To be continued . )

Bro . W . A . Barrett , Mus . Bac . Oxon , P . P . G . O . Oxford , shire , has been appointed one of the Vicars Choral of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , in the place of Mr . T . Francis , who has resigned .

HOLLOWAT s OINTMENT AUD Puts . —All diseases springing from bad blood , malarious districts , or overheated atmospheres can be cured by these noble remedies . Fever , ague , influenza , bronchitis , diphtheria , st ranch complaints and bilious disorders are easily met and readily con ( iiered by these unrivalled medicaments . Both act harmoniou-ly in preserving the pure and best materials of the bod

y , and icn expellii g all that is redundant , effete , or corrupt . Thus tho cure is not slight and ephemeral , but complete and permanent , as thousands who have personally tested tlieir power have gratefully testified . Invalids in all quarters of the globe , whoso listlessness of mind and sallowne ^ s of complexion warned them and their friends of some undermining disease , havo been thoroughly renovated by Holloway ' s remedies .