Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

— : o : — We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications , AU Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In your paper of 26 th Fob . is an article analysing the subscription list at the Annual Festival of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on tho 9 th ult . In that article the Province of Warwickshire iu general , and tho town of Birmingham in particular ( and tho latter with all the conspicuousness of italics ) ,

are held up to tho reproach of our brother Masons , because , this year , we have contributed nothing to the funds of the Masonic Benevolent Institution , and hut year raised only a " paltry sum for tbe service of Masonic Charity . " I will not here animadvert on the want of good taste which characterises tho article , nor stop to inquire how far remarks such as I havo quoted aro likely to goad brethren to

contribute to tho Institution named . I am only concerned to show that tho Province of Warwickshire , including the town of Birmingham , is not behindhand in the " service of Masonic Charity . " So far back as the year 1860 I find that onr R . W . P . G . M ., Lord Leigh , presided at tho first Annual Festival of the Benevolent Institution , and on that occasion somo fifty Warwickshire brethren supported him as Stewards .

I believe that Lord Leigh was one of the first P . G . M . ' s who ever presided atthe festival of this and tho other Masonic Charities . Up to this period the G . M ., D . G . M ., or somo London Mason presided , bnt tho Provinces rarely assisted . In the two succeeding years Lord Leigh presided , in 1861 at the festival of tho Girls' and in 1862 at that of the Boys ' Schools , and in the three years a sum of £ 1 / 100 was raised by the

Warwickshire brethren in aid of tho three Masonic Charities , and it should be remembered that at that timo thero wero but sixteen Lodges in this Province . It is impossible to tell the amount subscribed by the Warwickshire brethren year by year for tho " service of Masonic Charity , " as , until 187-1 , thore was no organised body whoso special duty it was to attend to the claims of our Masonio

Charitable Institutions . In September of that year , at a Provincial Grand Lodge meetiug , the following resolution was unanimously passed : — " That a Charity Committee bo formed , consisting of the Provincial Grand Master , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the Provincial Grand Treasurer , and Provincial Grand Secretary , and a ropresonta .

tivo to bo selected from each Lodge in tho Province , to bo called the Charity Steward . The duty of the Charity Steward will be to bring the Claims of tho ( Masonic Charitable ) Institutions periodically before his Lodge , to collect the voting papers of brethren and forward them to tho Deputy Provincial Grand Master , prior to tho half-yearly election . "

Since that dato many meetings of the Charity Stewards havo been held , and the result of their efforts was last year , not " the paltry sum of £ 35 , " but upwards of £ 500 was raised in this Province for the " service of Masonic Charity . " Our It . W . P . G . M . has again promised to take tho chair at the Boys' School Festival in Juno next , and of course the brethren here are anxious to support him , our energies

are , therefore , this year , concentrated on the Boys School , and from the progress already made by the Charity Stewards , I have no doubt that Lotd Leigh will bo as " grandly supported" by the Warwickshire brethren at the Festival of that Institution as was Lord S kclmorsdale by those of Lancashire in February last . Wo have iu this Province a Benevolent and Annuity Fund of our own , raised by

voluntary contributions from the Lodges ; thero arc always a number of widows and others receiving sums of from 5 s to Ss a week from this fund . Not very long ago a sum of over £ 500 was raised for the snpport of an aged Mason and his wife , and outside , as well as inside tho p :. le of pure Masouic Charity , our P . G . M . is continually leading us on to works of benevolence . Within a very short time the foundation

stones of a church , a hospital , and an asylum for idiots have been laid , with Masonic rites , and contributions made by tho brethren to each of those institutions . A life-boat , named the Lady Leigh , has been purchased by the brethren , aud presented to the Matiuiial Life Boat Institution , and within the last few days a sum of £ 300 has been guaranteed for tbe purchase of a reredos for the Parish Church , which has recently been re-built . Iu fact , so far from the

Warwickshire brethren being indifferent to the claims of Charity at the present time , I doubt whether at any previousperiod they wero so active iu its cause . One more instauce , aud I have done . One of our Lodges ( 93 S ) has recently revised its bye-laws , and ono runs thus : — " Within one month after the receipt of au initiation fee the Treasurer shall forward , on behalf of the Lodge , the sum of five guineas to one or other of the three Masonic Charitios . "

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , P . M . 468 .

THE REV . R . GASCOIGNE WELDOrs SERMON ON FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHKCXICLE . SIB J—I thank you for yourgenerous , nublo advocacy ot my sermon ,

" Freemasonry , a Catholic Bond of Love and Unity to tho Churchos , " in your issno of 4 th March . The times aro now ripe aud urgent for united action ou the part of the religious denominations . Our laity , at any rato , are sick to death of our interminable , and infinitesimal , and miserable childish divisions . I can foresee that , in God ' s good providence , Freemasonry

will form ono great means of enabling ns to eloso > mv ranks against the coming attacks of a bigoted , superstitions , and baneful infidelity . Will you allow mo to add that tho brothreu aro anxious to spread this sermon in thousands over tho three kingdoms , arid that funds have been placed at our disposal to supply specimen copies to any Lodge , and to send them out , in not less than 12 , at 6 s 3 d , post paid , if ordered direct from tho Sec , 292 , Rothesay , or from

Yours , & c , & c , B . Gascoigtio Weldon , M . A ., Incumbent and Hon . Chaplain Rothesay , St . Paul ' s , 76 .

Northumberland And Berwick Lodge Of Mark Masters.

NORTHUMBERLAND AND BERWICK LODGE OF MARK MASTERS .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —An orror has crept into your report of the mooting of the above Lodge , tho Ceremony of Advancement was performed by tho W . M ., Bro . It . W . Holme 3 P . G . J . VV ., and not by

Bro . Fonlsham P . M . Bro . Redesdale I . P . M . communicated the peculiar secrets of tho degreo , and oxplained tho working tools . Yours fraternally , MARK MASTER .

Answers To Correspondents.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS .

All Letters and communications must be addressed to the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , 67 Barbican , London , E . C . We cannot undertake to receive return communications . S . W . —In regard to the admission of members to join our Order the Book of Constitutions , page 83 , is very clear on that point .

Therein it states , No person shall be mado a Mason without a regular proposition at one Lodge , and a ballot at tho next regular Lodgo ; nor until his name , addition or profession , and place of abode , shall havo been sent to all tho members in the summons . But in cases of emergency , tho following alteration as to the mode

of proposing a candidate is allowod . Any two members of a Lodge may transmit in writing to the Master tho name , & c . of any candidate whom thoy may wish to propose , and the circumstances which cause the emergency ; and the Master , if the emergency be proper , shall notify the said recommendation to every member of

his Lodge , stating tho name , age , addition or profession and placo of abode of the candidate , and may at tho same timo summon a Lodge to meet at a period of not less than seven clays from the issuing of the snmmons , for the purpose of ballotting for the candidate , and if the candidato be then approved , he may be initiated b > to the

iirst degree of Masonry . The Master shall , previous to the ballot being taken , cause the said proposition and the cmeigcncy stated to be recorded in the Minute Book of the Lodge , and where no special Lodgo of emergency is required , the foregoing is sufficient

for the W . M . to issue his liat for the admission of a candidate at any regular Lodge Meeting , should ho deem that sufficieut , after the necessary qualifications have been authenticated by two brethren of tho Lodge .

M . M . —The fact yon mention would be constitutional under dispensation , but not otherwise . See report of proceedings of last Quarterly Communication . P . M . —We aro greatly flattered by your expressed desire to repro

duce some of our Masonic Portraits iu the local press , and regret that wo cannot comply with your request . They are strictly copyright , and it is probable that wo shall reissue them in a permanent form .

THE TRUE MASON ' S DUTV . —What can be more divine than tho moral precepts of Masonry ? What more sublime than Charity—tho soul and essence of Masonry ? To love your neighbour as yourself ; to love your Creator without reserve ; to love even your enemies ; to tovsret injuries ; pardon offences ; conquer evil with good ; to bo joy : '; d with those that aro happy ; to weep with those in affliction : to

enlighten those who aro in darkness ; to reclaim thoso who havo strayed ; to judge not rashly , lest ye be j-idged ; and to assist tho unfortunate , are among tho duties wo are e died upon to fulfil by the action of our Masonic vows . Wc arc im to measure the riches or talents of our neighbour , but io dNp ns ¦ onr gifts to those who lack them . Not to advance onr o-. vi- m e .-. , t but rather to sacrilico them to the general good of luuna . ii ;¦ . , ' , j are to bo good , true , ¦

compassionate , affable , generous ii . en-pu' ; - . 1 clement . To bo a faithful subject in the country wlw v ..,, ! jv ,- . respect the laws , a constant friend , a worthy husband , a g .. i . d at ' ar , a tender , respectful and submissive son , a careful ; u : d \ i- _ i ! : mt muster , full of charity toward all , and favour and connteni :::: •¦> ••¦! lumps ! , intentions . Show me a world of true Masons , and I will point you to the peaceful abode of iunocencc and happiness . —Masonic Jewel .

Death.

Death .

JAMES-Sth March , at Glebe Place , Stoke Newington , Edwin , third son of Bro ; John and Amoha James , aged 6 years ,