Correspondence.

What the object of tho House Committee can bo in treating me in this unfair , unbusinesslike , nnd un-Masonio manner I cannot imagine , for bear in mind—should this language at first blush appear strongthat afc their own request I agreed to refer tho matter to a professional man , and I named one who is at the head of tho profession ,

and who cannot possibly have any bias . Moreover , every professional man who has seen my account is of opinion that tho charges I have made are less than I might fairly havo done . Of course , as I havo appealed to the Quarterly Court , if ifc is not in your power to see mo righted , I must wait until their next meeting before taking any further steps in the matter . I remain , Brethren and Gentlemen , Yours faithfully and fraternally , S . B . WILSON .

GRAND LODGE AND BRO . STEVENS * MOTION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —May I offer a few remarks touching tho proceedings in Grand Lodgo and your article thoreanonfc in your issue of 6 th March ? 1 . It is scarcely accurate to represent Grand Lodge as a person who has changed his mind between December and March . The decision of tho December Grand Lodge was como to afc a

comparatively small meeting , and after speeches , which , probably unintentionally , misrepresented historical facts . That decision was reversed in ono of tho most crowded meetings I can remember , and after those historical misstatements had been exposed . 2 . I did not understand tho vote of the majority to mean that " everything works satisfactorily , and thafc uniformity is nofc of the smallest consequence , " but thafc we protested against the stamping out of local and traditional uses which do not affect tho landmarks of

Masonry . Had Bro . Stevens contented himself with asking for a Committee of Inquiry into irregularities , and for correcting tho slovenliness and carelessness which unhappily prevail in some Lodges , few brethren probably would havo objected . But , most unwisely , his whole speech—a very warm ono—was directed against what , to borrow a

term , I may call Ritualistic practices . Tho things which ho alleged as causing a necessity for such Committee wero not merely careless omissions , but certain ornamental details , survivals mostly of an older and moro ornato ritual which still exists in somo old Lodges ; local uses , things which no donbt aro nofc necestary , or ordered in tho present Jlitnal , bnt which are entirely harmless , in no way contrary to Masonio propriety ; which havo never been forbidden , which are

picturesque in themselves , nnd are highly valued as ancient traditional uses in the Lodges where they obtain . In tho course of my Masonic wanderings I havo seen most of tho things whioh Bro . Stevens described with so much horror and indignation , and somo others besides . To me thoy were extremely interesting , as were in former days the various local uses of Continental cathedrals before tho Romish authorities insisted on an absolute and

rigid uniformity , which even jet they havo been unable entirely to achieve . Very possibly the Committee , had ifc been appointed , wonld not have interfered with these small details , but , it was plainly Bro . Stevens' wish that they should so interfere . Does be suppose that

the Lodge of Antiquity , for instance , would qui etly submit to havo its peculiar use extinguished ? 3 . I think it a fortunate thing that the riles of Grand Lodge allow the possibility of a hasty decision being reversed by non-confirmation of minutes . Yours fraternally

A P . G , CHAPLAIN , P . M ., P . Z ., P . M . W . S ., 32 ° . 8 th March I 860 .

LAWS AND THEIR OBSERVANCE .

To the Editor of tlie FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The proceedings of the lato Grand Lodge furnished several illustrations of the duties of a Chairman , to two of which I venture to ask yon to direct particular attention , bearing , as they do , npon tho necessity for a strict observance of tho Book of Constitutions , and also of the laws of our Charities .

On the question of voting £ 500 to the Irish Relief Fund , our very esteemed Pro Grand Master , after warmly commending tho resolution to the consideration of Grand Lodge , said— "I have to call yonr attention to an informality , which has crept into tbe wording of this resolution , which , if I from this chair sanctioned , might ; be mado hereafter a precedent , and lead to very great evil . You will observe

thafc ifc is said , ' and that tho same be at once paid to the Kighfc Hon . the Lord Mayor , ' bufc of course yon will remember that every money voto passed by Grand Lodge must be confirmed afc the next ensuing meeting , nnd therefore , as it now stands , this resolution should not be put from this chair . I shall , therefore , propose to leave out the words ' at once . ' I hold it to be most expedient that in our

Charity , and in our generosity , we should always adhere to the written law of our Constitutions . " The Chairman's amendment was unanimousl y carried . Again , on the report of the Board of General Purposes , that freehold premises adioininjr the Hall had been purchased for £ 6 , 500 .

the Earl of Carnarvon protested against tho disregard of the Laws in the following terms : — " Tbe Constitutions lay down what things the Board of General Purposes may do , and tho things they mnv nofc do . They have power to provide everything for tho uso of Grand Lodge , but this does

Correspondence.

nofc include the purchase of freehold property . It is quite clear that the Constitutions should not be broken . littles are laid down for all time , and these laws are not made to be broken- It is mv duty to ¦ up hold them , and the interests of the Craft in the long run will be the better for it . Looking to those rules , I think it will bo necessary to

refer this matter to a Committee to consider and advise Grand Lodgo on the subject . This was tho view I took of tlie matter as soon ns I saw tho words on tho paper ; and I havo since had the opportunity

of talking tho matter over with tho Grand Registrar , nnd also with Bro . Monckton , and they concur iu my views . " The clause was vcferred accordingly . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , H .

Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

ROYAL MASONIC PUPILS' ASSISTANCE FUND .

A meeting to promote tho objects of this Fund was held on Thursday afttrnoon , at Freemasons' Hall . H . R . H . Princo Leopold had consented to preside , bnfc was prevented by tho state of his health . Lord Skelmersdale , Deputy Grand Master , presided in his place . Among the other brethren wero Lord Eosslyn , Lord Brooke , Bros . Frederick Binckes , tho Eev . Dr . Morris , Jamos Terrr , Don . M . Dewar , A . E . Ghidwell , H . S . GoodallJohn Constable ,

, S . Rosenthal , Thomas Cubitt , Eobert Roberts , H . M . Levy , William Paas , Charles Frpderick Howard , W . W . Morgan , J . Jacobs , Fred . T . Cronin , Alfred C . Cronin , Thomas Ayling-, R . Harrison , W . Hicks , C . Johnstone , A . Dnrrant , J . F . Popper , W . Hickman , F . W . Payton , Hugh H . Riach , Thomas Smith , T . Eccleston Gibb , Fentbam Hedges , E . J . Potts , H . R . Coopor-Smith , Walter Sowdon , Thomas Moggv ,

W . S . Somerville Burney , H . Massey , Dick Hadclyffo and \ V . W . Morgan jun . ( Secretaries ) , & c . Tho Earl of Rosslyn , in opening tlio proceedings , read a letter which ho had received from H . R . H . Princo Leopold , regretting that tbo state of his health prevented his attendanco . After reading tho abovo letter , ho said , if tho brethren would allow

him , ns this business scorned very much to stand in his namo , Iio would make a fow observations to tho meeting . It might appear that to a certain extent , as a Mason intimately connected with . Scotland , having passed some thirty years of his life ns a Scotch Mason , and having held tho very high office of Grand Mastor Mason of Scotland , he had no business to mix himself up in tbo

affairs of English Masonry ; ancl , indeed , it was far from his intention to do so . Bnt . ho was nsked to take tho chair last year at tho Annual Festival of the Royal Mnsonio Institution for B ys , and in the conrso of bis observations on that ocennion he remarked that ho had seen no Institution so magnificent , so admirably conducted , and so perfect in all its characteristics in nil his Masonic experience ; but that ho did

find a defect in that Institution—a defect which had been pointed out to him by the Head Master , and which ho felt sure thafc tho charity , and benevolence , and kindness of Ma ? ons would put right very shortly . Ho little thnnghfc then thafc any observation of his wonld have led to any so influential or so remarkable a document as that which now lay on tho table . These documents were signed by His

Royal Highness tbe Grand Master , by his noble brother on his left ( Lord Skelmersdale ) , by tho Enrl of Carnarvon—in short , they wero signed by names held in deserved respect and affection by Masons , from whatever parfc of the country they might come . On the strength of such a paper as that the present meeting had been called , over which Prince Leopold had consented to preside .

Circumstances over which none of them had any control had prevented His Royal Highness being present ; bufc ifc was his ( Earl Eosslyn ' s ) duty to tell them that matters had not proceeded quite so smoothly as ho had hoped . Tho difficulties with which they had had to contend arose from circumstances induced by a misconception , partly of the motives which prompted tho original idea , ancl partly from tho way in

which that idea was likely to be carried out . From his own feelings at starting , he thought that littlo moro would havo happened than that a supplemental fund would be raised which would bo given into tho charge of tho governing bodies of the Boys' and Girls' Schools , and be left to bo administered by them . He considered that it , shonld be entrusted to them , and bo under tho complete control

of the governing bodies of thoso Charities , and that they would havo administered the funds which were raised b y the overbounding kindness and generosity of English Masons . He thought the funds would be administered by theso bodies themselves , without any further assistance , nnd ho was still of opinion that such mig ht and should bo tbo case . He was still of opinion that tho money which had already

been supplied without stint might be safely administered by a committee working under the Committees of tho Boys' and Girls' Schools . He had seen a paper with a great list of proposals to mnko life governors , and to create votes according to the amount of subscriptions , and qualifications and privileges to be given , and so on . Those were suggestions , which aimed afc some enthusiastic display of magnificent

bounty which ho never dreamed of in his wildest moments , ancl which he thought entirely unnecessary nnd uncalled for ; bufc he would do anything rather than stint the flow of benevolence , and therefore ho would say no more on thafc snbject . Ho hoped the ideas thrown out on this paper might bo taken for nothing moro than they were worth , tbe suggestions merely of a kind-hearted man who drew them up ; but his idea was that practically tho administration of tbo Fund

would be limited to almost the identical machinery which was now in existence for the Masonic Charities . The brethren were nob in any way called npon to do more than supplement those Charities , and he would scarcely have presumed to propose that those Charities should bo supplemented wero ho not mvaro that they wero limited by the very nature of their charter . Tbo charter by which those Charji'fts