Correspondence.

thing , thafc it is no longer necessary to conform to any particular mode , and that any form or ritual may be adopted at the will or caprice of any individual , " none daring to mako him afraid . " And again , what is the " established " mode , and when and by whom was it established ? Theso are questions worth serious consideration . When they are answered as they should bo by those who appear to

direct in what manner the work of Freemasonry shonld be practised , without explanation of what " usages and customs " aro enjoined for observance throughout the Craft , I may cease to pursue a subject which I am free to confess does not cease to pursue me . But I fear that inability to give satisfactory replies will necessitate further communications from , Yours very fcrnly and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS P . M . 1216 , P . Z . Sec . Clapham , 9 fch July 1883 .

More Land And The Girls' School.

MORE LAND AND THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DRAK SIR AND BROTHER , —This seems to be a time of speculation in connection with our Institution . There is the Preparatory School Special Building scheme , the re-building of the Temple % at Freemasons ' Hall , recently destroyed by fire , and now the land question crops up at Wandsworth . I heartily approve of the movement wifch regard

to the Boys , * tho rebuilding of the Temple is imperative . Care shonld be taken iu the latter case that haste does not interfere with completeness . Now that an opportunity is afforded , all that human skill and Masonio devotion can accomplish should be taxed to the utmost to make the dwelling place of Grand Lodge , the centre and heart of Freemasonry , worthy of the noble Institution . If caution

were ever necessary it is in the matter that is set down to come before the Quarterly Court to be held to-day relative to the land adjoining the Girls' School . It comprises nine acres , for which the very modest sum of £ 4 , 000 per acre is asked . I am not acquainted with the value of land in this particular spot , but I should say that the sum asked is grossly extravagant , and could only have

been demanded under peculiar circumstances , the chief of which is that at least a portion of the said land is a desirable acquisition , if not an imperative necessity , to the existing School . The owner has taken in the whole case , aud , wifch itching palm , seeks to make a market out of conditions that he himself has helped to create . No doubt part of this ground would have been purchased long ago if the School

Committee had had a chance before the price of land had been inordinately swelled by the increased demand , owing to the growth of London . The owner , however , kept his counsel ancl his land , ancl now thafc he has made up his mind to sell he imposes the condition that the purchaser must take the whole or none . How far thia condition is meant to influence the Committeo of the Girls '

School I know not , but it is perfectly certain that the whole matter needs the utmost skill and watchfulness . As at present advised I consider £ 4000 an acre a fancy price , and altogether unwarranted , except under circumstances already alluded to . But supposing the sum to be fair , according to existing conditions , then comes the other question whether the School should become the

purchaser and enter into all the risks and entanglements that accompany the disposition of land for building purposes . What are the necessities of the School ? Those should be first determined . It may be that some of this land is indispensable ; it may be , perhaps , that ifc is not , but only desirable , and then only if ifc can be obtained afc a moderate and fair rate . If indispensable , then I hold it would be

better to wait events and buy only what ia wanted , even at au enhanced price . If only desirable , then I should say pocket disappointment , make the best of circumstances , and bid the owner of the land go elsewhere for a customer . It is one thing to buy , and another to sell . Suppose the Committee were to buy the whole of the nine acres at a cost of £ 36 , 000 , they would in all probability have to sell

what they did not want at a reduced price . It is hardly likely that the whole of the nine acres is of equal value ; if not ifc is important to ascertain the relative value of one acre to another . The reverse , of course , may be true ¦ but I fear not , and therefore the Committee must be exceedingly careful before they enter upon a speculation that may be very disastrous . There is another view that must not be lost sight of ; suppose they purchase the whole , and have to wait some

time before they can resell what they do not require for then * own use , how is the interest upon capital to be provided ? I do not think it possible that it can accrue from increased price of resold land , for as I have already said the resale will most likely result in loss . If so , what will fche cost of the acquired portion amount to ? These are questions that might be asked and answered . I earnestly hope that wise counsels will prevail to-day , and that prudence in speech as well as in action , will characterise the proceedings . Yours fraternally , WATCHMAN .

Some Important Matters For Consideration.

SOME IMPORTANT MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIK AND BROTHER , —There are several remarks in your paper of the 7 th July which require comment . In the first place you say that the general body of Craftsmen have every reason to be satisfied with the result of Special Grand Lodge , on Friday , 29 fch ult .

Certainly the message from His Royal Highness was most gratifying , at the same time not more than half the brethren generally felt sure he would accord but when you wind up your article with reporting satisfactory progress , inasmuch as 184 clauses have been passed , I must beg to differ iu toto . Anything more unsatisfactory than the

Some Important Matters For Consideration.

manner in which those clauses were scrambled through , could nofc have been . With tbe exception of three or four , which were well contested , tho whole might have been taken as read for aught that the brethren knew what they were assenting to . Then , again , the absence of any remarks from you or the Freemason on vital points , such as the retention or not of the word " alone" in 2 nd line

clause 4 , Revise ; the arbitrary clause—No . 54—where it gives power to the Chairman of the General Committee—not , mind you , the General Committee—to omit any notice of motion from the list of business to be brought before Grand Lodge . The reporter of your contemporary had the misfortune to lose a largo portion of his notes , and yours were evidently in the same boat .

Now , with regard to that little word " alone j" in the " retention " or " rejection " of that word lies the " retention " or "division " of the supreme and inherent power of Grand Lodge . By the rejection of it you create a divided authority , and it does not need a prophet to tell us the fate of a divided house or authority ; ifc was my impression thafc ifc was retained , bufc I am told the contrary was the case . It

behoves us as a body , loyal and true to ourselves and our ancient land , marks , to move the non . confirmation of that portion of the miuutes when they are brought up for confirmation . With regard to Clause 54 , I think Bro . James Stevens moved that , for the Chairman of General Committee , the words Chairman should be left out ; but thafc is another vital point . I care not how good and excellent a brother there

may be as Chairman of the General Committee , it is too arbitrary a power to place in his hands . With regard to Clause 4 , 1 wrote to the Grand Secretary on the 8 th instant , asking for the information I sought for , but up to the present , the 12 th , I have received no reply . It may be as well for the brethren to know that , a large proportion of the shorthand reporter ' s notes having been lost , there is no record of

that portion of the proceedings of Special Grand Lodge extant , and certainly so much will have to be reconsidered j iu fact , if the whole were gone through again , with that deliberation and sense of responsibility becoming a body of men engaged in deciding on the mosfc important act possible , viz ., framing the laws and regulations which are to govern them , instead of hurrying through , like a lot of

schoolboys , anxious to get out to play , it would be more worthy of , and more consistent with , the dignity due to the noble Order to whioh we have the privilege of belonging . In fact , a Commmittee should be formed outside of the Board of General Purposes , part taken from London and part from the Provinces , to decide npon the merits of the work done by the Revise Committee . These brethren should be

selected with care and judgment as to fitness for that particular work , and they should be paid for it ; as , indeed , it could not possibly bo properly done under a week of four hours per day . Tho proposed purchase of extra land for the Girls' School is another matter requiring great care and judgment to deal with . The extortionate price put upon the land by the owner should be rejected

without ; a doubt . I wrote to a friend of mine , a Brother Mason , who is an auctioneer and estate agent in the locality , and asked him to go and look at the place , and give me his candid opinion . This he has done , as follows : — He does nofc hesitate to express his opinion as to the greed of the owner , and the extravagance of his demand . He ( my friend ) has taken the trouble to obtain the opinion of other

practical men in the same profession as himself in the locality , aud will bring them with him ou Saturday . He says there is no doubt as to the advantages its possession would bring to the Institution , bnt you can buy gold too dear . The freeholder evidently thinks to alarm the Committee with the threat of building operations , but no builder would have to do with the estate at even £ 3 , 000 per annum . There are many who would probably treat for the land at £ 2 , 500 , and for

one triangular piece I would rather our Committee should give after the rate of £ 5 , 000 per acre than not have it . He also expects to be prepared with details of tho sale of plenty of property in the neighbourhood , in a better position , at a far less price . I trust that the brethren will muster in their strength on Saturday , and resist any attempt that may be made to squander the money whioh has been given for a very different purpose .

Yours faithfully and fraternally , C . J . PERCEVAL P . M . 1607 . P . S . —Jn answer to my inquiry , it appears that Clause 4 , page 2 , of the Revised Constitutions was carried , as printed , at the Special Grand Lodge on the 29 th ult ,

More Charity Needed.

MORE CHARITY NEEDED .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DKAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Under the heading " Our Eighteenth Volume " you last week inserted a very modest note . You are silent as to ^ your own work in particular , and mass ifc with that done by Masonic journals generally . As one indebted to the CHRONICLE for much instructive and interesting information , I venture , with your

permission , to urge your claims to the consideration of the Craft generally . I am not restrained by the modesty that comes of ownership or self-interest , and therefore can claim to speak boldly , and I trust effectively . Your journal , while it wisely restrains the license , encourages the liberty of free men . No one who has a grievance—¦ real or fancied—is denied a hearing , provided that the writer keeps

to the subject and deals with it in a fair , manly and Masonio spirit . I do not imply by this that no other organ or body does the same . I have no desire to raise the CHRONICLE in the estimation of the brethren at the cost of any other paper ; but I think I may confidently affirm thafc thero is no other journal thafc discharges its

functions with a higher regard fco all the essentials that make an organ of a class so welcome and useful than yours does . As yon truly observe , those who do not find time to read the literature of Freemasonry sustain a loss . That is true in many senses . Grand as is the genius of the Craft , sublime as are the ceremonies , there is much left of a commoner order to learn aud practise , Take