Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . TVe cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

Freemasonry Among The Aborigines.

FREEMASONRY AMONG THE ABORIGINES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —On reading the article under the abovo heading in last week ' s is 3 ue I was under the impression that you , Sir , had been caught nappinst , but on reflection I came to the conclusion that you simply reprinted it for a joke . The first part of the

article , referring to the lecture of Mr . George Copway , is reasonable enough , but as it is 35 years since it was delivered , I am rather surprised our American brethren have not made better use of it . Now the breast cloth alluded to is a garment of great , antiquity , I allude to the Arba Kamfoch ( see Numb . xv . 37-40 ) . Now the only

way to account for this garment being adopted by the Indians is , that at the dispersion of the twelve tribes one of them , or a portion of one , found its way to America , and probably initiated the native priests , and all who were admitted were invested with the fourcornered cloth ; a section of the tribes also wandered into Wales ,

for philologists find that many Welsh words have a Semitic origin . Here also Freemasonry would be established , hence Brother the Rev . Morgan Lewis would be able to make himself known to his captors in 1660 ; another instanoe of the universality of the Craft and the blessings it brings on those placed iu such a state of trial .

Here is an opportunity for investigation ; it will take a "Hughan , " a " Gould , " a " Murray Lyon , " and a " Woodford , " all knocked into one , to write the history of Indian Freemasonry , and I have no doubt such an individual will be found across "the pond . " Indeed , I expect we shall soon hear of a buffalo hide having been discovered in

the possession of a medicine man , on which are insoribed all the " Antient Charges" before the flood . This would knock all the past efforts of our historians and students into a " cocked hat . " The latest thing I have heard of is , the " Royal Order of Egyptian Masonry , " and from a commercial point of view it appears to be a very good thing

for the parties that are running it . Now I venture to predict that we shall soon hear of the " Royal Order of Red Skins , " wherein the candidate will have to pass through many trials . He will have all the hair plucked from his head , barring the scalp-lock , and , on being invested with the breast cloth , will be informed that this is more

ancient than the badge of the Order of Buff doe = " , and more honourable than the " Stars and Garters " which wo occasionally hear some old lady exclaiming about . Well , Bro . Editor , I will not trouble you with my opinions on this interesting subject further , but will leave it to the caustic criticism of your welcome contributor , Bro . Norton , of Boston , when he can spare the time . Yours fraternally , A MODERN MASON . 11 th August 1836 .

The members of the Royal Hanover Lodge , No . 1777 , having elected Bro . H . B . Marshall ( Past G . Treasurer ) W . M . for the ensuing year , Bro . Marshall proposes , on the evening of his installation , the last Saturday in October , to initiate his son into the mysteries of the Craft .

This is invariabl y considered an interesting episode , but on the present occasion our worthy brother will have the further privilege of investing his son with the Charity Jewel

and Collar , an honour and distinction , we believe , never hitherto conferred on an Entered Apprentice on the evening of his initiation . Mr . Horace Brooks Marshall jun . has been a Patron of each , of our Masonic Charitable Institutions for

some time past . We extract from the pages of the Citizen the following in reference to this young gentleman ' s attainment of his majority : — A deputation from the employes of the firm of Marshall and Son , Fleet-street , waited upon Mr . H . B . Marshall jun . on Thursday ,

5 th inst ., Mr . H . B . Marshall , J . P ., the senior partner , being present . The deputation consisted of tho heads of each department . Mr . John Morgan , tho manager , after a few appropriate words , road tho following address , as under : "To Horace Brooks Marshall , Esq . jnu . — We , the undersigned , on behalf of the employes , tender to you our

sincere and warmest congratulations upoti attaining your maju ' .-ity , and beg your acceptance of our best wishes for your future life , which we hope will bo ono of happiness and prosperity . Signed on behalf of tho subscribers , being the whole of the employes of the fhtn of Marshall and Son , by tho undermentioned heads of dep . arr

merits : John Morgan , Joseph Henry Forrester , James Bidon , E Hvd . I'hacker , William James Cook , William Smith , Edward George Cornwall , Henry Jackson , Edward Grimwood . 5 th August 1886 . " ^ L " . H . B . Marshall jun ., in reply , expressed tho hepo that tho bond

° f _ friendshi p which existed between his father and the employe .-'Hi . thfc be continued and strengthened between them aud him . For his own part , ho could only say that he would earnestly endeavour "' do all that lay in his power to further their interests . He should al ' . vaya value that expression of their regard .

,. , . '& 20 i—TOBACCONISTS OOM . U--urcurn-. —An illustrated , guido ( 110 pnso ) , ' ll"w to Open Respectably from G 2 \> to £ 10 >¦ ¦> . " 3 : > t : i . ; npC If . Mruiis & ' Co ., - -7 find Tobacco Merchants , 107 und 109 Rn-ton Road . London . Wholesale only . Telephone No . 7511 .

Gleanings.

GLEANINGS .

In the 91 years that the Grand Lodge of Rhode has been iu existence , 31 persons have held the position of Grand Ma-tvr . Masonry is hostile to no creed or race as such , and represents none . In the United States , the first Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons

on the Western Continent was established at Boston , Massachusetts , in 1733 , near the placo where that bark of freedom , tho " Mayflower , " landed her cargo of free men and women a little more than a century before . In 1783 there were in America 187 Lodges ; in 18 S-1 there were in the United States nearly 10 , 000 Lodges , with a membership of 559 , 386 .

TriE RIGHT KIND OF MASOVS . —Let us have Ma-wis who will be true to thi-ir obligations , active and earnest in sharing in tho work of tho Craft , and lite-long lovers of the Fraternity ; men who wdl rea . We have men in the Craft , who n ^ ver nub .-iCiibe for a Miaoaiu papt r

or buy a Masonic book ; those kind of men , as a general rule , never attend the Lodge or other Society unless they hold office . They aspire to be great , but nature has done for them what art and science can never remove—they are " rough ashlars . "

We must not imagine that the brother clothed in faultless attire , with his breast covered with studded jeweb , and his title and rank composed of many appellations , is any more of a Mason than the brother whose apparel is quite the reverse . These high distinctions are bat for show , and do not indicate the inner qualities of the man .

The richest Lodge in the United States , per capita , is St . Andrew ' s Lodge , Boston . Its membership is limited to 26 , and its property is valued at 20 , 000 dollars ( over £ 5 , 000 ) . Masonry is nothing if not practical and instructive . Most of its symbols are taken from operative Masonry , and made to b-j-ir a deep

spiritual meauiug . The most important lesson the weary s jour > er can learn as he comes into the Royal Arch Decree and surrey * tao magnificence and beauty of the completed temple is t ^ e arent truth that life should be a finished structure . Th ; it a * students of a mi re noble architecture we should learn to build t » ie soul into a temple fit

for the indwelling of God . Wholeness , completeness , this is the ideal placed before us , and yet how little the impression it seems to make . We are all more or less exposed to the sarcasm of Jo-ns :

"This man began to build , and was not able to finish . " Wo have no finished men . Our temple is in the rough , a crude foundation and but little more . We all sadly fail to come inti life ' s Royal Arch Degree .

Masonry stands ranged beside the Church of God , as one of the great interpreters and monitors of hnmau life . It bears to that Divine Society a relation much liko that which the Lloly Saint John Baptist , whom Masonry ever deliLcht-i to honour as a patron , boro to the Prophet of Prophets , Jesus , the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee .

It goes before the Cnurch s face , to prepare her way , to be a hcald and forerunner of tho fuller truth , and of tho mightier officf ? , of which the Church is the sole and enly instrument of reconciling human souls to God . Masonry does not profess to make men saints . Tho Church does that . She is the preceptress , the mother , tin alma

mater of the saints . But Masonry can aud does profess to inculcato that morahty—not the cold , ethical abstractions of the philosopher —but that evangelical morality ; that glowing religions moralityif I may use a term like that—which will prepare men for thosa

transforming and sanctifying powers of the world to come , which tho Chnrch will bring to bear upon them . Masonry does a praparat -ry work in bringing meu into a state wherein they will bo mo .-e readily susceptible to the motives of the Spirit of the Lord , and the animation of the spiritual and supernatural life .

Masonry is an institution not of yesterday , to-day , or ta . morro v , but for all time . As it has : withstood adversity iu the pist , so it will in the future , and the only limit to it is from its own members . When Masonry dies , as an institution , it will be nfelo de se , aud the guilty will be found within the ranks of those who ought to bo it 3 most watchful guardians and defenders .

It is a mistake to attempt to confer too many degrees at one meeting . It renders the last part tame and spiritless . It is bad , too , because it prevents the regular study and practice of the work . Oae long evening is not half so beneficial as two or three short ones . One degree is enough for one meeting .

PKECKPT AND PRACTICE . —We may talk of religion , its doctrinos , it 3 precepts , and its privileges ; we may talk of philosophy , with all its train of hum ui perfections aud human acquirements ; we may become Masons , boast of its secrecy , its science , aud it * morals ; put on all its gaudy trappings and ornaments , and decorate ourselves with its

richest external j-jwols . But if our religion is destitute of lovo to God and charity towards our fellow creatures ; if our philosophy is destitute of philanthropy , or if our M ; .. s-jnry in ' est tnto of tho activity of doing good , aw-. y « ih n- ! i , 'hn' pr f i-i ..: i , it is but an empty name ; away w '< ph . ^ s > , >' iie . 1 - * ei t ne it , it i-t

but as sounding brass ; away with lx iconic p ;' e :. caiions , tlicy am bao as tinkling cymbals . Electioneering for office in the Grand Lod ; o of 1 > v \ re ? nt toh . ivo reached an intensity of manifesto fc ' . tn , if . vo muv JMI ^ H by < h ai-vi-m

criticism of Grand Master Granger of that jurisrhcsinr , in hi ,-: al-bessi to that , body at its last session . Ffe ma mams that , th r < j cu , d : t !<• h-s perfect , freedom of action by brethren in .-e "ding otliotrs , an 1 tY . t it is wholly nnmasonic to solicit v . te-s or promises , as H t . o uitea done .

Davis Lodge of Freemasons , at Sfcr nc , M ;> i > r > , v .-: n con tint'l l > v Grand Master Day , on 21-th June . B . o . W . If . S ni h , e . li- > ;\ t " the Naxonic Journal , gave au addre-iS to tao i ! ; ct : rni " 7 y . i iL . t occasion .