Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return reiected communications .

AH Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . — : o : —

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —As I see that the changes made in the statutes of our Older are likely to bo re-disenssed , may I ask you to find room , in your next issue , for this letter and the accompanying copy of a Memorial to tho Great Prior of England and Wales , from the Knights of tho Province of Bombay , * agreed to on the 25 th

February 1875 , as I hope they will , in conjunction with the Paper issued from tho Chancery of the Order , under date "November 1875 , " which I was glad to see so prominently published iu tho Christmas number of the Frremason , help many of my brother Knights to form a more correct opinion as to tho wisdom and uprightness of those changes . Tho history of tho Order of tho Temple is , briefly , this :

In 1118 nine valiant Knights formed themselves into a society for the defence of the Holy Laud and the protection of pilgrims , under the leadership of Hugo do Payens , the first Grand Master of the Order . With the vows of Knighthood they joined those of Monkhood , and bound themselves to live at Jerusalem , under tho Canons of St . Augustine , by tho three vows of Poverty , Chastity , and Obedience .

Their first permanent residence or church was granted them by Baldwin , Kng of Jerusalem , on Mount Moriah , near the spot on which the Temple of King Solomon had formerly stood ; hence their name of Templars . The Order consisted of three classes , Knights , Chaplains ( the Priests of tho Order ) , and Serving brethren . The Grand Master possessed great power . He not only was

commanderin-chief , but he also ruled the clergy of the Order as Vicar-General of the Pope . Tho executive power and the appointment of most of his officers was in his hands , but ho was subject to the control of his Convent-General in many important matters . Each Province or Langue had its Great Prior , the representative of the Grand Master with his Great Priory ; each province had its Priors in different

subdivisions , and each house of residence or Preccptory was governed by its Preceptor . Tho changes in tho statutes of the Convent-General in regard to the nomenclature of tho officers aro therefore simply in accordance with history . With respect to tho disuse of the term " Masonic , " its great inapplicability will become apparent when it is considered that reception

into onr Order is " impossible for all who aro unable to declare that they trust for salvation iu our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ , a quali . fication which excludes many Masons . " Still , to show their respect for the Craft , and indifference to the feelings of those who are prejudiced in its favour , the Convent-General have , with a wise policy , retained tho Masonic qualification . "Religious" and" Military" onr

Order was from the very first , but never " Masonic ; " so the omission of tho latter erroneous epithet from its title is , again , simply in accordance with history . Some new legislation in relation to "Past Rank" is undoubtedl y necessary , aud will soon , I am sure , be made ; but no one can deny

that the old system of the honours of Past Rank being borue by men who became entitled to them after a period of systematic absence from , and open neglect of their duties , was manifestly as unjust as it was absurd . Palmam qui meruit ferat is tlie only safe rale to go b y in such matters , except , of course , in very special and obvious insrances .

Wishing yon a Happy aud Prosperous New Year , I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , % TUDOR TIVEVOB , 30 ° , January 1876 . Provincial Chancellor , Bombay .

Magic And Masonry.

MAGIC AND MASONRY .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A propos of your article upon this subject , I send you the following , from the biographical Dictionary of Alexander Chalmers ( London 1812 ) ; article Agrippa ; " His attention to Magical Studies began early , according to Meiners ; in youth he joined a secret society at Paris , which was

defended against tho profane by peculiar rites of admission . Tho separation of this cabalistical brotherhood did not occa-ion the dissolution of their Lodge ; on the contrary , oach of the members endeavoured to found in his own neighbourhood corresponding societies for similar purposes . In 1510 Agrippa was sent to England on some commission , relative , probably , to the treaty between Henry VIII . and the-French King ; and on this occasion , as appears by his

published letters , he founded in London one of these secret societies for Magical purposes . The samo biographer remarks , that a strange mixture of active and passive dupery characterises Agrippa ; an alternation of sceptical contempt , and of superstitious credulity respecting the occult arts . If his assertions may be credited , he had attained 'hat intercourse with demoniacal natures , which was the boast of i ' . tonus aud JamblUns ; and his magical pretensions iouno

Magic And Masonry.

so much credit with his contemporaries that they describe him as carrying about with him a devil in the shape of a black dog . " Agrippa , I may add , was -well acquainted with the effects of what is now known as animal magnetism or mesmerism , bnt I send yon the above to show that a secret society for the study of magic existed as early as 1510 in this country .

Yours fraternally , JOHN YABKEK .

Sectarianism In A Freemasons' Lodge.

SECTARIANISM IN A FREEMASONS' LODGE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —By the kind invitation of a friend , I had the pleasure of being present at tho last Installation meeting of tho Joppa Lodge . I was very agreably impressed with the masterly way in which every portion of the work was done , and especially with the excellent manner in which Bro . S . L . Hickman , the retiring W . M .,

inducted his successor into the chair . Nor must I withhold the praiso tho sumptnonsnoss of tho banquet is entitled too ; also to express my sincere thanks for the hospitality shown to me . All this , however pleasant to myself , can scarcely bo supposed to bo interesting to your readers , and my object in addressing you is to enter a protest against a custom prevailing in this Lodge , which to

my mind is antagonistic to the true principles of tho Order . Although tho Joppa is essentially a Jewish Lodge , yet I may assert that half the members profess tho Christian Faith . At the banquet table , Grace is said first in Hebrew for the Jewish , then a brother is called upon to do the same in tho vernacular for the Christian brethren . In reality , there is no great harm in this , bnt as Masonry is a

universal brotherhood , jealously excluding every vestige of sectarianism from its tenets , a Masonic prayer , in which members of all creeds might conscientiously join , would , I think , be uracil more consistent with the true spirit of the Order . I hold that in a Masonic Lodge all sectarian designations should cease . There wo are simply brothers . The pointed distinction to which I have alluded seemed to me

so anomalous and nnmasonic that I determined to raise my voice against it . I trust , however , my kind hosts of tho Joppa Lodge will regard this criticism in the same fraternal spirit in which it is advanced , and , seeing their error , will abolish in their excellently conducted Lodge a mode of proceeding which is alike unconstitutional and quite out of harmony with the teachings of the Craft . Yours fraternally , OLD BRAND .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 87 Barbican , E . C . Masonic Calendar and Directory for the Province of Hertfordshire , for the year 1876 . Compiled by Bro . T . S . Carter LP . M . 403 , 1385 , P . P . G . S . Deacon , Herts , Z . 1385 , J . 403 , P . G . S . W ., Herts . Hertford : Printed bv Bro . S . Simson .

1 ms is a capital little compilation , and will be found useful by all Craftsmen in the Province of Herts . The Calendar contains the clays of meeting of the various Lodges and Chapters , with the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter . Then follow Grand Lodgo , Provincial Grand Lodge , and tho several

Lodges in the Province , in each case a list of tho officers for tho year 1875-1 S 76 ; then Grand and Prov . Grand Chapters , with tho several provincial Chapters , likewise with a complete list of officers for the same period . Lastly , we have the three Masonic Charities , with the names and addresses of the respective Secretaries , and the

qualifications for Governorships and Snbscriberships in each case . Doubtless the brethren in Herts will freely accord Bro . Carter their thanks for his useful little publication , and doubtless they will render him all the assistance in their power in making it a sore of annual institution in the Province . Bro . Simson , too , deserves a word of praise for the neatness with which he has printed and got it up .

Magazines Of The Month.

MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH .

IT is natural , as the Parliamentary Session will open at no distant date , that Blackwood should contain a political article . Equally natural is that , in the article in question , which is entitled , " Public Affairs , " tho prospects of the Ministry should be carefully weighed . This survey will certainly please those who look at politics from a Conservative point of view . Tho article on " Lace and Bric-a-brac" will

prove highly interesting , especially to the ladies as regards the former , while those who admire sound literary criticism will be delighted with No . II . of the papers headed , " In my Study Chair . " We noticed last month that the " Dilemma " had entered on a new phase , which , iu our opinion , did not improve it . This month there is a still further change . Yorko returns to England on sick-leave ,

having received a severe wound , and , accordingly , we are introduced , to a number of new personages , whose portraits are life-like , it is true , but whoso presence we could have dispensed with in our impatience to learn more of Mrs . Falkland , or rather Mrs . Kirke , Except to show the author ' s skill in depicting different kinds of people , we are at a . loss to explain wh y he haa devoted BO much , space