Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

All Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

CALLING OFF . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I thank " Peter " Cower " very much for hia letter . Before writing I had looked np Oliver as an authority , but he leaves the questiou raised by me untouched—not so Mackoy , in his " Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry , " who declares himself in favour of a Lodge being " called off" and " called on " a ? ain next day ,

or at any intervening time before the next regular meeting , for tbe completion of business in hand and unfinished , the hour for " calling-on " being distinctly given out by the W . M . beforo the dispersal . I know that no Lodge can be " adjourned , " as was said in my first letter ; but this is a distinct point , apart from adjournment . Let us suppose , exempli gratia , that the consideration of an

important question Avhich must bo decided within , say forty-eight hours , has reached a certain point , and that tho hour is eleven o ' clock at night , the Lodge is held on licensed premises , and so , even if desirable , the sitting cannot be prolonged ; a Lodge of Eraorgency is out of the question , as requiring seven days' notice , how is the business in hand to bo disposed of ? Can tho Master cause tbe

Lodge to be called off for refreshment , giving the brethren warning that ho will call on again tho next evening at such an hour ? Bro . Mackey evidently thinks this would be a legal step , bnt then , of course , he regards it from an American point of view , and we know that such a conrso is not unfrequently practised in the United States .

I should like to hear somo moro opinions on this point , which seems to mo of very great importance . I am , yours f raterually ,

11 th December 1877 . A YOUNG W . M . P . S . —Since writing tho above , I have had somo conversation ou this subject with a Mason from Hull , who informs me that a case in point occurred within his experience , whon the W . M . called off the Lodge for refreshment at a late hour , tho business not having been completed , and called on again the next eveniug bnt ono , when the remainder of the work was disposed of , and tho Lodgo closed .

RENUMBERING LODGES . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I cannot say I agree with " FAR EAST , " that the time has arrived " when the Lodges may with propriety be renumbered , and a fictitious appearance of numerical strength avoided . " We all know that the Lodges on tho roll of our or any other Grand Lodge do not follow each other in regular numerical

sequence , and that there are certain to be many Lodges which have either dropped from the roll altogether , or are momentaril y in abeyance ; but the renumbering of our Lodges should not be made at too short intervals , or they will scarcely know themselves . I have gone through the list in the new G . L . Calendar , and I find that out of 1725 Lodges , 122 have ceased working , —it may be wholly or for a time

only , —or are now under other Masonic governments . Of these there are only six in the first 200 , and five in the second 200 , while there are twenty-four in the third 200 , thirty-five in the fourth , twenty-seven in the fifth , nineteen in the sixth , four in the seventh , and two in the last 325 . Thus there aro actually 1603 Lodges in full working order out of 1725 , or , as seven other warrants have been granted since the

publication of the Calendar , 1610 Lodges out of 1732 . No advantage would be gained by renumbering . No . 199 , for instance , is no doubt very happy as it is , and would be no happier if converted into No . 193 ; and so on with the others . After the Union , tho Lodges of course were renumbered , and 647 ( now 339 ) was the last on the roll . They were numbered again in

1832 , after the lapso of eighteen years , and 647 became 424 . They were again numbered in 1863 , and 424 became , as it is now , 339 . Thus eighty-fivo Lodges had ceased to be out of 424 , whereas now there are only about half as many more which have dropped from the roll out of four times as many . I cannot call to mind the number struck off in 1863 , but if we put it down at abont 200 , 1 fancy I shall be near the mark . That certainly might havo given an air of

fictiiious numerical strength , bnt this cannot be said of the roll as it is noAV , with 1610 working Lodges out of 1732 , or in round figures sixteen out of every seventeen . I do nob think numbers should be disturbed on light grounds , or too frequently . Fraternally yours , NUMERO UN .

MASONIC LITERATURE . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Are you , or any of your readers , aware of the existence of a work on Freemasonry , written by one " Galiff , "

a Swiss ? I am anxious to see a copy , if possible , and shall feel obliged fur any information as to where one can bo procured . I am , yours fraternally , 11 th December 1877 . MASOXIC ^ STUDEHT ,

Correspondence.

THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BKOTIIF . R , —In your last issuo a short article upon tho proceedings of the Grand Lodge of England , relative to tho delinquency of tho Grand Orient of France , concludes thus : " With theso remarks wo leave tho matter in tho hands of the Committee . " This determination will , I havo no doubt , bo approved of by most ;

indeed , no one can justly find fault with it per se . Still , it appoars to mo that beforo , and oven daring tho deliberations of the Committee , a freo and fearless exchange of opinion upon a subject affecting tho entire brotherhood might not perhaps be unprofitable , and may per . chanco lead to a decision moro in conformity Avith justice and equity towards those who aro innocent of any deviation from tho fnnda .

mental principles of tho Order , but run the risk of being involvod m the gonoral condemnation . As tho matter stands at present the brethren appointed to determino upon tho conrso to bo pursued by the English Grand Lodgo must naturally and necessarily act upon and bo guided by a foregone conclusion . By its act , tho Grand Orient virtually ignores tho belief in tho existence of a Deity which

is repugnant to the human mind , and startling to the general intellect . It is , theroforo , quite evident that English Masons neither can nor will continue fellowship with those who base thoir system of ethics upon such a doctrine of negation . A doctrine which none know better than the French has ever tended to retard , and in its very essence must always mar tho universal spread of those truly

humanitarian ideas which include tho exorcise of every virtue , and -which can only bo effectually and logically inculcated in conjunction with a firm and unhesitating faith in God . Notwithstanding this , I would continue to plead for circumspection aud calm deliberation beforo it is finally resolved to sever the bonds of friendship and brotherhood , and that nothing be done calculated to cause regret hereafter . It

wero better to err on the side of loniency , for a breach which takos a few moments to effect might require a decade to repair . It should be borne in mind that it is not tho first time by many that the French have made innovations more or less pernicious , which , however , in process of time and consequent chango of circumstances fell into desuetude and wero eventually abolished . The Committee might

do well also to take into consideration the volatility of the French mind , with its peculiar characteristics and idiosynorasies , always restless aud desirous of chango , no matter in Avhat direction . In their recent act , which it is in no way desirable entirely to exonerate , it is just possible they wero actuated not by any desire to dethrone God , or inculcate disbelief , bnt by their inborn habit

of constant changeableness . There are many other views moro or less feasible , which present themselves in the contemplation of the situation , one of which will , I dare say , be pronounced purely imaginary , yet still I deem it worthy of reflection . It is an estab . lished fact , and of late ample proof thereof has not been wanting , that to a certain portion of devotees , Masonry is simply abhorrent .

At all events , they exert themselves to make the world nnder . stand that such is the case . The causo of this antagonism is , however , not far to seek . A Society Avhich is a most potent medium for the advancement of enlightened ideas , and advocates as well as upholds entire freedom of conscience can scarcely hope for sympathy or encouragement from those whoso every principle

is of a totally opposite character . Now , the influence of these zealous , but confessedly unscrupulous servants of their church , is most powerful , and their peculiar tenets not only permits , but enjoins , them to employ any and every means , without limit or circumscription , to obtain a desired end . They will strive to attain , and do but too often succeed , in occupying tho highest positions in committees , corporations , or institutions , which it is their cherished

object to destroy . Might it not therefore be possible that the un . warranted step taken by tho Grand Orient is after all the result of a so far successful conspiracy to deal a staggering blow at Freemasonry , by inducing weakness arising from disunion , and undermining the whole fabric by making it hateful to the conscience of the civilised world . I would therefore suggest measures should be taken to enter into communication with tha

protesting Lodges , and assure them of vigorous assistance and co-operation in any attempt at reorganisation they might possibly contemplate . That would be the surest way to thwart tho enemy's sinister designs , and at the same time convince tho authors

of the innovation of the futility of their attempt to destroy the order as it existed in the past and remains in tho present , built , as it always has been , upon eternal and unalterable principles , to meddle with which must end in the discomfiture and final destruction of any one tempted to undertake the graceless task . Tours fraternally , E . GOTTHEIL .

Obituary.

Obituary .

' WE regret to record the death of Bro . Robert Bell , for many years the most eminent Commander of St . Mungo Encampment of Knights Templar , Glasgow . Bro . Bell was an enthusiastic Mason , and ably fulfilled the most varied offices in several Lodges . Last year he went out to

America , at his own expense , as one of a Deputation to the American Knights Templar , upon the occasion of the opening of the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition , and was then made honorary member of the Philadelphia Commandery ,

No . 4 , and Cyrene , No . 34 , Columbia , Pennsylvania . He was also presented with a gold medal , in commemoration of his visit . The funeral ceremony was performed with Masonic honours , deputations from many Lodges accompanying the procession . He leaves a widow and three sons to lament his loss .