Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We d . o not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions oj our Cerrespondents . IT "; cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily forpubiiendun , but as a guarantee of good , faith .

WHICH IS COI - l - KCT ? To the Editor of Ihe F REEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR Sin , —Amongst tho several " points" which , pending tho preparation and publication of my work on "Uniformity of Masonic Ritual and Observance , " i had reserved for future discussion is one

relating especially to the article "Authority" which appears iu your impression of last Saturday . That article has evident reference to a letter in the same number of the CHRONICLE headed , "Tlio Unpleasant ; Affair at Kew Bridge , " the insertion of which—forgive mo for so saying—I regret that you have permitted . It is a departure from your usual carefulness to avoid giving offence , or continuing what

might cause dissension , and I feel certain " A VISITOR would better have shown his gratitude tohiseutertaiucrs , and his appreciation of oui Masonic teaching , by adopting " that excellent virtue" silence , than by intruding on your pages , nnd , as it were , making you a party to a probably only temporary difficulty in the Lodge referred to . It was his duty as a guest to have observed to its fullest extent the motto of

our Order , " Audi , vide , tace , " and not to have called attention to what after all had nothing to do with hedge working . That ' s it , —Lodgo icurlnug , not Lodge bnnquetting ! And this brings mi ! to the " point" and the question , "What authority has the Master of a Lodge over his brethren after he has closed his Lodge ?" In my -opinion none whatever , beyond that which the courtesy and

willingness of ihose present may extend to him in tho capacity of ) chairman . No doubt there may be considerable divers-it }* of opinion i ou this subject , ar . il that , many amongst us would not cave to change the existing practice . It is worth while , therefoie , to endeavour to I ascertain what arguments can bo adduced for and against the pro-i 1 'osiliou .

" For aught that ever I could read , could ever hear by talc or history , " the invariable practice of our brethren in former years was to " cull off" t \' , r refreshment , nt the Loilge , and to " call on" for further labour , and to close tho busotcss of Freemasonry ; and I know of many W . M . ' s who have , as well as myself , on occasions , adopted that

practice . The sidmihsioit of the members of a Lodge to the authority of the Master is to my mind only required and demanded from the moment , of opening ihe Lodge to that of closing . When tho Lodge U eio-, ed and iho members have dispersed , each individual member .. ¦; " fico to" and " free from , " an . I can act pcrfeoily hide- j pendent , of any obligation to the ruling or ditoction of the W . M . ipm W . M . The elee ei . ls which form tho . I .: d _ e liavo resolved themselves I

into a private _ a ; iiering of friends , equal , as Masons , the one Willi the j other , aud wherein no Masonic "nnk or lil . Io whatever gives pre- ! ct'dence lo li . ilivi'uais as a ric . hf . all hoi ; . .. . . h it , may be c > : te : cied to : them :, s a ion . h s-. - . It mav be i . ' once adii . ii ' . icii ifmt if this cu ;; r- ¦'

le .-y is extended , and the relative positions , held in tho Lodgo are maintained at tin ; tub . ¦ eqiieufc enicrtainmeut , it ; should bo continued by affording the utmost support ami deference to the chairman , but that is r . ot , I conceive , a Masonic obligation , although essentially that of a gentleman . I , . If therefore by tho act of closing his Lodgo the authority of the j

AV . M . ceases until lie shall nave again re-opened it , ho can have no Masonic power at the banquet table , and the gavel is no more an implement of power to the sound of which the assemblage arc bound to give attention as Freemasons . But , as it is quite in tho province j of tlio W . M . to extend his period of rule during the entire day of ; meeting ( but for that dav only , unless under von- exceptional cir-

cnmstaucc- ) , the difficulty in respect of presiding at refreshment can easily be obviated . Let him carry out in the Lodge-room all the business of the Lodge up to the liual question , and thou " call off " in tho ordinary manner . Certain furniture , in charge of presiding officers , should be present during refreshment , and at a reasonable hour the " call ou" should take place , and the Lodge be closed with

the then still more appropriate response to the Tyler ' s appeal for "poor and distressed brethren . " By such mean :, the iiulhoriiy of the W . M . wonld remain undisturbed and unchallenged throughout , the meeting ; whilst , as i have often experienced , the btolhren ' s sense of Masonic propriety would bo increased , and an elevated tone given to the proceedings , the

beneficial effect of which it wonld bo impossible to exaggerate . Further argument as to tho advisability of adopting this plan ( ifc is no innovation ) would perhaps only tend to weaken what it must be apparent to all is strong enongli iu ilself , and I shall therefore retrain frovn enlarging on the subject for the present . Perhaps some of year reader . ' may be disposed to express their opinion . But

1 inns '; say thai it such a mode of conducting the business ( anil plorvmrc ) of Ms Lodge had bum rsfplcd by tho W . M . of . Vo . 7 S 0 , with wh .. i .-: I deeply sympathise on the occasion referred to , there would he . ' -c been no opportunity for the ; i fee uf " A VISITOR , " which j ; ev < rt ' iMe ¦¦ > ¦ f not only c : i : ;; : ot rxcr ..-e , but . thoiuii-Jily condemn as a in-. . :. " : ¦¦ ' .. " . ¦ ¦' , and de ; rim .-aird ¦• the-. 'tv . ernl enoil and welfare of

orr . . ' . , ' " -. ' . _ ¦ ¦' •' '< !¦ : ¦ - •'¦• ¦ : ¦ -to f . r ; y o ; . !! i- - :-o " c ; - . vhen . 1 again take up tie ti ii i -I of i . , . y com soot .. !< . :. ee , ; ::. ([ iep : ;; . t the ell-reitcrattd iuquirv "Which 5 , * . Cer : ect . " i outs veiy t rulv and ;' raicri .. iii } -

JAJ . Si _ vi :. vs , P . M ., P . Z 112 High-sheet . Chii / hau ; , lit ! -. Aug * . ; - l . Tlh

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DV . AU Sin isi ) BROTHER , —Will you kindly allow me space for a few words in reference to " the Unpleasant Affair at Kew Bridge ! " I have read tho letter from " A YISITOR , " published in your issue of the 9 th , and I must thank him for tho compliment ho has paid tho

Lily Lodge . Truly , as ho says , our Lodge was suspended , in consequence of one of our P . M . ' s calling the attention of the Board of General Purposes to an infringement of a " point of order , " but ot that tho members generally havo little to bo ashamed . This matter , however , occurred some time ago . As tho brother to whom tho remark

in question was made was a member of tho Lily Lodge , I think ib most , uumasotiic—not to say unbecoming—to bring this grievance forward , and cast the stone at him . I canuotbut think that tho brother who made the remark—doubtless in a moment cf irritation—must deeply regret it . Moreover , I feel assured he has never visited our

Lodge , or ho would have seen that the members now work together in a manner not only creditable to themselves , but such as might be an example to many other Lodges . As W . M . of the Lily Lodge , I shall bo proud to remember that I presided over a Lodgo whero tho

brethren did their utmost to assist me , and strove to promote tho comfort and welfare of each other . I sincerely regret any unpleasantness shonld havo occurred at the ltoyal Alfred Lodge , as I havo frequently had much pleasure iu meeting some of its members , auel 1 trust this will not be the cause of preventing our meeting again .

I am , Dear Sir and Urothcr , Yours fraternally , CHARLES HIT . MAUD , W . M . Lily Lodge of Richmond ' .

13110 . S . B . WILSON AND THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OE THE K . M . I . 13 .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHROXICLK . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A more disingenuous answer Coiild scarcely havo been made to a plain and simple question than that ¦ riven by Pro . Moutrio in answer to Bro . K . B . Webster , at tho last ( Junertd Committee of tbe ltoyal Masonic Institution for Bovs . Bro .

Webster asked , " Whether it was true that tho House Committee had refused to accept , Sir Henry Arthur Hunt , C . B ., as Arbitrator iu tho dispute between t hem and Bro . S . B . AVilson r and if it was true , what was the reason of such refusal Y' Bro . Moutrio replied : " That it did not appear upon tho minutes which had been read that any such

proposition as that referred to had been refused . Now , it can hardly bo conceived that Bro . Montrie , being a member of tho Houso Committee , could be ignorant of the fact that my proposition to refer the matter to Sir li . A . Hunt had been declined , as tlio following letter , scot by Bio . Binckes to my Solicitors , clearly shows -.

—JiOv . iL MASONIC Ixs'nn . no . v ton Bovs , Ollice : . " Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , W . C . 1-th - i-i y JS 7 y . Messrs . Il . wi . is AND PEARCE .

Ditw : Nuts , ,- ¦• Mr . S . B . WILSON , —Veins cf the _ eith June was submit ted to , and considered by the Houso Committee , at their mooting yesterday .

The Committee decline to accept Sir 11 . A . Hunt as referee . I am instructed to refer you further iu this matter to Mr . J .. Stanley , Solicitor , 22 A Austin Friars , with whom I hope to com--municate personally on Monday next .

I am , Dear Sirs , Yours faithfully , FREDK . BINCKKS , Secretary ; . I am very mneh mistaken if tho great majority of the . fenenai Committee will allow tho matter to bo treated in this _ ol _ sad corner fashion .

I am at a loss to imagine why the House Committee avo acting to me iu a spirit of hostility , as I can hardly suppose that my refusal to support tho penny wise and pound foolish ideas that some of tho members entertain for the sustentation of tho buildiugs and "rounds of the Institution can influence them , and it must be apparent to

any unprejudiced person who looks over my account against tho Institution that the charges I have made are fair and reasonable , in which opinion I am supported by two eminent architects of large practice * , who gave mo independent valuations of the proper charges for tho work that I had done , and who will both givo evidence " to this effect should the House Committee drive tho case to trial .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully , S . B . WILSON , 2 <) Wallbrook , B . C . Jlth August 1879 .

t ; ASSISTANCE FUND . "

To tne Editor O / T IIK FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am pleased to see that the suggestions I have icnde arc so warmh'supported by you , nnd that you have undertaken lo work with me . With such valuable assistance I havo no doubt my eiVoits will be simplified . I am glad Bro . Jacobs and the

Siiilibi'dshiic brethren will join our ranks , which now increase daily , is you are aware . I shor-ld ho glad if you conld send " P . m : u " a circular . J . admire his reticence , and cannot but admit he has ground for caution . I agree with him fully ; it would be disastrous ton lionboys , and g irls to grow up with the feeling they are sure to be-