Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

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

THE FESTIVALS OF THE MASONIO SCHOOLS . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHKONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Permit me to throw out a suggestion which may affect three objects . 1 st . To promote economy in the expenditure of our Charities . 2 nd . To give a pleasing variety to our Festival entertainments .

3 rd . To further the improvement ot our Boys and Girls Schools . The engagements of skilled professionals to conduct tho musical portion of the entertainments at our three Festivals costs the Charl ties close on £ 100 a year .

Instead of this arrangement , why should we not have , say a dozen of our boys and six of our girls , previously well . trained , brought in to sing part-songs , & c , with a simplicity and sacredness for which children ' s voices are pre-eminently proverbial ? And as a large portion of the company ou such occasions consists

of ladies , and all the company have many opportunities of hearing professional performances , it is to be supposed that the presence and the efforts of our Masonic children would awaken special interest , aud produce a most pleasing variety . To the children themselves it would be a great treat , and a stimulus to their progress

in music , while to the funds of each Charity it would certainly be a great relief . The adoption of this plan would probably add to the funds of the Charity , rather than take from them . Aud I may add that an institution with which I am connected effected this change with great pleasure to the children and their friends , and decided profit to its lands . I am , Dear Sir and Bro ., Fraternally jours , E . J . SIMPSON , P . G . C .

THE JEWISH QUESTION . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S GHKOMCXE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is now about eight years since I wished a iriend to introduce me inio Freemasonry , and he being a member of the Montetiore Lodge , gave my name to tne Secretary ol that Lodge for that purpose ; bat tue thing could uot be done , as my

friend was informed that none but Jews woulu be admitted . Kindly inform mo it such is still the practice in that Lodge , or it abolished since when this happy change took place . I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , Equm \

THE GRAND SECRETARYSHIP OF SCOTLAND . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the CHRONICLE yon have stated that the Lodge Kilwinning is reputed the oluest Lodge iu the world , or , at least , in Scotland . From your position in the Uratt , one would have expected that you would have been better informed upon a

matter of so singular interest . The records of the Kilwinning Lodge open iu December 1612 . The records of the Lodge of Edinburgh open in July 1559 , aud they contain tho original minutes of a cuuveutiuu of the Scotch Lodges held at Edinburgh iu 169 d .

Besides these minutes we find , from an original document recentl y found iu the charter Ghent of the late Earl of Egiiutuu , that iu December 15 ' jy , the statutes regulating the Lodges ot Scotland an that date declared that the Lodge Kilwinning was the second Lodge in Scotland .

Yoa wnl find the whole of this interesting question very ably discussed IU Bro . Murray Lyou ' a Freemasonry in Scotland—a work beyond all praise .

Yours fraternally , Edinburgh , 7 th March 1877 . A P . M . [ We are at a loss to see in what particular we have erred . There is nothing iu Bro . Lyous ' s history , which we have read with as much profit as pioasure , aud to which ' A P . M . " will find irequeut reference niaae in these coiunius , to which our statement is opposed . Mother Kilwinning is , undoubtedly , " the reputed oldest existing Lodge in the world , or , at least , in Scotlauu . " But mere reputat . cn is uot

fact , aud , therefore , the wording of the sentence , as received from one of our representatives in Scotland , Was left undisturbeu . If " A P . M" will kiudly excuse us reierriug to sucu over profane things as quart and pint bottles , we may illustrate our iinauin ^ without much difficulty . Ho is , doubtless , aware there are

quartand reputtd quarts , pints and reputed pin . s , aud iu both ca ^ t-i , the distinction is really because quarts and pints ura , and reputea quarts and pints are not , quarts and pints . We not go tne Jeugtn of saying that Mother Kilwinning is not the oldest Louge in Scotland , because it is the reputed oldest , bufc we do say tnab " oluest "

Correspondence

and " reputed oldest" are not equivalent , aud in technical terms we confess thafc our views are the views of Bro . Lyon , to whom , indeed , we are greatly indebted for the light he has thrown on the history of Scottish Freemasonry . However , in a matter which has been so bitterly controverted , we have no mind to intervene . We are

content to leave the case as L stood in our issue of the 3 r 1 instant , when we stated that Mother Kilwinning had a certain reputation , but did not stop to analyse its merits . —[ ED . FREKMASON ' S CHRONICLE . ]

Association For The Oral Instruction Of The Deaf And Dumb.

ASSOCIATION FOR THE ORAL INSTRUCTION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB .

A DINNER was given on the 13 th inst ., at Willis ' s Booms , in aid of the Fuuda of this Association . H . it . H . our M . W . G . M ., who t aKes a lively interest in this noble Institution , occupied the Chair . There weie also present Earl Grauville , the Marquis of Lauadowue , Bro . Sir William Kuollys , Lord liainptou , tho lt . YV . Bro . Lord ouniold , Bros . Johu Sutcliffe , H . A . Isaacs , VV . A . Barrett , Z . Ado . puus , J .

Gears , H . M . Levy , & o . We are sure that this Institution only n ^ eds to be known to receive the support it deserves . It works ou tho theory adopted some years since by Mr . VV . Van fraugu , in ttutiaud , that the reason of persons being dumb is owing to tneir be ug oorn deaf , and thereby unable to distinguish various sounds , and is now a

great success , only wanting fuuus to enable the committee co tuituer . extend its usefulness . The noufe Chairman gave the usual toasts , aud in proposing that of " Success to tue Institution , " particularl y alluded to the exertions of Mr . Van Praagh , who had that morning taken ten of the children to Marlborough House , when he was gratified

to hear the fluent manuer in which they all conversed . More particularly he referred to one child , who had been only three mouths ia the School . The Bight Hon . Earl Granville proposed the toast of " His Koyal Highness the Prince of Wales , " who , in responding , alluded to the death of the late respected Baroness Bothschiia . She

had , previous to her death , ordered a bouquet to be placed on the table for His Boyal Highness , and he had great pleasure in taking care of it to present it to the Princess . The worthy Secretary , ^ xr . Assur Moses , announced , amidst great cheering , that the donations amounted to £ 22 , 000 . The dinner , dessert , and decorations reflected great credit to Mr . Willis , Bro . M . Silver very ably superintended .

The Grand Committee of the Grand Lodge of Soot £ land met on Tuesday , the 13 th inst ., to consider and report on th . merits of the various candidates fur the vacant office of Grand Secre tary . There was a fail attendance of the members . Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Grand Master of Scotland , presided . The names of 15 candidates were laid before the meeting , and it was resolved to select the three most eligible to recomuieud to tho Special Grand

Lod ^ e on Monday next , wueu tne election is to tttKo place . Those ool-jetea were liros . It . Wylie Jf . P . G . Ji ., ot Ayrsn . i-ii , wno nus ueeu f . G . oeo . for the largest Province of ocoiland for fii ' teeu yeaw , and haa itiuivfure obtained considerable experience iu tho practical duties required ; D . Muriay Lyon , the Masonic historian , who is also an Aji'd . ui'u man , to whom Bro . Wylie had given testimonials before the

car ,. est solicitations of his friends had induced him to stand himself ; tho thud ou the short list is Bro . VV . B . Heath , of London , who brought with him hrst-cluss testimonials from su . iu leading members ol the Craft m DJugiaud . The Graud Lodge , on Monday , cannot well go wrong , as all three appear to possess many of the qualifications required icr a good Secretary .

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ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . BKO . CONSTABLE'S Tickets , entitling the holder to a chance in the drawing lor LIFE GOVEENORSHIPS Of tho above Institution are now ready , price OWE SHILLING EACH . To be had of J . CONSTABLE , 13 Sise Lane , Cannon Street , London , E . O

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ELIGIBLE FOB THE APBIL ( Id 77 ) EJECTION ONLY To the Vice-Presidents , Governors , # ' Subscribers to the ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . The favour of your Votas and IstBBBst is respectfully and most earnestly solicited on oehalf ot MARIA GERTRUD & GODDIN , AulSD 10 XaAM . 6 , Daughter of our late Bro . DAVJ . J > GTODDI . V , of Lodges 1070 and 1-137 , who was a Buusuriomg nietuOer up to Cio •"¦¦ an oi uis uu . ttn , wmuu tuoli juiice very amluouly on tuo-lta January ls / 5 , loavoig a Widow aad bevou > oun ouaL-jii mue ueuig a posthumous child ) , wholly unprovided lor . The case is strongly recommended bij the jollowing Brothers i—* X 5 ro . Joa . t J . WILSO . V , P . P . G . D . Middlesex , P . P . J . W . uisoox , P . M . J 5 , 813 , 211 . 1237 , 1137 , i ' . 'A . 2 > , Home Uottugo , niwidiu ilijjuway , . i . Bro . UuABLts LACHV , P . P . G . D . Herts , P . M . 17-t , U 2 / , ml , i -Exmouth-streot , Uoimnuruat-roait , J £ . * iivo . ( JHAULIIS Asuuoiv . f , P . il . 1076 , Lime-villas , Gurney-roatl , Stratford , E . Bro . T . G . DAY , W . M . 10 / 0 , ti . W . Iw 7 , i favisGocii-p . uco , Pluuutuiul common . 'Bro . A . KJJOX , P . M . 10 / 0 , U . O . 1-iii , Vine Cottage , uouuord . i > ra B . -BiiAiSHAW , P . M . li » 7 U , \ . V , Z , d . W . Uj / , J . 4 vV ' iuuiu . il-Jane , Strutforu , K , jjro . J . ^ t'MUKBLAiND , p . il . 47 o , t ' urk-siiuare , Luton , uetls . " ii o . W . UODDIS , Ban , jmlrose-vuia , iNorwuimoenundPiu-. f , N , ' Bro . D . KOBKurs , P . M . 7 oi , High-road , 'i ' ouenuam , a . uiu . UoUiiiii Oitl > , J . iV . SjJ , oil Upper liiaat oniLuueiU . sii-o . K . UniLLi . ittWoiiTU , P .. Vi . iii . 3 , M tipitai-otjuai-e , k . iji-o . O . H . u-waao . f , lo , i liucKney-ivati , c . . Dio . J . TI ' UJSMA . V , p . . it . U 3 / , P . P . i . P . jissex , d . '» V . 1327 , and Secretary 1 * 17 , The h ' u'i , Wuithum Cross . Bro . J , HM . ustt , P . M . 7 ali , High-rood , Tottenham , N . Thotc marked mil thanM'My revtw proxies .