Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —While every ono must sympathise with the friend of your correspondent A . B ., it must be obvious ho had only himself to blame for the unpleasant predicament in which he found himself on the occasion specified . Assnmiug that A . B . ' s friend was a Past Master , and had done somo " excellent work" in his

Lodge , I hope I am justified in assuming further that , at somo period of his career , he had occasionally consulted tho Book of Constitutions . In it thero is a special heading " Of Grand Standard Bearers " whioh I will quote in full : — " Grand standard bearers may be appointed by the grand master as ' occasion shall require . They mnst be master masons and are to

carry tho standards of the grand lodge , grand patron , and grand master , on all grand ceremonies . They are not , however , by their appointment , members of the grand lodge , nor are they to wear the clothing of a grand officer . " Any grand officer , entitled to have a standard , may , whenever it shall be necessary , appoint a standard bearer , who must be a master

mason . " That for the last sixteen years great laxity iu this particular respect must have prevailed in the Province of Staffordshire is evident from A . B . ' s letter . Otherwise Prov . Grand Standard Bearers would not have been appointed , nor would they have received jewels of office from , or paid fees of honour to , the D . Prov . G . Master , or worn

the purple " in common with other Provincial Grand Lodgo Officers . " In the Book of Constitutions as revised , provision is made iu Eule 18 for the appointment by the Grand Master of two Grand Standard Bearers . According to Enle No . 288 , the jewel of a Grand Standard Bearer is "Two staves in saltire tied by a ribbon ; flowing from the dexter a standard r i the arms of the grand lodge , and from

the sinister a standard of the arms of tho grand master for the time being . " Under Rule No . 307 , he is to pay to the Fund of Benevolence , a fee of Five Guineas ( £ 5 5 s ) . There is , however , nothing said in Eule No . 83 in which are enumerated the Provincial or District Grand Officers whom a Provincial or District Grand Master may appoint . Consequently , if the list remains unaltered , there will be no Prov . or District G . Standard Beaver . Very faithfully and fraternally yours , LONDON .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICIE ; DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —I think you are quite right in promi . nently drawing attention to the omission of certain functions belonging to the Grand Master and to Provincial and District Grand Masters from what I conceive to be their proper places under tho respective heads of " Grand Lodge , " and " Provincial aud District Grand Lodges . " You say , with reference to the proposed new Bale , No . 81 , in the latter division : "Ifc is a fair criticism whether it wonld not

have been better to group all tho functions of the Grand Master under the head of ' Grand Lodge , ' ancl all thoso of tho Provincial aud District Grand Master under that of ' Provincial and District Grand Lodges . '" You further suggest , in the particular case under notice , that it might perhaps be necessary to have some corresponding law under " Private Lodges , " reference being made m

such law to thejlaw or laws already enacted under the previous heading or headings . Passing over this suggestion , I would point out that proposed new laws Nos , 142 and 143 , the former of which provides that " the grand master has full authority to preside in any lodge " he may visit , and the latter that , in the Grand Master ' s absence , the Deputy Graud Master has the same authority , ought most decidedly

to have a place in the division , " Grand Lodge , " while No < s . 144 and 145 , which provide similar enactments in the cases , first , of a Provincial or District Grand Master , and then of his Deputy , belong rightly to tho division , " Provincial and District Grand Lodges . " I should like to hear what , if any , justification tho Committee of Revision—I suppose it is a committee which has undertaken , and

thus far carried out , this work—can offer for excluding from the divisions " Grand Lodge , " and "Provincial and District Grand Lodges , " laws which especially assign theso functions to the chiefs of thoso bodies , and , in certain circumstances , to thoir deputies . In the four rules , in their order of sequence , which I havo quoted , the subjects which severally govern them , are tho Graud Master , who "has full

authority to preside iu any lodge ; " the Deputy Grand Master who , in tho Grand Master's absence , has the same authority ; tho Provincial or Dint riot Grand Master , who " may preside in every Lodge he * "i' ) its within his . province or district ; " and in tho absence of tho J ' roviucidl or District Grand Master , his Deputy who , in that case , " may preside , " & c . & c . These , in fact , aro tho central figures , while the Lodges they visit occupy an absolutely subordinate

position . In the present Book of "Constitutions , Art . 5 , P 31 , providing that the Grand Master has full authority to preside in any Lodge , is placed under tho heading" Of Grand Master n'id Pro Grand Master ; " Art . 2 , p 33 , makes similar provision for tho J ) f > P- G . Muster , and is placed under tho heading appropriated to that '' ' ••ctiouary . Ait . 3 , p 46 , similarly concerns the Provincial Grand Master , and is classed under " Provincial or District Grand Master , "

Correspondence.

while part of Art . 2 , p 50 , makes similar provision for tho Dep . Prov . G . Master . You will gather from what I havo said that I consider the four existing provisions aro rightly classified aa stated , and that the new rules co . responding with thorn should not bo included under tho heading of " Private Lodge : ' . " There can , of courso , bo no objection to a rule or rules being included under that head , in which tho

privato Lodge will occupy tho place of subject , while the Grand Master , and tho rest of thorn will play—that is , in a syntactical sense — only subordinate parts . If I tako proposed rule No . 166 , which lays down tho conditions necessary to tho removal of Lodges , I shall perhaps succeed in making my meaning moro clear . In this tlio Lodgo , whether London

Provincial , or District , is tho snbjoct or central figure , and very properly so . Ifc is tho Lodge which initiates tho idea of a removal from tho place in which ifc was warranted to moot , to somo other aud moro convenient place . To carry out . this removal tho consent of tho Grand Master , & c . is necessary , but I repeat ., it is tho Lodgo whioh in this instance takes tho initiative ) , and , consequently , it is round and

about the Lodgo that every person mentioned , and everything to be done under the provisions of thi : i law , centres . Ifc is otherwise in tho caso of the Grand Master , & o . visiting a Lodgo , for ho it is who takes tho initiative , and becomes tho contra ! figure , while all other persons and things are absolutely dependent on him . So far as tho littlo leisure timo at my disposal has enabled mo 1

havo carefully , and , to the best of my ability , studied tho proposed code of Regulations . I seo everywhere signs of tho groat care bestowed upon tho work , and yon can hardly turn over a page without feeling called upou to recognise some improvement ; but I feel sure thafc you and others will agree with mo that much remains to be done before this new code shall be adopted . Fraternally yours , •- Q . "

Bro . Kuho ' s Brighton Festival concluded on Saturdaylast , with a very successful performance of M . Gounod ' s Oratorio of the " Redemption , " tho Dome being crowded in every part wifch people eager to hear aud judge of its

merits . The day previous had been set apart by our worthy brothel" for his benefit , and consequently a very full and interesting programme of vocal and instrumental music was arranged for the occasion . With hardly au exception

the numbers chosen gave satisfaction to the audience , Miss Kuhe especially distinguishing herself by her brilliant performance of Weber ' s " Concertstiicke , " the general effect of which was greatly enhanced by the able manner in Avhich she was supported by the orchestra .

Bro . Alfred Judd , 605 , of the Birkenhead Police Force has been re-appointed Treasurer of the West Cheshire Provident Dispensaries .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland will be hold next Tuesday , under tho auspices of the Vale of Catmos Lodge , No . 1265 , at the Agricultural Uall , Oakham , when , under the Provincial Grand Mastership of Earl Ferrari * , the new Provincial Graud Officers will bo appointed . The brethren havo plenty of work before thorn , among which is the consideration of the proposal to increase

the quarterages to tho Fund of Bonovuleuce , tho Prince of Wales ' s scheme for tho Royal Collego of Music , and the draft of the proposed Revision of tho Book of Constitutions . Tho fourth annual report of the Leicestershire and Rutland Masonic Charity Association , which will bo submitted to the Provincial Grand Lodge on Tuesday , shows thafc two half yearly drawings have takeu place during twelve

months ; otic on the 23 rd December last , and the other on the 22 ud July . Twenty-three life subscribcrships to tho Masonic Charities were drawn . Since the formation of the Association in 1878 uinetyfcbree of theso have been drawn , which represents a considerable permanent accossion to the voting strength of tho Province . The number of mcmbeis is now 134 . Daring the year just closed the

nnmber of nominations drawn has berm less than in either of the preceding two years , the falling off being due to the neglect of the members in allowing their subscriptions to get in arroar . Tho necessity for the Association , and such as ifc , is deduced from the fact that whereas five or six years ago one thousand votes or loss would get a bov into the Boys' School , and a very ranch less number

than a thousand tako a girl into tho Girls' School , afc tho last October election of tho Boys' School any number under 2 , 164 votes was unsuccessful , and at l . ho GirU' election a loss number than 2 , 212 . If local candidates , therefor " , aro to bo successful in future the brethren must support thoso local Associations . Thoro will bo another drawing on the 15 th Deeerob r . —Evening News .

. A complimentary Benefit will bo given , through the graceful courtesy of Bro . Uonry Irving , at the Lyceum Theatre , ou Wednesday morning , 22 ucl Nov ., to tho respected veteran actor Bro . Wm . Creswick ( Urban Lodge ) , on the occasion of his attaining the 50 th year of his professional avocations . Tho sneccssfill comedy of " Much Ado about Nothing" will bo played , the ladies and gentlemen of tho company giving their services . After tho play Bro . Creswick will address the audience .

Bro . J . U . Jennings , tho manager of the " Oxford , " announces his Annnal Benefit for the 22 ud inst ., tho principal artists of the day have promised him thoir valuable assistance . The Secretary of Stale for AVar hns appointed Bro . J . L . Thomas P . A . G . D . C ., F . S . A ., late Doputy Survoyor , to be Chief Surveyor War Department , vice Mr . J . Atwool retired .