Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

MASONIC STUDIES . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The interest I have for many years past taken in the promotion of what may with propriety bo termed " Masonic Studies " will , I trust , be sufficient apology for troubling you with a few further remarks upon this truly important subject . To dispel the darkness which , Masouically speaking , shrouds the

mind of the vast majority of brethren , and to induce them to seek the light of knowledge , is a problem which has exercised the ingenuity of those who work steadily , though unostentatiously , in the cause of Masonic education , but , it must bo confessed , with no appreciable success . Sundry schemes have from time to time been devised to attract attention to tho places where instruction is willingly and

gratuitously given , but to little purpose . The reason for this apathy is , however , not difficult to discover . To lay the foundation upon which to build a radical reform in this respect , it will have to be made clear , in the first place , that promotion in a Masonic Lodge is utterly unobtainable without the possession of such abilities a 3 will not fail to ensure a masterly finish of the work . And secondly ,

brethren should be made to understand that the incapable aspiraut to a dignity for which he is conspicuously unfitted will bo certain to earn for himself only derision and contempt . In your able remarks upon this subject you properly advise diligent appneation to study , and constant , or at least frequent , attendance at Lodges of Instruction . The wisdom of this course admits of no dispute ; indeed , to my

mind , there is no alternative . To learn from manuscript or private verbal instruction is all very well , and no doubt affords considerable assistance to the student , but I assert that without constant practice in a Lodge of Instruction , failure , comparative or complete , is sure to be the result . This opinion will , I believe , be endorsed by all . But although the necessity of this course is universally acknowledged

yet how few there are who take the trouble to profit by the opportunities these Lodges afford , and it must be stated there are fewer still who take any steps whatever to acquire the rudimentary knowledge necessary to produce even a superficial show of fitness for the high post it is then- ambition to attain . Why would they ? So long as brethren are permitted to graduate in the minor offices , though

lamentably inefficient ; so long as they are advanced to the higher honours , until reaching the precincts of the Master ' s chair ; and so long as elections are carried on without reference to capabilities , and merely as a matter of course , this deplorable state of things will remain uninterrupted . There are some , however , who arc sufficiently conscientious , at the twelfth hour , to obtain from one source or another ,

a smattering of the ritual ; then the aid of the Lodge of Instruction is invoked , regular attendants obligingly give up their offices to gratify the new-born enthusiasm of this eager searcher after knowledge ; the Preceptor , with infinite patience , tries his best to instil some of the most necessary information into the pupil who , to attain proficiency , ought to have commenced his studies years earlier ; and

when everything has been done that could be accomplished within tho extremely limited period at commaud , and all possible efforts are exhausted , in nine cases out of ten , in the end , the student proves a complete and unmitigated failure . But what of that ? He has attained the summit of his desires ; previous expei'ience assures him that his incompetency will be no bar to his obtaining , at the end of

the term , a handsome complimentary testimonial , in the shape of a costly glittering jewel , and being hcuceforth ranked amongst the rulers of the Craft . His desire for further instruction is dead , he speedily forgets the little he knew , he is complacently content , and the Lodge of Instruction beholds him no more . And from this class are recruited those who , having gatheredsuch questionable laurels it

was in their power to win , and hopeless of pushing their way to higher elevations , shrink into utter insignificance , and sometimes repay tho many favours bestowed upon them by heaping obloquy and scattering disparaging epithets upon a society into which they ought never to have been admitted , and whose members have ever dealt with forbearance and good naturcd indulgence with all their

shortcomings . It is scarcely an enviable task to enumerate the evils which afflict an order of which one is proud to bo a member , but it is somewhat conciliatory to reflect that he who earnestly desires its progress and prosperity must not shrink from the performance of duties , however repugnant and unpalatable . It has been too long the injudicions practice to bestow praise freely where Done is deserved

and to withhold just censure where it is absolutely needed . Such a policy can scarcely be productivo of any desirable result , but I look forward , with hope and confidence , that , by the aid of the Masonic press , and the influence of intelligent working brethren , the sad abuses which disgrace and disfigure our procedures , will eventually be abolished . Tours fraternally , E . GOTXHEIL .

BRO . DR . OLIVER'S TWO POSTHUMOUS WORKS To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Since the appearance of your Review of these valuable works , I have run through them , and would venture

Correspondence.

to offer a few remarks upon them . There are a class of Masons to whom both may be exceedingly useful , though I much question whether they can be considered perfect exponents of tho subject of which they profess to treat . There are three classes of modern Masons , who profess to make enquiries into the Pythagorean doctrine of nnmbers ( vide Dr .

Oliver ' s Pythagorean Triangle ) , viz .: the Rosicrucians , the Hernetic Philosopher of the Ancient and Primitive Rite , and the Royal Oriental Order of tho Sal Bahe . Like Dr . Oliver ' s knowledge , that of the first is merely exoteric , for neither of them seem to perceive the gist of the matter , namely , the doctrine of the geometrical nature of tho divine mind , out of which springs this exposition of

numbers . This grand idea , Pythagoras gained either from the Egyptians or the Brahmins , who had it in common from a primitive source , but , in all probability , Pythagoras learned it in Egypt . The two last named Orders , or the Oriental Orders of Freemasonry , offer a genoral development of the esoteric idea , the one from Khamitic , the other from Aryan sources , and to those Dr . Oliver ' s work will

be welcome , as a valuable collection of facts upon the point . The work on the Discrepancies of Freemasonry , in spite of some minor errors and slips in the relation of fact , offers most valuable information and suggestions upon the difficult points of Freemasonry ; but tho real nature of the vesica piscis escapes recognition , although the learnod brother gives such a valuable exposition of its geometrical

qualities . Bro . John Hogg has rondered a real service to the Craft in the publication of these two works , and should the last help on the so much needed revision of tho Lodge lectures , the subject of the first cannot altogether escape recognition in the leoture of the Fellow Craft . I remain , yours fraternally , JOHN YARKER .

THE GOVERNMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS , & a . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In accordance with my promise , I now ask you to favour me ¦ with a space to show " how , among the first fruits easily gathered by a strong governing body , such as that proposed by M . A ., would be an ample pi-ovision for all approved

candidates for election . I confine myself to this one advantage to be gained by a strong government , not merely on account of its importance , but also because I think other points will be far better handled by brethren who can describe themselves ( as does M . A ., in your paper

of 20 th November ) as having " a considerable acquaintance with some of our large schools . " As regards the Boys' School : — In October 1874 there were 45 approved candidates , of whom 14 only could be admitted . In April 1875 there were 48 , elsewhere stated 49 , approved

candidates , of whom 8 only could be admitted . In October 1875 there were 58 approved candidates , of whom 9 only could be admitted . In other words , the Managers of the Institution came before us last October with the humiliating confession , "Hero are 58 boys , whom wc ought to take by the hand , and want of funds will compel us to decline aid to 49 of them .

1 his cry of distress implies that the governing body has not felt strong enough ( and , constituted as it is , I should have been astonished if it had ) to call on brethren for a very small thing , from such a Fraternity a 3 ours . A glance at the ages of the non-elocted candidates , and a

comparison of page So of the report published in June 1874 , will show that an additional £ 3 5 s ( Three pounds , five shillings ) a year from each of our 1 , 500 Lodges would amply provide for the expenses of all these children , even if new site and buildings are required . I imagine no one will maintain that our resources are already so

heavily taxed as to mako this small sum a serious addition to our expenditure . I refrain from giving the figures , because I hope brethren will work them out for themselves , from the reports of various years ,

when they will , I think , be amazed to find that I have not understated the average contribution required . Lists of approved candidates , of whom / tuc-si ; ct 7 is are to be , at least for a time , rejected , are not creditable to us . They are spots in our feasts of charity which a strong government would easily remove . Yours fraternally , HEREOWEARD .

SMAT , EXTRAVAGANCES . —If any who read these lines are conscious that their pockets are made of such materials that whatever money is put into them will burn a hole until it gets out , I would advise them , whenever they take the air , to leave their money at home , or , better still , to keep an exact account of every halfpenny they spend . It is astonishing how foolish small extravagances appear , when they have to be put down in black and white , aEter the temptation to

indulge in them is over . And they must be put down in detail , and not conveniently classed together under the general heading of " sundries . " The item " sundries" is never admitted into well-kept household accounts . No one who has not tried it would believe what a check it is upon personal expenditure to keep a thorough account of money spent , and not only a check , but a help ; for prices may be compared , and thus lessons learned from experience . —From " Cassell's Family Magazine " for October ,