In Memoriam.

The service in the Church was read by the Bishop of Nelson , assisted by the Rev . J . Kempthorne , after which his Lordship read the service at tho grave in a very impressive manner . At tho conclusion of the serviee , according to tho time-honoured custom of Freemasonry , the brethren present drew near the open grave and deposited sprigs of acacia upon the coffin , thus paying a last tribnto of respect to tho memory of their well-loved and deservedly esteemed Brother Frank W . Churchill Simmons . —New Zealand Paver .

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 bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

We have received a communication from Bro . Walter Hill , of No , 517 , lato of No . 1233 , dated Wellington , N . Z ., 20 th May , setting forth , " iu extenso , " certain complaints of irregularities of Masonic working in that city which have been preferred by him to tho Grand Secretary , together with Bro . Hervey's replies to tho same .

No good purpose can bo served by publishing a grievance which is not preferred by a strong section of the Craft , which re-opens questions which have already received the attention of the Colonial Board , and which has been officially dismissed . Bro . Hill's complaints may be founded on proved irregularities , and he may feel hurt that

his zeal for tho law has not been fruitful in result . But we must all remember that in an administration of the Order so widely spread , whoso members cohere loosely in the remoter branches , the utmost circumspection is needed on the part of the executive , lest any pressure which may bo applied to certain points may derange interests ot

more vital consequence . Many political systems of the present day exemplify the evils of over . aeal and over . government . Our executive has to exercise a wise discretion in treating delicate questions , in tho face of which , individuals should condone difficulties where possible

cementing and healing to the utmost of their power : ever bearing in mind that the very essence of all organizations is obodienco to constituted authority , and that before its decisions ( founded , may be , on grounds not appreciable to a private member ) it is our duty to give way .

Bro. Baxter Langley And His Critics.

BRO . BAXTER LANGLEY AND HIS CRITICS .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . 17 th July 1876 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I know that your Correspondence Column is open to all good men and true ; but lest silence should be construed to imply consent , I venture , for myself at least , to disclaim sympathy

( apart from any difference of opinion ) with the topic referred to by " A Sympathising Student . " I deem it calculated to give offence , consequently in bad taste—and fervently trust that this is tho last allusion which will be made to it . Yours faithfully , WALTER SI'E NCEK .

Masonic Jurisprudence.

MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . SIR AND BROTHER , —A question has frequently been raised among the Lodges of New Zealand upon which all are not agreed as to the position of a brother defaulting in payment of his fees—whether he ceases to be a member , or is merely suspended ' ? The opinion of vour

correspondents upou this important matter will bo highly esteemed and acknowledged . ( 1 ) Can a Mason , after a long cessation of his payments , return back to his Lodgo by payment of twelve months' dues , and ( 2 ) can such a defaulter claim re-admission on application to his mother Lodge , under any circumstances , without again undergoing the ordeal of the ballot ?

I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , W . M . S . Southern Star Lodge , 735 , Nelson , New Zealand , Juno 187 G .

The Mark Degree.

THE MARK DEGREE .

To the Editor of TnE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Any brother who has read the report of " A Conference of Delegates , " held in London on tho 3 rd and 4 th April 1871 , on "the subject of the position of the Mark Degree it .

England , " would all but anticipate the reply of Bro . Binckes t < " W . G . R ., " who will now understand that regularly advanced Mark Masters , ?> . brethron advanced to that degree under the authority of either the Grand Lodge of Scotland , or Supreme Graad Royal

The Mark Degree.

— - ¦ - ¦ ' ¦ ' — '" ¦— " ¦ »^ Arch Chapter of Scotland , will be received into Mark Master Lodges in England . Thanks , Bro . Bincke 3 . I suppose I way give an opinion on tho still unanswered que 3 > tions of " W . G . R ., " and , first : Lodges acting as described by him are exceeding the powers conferred on them by their Charter ,

bat let it not be forgotten , as I previously hinted , that this state of matters is confined almost , if not altogether , to Glasgow . Second . Seeing that those who receive the degree of Mark Master in a Craft Lodgo , have no right to claim admittance under Royal Arch authority , First Principals of Chapters are justified iu refusiug admittance to thoso so advanced ; but how does this contrast with tho fraternal spirit exemplified by Bro . Binckes , speaking on behalf

of English Mark Master Lodges , and that tho moro especially , as in both tho Scottish cases , at least , it is tho Bamo ritual that is worked ? Multum ex parvo . Bro . W . G . R . has made a slight mistake in persons , the John Laurie who signed the Circular is the same John Laurie who is now Grand Secretary . Yours fraternally , Nous VERRONS .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Eeview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . Early History and Transactions of the Grand Lodge of Free and

Accepted Masons of the State of New York , 1781—1815 . Published by authority of tho Grand Lodge . Granted to Kane Lodge , No . 45 i , June 1874 . Parts I ., II ., III ., IV . New York : Masonic and Miscellaneous Publishers , No . 2 Bleccker-street . D . Sickles and Co ., Managers . 1876 .

WE think it well , at tho outset , and before entering upon our notice of this important work , to express our hearty thanks to the " Masonio and Miscellaneous Publishers " of New York for their courtesy in forwarding us a copy of the numbers thu 3 far issued of this history . In common with all othors who are engaged in Masonic literature and the promotion of its interests , we heartily welcome tho appearance of

every new work which seems likely to throw light ou tho history of our Craft . Why it is that , in the case of a body which from the period of its revival in theearly part of the 18 th century till now and which has always and in all countries numbered amongst its members so many conspicuous personages , its progress should bo involved in so much doubt and obscurity is a point we acknowledge it is beyond our power

to solve . We can fathom the mystery to a certain extent . We see good reason why . tho work of a secret society should be kept secret from the general public . We can understand that over-scrupulous members should object to any measure of publicity being accorded to any of the archives of onr Craft . We can seo well enough why it is that at different periods in onr career doubts may have arisen aa

to the literal accuracy of our rituals . But every Mason of average intelligence knows well where the lino must be drawn between what it is is imperative should bo held sacred and inviolable from the in . qnisition of profanes , and what may harmlessly be made known to the whole community . Masonry is indeed a secret body . That is , Masons have secrets which it were an act of thefoullest perjury to

divulge . These secrets , as all our brethren are aware , are quite harmless , nor have we established them or insisted upon their strict observance through any sense of shame or fear that , if published , they would involve us in discredit . It is open to any repntable person , to any one who is free and of unblemished character , to seek admission into our brotherhood , and once there he will in time bo

entrusted with a knowledge of all our mysteries . " We are not , then , a secret society in the sense ordinarily attached to the definition of a number of persons banded together for political or other purposes . We have no fear whatever of Light , indeed , it is the constant endeavour of all true and upright Masons to obtaiu more and moro of this infinite blessing . We have , however , onr forma and ceremonies ,

and these are very properly known only among ourselves . We say , again , that up to certain point we can well understand why it is the Masonic historian should experience a great amount of difficulty iu fulfilling his duty as a chronicler . In the earlier days of speculative Freemasonry it was not made sufficiently clear what might be pub . lished , and what must be kept a profound secret . But no society of

men was ever yet formed whose existence did not sooner or later become known among the community in which it existed , and of which it necessarily formed a part , and hardly any society of men , of which wo have read , has ever existed in an organised form which has not left records , more or less trustworthy , of its organisation . At the very outset of our Order in modern times , tho different Masonic bodie 3

existing in London met together , and established a Grand-Lodge , appointing officers and laying down rules for its government . This Grand Lodge had not been in existence many years before it csercised the authority vested in it , and established other Masonic bodies , not only in other parts of England , but likewise in other countries . Gradually , as Freemasonry obtained moro and moro

countenance from the public , as it attracted within its ranks moro and more personages of rank and station and parts , tho Grand Lodge , which sufficed for tho government of a small number of Lodges , found itself becoming more and moro powerless to deal with a greater number scattered about in different parts of the world .

Hence , authority was issued by the primary Grand Lodge to the leading members of our fraternity in more distant places , granting diem powers to organise Provincial and district governments after its own model . As time wore on , some of these dependent Masonic governments claimed and exercised independence . Thus , in a very few years from tfl . 9 ReviYal iu 1717 ! not only was the Grand Lodge , in