Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

— : o : — HEBREW MASONS .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you , Brother Editor , give your opinion upon the following subject ? Last week I visited a Lodge which is essentially Hebrew . Two Hebrews were initiated , and one was raised . You are of course aware that during prayer and Ob . the Hebrew candidate's head is covered , in accordance with Jewish

custom . The * W . M . was an Israelite ; he initiated his own son . The candidates in both degrees had their heads covered . The W . M ., however , a strict orthodox Jew , remained uncovered . How is this ? Hebrews , in ordinary courts of justice , whilst being sworn , have their heads covered , and the Old instead of the New Testament is handed to them to impress their lips upon . An oath

in a Masonic Lodge , being fully as sacred , is treated in a precisely similar way . How is it that the administrator of the oath , not being a paid clerk of a court of justice , but a representative , in " personas propre , " of King Solomon , who indubitably was a Jew ; and furthermore , that representative being a Jew himself ;¦ and , I reiterate , a strict and orthodox Jew , should pray and administer the Ob . with uncovered head ?

I have been at Lodges where a Hebrew presided , and when a candidate was likewise of the Jewish persuasion , donned his hat at the same time when the candidate did so . The Germans , my dear , dear friends , comply with the Jewish law , inasmuch as they wear their hats in Lodge . Our American Brethren make it incumbent

upon the W . M . alone to adhere to the imperative Jewish rule . Both have their significance in the fact that the principles inculcated into the neophyte are of purely Jewish origin . Our German Brethren , who are not precisely admirers of the Jewish race , are candid enough to admit that where a rite of purely Jewish origin is concerned , the customs of that race should be strictly adhered to .

I very much doubt the good taste at the Lodge in question , and I want you—a power in Israel—to throw some light upon the subject . Yours Fraternally , J . MORDAUNT SlGISUUND . ******************

An Impostor At Retford.

AN IMPOSTOR AT RETFORD .

AT the Retford Borough Police Court on Tuesday , a respectably dressed middle-aged man , giving the name of Wm . Studd Owen , and describing himself as an American sea captain , of no fixed abode , was brought up in custody charged with obtaining money by false pretences at Retford , on 10 th October , to which charge he

pleaded guilt )' . The magistrates requested Capt . Thomas , the superintendent of police , to explain the facts of the case , and he stated that on the 10 th inst . the prisoner came to him as the Almoner of the Retford Freemasons and representing himself as a Brother , asked for temporary relief for the night . He said he was in need of assistance as he had just come in from Grimsby by

tram , and his luggage with all his belongings had been sent on to Radford , near Nottingham . He said he had made a complaint to the station master who had telegraphed for the luggage , and he expected it would be returned that night or the next morning . Upon this statement he gave him 4 s , and he afterwards ascertained that at nine o ' clock the same night the prisoner went to West

Retford Rectory , and upon making similar representations obtained 5 s from the Rev . Canon Gray . On Monday he found the prisoner intoxicated at Newark , and having charged him brought him to Retford . The prisoner was also drunk the same night that he obtained the money from himself and Canon Gray , and Policesergeant Meakin endevoured to get him taken in for the night , but

they would not have him . In reply to the Bench , the Rev . Canon Gray said that the prisoner came to him and asked for assistance upon the strength of exactly the same statement as that related by the superintendent of police . The Rev . Father Sculley , of Gainsborough , said the prisoner called upon him also on the 10 th , and said he was an American capitalist who had lost his luggage , and

he gave him 2 s 6 d . Mr . A . O . Wood , station master at Retford , was called , and said there was no truth in the statement made by the prisoner about the lost luggage . The magistrates said the prisoner appeared to have been engaged in systematic fraud , and he would be sent to gaol for 21 days hard labour . — " Nottingham Guardian . " ******************

Enterainment Notes.

ENTERAINMENT NOTES .

Shaftesbury . —There was considerable fluttering in the dove-cotes of the Craft when it was announced that a play upon the subject of Freemasonry was to be produced on the stage , and many were the doubts , and great was the curiosity evinced , as to what would be said or done . We therefore hasten to assure our readers that not even the most fastidious or jealous member of our ancient and honourable Institution can take exception to the capital three

act farce presented at the Shaftesbury Theatre under the title "Are you a Mason " ? The piece is translated from the German of Herren Laufs and Kratz , and is one of the funniest and wittiest , yet strictly proper plays that has been seen for a long time . We are not told the name of the original , but we cannot refrain from a shrewd suspicion that the present title was selected because it would appeal to a considerable number of persons in the metropolis . Amos

Enterainment Notes.

Bloodgood is a hen-pecked husband who , as ail excuse for an occasional night off , declares himself to be a Freemason , and his wife , like many other ladies we wot of , knowing the good work of the Order , overlooks his late hours for the sake of the cause . His son-in-law Frank Perry , not knowing the old man ' s fraud , also adopts the same ruse , and the fun begins when the two men meet .

Each being ignorant of the other ' s imposture , they seek to detect any sign , token , or word that might betray the secret , with the most ludicrous results . There are other complications cleverly interwoven with the main story , and the play is received with one continuous roar of laughter from beginning to end . Mr . George Giddens , who appears to have settled down into a representative of

naughty old men , plays Amos with exquisite humour , and Mr . Marsh Allen is equally good as Frank . Miss Marie Illington as the shrewish wi , fe , - and Miss Ethel Matthews as Mrs . Perry , thoroughly enter into the fun of the piece ; while Miss Agnes Miller and Miss Jennie Buckle are the charming sweethearts of Messrs . Paul Arthur and Charles Wellesley . Some excellent sketches

are given by Miss Annie Bropley as an Irish servant , Mr . Win . H . Day as a needy actor of the old school , and Mr . Mark Kinghorne as the would-be Initiate . So there ' s naught but what's good to be heard , and so far from any slight being cast upon Freemasonry , it is the members of the Order who will obtain the greatest fun out of the piece .

Wyndham ' s . —The old story of the loving but inconsiderate husband and the neglected wife who foolishly listens to the wiles of the deceiver , has once again been told by Mr . Isaac Henderson , under the quaint title of " The Mummy and the Humming Bird . " The Mummy is Lord Lumley . an ardent scientist , who is so

engrossed in his work that he fails to perceive the resentment of his wife at his undutiful treatment ; and the Humming Bird is a vivacious Italian , Signor D'Orelli , who takes advantage of the situation to ensnare a victim . Fortunately at the critical moment the Mummy becomes a living man , and in a finely wrought scene delivers his wife from the seducer . The interest centres in these

three characters , which are performed by Mr . Wyndham , Miss Lena Ashwell , and Mr , Robert Taber with such realism as to be almost painful in its intensity . Miss Ashwell portrays the neglected wife with tragic earnestness , and the third act , in which the two men meet , is as fine a piece of acting as could be devised . Mr . Wyndham ' s easy and natural manner of depicting Lord Lumley's anger under a calm exterior is the highest form of the art that

conceals art , and Mr . Taber must also be congratulated on his performance of the wily Italian . There is a " deus ex machina " in the shape of an organ grinder , Guiseppe , who assists in the denouer ment , which is capitally played bv Mr . Devereux ; while Miss Mary Moore and Mr . Frank Atherley present a pair of sweethearts with charming simplicity . In spite of its defects M - Henderson has presented a powerful play ,, which should enjoy a large amount of popularity .

Royal Albert Hall—The Sunday Afternoon Concerts have recommenced for the winter season , and those who have experienced the tedium of a Sunday afternoon in the metropolis—and their name is legion—will readily appreciate the efforts of the Committee who organise these entertainments for their relief . The magnificent band of the Royal Artillery , numbering some sixty instrumentalists ,

under the baton of Cavaliere L . Zavertal , a member of the Victorian Order , has been engaged to play some of the choicest morceaux of both English and Foreign composers , and at each performance two vocalists , with sometimes a solo instrumentalist , appear , so that a varied programme is always presented . These

entertainments can only conduce to elevate the mind , and as a large number of the seats are absolutely free they can be enjoyed by the most humble . On Sunday , 27 th inst ., the vocalists will be Miss Maggie Purvis and Mr . Herbert Emlyn , and Mr . H . C . Tonking will perform on the grand organ .

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