Sir Michael Shaw Stewart And The Grand Mastership Of Scotland.

considering his many estimable qualities , this is only what might be expected ; at the same time it is a question how far this may or may not be owing to the fact that he is already in possession of the office , and that it is felt that it would be uncourteons and ungracious , as well as unusual , to indicate even remotely that he should retire

from office , especially when it has been ascertained that he is disposed to retain it . This circumstance was no doubt duly appreciated by Brother Inglis iu his wise and magnanimous resolution to decline the requisition presented to him by somo five hundred members of tho Grand Lodge , who pledged themselves to support him , and who

would have done so , even had ho gone tho length of contesting the chair . That equal weight is not attached to this view by at least some of Sir Michaol Shaw Stewart ' s supporters is evident judging by the means which have , in some instances , been used to obtain votes

for him—means which it is certain he wonld be the first to condemn were they known to him , oven although his retention of tho Masonic throne wero dependent npon their adoption and employment on his behalf . I am , & c . No FACTION .

Edinburgh , 21 st September 1878 . SIK , —It is much to be regretted that the election of Grand Master should be made the snbject of controversy in the newspapers , as it interests only a limited class of the community , and not tho public generally . In yonr paper of Thursday a paragraph appeared to the

effect that Mr . Inglis had declined to accede to a requisition , signed by about 500 members , to allow himself to be nominated Grand Master , "in consequence of the expressed desiro" of Sir Michael Shaw Stewart to retain office for another year . As no one would believe that the Scotsman said they were authorized to make a statement

which they bad no authority for making , your information must necessarily have come either from Mr . Inglis ' s friends or from himself , and as Sir Michael Shaw Stewart ' s name was introduced , he was in a manner compelled to contradict tho statement made if it were incorrect . He did accordingly deny most emphatically that he

had ever expressed any desiro on the subject . He has been requested to continue iu office , and ho puts his services at the disposal of the Grand Lodge if the ¦ members desire to retain them . This should have ended the controversy , but apparently it has not , as there are two letters in to-day ' s Scotsman on

the subject . Now it appears to me that the matter lies in a nutshell , and is scarcely worth writing about . Mr . Inglis says he has about 500 requisitionists asking him to be elected Grand Master . If this be so , and they all vote for him , then he has more than an absolute majority , and he would certainly be elected . But he says he has

declined to come forward because Sir Michael Shaw Stewart has expressed a desire to retain office for another year . Sir Michael says he has done no such thing , and that he lias no desire either the one way or the other . Mr . Inglis has therefore called out before he was hurt , but no great harm is done . Let him now go on and try tho

question in the usual way . Wo will then see how many of bis 500 requisitionists are qualified voters , and will attend and vote . It is quite true that a good many signed the requisition under a total misapprehension , but they , afterwards withdrew their signatures , and the requisition at the time yonr paragraph appeared was melting away

like snow off a dy ke . If we are to havo a contest tor the chair , let us have it now , when both sides aro prepared , and be done with it . One thing is certain , Mr . Inglis will never bo Grand Master Mason of Scotland without it , and if he can really rely on anything approaching to 500 voters he shonld try it now . It is not worth while noticing yonr second correspondent's remarks about Mr . Inglis ' s

declinature being a gracefnl act , as evidently Sir Michael Shaw Stewart does not so regard it . Talking of graceful acts may do very well for the general public , but it won't seriously impress the members of the Grand Lodge . If Mr . Inglis does not now come forward they will put their own interpretation on hi 3 reasons , and rely upon it their interpretation will be tho correct one . I am , & a . W . S .

20 th September 1878 . Silt—1 observe in your issue of to-day a letter from Sir M . R . S . Stewart , Grand Master Mason , and much regret that a brother occupying such a distinguished office shonld have initiated a correspondence in your columns on Masonic matters , knowing , as he must , that

there exist other ways and means whereby he is enabled to make known to tho Craft ( who alone have an interest ) his sentiments on all subjects relating to its affairs . I greatly deprecate his action in thus writing you , and am all the moro strongly convinced that a change in the occupancy of the Masonic Throne would be desirable , and when I

mention that out of the 750 certificated members of the Grand Lodge nearly 500 , from all parts of Scotland , are enthusiastic in their wish to see the Depute Grand Master in that position , it is clear that I am not hy any means singular in my desire ; while the graceful mauuei in which Mr Itigli- " has refrained from acceding to the wishes of hi >

numerous supporters , and thereby to allow " the man in possession " another to bis many years in office , has more than ever commended the Depute Grand Master to the fraternal esteem and respect of his " friends . " I am , & c . It . W . MASTER .

23 rd September 1878 . Silt , — " W . S ., " in his letter of to-day , states , in reference to th ( requisition to Mr . Inglis , "it is quite true that a pood many si . nei the requisition under a total misapprehension , but they ufterwardiwithdrew th'ir sir-natures , and the 'requisitior-, at tlw time your '

paragraph appeared , v : as melting away lil'c sno-i' or a dyke . " As a member of the committee formed to promt te Mr . Injjli . Vs election , I uav . to state that tbe requisition , signed by about iOO Masons , was senctt him on Saturday the 14 th inst ., and that h ( wrote declining it oi . ifce 16 th inst . At that date only four of the J equisitioniats bad with-

Sir Michael Shaw Stewart And The Grand Mastership Of Scotland.

drawn . Since then other five have done so—two of them by letters received this morning , a week after they received notice that their requisition was declined . " W . S . " also states that many signed the requisition under " total misapprehension . " He does not say what that misapprehension was . But the official circular of Sir Michael Shaw Stewart's party states it

to be an " erroneous impression " that he " intended retiring . ' If ho did not intend to retire frdrn office he surely " desired" to remain ; and the denial now made of that desire is of questionable acenraoy . But we are told that the " most influential in the Craft" wish Sir Michael to retain office . It would appear from the composition of his Edinburgh committee that there existed a great dearth of those " most

influential" Masons , for to swell out the Edinburgh committee list names are imported from Glasgow , Dublin , Peterhead , and other places , and tho names of others than members of Grand Lodge are added . The list is also conspicuous by the absenco of the name of the Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow , and the many other familiar names one is accustomed to find surrounding the Grand

Throno . Indeed , I presume that by tho " most influential in the Craft is meant the few Conservative Peers and M . P . ' s whoso Masonic bones it is desired to revitalise on this occasion . None of them have been in Grand Lodge for years . Of the Masters of the twenty-fonr Masonio Lodges in and around Edinburgh , only six are found sup . porters of Sir Michaol , and of these six , ono is his own brother . The truth is , that in this matter Sir Michael , from a desire to

remain in office—no ; we aro told that that is an incorrect expression , and I won't therefore use it—but , to use the words of his committee , from an intention not to retire , has allowed himself to be made the " catspaw" of the Glasgow faction in their desire to prevent the election of Mr . Inglis to an office tho duties of which , iu the usual absenco of Grand Masters , he has most satisfactorily for years generally discharged . I am , <_ c . P . G . MASTER .

Consecrations.

CONSECRATIONS .

St . Thomas ' s Chapter , If o . 142 . —This Chapter was consecrated on Wednesday night , at the Cannon-street Hotel , by Comps . J . Hervey , H . G . Buss , tho Eev . A . F . A . Woodford , and Jas . Terry . The oration was delivered by Comp . the Kev . A . F . A . Woodford . After the consecration of the Chapter Comps . H . C . Levander , G . A .

Hooks , and J . W . Lambert were installed as the three Principals , and the other Officers having been appointed , the Chapter was closed , and the members and visitors dined together . Letters of apology for inability to attend were received from Sir Albert Woods ( Garter ) , Professor Erasmus Wilson , Colonel Shadwell Clerke , and Captain N . G . Philips .

Kensington Lodge , No . 1767 . —This Lodge was con . secrated on 20 th inst ., at the Conrtfield Hotel , Earl ' s-court , Kensington . The ceremony was performed by the Grand Secretary of England , Bro . John Hervey , who was assisted by Bro . Thomas Fenn Past Grand Deacon , Bro . Bryett Past Grand Superintendent of Works , Berks and Bucks , and the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall M . A . Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden of Surrey . Tho oration was

delivered by the Eev . Ambrose W . Hall . After tho Lodge was consecrated , Bro . George Head , a Past Master of the Zetland Lodge , No . 511 , was installed as first Worshipful Master of the Lodge ; and the Officers for the j-car having been appointed and invested , votes of thauks wero given to tho consecrating Officers , who were also constituted honorary members of the Lodge , and the day ' s proceedings concluded with an elegant banquet .

Death Of Past Grand Master Bro. A. J. Wheeler.

DEATH OF PAST GRAND MASTER BRO . A . J . WHEELER .

To us the saddest news of the week from the plague-stricken South , is that which chronicled , on Saturday last , the death of Past Grand Master , Bro . A . J . Wheeler , of Memphis , Tenn ., editor of tho Masonic Jewel . Bro . Wheeler nobly fell at his post , a victim to the yellow fever , while serving as Secretary to the Masonio Board of Relief , and thus doing all in his power to alleviate the distress of his snfferinf

and dying Brethren . Ho might have fled from the scourge , as did thousands of others , but he did not , and hence while we mourn his loss , we laud his manhood and his self-sacrifice . Ho wears now the martyr ' s crown , and on it there is doubtless inscribed , " Holiness to the Lord . " Bro . Wheeler was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee in 1874 , and at the time of his death was Grand

Representative of tho Grand Lodges of Indiana and Arkansas near tho Grand Lodgo of Tennessee , and member of the Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence of his Grand Lodge . It was , however , as editor of the Masonic Jewel ( now in its eighth year of successful publication ) that he was best known to ns , and to the Masonic world . All who are familiar with that monthly , havo learned to love the true Masonio

spirit that always characterized its editor , Bro . Wheeler was the soul ¦ > f courtesy—a Freemason of learning and culture , of wise judgment •md unexcelled common sense , and of pronounced opinions . He had ,-ew opponents , and no enemies . We rarely , if ever , differed with 'dm . •His wise experience , added to his native ability and continued

< tuuies , rendered him a discreet councillor in all of tho bodies of Masonry with which he was connected . In common with the entire incly of Freemasons in America we monrn his loss . He has monumented himself , however , in the Memphis Masonic Jewel , which he onducted with great ability , and long may it continue to illustrate nd perpetuate the name of its founder and editor , and , the g lorious principles , of Freemasonry , —&« f » toiw ,. 14 th September ,