Ar00703

SATURDAY , DECEMBER 2 , 1882 . a

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

_\ Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by ourcorrespondents , but we wish in a spirit of fairplay to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . !

OLD ROYAL ARCH CHARTERS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In the able address delivered by Comp . Hughan at Bath , on the occasion of thc Centenary of the Royal Cumberland Chapter , he is reported to have said that "Nine

Chapter warrants were granted in 1769 , and of those two were for Lancashire and one for Bristol . " On referring to a list of chapters attached to a circular calling a meeting of Grand Chapter in 1793 , I find the Chapter of Charity of Bristol placed No . 9 therein , but there are four instead

of two Lancashire chapters preceding it , as will be seen from the extract I give below . The chapters appear to be placed according to the date of consecration , and not the numbers of the lodges to which they were attached , as at present .

Of the four Lancashire chapters three are still existing in the same towns in which they were consecrated . I have in my possession the original minute book , dated 12 th May , 1769 , and other old papers belonging to one of them ; and I hope , in the course of a few days to collate sufficient

data to prove the continuous working of all three up to the present time . I should like also to point out to Comp . Radway the discrepancy between the 1 793 list and his statement , that "the title of Royal Cumberland , No . 28 , is used for the first time in February , 1 S 02 , " when it actually appears to be registered as such in 1793 . I am , yours fraternally , MANCUNIUM .

Extract from a circular calling a meeting of Grand Chapter , dated 28 th March , 1 793 . List of regular chapters held under Constitutions from theGrandaad Royal Chapter , with their places and time of meeting : No . Title . Where Held . At What House . 1 . Rock & Fountain , ( Private and occasional ) .

bhiloh . 2 . Caledonian . London . Fremasons' Tav . 3 . Friendship . Portsmouth Com . George . 4 . Nativity . Burnley , Lane . Thorn Inn . 5 . Cana . Colne , Lane . No house given . 0 . Garden of Eden . Manchester . No house given . 7 . Unanimity . Near Bury , Lane . Swan with Two

S . ( No name ) . Swansea . No house given . 9 . Charity . Bristol . Assembly C . Ho . 10 . ( No name ) . Bengal . No house given . 11 . Caledonian ( Noplace or house given ) . 12 . 13 . Concord . Southampton . Guildhall . . . 7 i . l \» lnn 1 i « f » i * r , firtl Clri »*» nV »; , l ( YVi' ' cf 14 1 \ -m . % £ .. V .

. } . m . mvm . I ... .-. . m . ^ . mv .. ....... » . m . * 15 . Social Brethren . Calcutta . 16 . Emulation . King-st . St . James'White Horse . 17 . Unity . York . No house given . 18 . Royal Cumberland Tothill-st . WestmrWestmr . Arms , ig . Unity . Quebec . 20 . Harmony . Salisbury . White Hart . 31 . Amity . Poole , Dorset . Antelope . 22 . Durnovarian . Dorchester . Royal Oak .

-j . 24 . St . Michael . Chester . ¦ ** * * >• 26 . Genoa . 27 . Fortitude . ist . Reg . Dragoon Guards . 28 . Royal Cumberland Bath . Bear Inn . N . B . —This list goes on to No . 90 , Stockport , which was consecrated in February , 1793 , and I have in my possession a copy of the minute book commencing at that date . M .

NEPTUNE LODGE , No . 1264 , BENEVOLENT FUND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I am sorry to again trouble you in this matter , as it is not one that may be called "of public interest , " out 1 two ej iciuuii

merely WISH a woru ur m . * .. a . . Bro . Fraser has now qualified the expression made use of in the report that drew my attention to this subject , by adding "purely" ; had that ] word appeared in the report I should not have troubled you with my remarks , as I must certainly give the " Neptune" the credit of being the first to establish a Benevolent Fund on a " purely " voluntary system , but must still take exception . to the unqualified title .

Now , I take it , if a fund is established which is half compulsory and half voluntary , it can hardly be called by one or the other of this .: words ; but when only a very small portion is compulsory , anil a very large portion voluntary , then I should think the title justly falls upon thc latter , it being more in character than the former . I pointed out in my previous letter how our accumulated funds were gathered , and do not deny the bye-laws of the "Israel" as quoted by Bro . Fraser ; but had he made

Original Correspondence.

sufficient enquiry into the matter he would have found that such had been altered three years ago , to the extent that one shilling only has since been taken from each member's subscription , instead of five shillings as formerly , thus making this fund still more voluntary . Last year I paid into the Benevolent Fund treasury , on account of the

rules quoted by Bro . Fraser , just over £ 5 ; while the total amount paid into the fund was over £ 53 for the twelve months . This , I think , speaks for itself , as we could not benefit our indigent members to any extent with the amount taken from the lodge . I sincerely hope that the " Neptune" will lind their fund

work well on the " purely" voluntary system . That the " Israel " had a reason for not making theirs such , goes without saying , taking into consideration the figures above quoted ; ** and our reasons are such that I do not think an alteration in the constitution of the " Lodge of Israel Benevolent Fund " will ever take place . These reasons

I shall be glad to place before Bro . Fraser should he favour me with a call . Thanking you in anticipation tor your indulgence , yours fraternally , MAURICE HART , P . M . and Treasurer 1502 . 207 , London-road , Liverpool , November 27 th .

PROVINCIAL PREFERMENT . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The letter of " Spectemur Agendo " in last week's Freemason , calling attention to the system , or , rather , want of system , in giving provincial honours , is well , worthy

the attention of the rulers of the Craft . lt is acknowledged Masonic axiom , that it is the hope of reward which at all times sweetens labour , and no reward is more eagerly coveted by zealous Masons than the honour of wearing the purple . In the province from which I write , our beloved

Provincial Grand Master once alluded to the difficulty he experienced yearly in having so many deserving claimants for honours and so few offices at his disposal ; adding , if he gave a collar once a year to each lodge under his rule , it would take ten years before such lodge would come round in turn again .

This has been slightly improved of late by the creation of duplicate officers , but not to such an extent as to dispense with the necessity of inquiry before honouring a lodge by giving the purple to one of its members . This fact has been forcibly exemplified in the lodge to which I have the honour to belong . A brother was initiated ,

& c , and in three years was installed as W . M . The promise which he gave in the minor offices was not fulfilled when in the chair ; in fact , he only attempted to give two Degrees , leaving all the rest of his work to the I . P . M ., only attending his lodge ( a monthly one ) about four times during his year of office ; yet he was appointed Provincial

Grand Steward , and at the following Provincial Grand Lodge received the purple , passing over Past Masters who had worked well , and attended their lodge duties without intermission for ten or twelve years . Had the system proposed by " Spectemur Agendo " been in force this could not have happened , but , on the

contrary , the brethren having had their choice of recommending a P . M . for honours , would undoubtedly have selected some brother who , by his work for and in the lodge , and his zeal lor the welfare of the Craft in general , would have honestly earned the distinction . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , A WEST LANCASHIRE P . M .

AN IMPOSTOR . To the Editor . of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you please make known through your widely circulated journal the existence of an impostor who claims the help of Masons , by stating that she is " the widow of

Bro . Thomas Lempnere , P . M . and Treas . of thc St . John ' s Lodge , Melbourne . " She tells a pitiful tale of her husband ' s murder in Alexandria , on the nth of June last , and of dreadful suffering and privation on her own part . I wrote to the VV . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , Melbourne , on the gth of August last , and have just received a reply from

thc D . Grand Secretary for Victoria , saying : — " VVe have in this city . but one Lodge of that name , the Meridian Lodge of St . John , 729 . I am afraid you have been grossly imposed upon by the so-called widow of Thomas Lempriere , because thc only Brother of that name in Lodge 729 is myself . I am the secretary , and have been a member since 1 S 5 S , and need hardly say I am pleased to observe

that I am alive and in excellent health . " I can only regret not having been able to give this conclusive evidence of an imposture before , and fear that other lodges like my own have been victimised . Yours fraternally , R . C . MOUNT , W . M . 414 , P-G . S . Warden , Masonic Hall , Reading , Berks and Bucks . November 25 th .

How TO SECURK GOOD MHALTII . --MARTIN ' S CURATIVE MACNETISM . —Health secured , Health restored , and Health promoted by the use of this Natural Agent , now so extensively used . See Press opinions , testimonials , and fullest particulars in 48 page pamphlet , which is sent gratis to all by John Hugh Martin , Inventor and Maker of the Improved Appliances , 272 , Regent-circus , London , W . —PADVT . ]

Reviews

REVIEWS

THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND POCKET BOOK . R . Spencer , 23 A , Great Queen-street . This , theofficial handbook of English Craft Masonry , comes before us again with increased size , and with its always valuable information . An addition has been made to its usual Masonic data , in that it contains a list of the Grand Officers since 1 S 13 , which we think a great

improvement , and a very valuable accumulation of facts peculiar to , and important for the Craft . As the Masonic Calendar and Pocket Book is published under official supervision , it is for all Anglo-Saxon Masons , as well as for all foreign jurisdictions , a needful work of reference and authority , for all who wish lo realize what is the exact position of the Grand Ixidge of England , and its own direct and detailed recognition of Lodges and Royal Arch

Chapters . We are glad to be able to announce to our Universal Craft its seasonable and effective appearance , and also to congratulate those under whose direction it is put forth , as well as its actual publisher , on the evident readiness and anxiety which this year ' s edition manifests to render the annual Calendar a really useful little manual of reference for all who value the work and recognize the importance of the Grand Lodge ot England .

I'or it must be remembered , that in the English Grand Lodge we have the fountain head , the source , more or less , of all working speculative Masonry , north , south , east , and west . And when some heated controversialists talk disparagingly of the Grand Lodge of England , they are either so reckless in their statements as hardly to merit a hearing at all , or are utterly oblivious and ignorant of the claim which the Grand Lodge of England has on its

members , and its children , on extern bodies , on distant jurisdictions . Its Calendar this year records igS 5 , lodges on its roll , and though that number may be actually reduced somewhat ; probably November , 1 SS 3 , will not have been reached before we shall virtually and fully have reached , nay , perhaps , overpassed the remarkable number of 2000 lodges . VVe congratulate Bro . Spencer on the thoroughly satisfactory appearance of the Masonic Calendar .

THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR . George Kenning , 16 , Great Queen-street . It has been said that it is somewhat abnormal to mention in the Freemason the appearance of thc " Cosmopolitan Calendar ; " but as the Fieemason is alikc for universal reading and information , and actually now " goes all the world over , " we think it always well to announce to our Cosmopolitan Craft the yearly issue of a verv handv little

boolc , which professes , and seeks to be , a Cosmopolitan "Vade Mecum" for all Craft Masons and Chivalric Grades at one and at the same time . Indeed , when we open its wellfilled pages , wesee at once its value and its use . It gives not only the names of Craft Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters , and the actual months of their meetings all through the year , but it supplies us with an account of the French , German , Spanish , and Hungarian Jurisdictions , and the titles

of their lodges , as well as sets before us the Masonic Bodies in Canada , Quebec , New Brunswick , British Columbia , Peru , Venezuela , New Grenada , Liberia , Cuba , Roumania , Bulgaria , and Italy . It also mentions the officers of the Grand Lodges of Mexico , Brazil , Greece , Portugal , Switzerland , and Egypt . In addition to this , we find an account of the United Orders of the Temple and Malta , the Grand Mark Lodge , the Royal Order of Scotland , the Red Cross of

Constantine , the Royal Ark Mariners , the Allied Masonic Degrees , the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters , and the Rosicrucian Society . VVe then come to that most important Body , —the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , — of which we find a full account in Great Britain , and in France , and other parts of the Globe ; but we are struck with the ^ non-appearance of the officers of the Supreme Grand Council for the Northern and Southern States ot

America . VVe think this is an accidental omission , which will be rectified in a second edition . Great praise must be accorded to those who have presided over the manipulation of the returns and the supervision of the figures , almost countless ; and we feel we are expressing the opinion of many when we say that such a resume alike of the Craft

Loages ana unapters , and ot the Chivalric Grades is a very great help to thosewho wish to master the various developements of these remarkable Orders , which , taking Freemasonry as a basis , are now spreading everywhere as mundane civilization advances , as human population increases . We trust lhat , as before , a second edition will be speedily required .

Masonic Note And Queries.

Masonic Note and Queries .

__ 1 •»^ - ' i ~» rrfri m mm ^ tt * ££ S 2 82 ] BRO . POOLE'S LETTER . Bro . Poole need hardly , I think , have written his letter had he realized that the idea of my note was lo call attention to Felibien ' s statement , first translated , as far as I believe , for the Freemason ; the French Masonic use of Lowton or Loufton in i 7 Rn . r-iHW Aim thr . mn .. „ i : _ : t _ j / -WW- lib 1 Id

, J — .. * .. mm ., -. IIIUIU ( HCU question of " Louve " and " Lewis . " I may have expressed myself ambiguously ; and this last week by a careless passage I have perpetrated an Irish bull , and termed myself a " non-existent" writer . Bro . Poole seems to believe that" Lewis " came from " Louve . " I hope in a subsequent note to show that there is an early use of " Lewis , " much anterior to " Louve . " MASONIC STUDENT .

S 3 ! , RABBI SOLOMON FRANK . Can any one give me any information about the Uabbi Solomon Frank , who in 1652 was teaching Ashmole Hebrew . ROSA CRUCIS . 84 ] LEWIS . Curiously enough , there is great difficulty in finding- anything about " Lewis" m the later technical or general dictionaries . Perhaps a search in seventeenth century