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SATURDAY , OCTOBER 3 , 1891 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

We must remind our readers that the Quarterly General Court of the Girls' School will be held in the great hall at Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday next , the 8 th inst ., for the transaction of ordinary business , and the election of 18 children from an approved list

of 26 candidates , the polling being opened at 1 p . m ., or as soon as the other business has been disposed of , and closed at 3 p . m . precisely . The Boys' School Quarterly

General Court will be held in the same hall on the following day during the same hours for the transaction of general business and the election of 19 boys from an approved list of 37 .

* * * We also take this opportunity of impressing upon our readers that in the case of the Girls' School five children , who rank on the list as Nos . 1 , 2 , io , 13 , and 19 . and in the case of the Boys' School six children ,

who rank as Nos . 1 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 17 , and 32 , will have their names removed if they are unsuccessful in obtaining vacancies next week , as after these elections they will be over 11 years of age . We therefore appeal most earnestly to all those Governors and Subscribers who

have not as yet promised their support to any particular candidates to exercise their votes and influence on behalf of these children , who have been all of them adjudged worthy of being elected to the benefits of our Schools , and in whose behalf therefore a special appeal of this

kind is perfectly justifiable . As the proportion of candidates to vacancies is in the case of neither School excessive , other candidates can wait till the elections in April , 1892 , but for these unfortunate " last cases " there is no waiting ; they must succeed next week or fail altogether . Hence this appeal .

# # # It is with very deep regret that we announce the death of Bro . the Right Hon . Lord Methuen . The sad event occurred at his residence , Corsham Court , on Saturday night last , after a long-protracted illness .

His lordship vvas appointed Provincial Grand Master of Wiltshire as far back as March , 1853 , his one senior colleague being Bro . Lord Lei gh , who was appointed Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire the preceding year . He was also a Royal Arch Mason ,

having occupied the chair of Z . in the Wiltshire Chapter , No . 355 , Swindon , in 1875 , and also that of Past Provincial Grand H . Wiltshire . He had been perfected Rose Croix , 18 , in the system of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , and was a supporter of all our three

Charitable Institutions , as well as a trustee of the Charity Organisation and Benevolent Fund of his Province . His lordship was highl y respected b y the brethren he had presided over for so many years with such conspicuous success .

* * * The publication of Bro . John Durell ' s letter on the subject of Article 213 and Lodge LaCtesaree , No . 590 , is satisfactory—to this extent at all events—that , assuming his version of the facts to be correct ,

the lodge , or some of its members at all events , were full y acquainted with the contents of the letter in which his son authorised him to apply lor bis clearance certificate . On laying the facts before the Provincial Grand Secretary he tells us that that brother

asked him if he would allow him to lay the letter before some of the Past Masters so as to show that he " was dul y authorised" by his son to procure his clearance certificate . To this course Bro . Durell immediately

assented , and the letter was shown to the I . P . M ., but it was of no avail , and therefore he laid his complaint before the Provincial Grand Master . This removes the one shadow of an excuse which the lodge had for not granting the certificate .

We have very great pleasure in announcing that Bro . ^ W . J . Clarke , Bart , M . W . G . Master of the United wand Lod ge of Victoria , has appointed Bro . Frank ¦

Richardson , P . G . D . , as the representative of his Grand Lod ge near the United Grand Lodge of England , and as still further accentuated the honour which pertains o such an office b y conferring on Bro . Richardson the ™ st Grand rank of Senior Warden of the same Grand

Masonic Notes.

Lodge . Bro . Richardson's services to Freemasonry have been so numerous and considerable that this present announcement will be received on all sides with the greatest satisfaction . We heartily congratulate him on his selection by Bro . Sir W . J . Clarke for this important post .

* * * We mentioned last week that Bro . the Hon . Chief Justice Way , Pro Grand Master of South Australia , had been perfected Rose Croix , 18 ° in the Adoniram

Chapter , No . 101 . We should have added that tne ceremony was performed , by special request , by Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , 33 , Grand Chancellor of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

IWe do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play tc all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ] BRO . T . B . WHYTEHEAD'S LETTER ON THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . ' ' Dear Sir and Brother , That a letter with so important a bearing upon the character and reputation of Freemasonry as that which Bro . Whytehead addressed to your columns some few weeks ago should remain I may almost say

unnoticed so long has filled me with surprise . That letter , with the exception of one or two points , to which I will shortly advert , commends itself so strongly to me , that , with your permission , I will give expression to a few remarks upon it , which , if I judge the Craft rightly , will find an echo in the hearts of

many thinking Masons . Bro . Whytehead says , and says truly , that we are admitting numbers of persons who are unfitted ( for reasons which he gives ) to be received into our Society . Perhaps he and I may not quite agree as to the reasons , but let that pass for the moment . That we are

increasing our numbers much too rapidly , and without the necessary caution and inquiry , is a fact about which there is admittedly a consensus of opinion . The question then is—Why is this done ? and the answer in most cases , I fear , is that the financial affairs of the lodges are in so unsatisfactory a condition , that

without a stated number of initiation fees each year some of them cannot exist . I have known in my own experience a Treasurer in making his annual statement declare that unless there were , at least , three new members yearly the lodge could not carry on satisfactorily . A W . M . only the other day assured me that in

their case six were essential . That being so , it is very easy to see how many a doubtful character may be admitted , how inquiry may be stifled , how shortcomings may be glossed over , for the very existence of the lodge depends upon the admission or otherwise of the

proposed initiate . It is not necessary to go into details as to how or why a lodge should be in such condition . Every one knows that there are many such cases . Hence the eager inquiry for candidates ; the baits held out ; the actual "touting" which Bro . Whytehead mentions .

Again that our present organised Charitable Institutions are outgrowths from Freemasonry , never originally contemplated , I freely admit — though I should prefer not to style them " parasitical , " for that implies something damaging or harmful—and that the working out of those Charity schemes has developed , I

will also acknowledge , to an extent that has become let us say irksome . But there they are—What can you do ? You have sunk thousands upon thousands upon buildings , you have enlarged your borders to an extent which has been described as unwieldy , you have lost no

opportunity of expending where any decent pretext could be advanced , and now , like the unfinancial lodges , you must depend for your existence on increased yearly subscriptions , accompanied from time to time by what I consider doubtful justice in the shape of double voting power when extraordinary demands are made

or when any extra spurt is put on . This , some one may say , is a big question—and so it is ; it is a question , however , which we must face and make something of if we wish to check the rapidly growing opinion that Freemasonry is simply a superior kind of Benevolent Society . With many only too

willing to accept our benefits and with eager pressure from those already in the fold , can we wonder that our numbers increase with such rapidity ? Bro . Whytehead , I take it , does not dissociate Freemasonry and Charity—would not wish to do so—but is appalled at the vast organised system which has

grown up in our midst , and is strongly of opinion that many now-a-days enter the Craft because of the benefit , present and prospective , held out to them . I dare say he is right . But with whom is the remed y ? If each brother honestly did nothing more than his plain duty such admissions could not be made . The past is

gone , but the future is before us , and if Bro . Whytehead ' s letter , or anything else following from it , can rouse the Masonic mind or stimulate the Masonic conscience to put a check to proceedings so damaging to the Craft , then I say he deserves all the honour which his courage in tackling an awkward subject , and his

Correspondence.

outspoken , fearless treatment of a difficult matter , would ¦ of themselves alone entitle him to receive . And now for the points upon which we differ . " Reputable circumstances " is a debateable expression , and in considering it we must also remember that it does not exist except in our Constitutions , which ,

though most useful , valuable , nay , I may say , indispensable , do not , however , constitute Freemasonry . Who , then , are fit and proper men to be made Freemasons ? . The answer which at once rises to the Hps of every brother does not contain one word about " reputable circumstances . " Do not let Bro . Whytehead or any other

brother misunderstand me ? I would have every inquiry made , and have assurance that candidates should be in such condition that they were not reasonably likely to come upon our Charities either on behalf of them- ¦ selves , their wives , or their families , but I would not draw the hard and fast line laid down by Bro .

Whytehead . We all of us g ive hostages to Fortune , we are obliged ; and to youth , hope , energy , and conscious ability what is there not open ? If Freemasonry comprised only those whose future is financially " ¦ assured , if there were not the vigour of youth , combined ' with the caution , the prudence , and the wisdom of the

sage , I fear the Institution would not long survive . One word more . Bro . Whytehead says : "Free- ' masonry was founded for purposes of good fellowship , and for the promotion of brotherly love arid •' mutual intercourse among all classes of society . " Again , he says : "It ( Freemasonry ) is a medium for

linking temporarily together persons of respectability and good means , drawn from all social grades , for the ¦ propagation of good fellowship and the interchange of ' kindly feelings , and especially for the purpose of breaking down for the time being the barbed-wire ' barriers of reli g ious and political creeds . " And is this all ? If the objects and aims of

Freemasonry are herein contained , if there is nothing higher , nobler , brighter than this , then surely the need for a lodge room ceases to exist ; Masonic ceremonial is ah" ¦ empty pageant , and the refreshment room , with its accessories , is all that is left or is required to carry out our much vaunted system of morality !—I am , yours fraternally ,

JOSEPH MATTHEWMAN , Wakefield , September 29 th . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE CALENDAR .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I should esteem it a great favour if any . Provincial Grand Secretary would kindly send to me on loan a copy of his Provincial Grand Lodge Calendar . The Province of Shropshire has at present no such , record . —Yours fraternally ,

R . G . VENABLES , The Lodge , Ludlow , D . P . G . M . Shropshire . . September 30 . LODGE LA CESAREE .

To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , .... , . I have duly noted the leading articles and correspondence which have recently appeared in your ' valuable paper with reference to the suspension ot La Caesaree Lodge , No . 590 , by the Grand Lodge of ' England .

I have abstained from any comment thereon , as the officers of the lodge are preparing a statement of their case—which thus far has unfortunately been sadly " misrepresented—for the consideration of the brethren " who are members of Grand Lodge . But it appears to me that the mis-statements of fact which have '

been circulated through your columns by Bro . John Durell , P . M ., call for immediate refutation , I' mink ' that it is all the more necessary to do this , as I gather from your leading article in the Freemason ol the 26 th October that you concede the general validity ot tne .

construction put on Article 213 by La Cajsaree Lodge , but that you conceive that the special circumstances of the Durell case are sufficient to create an exception to that construction . Allow me to submit the following facts to you and to ' your readers :

1 . —Bro . John Durell , P . M ., is no longer a member of La Caesaree Lodge . He resigned in 1881 , and in 1885 , when he asked to be re-admitted , his request , after discussion , was withdrawn . 2 . —immediately that it was represented that any inconvenience would be caused to Bro . Walter Durell

by requiring direct communication with the lodge , 1 wrote to Bro . John Durell , P . M ., asking him to send the letter authorising him to demand a clearance certificate , and stating that on receipt thereof the certificate would be forthwith granted by the lodge . The wholecontroversy has arisen out of the refusal of Bro . John

Durell to comply with this modest request . 3 . —No prejudice whatever has been caused to Bro . Walter Durell b y the non-delivery of a clearance certificate , inasmuch as he has obtained one from the Royal Alfred Lodge , jersey , to which lodge he last '

belonged . 4 . —It is not a fact that the letter or postscript from Bro . Walter Durell authorising his father to asK for his clearance certificate was read either in open lodge or at any interview with the Prov . Grand Master ' of J ersey .