To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

THE FOLLOWING UNAVOIDABLY STAND OVEREast Sussex Lodge , No . 166 . St . Cecilia Lodge , No . 250 . North York Lodsie , No . G 02 . R y burn Lodge , No . 12 S 3 . Kirkdale Lodge , No . 1756 . Landport Lodge , No . 1776 .

Ubique Lodge of Instruction , No . 79 . Temperance Lodge of Instruction , No . 1 C 9 , Hyde Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 1425 . Kensington Lodge of Instruction , No . 1767 . St . John ' s Chapter , No . 70 . St . Andrew ' s Red Cross Conclave . Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire .

POOKS . & c . RECEIVED . "Sunday Times" ( New York ) , " Masonic Chronicle" ( Ohio ) , * ' New York Dispatch , " " Die Uafihutte , " " Jewish Chronicle , " " CasseN's National Library , " '* Proceedings ot the Grand Lodge of New Brurswick , 18 S 6 , " "Sunday Times " ( London ) , ' * Keystone , " "Citizen , " " Court Circular , " " Hull and East Yorkshire

Times , " " Masonic Review , " " Limerick Reporter and Tipperary Vindicator , " " Land Agents' Record , " " Encyclopedic Dictionary , " " Victorian Freemason , " " Piano , Organ , and Music Trades Journal , " "Chaine D'Union , " 'Printers ' , & c , Effective Advertiser , " " Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit , " and " Masonic Journal" ( Melbourne ) .

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^ f ^ f ^ e ^^ ^ TV ^^^ S ^^^^^^^^^^/^ j ^^ ' ^^^ j ^ Ai ^ SATURDAY , DECEMBER 4 , 1886 .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of theopinionsexpressedby our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free diRCtt-eion . l

GRAND LODGE AND PROVINCIAL HONOURS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , For some time past we have read in your reports of lodge meetings , and heard the assertion made in our lodge , that although the Craft has considerably increased in numbers , yet the number of Grand Officers remains about the same , and various suggestions are proposed to

remedy a grievance said to be felt by many worth y brethren who are left out in the cold . I do not , however , think the suggested increase in Grand Officers is either wise or neccessary . What new offices could be created , or which among the present offices could be duplicated ? I beg to suggest a way of enabling deserving brethren to wear the purple , although not of the Grand Lodge . All

lodges meeting within 10 miles of . Freemasons' Hall are London lodges , all beyond that distance , Provincial or District Lodges . Now in addition to a chance of Grand Lodge office , members of the latter have the prospect of Provincial office , which brethren belonging to London lodges only do not enjoy , unless they join a Provincial lodge , as do some , solely with the object of getting those

honours . Then the London lodges have increased , for I find from the "Cosmopolitan" that in 1 SS 1 there were 305 London lodges , while the same authority for 1887 gives 348 ; while in looking through the lists of the Provincial Grand Lodges , I note that Bedfordshire has 5 ; Cambridge , 5 ; Cheshire , 40 ; Devonshire , ^ 50 ; Hereford , 4 ; Kent , 56 ; East Lancashire , 05 : West Lancashire , 84 ;

Middlesex , 41 j Shropshire , n ; North and EastYork , 29 ; West York , 68 ; and the last new Province , the Isle oi Man , 6 . Now , why cannot the 348 London lodges be formed into four Provincial Grand Lodges—say of North , East , South , and West London , taking Freemasons' Hall as the centre , and drawing a line north and south , to where it would join

an existing province , all lodges north of the river to be North London lodges , and East and West as they meet right or left of this line , and those on the south side of the river to be treated similarly . There would in that case be four times 24 additional Provincial Grand Officers appointed every year , and in those Provincial Grand Lodges having more than 40 lodges under them , the number would be 27 . I cannot see anything in the Constitutions which

gives the formula for petitioning or establishing a Provincial Grand Lodge . It is laid down that all lodges more than to miles from Freemasons' Hall are provincial lodges , but I see no reason , why the large district within the 10 miles radius should not also in some way be constituted intolfour provinces as I suggest . Could not the opinions of the members of the lodges interested be obtained , and sent to some recognised authority with a view of taking further action in the matter ?—Yours fraternally , L . V . W .

SARTOR RESARTUS ~( THE CLOTHED UNCLOTHED ) . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , " The best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a' gley , " may be said or sung over one at least of our Jately-revised Constitutions , which affords another illustration in confirmation of the wit and wisdom of our late highly . gifted Bro . Burns .

In case Grand Lodge on the ist Pecember should not full y decide on the future reading of No . 308 , I venture to hazard a few remarks to indicate the lines on which alone a satisfactory settlement of the rule can he made . 308 has not been cordially accepted by a large number of M ^ ft officers ; nor , so far as my observation has gone , has jt been much—if at all—observed . Like Nelson , the brethren have turned to it their blind eyeand mentally

, exclaimed , "really , we cannot see it . " The objections to 30 S , appear to be—ist . that it repeals " -without apparent reason—a privilege which custom had so long sanctioned , that Masters and Wardens came to regard it as a right attached to their office . 2 nd . that

¦ n , ° * ° * harmot , y with rules 9 t 97 . and 149 . I he proposed amendment , so far from mending matters , "Jakes them worse by extending its operations to Past '" asters , and creating a third objection , viz ., that 308 is inconsistent , not only with the aforesaid rules , but with the Gen tlCe ip the Board of Bet > evolence and Board of

Original Correspondence.

As a "neat principle" — there should be consistency and harmony throughout the Book of Constitutions : and the rules which relate to clothing and jewels should conform to this principle . The revised rules , 9 6 and 97 , not only confirm to Provincial and District Grand Lodge Oflicers and Past Oflicers , the privilege to wear their distinctive clothing at all

Masonic meetings ; but also extends this privilege to Provincialand District Grand Stewards who by the old Constitutions were expressly prohibited from wearing their distinctive clothing except "during their period of oflice . " Now , whilst in 96 and 97 we have an extension of privilege to the most subordinate , and more-for-ornatnent-thanuse class of officials , we have in 30 S—intensified by the

proposed amendment—a contraction of privilege amounting to suppression and repeal , affecting the highest rank in the lodge and the highest officers in the lodge , without whom the work of Masonry could not be carried on for a single lodge meeting . The Worshipful Masters and Wardens have much higher and older claims than any Provincial or District

officers whatever ; and next in antiquity and importance are the claims of Past Masters , 10 wear at all Masonic meetings those distinctions which have been gained by personal service in the Craft , and which mark the rank so honourably obtained . No . 149 enjoins " the Master and his Wardens " to visit other lodges in their official capacity , for certain well-known

and approved considerations ; hitherto the clothing proper to the officers has been worn according to our " ancient landmarks" as part of our Masonic etiquette , to honour the lodge visited , and to denote the rank of the visitors . Now , 30 S alters all this , and suppresses and repeals an ancient custom ; whilst 97 removes a restriction , and gives to a Provincial or Distiict Steward what 30 S takes away

from the oldest officers in the Craft . If it becomes law , a Past Steward accompanying a Master to visit a lodge may be arrayed in all the glory of his crimson adornment , whilst the Master must leave his laboriously-earned collar and jewel outside the door of the lodge , and slink in half naked and half ashamed behind his more privileged and fortunately-dealt with brother .

Past Masters and Masters and Wardens of lodges are members of Grand Lodge , and it savours of inconsistency to take from them their long used privilege , and to confer it on Provincial and District Grand Stewards , whose duties are so undefined that I do not know any brother who knows what they do . However desirable it may be to discountenance the wearing of collars by subordinate officers in lodee other than

those where the offices are served , the line of prohibition may safely be drawn between those who are members of Grand Lodge and those who are not . Most probably this would be accepted by the Craft generally as a lasting settlement—" officers below the Warden ' s chair to wear their collars only in their own lodges ; Past Masters , Masters , and Wardens may , as hitheito , wear their collars at all Masonic meetings . "—Yours fraternally , November 30 th . E . T . BUDDEN .

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , An announcement was made in one of the City journals last week that it was proposed that I should be put in nomination for the office of Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . In consequence of the solicitation of many

friends in the Craft , I had to some extent given my consent thereto , and a large measure of support was promised in that event . But , for the sake of avoiding , as far as possible , a contest which at the present moment might be objectionable , I have asked my friends to defer their kind interest until the next period of election , when I shall do myself the honour to offer myself in the manner they propose . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , ALBERT J . ALT MAN , P . M ., P . Z ., & c . City Steam Works , Barbican . December ist .

ADMISSION INTO LODGES OF INSTRUCTION . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The " I . G . 1326 , " who requested an answer relating to Article 152 of the new Book of Constitutions , I fear , did not ask the question for the good of Freemasonry , but rather for the satisfaction of private pique : he

knowing very well that the brother , mentioned in his letter , had been proposed as a joining member of another lodge , plus the fact of his being a subscribing Royal Arch Mason . And in answer to him , I wish to point out , according to my light , that Article 152 applies only to lodges proper , and not to lodges of instruction . The old and new Book of Constitutions has no word or article prohibiting a non-subscribing member to a lodge

joining a lodge of instruction ; but both articles totally and pointedly relate to non-subscribing members visiting lodges proper . Again , it is simply nonsensical to argue that because a brother belongs to no lodge proper he should be excluded a lodge of instruction , for he may still be in search and want of Masonic tuition , but circumstances that could possibly admit of him joining a lodge of instruction might altogether prevent him for the present rejoining a lodge . — I am , dear sir and brother , yours fraternally , W . HARROLD VINT .

THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I venture to suggest , as an addition to whatever is done by Masons generally , that nur Grand Master , as the fountain of Masonic honour , should be asked to quadruple ( at least ) his Grand Lodge appointments next year . This would enable a number of worthy brethren to be

rewarded with the purple , and would seem a filtinir accompaniment in the Masonic world to the honours said to be contemplated to be bestowed byher Most Gracious Majesty amongst her subjects generally . Again , could not all the congratulatory addressess be presented by the Masters and Wardens of lodges at one time in the Albert Hall , making a great Masonic function there ? This also seems to me worthy of consideration . The sight would be a great exhibition of loyalty to the Throne . —Fraternally yours , P . Z .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft Jlasourg *

NEPTUNE LODGE ( No . 22 ) . —The usual meeting of this old lodge was held on Thursday , the 25 th ult ., at Guildhall Tavern , under the presidency of the W . M ., Bro . J . Corbctt . There were also present Bros . L . V . Walker , S . W . ; E . Y . Jolliffe , J . W . ; Ceilings , P . M ., Secretary ; Brooks , S . D . ; Savidge , J . D . ; Charles , I . G . ; Knill , Organist ; Harrington Baily , Steward ; S .

Cook . l . P . M . ; Povey , P . M . ; Coulcher , P . M . ; Hollandt , Standerwick , Whiting , McGregor , and several other brethren , also Bros . J . B . Bernard , P . M . 1662 ; and R . W . Galer , W . M . 1366 . The lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes read and confirmed , ¦ after which the ballot was taken for Messrs . J , VV . Thatcher and H . C . Goss , and being in their

favour , they were duly initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry by the VV . M . in a most impressive manner . The next business was the election of W . M . for the ensuing year , and the choice of the brethren unanimously fell upon theS . W ., who thanked the brethren for the great honour conferred upon him by his election to that important office . Owing to the lamented death of Bro . E . F . Storr , who

had been Treasurer of the lodge since Bro . Wilcox , P . M ., resigned that position , it became necessary to elect a new Treasurer , and the brethren unanimously voted for Bro . Povey , P . M ., who was declared duly elected . Bro . Povey thanked the brethren for having elected him to the vacant Treasurership , and referred in very feeling terms to his friendship with the late Treasurer for over

25 years . Members of the Audit Committee and the Tyler were also elected . Ten guineas was voted to the list of the W . M . elect , who had undertaken the Stewardship of the lodge on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , and a P . M . ' s jewel unanimously voted to the retiring Master for his able conduct in

the chair during his year of office . A vote of condolence to the widow and family of their late Treasurer was also passed by the brethren . After a proposition for a new member , and " Hearty good wishes " had been given by the visitors , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to dinner .

After the removal of the cloth , the Worshipful Master said that , in consequence of the great loss the lodge had sustained in the death of Bro . Storr , the toasts would be few , and his remarks in introducing them very brief ; but there were certain toasts that must be proposed . He then shortly gave " The Queen and Craft , " " The M . W . G . M ., " and " The Grand Officers . "

The I . P . M ., Bro . Cook , then proposed for the last time "The Health of Bro . Corbett , as W . M ., " and expressed the great pleasure the brethren had felt in the Mastership of Bro . Corbett , and wished him many years of health and happiness in bis retirement , The Worshipful Master thanked the brethren for their good wishes , and proposed " The Initiates , " for which those brethren replied .

The toast of "The Visitors " was proposed , and Bros . Bernard and Galer replied . The toast of "The Officers , " responded to by Bros . Walker , W . M . elect , and Collings , P . M ., Sec , and the Tyler's toast brought the evening to an early close . The lodge was in deep mourning , and all the brethren wore Masonic mourning , for the late Treasurer .

LODGE OF PROSPERITY ( No . 65 ) . —On Thursday , the 25 th ult ., the brethren assembled at thc Guildhall Tavern to offer an unusually costly testimonial to their Secretary , Bro . G . T . Brown , P . M . and P . Z . The chair was taken by the VV . M ., Bro . R . Dyson , there being also present Bros . W . Walker , S . vV . ; G . Haller , J . W . j L . A . Leins , P . M . ; G . T . Brown , P . M . ; C . E . Ferry , P . M . ; G . Schadler , P . M . ; J . Roberts , P . M . ; J . H . Hawkins , P . M . ; C . J . Rich , P . M . ; and the visitors

were Bros . Cronin , 1512 , and Grammar , 27 . Bros . Miller and Dudman having been raised to the Third Degree , the lodge was closed , and the members adjourned to the banquet room . After the usual loyal toasts , Bro . R . Dyson , the W . M ., said that they had met that evening to do special honour to one of their most important

officers , who had not only filled the chair of the lodge and of the chapter , but for a period of over 10 years had most successfully filled the arduous post of Secretary to that large and prosperous lodge . The members had unanimously voted that a copy of their thanks to Bro . _ Brown should be emblazoned on vellum and framed , and , in addition , bv their private subscriptions , bad added a large eilt

and blue enamel clock , with side ornaments to match , also a case containing a gold brooch and earrings , set with brilliants , for Mrs . Brown , and the whole of that grand array of presents being on the table before him , he ( the W . M . ) felt very gratified in handing them over to their brother Secretary , who was so highly esteemed by them all . Bro . Brown , in reply , thanked the W . M . and brethren

for the valuable presents they had that evening given him . His labours had been more than repaid by the many esteemed friendships he had made amongst the members . He knew of no greater honour than being a Past Master and Secretary of their lodge , and a P . Z . of their chapter . He delighted in placing his services as Secretary at their disposal , whether for lodge work , ball committees , summer

banquets , or , above all , their MasonicCharity Associations . He was pleased to say he had instituted their first Association , audleft their second in charge of their present S . W ., and , by the success and help ot those two , he was proud to say that since he had taken the office of Secretary the

Lodge of Prosperity had contributed over £ 2000 to the Masonic Charities ; and he finally appealed strongly to thc jur ior members to avail themselves of this and every opportunity to do their utmost for the three Masonic Institutions . The brethren shortly afterwards separated .

DUKE OF EDINBURGH LODGE ( No . 1259 ) . —The anniversary festival ot the above successful lodge was celebrated on Tuesday , thc 23 rd ult ., at the