The Freemason.

ic up n its roll , and the question is beginning to be i' discussed in England as to whether it may not be-« come necessary to afford some of them an oppor" trinity of forming themselves into independent " Grand Lodges . " "Will it surprize" out

amiable confrere to hear that the question of independent Grand Lodges is not at all the " order of the day" in England , and that , for various reasons ,

and " good and sufficient causes us thereto to moving , " wc deprecate greatly the hasty and unwise creation of Grand Lodges often merely to oratify one or two impatient or ambitious brethren .

* * WE sometimes hear of short terms of Masonic membership in England , and some good brethren think we arc even retrograding in that respect . We have culled from an Antipodean Masonic journal two

paragrap hs relative to Masonic membership in the United States , and which we commend to the attention of all our readers , at home and abroad : " Bro . J BEST , of New Concord—recognized " as the oldest man in the United States of

" America—died recently at the ripe age of one " hundred years . Seventy-seven years of his life " was spent as a Master Mason . He was a mem" ber of all the Hig her Degrees . Another old " Mason is Bro . J AMES RACKLEFF , of Portland ,

" Maine ; he attained the npc age of one hundred ' * years last month . He is a retired master mariner , " in good health and spirits . He was made a " Mason in 1 S 0 S , in Ancient Landmark Lodge , " Portland . " All honour to such good old loyal Masons everywhere . * * *

AN amusing little incident , to which we call attention elsewhere , as described in the Masonic Age , supplies us all with food for thought and meditation , and has a wider application than may at first sight appear . We arc often startled by attacks on

Freemasonry , in which we hardly know whether the falsehood , or the malignity , or the folly , or the monomania predominates . At such times and

under such provocations do not let us , as Freemasons , lose our temper or return " railing for railing , " but let us shrug our shoulders , and say philosophically , with that wise sententious Teuton" He could not understand it . " * * *

WE have reason to believe , on good authority , that the Supreme Council , 33 , Ancient and Accepted Rite , have " withdrawn from the Congress of Lausanne . Wc are also given to understand that the reason of this decision has been a desire on the

part of some of the foreign jurisdictions to rc-open the very serious question of the G . A . O . T . U . Wc have no hesitation in saying if the report be correct ,

which we do not doubt , that this wise proceeding on the part of the Supreme Council will be heartil y approved of by its many friends and supporters at home and abroad .

* * WE received from West Yorkshire what purported to be the " official list . " By some error the wrong list was forwarded , as instead of £ 1700 and more ,

which wc mentioned last week , the real amount is £ 2408 19 s . for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . This fact deserves notingand recording , but the mistake was not ours . Wc thank our correspondent for correcting the miscalculation .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc ilo not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed bv our corresponilenl s , but we wisli in a spirit nf fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

MASONIC PUPILS' ASSISTANCE FUND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you allow me to ask through your columns for some information respecting- the above fund ? I . ast August 1 sent a subscription to it , in response to an

appeal from Bro . Dick Radclyffe , and since then the scheme appears to have fallen through . Doubtless many of your readers have been interested in flie scheme , and will be glad to near wnat ( 'f anything- ) its Promoters are now doing . By inserting this request for '' light" on Ihe subject you Will oblige Yours fraternally , A PROVINCIAL BROTHER .

Original Correspondence.

BRO . YARKER AND THE HIGH DEGREES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In the present day , when we are somewhat perplexed as to the status of the various grades of Masonry generically denominated as the High Degrees , it becomes essential to provide a test as to their legality or otherwise .

It appears to me that this test can be found in the relations of these Degrees to Craft Masonry . No High Degree can be recognised which involves any infringement of the obligations of its professors as Craft Masons , or entails the recognition of bodies irregular as far as the first Three Degrees are concerned . I should like'to know :

1 st . If Bro . Yarker is at the present moment a subscribing member of any lodge or chapter on the roll of the United Grand Lodge of England ? I am credibly informed that he is not . 2 nd . Has the so-called A . and P . Rite recognised and held Masonic intercourse with notoriously irregular Craft Masons ? I am credibly informed that it has and does .

3 rd . Does the so-called Rite of Memphis declare that it merely suspends provisionally the working of the first Three Degrees , or what our foreign brethren call "Symbolic '" Masonry ? I am credibly informed that it does . If Bro . Yarker is a subscribing Craft Mason , I may have something to say to him at an early communication of Grand Lodge . I remain , yours fraternally , A WEST COUNTRY P . M .

] EWS AND THE HIGHER GRADES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In the original correspondence of your issue of the 29 th ult ., it is asked by "Juvens "—Can a member of the Hebrew persuasion take the Degrees of the Rose Croix , & c . ? You , Mr . Editor , think a candidate * must be more

or / rasaChristian . I believe that any brother M . M . iseligible to be proposed as a Prince Rose Croix , who can take the obligations required , whether he be of what "Juvens " says of the Hebrew persuasion or any other . But sir , having often seen and heard Jewsspoken of as pcrsons'or people of the Hebrew persuasion , I should like to ask "Juvens" or you if it is correct to do so . It appears to me not , and that

a Jew is a Jew or a Hebrew ; he is born a Jew I suppose , and therefore no persuasion could ever make him anything else ; his nationality is stamped upon his countenance . It would be as proper to speak of a man as of the English or German persuasion . It may possibly be correct to speak

of a Jew ' s religion , but persuasion 1 fancy not—any person I suppose could adopt the Jewish religion , but he would not therefore become a Jew , any more than a Jew become an English or Irishman . Excuse me , sir , trespassing so much on your valuable space . I am yours fraternally ,

A . P . ROSE CROIX . * [ VVe said that the "Degree" was more or less Christian , not that the " candidate " must be . —En . F . M . J

CHANGING THE DATES OF THE CHARITY FESTIVALS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A good deal of curiosity exists among some of us

as lo by whose authority the dates of the festivals of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and Girls' School have been altered . Can you enlighten us ? VVe understand they were fixed , and then , lo ! and behold , they arc changed . In some cases such postponements work great

inconvenience . With all the goodwill of Bros . Best and Dawkins , when the festival is " on" they cannot attend to" private lodges , " and it is no secret that one or more lodges will have to " camp out " on the nights of the festivals , much to the inconvenience of the brethren and the loss of Bro . Best . Please , therefore , tell us what you know of this " hankypanky " work . Yours enquiringly ,

A VICTIM OF CHANGE . [ Perhaps some brother will answer this " Victim of Circumstances ; " we condole with him much , but are quite "in the basket" ourselves . VVe presume that there is some good reason and full authority for such changes . — ED . F . M . ]

WEST YORKSHIRE AND THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT GATHERING . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I note in your leader of yesterday in Freemason as to West Yorkshire and Benevolent Festival vou are

slightly in error . According to our list , issued 24 th January , wc have 103 Stewards ( not in ) , but our subscriptions are now £ 2366 Ss ., and still increasing . For Girls' Festival nine Stewards and £ 149 iSs . For Boys' Festival three Stewards and £ 37 iGs . With best wishes , yours fraternally , JOHN BARKER , P . M . 1102 . Mirfield , Jan . 30 th .

THE DUTCH FREEMASONS AND THE BOERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I see from the papers that the Grand Orient Lodge of Freemasons of Holland , acting in the name of all the lodges of the Netherlands , has sent an address in favour of the independence of the Transvaal to the

National Grand Master of England , and also to Her Majesty the Queen . The address is signed by Prince Frederick and the Secretary to the Grand Orient Lodge . I do not know whether it is one of the grand principles of Dutch Masonry , as it is that of English , that religion and polities should form no part in the intimacy of brethren of the Craft . Were such not the inexorable law here our Masonry would soon become a thing of the history of the

past . I write , sir , in the hope that such influence may be brought to bear upon Grand Lodge that , in the first place , no action may be taken to forward the object of the address , because of such address , and secondly that an intimation may be given respectfully to the Grand Orient Lodge of Holland that English Masons as such do not mix themselves up with the politics of their country . As to the disputed point of the independence of the Transvaal , 1 offer np opinion . It would be difficult for any one at pre-

Original Correspondence.

sent to form one worth the expression of it ; but if English statesmen are not to be influenced in their opinion by English Masons , it is at least somewhat less than can be expected that they should so be by members of the Fraternity of another country however friendly and allied to us . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , J . H ., VV . M . 1491 .

Reviews.

Reviews .

WORKS RELATING TO FREEMASONRY . Privately printed by Bro . R . Pratt , Wigan . This is a list of works relating to Freemasonry in the Wigan New Public Library , edited by Bro . H . Tennyson Folkard , librarian . Among them we note the American Report of 1 S 55 of Anderson's Constitutions of 1723 , La Lire Masonic , A la Haye , 1763 , some of Oliver's

works , and the usual Masonic compilations , and Findel ' s History . We think the idea a good one , and wish all librarians would do the same . A font note makes the catalogue more important . Since this catalogue was published 100 volumes on Freemasonry have been added , a donation from the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres . We hope o ther

names will be given . Would it be too impertinent an inquiry to ask , is there any reason why Lord Balcarres , formerly Lord Lindsay , should have given up Freemasonry ? Can Bro . Folkard give any explanation of what seems to some strange and mysterious ? VVe hope Bro * Folkard will complete his well-intentioned little work , as it will be a help to the Masonic student .

ALMANAC DE GOTHA . Gotha . Justin Perthes . This well-known and useful "Annuaire , Genealogique , Diplomatique et Statisque , " " Genealogical , Diplomatical , and Statistical Annual , " comes before us in 1 SS 1 in its 110 th issue . It is as full of information and as valuable and interesting as ever . It contains two charming portraits of Princess " Auguste Victorie , " of

Schleswig-Holstein , the fiancee of the eldest son of the Prince Imperial of Germany , a " Lewis , " and grandson of Her Majesty , and of the Princess Stephanie of Belgium , fiancee of the Crown Prince Rudolf , of Austria . Wc also sec the portraits of Mr . Gladstone and the head of the princely house of Furstcnberg . To some of our readers their old friend " The Gotha " is an indispensable yearly companion .

COSBURN'S DIRECTORY ( WITH ALMAMACK ) OF BERKS , BUCKS , AND WILTS . E . J . Cosburn , Newbury . As a specimen of industrious compilation and excellent typography Bro . Cosburn's Annual deserves special notice . Its usefulness as a directory must be very great , while the two or three hundred pages of advertisements at once attest the enterprise of the district and the energy of the publisher .

WARD AND LOCK'S UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTOR ( Part 4 ) . This useful work still fulfils the promise of excellence exhibited in the first number , and bids fair to answer to its title , and to become a universal instructor . The woodcuts in Part 4 are numerous and good , and really illustrative of the text . Altogether it is a wonderful sixpennyworth .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

STEPHEN MORIN . The history of Stephen Morin . or Moren , is well-known to all Masonic Students , and very little that is new can now be said about him . The only point which I have raised is in respect of Bro . Yarker ' s statement that his patent of 1761 was revoked by the French Grand Lodge . Bro . Yarker afterwards said , by the French Grand Orient in 1764 and

, Bro . Yarker quoted Bro . Mackenzie , and Bro . Mackenzie quotes Kloss . My simple contention has been from the first , and still is , that a patent granted in 1761 by the " Conseil of the Emperors of the East and the West , " could not be revoked by another body , the Symbolic Grand Lodge of France , which in 1761 had no " concordat" with the High Grades , as the Grand Orient was not in existence until

1772 , really ( though some say 1770 , ) there was a great mistake somewhere . To this I adhere . It may be true that some of the officials of the French Grand Lodge were officials of the " Emperors of the East and the West , " but the " Bodies " had nothing in common . I also went on to say , that if the words " Grand Orient " were used , they did not refer to the " body , " so called , but to the techinical

term , the " locale , " the East of Masonry . And to this also I adhere . Bro . Mackenzie says I need not have troubled myself to have told him that well-known fact , and ytt curiously enough he brings in Kloss , to give a sort of quasi confirmation to the " Grand Orient" existence , & c , as a "body , " not a "locale . " He also quotes " Besuchet . " But " Besuchet , " I beg to observe , saysnothing of the kind .

In the patent he quotes the words are " au Grand Orient de Paris , " which in no way can mean "in , " but " at , " or "to . " and , therefore , if Kloss so understands it , he is decidedly wrong . My contention is , therefore , perfectly good , and in fact , incontestable , that a patent granted by one body in 1761 cannot be revoked by another body in 1764 , and that all the words relating to the Grande Loge , or Grand

Orient , do not refer to those bodies so called , but in the former relate to the Grande " Loge des parfaits Macons , " the "Sublime Conseil des Empereurs d'Est et d'Occident . " There is a good deal in this little "beefsteak , " as the " idea" of later writers seems to be to invalidate Stephen Morin ' s powers , which in my opinion historically is absurd and useless . Bro . Mackenzie says that

I hory and others had an interest in making the Grand Orient and Grand Lodge independent of the original grant to Stephen Morin . Of course they do so , though quite disinterestedly , as historically , and as a matter of fact , the French Grande Loge , qua a Grande Loge , and a fortiori the Grand Orient , onlv founded in 1772 . had as much to do

with it as the Grand Lodge of England . Later in this century , when the question of De Grasse ' s powers , & c , came up before the Grand Orient of France , there was no question whatever as to Stephen Morin's "full powers , " which were admitted , but only as to how the twenty-five Degrees of 1761 , had become thirty-three in 1802 . I think then 1 ha . vc made good my points . MASONIC STUDENT .