Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

BRO . HOLMES'S NOTES . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I am not sui prised to see your desire that the correspondence anent the chivalric Orders shall now terminate ; but as allusion is made to myself , I would crave your indulgence for

these final lines . 1 thank Bro . Holmes for his courteous allusion to myself , and I trust I may never forfeit his favourable opinion . I much regret that he has followed his friendly expressions by two allusions to our past controversy , in which I have met him with fairness and with

facts . These allusions are in defiance of all the rules of proper argument , inasmuch as they have been previously met and utterly [ refuted by me . I have shown your readers that the late Prince Albert accepted his Cross before the English public had ever heard of him , and before he ever

heard of the English Langue of the Order of St . John ; it is therefore , to say the least , ungenerous on the part of Bro . Holmes , to revive what he now knows is a misrepresentation , for no other apparent purpose than to damage an institution which interferes with no one .

I could have given documentary proof of the courteous attention of Prince Albert to the English Langue had I thought my statement would be treated with doubt . The English Langue needs no acknowledgement from any existing person ( unless Her

Most Gracious Majesty should think it proper to render it a public institution of England ) . There is no present Governing body of the Order , its institutions are independent and distinct , and the English Langue is in perfect and lawful existence ; It is impossible to say with reast ,

that five-sevenths of the Order , representing five distinct divisions , each having separate power , could not by their will and act revive a dormant langue , when itisadmitted . nayurged , th ; itahandful of members of the Order , not having authority to represent any one langue , could elect a Grand Master at a time when the office was full . Bro .

Holmes s opinion is in curious contrast with one written in 1837 , ant ^ which lay before me as I read his letter ; it was the opinion of the Baron de Reinach , a Commander of the Order , who was at Malta , at the time of the capitulation . The Baron was a distinguished member of the Order , and had its sovereignty continued he was the

chevalier who in point of rank and standing would probably have become Prior of Germany . This eminent Knight expressed an opinion on the 26 th of December , 1837 , distinctly adverse to the view which Bro . Holmes so positively puts forward at the close of his letter . The Bar . m

expressed his gratification at the restoration of the Order in England , and said that the proceedings for that purpose were quite regular . The Baron Ferdinand von Hompesch , a nephew of the 6 9 th Grand Master , held the same view , and inscribed his name on the roll of the English langue . I think the opinion of Bro . Holmes

will be found wanting in the balance against these kni ghts , who ought to know a little of their own institution . I am happy to receive Bro . Holmes ' s friendly expressions , I reciprocate them with all the courtesy to which they are entitled , and with sincere thanks to yourself for the patience with which your space has been afforded me , I am ,

^ Fraternally yours , LUPUS . A Past Deputy Grand Commander , and a Past Grand Officer of the Late Grand Conclave .

Provincial Grand Lodges.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — On reading your report of the Prov G . L . of Cornwall at page 202 , of your last , I find that it was held at Truro , on the 13 th inst .,

and that it was attended ( inter alia ) by the following brethren , viz : —The Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Prov . G . M . designate , & c , and the first paragraph concludes by stating that the lodge was opened and closed by the

Provincial Grand Lodges.

D . P . G . M ., the P . G . M . being unable to perform that duty until his Installation , which is fixed to take place at the Festival meeting in the summer . On reading the article I confess that my Masonic Law received a severe shock . In my simplicity , I believe that on the death of a Prov .

G . M ., the Prov . G . L . ceases to exist and all the offices become vacant , and so remain until a new P . G . M . is appointed , by whose authority the P . G . Lodge might be again established ( see Book of Constitutions , clause 7 > pages 54 , and 55 ) . And the new P . G . M . must be installed at

the first Prov . G . Lodge which he may hold after his appointment ( see . Book of Constitutions , clause 1 , page 45 ) . Now it appears to me clear , that on the death of the late Prov . G . M ., the Prov . G . Lodge ceased to exist and it could not be revived until a new

Prov . G . M . was installed , for until he was installed he had no power to appoint new officers or ask the old ones to retain their places for the current year ; for they had all ceased to exist , and the power to appoint new officers could not be exercised by the Prov . G . M ., until he was installed .

To say that the lodge was opened and closed by the D . P . G M . is an absurdity , when such an officer did not exist , for on the death of the late P . G . M . the officer in question became a Past D . P . G . M . as his office became defunct on the death of the late P . G . M ., and the new P . G . M . had no power tore-appoint him until he himself lad been installed .

I shall be glad to be put right if I am wrong , and it may turn out that it was no meeting of a Prov . Grand Lodge at all , but simply some Charity Meeting , composed principally of Past P . G . Officers and other brethren , which could not wait for the assemblage of the first Prov . 3 rand Lodge in the summer . Yours fraternally . H .

Installation Of H.R H. The Prince Of Wales.

INSTALLATION OF H . R H . THE PRINCE OF WALES .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Although I am aware it is too late now to alter the arrangements which have been made for the installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales

as Grand Master of the Masonic Knights Templar , still , I trust you will kindly insert this letter in the next issue of the Freemason . I do not imagine that I only give utterance to my own feelings , but that I also shall express that which many other Knights Templar feel , when I say that I

very much regret that those in authority have thought fit to recommend to H . R . H ., the 7 th of April for his installation . Had it been a great meeting of Craft Masons , it would surely have been as well to have remembered that many members of the Order might object to a festival

of the kind in Passion week , but as Craft Masonry is not by any means restricted to members of the Christian religion , there would have been nothing contrary to its profession had such a day been selected . But as you , sir , are doubtless well aware , many Knights Templar are in the habit of

making much of their Order , as being essentially a " Christian degree "; and therefore I do think that the leaders of that Order ought not to have suggested a day ( more especially as it was simply an alteration in the day of meeting ) which would occur in a week , which a very large body of

Christians agree in thinking ought to be set apart for other and higher thoughts than those which such a festival as the installation of our illustrious Grand Master Elect is likely to produce . In common with all Masons and all Knights Templar , I rejoice beyond measure that H . R . H .

should preside over us , and I rejoice at the marked interest with which he regards everything connected with Freemasonry , but I am certain that if it had been only hinted to him that some brethren—some over-particular brethren , if you like to call them so—might possibly object to a

festival in that particular week , he would instantly , with that kindly and thoughtful consideration which always marks his actions , have fixed some other and more appropriate day for his installation . Of course , many of my Clerical brethren will , like myself , be prevented by our other duties from attending , as it is ; but it is not on this account

Installation Of H.R H. The Prince Of Wales.

that I write , but simply because I think it my duty as a Past Grand Chaplain to put before my brethren what I conceive to be ri ght in this matter . I have the honour to be , .. '

Yours faithfully and fraternally , CHARLES J . MARTYN , Past Grand Chaplain of England , & Past Grand Aide-de-Camp of Masonic Knights Templar .

COMPOUNDING FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — The question of compounding for subscriptions , though apparently-simple enough , is in truth somewhat of an intricate character , and surrounded by several difficulties both Masonic and financial .

Bro . W . Langley ' s suggestion would indeed be one way of settling the question and solving the difficulty , but how far it would accord with the interest and prosperity of private Lodges your deponent saith and seeth not . I confess , it appears to me that neither our excellent Bro . Smith , nor Bro . Langley have

realised the patent financial and fundamental objections to the proposition in itself . The whole membership system of our English Freemasonry is based on the . annual subscription ; without it , not only all the privileges of the private Lodge , but the qualifications for Grand Lodge ! are lost and abrogated . "'

Hence , the "Composition" of Subscriptions introduces an entirely new element into our Masonic practice and usige , and great caution must be exercised lest , in order to suit the convenience

of the few , we invade or invalidate the position and rights of the many .. No doubt , in one sense , it is merely a question of money , but it is not entirely , or only , a question of money .

Other questions and ulterior consequences are involved which cannot be overlooked , because , they relate to the ri ghts and prosperity of our private lodges , and affect in truth the best interests of the Grand Lodge itself .

For unless the composition be fixed at an amount which precludes any possibility of interference with the financial position of the private lodges , and the recognised principle of necessary annual subscriptions , much injury will accrue inevitably , not only to private lodges in particular ,

but to Freemasonry in England in general . I would wish to put before your readers two illustrations , of the way , in which the Composition , unless carefully guarded , will work prejudicially alike to private lodge funds , and the Grand Lodge funds !

1 . A brother leaves a lodge , and offers to compound . ¦ * • The same is fixed at a given sum . Unless the sum be estimated at such an amount as shall shut out altogether the possibility of under payment , he may exhaust his composition ; arid the

private lodge will have to pay , as long as he lives , his Grand Lodge and Provincial quarterages . I am aware that the argument cuts both ways , but , for the interest of the private lodges , the possibility of such insufficient payment must be carefully provided against .

2 . Againabrotherleavesthe North or the South , as the case may be , and compounds with the lodge for his annual subscription ; he may join another lodge—but he may not ; there is nothing to compel him to do so , and he may retail ! . and claim all the privileges of the private lodge and

all the privileges of the Grand Lodge , at a rate of payment far lower than his brethren , and practically without an Annual Subscription at all . If such a state of things were extensively introduced into our Order , it would revolutionise our English Freemasonry , one of the stiong

points of which undoubtedl y is the Annual Subscription to lodges . If , then , this proposal for composition is to go forward it must be carefully watched and dealt with , as no doubt it will be , by the Board of

General Purposes and its ableChairman . Butihis I am sure of , that anything which tends to impair the dignity or affect the pecuniary position of the private lodges , or to weaken the long recognised importance of the annual subscription , will be deprecated sincerely , by every earnest member of the Craft , —I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , A P . G . O .