Correspondence.

Correspondence .

Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

PROVINCIAL GRAND RANK . To tne Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I fear the writer of the article under the above heading is the victim of an oversight when he suggests the impracticability of the proposal made by the R . W . the District Grand Master of the Punjaub .

On the other hand , I think it a very easy way out of an admitted difficulty . Instead of a Master of a lodge making the selection personally—I cannot imagine this was Bro . General Wolseley ' s exact idea—let the Master decide a selection by a popular vote of his brethren in open lodge . This could be done on the spur of the moment—that is to say , without a direct notice of motion , which would

prevent the objectionable and unfair methods of prior canvassing , and at the same time insure a truly popular opinion as to whom the brethren of a lodge considered most worthy of the purple in a province or district . —Yours fraternally , W . F . LAMONBY . July 29 th ,

Reviews.

Reviews .

"C ALENDAR OF MASONIC MEETINGS IN EAST LANCASHIRE , 1 S 99—1900 . "This ably-condensed and capitally-arranged annual is in its 49 th issue , and for its purpose cannot be improved . There are considerably over 100 lodges in the province , these being arranged according to towns in alphabetical order , with their names , times , places , and days of meeting , Sic . There are some 40 lodges in Manchester , that city being quite a good sized Masonic province by itself . There are over 40 Royal Arch chapters attended to in like manner . The Mark lodges are grouped in a province for lar

the whole of Lancashire , and number nearly 40 , so also are the 22 Knight Temp preceptories , and the nine Rose Croix chapters . The Provincial Grand Lodge of thc Royal Order of Scotland meets three times a year at least , and oftener as required . The lists of Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge Olficers are duly detailed , and other information that is supplied adds much to the usefulness of the very handy and everwelcome publication by Bro . James Newlon , the courteous Provincial Grand Secretary , Copies may De had from the Publisher , Bro . O . C . Compton , Fleet-street , Bury .

Presentation To Bro. Sir Albert Woods.

PRESENTATION TO BRO . SIR ALBERT WOODS .

It will be within the knowledge of many of our readers that during the past few weeks a movement was set on foot by several Present and Past Grand Officers with the view of offering for the acceptance of Bro . Sir Albert Woods some tangible mark of the respect and esteem in which he is held by those who have had the privilege of being associated with him as officers of the Grand Lodge of England , and it was considered that the

celebration this year , both of the 50 th anniversary of his initiation into Freemasonry , and of his having for 40 consecutive years held office in Grand Lodge , was a fitting occasion for such a presentation . When in the year 1849 , Bro . Sir Albert Woods was initiated in the " Old Union Lodge , " the late Earl of Zetland had but a few years succeeded H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex as M . W . Grand Master , and there were on the roll of Grand Lodge but a

a little over Soo lodges , being about one third of the number which , despite the secession of many Colonial ones , are now registered under the Grand Lodge of England . Nine years later Bro . Sir Albert Woods was appointed by the Grand Master to the office of Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , and in 1 S 60 he was promoted to the office of Grand Director of Ceremonies , a post which had some years previously been filled by his father ,

Bro . Sir William Woods ( Garter ) . In the year 1 S 75 , on the occasion of his installation as Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales conferred on Bro . Sir Albert Woods the rank and dignity of Past Grand Warden . The proposal to ask Bro . Sir Albert Woods to accept the offering to which we have referred , met with an immediate and liberal response ; and a sum of nearly . £ 300 , headed by a subscription from his Royal

Highness the Grand Master , was at once forthcoming . It was in accordance with Bro . Sir Albert Woods' special desire , that , while a small portion of the amount should bs devoted to the pu rchase of a piece of plate which might be handed down to his family , the bulk should be applied to the acquisition of some article of jewellery to be offered for the acceptance of Lady Woods .

It was under these circumstances that the testimonial took the form of a most beautiful diamond crescent and a diamond and ruby ring for Lady Woods , and a massive silver tray for Sir Albert . The presentation , which was of a strictly private character owing to Bro . Sir Albert Woods' state of health , took place on Monday last at his private residence . It was made by R . W . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., in the presence of Sir Albert and Lady Woods and their only daughter , Mis . Wollaston , the wife of Mr . Arthur Naylor Wollaston , CLE ., of the India Office .

In addition to Bro . Beach , the following Grand Ofh : ers were present : R . W . Bro . T . Fenn , P . G . W ., and Past President of the Board of General Purposes ; V . W . Bro . R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C , President of the Board of General Purposes ; V . W . Bro . Edward I . etchworth , Grand

Secretary ; V . W . Bro . James H . Matthews , President of the Board of Benevolence ; W . Bros . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., Acting G . Director of Ceremonies ; and Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D . R . W . Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . W ., Past President of the Board of Benevolence , was , much to his regret and disappointment , unable to be present .

It goes withcut saying lhat the happy and fitting terms in which the presentation was made by Bro . Beach left nothing to be desired , and he most adequately gave expression to the feelings which all those he represented entertained towards both Sir Albert and Lady Woods . Bro . Sir A 1 . HURT WOODS , speaking on behalf both of Lady Woods and himself , referred , in a most feeling and touching speech , to the happy connection which for so many years had existed between the Craft and himself , and tendered his heartfelt thanks for the gift , which would form one of his most treasured possessions .

Presentation To Bro. Sir Albert Woods.

The following is the inscription on the tray : " Presented to Rt . Worshipful Brother Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . B ., K . C . M . G ., Garter , Past Grand Warden , and Grand Director of Ceremonies of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free , and Accepted Masons of England , by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., Most Worshipful Grand Master , and

by Officers of Grand Lodge , Present and Past , who have been officially associated with him , as a mark of fraternal esteem and respect on the occasion of his celebrating the 50 th anniversary of his initiation into Freemasonry , and of his having for 40 continuous years held office in Grand Lodge . "

Consecration Of The Harringay Lodge, No. 2763.

CONSECRATION OF THE HARRINGAY LODGE , No . 2763 .

The Harringay Lodge , No . 2763 , was consecrated at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , on Tuesday , the 25 th ult ., in the presence of a large gathering of brethren and with every prospect of success . The new lodge

is intended to meet the requirements of brethren residing at Harringay , where it will be located at the Salisbury Hotel . The strong body of founders , numbering 24 , are well officered , having as the first W . M . Bro . C . E . Wetton , P . M . 2087 , and the onerous duties of Secretary will be ably carried out by Bro . G . R . Newman , P . M . 1050 , W . M . 167 ; .

The following is a list of the founders : Bros . C . E . Wetton , P . M . 2087 ; E . F . Barnes , I . G . 1950 ; W . E . Toynton , S . D . 1950 ; W . J . Janes , P . M . 1708 ; L . E . Thurlow , 19 S 7 ; G . R . Newman , P . M . 1950 , W . M . 1673 ; R . R . Sinclair , J . D . 1185 ; George Wetton , 192 ; C . D . Pagniez , 1185 ; W . G . Adcock , W . M . 2202 ; John Davis , 128 S ; William Hewitt , 2353 ;

George Evans , 1360 ; C . G . Dunk , 1360 ; Harry Inder , I . G . 20 S 7 ; H , J . Thwaites , 1 S 91 , J . D . 2684 ; Arthur Bloyce , 1950 ; J . C . Brunjes , 12 SS ; Alexander Jackson , 20 S 7 ; Carl Eberstein , 1949 ; R . J . F . Clark , 1686 ; Charles Goodman , S . W . 2698 ; H . Godwin , P . M . 1673 , J . W . 1050 : and W . W . Wooder , S . W . 1950 .

The Consecrating Officer , Bro . E . Letchworth , G . Sec , was assisted by Bros . W . H . Bailey , P . G . Treas ., as S . W . ; J . D . Langton , P . D . G . D . C , as J . W . ; Rev . Canon Brownrigg , P . G . C , as Chap . ; F . Richardson , P . G . D ., as D . C ; and Trewinnard , P . M ., as I . G . After the lodge had been opened ,

The CONSECRATING OFFICER , addressing the brethren , said they had met together for the purpose of undertaking a most interesting and solemn ceremony , which could not fail to enlist the sympathies of all who had at heart the interests of the Order . They had met to start into existence a new lodge , and to add one more to the long list of lodges on the register of Grand Lodge . Although the ceremony of consecration was performed in

that building , which might be called the head-quarters of the Order , the lodge was founded for the convenience of brethren in the suburb of Harringay Park . He trusted that new lodge might be the means of cementing together in fraternal regard those who resided in that neighbourhood ; that it might accomplish all those special objects the founders had in view ; and that it might be the means of advancing the best interests of Freemasonry .

The D . of C read the dispensation for the consecration to be held at Freemasons' Hall , and the ceremony was then proceeded with . Bro . the Rev . BROWNRIGG delivered an eloquent oration , in which he strongly emphasised the necessity for care in the admission of members , and the new lodge was solemnly constituted . Bro . C . E . Wetton , P . M ., was installed as the first W . M ., and the

following officers were invested . Bros . E . F . Barnes , S . W . ; W . E . Toynton , J . W . ; W . J . Janes , I . P . M . ; L . E . Thurlow , Treas . ; G . R . Newman , Sec . j R . R . Sinclair , S . D . ; Geo . Wetton , J . D . ; C . D . Pagniez , I . G . ; W . G . Adcock , D . of C ; John Davis , W . Hewitt , Geo . Evans , and C G . Dunk , Stwds . ; and W . Webb , Tyler .

On the proposition of the W . M ., the Consecrating Officers were elected honorary members and accorded a hearty vote of thanks for their services . The G . SEC , who was presented with a copy of the founders' jewel , returned thanks for himself and colleagues . A lengthy list of candidates for initiation was announced , and lodge was closed .

A banquet was held at Freemasons' Tavern , at which the W . M . presided , and the customary toasts received hearty recognition in spite of the fact that the speeches were models of brevity . In proposing the combined toasts of " The Grand Officers " and " The Consecrating Officers , " the W . M . expressed the indebtedness of the

founders to the latter brethren for the manner in which they had conducted the ceremony . It would make a lasting impression upon the members . It was a matter of regret that Bros . Letchworth and Richardson were unable to stay to the banquet . It would be the aim of the founders to act up to the excellent example set them that evening .

Bro . Rev . J . b . BROWNRIGG , P . G . Chap ., replied , and said that this was the third lodge consecrated in 10 days , and he did not know how long this rate was to be kept up . They would have to go on strike for more pay and regular hours . He was sorry that Bro . Letchworth was not present ,

for he fancied that he could hear that brother ' s eloquent remarks when dilating upon the future of the lodge and the happy choice of the first W . M . They hoped one day to visit the Green Lanes and hear the present W . M . relate his experience of the starting of the lodge . He irave them "The Health of the W . M . "

The W . M . expressed his sense of the honour paid him by placing him in that position and he hoped to merit their esteem b y his efforts . He had the interests of the lodge very much at heart . At the next meeting he proposed to oiler himself as a Steward for the Charities and was sure a sum would be voted to his list . He thanked the founders for the great kindness shown him and could assure them his services would always be at their disposal .

For " The Visitors , " Bros . T . H . Gardentr , P . A . G . D . C ; W . W . Lee , P . P . G . D . Middx . ; Davies , P . M . ; Hall , P . M . ; and Trewinnard , P . M . ; replied ; and the Secretary and Treasurer of the lodge acted in a similar capacity for " The Officers . " The Tyler ' s toast then closed the proceedings .

The musical programme was ably carried out b y Bros . S . Masters , H . Schartau , Franklin Clive , W . Emerson , and S . Wright , and Miss Kodriquez .