Betting Evils.

according to the value of the race , be from ios . to sS 3 and £$ . In this way the love of easy and extraordinary gains s fostered in the minds of those who in possession sometimes of small incomes wish to make them larger . And not only this , but the buyers of these tickets send small

sums first and then often large sums to be put on special " favourites , " on " dark horses sure to be successful , " as proclaimed by the sagacious " tips ; " and thus the gains to the " Great Unknown , " who generally act by agents , are very great , the losses to these gullible " pigeons" are

still greater . Thus , week by week we read in our police reports , how in order to make good their " honourable " payments , small sums are abstracted from the " till , * ' " figures are falsified in cash . books , " large amounts

are dishonourably obtained , until the crash comes and the " Confidence Trick " is again shown up by the police , though often accompanied by the lasting ruin ofa fair name and a good reputation . Oh ! "fortunati nimium , " who , in all classes keep out of the " Maelstrom" of betting . Any

such system to which we have called attention is , in our opinion , an unmitigated evil to society , as it is productive of numerous and necessary infringements of the law , and we are glad to note the efforts made by the authorities to suppress it . We think it well to caution our brethren against

being mixed up with any such illegal practices or hurtful speculations . As Masons we are not breakers of the law , but upholders of the law , at all times and under all circumstances . Any brother so offending , or tried by the magistrate for such breaches of the law , becomes , in our opinion , disqualified to continue a member of our

Order , inasmuch as such acts , contrary to law , are equally hurtful to morality , and tend to the injury and demoralization of society . Any lodge would be justified in excluding a brother thus convicted from its membership , and would be sustained on appeal by the Board of General Purposes and Grand Lodge .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , bnt wc wish in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limils—free discussion . ]

MASONIC COURTESY . To the Editor ofthe" Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — As Freemasons we profess often a good deal , I wish that we practised what we often so loudly profess . I fear that , like men in general , even we Freemasons are not exempt from the veriest littlenessof humanity . Indeed ,

how could such exemption be expected ? To say the truth , I fancy that if the veil were lifted which hides much of our Masonic life from the public gaze , we should be found to be equally susceptible , as other mere mortals , of all those passions which dominate the human will and agitate the human breast . For instance , in courtesy one to another , we are often gravely and greatly wanting , sometimes most markedly

so , and though , as a Freemason , I am taught not to be uncharitable in thought , word , or deed , I believe that I am correct in my assertion . I cannot shut my eyes to acts which amongst ourselves are almost a ludicrous reflection on our noisy professions , and too often demonstrate in the culprits a weakness both of the head and the heart . I might say more , but I beg to-day to subscribe myself yours fraternally , MASONIC COURTESY .

FREEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother ,- — Among the many unfounded statements made by the speakers at the meeting of Freemasons held at Glasgow , on thc nth ult ., reported in the Freemason of the 21 st ult ., the following statement was made by Bro .

Barrow , of Glasgow : — " The Earl of Dalhousie was afterwards elected Grand Master , but he refused to take office unless a Committee was appointed to investigate into Grand Lodge business . That Committee came back to Grand Lodge , and reported that everything was found in order . Everything was complete and perfect . "

This statement implies that such a Committee either failed to make inquiry into Grand Lodge affairs and falsely reported it had done so ; or that it made such inquiry and falsely reported that all was correct . But Bro . Barrow ' s statement has no existence in fact . Lord Dalhousie neither made such a refusal or request . Such a Committee was never appointed and never existed , and , consequently , no such report was ever made . Lord Dalhousie however

, did write a letter on his nomination to the Grand Mastership , expressing a very decided opinion that the former practice of the Grand Lodge should be adhered to , by electing a new Grand Master every two years , antl that that practice was of the highest benefit to the Craft , and , in so far as he was concerned , would be followed by him by his retirement at the end of his second year of office . Bro . Barrow further states that he ha ? been a mem-

Original Correspondence.

ber of Grand Lodge for twenty-four years , and that from the first day of his membership he was aware that it was a rotten institution . He has also in the course of that period , been a member of Grand Committee , and has held various offices in Grand Lodge . He is ready to fasten responsibility for mismanagement upon other persons . Is he not also equally with others responsible for that

mismanagement ? What steps did he take to rectify the abuses the existence of which he from the first says he knew , and of which he now complains ? None . Although he says that after 1858 , when the new hall was built , better returns were " got to account for the income of Grand Lodge , which showed that the Secretary and Treasurer were taking all the income for fees lo themselves , " and that , according to his es timate , the sum so appropriated during

the period of his membership amounted to the fabulous sum of from £ 50 , 000 to £ 70 , 000 . I think Bro . Barrow owes some explanation to the Craft for thus standing by , and silently , but knowingly , permitting , as hechooses to term it , such " plundering and blundering . " The accusations he now so freely makes against those with whom he was associated in the administration of Grand Lodge affairs come with bad grace from him , even were they as true as they

are incorrect . A person at the meeting also stated that he had heard that £ 150 , the balance of the funds subscribed toward a testimonial to the Earl of Dalhousie , and handed over by him to the Benevolent Fund of Grand Lodge , had been " spent on a Champagne supper . " He asked Bro . Barrow , who had been Chairman of the Finance Committee , if this

was true . Bro . Barrow knew that that statement was absolutely untrue ; but what was his reply ? He did not give the statement a flat denial , as any person wishing to act fairly to his neighbour and brother would have done , but said that he would answer their question if put to him in Grand Lodge I thereby implying that the money had been improperly spent . Such conduct on the part of Bro .

Barrow , who occupies the position of Senior Grand Warden , requires no comment . Almost all the other statements and insinuations made by Bro . Barrow , and the other speakers at the meeting , are as incorrect as those I have referred to . They JJappear to have been purposely made to throw discredit on others ; but they are so numerous as not to permit of particular

notice in this letter . Colonel Campbell , who presided at the meeting , states that a large number of the alterations which were proposed in Grand Lotlge laws were , in his opinion , opposed to the rights and privileges of daughter lodges , and that , in the interest of Freemasonry in Scotland , they should have been fully discussed . I quite agree with him . But they were

fully discussed and considered in Committee . And by whom were these alterations proposed ? Almost exclusively by the Colonel ' s Glasgow friends . The only one opposed by the other sections of Grand Lodge was the first in the list , which was fully discussed and rejected by an overwhelming majority , and even were the votes rejected to which the Glasgow speakers take exception , the

proposal would still have been rejected by a large majority . The alterations proposed in the laws were remitted to Grand Committee for consideration and report , and they were all fully discussed at various meetings and at a meeting of the Committee called specially for the purpose of their consideration . The alterations approved of by the Committee were published and circulated among the

members of Grand Lodge several days prior to its meeting , and were considered by them . Fuither discussion of these alterations , with the exception of the first , which was separately discussed and disposed of , was unnecessary , for it was the very parties proposing them who scught their renewed discussion . Getting all they wanted , such a discussion became a waste of time . Besides , I am sure Colonel

Campbell , and any common-sense person , will admit that a large meeting of 400 Masons , composing the Grand Lodge of Scotland , is not the one best fitted to dispose of alterations in existing laws , which require calm and deliberate consideration in their disposal . The Committee was the proper forum for this duty , and there the Glasgow brethren

got all they wanted , with the exception of the alterations embraced in the Second Section , which were also fully considered by Grand Conynittee and not sustained . These were not insisted on at the meeting of Grand Lodge . On the whole matter , it appears to me that a great noise has been made of nothing . I am , & c , PAST MASTER .

THE LOSS OF THE "PRINCESS ALICE . " To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The Rev . A . Stylcman Herring ' s pathetic letter to the Times of the 28 th ult ., mentions among a few cases claiming commiseration and assistance by that terrible loss ot life in the collision of the " Princess Alice , " and

consequent distress and misery to numerous families . He quotes among others , " a city agent ( a Freemason ) leaves a vvitlow with nine children , in reduced circumstances , after securing by personal efforts a good income . " This allusion is , of course , to our late Bro . Jardine , whose pecuniary position I know not , and whose personal acquaintance was slight , meeting him occasionally at the

London Masonic Club , of which be was a member , and also at lodge of instruction . The circumstances of this case seems to require the special and individual help of the Craft , irrespective of the fund collecting at the Mansion House for general distribution , and I venture lo suggest through your valuable journal that a subscription be started , as no doubt more

will be ree-ulrcd for the widow than that of securing one admission to our Schools , of which notice has been given . If you will undertake to receive contributions , or any member of his lodge , I shall be happy to add my mite . Trusting this proposal will meet your approval and the brethren generally , I aft ) , yours faithfully and fraternally , ' I . E . SHAND .

Original Correspondence.

THE QUEBEC QUESTION . To thc Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother . I observe that in your article , on this subject , of Sep . 28 th , you lay special stress on the fact that the Grand Lodge of Quebec was in the wrong for requesting the Grand Lodge of England and Scotland to hand over to it three

old lodges now holding allegiance to them . But you omit the fact that the answer of the Grand Lodge of Scotland was to charter two new lodges in Montreal , and you only passingly allude to the appointments of a P . G . M . at Montreal by that Grand Body . Seeing that it is always more conducive to peace and harmony that there should be only one governing body in a district , I fail to see how so

natural a request is " wrong . " If these three old lodges wish to remain true to their old allegiance , the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland are quite right to refuse the request of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , but there is in this no " casus belli , " the case simply remains " in statu quo . " That , I imagine , has been the course pursued by the Grand Lodge of England , and no evil has ensued

therefrom , peace and harmony continuing between it and the Grand Lodge of Quebec . The cause of the rupture between the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Quebec is that the former did not act with the same dignity and courtesy as that of England , but responded to a civil request by a gratuitous insult , viz ,: — the invasion of a Masonic power , whose regularity and

supremacy within its own district she had recognised in the previous year . I certainly for one , do not anticipate in the future any ill-feeling or hostility between the Grand Lodges of England and Quebec , if the former refuses the requests of the latter ; but I think I have shown where the " wrong ' is in the matter . Yours truly and fraternally , NEMO

THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . ' ' Dear Sir and Brother , — The following is said to be the report of this Society in July , and which has appeared in several of your contemporaries : — "The thirty-eight district committees of the Charity

Organization Society have dealt with 1028 cases , exclusive ° f 3 ° . * i vagrants and homeless persons , during the four weeks ' ending Saturday , July 27 th . In class one , 435 were dismissed as not requiring relief or otherwise ineligible . In class two , 272 were recommended to the guardians , local agencies , or private persons . In class three , ^ 2 t were assisted by grants , loans , employment , or letters

for hospitals , etc . " Thus , including vagrants , & c , the Society has dealt with 1333 cases in the four weeks ending July 27 th . The Society divides the applicants into three classes , and this report coveting them , we see : —in class one , 43 s were dis missed as not requiring relief or otherwise ineligible . How many cases were relieved isnot stated . In class two , 272 were

recommended to the guardians , local agencies , or private persons . In class three , 321 were assisted by grants , loans , employment , or letters to hospitals . Thus , it would seem prima facie , that out of 1333 cases 593 were aided , under 50 per cent . I should like to know how much was given in grants and loans , and how many of the 272 were profited by the recommendations ?

And then comes the further question , what came of the 740 unrelieved ? Were they simply relegated to mendicancy and despair , and the vagrant wards . I confess to have been deeply touched by the following story , at one of our police courts , a few weeks back : — " A poor woman , widow of a solicitor once in affluence , is found by a policeman on a doorstep , with her daughter . They

are too poor to pay for a night ' s lodging . They will not go into thc workhouse . The policeman , very kindly , seeing her ill , takes her to the infirmary of the nearest workhouse , where she dies , as the doctor testifies , of sheer starvation . " Is this not a disgrace to our civilization ? And do we not

want a hig her and deeper exercise of a good Samaritamsm than is necessarily the outcome of Organization Societies ? They seem , if I may say so , to touch the surface but never to probe the hidden depths beneath . I will deal with the last report in your next issue . I am , yours fraternally , OMICRON

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD OF WALES . — Ben . Reuead , surnamed the " City of the Future , " was invaded last week by hosts of natives of the Principality , who travelled from every portion of North and South Wales , for the purpose of being present at their annual national Eisteddfod meetings , which , notwithstanding the sneers of the London " Thundeier , " have done very much

to foster and advance a truly national taste for literature , poetry , music , art , trade , and domestic economy . Prizes were offered in each of these and other departments , and in some instances keen competitions took place . The most valuable of the prizes were for contests in choral singing , brass band performances , piano and harp playingessay writing , musical compositions , & c , and the

, principal adjudicators in music were Professor Macfarren , Mr . Brinley Richards , Signor Foli , & c . It is estimated that the totai ; attendance during thc four days the Eisteddfod continued was upwards of 50 , 000 , and the profits of the " spec . " are to be divided amongst the University College of Wales , the Royal National Lifeboat Institution , of the dif

and the Birkenhead Charities . The presidents - ferent meetings were Lord Aberdare , Mr . Osborne Morgan , Q C M . P ., D- Mac Ivor , M . P ., the Mayor of Liverpool , & c . Bro , Sir Watkin Williams Wynn , R . W . P . G . M ., N . W . and Salop , was announced as one of the presidents , but continued ill-health a iu -ioum in a foreign country prevented his attendance .

The following stand over 1 ' - * ext week : — Letter from " I . P . M . 1327 , "HA , 33 ° , " ¦ , nts of Ivy Lodge , N n 1441 ; St . John ' s Marl * Lodge , . olton .