Masonic Canards.

fakir ) 0- awav > without scruple , a brother ' s character , his fair fame , his unsullied reputationby the covert insinuation , and by the open slander . Within the last month we have had another wonderful canard , whether proceeding from the same source we know not , but

appear-, ' rjo- under the shadow of a new candidate for literary favours , "The Rosicrucian . " Knowing liow difficult it is to keep these little obnoxious paragrap hs out , and how we have suffered ourselves from similar " circumstances over which we had no control , '' we do not think that any blame

can fairly attach to the able editors of the " interesting little stranger . " But yet we almost wonder that it did appear at all . It is , on the face of it , so preposterously absurd , so impossible to be true . Lord Ripon had abjured

Freemasonry and Freemasons , in obedience to the dictates of his new religious guides ; he had left us to the " stormy wind and tempest" in the very middle of the conflict , and taken his farewell of Freemasonry and Freemasons . And yet here are some of the " Grand Officers" and

special friends of Lord Ripon represented as doing deliberately what was an insult to him , and an absurdity for themselves . To give a gold casket to Lord Ripon , covered with Masonic emblems , was such an act of assinine inconsistency , and even of ungentlemanly indecorum , on

the part of the presentors , as should have led , we think , the editors to discover the " hoax , " evidently , if ingeniously , played upon them . There are many Freemasons who still love Lord Ripon from the memory of " auldlang syne " of happy days of Masonic work , and for his

great and genial qualities of mind and heart ; but even they feel , we venture to say , that his departure from Freemasonry has put , as it were , a chasm between them and him in things Masonic , at any rate , which neither he nor they can attempt to cross over , nor even to bridge over at all . So we trust that we shall

hear the last of this and similar foolish " canards . " To use a Stock Exchange expression , they are very " lame ducks , " and though Lord Palmerston used to say that there were a great many gobemouches in the world who would believe anything , " we must protest , once for all , against our excellent * and harmonious brotherhood being made the amusement of the credulous , the foolish , or the malicious .

Grand Chapter.

GRAND CHAPTER .

The Quarterly Convocation of Grand Chapter was held on Wednesday evening at freemasons' Hall . There was but a small amount of business to be transacted , hut there was a very good attendance of Companions . Comp . Hugh D . Sandeman presided as Z . ; Comp . Colonel Burdctt , as

II . ; and Comp . S . Rawson , as J . Among the other Companions were : John Hervey , S . E . ; J . E . Saunders , S . N . ; J . C . Parkinson , Swd . B . ; J . A . Rucker , P . S . ; E . S . Sncll , ist A . ; Joshua Nunn , 2 nd A . ; Thomas Fenn , 11 . J . P . Dumas , Griffiths Smith , If . Browse , Benj . Head , N . Bradford , James Robins , H . Birdseye , Col . Whitwell , Thomas

W . White , C . F . Hogard , Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , C . A . Murton , G . Lemann , S . C Hadley , V . Pattison , W . F . Powell , F . Deny , F . Frampton , F . Copestick , | . B . Scriven , C . W . Noehmcr , J . Sidwell , II . G . Buss , II . Muggeritlge , W . Ough , James Brett , W . Dodd , II . M . Levy , and II . Massey ( Freemason ) .

Ihe Grand Chapter having been formally opened , and the minutes read ami confirmed , the report of the Committee of General Purposes was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . The accounts of Grand Chapter were as follows : — To Balance i jth July £ 3116 15 4 » Subsequent Receipts \ s * 1 * 4 o

£ 0 ijo i ) 4 By Disbursements during the Quarter £ ' 63 2 4 > i Power of Attorney for transfer of £ 1 , 500 Stock to Masonic Charities 1 3 o 11 Balance 52 G 4 0

£ 690 <) 4 " he following petitions were before Grand Chapter for warrants for new chapters : — ist . —From Companions Henry Elmhurst Reader as Z ., John Le Marchand Carey as H ., Peter Alexander Chayanncs as J ., and seven others for a chanter to be attached

J" the Pacilic Lodge , No . 517 , Wellington , New Zealand , w he called ' -The Wellington Union Chapter , " to meet at the Masonic Hall , Wellington , New Zealand . 2 nd . —From Companions William Henry Jones as Z ., A'ltoinc Louis Le Francis H .. Protonno Cnomnr Dolt as

•l-p and thirteen others for a chapter to be attached to the « 'Ti v ilnd H ° Loil S > No - z 3 + > Calc "" a , to be called he New Union Chapter , " and to meet at the Frcemas "" s' Hall , Calcutta , Bengal . 3 rd , —From Companions George Blake as Z ., William

Grand Chapter.

Henry Mackesy as H ., Henry Thomas Tanner as J ., and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Mayo Lotige , No . 1413 , Rawul Pintlee , to be called " The Locke Chapter , " and to meet at Rawul Pindee , Punjab . 4 th . —From Companions Thomas Stalkartt Carter as Z ., John Lowthin as H ., William Cutbush as J ., and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Glatlsmuir Lodge ,

No . 13 S 5 , Barnet , to be called "The Gladsmuir Chapter , " and to meet at the Red Lion Hotel , Barnet , in the county of Hertford . 5 th . —From Companions George Keene Lemann as Z ., William West Smith as H ., Henry McPherson as J ., and eleven others for a chapter to be attached to the Hornsey Lodge , No . S 90 , London , to be called " The Hornsey

Chapter , " and to meet at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , in the City of London . 6 th . —From Companions William Stephens , as Z ., Charles Robert Miles as H ., William Lutwyche as J ., and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Clapton Lotige , No . 1365 , Clapton , to be called "The Clapton Chapter , " and to meet at the White Hart Tavern , Upper

Clapton , in the County of Middlesex . 7 th . —From Companions the Rev . Spencer Robert Wigram as Z ., Edward England Phillips as IL , Albert Lucking as J ., and eight others for a chapter to be attached to the Priory Lodge , No . 1000 , Southend , to be called " The Priory Chapter , " and to meet at the Middleton Hotel , Southend , in the County of Essex .

The foregoing petitions being in all respects regular , the Committee recommended that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee likewise reported that they hail received the following petitions : — 8 th . —From Companions Robert Scott as Z ., Charles Henry Phillips as H ., Charles Frederick Besson as J ., and

eight others for a chapter to be attachetl to the Royal Philanthropic Lodge , No . 405 , Trinidad , to be called "The Royal Philanthropic Chapter , " and to meet at Port of Spain , Trinidad , in the West Indies . yth . —From Companions James McDonald Reid as Z ., Paulin Josse de Lisle as IL , Charles Frederick Oda Rooks as J ., and seven others for a chapter to be attached to the

Prince of Wales Lotige , No . 867 , Trinidad , to be called " The Prince of Wales' Chapter , " and to meet at Port of Spain , Trinidad , in the West Indies . These two petitions , subject to the confirmation of the new law , No . 51 , passetl at the last Convocation of Grand Chapter , rendering foreign Past Masters eligible for election to the chairs in an English chapter , being in all

respects regular , the Committee recommended that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . On No . 3 in the above list being reached the M . E . Z . said he was exceedingly glad to see that a chapter was applied for , the name of which was that of a Mason who had done so much good for Freemasonry . Comp . Locke was the companion of whom Comp . Havers had spoken

so strongly in Grantl Chapter last year . On No , 8 being called on , Comp . Snell said that he had in his place many times in Grantl Chapter had to make observations upon the issuing of two or three warrants for chapters in a single town . He wished to enquire whether there were sufficient Masons in Port of Spain to support two chapters . He had formerly matlc this enquiry with regard

to Hull , where there did not appear to be any Royal Arch Masons . In the present list of petitions there were two for the Port of Spain . Trinidad was not a large place , and Port of Spain was the largest place in the island . How many Freemasons were there in Port of Spain , or in the Island of Trinidad ? Perhaps Grand S . E . woultl tell him what was the position of Freemasonry in the island . Comp . Hervey said that all he had to say with regard to

the subject was that both petitions were recommended by the Provincial Grand Master of Trinidad , who was not Provincial Grand Superintendent , however , as well . He was now in this country , and had come before the committee , and from the information he had given to the committee they had recommended the granting of the petitions . The M . E . Z . was present at that committee , and most strongly recommended the issuing of the warrant .

The prayers of all the petitions were granted . Comp . Hervey , before the closing of Grand Chapter , s ; jid that he had not put upon the agenda paper the consideration of the letter from Grand Chapter of Ireland with respect to the Mark Grantl Lotige ot England . He believed it was the intention of Grand Registrar to consult with the Grand II . ( the Earl of Carnarvon ) as to the

course which ought to be pursued on that question . But they all knew Lord Carnarvon had been plunged in deep affliction very recently , ami the question could not come before the companions that evening with satisfaction to them without further information . He therefore had taken upon himself not to put the matter on the agenda paper , anil he trustetl Grand Chapter woultl approve the course he had taken under the peculiar circumstances of the case

Comp . Sandeman said he thought the best way would be for Grantl S . E . to write to the Grantl S . E . of Ireland , explaining the cause of the delay , and saying that the subject would be brought on in due course . He wished to ask whether , as the minutes of last Convocation had been confirmed , the reports now would be issucil quarterly , as also whether the reprints of the Regulations would be issued . Comp . Hervey replied that they woultl . Grand Chapter was then closed .

Inspector Denning was on W ednesday , 3 rd inst ., prescntcd with a handsome cheque , in addition to a gold watch and chain , by Sir C . Foster , Bart ., M . P ., on the part of himself and fellow subscribers , in recognition of the esteem in which he is held by Members of Parliament . Inspector Denning has , for a number of years , fulfilled the tluties of Chief Police Officer of the House of Commons ,

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed b y our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary iimits—free discussion . —ED . ]

THE INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND MASTER . To Ihe Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have perused , with considerable interest , the various suggestions which have from time to time been made by correspondents in the columns of your valuable journal , of the best means of commemorating the

forthcoming great event in the Masonic world , viz ., the installation of H . R . H . the Heir Apparent as M . W . Grand Master and an idea has occurred to me on the interesting subjec which I here set forth . When it is considered that so auspicious an event as the acceptance of the office by an heir to the Crown of England has not taken place since the time of H . R . H . George ,

Prince Regent , and possibly may not occur again in the present century , I am of opinion that some effectual scheme should be devised , of not only recording it individually among the Craft , but that it should be perpetuated in a manner worthy of the occasion , foe " this story shall the good man teach his son . " Had the installation of the Prince taken place some few

years since , it is possible that it would not have attracted so much attention as it is receiving at the present time , in consequence of its being considered now by all non-Romish classes in the light of a national triumph over bigotry ; for , notwithstanding the denunciations levelled against our glorious and ancient institution , whose principles are the very acme of Christianity , by the leading

representatives of a fanatic but powerful body , and the awful anathemas which have emanated from " she ot the seven hills , " our royal brother , " the rose and expectancy of this fair state , " has not only taken an active part in the ceremonies of the Craft , and evinced his personal interest by recruiting its ranks by the admission of two of his brothers , the Duke of Connaught and Prince Leopold , but has

fearlessly accepted the highest honour Freemasonry has to bestow . The suggestion I have humbly to offer for the consideration of the brethren is , that commemorative jewels should be designed of an uniform pattern , but o different qualities , in order to accommodate the means of the brotherhood , and that they should be issued from the offices of the Grand Secretary in the same manner as the

centenary jewels are , and be only worn by subscribing Past Masters of lodges and all brothers holding office of any kind at the time of the Installation . I am sure that there woultl be an universal desire on the part of all loyal members of lodges holding office to purchase the distinction , in order to record their personal appreciation of so interesting an occasion .

The profits accruing from the sale of the jewels might be devoted advantageously towards the establishing of a fund in connection with our valuable charities . In conclusion , I sincerely hope that some of the zealous and distinguished members of Grand Lodge will take an opportunity of ventilating the idea—should it be thought worthy of their consideration—which I now respectively beg to offer , and which I believe would not only meet with

the general approval of the Craft , but would be also a good pecuniary scheme for endowing a philanthropic fund for the relief of the Masonic necessitous , and thus hand down to posterity a beneficial record of the event . Trusting you will kindly do me the honour of inserting this letter in your columns , I remain , dear sir and brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , T . C . W ., 141 , 1381 , 1503 .

THE MASONIC CHARITIES . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I imagined , to use your own words , that our " friendly controversy " had been " closetl ; " but I cannot resist a reply to your brief leader in this day ' s number . In the letter to which you refer , I did not suggest any

call whatever on the Fund of Benevolence . The grants now received—as is well known—by the Educational Institutions arc from the Fund of General Purposes ; anil I thought I had made it apparent that any increase woultl , as a matter of course , come from the same fund . I carefully abstained from even suggesting what such increase might reasonably be j ami because I stated that 8 , 000 half-crowns woultl produce £ 800 , ami that it was

only fair to ask for a revision , it by no means follows that I am of opinion that that should be the amount , nor does my argument justify any such conclusion . My remarks in another place , from which you quote , were sadly misunderstood and misreported . I saitl that the number of present recipients of the benefits of our three institutions was about 525 . The number of candidates now seeking these benefits

is— Girls'School 31 To be elected 13 Boys' School 48 „ 8 Benevolent 68 „ 12

147 1- 33 I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , FBEDK . BINCKES . 30 th Jantrary , 1875 .

BROTHERLY LOVE . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Thanks for your able article on the above subject ; it ought to be in the hands of every member of our Order . How often do we meet with instances where this principle is utterl y disregarded ? What a recommendation