Original Correspondence.

to hivt- his warrant or authority to create batches of "Sovereign Princes " at five guineas a head . Fraternally yours ,

JOHN YARKER 43 , Chorlton-rd ., Manchester . THE RED CROSS ORDER .

To the Editor of the Fi-ecmason . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A brother Mason has kindly forwarded to me a copy of a letter which appeared in your journal of Saturday last under the head of "The Red Cross Order , " and signed by R . Wentworth Little , P . M ., and as I am " the member

named Astley , " I shall esteem it ] a favour if you will admit my reply . He refers to " various anonymous and cowardly attacks from certain quarters . " I have not seen or yet heard of them , but I assure him of this , that whatever proceeds from my pen will have my full signature . But to the

circumstance ofthe charge for which I am threatened with a " solicitor" ! ! At a meeting ofthe Roseof Sharon Conclave , Birmingham , on Thursday , 20 th ult ., it was proposed by the M . P . S . that a sum of money be voted towards a testimonial to Sir Knt . W . Little , Grand Recorder , upon which I moved , as

an amendment , that it be adjourned sine die until such time as the conclave had reliable information as to the authority for working and genuineness of the order , as personally I have my doubts about it , and wished to be satisfied that we were or were not working a fictitious order . I further remarked that it had been said that the order was given to some

one by Lord Zetland ; but from what was known of his general opinion of other orders , except Craft Masonry , if he gave it at all , it was more likely that he gave it for archaeological purposes than for working . This was the substance , of my remarks but beyond moving the amendment , I did not mention the name of the Grand Recorder or even allude to him . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally ,

JOHN ASTLEY ,

P . M . and Sec . 254 , P . Prov . G . J . W . Warwsh ., H . 28 4 , E . C . and Prov . G . Expert , Staff , ancl Wavish ., M . W . S .-elect , and Junior-General Rose of Sharon Conclave , No . 19 , of Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , and one of its founder members .

[ We have inserted the first part of your letter , but the remainder being entirely irrelevant to the points involved , cannot be inserted in its present connection . —ED . E . ]

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —Several members of thc A . and A . Rite , who , with myself , would like to join the " Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , " find ourselves unable to do so , owing to its supporters having tacked on to it a spurious branch of the " Rite of Misraim . "

Now I would suggest to Bro . Little and his friends that if they would consent to drop the latter order altogether , the would probably have but little difficulty in effecting with thc S . G . C . 33 a compromise regarding the Red Cross , which would greatly benefit the Order itself , and bring about a reconciliation between its members and the Supreme recognised Masonic authority in this country .

I am , Sir , yours fraternally , ROSE CROIX . 2 nd May , 1871 .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR , —Will you , or some of your readers , kindly give myself and several brother Masons the benefit of your experience by replying to the queries below in your useful journal . ' To make myself understood let me give you a brief outline of events ,

giving , for obvious reasons , suppositious names , & c . A lodge , which we may designate the M . U ., was opened by dispensation from the Grand Lodge on 16 th Nov ., 186 9 , of which K . was Master-electelected and installed on thc opening day . On St . John's Day , Dec . 27 , 1 S 6 9 , he was re-elected and

duly made a P . M . of a lodge , and presented with a P . M . ' s jewel . Again in 1870 he was a candidate for W . M ., and again re-elected , and has since died . Prior to thc first opening ofthe lodge , two ofthe brothers named in the dispensation , respectively D . and E ., who had never " sat in a Master ' s chair" or

, filled a Warden's chair in any lodge , were made or rather styled P . M . 's of one lodge by another lodge held in a neighbouring town , and assisted in the first installation . Iu Dec , 186 9 , D . was made a Warden , and in Dec , 1 S 70 , was a candidate for the W . M . ' s chair , as was K ., but D . was in thc minority .

On thc death of K ., thc existing S . W . assumed the chair as Acting W . M ., and ruled that another election for W . M . could not take place till the usual period , as named in thc by-laws , in accordance with thc Book of Constitutions . He further holds the opinion that he may not legally initiate , pas * > , or raise until a new W . M . is elected , unless when a

Original Correspondence.

P . M . ( genuine ) is in the chair . The authorities on which we have acted are Book of Constitutions , cl . 2 ( private lodges ) and cl . 6 ( Masters and Wardens ) , and Mackey ' s " Lexicon , " article " Wardens ; " also Dr . Oliver ' s " Book of the Lodge . " Notwithstanding the pains taken to obtain a right

conclusion by myself and others , by searching for precedents and other authorities , various opinions are held by the brethren , and it is on this account that I venture to trouble you with thc matter . My queries are : — 1 . Had K . any right to stand for election for

W . M . in Dec , 1870 ? See cl . 3 , Masters and Wardens , Book of Constitutions . It is contended that the portion ofa year from Nov . 16 to Dec . 27 does not count as a year , although K . got his P . M .-ship on account of it . 2 . In case of the reply to the last query being in

thc negative , were any subsequent acts invalidated in consequence ? 3 . Are D . and E . really P . M . ' s , and entitled to the privileges of the office or to the title ? 4 . Can either D . or E . claim the chair on the death of the W . M . ? Or does the chair not fall of

necessity to the S . W . ? See cl . 6 , Masters and Wardens . 5 . Can the S . W ., as acting \ V . M ., sit in the chair ? Or , if not , where is his place under the circumstances ? 6 . Can the Acting W . M . ( who is S . W ., and not a

P . M . ) confer degrees while acting in the chair ? Ten names were sent to the Grand Lodge , which appear in the dispensation . Immediately after sending these some seven or eight Masons joined the party , ancl assisted in . making arrangements for opening the lodge , and contributed to the funds for

thc purpose . Their names were printed in the bylaws , which were submitted to the first lodge meeting and adopted . None of these persons were balloted for , nor could they well be , unless they balloted for themselves . They have since , for one and a half year , acted with , and been acknowledged by , the lodge as members , and contributing to its

funds . Qy . 7 . Ought they to have been balloted for ? If so , when should it have taken place ? Or is it still necessary ? Your insertion of this letter in your valuable columns , with replies to the queries as far as possible , will confer a favour on many besides , Yours fraternally ,

M . M . 5779

REPLIES . 1 . K . could not rank as a P . M . at the completion of six weeks , and he had a perfect right to stand for re-election for thc following twelve months . 2 . Is governed by the preceding . 3 . Wc do not understand how D . and E . could

be " made" P . M . ' s without serving thc office of W . M . for one year , and the proceedings relating to them appear to be grossly illegal . 4 and 5 . Thc S . W . " rules" thc lodge on the death of the Master , but he cannot assume the chair . His place is at the right of thc W . M . 's pedestal .

6 . The S . W . can confer degrees when stationed as above , but if a P . M . be in thc lodge at the lime , thc P . M . should occupy thc chair . J . The joining brethren ought to have been proposed at the consecration meeting , and balloted for at the first regular meeting next ensuing , otherwise they arc not members . —ED . /• .

THE Freemasons of Oldham have opened a new Hall , built at a cost of about £ 2 , 500 , in Unionstreet . The building is of stone . ¦ SALT- OI * RARE OLD COGNAC BRANDIES . —The continued unsettled state of France has caused unusual commotion in thc brandy market , and many

foreign proprietors who had sent their stocks to England for safety during thc war have decided to realise upon them in Ihis country , in preference to incurring thc risk which would attend their rcshipment to France . Several large sales have been made , and in most instances they are equally remarkable for the high quality of the brandy as for

the immense quantities sold . One transaction alone has been recorded of the sale of upwards of 30 , 000 gallons of Cognac brandy , of vintages rarely heard of in th's country—namely , 1 S 27 , 1829 , 184 . 1 , and 1 S 45 . These fine old brandies were to have been sold by public auction , but , previous lo the date of sale , were disposed of to Messrs . W . and A . Gilbey by private contract , —MorningPost , April 29 .

St . George ' s Lodge of Instruction , held at Globe Tavern , Greenwich , concluded its session on Thursday , April 27 th , when twenty brethren met at the festive board under the able presidency of Bro . llubbock , P . M ., nnd spent a verv pleasant evening .

This , the oldest , Lodgeof Instruction in this locality , possesses several able instructors , and most of the Masons in the neighbourhood freely admit that here the ; , gained the knowledge so essential to good workiii ' - .

Masonic Reception And Banquet At Washingion City, U.S.A., To The Earl De Grey & Ripon.

MASONIC RECEPTION and BANQUET at WASHINGION CITY , U . S . A ., to the EARL DE GREY & RIPON .

On Monday , the 10 th ult ., agreeably to previous notice , occurred the Masonic reception and banquet tendered by the Masonic Fraternity of the district of Columbia to the Earl De Grey and Ripon , and at which Lord Tenterden , Sir John A . McDonald , Mr . Northcote , and Mr . L'Estrange , Secretary of the British Legation , were present as Freemasons .

The assemblage consisted of about one hundred and seventy gentlemen , including eight Senators , and thirty-four members of the House of Representatives . Escorted by the Grand Master of the G . L . District of Columbia , the Earl de Grey was seated in the Grand Master ' s chair , and in a speech of a few minutes' duration , most warmlv welcomed

by Grand Master Stansbury . In response the Earl spoke as follows : — Most Worshipful 'Sir and Brothers , I trust you will permit me to return to you , and to the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia , my most grateful thanks for the very kind and fraternal welcome which you have given me on this occasion . I

assure you , sir , that I esteem it the greatest honour to have thus been received and to have had an opportunity of being presented by you to the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia—an honour whicli , I am well aware , I owe not to my personal worth , but to the fact , and a most important and significant fact , that I am a representative of the

Grand Lodge of England , holding the highest office that can be conferred upon a Mason in England , that of Grand Master . And , sir , I esteem it a most fortunate occasion—fortunate for me as an individual , and fortunate for Masonry in both countries —that there should at length have taken place so close a union between Masonry in America and

Masonry in England , and that you should now for the first time , as you tell me , receive within the walls of this important Grand Lodge of Freemasons the Grand Master of England . We all know that fraternity is the first principle of Masonry , and therefore it is that all must rejoice at everything which tends to bind more closely together "Masons

of different countries . I , sir , esteem myself very fortunate , indeed , to have had it in my power to attend here to-night . I shall carry away from this Grand Lodge most grateful recollections of your kindness . I shall make it my first duty to tell my brethren in England of the magnificent reception which has been accorded to their

Grand Master to-night , and I am confident that I do not misinterpret the feelings with which they will receive thc information when 1 sec them . They will , indeed , rejoice that thc first step has been taken which will tend to a closer and more intimate union between American and English Masons—( great applause)—a union which , for my part , I

have always believed existed , but which , I believe , will be closer and more intimate in future . ( The Earl was greatly applauded as he resumed his scat ) . A recess was taken to enable thc brethren to be presented to Earl de Grey . Lord Tenterden was also thc recipient of attention . Thc latter is Grand Master of Harmony Lodge , England . After these

greetings were over , thc company proceeded to the Music Hall , which was appropriately decorated . The banner of the Grand Lodge was displayed in the east end ofthe room , nnd to thc right and left were hung the portraits of George Washington and Queen Victoria , while the walls were draped with American nnd British flags . Thc company sat

down lo thc banquet . At the removal of thc cloth . 1 table lodge was opened , and thc gavel of thc Grand Lodge wns supreme , as in the Grand Ledge . Thc Grand Master , C . F . Stansbury , wore the apron and sash and used the gavel which formed part of the insignia of Washington . None but Masons were admitted to any of thc ceremonies . Even the

caterers , servants , and musicians belonged to tho Fraternity . Grand Master Stansbury called thc brethren to order , and extended to all a fraternal welcome . Several toasts were given and responded to , when Earl De Grey was brought to his feet by a complimentary allusion to him and to his mission , and to

his position as a Mason . The Earl said : Most Worshipful Sir and Brethren , I beg to return you my most grateful thanks for thc very kind reception which you have been pleased to give to mc this evening . I feci proud of this reception , because I know that it lias been accorded to mc as thc representative of the great body of English Masons—( applause)—and

therefore I think I may venture to say , accorded to mc as a representative of my country . ( Great applause ) . The leading principle of our ancient Craft is that of fraternity among every brother who belongs to it , whatever be the race and nation to which he holds allegiance , and therefore it will not be wonderful that America should be willing to greet with a . fraternal welcome any foreigner who