Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible tor the opinions expressed by our correspondent but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary hmitsf . * p . c discussion .

STOCKPORT VOLUNTEERS IN STOCKPORT MASONS IN 1797 . To the Editor ot the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In looking through some papers of my late father ( author of the " HistoVv of Stockport" ) I came across the enclosed printed address given by Bro . John Lowe , of Lodge No . 268 , on 29 th of May , 1797 .

It will doubtless be of interest to most Masons , but more particularly to our Stockport brethren , especially at this time , when the country is full of martial ardour . — -I remain , yours fraternally , HY . JOHN HEG 1 NBOTHAM , Lodge No . 1007 . Wymeswold , near Loughborough , September 26 th .

& B > . Mk * & cm * W , # J-5 % ; . W 3 B > »•>> ' ¦¦¦¦ '**•*> - i *™ . m ftSI - ? V #% * % iH I § . ^^ M . ¦ % , 8 ** i | SB ?& •* " ** , " -, ; :, ; ZT . oooo ; . ~~ -y ^ s ^_ . i > . «*** - .-rnr ^ . ' :, T , *;*; -n ;; r . ; , " , r . * r * ' - ^( raf If"" " ~ ' REVIEW "'~~ - " — - " ¦ - ""¦ j | s : W \ . STOCKPORT LOYAL VOLUNTEERS . ] M jj ; g » V- , _____ = _„„ *| ' lip *•¦ \ y SmckMiiti I . IIVAI V 01 UNTI . I * ¦ * \ { eyrry Mnse-ri . ; ind *< r every Jnendlv as-inriate , 3 & i * '^ K k Wf , r Irvirwr ^ l ' -f'fnctJ ( lionet I ' mive-sr , J ior whom I hase . it tlm jirriod thr hnnmir in « fc" »' i * fb ? r " ' ' ' -r- 'T-i * "" * " ) seVful thousand public J address , yea . in tlit * iiamr of our Alniigliiy 2 *? W ¦ ¦* H r ' ai tended , and manv more pmhablv would luvc J 1 * minder , 1 eOmrt vou 10 runiimir in tiic per- * JP-J > -f » U « ifndfd , if the weather had been fjm . uraMr . 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MdlV S | M » tfjSU » ° I » « " "¦ " nicrnnium-w . fi ilirin . advance 10 u-rei tin in . think tn . i then thai it «| N £ U <& S N ' ° 'r" than the number of iv . n tlmuf . nid t i * Im yotmelve * ,-ilnne \ ou fujhl : il it for your * [ 0 k ^ K £ nr . r hundird and M leniy Kite Masoni ami i Tamily , your own Coutury , . ill 1 h . 1 t ii dc-ai tn ¦ If' " i '<[ S ? Mfitibris of dill-rein friendly Sociriir-t in the J Unions . Whether you tinvive ynui i-Jorious J'O » '< M > -nrifhltnurhond , aurmblcd on the I ' . Miciie i and naitionr exert ion * or not . , i ju ^ I tnlmtr < r- ' fc JW { ( iround . wilh thru Hij-v Munc . ^ lf , out ! will | ir paid hy a grateful rounlry-you will * fc ; -t ^ jj ^ t . f -onipliment and rc-peii 10 the Volunlecri , s livt rrcoidrd 111 llur hiitorii * pa (; e . Von have -ti > * KSj arul I ' r-tnied lliemiehei so as 10 keet ) a seiy j ! n- ( n of risential ser \ ice in -. eiurinf ; in ihr * fc \ * ' < raf rxirrisivr njuarc cnnir , whnein foi them J nrij-hlmurliood public trantprilliiv . We . ire * pj ) » ifcjj tomaith . j happy m prnnnuni ' irt ^ , that rhc Jov . i )( y of 4 &\ » JWL Afirr the Review w . u n \ rr . lhe Volun- j Storkporl it triumphant over nti * lln ' . n . An JK * * I * TI trcr frt , mr ' ^ , 'lf bulb' ** « l « atc , totff-rwc ihr v indniriual * pfis ^ eijrj nfit thc powtr in ftiaV . f it * , 4 U v IjMj -M ) URi ; SS of ihe Maton * and 1 riindlv J MT- ne confident y » u "dl nr , c , cvinee melt '* S . rj * 4 B 5 l ^ -S'li'iriiri whith was ilrlivcied wilh htarifclt J we . ikneu nt if * feeoint eonveris to a cauw ,-K * ¦{ RE -fnf'sy bv j Uiat heiravs Mirli degeneracy and ba * cnrji . it * * ra ^ I 1 HOTHFR TOIIN T OWr * The inrendi . nr . « hrt may ailrm ] it tnpro-trlyir ^ M ? * Ht J' Ul JU , hN IAMW " * you , are d . servinj ; of brinr humbledwilh lhe < g > *<^ t v Of I . ODGE No . 26 $ , i dust . We all unuc in a firm wivh that ymir iPjJ " < frj | ^ 11 follows * ^ Aims may prove iurrei--T-. il without the ocra- iC-i \ 5 M L „« ' I sionof bring niiinted against a frll-iw-counirv- •• K * / -Jlpil ¦ „ { man . Hut 1 / your Bioihet should become A y &\ 3 Ht .. C T ""?' r J 1 Tran . r . everyuenfaflenion . HhnwIien . ud . JP \ V 3 X . ' ^ " K "'" ^ ) - / 1 ""' ' '"^ ^ »« a I " "' J and you , hand rctuih n « l at the tneeer « hcr . < R & * V ( i > vh » n s * . u jawyour ( onntrv in danger , and ate { , , J ,, > 4 fcat < KI > ready imwlorrmh lhat ipint of Revolt which \ K ' . vf T I 1 1 * tr < Ll » « W > 1 1 . 1 1 11 ' r n J u t ^' "I U * . I » " > "if . ' c h » 1 m Hot- * K : IlVlt , ia ' ' - "fh * uahappily been manifeUed hy a I ,-.- < in * ICi * Kif J , r 1 J 1 * ulitirs , on the mntrarv . we desire a Peace , « tS * f » -tO 1 * ilrtiini ! » et ot nun . who are made the imine- { 1 L r > ¦ ! N I « Ki » , 1 , ... , „ n . 1 vi . 1 s and we trust the time u not f * r distant when **!«; W : "'• " iiHiruiiK nis o rvutmi ; . Snfiiion and t in 1 i _ ¦ ¦ 1 < ¥% ¦ > *| M' u , i , ih , i , 1 . 1 1 * we ihall enjoy or . e that is honnuiab r lo the 3 [ Ol > ¦• trti Kri'fllion 111 the I imntrv . who'e * uh is a \ » . ' , . . , 1 ,- r , ; IS I . 5-31 u ,. 1 . .. „ 1 . 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THE ROVAL ARCH DEGREIi . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Adverting to the interesting " correspondence " 01 this important subject which recently appeared in the columns of the Freemason , I have just received a copy of the Indian Freemason for the 15 th August , 1900 , published at Calcutta , and find the same correspondence there referred to and the subject commented on , I extract the following paragraph :

It may be asked how other Constitutions , Scotch and Irish for instance , got over the difficulty ¦ * Here , any member of a chapter is eligible for either of the Principal's chairs . The principle which confines these positions to Past Masters of the Craft has , undoubtedly , several strong arguments in its favour , but if we accept the Holy Royal Arch Degree as being necessary for the perfection ol Craft Masonry , it would be as well to thrash out the subject once and for all and

modify such elements as retard the general acceptation of the Djgree by Mister Masons . We have always unhesitatingly opined that every Craft lodge should have its own chapter , and of late having observed the indifference with which ' the Royal Arch is treated and accepting it as a completion of the Master Mason Degree and so recognised by the Grand Lodge of England , wu are more than ever convinced that the only way of making it universal is to work it under the ordinary Lodge Charter . "

Having regard to Article 1 of thc IJook of Constitutions , which rec * 3 gnis ; s the Royal Arch .- is part of pure Masonry , I am disposed to agree with the conclusion arrived at by the writer of the article referred to in the Indian Freemason that the Degree should be conferred under the ordinary lodge warrant or charter , as was doubtless the practice in the earlier days of Masonry . If , however , a

Correspondence.

reform of this character should be found impracticable , then the suggestion made in a previous letter on the subject—which you were good enough to print in your columns—should be adopted , and facilities given for any striving lodge desiring it to be granted a Royal Arch warrant . One very important factor which far too frequently stands in the way of progress of the R . A . Degree is the item of " expense . " With many chapters the " exaltation fee , " if not prohibitive , offers no inducement to the members of

lodges when the expenses incident to their initiation into the Craft left them little , if any , change out of a £ 10 note ; to join the Royal Arch when they are asked to pay one-half or two-thirds of that sum , any hesitation to incur such additional expense is not to be wondered at , nor indeed can it scarcely be justified . My view of the subject , which 1 know is shared by many Arch Masons , is that the exaltation fee should be made as low as possible compatible with the necessary registration fees to Grand Chapter and Prov . Grand Chapter ; two

guineas should be considered an ample fee—many of my friends think one guinea ought to be sufficient—to admit a Master Mason to the R . A . Degree . I have just returned from spending a holiday in the country , where I spent a very pleasant evening with a companion holding provincial rank in the Province of Suffolk , and in discussing with him the Royal Arch Degree he complained of the difficult y experienced in keeping his chapter working , and that last year the members , who only numbered—I think he told me—n , had had to re-elect the whole of the Principals and officers for another year I

This condition of affairs exists in a prosperous market town of 16 , 000 inhabitants , with two lodges in good working order . Observe , however , that the probable stumbling-block to the growth of this small chapter is created by the members having years ago fixed , and still continuing , the exaltation fee on entrance to the chapter at five guineas , plus the cost of the necessary clothing . My friend admitted that it was probably the amount of the fee that prevented more members of the two lodges , who were good Masons and would all of them be accepted if

they applied for membership of the chapter . My reply was to the effect that with so much suitable material available it was entirely the fault or the action of the chapter that its continued existence was of so moribund a character , whereas , by offering reasonable facilities , all , or nearly all , of the members of the two lodges in the town might be also members of the chapter . It is not improbable that a similar state of affairs prevails with a number of the chapters in the provinces , whose portals are practically half closed , instead of being wide open , for the admission of candidates for the Royal Arch Degree .

After the very able paper by Comp . C . Letch Mason , P . P . G . H . West Yorks , which was read before Provincial Grand Chapter , and fully reported in the Freemason , some months ago—and which set forth very clearly the condition of the Royal Arch Degree in England—and the correspondence on the subject that you have published in the columns of your valuable paper , it is to be hoped that the discussion of the subject will not be barren of results ; but that those in or having authority will institute or encourage such reforms as will tend to increased membership of the Order . —Yours fraternally , J . T . LAST , P . Z . 603 .

THE IRISH LODGE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In regard to your opinion , and that of Bro . Hughan , as tothe desirability of the Duke of Leinster Lodge , No . 3 63 , Irish Constitution , throwing

in its lot with the Grand Lodge of South Australia , if my memory is correct , 1 think it will be found that an insuperable difficulty prevents that consummation , namely , that the Iodge in question is the owner of real propertty in the City of Adelaide , bequeathed to it , and to enjoy , so long as it remains an Irish lodge . Fraternally yours , W . F . LAMONBY . September 29 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

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Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Annesley Lodge , No . 1435 . The 2 . S , h installation meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Nottingham , o * J Friday , the 2 S 1 I 1 ult ., when the W . M . elect , Bro . E . Hooton , S . VV ., was installed as tne W . M . by Bro . J . Levy , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . The following officers were appointed ana invested : Bros . C . J . Mee , I . P . M . ; P . IL Stevenson , S . W . ; " . Ainsworth , J . W . > C . Smith , P . M ., Treas . ; J . Levy , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Sec . ( 12 th time ); W . VVheatley , P . M ., D . C . ; F . Chasteney , S . D . ; T . K . Hopewell , J . D . ; G . Essex , P . P-G * "'*' Org . ; T . Dent , LG . ; II . Baker , C . VV . J . Potter , W . Wheat , and G . I . . Nelson-Stewards : and VV . Selbv . Tvler . ( Jn hi < invps-irurr- as Si-rrel-irv for the 12 th time , 1

W . M . presented --tr-i . J . Levy , P . M ., with a handsome Past Master ' sjewel ( specif designed by Bros . Kenning . and Son ) , in recognition of his services as Secretary ou the past 11 years . ^ 1 At thu banquet which followed the installation ceremony , the I . P . M ., pro . < - ¦• J Mee , on behalf of the brethren of the Annesley Lodge , further presented Bro . J- u with a handsome silvcr . tca service .