Literary Garbage.

cism —but , pretended expositions from worthless sources , party invectives based on unreliable data , are equally to be rejected and condemned alike by Masons and non-Masons . It is a curious fact as regards these assumed revelations of Freemasonry , that the " concocter " and the " revealer "

come into court , on their own confession , with very dirty hands , and as tainted witnesses . Such a position is utterly fatal to any claim to veracity , much less to credence ; and so the common sense of mankind has led them to treat all such parodies on Masonic words and acts , as worse

than worthless , as a mendacious attempt at imposture , as a heartless endeavour to trade upon the credulity and curiosity of others . We greatly wonder at respectable newspapers like the Bradlord Observer , admitting such absolute" rubbish " into their columns . It is very hard upon their

readers . We , as Freemasons , simply laugh at all such nonsensical exhibitions of party spite , or impotent malice , or base sensationalism , and we leave them to that fate which inevitably awaits all such like productions , namely , the laughter of the well informed , the scorn of the truthful , and

the pity of every loyal Freemason . Let us hope that our contemporaries of the non-Masonic press will hesitate in future before they fill their pages with this unsavoury " padding , " which is a libel on truth and honour , and honesty , and an insult to matter of fact and common sense .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do wot hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

NEW LODGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Amongst the list of new lodges , for which warrants are to be granted at the next Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on Wednesday next , I observe the name of one , respecting which , I shall esteem it a kindness

if you will allow me to publish a few facts for the information of the Cralt . During the last fifteen ( or more ) years , a number of persons have been proposed as candidates for initiation in the town in which this new lodge is to be held , and for various reasons , which I need not specify , have been cither blackballed , or the names withdrawn in consequence cl

objections lodged with the proper authorities . A considerable number of those so rejected have , from time to time , found a welcome home in a lodge , held in a small town some eighteen or twenty milts distant ; no enquiries being made of the lodges " why they were not admitted to a lodge in the town in which they resided , or one nearer their place of residence . "

This was carried to such an extent , that the Provincial Grand Lodge some years ago unanimously adopted the following resolutions : — ist " That this Provincial Grand Lodge recommends all the lodges in the province to unite in enforcing more stringent rules as to the admission of candidates in the Masonic Order .

2 nd " That every Master and his Wardens be requested to make therm-elves acquainted , by private enquiry , with the moral qualities and social positions of every candidate , and whether he has ever been proposed in any other lodge . 3 rd " That every brother of each lodge be requested not tc propose for initiation a candidate residing at a distance from the place in which the lodge is held , until the most

searching enquiries have been made and satisfactory reasons given why he was not proposed in a lodge in the town in which he resides , or one nearer to his place of residence . " These rejected brethren now find it inconvenient to attend lodge duties so far away from home , and , with the assistance cf a few others , have petitioned for a warrant

for a new lodge to be held in the midst of those vtho considered them not "fit and proper persons to become Masons . " Before forwarding their petilions , they wrote to ask the senior lodge in the town to endorse it , which request , after considerable discussion , was refust ? d . Another lodge in the town was more pliable , and they got their petition

" recommended by the officers of a regular lodge . " Seme of the brethren of the lodge which declined to give its recommendation , and a number of brethren of other lodges , at once petitioned the Provincial Grand Master to withold his consent to the application for the

following reasons . 1 . That the six lodges already existing in the town and immediate neighbourhood afford abundant opportunities for the reception , whether of caneliilates for Freemasonry , or of brethren already belonging to the Craft . These '" ages are , ( ( 2 ( ( 3 ( (

~ " ~ -, 3 , , 6 , ^— — j We would respectfull y express to you our conviction , that should they be found insufficient to meet all the legitimate requirements of Freemasonry in this town , the Masons will not be found neglecting their obvious duly of applying to you , R . W . Sir , lor additional facilities for the purpose . 2 . We desire to state that some of those ( residing in """ , ) now seeking to promote a new lodge in our

Original Correspondence.

midst , were initiated at , notwithstanding the resolution unanimously adopted by the Provincial Grand Lodge some years ago . ( 3 rd Resolution already quoted ) So far as we are aware no such enquiries have been made by the brethren in respect to the initiation there of candidates from ¦—— .

3 . Wc , with all respect , urge that any encouragement givenjby those in authority to the system of thus habitually accepting candidates from a distance , must render void , and of no effect , the power of exclusion which has hitherto done so much to preserve for Freemasonry its distinctive and high character in the country . The Prov . G . Master , however , derided to recommend

the granting of the warrant , whereupon one of the oldest Masons in the town , holding very high social and Masonic rank , forwarded a copy of the petition against the warrant being granted to the Grand Secretary , asking the Board of General Purposes to receive a deputation on the subject . I believe no replv to this request has been received , but the

warrant is to be granted . The nominated officers include several of those rejected , as before mentioned . I purposely refrain from any comment , but simply ask your courteous publication of these facts for the information of the Craft . I am Dear Sir and Bro . yours fraternally , ' ONE OF THE PETITIONERS AGAINST THE WARRANT .

QUERIES . 7 " e > the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Kindly allow me space in your columns for this , and let me have the aid of your valuable opinions . Is it not the duty of a " Provincial Grand Lodge " to visit and inspect the working of its daughter lodges , at least

once a year ? Can a Provincial Grand Lodge claim dues from a daughter lodge , that has not been visited for the past three years ? Can a daughter lodge in view of the ill-treatment receiver from a Provincial Grand Lodge , Masemically throw off her

allegiance to such Prov . Grand Lodge ? Has a Provincial Grand Steward , who has been regularly installed and served his year of office , the right to attach " Past Prov . Grand Steward " to his name , and is he entitled to wear a jewel , and if so , what ? Vour answers will oblige , yours fraternally , L .

THE MARK . DEGREE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — As this discussion has been drawn out more than at first intended , may I claim to sum up as it now stands ? On first reading the article criticised I accepted naturally our brother ' s claim to the cloth and literary rank the title

he assumed implied , and simply measured him " suo modulo et pede " by his own yard rule . We all know that cloths , and cloaks too , differ in quality , but , surely , I am not responsible for that . The criticism was , that in support of the Mark claims , he had written a historical narration which he would not have presented to any learned

society , or have inserted in the columns of the Tim's and Standard , on account of its absurdity and historical untruth . In fact , that he was attempting to convert the Freemason into a receptacle for idle tales . He has in no way replied to these charges , and I repeat them still .

I am perfectly aware the words are strong , they are not , however , in any way personal to our brother , it is the system which tolerates falsehood I want to get at . I must beg " Ecce Signum " to accept my former replies as answers t 3 his recent letter , his only object is to attract attention , and I decline to be drawn away from my object . Of an entirely different character , however , are the

letters of a " Masonic Student , " and of Bro . Binckes . The contributions of the former I have long known and esteemed , whilst the communication of the latter would do honour to any learned society . I assure them that to every word they say I shall be pleased to pay respect . Will , however , my brothers kindly see that this question is not to be settled by deciding on a few years , more or less , as to the existence

of this or that association ? It is whether falsehood in statement ought to be tolerated in a system which claims to be founded on that truth which has the Holy Law for its symbol . It is not , indeed , to Freemasonry proper that this term applies , but to that portion of it which is found attached as a sort of parasite to the end of the Third Degree , and

every tntelliuent Mason must see that our system naturally divides itself into two distinct parts , the original and the apocryphal . Every system , indeed , in all ages , has had its apocrypha , and such is human nature that the apocryphal has too often prevailed and played the traitor to that to which it owed allegiance . It was in this sense I used the word ,

and it was as an offshoot of this apocrypha that I criticised the historical narration . It is further on this apocryphal portion that is founded the teaching in our lodges of instruction , and as such is calculated to sap the love of simple truth in the minds of our younger bitthren . There they are trained in a systematic confusion of Urms . Now , confusion of terms

mrans logical falsity , anel leigical falsity means—well , what does it mean : It means just that confusion of right and wrong , to which our journals allude , when they tell us the causes of destroyce 1 en . nuCtctucing reputation and markets leist . Historv , indeed , teaches us that men have in all ages been better than their teaching . I am proud to say it is so now , but that does not prove our teaching right ,

Original Correspondence.

I trust I may be considered not as decrying , but warning ; nothing is irretrievable ; it is the pilot's hand that shapes the vessel ' s course , and when so many noble institutions have generously set themselves to the task of self-examination , common prudence warns us that the lead should be heaved and our bearings shown , or , in other words , that our definitions and teachings should receive from

friendly hands that scrutiny which the changed condition of the age and style of thought demands . I deeply regret if , in the course of stating the terms , I have given pain to any brother . As a ruler in the Craft I have performed a duty in calling attention to this subject , and , by permission , retire , at least for the present , having written under the excitement and labour of travelling , distant from all works of reference .

W . V . BEDOLFE , M . D ., P . M . 1329 . Rome , Nov . 26 , 1878 .

CAUTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly permit us , through the medium of your paper , to caution lodges and Charity Committees

against an itinerant , who c * lls himself Bro . Charles Johnstone , of the Morning Star Lodge , No . 552 , Lucknow , as he is unworthy of assistance . We shall be glad to give further information if requited . Yours fraternally ,

T . D . HOOPER , J . H . SILLITOE . Almoners for the province of East Lancashire . Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , December 3 rd , 1878 .

Reviews.

Reviews .

THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND POCKET BOOK FOR 1878-79 . This useful Masonic " vade mecum , '' issued under the authority of the Calendar Committee of Grand Lodge , comes before us at this season as a welcome " souvenir " of English Craft Masonry , and a useful remineler of lodge meetings .

It has been carefully superintended by some able and distinguished brethren , and is an indispensable adjunct to the " paraphernalia " of every Craftsman . We are astonished to be told , on what we deem good authority , that its sale is not so large as all English Craftsmen would wish it to be , not only for its own intrinsic utility , but also for the cause of benevolence . If such be the fact , ( which we

do not profess to understand ) , there must be some hitch or defect in the arrangements for its agency and sale . For it is so useful a little work , and so needful in itself , that it must for itself , by itself , command a read / market , if only proper measures are taken , or common sense arrangements prevail in regard r , f its " vend " and diffusion . If such should really be the case ; if either through monopoly or red tape , any want of interest , or any

carelessness exists in its " out-put , " if by unfortunate management and unbusiness-like arrangement , its sale , large as it might be , is actually impeded , let us hope that the good sense of those who form the Calendar Committee will yet find the means of improving so valuable a property . At any rate , we beg to note its appearance with pliasure , and to give it a most hearty welcome in the pages of the Freemason .

THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR POCKET BOOK , AND DIARY , FOR 1878-79 . This neat and well got-up little book , most creditable to our worthy publisher , has just appeared , to the great satisfaction of many patrons and readers . Some " anser " in former days objected to a review in the Freemason of the "Cosmo , " because , forsooth , both issue

from the same publisher , but as these reviews are written in a spirit of independence , and for the information of the Craft , we deem any such objection to be altogether futile , and any such criticism to be utterly childish , neither deserving of attention or regard . We therefore propose shortly to call attention to this" useful and unpretending work , " as the seasonable preface truly puts it , as we think we shall be

doing many of our readers a " good turn " in alluding to so valuable a companion for the pocket , Masonic case , or writing table . The Cosmopolitan Calendar gives to all Masons a " bird ' s-eye view" of Cosmopolitan Freemasonry , in its great extension over the " whole surface < f the haiitalle world , " anel a very wonderful and even astounding picture it sets before us . But not only this . It also places before

" our mind's eye" the Chivalric Oielers , ' the " Hautcs Grades " of foreign Countries , the Grand Councils of this , the important bodies of the United States , in fact , all that , though it is not Craft Masonry , boasts many Craft Masons in the ranks of its Knightly and Mystic Grades . Who can doubt the need or value of such a work ? and when before was any such information procurable by

Masons . We owe this , be it remembered gratefully , alone to George Kenning . It is not too much to say , that the " result" of the " Cosmo" represents many months' hard work in compilation , collation , and arrangement , infoimation which cannot be obtained without much trouble , and great expense ! and we therefore hail its appearance tn day .

A little bird has whispered in eur tar , that one or two very foolish persons , compUin of the large sale yearly ol the " Cosmo . " But why , we beg to ask , in the name of all that's—common stn 6 e , we mean ? Is it not well worth its price ? Is it not full of information not obtainable elsewhere ? does it not bristle with figures , and facts , which every " Fellar Craft , " much more " Master Mason , " and even