Original Correspondence.

Original correspondence .

STATUS OF PAST MASTERS . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Pray allow me space in your next impression of The Freemason to thank "An Old P . M . " for his prompt reply to my letter of last week .

Would he kindly add to the obligation already conferred by stating whether an Irish or Scotch P . M . could , in the absence of the W . M . and all other English P . M . ' s , take the chair . Yours fraternally , A NORTH COUNTRY MASON .

IMMEDIATE PAST MASTERS

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have to thank the brethren who have with such courtesy answered my queries . The one with reference to my own immediate duties I am told by the worthy brother and Past Master

who raised the question , he based on the working he uses , which at the end of raising intimates that on the candidate ' s return to the lodge "the J . . will direct his attention to the tracing board . Other brethren , however , tell me that it is the Master ' s duty to deliver all three

explanations or lectures on the tracing board , but that he may depute that duty to any competent brother . In any case , I hold that giving the explanation of the first tracing board on an evening when there was no business before the lodge , by consent , and at the request of the W . M ., I was

not out of order , and that " it is very desirable the Wardens should be invited to lecture , " seeing first their hope of one day attaining the chair , and their responsibilities in the absence of the Master .

Upon the other point I agree with the courteous and encouraging brother , whom I have just quoted , in the Book of Constitutions , being revised from time to time to meet cases of the kind which has arisen in our midst , in a fraternal mannerbut wc know no brother cares

to hold a position which is questioned . As I understood it , Grand Secretary , on being appealed to held that a brother re-elected as W . M . need not be reinstalled . The 2 nd clause , however , in the Book of Constitutions , under the heading " Private Lodges , " rules that "every lodge shall

annually elect its Master , and at the next meeting after his election he shall be duly installed , " & c . ; and thishaving been pointed out , Grand Secretary replied , "I think that when a W . M . is re-elected , his I . P . M . would continue to retain his position until the Master vacated the chair ; in fact , no other brother comes between the I . P . M . and the

chair to supply his place . Bro . being re-elected , my opinion is that CD . as I . P . M . should be again invested . " It will be seen that this opinion coincides with those given by your correspondents of last week . Nevertheless , an experienced and much respected Past Master in

our midst still contends that as the Worshipful Master necessarily left his chair to be re-installed , the fact of his having so left it , made him the immediate Past Master for the year he had just served—thatjjtherefore CD . was no longer entitled to occupy the seat on the left of the

chair which he had held for twelve months , but that it should be taken by the Senior Past Master present in the lodge . CD . being the junior or youngest Past Master , and therefore not called upon to occupy the position in presence of his senior in the office . This , I hope , both makes

my meaning clear to your correspondent "P . M ., " and places the controversy plainly before many brethren who take sufficient interest in it to pass their opinion thereon . Fraternally yours , A YOUNO J . W .

THAT BRIGHT MORNING STAR

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have been so situated that I did not receive The Freemason of January a ctli till

yesterday , or I should have endeavoureel to reply to several of your correspondents at an earlier period , so as to obtain insertion in your number of to-day . Perhaps a few lines even now will not be o ' . it of place , as 1 am a M . M « Itwenly-

Original Correspondence.

five years' standing , and have twice filled the chair of W . M . in different lodges , the first occasion being twenty-two years ago . T profess to work implicitly according to the standard of the Emulation Lodge of Instruction , as acquired in an early part of my Masonic career , and was there

instructed to use the words " peace and salvation , " not " tranquility . " In reference to the inquiry of " A Young J . W ., " I reply that I have alwaysjthought that ; when a W . M . is re-elected , his I . P . M . ' continues also to hold his position for two years . It is manifest that he cannot himself fill

both offices . As to the latter inquiry , in reference to the lectures , I can hardly say how I formed my impressions , probably from the practice in my district , confirmed by my own judgment , but ray " : teaching has been this ; The explanation of the " working tools in all three degrees may be

given by either of the Wardens ; the charges by the Chaplain , if present , and if not , by the W . M . or a P . M . ; the lectures by the W . M . or a P . M ., though failing these , I have allowed them to be given by a Warden . A little consideration willI think , commend this as a suitable division

, of labour , in the absence of any specific legislation on the subject . As to the status of Past IMasters , the first ten years of my Masonic career were passed in the Province in which I was initiated , where I attained the rank of P . G . S . W . I then changed

my residence , and spent nearly ten years in another Province , there forming anew lodge , and bein" - its first W . M . I then removed to a third Province , in which I have now been more than five years . On one occasion , soon after coming hither , I received a letter from the W . M . of the

lodge I had joined , stating that he could not attend one of the meetings , and asking me to take his p lace . I showed the letter to the I . P . M ., who expressed a wish that I should comply with the request . After the lodge was opened , I read the letter to the members / and offered the chair to the

P . M . ' s and Wardens , as I am not a P . M . of the lodge , but ' all declined to take it . _ I had , therefore , no alternative , and proceeded with the work . A report of the meeting was sent to your late contemporary , and in a day or two after its publication I received a letter from the Prov . G . M .,

informing me that I had acted wrongly , and forbidding me to take the chair in any lodge in his Province , until duly authorised by becoming W . M . of one . in it . The ' propriety of this dictum I disputed , of course , with all respect and courtesy , and the matter was under discussion for nearly a year . The result was that my view was

confirmed , and restrictions were removed . I am therefore a P . M . in , but not of the lodge , and am elig ible to fill the chair , but all the P . M . ' s of the lodge have precedence before me . Of course , though a member of the Prov . Grand Lodge in which I held office , I have no status or vote in the one under whose jurisdiction I am now

located . As regards the place of Chaplain and Past Chaplains , it will be observed that the S . D . is at or near the rig ht of the W . M ., the Chaplains coming between them , which is provided for b y the insertion of the word near . A question was asked as to the position of

Scotch or Irish Past Masters . I conceive that they should be on the left of the W . M ., after the Past Masters of the lodge . They are not entitled to take the chair under our jurisdiction until they have been Wardens in an English lodge for a year , and have been installed as W . M . ' s I think it would be well if these and many other doubtful matters were defined by the Book of Constitutions . H . H .

February , 1 st , 1873 ., HOLLOW-AY ' OISTMKNT AND PILLS : —Life may be blessed with the enjoyment of health throutrh these curatives . To live is one thing ; , to enjoy life is a far superior state . What avails all our wealth when sickness . screens our view ? Health and poverty arc preferable to liches with infirmity , l- ' evv men woui . l be so foolish as to baiter health feir wealth . The poorest can secure the

former by a tolling investment in these noble medicaments , lie the mischief external or internal , slight or malignant , the patient may rest assured that the proper use of I lolloway ' s Ointment anil fills will speedily mitigate and expel his malady . The very continuance of life depends on ¦ sound healthy blood , which these icniedies ijcetuc . -Am i .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

BRITISH , FOREIGN , AND COLONIAL . THE INSTALLATION OI- R , W . P . G . M . FOR WEST LANCASHIRE . —Probably the largest and most imposing Masonic assembly of the brethren within the division of West Lancashire will take place in Liverpool on the 27 th inst ., when

Bro . the Ri ght Hon . Lord Skelmersdale will be formally installed as the Rig ht Worship ful Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire . The appointment has g iven the most unbounded satisfaction amongst the brethren in the province , and therefore it is expected that lodges , even

from the most distant ' part of the province , will be present to do honour to the new Masonic chief . Bro . his Worship the Mayor of Liverpool , ( Mr . E . Samuelson ) . has most kindly granted the splendid suite of rooms at the Town Hall for the occasion , and this will g ive a town ' s

importance to the ceremony . It is not yet known who will perform the ceremony of installation . CENTRAL INDIA . —Colonel Farqtiharson , S . W ., has been elected W . M . of the Lodge of St . Paul , Mhow , for the ensuing year . The installation took place on St . Johns' Day , Dec . to

27 th , when some 40 brethren ^ sat down the banquet . The General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls met at Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday , January 30 th . After the transaction of routine business the Committee proceeded to

the election of a clerk in the Secretary ' s office , with the following result , Mr . H . W . Durnford Green , 1 . 3 ; Mr . Francis R . W . Hedges . 42 ; Mr George Knill , 28 . Mr . Hedges was declarec duly elected , and the Committee adjourned espe cially to Saturday , 15 th February , at 3 . p . m .

We understand that Bro . Captain Turner P . M . and P . Z . 86 , 826 , & c , will again bi nominated for the Provincial Grand Treasurer ship , to which it will be recollected , Bro . Arm strong , then P . P . G . D . was elected by a majority of six out of 146 votes at the last Annual Pro

vincial Meeting for West Lancashire . At the usual meeting of the members of th Strong Man Lodge of Instruction , held la ; Monday , at Bro . Wickens ' s , St . J ohn ' s Gati Clerkenwell , Bro . Beckett in the chair , the cere mony of installation was most efficiently pei

formed by the W . M ., who afterwards gave further proof of his great knowledge of Fre masonry by working for the instruction of tl brethren , the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th sectioi of the first lecture . The Brethren passed a vote

thanks to Bro . Beckett for his capital workm Bro . Beckett was most ably supported in t ceremony by Bros . Hanes . W . M . elect , Morriso S . W . ; Owens , J . W . j Griffith , S . D . ; Tickle , J . L and Bros . Shepperd , West , Foxcroft , a : others .

A Lodge of Instruction has been opened the Maismore Arms , Park-road , Peckham , unc the preceptorship of Bro . , Rose , P . M . of t Mount Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 , to meet at t above named tavern , at eight lo ' clock in t evening on the first and third Monday of eve month , for the purpose of working the insl lation ceremony .

CITY OF LONDON MASONIC LII ' EIIOAT .-ball , in aid of the City of London Masonic L boat Fund , was held last night , at the Lon . Tavern . The company numbered abenit 2 and included the Right Hon . the Lord Ma ; the Lady Mayoress , and Miss Waterlow , J

Sheriff Perkins , and Mr . Undcr-SheritF Cros Shapcott ' s band was in attendance , and dancing was kept up till an early hour morning . An excellent supper was provii under the superintendence of Mr . Whitfi The principal M . C . was Bro . T . Meekhan Citn Press , Jan . 2 c .

[ Not having received , the usual complimer tickets we are unable to give a more extei report . ]

RHKUMAIISM , Neurnli < in , Spasm , Coot , Deafness , lle . li Tooth Ai-he , I'a ra lysis ' , Xenons Dcldlily , Muscular , and tional Maladies , however tenauous to other remedies , sp yiel . l to Culecrmacher ' s Improve . ! Talent Chain Hand , Hat ami Accessories , from 2 s . anil upwards . Authenticated pr <

unparalleled cliieacy are . riven in Pamphlet , " Nature ' s Restorer ol Impaired Vital l- . ner ^ y , ' * post free on applica , | . I ., r . ilierm . 'icller ' s llalvanic Kstablishment , ids , Ke . ; . London . VV . ; uhere Cmiplilct and lull I ' tice List can he oi / l post lire .