Original Correspondence.

there are illegal Templars in the neighbourhood of Glasgow , they have nothing in common with the Girvan Encampment , and any of " Frater t Carolus ' s" friends would find that they could not gain admission thereto at anything like the scale of fees he has named , nor unless they had been

previously exalted in the Royal Arch'degree , and were at the time in good standing with both their lodge and chapter . The sneer about the different . " calibre of the clandestine encampment at Aberdeen" we can afford to treat with the contempt it deserves , while

admiring the logic that makes a difference of social rank the test of legality . We think sufficient has been said to show brethren that they should take the trouble to ascertain facts before they rush into print , and under the shelter of a nam de plume , malign those who are working as legally as themselves . G . W . WHEELER . July ist , 1871 .

THE HIGH DEGREES .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) . SIR , —In your issue of June 17 th , you have an article by "An Irish H . K . T ., " who says " the mere fact" of a brother seeking admittance to a Rose Croix chapter is taken as sufficient to debar him from that honour . He might also have added that

there is at this time a notice before the Grand Encampment proposing that no brother shall know that he is to be brought forward ; in fact , the members of the " higher degrees " are doing their best to make Freemasonry a large Conservative Club , where none but those with " gentle blood" or big . .

purses will be admitted . This is so thoroughly unmasonic that I am sure the . brethren will not pemit themselves to be placed in such a false position . "H . K . T / also says that after ballot in the chapter he is expecting ( though of course he docs not know he is to to be proposed ) to join , a ballot

has to be taken in the Council of Rites . This applies with equal truth to a candidate for H . K . T . honours , for after a successful ballot in the encampment , of which the proposed being a member , he has again to go through the ordeal in thc Grand Encampment , which gives it the power of refusing

any one who may in any way have made himself disagreeable to members of the Grand Encampment , thus making this degree equally hard to obtain as that of Rose Croix , which no brother here can receive unless he is a K . T ., thus violating the yery constitution under which the Council of Rites

works . The higher degrees in Ireland , "H . K . T . " says , are , Masonically , almost " worthless . " He should have said , " quite worthless , " because they are no proof of Masonic worth , for the brother who works well all the degrees is the very one who will be refused , even though he may be a

highlyeducated intelligent man . It is also a fact that those who know most of Prince Masonry , and work it best , have got thc degree out of Ireland . I trust English Templars will not allow themselves to be brought into the condition we arc here ,

but will hold to be free of all connection with thc " Golden-square Council , " and maintain their ancients rights and privileges with such supervision as may be necessary for proper working and uniformity of proceedings . Yours , "CONSTANCY . " Dublin , 29 th June , 1871 .

"OUR ANCIENT BRETHREN" ONCE MORE

[ Reply to Bro . Howard ' s Letter of June 3 rd , page 346 . ] ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — -Bro . Howard asked me to state the grounds for believing that the lines quoted by me the week previous—viz ., " For seven of England ' s royal kings , " & c . —were written by A .

Mundy . Permit me , in the premises , to state that I used thc words , "probably written by A . Mundy . " My reason for that supposition was simply this : A . Mundy wrote in 1605 "Britania Rc-united . " It was written for the purposcof cxtollingthe Merchant Tailors guild on the occasion of Lord Mayor's show . Just two years afterwards , viz ., 1607 , 1 find another

poetical composition , written for thc same object , on a similar occasion , closely following up thc same ideas , stating the same facts , and possessing thc same kind of jingle as the former . This led mc to hazard thc opinion that thc two were written by the same individual . If my supposition was not ri ght , I sincerely thank Bro . Howard for correcting mc . Fraternall

y yours , JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S ., June 16 , 1871 .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the review of * ' The Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massa-

Original Correspondence.

chusetts , " by Bro . Hughan ( June 10 th ) , Bro . H . was pleased to designate our Deputy Grand Master as the Rev . Charles L . Woodbury . Permit me to correct him as far as the " Rev . " is concerned . Bro . Woodbury is not a Rev ., but a distinguished

member of the bar . He formerly held the position of judge , and was at one time District Attorney of the United States , and during the last two sessions was a leading member of the Democratic party in the Massachusetts Legislature . Yours fraternally ,

JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S ., June 23 , 1871 .

The Grand Masonic Gathering At Penzance.

THE GRAND MASONIC GATHERING AT PENZANCE .

Penzance , Monday Afternoon . Thc most ancient documents in England relating to Freemasonry is found in the Old Royal Library at the British Museum . It is a small quarto manuscript on vellum , at least 500 years old , and the second " article" begins thus : —

" The secunde artycul of good masonry , As ge mowe hyt here hyr specyaly , That every mayster , that ys a mason , Most ben at the generale congregacyon , So that he hyt reasonably y-tolde Where that the scmbld schal be holde : . w

. . . . . . . . . .. - . . . « -...- . . . . . ... . „ .. ~ - ~~ , And to that sembld he most nede gon , But he have a resenabul skwsacyon . " The Masons of the westernmost and other provinces will have no " resenabul skwsacyon " ( excuse ) for non-acceptance of the invitation of

their Grand Master if their brethren of Mount Sinai Lodge , at Penzance , can help it . For 120 years that lodge has been in existence—answering all reasonable demands on it , welcoming the brother who set foot on shore near it ( it was held , in its earliest days , at the Ship , on the Quay ); speeding

him as he lost sight of his native land , perhaps for ever ; recruiting its ranks generation after generation ; handing down its local as well as the worldwide traditions ofthe Craft ; initiating , the young ; bearing its old men sorrowfully to tlie grave—in short , fulfilling the duties due to its neighbourhood

and to thc Fraternity ; and it was not likely that it would omit anything in its power to give the country a fit and proper welcome . It is ten years since a similar " semblii " took place here . The lodge was then held at the " Union , " as it had been for many previous years , but the visitors will now have to

gather at thc Public Buildings ; and thc sons of Hiram Abif will not fail to observe and value the massive pile and substantial workmanship before them , and thc granite fountain whose fixture was expedited in their honour—a basin hewn from a block worthy thc giant cities of Og and Bashan .

The lodge has received special attention for weeks , and its symbolism , adornments , and aids to " work" can hardly fail , wc should think , to give satisfaction . Thc zealous Secretary , Bro . Goldsworthy , was taken seriously ill while superintending what is little else than a transformation of this

apartment ; but many ofthe Mount Sinai brethren , from the Mayor ancl Bro . F . Boasc , P . M ., down to " Entered Apprentices , " have taken an active interest in thc work carried on by Bro . C . Curnow as a cabinet-maker and decorator , and by Mr . Pine with his paints and brushes . We have heard that

unwritten Masonic law says -. * ' 1 hrec must rule a lodge , five may hold a lodge , but only seven can make a lodge perfect . " Now , Mount Sinai Lodge would contain seven times seven comfortably ; half as many again of the Fellow-Craft , with harodim and menatzchim ( rulers and overseers ) , may crowd

it to-morrow ; but thc only regret is that it is not large enough to hold all who may wish to pass within its portals . This compactness , however , suits the present members of Mount Sinai Lodge , which shelters about forty brethren , and will not interfere with to-morrow ' s larger gathering at ten

o'clock . This lodge , used hitherto by warrant only , will be formally dedicated by the Provincial Grand Master . Thc province assembles in thc lectureroom , contiguous to St . John's Hall , which has been temporarily decorated and fitted for Masonic gatherings . This apartment holds comfortably 200 ,

and its walls arc brilliantly festooned and ornamented with banners , devices , symbols , and watchwords . Overhead , the star-sprinkled firmament ; in thc East , sendingits rays from above the Master ' s chair over thc lodge , the All-seeing eye , denoting " the omnipresence of God in His watchful care over His

creatures , and the equal distribution of those good things which will contribute to make us happy in this world . " So at least Dr . Oliver , one of the great Masonic writers , tells us . Thc clouds above the Master ' s head may also denote majesty and power * .

Near them arc the Divine command , "Let there be light , " and the fulfilment , "And there was light . " The Master ' s scat ( which , as well as others , is of great age ) is placed on a dais between the wellknown twopilIars ( beautifully marbled by Mr . Pine . ) Thc sides of thc room arc pannclled by other

The Grand Masonic Gathering At Penzance.

pillars and between these are suspended pictures emblematic of various degrees in the Craft , the portraits of departed or existing worthies , and prints of the benevolent institutions of the Masons . Opposite the Provincial Grand Master is seen the " counterfeit presentment" of Bro . Curnow , one of

the oldest and most respected brethren Mount Sinai ever had ; to the South is one who deservedly stood high in the province , Bro . Richard Pearce . Both are three-quarter length , and excellent portraits . That amidst the rich and comfortable-looking furniture of the lodge , should meet the eye at every

turn compass , and plumb , and square , every one would expect . Tesselated pavement ; sun , moon , stars ; sacred names ( emblazoned , but unmentionable ) ; triple taus , blazing stars , angles ; hands , pentalphas ; thetheological ladder , with its " rounds " of faith , hope , and charity ; the best and greatest

of all books—wherever the eye turns there is something to remind it of belief in God , of the theological and cardinal virtues , of duty to be done in this world , of a state of reward and happiness hereafter . He must be a dullard ( and , of course , no Mason is ) who can look at these suggestive signs

without being reminded of the highest and holiest principles . But it is not permitted mortal man to live on thought . Bread must be had for the body as well as food for thc mind . After long journeys , duties more or less arduous , and a walk to St . Mary ' s

Church and back , the brethren must dine ; and if what we see and hear be correct , they will find good refreshment after labour , St . John ' s Hall is occupied for sixty feet of its length by three tables , with one at the head of these and at right angles to them . The orchestra is decorated by beautiful plants from

Mr . E . F . Belitho ' s conservatories ; the space beneath the galleries is draped with flags ; the Provincial Grand Master contributes largesse from the abundant stores of shell-fish formed around his islandkingdom , and from the lovely gardens of Tresco . Bro . and Right Worshipful Master Augustus Smith

is himself superintending to-day the arrangements ; Bro . W . Mitchell , ofthe "Western , " is busy in the many preparations required of a host who has a reputation to maintain . Penzance is remote , and has not the advantage of a more central situation ;

but , should fine weather favour the Craft , not the least pleasant of their annual convocations will be held in that town to-morrow . — Western Daily Mercury , July 3 . [ A full report of the proceedings on Tuesday will be given in our next . ]

Six Hundred Thousand Masons.

SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND MASONS .

We have at thc present time , upward of 7 , Lodges in active operation in the United States , with an aggregate membership of 600 , 000 , with an annual increase of about 50 , 000 . The Annual dues to Grand Lodges , so far as have been reported , amount to thc sum of 30 , 138 dollars . And when

we consider that the reports from which those figures are taken , are most of them , for the year 186 9 , and many as far back as 1866 , and that the increase has been continuing from that time to the present at the rate of about 50 , 000—with these figures before us , wc may truly say : We are a nation

of Freemasons ! and should the principles which arc inculcated extend with our membership , and be forcibly impressed upon thc minds of the initiates , so that they would practise them , the institution would be the promoter of much good , and bring no discredit upon us as a nation . Six hundred

thousand brothers linked together in one common bond of union , strong and firm , one and inscperable . And among this number are to be found men of every nation and religious creed ; men of different political opinions ; men of every profession ; men occupying high places of trust in society and thc

civil government . And against this band , which cannot , as a class , be out-ranked for intelligence , patriotism , liberality , and all those virtues that characterise thc good and true , a crusade is being inaugurated . A black cloud , no bigger than a man ' s hand , has arisen , and threatens death and

destruction to all Societies ; a cloud full of thunder and brimstone , which was conceived in the brains of a few old ladies wearing breeches , who were recently assembled in grand convention at Pittsburg , where they resolved that it was advisable to put an end to all this humbuggery of assisting

brothers in distress , and " doing unto others as you would they should do unto you . " In fact , they are fully persuaded in their own minds , that if the eaalh shall continue to revolve on its axis , and not in precise accordance with their views , then thc whole machinery must be stopped . All wc have to

say to them is . when they succeed in overthrowing thc Masonic Institution they will write to us ; but we are fully persuaded that it will not be while there are " hungry onestobefed , " " naked ones to be clothed , " " sick and afflicted to be attended , " the " widow to be consoled , " and the " fatherless to be comforted . " — The Square .