Correspondence.

Correspondence .

VVe do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion . UNITED GRAND LODGE AND THE GRAND LODGE OF NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Kindly permit me to make two or three remarks on the important

subject discussed at the Special Grand Lodge summoned last month by the M . W . Grand Master , as apparently the exigencies of reporting cut me off with three lines in my first brief speech and no line in the second ! I venture to think that the publication of the views even of the humblest members of Grand Lodge on this difficult question in your valuable journal is highly desirable , especially when so comparatively few Masons were present on the occasion I allude to .

Moreover , we had , as you know , several animated debates of late on a cognate subject , and we are likely to have applications for autonomy from other Colonies in the near future . The more , therefore , we disentangle any knotty points connected with this subject , the more likely are we to avoid undue heat in our discussions , while the more calm and dignified will be the decisions of Grand

Lodge . Let me say in the first place tbat though I deprecate any " blind " voting , I think we may respectfully take it for granted that our M . W . Grand Master would not deliberately invite Grand Lodge to pass such a resolution , as he did in this case , without having duly and gravely considered it , having availed himself of the wisest counsel , and having secured the clearest evidence of its expediency .

Again , it may be that the lodges or districts of a Colony have not unanimously desired an independent Grand Lodge , but that a decided majority have done so—ought we in such a case to refuse autonomy ? Or to dub one set of lodges " loyal" and the other set ( by implication ) disloyal ? Ought we thus to

introduce an unhappy cleavage and division instead of doing all in our power to promote that " love and harmony which should ever distinguish Freemasonry ? " Ought we not rather to indulge a reasonable hope that the very constitution of an independent Grand Lodge would tend to draw the lodges together in fraternal union ?

If 50 years have given me any insight into the nature of our Craft , I have no hesitation in asserting that neither title nor locality can ever divide true Masons bound together not only by the universal tie of our world-wide Brotherljood , but by the Imperial bond which links the mother to her children , and England to her

sons . We do not , as was said , " lose " those sons , though they become ranged under a Colonial banner , and hold a warrant under another name . They know the rock from whence they are hewn , and when they come from Canada , or New South Wales , or New Zealand , they are as heartily welcomed ( if not more so ) as if they were English Masons all their lives .

We all appreciate the grace with which Bro . Baskett withdrew his amendment ; but I was sorry , for more than one reason , that Bro . Eve persisted in his , and mainly on the following account . The amendment was an arbitrary interpretation of one of the laws of the Book of Constitutions , which had already given rise to several very animated discussions , and it was now proposed in a very thin Grand Lodge which Bro . Eve had remarked a short time before was most unsuited

for the consideration of any important and contentious question . In fact , it was an attempt ( if even not so meant ) to over-ride , by a side wind , a division already come to with regard to the law in question . How much more straight and constitutional to give due notice of motion for the repeal or alteration of this law , and that , of course , at a Quarterly Communication , when Grand Lodge would be in full session .

Bro . Eve , as an eminent lawyer and a distinguished Mason , ought surely to have known that such a mode of carrying his old contention into effect , and of seeking to supersede the M . W . Grand Master's most sufficient and sate-guarded proposition , was not only questionable in taste , but unconstitutional in fact . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , R . J . SIMPSON .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have read with much interest your report of the special Grand Lodge on the New Zealand question , and from speeches made b y Bros . Baskett and Eve it would seem that the law of our Grand Lodge presents a most grotesque anomaly . If I read aright , the law is thus—The Colony of , say Utopia

, has 50 English lodges working within its boundaries , controlled by a District Grand Lodge , forty-seven of these lodges decide unanimously that they wish to form an independent Grand Lodge ; the remaining three lodges have respectively 100 , 80 , and 50 members , and there are in favour of the new Grand Lodge 97 , 77 , and 47 of their total membership , whilst three cantankerous members of each decline to leave the Grand Lodge of England , so that out of 50 lodges with a

membership of about two thousand Masons , there are only nine Masons dissentient . These nine , however , can retain their three warrants and open their lodges ( and , if they help each other as visitors , can make Masons ) and retain their District Grand Lodge in spite of a majority of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one against them ! Surely if such a farcical absurdity occurs in our

Book of Constitutions , for the sake of our reputation for sanity , to say nothing of common sense , it should be speedily expunged . I am not referring in any way to the Grand Lodge of New Zealand , but simply stating an ideal case , based on the apparent contention of Bros . Baskett and Eve . I think the law of warrant-holding by a minority wants considerable revision , unless , as I hope , I am entirel y mistaken in the report of the meeting . —Fraternally yours , COMMON SENSE .

THE NEW ZEALAND DISCUSSION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your report on this question the Grand Registrar is made to

say"In the case of the Australian lodges , there was one new Grand Lodge in Victoria . " The latter word , I would point out , is incorrect ; Bro . Philbrick said " Australia . " Hence my remark to the contrary . —Fraternally yours , W . F . LAMONBY . August ist .

MISS DAVIS'S PENSION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have to thank you for inserting my letter in your last issue . I have read your leader commenting upon it . As you say , you have not been very complimentary in your remarks , but I like it none the worse for that ; it only

Correspondence.

shows that my letter has struck home when such a reply has to be given to it I am a good fighter myself , and can give and take hard knocks with the same good feeling . You have the same right to your own opinions as I have to mine , and I suppose are acting up to them . I thank you for your flattering reference to my plausible and ingenious way of piecing my statements together , and should have been still better pleased if I could have converted you to my own way of thinking . If my letter has the effect ( for which it was written ) of drawing the

attention of those Subscribers who are somewhat careless in looking after these things , then my letter will have served its purpose . I feel quite certain of this , that if the "General Court of Governors" will take the trouble of sending to every Subscriber a form to fill up with " Yes" or " No " on this question of pensions , granted from the funds of the Charity , the great majority of Subscribers will condemn it . I think it is worth a trial to ascertain the feelings of the Subscribers on this point once and for all . If it can be proved that a majority are against this pension scheme , then I say that your remarks about its

being sheer nonsense will be a reflection on the common sense of the Subscribers , which , no doubt , will be resented accordingly . As to the clap-trap part of the business , I leave your readers to form their own opinions about that , and have no fear as to what the result will be . There is only one thing I have to find fault with in your remarks , that is you accuse me of placing the circumstances before your readers in a false light . This I most emphatically deny . I have simply stated facts and left your readers to draw their own conclusions from them . My authority on the question of the £ 360 per annum has been obtained from Bro . Hedges's office , and is therefore good enough .

In my letter I said not one word against Miss Davis , as to her attainments , or the good work she has done for the School . I will grant you that she is all you say , and still maintain that she has no right to be pensioned out of the funds of the Charity . That is my whole and sole objection . If Miss Davis or any other of the staff deserve pensioning , do it by all means , but out of a fund collected

for that purpose . To defray it out of funds collected for purely Charitable purposes is a distinct and deliberate diversion of the money from the purpose for which it was given , and is a misappropriation of the Charity funds . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally and faithfully ,

W . D . SHOEBRIDGE . Halifax , July 29 th . PS . —I may add that I have received letters in commendation of my action in this matter , and have their heartiest support and good wishes .

THE LONGEST REIGN IN ENGLISH HISTORY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother May I suggest in your- columns that we , as Freemasons , should commemorate the unique reign of our beloved Queen , and ask our M . W . G . M . to preside at a meeting at Albert Hall , or in some other commodious place , for the

purpose of expressing our loyalty and affection to our Most Gracious Sovereign , who has been spared to rule this great empire so peaceably and advantageously for so many years ?—Yours faithfully and fraternally , J . TOLLWORTHY , I . P . M . 1769 . 54 , Old Broad-street , E . C .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

A CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE . The late Sir Henry Burford-Hancock ( District Grand Master of Gibraltar ) sent me a copy of a certificate of an ancestor of his , issued by the St . Nicholas Lodge , Newcastle-upon-Tyne . Our lamented brother of the " Quatuor Coronati " ( No . 2076 ) belonged to a thorough Masonic family ; as he told me his " great grandfather , grandfather , and his two brothers , father and his three brothers , were

Masons , " also his son is a Mason , and Lady Burford-Hancock ' s " grandfather , father , and four brothers were Masons . " This is a record rather difficult to beat . Sir Henry Burford-Hancock was an enthusiastic Mason , and , on my discovering the original warrant of the " Inhabitants Lodge , " No . 153 , Gibraltar ( which had long been missing ) , he had it handsomely framed and presented to the lodge , on behalf of my old friend Major F . G . Irwin ( also deceased , and who was a member

of No . 2076 ) , who had given it to me in ignorance of its real character , having purchased it some years ago with other " Masonic odds . " The parchment certificate is preserved in a case , and measures 15 inches by 10 . The lodge was chartered 29 th November , 17 66 , as No . 378 , and when No . 261 joined the present " Newcastle-upon-Tyne " Lodge , No . 24 , in the year 1814 . It is printed " in old English character , " having emblems artistically arranged at the head , the seal being fastened at the S . W . corner , so as to leave it free , the ribbon to which it is

attached is light blue , and the name of the brother is written behind the seal . The design is described to me as " a globe on a pavement , between two pillars , surmounted by radiated eye , moon , and seven stars , compasses and square , name of Iodge outside . " I have sent the copy—as herewith transcribed—to Bro . Schnitger , for the library in the Central Masonic Hall , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , as I was much pleasedto see the valuable collection of Masonic curios , MSS ., books , and medals that is there preserved so carefully by the honorary Librarian . W . J . HUGHAN .

[ COPY ] " Lumen ingens oriente lucet ubi pax et silentium regnant . " From Saint Nicholas Lodge , Newcastle upon Tyne , holden of the Grand Lodge of England .

The Right Worshipful Masters , Wardens and Brethren of all regular Lodges , of the ancient and honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons , where these Presents may come , Greeting . Beloved Brethren ! These are to Certify that the Bearer hereof , our Worthy Brother of

Samuel Hancock , being well recommended was upon the twenty-seventh day September one thousand eight hundred and ttvo , made an entered apprentice ot this Lodge : —passed fellow Craft and raised to the sublime . Degree of Master Mason . His zeal for the Royal Craft has induced us to recommend him , to the true and faithful wheresover dispersed , and we have caused our said Brother to sign his name on the margin of this certificate , that the same may be demanded of himas a proof of it hath not fallen into improper hands i 1 - —¦ 1

, , «* — - - — — - - — —— ——r- * - — - f Given under out * hands , and seal of our Lodge , this Twenty Ninth day " » September , A . L . 5 806 , A . D . 1802 . Wm . ROTHERHAM , M . JOHN CHALONER , S . W .

JAMES ARCH BOLD , J . W . CHARLES RICHARDSON , Secy . [ The date " A . L . 5800 " is given in my copy , but I think it should be 5806 , the 6 possibly not being legible . The A . L . should have been 4000 additional to tnc A . D ., according to the usage of the Grand Lodge of England . —W . J . H 1