Consecration Of The St. Alphege Lodge (No. 1431), At Solihull.

thr . t tlie new lodge W . HIKI as _ e . i ) b ! e on me first Wednesday in each month , and that the officers chosen wculd be Frederick Cohen , W . M . ; Dr . Bell Fletcher ( honorary ) , P . M . ; Henry Sanderson , S . W . ; William Hilhnan . J . W . ; H . H . Chattock , T . ; George Greene , Sec . ; James

Barlow Hall , D . C ; J . Webster , S . D . ; A . Waldbruger , J . D . ; James Whittindale , l . G . ; Joseph Hilhnan , Steward ; W . O . Horton , Junior Steward ; Chapman , Tyler . The brethren of the new lodge having expressed their approval ,

of these appointment in due form , Bro . Baynes , the Provincial Grand Chaplain , then delivered the Oration . The presiding officer then dedicated and constituted the lodge , after which the National Anthem was sunsr .

Bro . T homas Howkins was then called upon by the D . P . G . M . to act as Installing Master , in the absence of Bro . Pursall , who was absent through domestic affliction .

Bro . Howkins performed the duties in an admirable manner , and having inducted the W . M . designate into the chair of K . S ., according to ancient form , Bro . Frederick Cohen invested his officers .

Votes of thanks were passed to Bro . Baynes , for his excellent oration , to Bro . Howkins as Installing Master , and one of condolence to Bro . Pursall . The W . M . of St . Alphage having received the hearty good wishes of all present , the lodge was closed in due form and in perfect harmony .

In the evening the brethren sat down to a splendid banquet , served up in Bro Hillman ' s well-known style—who , as a caterer cannot be excelled—with the best dishes and the choicest wines .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

SPIRITUALISM .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In sending you the communication of X . O ., and my suggestions thereon , I had no other purpose in view than to lift Bro . Carpenter out of the grave of superstition into which he seems to have fallen , but it has proved a slip .

I would ask Bro . Carpenter if he thinks it more possible for disembodied spirits to make themselves heard or understood from that " bourne whence no travellers return" than it is for spirits in the flesh to communicate from one part of the earth to another ? I hold if the one is possible , the other is more

so . Bro . Carpenter speaks of scientific investigations having been held resulting in the conversion of the scientist . We have also heard of investigations where no satisfactory result could be obtained , simply ,

according to the spiritualists , because the persons present were sceptical ? What I contend for is this , let any person of sound judgment and strict morals who linds himself under the influence of these so-called spiritual manifestations

subject himself to scientific examinations with a mind open to conviction , and willing to find that the etfect is from natural causes , and not stubbornly insist upon the supernatural , then we may perhaps find out the truth . Yours fraternally , J . KEET .

FREEMASONRY IN INDIA . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In the October issue of the "Masonic Record of Western India , " just to hand , it is stated that at a Quarterly Communication of the Provincial

Grand Lodge of Western India , under Scotland , held at Bombay , on the 27 th of September last , eighteen Scottish Past Masters and Masters Elect were installed in the Eastern Chair , by a Board of English totalled Masters , in the manner

sanctioned by the Constitutions , practice , and procedure of the * Gfand Lodge of England . As no orders on this subject from those august bodies the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , have been publicly made known ,

Original Correspondence.

very grave uoubts are entertained as to the propriety and validity of these extraordinary proceedings , and you will do the Craft in India and other distant dependencies good service by giving the matter prominent notice in your columns .

There can be no doubt that an assimilation of practice between the English and Scotch Lodges is eminentl y desirable ; but it is clear that a change so important ought not to have been made , excepting under the joint and public

instructions of both the Grand Lodges concerned , and even then it should , so far as possible , have been simultaneously made in all the lodges under the Scottish jurisdiction . lam of course assuming that authority has , in some

perfunctory way , been given for the change . If no sufficient authority has been given , the officers who made the arrangements and assisted at the installation have most egregiously committed themselves .

In Sec . 12 . Cap . 21 of the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , I find that " The Installation of the whole office-bearers of a lodge including the Master , shall be held in a just and perfect lodge , opened in the Apprentice Degree ,

whereat , etc ., " and in a note to the " Ceremonial at Installation , " published in the same book , I find these words : — " In England and Ireland the Master Elect receives certain secret instructions , in presence of those onl y who have passed

the chair , or been installed Masters of lodges , in order to distinguish him from the non-official Masters , but in Scotland the Grand Lodge has uniformly held that giving these instructions separately is an innovation on the ancient

landmarks of St . John ' s Masonry & c . " I am consequently unable to understand how the Grand Lodge of Scotland can now have stultified itself by consenting to an alteration it has previously , and in such positive terms , condemned . I

am also perplexed to know how the English Installed Masters who presided can , in the absence of direct and positive authority from their own Grand Lodge , reconcile their proceedings , in installing brethren who have not served

as Wardens , with the Constitutions and Ancient Charges which they at their own installation solemnly pledged themselves to abide by . In writing on this subject I have no wish to create dissension , but participating as I do in the

doubts expressed as to tlie propriety of this innovation , and believing also , that the cause of Freemasonry is best subserved by combined adherence to ancient rule and strict obedience to constituted authority , I call attention to the

matter in the hope that it may be publicly justified , and that all doubts as to the validity of the installation may , if possible , be dispelled . 1 am Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , P . M .

READING THE SCRIPTURES . To I lie Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I was much gratified on reading the article " Reading of the Scriptures , " which

appeared in your issue of 23 rd August , but in explaining the usage now in England , with respect to the choice of passages , you say that Ruth iv . 7 is selected for the First Degree , and

1 . Kings vii . 13 , 14 , is selected for the Second Degree . May I ask you to inform me what passage is selected for the Third Degiee , as you have omitted to give it . Fraternally yours , J . D . F .

The editor of the " Bauhiitte" lias founded at Florence an establishment for the sale of German and English books . We have much pleasure in introducing the same to the notice of our many readers who may visit the fair city , feeling

assured that they will meet with every attention from those in charge . The address is—Messrs . Flor German and Foreign Booksellers , 24 , Lung Arno Acciajoli , Florence , Italy . Prints , photographs , pictures , and English stationery , are also kept in stock . —ADVT .

Reviews.

Reviews .

History of Doyle ' s Lodge of Fellowship , Guernseif ( No . 84 ) . By Bro . W . T . KINNERSLY W . M . Guernsey , Bro . H . Clarke . The historical records of lodges established many years ago must always prove interestinoto the Craft , especially when the annalist is so

capable of illustrating the subject as our Bro . Kinnersly . The first authentic record of Freemasonry in Guernsey fixes the year 176 3 as the date of its introduction to the island . On the 24 th of June in that year , the Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons granted a warrant lor a

lodge to bs held at the Three Crowns , St . Peter ' s Port , ( now the Crown Hotel , ) by the title and number of the Orange Lodge ( No . 116 ) . But the names of the brethren to whom the sum . mens was granted are not known ; nor are any minutes of the lodge in existence , consequentl y

the writer is left m ignorance as to whom is due the honour of having founded the first Freemasons Lodge in Guernsey . After 1 S 0 S , no returns were made to Grand Lodge , and in 1828 , it was erased from the roll of lodges . On the 9 th of March , 1784 , a warrant , also from the Ancient

York Grand Lodge was granted to Robert Mitchell , W . M . ; John Nelson , S . W . ; Peter Arrive , J . W . ; for the founding of Mariners ' Lodge ( No . 222 ) . This Lodge has ever since existed in the Island , under the same name , though now bearing the number 168 .

Alter a few remarks the writer states " On the 22 nd of September , 1806 , Brother J ones , at that time W . M . of Lodge 222 , was empowered by the Grand Lodge to hold a Provincial Grand Lodge , in Guernsey , at which he was to preside as Deputy Grand Master , this dignity was to be

enjoyed by him for the space of three hours " and no longer , " and but for one especial purpose , viz ., the consecration of a new lodge under the name and number of Doyle ' s Lodge of Fellowship , No . 336 . From the fact of the high rank of Deputy Grand Master , having

been conferred on the Master of a private lodge ( though such rank was only temporary , as being for a specific reason ) the writer concludes that at that time Guernsey was not a Masonic province , and that then , as at present , they had no governing power between themselves and Grand Lodge

itself . The Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Duke of York Tavern , Rohais Road ; and the ceremony of consecration performed . The first officers are then given , viz ; Nicholas Efiard Robinson , W . M . ; Anthony Priaulx , P . M . ; Rev . C . D . Isdell , S . W . ; D . Watson ,

} . \ V . ; N . Maingay , Treas . ; J . Mansell , Sec . ; T . Le Lievre , S . D . ; P . Le Patourel , J . D . ; Peter Desperques , Tyler . The writer says —• At the period of the contest between the rival Grand Lodges , or the Ancient and Modern Masons , as they respectively styled themselves , was raging fiercely , and the first work recorded

on the minutes of Doyle s Lodge , was" re-forming" Bro . Champion , a Modern Mason . Since the union of 1817 , this ceremony has of course become obsolete . The bye-laws , when first drawn up , fixed the age for admission of candidates at 21 years , as it is at present . On the 13 th of April , 1807 , this law was altered , and candidates were admitted at the age of 20 .

The writer then very ably traces the history of the lodge from 1807 to 1873 . Within that period Sir John Doyle was initiated , passed raised and had tli 3 Past Master ' s degree conferred upon him , or as it was then called , passed the chair , all of which took place on one and

the same night ; ( This was allowed under the old Constitutions , and is even now done in America . ) Two days later the W . M ., Bro . CD . Isdell , resigned , and Sir JohnaDoyle , a Mason two days old , was installed in his chair .

Perhaps it will interest many of our brethren if we quote a few of the many events which took place , with the dates . We will give them as brief as possible . On the 22 nd of September , 1807 , a fresh

warrant was received from Grand Lodge , granted to Bros . Sir John Doyle , D . Watson , and Thos . LeLievre ; and giving Doyle ' s Lodge the number 98 in place of 336 . The writer says , " This proceeding is , to say the least , mysterious ; no