A Spurious So-Called Grand Lodge In London.

we know of no Grand Lodge in England but that presided over by the Prince of Wales , and certainly do not understand why a French lodge can be meeting in London with no warrant it all , or venture to call itself a " Grande Loge , " we think it rig ht to direct the attention of the

proper Masonic authorities to the subject . We reerret that the editor of so respectable a journal is ° the Monde Macon n ' ui ue should have permitted such an impudent assumption of the name of ¦ i Grand Lodge to appear in his pages , for it is , in fact , a great " manque ; d ' egards " towards the

English Grand Lodge , the more so as he knows ns well as we do that such a lodge in England is spurious and illicit , and that any body of foreign Masons taking such a name , not onl y infringe the laws of the land , hut commit a erreat act of impertinence towards the English

Grand Lodge . A Bro . Valleton claims to be the " Orateur" of this remarkable body , see pp . 4 ^ 2 , 433 , Monde Macon n ' n / iie for January , and above all has , we regret to say it , the effrontery to issue his illegal statement , as he says , " dans l'interet des Masons Anglais . " We venture to add that there is no English Freemason

who will not at once repudiate indignantly any connection whatever with this spurious body of so-called Freemasons , but who are not and cannot be anything but a clandestine and unwarranted and unwarrantable meeting of non-Masons , or anything else in fact , you like , against all Masonic law and authority .

Not True!

NOT TRUE !

As we thought at the time , the statement of the ll'estminster Gazette as to Ihe admission of Prince Louis Napoleon into Freemasonry at Rome by Prince Humbert turns out to be a pure myth . We commend to our readers' notice a little correspondence on the subject , which we

publish in another column , by which it will clearly appear that , through the kind intermediation of our Bro . J . C . Parkinson , we have authority from Rome to say that the whole story is a weak invention of the enemy . Supposing that the statement had been accurate in itself

and that Prince Louis Napoleon had been admitted into Freemasonry , it was a matter , after all , which only concerned himself and his family and friends . But to invent a direct falsehood , and then to ground on that falsehood an attack upon the Empress Eugenie and her son , is

an example of bad " form , and of worse faith , almost without precedent . Without precedent , did we say ? Alas ! it is that peculiar feature of Ultramontanism which has always filled the thoughtful with alarm and humiliation , we mean its utter " unscrupulousness" alike in

word and work , when some end is to be gained , some result achieved , as is idly supposed or profanely asserted , A . M . D . G . Especially as regards Freemasons is this hyper-illegality of sentiment and action most remarkable . From the first condemnation of Pope Clement in 1738 , . vhen the

" houses were to be destroyed " where the lodges met , and Freemasons themselves were to be seized by the Inquisition , and handed over to the " secular arm " until this hour everything is apparently allowable for Roman Catholics to say of or impute to Freemasons . According to some

Ultramontane scribes , there is no crime they have not committed , no evil that they would not do , and as a proof of what educated Roman Catholics believe . too , of our innocuous Order , we recommend our readers to peruse an interesting letter by Bro . Vervega , which appears amongst our

correspondence this week , as illustrative of the subject we are treating upon . As it is , we have this consolation , that as a general rule any Ultramontane statement as to Freemasonry just now is not only a " canard , " " lame , " and ' " sauvage " for the most part , too , but it is very lucky if it

is not something worse , an invention so utterly devoid of truth for instance , that we can only regard it as an emanation from the " father ot lies . " Dreadful position for a religious body to take . Not only to be unable to " realize the

abstract importance of truth , ' but to lie , either purely for lying sake , or in support of that vile theory , that the end justifies the means , however bad or base those means may be per se . As Freemasons let us not imitate our unreasoning and uncharitable assailants , and let us never for-

Not True!

get that one of the greatest attributes of good Freemasons under all circumstances and in all contingencies is Truth .

News From Sweden.

NEWS FROM SWEDEN .

In another column our readers will perceive that , according to the Correspandance . Scandinave , a Stockholm paper of some circulation , and very friendly to Fri . emasonry , hy an extract of which we give , in the French , as we received it , that a new lodge has been recently inaugurated

at Stockholm , by the King in person , and in the presence of a large concourse of brethren from Norway , Denmark , Germany , England , and France , as well as Sweden itself—a truly cosmopolitan gathering . The Crown Prince had been initiated a few days before , and was also present ,

as well as Prince John of Glucksburg , brother of the King of Denmark . Bro . Dahlfeldt gave an oration , and after a most successful gathering 870 brethren sat down to supper . Well , amid the violence of some unreasoning fanatics and the anathemata of others , it is pleasant for us to

note that now , as of old , the great men of the world are not ashamed " our mysteries to put a good grace on , " much less to hear themselves named " a Free and an Accepted Mason . " So let us all take abuse and illogical accusation calmly , and join one and all in the good old chorus , " Prosper the Craft . "

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving ol ihe opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit oi fair play to ^ 11 , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 3

HOW CAN VVE IMPROVE MASONRY IN SCOTLAND ? SEC . II . —THE DAUGHTER LODGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Masonry is not a benefit society -, every aspirant seeks , or ought to seek , admission to our portals from a

sincere desire to benefit his fellow creatures ; " he should be prompted by no mercenary _ or unworthy motive . " The Craft has , it is true , institutions to assist the widows and aged , and to educate its orphans in many parts of the world ; but this is not a benefit society ; with them all who join do so for ulterior pecuniary gain . With us our charities are to lelievc true and real distress

brought on by no fault of our own ; we may any one of us ( whatever our fortune or position in life ) he in a moment reduced to the utmost depths of distress—banks in which our money is placeel may fail—funds may go down or utterly collapse—interests on investments may ceaselarge business firms may fail , and carry us down with them .

Again , even when we take the open-handed charities supported by our Order , we may , aye , and do find , that the real cases nf distress , the unwilling applicants for relief , far exceed the funds at our disposal , and many are sent empty away . " Masonry , then , is not a benefit society ; " it relieves real distress wherever and whenever it can do so ; but even

then falls far short in its duty . " A candidate should not seek to join Masonry for pecuniary or trade advantages . " Masonry is open , however , to every good and worthy man , whatever his state or position in life may be : peasant , prince , and noble are equally eligible ; the unvvoithy noble is refused , the honest peasant is accepted j men of all languages , nations , religious beliefs , are eligible

for our Onler , provided only they believe in the One rrue God , T . G . A . O . T . U . Masonry being such as this , it remains for us , its professors , to welcome all good and honest men , whosoever and wheresoever they may be , but to exclude the ignoble , the base , the sordid , the slanderer , the criminal , as far as lays in our potver . " We cannot be too strict in estimating

and examining the character of any and every aspirant for our favours . " But for a lodge to be in a position to refuse the unworthy , it must be financially able to receive with open arms those alone that are worthy . It has been for many years the bane of Masonry in Scotlanel , that lodges , " to keep up their funds , " accept one and all that come forward , the entrance fees being the sole funds for the

maintenance of the lodge . Members even in many cases go so far as to solicit their friends to join , and yet the candidate , according to our rules , should be perfectly unbiassed by solicitation . I do not say that this state of matters is confined to Scotland alone—far be it from me to do so ; but I do say that here this flagrant dereliction of duty is too rampant ,

and yet the vice is not ineradicable . In the province with which I am connected lodges do not depend on fees received from intrants for their funds , and there are several other provinces and lodges in Scotland with which I am acquainted similarly situated . What can be done iu some

should therefore be done in all . The principles that I would inculcate , therefore , art these : — A . That Grand Lodge should make it compulsory on all daughter lodges to exact annual subscriptions ( however small ) from all its members .

Original Correspondence.

B . That Grand Lodge should increase Ihe minimum fee exigible for intrants , and re-apportion the dues to Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund and Provincial Grand Lodges . The amount of the annual subscription for its member * is the province of each separate lodge ; the cognate question , the mimimum or maximum fee for intrants , depends on Grand Lodge . The same principles , however , must guide both the daughter lodges and the Grand Lodge iu

fixing their respective scales . A daughter lodge must consider its members and their position in life ; it must calculate what its annual expenses for Masonic purposes are likely to be , and fix its annual ch . irge to cover such expenditure , even it only 2 s . fid . per he-acTpernnnum . The bye-law that no brother shall vote or speak in lodge if in arrenr of his animal subscription should be- strictly enforced .

No brother should lie eligible for otlice ( p"ice other qualifications ) in Grand Lodge , or Provincial Grand Lodge , unless a subscribing member of his mother leulge or some other one holding under Grand LoJge of Scotland . These are questions more particularly belonging to Grand Lodge , but , as they also affect the daughter lodges , had better be considered at once , before taking up questions

relevant solely to Grand Lodge , Grand Lodge inuler the present system ( sec Constitutions , cap . x \\ . s .-e . iv . ) enicts that no candidate shall be initiated for less th _ 1 . 11 £ i is . od ., exclusive of Grand Lodge dues viz ., 5 s . 6 J . for registration ( of which is . goes to the Benevolent Fund ) , and 5 s . for diploma ; therefore every intrant has to pay uot less than £ 1 us . 6 d ., the sum of ios . fid . has to be paid by

tbe lodge Treasurer to Grand Lodge on each intrant , irrespective of fees exigible by the daughter lodge-, not less than £ 1 . is . od . I would propose , then , 1 st , that Grand Loige should make annual subscriptions in daughter lodges compulsory ; 2 nd , that the minimum fee for iiiimion should be raised to £ 2 2 S . od ., inclusive of dues to Grand Lodg ^ ,

Benevolent Fund and Prov . Grand Lodge , viz ., £ 1 5 s . od . minimum to daughter lodge , 7 s . od . to Grand Lodge for regi ; tratie > n ( of which 2 s . od . should be remitted to the Provincial Grand Lodge ) , 3 s . od . for diploma , and 5 s . od . to Fund of Benevolence . £ 2 . 2 S . is not an unnecessarily high minimum to exact from any aspirant for our benefits , it is also within the

reach of any honest and industrious man , who does not seek personal or pecuniary advantage , in fact who wishes to enter Masonry in a proper spirit . The question of annual subscriptions ( however small ) will tend to raise the financial as well as the Masonic position of daughter lodges , and relieve them from being compelled to receive , simply for their fees , one and all who

may apply . Giand Lodge , the Benevolent Fund . Provincial Grand Lodges , and every daughter lodge would then be strengthened , and the moral tone of Masonry improved . I would add a few words more as to annual subscriptions to prevent mistakes : " Any brother who , from pressure of circumstances , is unable to continue his subscription , any brother leaving the district in which his lodge is held , and

who then withdraws his annual money , is still a Mason , and exercises all Masonic rights ; he simply loses membership of the lodge as regards voting and speaking , anel loses for the time the qualifications ( if he has any others ) of membership of Grand Lodge , or Provincial Grand Lodge , but can always regain his status by being re-placed on the list ol subscribing members e . f his mother or any other lodge , or in case of going to another town or county by joining the lodge of his new home . "

Sec . III . —ADMINISTRATIVE . Composition of Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodges . a ( See cap . i ., sec 1 ) . The Grand Lodgeof Scotland consists of Granel Office Bearers , Past Grand Masters , Prov . Grand Masters , Right Worshipful Masters , and their Wardens or Proxy Masters , and Wardens of every lodge

holding under Sceittish Constitutions . li ( See cap . xii , sec . 1 ) , The Provincial Grand Lodge shall consist of the Provincial Grand Master and all office bearers ( excepting Inner Guard and Tyler ) , and the Masters and Wardens and Immediate Past Masters of the several lodges in the province . In Granel Lodge a regular annml test of membership

both to Grand Lodge and also Benevolent Fund exists ( see appendices A and K ) j many Provincial Grand Lodges also have a test of membership , but this , as in the case of daughter lodges , should be rendered compulsory ; the addition ( lately given ) of Immediate Past Masters to Provincial Grand Lodges has been a great boon , inasmuch as it has increased the income and working powers thereof .

Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodges being the ruling powers of the Craft , none but those duly qualified should be members of each or either ; as in Grand Lodge so in the Provincial , all Past Grand Officers should remain members so long as all fees to Provincial Grand Lodge aud a daughter lodge are paid , wearing also a distinctive mark on their aprons to denote their past rank .

As to cap . xx ., sec . 6 . as to duration of time between granting degrees , the law should be strictly enforced , and the wording altered , so that no dispensation should be given save by the Provincial Grand Master , his depute or substitute , and that only at the written request of and duly signed by the Right Worshipful Master and the two Wardens of the petitioning lodge . The proposal 2 s . per head on intrants in revised scale

of dues to Grand Lodge-, which com ; s to the Provincial Grand Lodge , shoul 1 be the nucleus of a Provincial Benevolent Fund . Duplicate returns of all intrants , affiliations , officebearers for the ensuing years , and also of subscribing members , should be made annually by all lodges to their respective Prov . G . Lodge . Extended powers should be given to Provincial Grand Lodges , to act as courts of first instance in all Masonic cases within their jurisdiction ,