Mr. Charles Bradlaugh.

o-rounds did the Hig h Cross Lodge obtain for Mr . Bradlaug h a certificate from the Grand Secretary ' s Office ? For if we understand Mr-Bradlauo-h ' s account correctly , he never was a member of a lawful lodge at all ! His original initiation is clearly irregular , bad , and invalid ,

having taken place in a spurious order , and an unreco < mised secret society . If "La Perseverante Amitie" be even under the Rite Ecossaise , " in which French Lodge Mr . Bradlaugh tells us that he was " received , " it does not , we apprehend , do away with his ineli g ibility to be

received into an English lodge , except entirely "de novo , " acccording to the " Book of Constitutions . " But if "La Perseverante Amitie ;" be not a regular French Lodge , the case is rendered doubly irregular , and is , under all

aspects , most deplorable . We however await some little explanation from the members of the Hig h Cross Lodge , before saying anything further , though we have thought it best , for the honour of our loyal Order , to call attention at once to the known facts of the case .

The Spring Of The Year.

THE SPRING OF THE YEAR .

The month is opening with " balmy breath and genial sunshine , and "March winds and April showers" are at "a discount" in the * '•' weather market . " Our English Spring , when p leasant , is ever most reviving , and the country seems putting on that " robe of verdure , " which

always is such a relief to us poor Londoners , whose eyesight is sorely tried with the glare and deadness of our metropolitan streets and smokestained walls . But the " Clerk of the Weather , " like a good many other high potentates , is often a little capricious , not to say , slightly variable

in his" programme " of performances . To-day we are sweltering under a warm sun , and sighing for cooling drinks of wondrous names and composition ; to-morrow the chill of the east winds is searching us through and through , making our old bones ache , bringing out gouty rheumatic

pains everywhere , or we sit stewing at home , in all the "demons bleus " of a good genuine English indigenous " Catarrh . " Still we will hope for the best , and just as now everywhere in this old fair land of ours , " inque novos audent se gramina campis , " so we will fondly allow " spes

credula ' to whisper to lis of sunny weather and a pleasant year . The great metropolis seems to be preparing to hail a prosperous season , and we wish equally well to festive youth , and to expectant shopkeepers . One great event in our Masonic world will long make the season of 1875 famous

in the annals of the Craft . We allude to the installation of our Royal Grand Master , which an universally loyal Order is regarding to-day with every sentiment of joyous anticipation , nay , of heartfelt congratulation ! For , in addition to the many popular qualities of the heir to the

throne , his high rank , and our loyal sentiments of unchanged Masonic devotion , we all feel that we have arrived at a " crisis , " so to say , in the history of Freemasonry in general , and of English Freemasonry in particular . Never , at any time , in our history , have the attacks on our peaceful and innocuous Order been so manv and so

unwarrantable . We are denounced by conflicting creeds , and in distant countries , by an " odium theologicum , " utterly unaccountable and unreasonable . That all of a sudden the Church of Rome should revive her persecuting animosities

against our tolerant brotherhood , that she should furbish anew her rusty weapons of interdict and anathema , may be a question of surprise perhaps , but is not entirely inexplicable . But that so-called Protestant bodies should meet

on a common ground , rather an uncommon ground , of hopeless intolerance , is indeed a matter for astonishment and regret . And hence a question may fairl y arise how are we to meet this new "Armada" ? Two views may fairly be held on the subject , as two views undoubtedly exist amongst thoughtful and

zealous Freemasons . There are those who wish and seek to meet all such attacks , especially the Roman Catholic attack , as the French say " coup pour coup . " They would answer incrimination by incrimination , and expletive b y expletive . There are those however , and wo profess to be numbered amongst them , who

The Spring Of The Year.

prefer to meet ail such assaults , and all such assailants , be they what and who they may , with tho calmness of dignified indifference . That we should state our views calmly and temperately , that we should from time to time , " more majorum , " vindicate with the language of "truth and soberness" our benevolent and

time-honoured fraternity , is alike to be . expected and to be commended . Abroad , as a general rule , the attacks mostly proceed from one irreconcilable adversary , the Romish Church •at home , and in America we havo a most heterogenous alliance of Ritualists , Baptists and Presbyterians to contend with as well . Hence our line of defence

cannot be always tho same , and what may suit Germany or Italy may not suit us . In England the Roman Catholic authorities have not yet ventured , we oelieve , exceptitione obscura journal , to impute to us a shadoAv of political jiurpose , but they accuse us of being a secret society ,

irreligious , and opposed to the Roman Catholic Church , because condemmed by successive Popes . Abroad the warfare between the " Freejjiasons " and the " Ultramontanes " has assumed very serious proportions , so much so , that " Emil Rittershaus , " a writer of some note in

Germany , has recently assailed the Pope in words of intense energy , and pointed acerbity . But we do not think , that we in England need fig ht our battle with such arms ; we surely can aftord to stand on our own dignity , and our tried character before our fellow countrymen . We

are a loyal , a peaceable , a benevolent brotherhood , and here in 187 - ; , when our quondam Grand Master has left us , the Prince of Wales comes forward , like his Royal ancestor , as our Grand Master , and his two brothers , the Duke of Connaught and Prince Leopold , are members of

our inculpated fraternity . So let us take heart and go on our way contented and exultant . What matter to us thc vapid allocutions of irascible prelates , or the childish outpourings of sectarian vials ? what hurt do the criticisms of self-made critics or the bombast of ignorant

assailants do us , when we have at our h ^ ad our Royal Grand Master , and the approval and sympathy of all good citizens and honest men ? Let the Pope excommunicate us , let Ritualists , and Baptists , and Presbyterians denounce us •we

care nothing for them at all , but like " Johu Brown , " we are marching " onwards" full of good will and sympathy to our universal brotherhood , and ever actuated by kindly consideration for all '* children of the dust . "

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

five do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wc wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion , —I ' D . ]

INSTALLATION OF THE M . AV . GRAND MASTER . Tn Ihe Editor of the Freemason , Dear Sir and Brother , — Several suggestions have been made in thc Freemason with respect to the Installation—possibly our A ' . W . Brother Hervey , or our AV . Brother Fenn have not found time to read those articles—but I venture to

make a suggestion myself , and hope it will " meet the eye . " AVe are led to believe that there will be only one ticket for M . M's . for each lodge , if so , there must be nearly 10 , 000 entitled to attend by virtue of oflicc—now amongst those 10 , 000 who propose to attend , at least 500 will be absent from illness or other pressing emergency , and their seats must be blank , unless otherwise arranged

for , as the tickets arc not transferable . My suggestion is that an additional ticket to each lodge , to the extent of say , -joo , should be issued to 300 of Ihe home lodges , to be allotted by each lodge by ballot , amongst the M . M . members , the same as the first ticket will be ; it being understood that the brother who is the lucky holder , is only to be admitted to the outer circle half-an-hour before

the Grand Lodge opens , and lo the inner circle , a quarter of an hour before Grand Lodge opens , and from there they will be passed into the hall to fill up the blanks as far as can be done . Of course , I can see the look of horror to this addition to the labours of all concerned in

the successful issue of the grand event , but when they consider the immense regret of the poor M . M . ' s , when they are told that , on the average , only one in say 25 can go , they may pity them , and perhaps help them to the extent suggestetl . MAONUS OIIHEN , P . M . 33 and 452 .

Ta the . Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Can you explain the following portion of the regulations as to dress : " Provincial Grand Officers must wear the collars and jewels of the lodges

Original Correspondence.

anil offices respectively , in right of which they attend as members of Grand Lodge , " as no Prov . G . Offices give the right to sit in G . L ., docs this mean that Masters , P . M . ' s , and Wardens who are Prov . G . Officers must wear in addition to , or instead of the purple collar , the collars of their offices in thc Blue Lodge ? In short , how must members of G . L . who are also Prov . G . Officers appear . Yours faithfully and fraternally , W . M . 36 , and Prov . G . Reg .

To Ihe Editor ofthe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — A ' our correspondent N . R ., W . M . remarks " Could not some opportunity be given to ladies to view the hall after the ceremony , just a quiet march past the throne . " There are plenty of duly qualified M . M . ' s who , like myself , earnestly desired to be present , but are shut out , ( with the

exception of one to each lodge ) , by the apparent wholesale anil indiscriminate manner in which returns have been in many cases sent to Grand Lodge . Whether all those recipients of tickets whose names were so returned , will be present , or not , is open to much doubt , and I am afraid -will cause , notwithstanding the admirable efforts of the Grand Stewards , many much coveted seats to be unoccupied by their proper occupants .

Might I suggest , that the M . M . ' s left out in the cold , might have the mercy extended to litem after the ceremony of even just a" quiet march past the throne , " for it certainly seems an anomaly that notwithstanding the vast capacity of the Albert Hall , only one M . M . to each lodge under the constitution of the Grand Lodge of England , can be found room for .

I am dear Sir , yours fraternally , ON-E M . M . To Ihe Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , It is not well , I think , as a general rule , to interfere with those to whom any special duty has been entrusted , and , seeing what an arduous undertaking is before those who are to conduct the approaching ceremony

of the 28 th , it would ill become me to make any suggestions to those who know so well their business . As , however , one good idea has already seen the light in your columns , I may , perhaps , be permitted to again call attention to it , and respectfully urge its adoption if it should be found practicable . There has been , ami wisely too , a growing disposition

to admit ladies as much as possible to our fetes . I say , wisely , because as the wives and mothers of future Masons they must necessarily exert an immense , albeit hidden , influence upon the well-being of the Craft . I certainly can answer for one , who has always

advanced the cause by every means in her power , has presented her husband with a jewel when he has- passed into a superior degree , anil who is so thoroughly convinced of thc good of the brotherhood , that she brings up her sons to look forward to the day of initiation as a means of making themselves wiser , better , happier , and more useful

men . Would that there were more like her ! But this will not be , so long as there is so much uncalled for suspicion engendered by foolishly excluding the helpmates of the brethren from those pleasant gatherings in which they may partake , with equal pleasure to themselves and profit to the brethren whose festivals they adorn . The ladies hear us talking of the spectacle of the 28 th ,

as , probably one of the grandest in the whole annals of Masonry—could not a view of the Hall ( as your Correspondent suggests ) be given to them after the actual ceremony is over . Should more assistance be required , I do not , for a moment doubt , but that plenty of brethren would most gladly act as extra Stewards for this particular purpose . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , faithfully and fraternally yours , « P . M . & P . P . G . C . "

MR . CHARLES BRADLAUGH . A noire chcre Frere Caubet , le Grand Secretaire du Grand Orient de la France . _ ¦ T . C . Frere Caubet , Mr . Charles Bradlaugh pretend qui'l a etc' recu dans la loge " La Perscrvante Amitie ' , " en France . Pouvez vous nous informer s'il y a sous la Grand Orient de la France

une loge ainsi nomme ' e ? Nous ne pouvons la trouver dans le " Cosmopolitan ! , " ou la liste des loges sous le Grand Orient dc la France , est fonde ' e sur vos renseignemens oflicicls , ct nous craignons qu'il y a quelque erreur dans une telle description . Est ce qu'il y a par hasard une loge sous la Rite Eccossaise du meme nom ? Pardonnez notrc interrogation , et agreez mille amities fraternellcs , A . B ., J . H . T ., A . W ., Freres et Francmacons Anglais .

THE BOYS' SCHOOL . To Ihe Editor oj the . Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , In the List of Candidates for the Boys' School , published in your paper of the , 3 rd inst ., you state that there are two candidates from Dorset , No . 36 , A . J . Green , from Lodge 1260 ; No . 41 , G . AV . Stanton from Lodge

417 . This is an error ; the only candidate from Dorset is A . J . Green . G . AV . Stanton is a candidate from Lodge 855 , AVootton-under-Edge , Gloucestershire . His father , Bro . G . R . Stanton , resigned membership of Lodge 417 , Dorchester , in December , 186- ^ and left tbe Province of Dorset ; and although he has many friends there who will

be glad when disengaged to support the case , it is not brought forward by Dorset ; nor can Stanton be correctly described as a Dorset candidate . A ' ours fraternally , THOS . COOMBS , P . G . A . D . C , Prov . G . Sec . Dorset .