Original Correspondence.

the status of Pas' Master OF the lodge to a joining Past Master ; " neither can I see how it " could develope any absurdities or introduce any anomalies ; " nor , most of all , how it could possibly " favour those of social position , " or "keep back those in humble position . " If I , as a Past Master , feel inclined to join a thousand lodges , or all the lodges on the roll of Grand Lodge , and suppose I am received , how in the name of all that is Masonic could I

keep back the most humble member of the Lralt ? 1 can t see it . Your remark might apply to the brother who was a member of nine lodges and Master of none , because in such a case in all probability he is dodging about for office and anxious to get to the chair as quick as possible , but once hiving passed the chair what further harm can he do unless he runs for office again , which he would not try to do if you

will only let him have the rank wherever he goes undisputed . I have known of men who boasted of having been two , three , or more times Master of one lodge ! 1 don ' t think it any matter to boast of , as to my mind it only shows the poverty of brain of those with whom they associated or else a calamity to thelodge by the loss of both Wardens from some cause . But your whole trouble seems to hang on the words " of ' and "in . " What difference does it make ? A certain

Past Master is a member of a lodge , and athough he never was elected or installed Master of that lodge , being a member of that lodge and a Past Master in the Craft 1 contend he is a Past Master of that lodge . I d . m ' t care two pins whether you call me " of " or " in . " I belong to a certain lodge . I am a subset ibing member of it . 1 am a Past Master in the Craft and you can ' t make mote of me if you elect me a member of the Grand Masters

Lodge and install me in that chair , beyond recognising my social status if I had any . Take another of your points . What if a lodge has been formed and is flourishing , and has a hall of its own built at great expense by the loving , liberal , and ungrudging munificence of the founders ? They have not built it for themselves alone ; they have desired to make other Masons and to admit joining members , and have framed their

byelaws accordingly . Would you have them put in a clause to exclude Past Masters joining unless they paid at a higher rate ? Suely , if you look through your leadeiette again you will see the utter absurdity of the sophistry you use . I must make yet one other comment-you recommend your " London brethren to muster strongly . " Tnis to a poor provincial like myself , who cannot possibly attend ^ except at the loss of equal to two whole days and from £ 5 to

£ 10 of cash , looks very much like as it you warned the mdon brethren they mu-, t make a party matter of it , and shut up the provneial brethren at once and forever . If the London luethren wish to do this they have the power , as a threepenny 'bus ride and an hpur of time would be worth mo-ethin my two days and £ 10 ; but we have not

yet lost faith in the h . nesty uf even our London brethren , although some of them do wish to saddle us with half as much more contributions than they pay . I fear this communication has grown to a fearful extent already ; but as it is the slack season you may possibly excuse it , and oblige yours very fraternally , W . NICHOLL , P . M . 317 .

Reviews

REVIEWS

LbCOQ , THE DiiTECTIVE . Two v .. Is . By Monseiur GABORIAU . Translated . Vizettelly and Co ., 10 , Southampton-street , W . C . What very remarkable stories these are which M . Gaboriau has sent forth with such point and power for an immense audience , for innumerable readers in France and out of France . We lose a good deal from reading them in Enalish . We miss the tersene . s and crispness .

and vivid reality and personable power which distinguish them in the " original . " But yet even in English how very taking , moving , and sensational they are . We defy any one who takes them up to put them down until finished , as such is the originality , dramatic force , and exciting interest of the story , that often perhaps " malgre nous , " as the Fren h say , we are led on entranced , captives of our own freewill . These tales are said to be " sensational , " and

therefore somewhat daigerous ; and no doubt they are " sensitional . " But they present no gaudy figures of successful vice ; no gilded representations of prosperous criminality . Folly in them and evil arc still folly and evil , sure in the retributive rule of the G . A . O . T . U . to receive a fitting punishment , a just return . The ability of the writer has contrived to throw around his speaking pages the charm of

original tab nt , and the real ties of conti mporary life . The groundwork of some of his best stories is the action and the eneriry of the secret police of Paris , and in his often solemn episodes , crime has a proper punishment meted out lo it , and criminals are tracked , and captured , condemned , and punished . Amidst so much flourishing crime and so many audacious criminals in our very midst to-day , which our patient laws never seem to care for or

touch , tve often wish we could find ready to our hands the system and "outcome" ofthe French police . Weare not at all surprised to hear that Prince Bismark delights in these French novels . Like himself they are original and able , clear and "thorough" in the highest degree . If " sensationalism " is ever permissible , if the excitement ° f fiction is ever sound or good , Mons . Gaboriau can claim for these artistic creations of his alike in their monitory

apologues and their vivid characters , that they truly represent what his contemporaries , especially in Paris and I ' ranee , see in the world around us , and that they deserve perusal as much alike for what they suppress , as for what they detail , for what they so minutely paint , and for what they so seriously and kindly picture for us all Jn moralizing memories and in warning tones . It is true hat all M . Gaboriau ' s stories do not stand on the same

level cither of interest or eeneral readibility . A selection has to be made , as the one great drawba . k affecting them , " must be honestly conceded is this , they put bpfore us episodi s and pictures 1 ft n of matters of fact arising out of the h yper civilization ot Paris , which is neither good to Know about , or sate for many to reilize . Therefore , like tne old French formula "Pain ii discrit ' on , " so we may jjy * as regards the stirring and striking novels of Mons . « aboriau .

Reviews

THE MAGAZINES . Once more , as the clown said in the days of old Drury , "Here we are again ! " and our good friends the Magazines confront us in the way , amidst a luxuriance of a Monthly literature , which it is all but impossible to master , and very hard comfoitahly to digest . "Longman ' s Magazine" claims our first attentionand

, is effective and readable . It does not indeed take the position in our monthl y literature which the reading world expected it to take , but it comes to our hands chatty and convenient , pleasant and persuasive . " Thicker than Water" proceeds "more suo . " VVe shall all be struck with " A Dream of Millions , " " Across the Plains , " " The Big Trout , " " In the Carquinez ' s Woods , " and " When

we have gone away . " "All the Year Round" reappears with its normal contents and its summer number . We prefer to recommend our readers to peruse it for themselves . VVe can safely say this , they will not be disappointed , and whether for " manner or matter , " for much that interests and more that edifies , " All the Year Round " is second to none amidst the multiform appearances of our serial literature .

1 emple Bar reintroduces us agreeably to " Belinda " and " Tone Stewart , " and gives us a pleasant supply of " Light Literature" in Napoleon ' s Marshals , " " The Siege of Benin , " " Richard Wagner , " and " Edgar Pee . " Many of us will laugh over " Keep my Secret . " " The Century " appeals alike to our student sensibilities and our a-sthetic tastes . It is most striking in each

department . Whether we turn over the pages of " Bob VVhite , the Game Bird of America , " " In Southern California , " " Mr . Watts at the Grosvenor Gallery , " " The oldest Club in America , " " Under the Olives , " the same combination of literary merit and artistic excellence comes out forcibly before us . We can truly commend Scribner to the notice of our readers , as deserving alike the perusal of the thoughtful and the commendation of the fastidious .

The Bibliographer and Antiquary " proceed on their career , receiving the support and commanding the perusal of all who interest themselves in the subjects they deal with , clearly , ably , and conscientiously .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

214 ] RABBI JUDAH LEON . In "A description of Holland , " published in London , ' 743 . Ly T . and P . Knapton , at the Crown , in Ludgatestreet , at p . 216 occurs the following- passage : "Judah Leo , who with great pains and application , formed a model of Solomon ' s Temple , the Tabernaclethe camp of

, the Israelites , and other Hebrew curiosities . I don ' t know whether the temple lately shown in London , and other capitals of Europe was done by him , or an ingenious gentleman at Hamburgh . " The model of the Temple which Dermott saw and mentions was , it is alleged , formed by the " ingenious gentleman at Hamburgh , " but it is

equally certain that about 1680 Judah Leon exhibited in London , as Dermott also says , a model of the Temple . Jt would be curious and interesting , if Leo ' s model still exists , to know something about it , and also to ascertain what was the connection , if any , between it and the later alleircd Hamburgh model . MASONIC STUDEN 1 .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of this Institution was held on Saturday last at Freemasons' Hall , when there were present Bro-i . Raynham VV . Stewart in the chair , Richard Tyrrell , Joyce Murray , Dr . Ramsay , Alfred VVilliams , S . B . Wilson , Fredk . Adlard , C . F .

Matier , W . Mann , Edward Baxter , Geo . P . Gillard , and E . C . Massey ( Freemason ) . The minutes of the General Committee of the 7 th ult . were read and confirmed , and those of the Quarterly Court of the 16 th ult . and the House Com nittee of the 20 th ult . were read for information . The report of the Audit Committee was read and adopted and ordered to be entered

on the minutes . The Chairman was authorised and requested to sign cheques . 'there was one petition which , on consideration of all the circumstances of the case , was approved . The usual grant of £ 5 was voted to a late pupil of the Institution . Bro . BINCKES reported that the exact financial receipts

from the Festival were £ 23 , 050 . He also reported that the purchase of £ 2000 India four per cent stock , authorised at the last General Committee , had been made at the price of 103 J , the outlay , including commission , being £ 2075 . Bro . Binckes reported also that , allowing for one candidate withdrawn , there would be 63 candidates at next election and that the vacancies were 30 in number .

Bro . BINCKES reported that the Preparatory Building Fund now amounted to £ Sooo , and said that as there had been some correspondence in the public prints as to the proportions " in which the receipts from the festival were divided between the Preparatory Building and the General Funds , he would be obliged if the Freemason would state that the sum actually received up to the present time was

£ 16 , 172 , of which £ 10 , 381 had been placed to the General Funds and £ 579 1 to the Building Fund , being as nearly as possible two-thirds to the former and one-third to the latter fund . Upon the motion of Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART , of which due notice was given at the last General Committee , it was unanimously resolved that , in consequence of the extremely heavy work which there had been in the

Secretary ' s office in relation to the recent festival , the sum of £ 125 be added to Bro . Binckes ' s salary , and £ 2 $ to the clerks' salary , for the years 1 S 83 and 1 S 84 , to be paid out of the interest received from the investment of the Building Fund during that period . Bro . BINCKES returned thanks for himself and on behalf of his assistants for this mark ot the Committee ' s appreciation of their services ; and there being no other business the meeting then adjourned .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The monthly meeting of the Committee of this Institution was held on Wednesday at Freemasons' Hall , Hro . Edgar Uowyer in the chair , ( "here wereal .-o present Bros . Samuel R . Everett , John Buhner . Henrv Moore . 1 'hr . ma *

Cub . it , Henry Maudslay , ] . M . Case , Charles Atkins , L . Stean , A . H . Tattershall , Jabez Hogrr , Charles Dam . I , H . Smith , C . H . Webb , Charles John Perceval , W . Hilton John J . Berry , F . Adlard , James Willing , jun ., J . Wordsworth , R . Turtle Pigott , Jas . Terry ( Sec ) , and H . Massey ( Freemason ) . After the reading and confirmation of the minutes , the SECRETARY reported the success of the summer

enteitainment at Croydon last Tuesday week , and that the Supreme Council had made certain gifts to the Instilution , which contributed to that success . The thanks of the Committee were ordered to be conveyed to the Supreme Council bv letter from the Secretary . An application for half her late husband ' s annuity was granted to a widow . Seven petitions were examinedand

, the petitioners were placed on the list of candidates for the next election . 'I he proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman . The SECRETARY mentioned that a son of the late collector of the Institution , Bro . W . Lane , was a candidate forthe Uoys' School , and his mother trusted that the Committee would assist him with their votes .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LINCOLNSHIRE .

LAYING A CORNER-STONE WITH MASONIC CEREMONY AT GRANTHAM . . Onthe 2 Cthult ., Bio . W . H . Smyth , J . P .. D . L ., R . W . Prov . G . M . Lincolnshire , performed the ceremony of la-ring the north-east corner-stone of the extended nave of St . lohnV

Church , Spittlegate . 1 he ccrner-stone of the new chancel was laid some time since by Mrs . James Hornsby , and took place with special appropriateness , seeing that the enlargement has been rendered possible chiclly throusjh the munificence of Bro . Jas . Hornsby , for many years the Vicar ' s warden . It was thought desirable and right to have a similar function in connection with the extension of the

nave , and the performance of this portion of the work we have now to record . Thc worthy Vicar of Spittlegate , Bro . the Rev . C . ITsmere , is an eminent Freemason , occupying * this year the dignified position of VV . M . of the Doric Lodge , No . 362 , Grantham , and arrangements were happily effected for the laying of the stone with full Mas . nic honours , in the presence of the Provincial Grand

Lodge , and at the hands ol the K . W . Prov . G . M . himself . The ceremony occasioned the greatest interest in the town , and much anxiety was manifested to behold the splendid regalia peculiar to the Free and Accepted Masons ; and the air of mystery which ever encircles the Order tended , as a matter of course , to quicken thc curiosity of outsiders . Splendid ceremonial , whatever its species , seldom fails to attract ,

and when , as in this case , deep truths lay concealed beneath a beautiful symbolism , there is something to demand ihe respectlul attention , if not the admiration also , of " the uninitiated , " even though they fail to catch the hidden import of all that is visible to the eye . The brethren , both visiting and local , assembled in great force at the Guildhall about noon , where a Provincial

Grand Lodge of Emergency was opened in form by the Prov . Grand Master , and shortly afterwards a procession was formed in front of the Guildhall in the usual order . A large number of spectators lined the route of the procession ; and the massive richness and splendour of the symbols which were carried , coupled with thc jewels and handsome vestments worn by the officers , had a manifest

effect on the spectators . Permission had been given for a special service to be held in the Parish Church , to precede the great ceremony of the day , and thence the brethren repaired , the fine old bells in the matchless lower ringing out a hearty welcome as the procession approached . A numerous congregation had been for some tune in waiting at the church , where the two top blocks of seats in the nave

were reserved for the brethren , and when all had taken their places the sight was exceedingly striking , equalled only by the imposing spectacle which presented itself as the procession , rich in blue and gold , moved up the centre aisle . The Provincial Grand Chaplain , V . W . Bro . the Kev . J . A . Chalmers , of the School House , Horncastle , and the P . P . Grand Chaplain , V . W . Bro . the Rev . C . Elsmere , W . M .

Doric Lodge , 362 , proceeded into the vestry , and shortly issued therefrom with the choir of St . John ' s singing the hymn , " Pleasant are Th y Courts above . " During the assembly of the brethren , a short selection was played on the organ by Bro . H . P . Dickenson , organist of St . John ' s and a Past Master of the Doric Lodge , who accompanied throughout . 1 he service was intoned by the Prov . Grand

Chaplain . The special psalm was the 48 th , " Great is the Lord , and highly to be praised "; and the lesson , II . Chron . 11 ., read by Bro . the Rev . C . Elsmere . Before the sermon , the hymn "Christ is our Corner-Stone " was sung * , and afterwards , during the offertory ( which was taken up by certain of the members in full regalia ) , " O Lord of Hosts , Whose glory fills . " Ihe sermon—a most intereslino * and

appropriate one—was preached by the Rev . C . Elsmere , and founded upon St . John ' s Epistle i ., 3— " That ye may also have fellowship with us : and truly our fellowship is with the Father , and with His Son Jesus Christ . " Efforts r-L 1 " malle t 0 obtain a preacher of high position in the Church ; but owing to various causes the authorities were in this unsuccessful . The Archdeacon of Yorkwhose

, services had been sought in vain for the occasion , wrote the wannest letter of sympathy and expressive of the most sincere regret that he could not come and preach , which , if he had not been engaged that day , he would most unhesitatingly have done . At the last moment Bro . Elsmere was himself called upon to fill up the gap ; and all who had thc

pleasure of hearing him will agree that he did so most worthily . The offertory was taken on behalf of the building fund . At the close of the service the procession left the saer ed building in order as before , and marched to St . | ohn ' s——this time preceded by the band of the 2 nd Volunteer Battahon Lincolnshire Regiment , conducted by Bandmaster Morris . All along the route crowds of people had ass em