Original Correspondence.

Ifc- ' - ¦ ¦ ¦¦¦ ¦ - I ' of the Glasgow Masons , however , can do that , that we are not troubled very much . I deny that we have " much to gain" by visiting brethren . We are continually strengthening our forces by affiliating brethren from Lodges under

the Grand Lodge of Scotland , who should know which body practices the best Masonry . Brother John Kinnaird , 33 , member of Lodges Nos . 9 , 13 , 62 , 1 r 1 , 374 ( under Grand Lodge of Scotland ) , 193 , Pa ., 194 , N . Y . ( United States ) , 76 ( Canada ) , and 204 ( New Brunswick ) , was

duly affiliated into the Melrose St . John ' s , No . 1 , on the 17 th inst . I have his permission to make the fact public , and challenge any Mason to meet him and publicly discuss the question as to the genuineness of the Melrose St . John ' s Masons , for . - £ 100 aside , the winning money to be devoted to benevolent purposes .

I have never seen any advertisements " requesting the attendance of Visiting Brethren , " or known of any emanating from the Melrose Body . If such ever did appear , was it any crime , pray ?

A Melrose Mason of many years standing , who was brought up in Melrose , informs me that he never knew or heard of any other than the old Melrose St . John ' s being in Melrose . If this be true where did G . H . W . get his No . 15 , Kilwinning , St . Peters , No . 210 , and incorporated Kilwinning , No . 102 from ?

G . H . W . is quite correct , however , in stating that " The Melrose Lodge has always maintained its independence . " This is true in more than one sense , they are entirely free from debt

and have plenty cash in hand ; Had the Grand Lodge of Scotland maintained its independence as well , it would not be burdened with its present enormous debt , or be ashamed to publish an annual financial report

I most emphatically deny having known who G . H . W . was before I sent oft" my letter , which appeared on 14 th Feb . I had my suspicions after sending it , but 1 never knew it as a fact until the 21 st , when I learned it in your office

here . I did not even know G . H . W ., or G . W W . by sight until my so-called trial and expulsion , which is most unfairly reported in your issue of 2 ist inst . Trial indeed ! A greater farce

never was played in a penny show . A so-called summons ( the real article I enclose to you for inspection , after which please return it to your office in this city for me , and I will call for it ) of which the following is a copy . *—

" Abercromby-street , Glasgow , " 22 nd January , 1864 . " Sir and Brother , " I am instructed to summon you to attend the next meeting of the Lodge " Glasgow" No . 441 , on Tuesday , the 10 th February

prox ., at half-past eight o ' clock p . m ., to answe ' r to the charge of your joining the " Melrose " body of Masons , ¦ ' I am , yours fraternally , " J RENNIE , Secy . " Mr . Thos . Stratford . "

Having been personally served , I attended Lodge " Glasgow , " 441 , at time fixed . After the charge was read I requested the R . W . M . to cause all E . A . ' s and F . C ' s to retire and the lodge to be raised to the sublime degree of

M . M . That done , I insisted upon all visiting brethren withdrawing . This was objected to and overruled by the lodge . One brother ( of 413 ) , however , acknowledged the justice of my demand . I protested against the so-called trial , as being informal , irregular , unmasonic , and

illegal , inasmuch as the so-called summons not being stamped with the seal of the lodge , was Masonicall y illegal , according to authorised works on the laws of " Masonic Trials , " that by the same law no Mason can be tried in the presence of visiting brethren without his consent .

This notwithstanding , I was put on my M . M . O . B . to answer if I had joined the " Melrose" body , and held the office of R . W . M . I admitted that I had done so , but maintained that

it did not constitute a Masonic crime . If it be a crime , then I would plead guilty to the charge . A circular was then read , of which the following is a correct copy : —

Original Correspondence.

" Freemasons' Hall , George-street , "Edinburgh , 26 th Dec , 1874 . " R . W . Sir , and Brother , " I am directed by the Grand Commission to call your attention to advertisements which have appeared in the Glasgow newspapers

intimating that a lodge styled " The Melrose St . John " had been inaugurated in Glasgow by the Melrose Masons , and to caution your lodge against giving countenance Derecognition to any parties hailing therefrom . The following names appear to be connected with the movement , viz .,

Robert Kenton , Andrew Hart , John Scott , Wm . Hart , Wilson , and M . C . Barclay . " You are aware the Melrose has persistently withheld from union with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and has no warrant or authority for establishing new lodges .

Be so good as to read this letter to your lodge , and cause your members generally to be informed of its import . " I remain yours fraternally , "ALEX . J . STEWART , G . S . " The fearjid crime was proved (?) by the above

circular . I was charged ( though this does not appear in the so-called summons ) , " with having violated my obligation by joining a body - of Masons , contrary to the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . " I asked why the

circular above should say " the Melrose Lodge has persistently withheld , & c . ? " That of itself proved that the Melrose Masons had frequentl y been invited to join the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and showed beyond doubt that they were genuine Alasons :

I told the lodge that they knew nothing of the law of Masonic trials , and , as they were unprepared for the trial , and I wanted to have the case tried on its merits , I was willing , for their sakes , and the credit of the lodge , to have the trial adjourned for a month , at which time 1 would

pledge my word to attend . And in the meantime they would have an opportunity to read up Masonic history and Masonic Law . 1 did not—as your report states—ask for an adjournment . Moreover , I told them distinctly that I was prepared then . I also stated that if

they adjourned the case for a month , I would withdraw my objection to visiting brethren being present , and they might then have the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow , and the whole of the Grand Lodge of Scotland too , if they liked . It was decided , however , that the trial proceed . I

then said they had no jurisdiction in the case . That even if all was proved as charged—as an American-made Mason , I was affiliated , only to consider 441 , as next after my Mother Lodge , and as I had neither violated my American obligation , nor infringed any of her bye-laws or

rules , I was perfectly clear , and I defied them to find me guilty . It was held , however , that the circular , the Constitution of Grand Lodge , and the bye-laws of the lodge , empowered them to deal with the case . Bye-law No . 37 , of the lodge was then read , which is as follows ,

" Should any member infringe these bye-laws , he shall , after being duly summoned to attend a meeting , be liable to such penalty as the majority of the brethren present at said meeting shall deem fit and expedient . " In this case it was " deemed fit and expedient "

to expel me from the lodge . I denounced the whole proceedings as unmasonic and disgraceful , and I cautioned the lodge not to take steps that they would afterwards regret . I requested that my name should not be erased from the roll until the decision of the lodge had been confirmed by

the P . G . L . and G . L . of Scotland , to which tribunals I said I should appeal . Your report omits to state that the request was granted . Some one proposed that the D ' s should put me out of the lodge , and the S . D . at once stepped forward , between me and the altar , with that

brotherly intention . he was . however , ordered to his seat by the R . W . M ., who by his promptness alone , prevented a scene which none would have regretted more than myself . I shall always feel grateful for the kindness

and courtesy I received from the R . W . M . throughout these painful proceedings . I would I could say the same for the members of the lodge . I am confident though , that most of them had no desire to injure me or disgrace the Craft , and , if they erred , it was only through

Original Correspondence.

ignorance of matters Masonic , or from bad judgment . I was not—as your report states—ordered but I was requested to retire . Nor was the word " spurious " or the term " spurious body " mentioned at all throughout the proceedings , your report to the contrary notwithstanding .

Perhaps our friend G . W . W ., who was present , will furnish your readers with an interesting account of the after piece , or the " dark seance , " entitled " Moses when the candle went out , " or " Noses when the gas went out . " I am sure he can write feelingly on the subject . I remain , fraternally yours ,

THOMAS STRATFORD . R . W . M ., Melrose St . John ' s , No . r , and still m ember of Lodges 106 , N . Y ., and 441 , Glasgow . Glasgow , 23 rd February , 1 S 74 . P . S . —Since writing the above I have had the nleasure of two hours' conversation with Bro .

W . H . Jackson , R . W . M ., of "Glasgow , " 441 I have also shown him this letter of mine , and he states that it is quite correct , and that anything to the contrary is false . Bro . J ackson also states that he never saw or heard of any other circular on the subject , but the one above , issued from Grand Lodge . What can G . W . W . say for himself now ?—T . S .

OUR MASONIC CHARITIES . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — The importance of the subject , and your known readiness at all times to freely open the columns of The Freemason for the discussion of subjects interesting to the members of the

Craft , induces me to trespass on your space , and supplement my former letter with a statement of the means which , in my humble opinion , might promote the object in view , viz . —An increased annual support to all our charities . These suggestions are necessarily very crude , but I venture

to put them forward in the hope , that , other brethren will bring their matured experience to bear on the subject , and that by amending them or proposing some better means instead , a practicable scheme may ultimately be worked out . I am not at all wedded to any of these

propositions , my chief motive in giving them shape being to stimulate discussion , a discussion that , let us hope , will bear fruit in season . Permit me , however , first briefly to notice the letters of Bros . Binckes and Gotthiel , which appear in your issue of the 7 th .

I cannot altogether agree with Bro . Binckes ' s statement respecting the publication of the advetisements . The claims of the charities , the elections and the results should at any rate be regularly and systematically announced in the advertising columns of The Freemason .

Seeing that this journal is the only medium through which extended reports of everything pertaining to the Craft can be made known , seeing that the news columns must so frequently and so largely be used in notices and reports , the proprietor has certainly a right to expect , both

in accordance with the usages of other bodies and newspapers , and asa matter of justice andbusiness , that the advertisements should also regularly appear ; and not only would this systematic use of the advertising columns of The Freemason be advantageous to the charities themselves , but the

members of the Craft who are interested in them ( and who amongst us should not be ?) would know where to look for information respecting them . With Bro . Gottheil I perfectly agree , that , propositions emanating from the rank and file rarely succeed , unless some prominent leader takes the

matter up , and one of my reasons in again troubling you , is the hope that , by continuing the discussion , some distinguished brother will step forward and by his countenance and assistance aid in causing something practicable and permanent being devised . A recognition of work

instead of social position only ( when the honours of the Craft are distributed ) , lmore frequently than is now done , would be a further incentive to many active members to continue their exertions and could not fail to produce good effects . Too often

work is but very moderately recognized , unless the brother is high up in the social scale . I can assure Bro . Gottheil that I do not think display and a good appetite are incompatible with a sympathetic heart , -on