Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our corresponden but » e wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits free discussion .

TIME IMMEMORIAL LODGES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The Craft in general , but the present representatives of the Time Immemorial Lodges in particular , owe an immense debt of gratitude to Bro . R . F . Gould for his indefatigable labours and research on their behalf . In " probing

this new and interesting field of enquiry , " Bro . Gould is opening our eyes to the fact that the leading position which might be occupied by the Scottish Time Immemorial Lodges is worthy of being sustained , and if his recent articles in the Freemason does not awaken our old Scottish lodges from their torpor and assert themselves it will not be for the want of yeoman help from our gifted and distinguished brother .

A few remarks from me on the subject under review may not be unacceptable , for the matter is of an engrossing nature , full of genuine interest and pleasure . First , then , with reference to the table of lodges that were present at the in - auguration of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , as quoted in Bro . Gould's article under date 2 nd ultimo , I find that several o f them are differently designed from

the original list , and in a few cases the modern spelling of the name is adcpted . The following is copied from the original Deed of Election , which is still in possession of Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , No . 2 , and is of interest , being a correct transcript . It , of course , includes the five lodges which have since then been "

cutoff-Mary ' s Chappell in Edinburgh , KILWINNING , Cannongate Kilwinning , Kilwinning Scot's Arms , Leith Kilwinning , Glasgow , Coupar of Fife , Linlithgow , Dumfermling , Dundee , Dalkeith , Atcheson's Haven , Selkirk , Inverness , Lessmahaggow , St . Bride's Douglas , Lanark , Strathaven .

Hamilton , Dunse , Kircaldie , Journeymen Masons of Edinburgh , Kirkintilloch—Kilwinning , Biggar , Sanquhar , Peebles , Glasgow , St . Mungo ' s , Greenock , Falkirk , Aberdeen , Mariawich , Cannongate and Leith , and Leith and Cannongatc , and Montrose .

( 33 in all ) . A practice of ancient date in Scottish lodges still prevails in respect to No . 5 ( Can . and Leith , L . and C ) , that is of possessing power to meet occasionally in other than their own district , and in accordance with that custom this lodge meets once a year in the Canongate of Edinburgh . In the table of lodges quoted by Bro . Gould the dates of the Kilwinning Charters are

correctly given , but it is mentioned in a para' of the article of 30 th June that " St . John , No . 0 , is sard to be the oldest of the Kilwinning lodges . " It dates , as above , from 1678 , and Canongate Kilwinning from 16 77 . In connection with the reference to No . 6 , Inverness , and to the objects of the very commendable proposal of Bro . Gould to form a league or society , it is interesting to note that

Canongate Kilwinning was wont , between the years 1735 and 1 740 , to receive visitors from "Old Inverness" and " New Inverness , " also from the "Virgin Lodge of St . Mary ' s , " from St . Mary ' s at Drumseugh , " and others at home , besides from Rome , Paris , London , and Durham . Perhaps the records of some at least of these old lodges may yet come to light .

Adverting to the very interesting report of the celebration of Summer St . John's by the Lodge Fortitude and Old Cumberland , No . 12 , which appears in the Freemason of the 30 th ult ., I may state that this Festival has invariably been celebrated by the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning from its institution down to the present day , and it is recorded that on the 24 th June , 1735—prior to erection of Grand Lodge—they were visited by various lodges , including a deputation from the " Assembly of Masons who generally meet at Gray ' s , opposite the Cross , Edinburgh . "

It is only natural to hope that the proposed league will resuscitate much valuable and interesting information regarding many of the Time Immemorial lodges , and I cordially agree with our mutual friend Bro . Officer in acknowledging Bro . Gould ' s appreciative services in thus opening up a " new view of Masonry . " •Yours fraternally ,

ALLAN MACKENZIE , P . M . Canongate Kilwinning , No . 2 July 7 th .

THE R , A , AND OTHER MATTERS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Your correspondent "T . May" must be a very raw recruit to our ranks , or I think he would not rush into print with such delightfully crude suggestions as those contained in his letter in last week's Freemason , which have caused no little amusement to many of your readers .

The Masonic atmosphere of Tottenham seems to be somewhat peculiar , if we may judge from our brother ' s remarks . The slightest inquiry would have elicited the information that it is only for the three Principals' chairs in the R . A . that Past Mastership in the Craft is an essential qualification , the remaining offices being open to all members alike .

I have yet to learn that the vast majority of Masons are in such a hurry to pass the chair as your correspondent appears to imagine ; certainly this is not the case in the North , where eight or 10 years , and even more , is not thought by any means an undue period of probation for and steady advancement to that honour , which is , consequently , valued accordingly . Neither is there any evidence of those " frantic efforts to become proficient in the ritual , " which he regards as the chief qualification for the Mastership .

Competition for the chair is altogether wrong , and I am thankful to say that in this part of the country it is practically unknown , and few men attain the honour without many years of steady work , cheerfully given . The idea of buying the title of Past Master for throe guineas is delicious , but I daicsay it will accord with the sentiments of those brethren who delight to

cover themselves with as many "jewels as possible on every available opportunity ; and if it were possible—which , thank goodness , it is not , nor likely to be —would make the title of as little value as such jewels . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , P . M . AND P . Z . Leeds . July oth .

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the "Freemason '' Dear Sir and Brother , I have read with much profound interest the letter of Bro . T . May in the current issue of your valuable journal . We all knew that something was needed in the R . A . Degree , but it has been left for Bro . May to find a simple and easy remedy—so simple , one wonders it was never thought of before—in the creation of unlimited Past Masters for " a nominal fee . " Why should not the

principle be widely extended ? There are many " good and intelligent Masons " who would add dignity to the highest offices in the province or in Grand Lodge , but , " through lack of time or pressing circumstances , cannot wait , " so I beg to propose that any brother desirous may , for a nominal fee , be granted the rank of Past Grand Master , Past Provincial Grand Master , or any other office he may prefer , and so " the competition will be removed , and no one will aspire" tc either of those offices , and we shall have a Grand Lodge composed entirely of brethren of the highest rank I—Fraternally yours , CYNICUS .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Your correspondent Bro . T . May appears to be somewhat unfortunate and exceptional in his experience of Past Masters . He states that they after passing the chair " rarely trouble further , and are seldom seen at their lodges , " & c . Surely the contrary is the case : in all lodges I

have visited both in London and in the provinces , as well as in my own lodge , I have always seen a fair array of Past Masters competent and willing to undertake the duties of any office the holder of which may be absent . I have on several occasions ' seen a Provincial Grand Officer and even a Grand Officer acting as a Deacon or I . G ., and my experience is , of course , not singular . If Bro . May ' s suggestion to degrade the rank of " Installed Master , " and alter the existing rules

of the Craft in the way he mentions were proposed , I imagine it would be strenuously opposed not only by Past Masters , but by all aspirants to ollice who take any pride in the working of the ritual , and if carried would result in the resignation of a large number of brethren . I cannot see that the Order of the R . A . needs the commiseration which appears in some quarters to be bestowed upon it . As it stands at present it is composed of the elite of Craft Masons , and

certainly does not require strengthening by the aid of brethren who could obtain rank " by purchase . " Bro . May is incorrect in his assumption that to obtain office in the R . A . it is necessary to have passed the chair in a Craft lodge . The R . A . is undoubtedly recognised by Grand Lodge in the first clause of the Book of Constitutions , and that clause also bars any recognition of the M . M . M . Degree , which fact I , in common with many others , deplore . —Yours fraternally ,

AN OFFICER IN THREE DEGREES July 9 th .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to Bro . May ' s letter in regard to the R . A . Degree , I belong to a lodge of 100 members , 6 3 of whom are R . A . Masons . It is not the custom of my province , nor is it required by the regulations , that the ollices below the three Principals should be held by P . Ms . ; on the contrary , the members have to work up to the THREB chairs in the R . A . as they have to the chair in the Craft

, and it is quite the exception here for the I . P . M . of the Craft not to take the third chair in the Arch , and this is as it should be , otherwise a P . Z . has to do it , and work again through the three chairs , which is obviously unfair , as , in addition to calling on him to do the work all over again , the rather serious item of entertaining the members and visitors has also to be undertaken , which , however , I may say in every case I have known for the past 25 years has been cheerfully and well done .

With regard to the suggestion that after an interval of 12 months every M . M . should , on payment of a fee , be permitted to be installed , would , in my opinion , make the office of W . M . of but little value , whereas now it is much coveted and worked for , and in my experience very few members who honestly tried have failed to reach the position . We have 17 Past Masters of the lodge and 11 P . Ms , who have joined from other lodges we get at each lodge meeting an attendance of about 40 , of whom about eight or nine are P . Ms ., and we have

at least 13 P . Ms , who could on being called on , without any notice , do any part of a ceremony , and some of these could do the installation ceremony . I am thankful to say no one can buy , or get , a copy of our ritual ; it is oral , and has never been printed ; our candidates have to answer 26 questions between the First and Second Degrees , and 67 between the Second and Third ; this , practically , gives them a thorough insight into the symbolic meaning of what they see and hear , and incites keen interest in the working of the lodge .

I am sadly afraid numbers , and not qualification , is in many instances aimed at ; if so , Masonry , when this sort of thing exists , isjdepreciated in every way , and many are admitted who would make excellent members of friendly societies but who ought never to have buen admitted to an anticnt and honourable Institution . —Yours fraternally ,

ZILLWOOD MILLEDGE , P . M . and P . Z . 170 , P . P . J . G . W . and P . P . G . T . Dorset Avondale , Weymouth , 8 th July .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have been much interested in the letters on this subject , fhe proposal in Bro . May ' s letter to confer a degree of W . M . on certain

brethren would be a very great interference with the landmarks . If any alteration is made with a view to make the Royal Arch rnorepopular . it could only be by a slight alteration in the ritual to suit those who not being Installed Masters in the Craft had been elected lo the third chair in the Arch , and in that case no companion should be installed without a dispensation as in the Mark Degree .

After a careful examination of the history of the Royal Arch and the ritual , one must feel that the superstructure is not so strong that we can tamper with the foundations . I feel sure that Grand Chapter would not consent to any great alteration , in fact , I am very doubtful whether the slight alteration suggested above would meet with approval . —Yours fraternally , HENRY LOVEGROVE .

A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , An English brother , who has just returned from the States ol America , informs me that a Mawnic Degree called the " Shiners " is worked

there . Can you give me any particulars of same in next Saturday ' s issue Yours fraternally , P . M . S 72 . Whitehaven , July 11 th .