Credulity.

doubts and dread of Freemasons ? The whole story is , we fancy , a "pious fraud , " and though it may suit the warm imaginations ami susceptible emotions of Roman Catholic relig ionists in Canada ; it will not meet the requirements of our more sifting and careful criticism in England . We believe the whole story to bo a pure myth ,

even the good old monk to be a figure of speech . It is a very pretty story , the agony is piled up wonderfully , and does Mr . J . Marshall , the American correspondent of the Monde , infinite credit . Who is this eloquent writer ? As the conclusion is that " Freemasonry is the same all over the world , " the clear object of this veracious anecdote is to make the credulous believe what

the writer himself knows to be a lie—we can use no more polished word—that in England , or the Canadas , or the United Status , Freemasonry has anything whatever to do with politics . The hero of the story , if it be not Mr . Fit / . Marshall himself ( see Pickwick passim ) , is a German , and we

can say at once , on behalt of our good 'lcutomc brethren , that such a proceeding is a mendacious burlesque on German Freemasonry . We can only deplore deeply the bitter intolerance of such writers , and look with heartfelt regret on this fresh chapter of the history of the hurtful credulity of mankind .

Masonic Enthusiasm.

MASONIC ENTHUSIASM .

We confess that we like a little enthusiasm in all things of earth . Enthusiasm is , however , not the feature of the hour which is most conspicuous . Indeed , the very reverse is the case , and in most of worldly ways , and even in religious duties , we constantly hear complaints of

the coldness of the age , and the want of some little enthusiasm . Mr . Anthony Trollope , in his clever contemporary satire of many prevailing weaknesses , and much existing " basesse , " puts in the mouth of " Marie Melmotte " the statement that she does " not care for swells , " that

they " don t mean what they say , that they are " generally half asleep , and don ' t care for anybody . " It must be feared , we admit , that our youth do notshew much enthusiasm for anything , except it be Hurlingham or Newmarket , and that just at the present hour society is in the

greatest need of a little enthusiasm . In all this we say nothing of the ladies , who , in their higher natures , keep alive any enthusiasm which still exists for anything in the world . But we live professedly in a cold , a cautious , a prosaic , a doubting age , and we can hardly expect to

find much enthusiasm for anything . Like Mr . Sam Weller , the general theory of us all , apparently , just now , is to eat our " melting pears , " to ask for no " names , " and to get on " pretty well . " Voila tout ! And the spirit of the world re-acts upon Freemasonry . When the world

was social Freemasonry was social , when the world was reforming Freemasonry was reforming , when the world '" rests" and is "thankful , " Freemasonry becomes contented and prosperous , and , like the world , deprecating any evidence of too much zeal , and averse to enthusiasm .

Of course there is a good deal of common sense in all this , a proof of that hard practicality which is the boast and pride of our Anglo-Saxon family . And to some of us , no doubt , the days of enthusiasm are over in most things , and even in Freemasonry time has

destroyed our illusions and thinned our friends ; age has made us old and wheezy , gouty and irritable . No " couleur de rose " appears on the scene for us now ; all is dry and dusty , and brown and withered . What charmed us once charms us no more . What once was the delight

of our eyes has passed away in the finished record of our being . And so there has come upon us a numbing of interest and a quenching of enthusiasm . Anticipation and realization are two very different things . The promises of youth have faded before the stern advances of years . We shake our heads to-day at the

eager impetuosity of youth ; we are no longer enthusiasts , we deprecate enthusiasm , we condemn sentimentality , and we denounce unpracticality . Those of us who began our Masonic career some years back may remember early days of Masonic enthusiasm . And , to say the truth , the experience of onward " lustra" has not really diminished

Masonic Enthusiasm.

our love for the good old Craft . If we are a little more measured in our words , a little less hi ghflown in our theories ; if we keep before us ever that Freemasons are but men , and that we cannot expect impossibilities , we still have lost uolhin < r of that enthusiasm for our Order which

led us to make many sacrifices for it , and to g ive much time , and care , and thought to it , a long , long time ago ! It is still , despite some drawbacks , what it always professed to be . It is still , despite some , weaknesses and defects , a great , a useful , a beneficent Order : and if , following : the

colder current of the great gulph stream of the world and society , we are less enthusiastic in speech and estimate , we do not the less undervalue its claims , or deny its mission in the world . Never does a thought come over us of deserting its honoured Hag . To us that flag seems

floating out high and full , and under it we are happy to march , and for it we arc ready to fight . It will not Le pulled down by us . Other hands may seek to do so , enemies and calumniators may arise , but we shall never let go our loyal adherence to that old lliotherhood of whose

great name we are proud , and lor whose principles , let the world say what it will , we are still enthusiastic .

Original Correspondents.

Original Correspondents .

L \ Ve do not boli ] ourselves responsible Tor , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to afl , lo permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ~ Eu . ]

MINUTES AND THEIR CONFIRMATION . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — As there seems to be a considerable and important divergence of opinion upon this subject , perhaps you will kindly grant me a little space in order that I may draw the attention of your readers to it ; and if I should succeed , as

I hope I shall , in enlisting the sympathy of some of our working brethren , an official declaration in the matter may be the result , followed ( if necessary ) by an alteration of the existing mode of procedure . Indeed , I go so far as to hope that you , Sir , may lend the weight of your editorial opinion upon the disputed question . The conflicting opinions , then , upon this subject , briefly

stated , are these : — i . The confirmation of minutes is merely the affirming the clerical correctness of the report of what took place at a former meeting . 2 . That by the formal confirmation of the minutes of a previous meeting what was then done receives a formal sanction , without which such former action is void and of

none effect . Now , Sir , I have been greatly astonished to find that the latter opinion is held to be the correct one , by some of the officials at Freemasons' Hall , upon some portions of our working ; for instance , the election of W . M . ; indeed , in a recent issue of your paper ( June 12 th ) , by a letter on " Precedence , " signed " Hadley , " it seems that this view was

actually carried out . Now , Sir , I trust that I shall be able to show , firstly , that this view would be very inexpedient , if it were the correct one , and therefore demands alteration ; and secondly , that the view is not correct . Firstly , then , with regard to the inexpediency of the course in question : —When a matter , of which due notice

has been given to all the brethren of a lodge , lias been once voted for and carried , it can be neither right nor expedient that the next lodge , consisting probably of entirely different brethren , should have the power to arbitrarily reject a deliberate vote of the former one , and that without any notice whatever , or that the former supporters of the measure , knowing nothing of the fate awaiting their

already ( supposed ) settled action , may not even be present to again support it . Again in the case of election of W . M ., what a door it opens to pique and spite , as in the instance quoted above , where the W . M . elect , having offended certain brethren by the premature announcement ot his appointment of officers , had his election cancelled by the non-confirmation of minutes .

Secondly , I cannot think that such a course is even legal , for what is a " minute " ? Simply the record of something that has been done . What is the " confirmation of this minute" ? Simply the asserting at a subsequent meeting that this something done has been correctly reported . Now let us see what the " Constitutions " say with regard to the election of W . M . In section 1 " Of the Masters

and Wardens of Lodges" ( p . 5 6 ) it is laid down that " Previously to the installation of the Master , the minutes of the preceding meeting of the lodge must be read and confirmed , so far a least as the election of Master , after which , Sec " Now this may seem perhaps to give colour to the view that I am opposing , hut does it do this in reality ?

The true spirit of any passage is always obtained by comparing it with the context , let us , therefore , turn to section 2 "Of Private Lodges" ( Cjns . p . 62 ) , and we there find , " At the next meeting after his election , when the minutes are confirmed , he shall be duly installed , " almost the same statement , yet sufficiently differing from the former as to give us an explanation of the true meaning .

Original Correspondents.

Now in the latter passage it states that the W . M . elect shall be installed at the next lodge , i . e ., the lodge " when " ( in the ordinary course of things ) " the minutes arc confirmed . " Nothing with respect to the validity of the election , therefore , depends upon the confirmation of the minutes , but the words arc simply used as a true qualification or description of the proper degree of installation : had

the other course have been intended the wording would not be " when the minutes are confirmed , " but " when the minutes shall have been confirmed . " The latter clause of section 1 on page jfi then comes in to direct that in case of the non-confirmation of the minutes ( i . e ., if it be decided that there is not a proper record of the former proceedings ,, notice shall issue for a new election .

1 his same section further directs that , although " no Master elect shall assume the Master's chair until he shall have been regularly installed , " yet " that he may in the interim rule the lodge , " and this , mark you , as a right , and with no restrictions as to absence of P . M . ' s , or the iike . Surely it would he a gross absurdity to allow a brother to assume a position of absolute authority , and others at the very next meeting take it from him by reversing his election .

I may add , Sir , that I think my \ ie \ v is strengthened by the fact that no corresponding difficulty can occur under the " R . A . Regulations " with respect to the election of the three principals , who are considered " jointly as the Master , and each severally as a Master" ( sec . 7 , p . 15 ) . And , yet once more , how would such a cause of repudiation of a W . M . elect have been possible " in ancient

times , when " no brother , however skilled in the craft , was called a Master Mason until he had been elected " ( not installed ) " into the chair of a lodge" ( Ant . Ch . iv . ) . In conclusion , Sir , I would ask you , and through you the Craft at large , whether it would not be better for the powers that be to settle this much-vexed question , which lias , ere now , dis ' urbed the tranquillity of even Grand Lodge ,

by a definite statement as to the effect of confirmation of minutes generally , appending , if needs be , directions that , in certain cases ( such as election of W . M . ) , a vote given at one lodge must be ratified at the next by a more formal procedure than a so-called confirmation of minutes ; but , in such case it might be well to expunge the permission of

his taking up a rule that he may be so summarily deprived of . With fraternal greetings , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , WM . TEBBS , P . M . 285 , P . P . G . Chaplain , Somtrset . *

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HAMPSHIRE , AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — My attention has been called to a report of the late meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , which appeared in the

Freemason of the 31 st . ult . I do not know who is responsible tor the report , but tht selection of names of those present has been made with a degree of partiality , which is , in my opinion , highly reprehensible . From my lodge , the oldest lodge in the United Province by many years , five brethren attended , three being Past Masters , while from the Albany Lodge , No . 151 , at Newport , the attendance was much

more numerous ; yet 111 the published list the presence of members from No . 33 and No . 151 is systematically ignored . 1 venture to think , Sir , that persons who presume to write reports of Masonic meetings should either omit names altogether , or else make their selection in such a manner as to avoid the accusation of partiality ; and more especially was such caution necessary in this instance , since ,

although the Union of the Isle Wight with Hampshire has been frankly and loyally accepted by the Island Masons as a body , there yet remains a feeling that we were not fairly dealt with , and a feeling of that description is not likely to be allayed by our presence at a meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge being quietly ignored . Understand , Sir , that I am not

complaining of the omission of my own name , because I was not prtsent , having been prevented at the last moment , by inavoidable circumstances , from putting in an appearance . Nothing could have been more appropriate and courteous than the remarks of the R . W . Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Beach , when he alluded to the union of the two provinces , and 1 am quite sure that

no sentiments actuate him , but those of perfect fairness . and impartiality , but your report , as it stands , leaves this impression—that although a Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Isle of Wight , not a single member from the two senior lodges in the Islojid was present . I protest

most emphatically against such garbled reports , and I say that whoever wrote the report in question ought to have been better informed . I am , Sir and Brother , vours fraternally , T . W . IMUUVNUII , W . M . No . 35 , Past P . G . J . W ., Isle of Wight .

PAPAL POWER IN TEMPORALS . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — The " Crusader " Organ of the " League of St . Sebastian" for July has an article " Chivalry—the trumpet of Rebellion inciting Latin Papalists ta declare

war against our ally the King of Italy and the inhabitants of Rome ! " Sonic M . P . ought to stand up in his place in Parliament , and ask , "Are English subject * rightly members of the League , under the direction of the Jesuits , who have no legal existence in Britain . ' " T , c > Papal Guards arc members ot the Ultramontranc League . Private persons , British subjects , must not do hostile acts