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against the King of Italy , our ally . A deputation should wait upon the heads of the League and say : — Wc come to be informed by yourselves what the conditions of that league must be . When foes combine friends must unite . Germany and Britain must contiuue their amity in spite of the truculent trumpeters of the " Crusader . "

The League wants temporal power restored to the Popes . 'On what , then , do they found this claim . 'On the pretended grant of Constantine , which has been proved to be a forgery . We are told that Silvester , the Bishop of Rome , healed Constantine of the leprosy—making him out to be a second Naaman ; and that the Emperor , moved by gratitude to his priestly physician , made over to him

Rome , Italy , and the provinces of the west . On this grant , which was never made known till some centuries afterwards , we are required to believe in the supremacy of the Pope over all Christendom . Of the forged decretals , too , on which so much power was assumed , I need not say a word . Phocas again , in the 7 th century , murdered his Royal Master , Mauritius , Emperor of the West , usurped

his throne , and was confirmed in it by the Pope , with the understanding that Phocas would recognize and support him as universal bishop , which he did . So the temporal power of the Pope comes from a murderer and usurper , an abandoned Zimri who slew his master . Spiritual power thus accrues to the Popes from one of the worst of men , and is the result of his wickedness . Pepin again , mayor

of the palace to Childeric , King of France , got the Pope ' s leave to dethrone his master on the promise of receiving many provinces , which he did in return for his atrocious villainy . Charlemagne also , Pepin ' s son , added many further grants , thus increasing the Pope ' s territorial rights and also his spiritual power . These transactions remind one of Satan ' s proposal to Jesus to give him all the kingdoms of the world on the promise that he would fall down

and worship him . The spiritual power of the Pope has been gained in these exceptionable ways , and therefore on how sandy a foundation it stands ! Any donations from a temporal prince or emperor clearly set them above the Popes , since they who give authority are clearly above him who receives it , and Constantine presided at the Council of Nice . I am , yours faithfully , A FREEMASON . Bristol , 7 th Aug . 1875 .

BRO . BURGESS AND THE MARK DEGREE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Although I have declined to reply to the anonymous attack by a " Mark Master , " I think that , since you have , in the interests of Masonry , now proposed an inquiry by a committee of Masons , it may be well for

me to overlook the nature of a " Mark Master ' s " attack , and to reply to his questions . 1 . I have already stated that the person to whom I communicated the fact of my ceasing to be a Masonic Templar was the gentleman who at the time of the disappearance of the Government of Masonic Templars was its Secretary . That letter to him was not a private

communication , and he sent me an official acknowledgment of its receipt : the enclosure with it was a private communication , and was intended to be a detailed explanation to him of the cause of my ceasing to be a Masonic Templar , after having so long struggled for the restoration of that Order . I wished it to be piivate because I had no intention of bringing any charge , because I was heartily

ashamed , for the sake of Masonry , that a Masonic Templar could act as one had acted . It is not true that I wrote a private letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the Temple and made in it a false charge , and marked the letter " private " in order to avoid the consequences of so doing . 2 . One morning in November last a letter was brought to me on which I had to pay ninepence postage ;

observing that it came from the spurious " Order , " I wrote to Mr . Tinkler , saying , that I should receive no more letters from that source ; it seemed to me to be a poor kind of practical joke to have to pay ninepence for suffering an impertinence , and that I was justified in taking steps to prevent its repetition . I have previously stated that I could not be in London on the day arbitrarily fixed

by the Temple . It has indeed occurred [ to me that such time was fixed upon because some of the Knights knew that I was unlikely to be able to be in London then . 3 . " A Mark Master" says that only one representative of the Temple was present at the Judicial Council on 13 th February last . No doubt , "A Mark Master " was present , but he forgets that I was there also , and the persons whom

I saw there sitting at the judicial table were the following : 1 . The Earl of Limerick ( Prior of the Order of the Temple ) in the chair ; 2 . the Rev . G . R . Portal ; 3 . General Clerk ; 4 , Major Clerke , ( Sub Prior of the Order ); 5 . Lt .-Col . Chas . Hutton Gregory , ( Masonic Templar ) ; fj . Earl Percy ; 7 . Mr . Beach , M . P . ; 8 . Sir P . Colquhoun ; n . Mr . Tinkler ; 10 . a person with a strong Irish brogue , name

unknown to me . Thus instead of the case being as " A Mark Master" puts it , it was precisely the reverse ; for there being only one Masonic Templar present , there was consequently only one upon whose sympathy I could reckon . As to the proceedings of the so called "Judicial" body , the less attempted to be said , in their defence , the better . Hie Earl of Limerick , who presided , ruled that notes of

proceedings could only be taken by one of those present , and refused me the services of a shorthand writer , whom ' had employed to render to me a true and complete account of the whole proceedings . Of the charges brought against me by the Irishman prompted by Sir P . Colquhoun 1 know but little ; the matter for discussion on which I n ad asked for the meeting to be held was not allowed to be discussed ; but havinga hurried opportunity after the rising

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of the meeting of reading the charges , I learned ( the only one that remains in my memory ) that I was accused of " insubordination to my superior officer . " Who that officer is I did not discover , but I understand by such charge being made , that this new order of knighthood assumes to be organised under the provisions of the Mutiny Act and Articles of War , clearly proving that it is not a Masonic

body . " A Mark Master " has not a good memory . He has omitted to state that whilst denying the right of the Temple to summon me at all , 1 offered to that body , in writing , before the "Judicial Council , " to place myself in the hands of two Masonic Templars , and to abide by their decision , on the understanding that their finding , and the whole of the evidence , should be published by " the Order

of the Temple" in the Freemason , and read out m each preccptory in England and Ireland . For some reasonperhaps considering this " childish "—the " Order " has carefully avoided any acceptance of the proposal ; but the fact of my having made it , and of the Temple having avoided accepting it , places upon my not withdrawing the statement of the real cause of my ceasing to be a Masonic

Templar a very different construction from that insinuated by " A Mark Master . " In November , 1873 , an official complaint of slander and falsehood by a certain "Knight" was made to the Council of the Great Prior , signed by Lord Eliot , the Rev . G . R . Portal , Sir E . Lechmere , Mr . R . Woof , and other Masons . The council declined to inquire into it . When this " Knight "

was appointed by the Rev . G . R . Portal ( on the recommendation of Lord Limerick ) to office in the Mark Grand Lodge , I Tjn that account resigned the post of member of the general board of the Mark Degree , and subsequently that of Grand Register of Marks . How comes it that the Temple refused to notice that official complaint , but became so angry with me when an unproved offence of a similar nature was alleged against me . Can "A Mark

Master " explain the apparent inconsistency ? The further my case is inquired into , the stronger will be the proof of the correctness of the view taken in your article of this date , that there is at present no safety for Mark Masons—that , in fact , Sir P . Colquhoun , not , so far as I am aware , himself a member of the Mark degree , is its absolute and irresponsible Master . Faithfully yours , CHAS . J . BUUGESS .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — There are two points which require to be cleared up in the above case . 1 . A Mark Master who happens to be a Templar or a member of the 33 ° is not " necessitate handed over to the decision of an alien and non-Masonic tribunal . " The

Judicial Council consists of Masons , as both the Temple and 33 ° consist solely of Masons , and it includes , out of its nine members , three Past Grand Masters of the Mark Degree . I admit that I think it would be well if these three were required to be unanimous before the sentence of the court were carried out in the Mark Degree . 2 . Major Burgess ' s case is emphatically not a case oi

" pure Templar discipline from first to last . " His conduct in making a disgraceful charge against a brother Mason , a gentleman of high character and social position , and refusing when called upon either to withdraw or prove his charge , is not a matter of " discipline " at all . It is conduct which would make me , and others in the Mark Degree as well , refuse to meet him in lodge or private society . Major Burgess denies that he made any charge

against the brother in question , I will therefore ask you to print his letter , and then I will leave the matter , regretting that there should be any difference of opinion among Masons as to what is ^ honourable conduct , and what is not . " East Mascall . Old Charlton , Kent , S . E . " 8 th August , 1874 . " Dear Sir ,

"In consequence of the conduct of the Hon . — , asaMasonic Templar , 1 have resigned membership of that body . I shall be obliged by your informing me whether I owe any dues to either the Faith and Fidelity or New Temple Encampments , in order that they may at once be paid . " Yours faithfully , " CHAS . J . BUHGESS " W . Tinkler , Esq . "

I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally . A MARK MASTER . [ We have omitted a passage in Bro . Burgess ' s letter , as it does not affect the question in any way , and we think it a paragraph we ought not as Freemasons to publish to the profane world . ]

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Your being the Editor of the principal organ of the Craft , of which I have the honour of being a poor member , leads me to believe that when I state my case you will excuse the liberty I take in addressing you . I was initiated , passed , and raised in Loyalty Lodge ,

No . 243 , in the Island of Guernsey . I am a government writer , and as the hours of employment are very short ( being paid by the hour ) , my earnings are very small . My object , therefore , in troubling you , is to try and obtain your assistance in the way of an introduction to some brother , who would kindly give me some

writing ( law , ornamental , or otherwise ) to do in my spare time . By doing so , you would confer on me a benefit for which I would be ever grateful . I tried an advertisement in the Freemason , but it met with no response , and I have adopted this course . Trusting that you will forgive me if I have intruded on

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your valuable time , and hoping that you will give my case your favourable consideration , I beg to remain , Sir , your obedient humble servant , ROBT . S . R . B . [ We shall be very happy to put any brother in communication with our correspondent . —Ed . ]

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO GEORGE JONES OF CIRENCESTER . From the Jfilts and Gloucester Standard . We have to announce the death of a well-known and respected inhabitant of Cirencester , and one who was in the prime of life and with his powers for usefulness unimpaired—Bro . George Jones , of Dyer-street . The deceased

had for many years been town-surveyor , and in this capacity he had been a most valuable public officer . In no particular , probably , was his fitness for the post more conspicuous than in the question of flood-water , which had always at certain seasons inundated the cellars of parts of the town . He was also inspector of nuisances both under

the urban and rural sanitary authorities , and the energy and ability with which he prosecuted his arduous duties were all that ^ could be wished . In addition , Mr . Jones was an auctioneer , and , as our advertising columns have lately shown , possessed the confidence of some of the leading landowners in the district . On Saturday morning , after

giving instructions to his- men with regard to certain obstructions in the river Churn , he started off on a journey on the business of his inspectorship , pausing at various points on his way to notice the current of the river , Sec , in connection with the subject which mainly engrossed his attention . On his return in the evening he put his horse

in at the Three Horse Shoes Inn ; transacted business with the landlord , and mentioned that he was trying another means of getting rid of the water out of the cellars , which he hoped to find would be effectual , and left for home . This was near six o ' clock . On his way down Dycr-strcct he met a police-constable , and passed on in the direction

of his house . From this time all is conjecture as to his movements , but , thanks to the earnestness with which Mr . Superintendent Wood conducted his inquiries , we are able to say that the deceased gentleman , instead of going indoors at once , went direct to the bridge a little lower down , to see if his instructions had been complied with , and their result . There is a stone near the bridge , by which he

could tell the height of the water in the stream , and as this place is the only outlet for the water which flows through the town , it was his custom early and late to visit the spot . It was very dark , and he must have kn : lt on the bridge to look over , and by some sad fatality slipped , falling into the shallow stream on his head , and before regaining consciousness he was drowned .

The shocking tidings quickly spread over the town , and a feeling of gloom pervaded all classes of the inhabitants . The deceased leaves a widow and nine children to deplore the loss of a kind husband and parent . The inquest was held on Monday , at the Bull Inn . The unanimous verdict of the jury was " That the deceased , George Jones , while engaged in the performance of his duty as town surveyor

was accidently killed by falling from the bridge over the Churn , either by injuries in the fall or by drowning and suffocation , and the jury deeply lament the loss of a faithful public servant . " His daughter is a candidate for the next election of the Girls' School , and her case is supported by a number of influential brethren .

Brother E. H. Finney, J Un., P.M.

BROTHER E . H . FINNEY , J ., P . M .

A large number of our readers will hear with regret of the death , at the early age of 27 , of Bro . E . H . Finney , jun ., the only son of Bru . Major E . H . Finney . His health gave way seriously last autumn , and for the greater part of the winter he was confined to his bed-room , but he so far rallied

recently as to give his friends grounds for hoping that the improvement would be permanent . Indeed , when the writer met him a month ago he appeared to have thoroughly recovered . On Sunday , the 25 th of July , he dined with some friends , and seemed in good health ; but a sudden change for the worse took place on the Tuesday ,

and he expired on Sunday , the ist of August . He was interred on the following Friday , and had it not been for his father ' s wish that the funeral should be strictly private , many brethren would have testified their respect to his memory by attending . At the time of his decease he was l . P . M . of the United

Service Lodge , No . 1361 , and 11 . ot the Hope and Unity , Chapter . No . 214 . He also filled the office of Assistant S . E . of the Metropolitan Royal Arch Chapter of Improvement , although his failing health prevented the companions seeing him amongst them during the last session . He

was a member of , and held corresponding office in , each of the " High " degrees . In conclusion , we are sure that all who knew him will feel the sincerest sympathy for Bro . Major Finney in his bereavement .

HOLLOWAY ' S PILLS AXII OINTMENT . —During hot and sultry weather all persons who are alllicted with Had Legs , Ulcerations , Varicose Veins , and cutaneous inliammations , suiter much more severely from their effects than at any other season of the year . Snch persons will derive incalculable benefit from the assiduous use of these remedies , for by the local sedative iulhience of the Ointment on the blood vessels and nerves of the skin and subjacent structures , the congested condition of die former is subdued , and the initated state of the latter calmed and mollified and at the same time the internal use of the Pills in alterative doses cools the overheated blood and subdues the inflammation : these combined ell ' ects are soen productive of ease . —Auvr ,