The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

THE EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT .

The Emulation Lodge of Improvement commenced its regular season last Friday evening with the ceremony of installation , which was very ably purformed in the presence of a large assemblage of the brethren by Bro . C . A . Murton , P . G . D ., and formerly Secretary ofthe lodge .

The annual festival of the lodge will be held on the 24 th November . Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , having entered on his 30 th year of office as Treasurer of the lodge , the committee are desirous of making this the occasion of testifvinp ** to Bro . Herve y the sincere esteem

entertained towards him by those who , during his long period of his office , have profited by the teaching ofthe lodge , and their high appreciation of his services . The Earl of Carnarvon , M . W . Pro Grand Master , has kindly consented to preside at the banquet . Bro . Plervey will take

the chair of the lodge , which will be held in the Grand Lodge Hall , and eight sections ofthe lectures will be worked by Past Grand Officers , who in former years were active working members . A handsome silver inkstand has been expressly designed for the occasion by

the eminent architect , Bro . John Gibson , Deputy Master of the Prince of Wales ' s Lodge , to be presented by the Stewards to Bro . Hervey . Seventy brethren , among whom are forty Grand Officers , have volunteered to act as Stewards . A short account of the'orip-in of this celebrated

lodge may be interesting to our readers . At the union ofthe lodges in 1813 the working of the ceremonies was found to differ very widely . A resolution was therefore passed at the lodge of reconciliation that the ceremonies of opening and closing , and of the three degrees should be

worked in the same manner in all lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England . To carry out this resolution the Grand Master requested Bro . Dr . Samuel Hemming to gather together the scattered elements ofthe work , and to arrange thern into a system which might

receive the approval of Grand Lodge , and be generally adopted . Bro . Hemming undertook the task , but after a delay of some years , he became imbecile , and was unable to complete it . Bro . Dr . Williams was then nominated by the Grand Master to carry out the work which had

been intrusted to Dr . Hemming , liro . Williams undertook the duty on the understanding that he should not be required to complete the labours of Bro . Hemming , but should be permitted to reconstruct the ritual from the original elements . On the completed system of Bro . Dr . Williams ,

thc Emulation Lodge of Improvement was first workeel under the Preceptorship of the famous Peter Gilkes , who was a contemporary of Dr . Williams . He was succeeded by his friend and pupil , the late Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson , whose work is rigidly adhered to by the present

committee , several of whom had the benefit of his personal instruction . The uncompleted work of Dr . Hemming was followed by Bro . Peter Thomson , and is still taught in several lodges of Instruction . We shall recur to the subject a little later , as the time for this interesting anniversary of the lodge draws near .

Female Freemasonry.

FEMALE FREEMASONRY .

A lady correspondent , who terms herself a brother ' s wife , as our readers will remember , in our last issue , advocates , if we understand her words ari ght , the admission of her sex generally to Freemasonry . She does not apparently see her way to Androgyne Masonry , that is . the

meeting of the two sexes on equal terms in the lod ge-room , but she appears to wish to have a sort of feminine initiation . Well , we have read her letter with great care , and , with every wish to please , we think it right , for fear of any mis-Jake on the subject , to say at once that , in our humble opinion , not onlv will the subiect itself

not bear ventilation in any way , but that such a proposition , is not only impossible on every Masomc ^ principle , and is absolutely condemned ab initio " by the very facts and nature of the •f ? r T ° admit ladies to Freemasonry is in "self , as We contended just now , so hopeless a proposition in our opinion , that we must decline to discuss st in our pages , in the best interests ,

Female Freemasonry.

we feel sure , of Freemasonry . We can only look upon it as an impracticable proposal , as a chimerical aspiration . We make these remarks in all good feeling and respect to our fair correspondent , whose motives we fully appreciate , but whose suggestions we certainly reject . Such a

proposition is at variance with every rule and ancient canon of Freemasonry , and would , we feel assured , be at once rejected by the good sense and deliberate opinion of our entire fraternity . At proper times , indeed , and under safe guarantees , we welcome the presence of the

gentler sex amongst us , and we are inclined to encourage their pleasant associations , and kindly smiles , at many of those festive occasions when the brilliancy of the gathering is enhanced and the overflowing gaiety of our brethren is properly restrained by the attractive influences of female

companionship , Perhaps , too , we hardly utilize the female element in our open meetings so much as we might fairly and fitly do . But for the present the door of the lodge-room is barred against them , and must continue to be so , and ' ve cannot hold out any hopes that , as

Freemasons , we shall either change our deliberate opinion in this respect , or even permit a discussion of so unpractical a subject in our crowded columns . For the ladies themselves , our fair and friendly sisters , we entertain the highest sentiments of sympathy and respect . We are

glad to think that their gentle natures approve and their warm hearts appreciate our Masonic system , secret though it be to them , and we are always gratified to know and to find that , despite this male exclusiveness of ours , they can associate themselves in all of true and kindly interest ,

alike with our mysterious reunions , our public assemblies , and our meritorious charities . To them we shall always offer , as we do to-day , the homage which is their just due , which their virtues and graces emphatically demand from all men , but

especially Freemasons . But we can go no further , and say no more - and to their earnest and vicacious request for admission within the guarded door of the lodge . room our only possible reply can be , if with much of sympathetic regret , "Non possumus . " With respect

to Countess Hadick s reception , that is , as we look at it , a purely exceptional case , and must continue to be so , and is certainly not to be used as a precedent , or proposed for imitation . Ungallant as it may appear at the first blush to say so , and harsh as it mav seem to some to close the iron

portals of Masonic lodges rigorously against the wives , and sisters , and daughters , and sweethearts of Freemasons , still it must be done , as all precedent teaches and bids , and we must , unmoved by smiles or tears , without fear and without hesitation , nerve ourselves to our

duty , as men , as Britons , and as Freemasons . Having said this we will add , that perhaps occasions may be found or "improvised , " when ladies may be admitted to meetings in the lodge-room , but not of course during lodge hours , or in the midst of Masonic work . That we hold to be

both a grave impropriety , and an utter impossibility . We quite agree with the admirable remarks of "Another Freemason ' s Wife " in our issue of to-day .

A Recent Masonic Sermon.

A RECENT MASONIC SERMON .

In our last impression a sermon by our reverend Bro . E . R . Parr , P . G . C , for Cheshire , appeared . In order to avoid any possible misapprehension , we feel bound to remind our readers that though the views therein expressed are not ours , yet , that there is , and always has

been , and probably always will be , a very influential school of Christian Masons amongst us , those , for instance , who , like Dr . Oliver , like to find Christian symbolism in Freemasonry . And we have always felt that this symbolism may exist , especially if our theory of guild continuation be correct , as the eruild teach ine- was

undoubtedly Christian . We , however , hold , as our readers know , that Freemasonry is universal , as our formularies teach , and therefore Bro . Parr ' s sermon , though eloquent and ingenious , can only be taken as the expression of the individual opinion of an able brother . Some foreign writers hold Freemasonry to be pure " humanitarianism , " others an " eclec-

A Recent Masonic Sermon.

tic philosophy , " others Deism , or Theism , and some , as our good Bro . Parr , a Christian system , apparently a sister to Christianity . Now all these views we conceive to be ultra-Masonic , and cannot be laid down and asserted dogmatically , though we do not wish to dispute

the right of Freemasons to hold such views subjectively , so long , that is , as they do not seek to force them upon us objectively as absolute Masonic teaching . All that we can properly say , it seems to us , ex cathedra is , that Freemasonry is a " system of morality based on allegory , and

illustrated by symbols , " excellent , most excellent , in itself , inasmuch as its morality is the morality of the Word of God , but that it is not a system of religion , and never was intended as a " reli gio " to any one . We have thought it well to make this last explanation , " as we

always object to "non-naturalism " in every shape , and we desire to mould and base all our Masonic teaching simply and honestly on the acknowledged and official statements of our great Order . Bro . Parr ' s sermon is a very able one , and deserves perusal , and will , no doubt , find favour with many .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of ihe opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . *]

THE FUNDS OF GRAND LODGE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read with attention the letter of "Moneta ' in your last number , and in reply beg to say , that it is not always " lawful for me to do what I will with my own , " and Grand Lodge before it can do as it likes with its own must make a law to enable it to do so .

That great judge , Blackstone , is reported to have said that Parliament can do anything , except it be to make a man into a woman , or a woman into a man . I suppose " Moneta " thinks with the learned judge that Grand Lodge can do the same . The quotations given by " Moneta " do not serve him . Yours , very fraternally , AN OLD P . M ., ONE , & C ,

FEMALE FREEMASONRY . To the Editor oj the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I read with considerable interest the letter from a Freemason ' s wife in your journal of Friday , although I cannot agree with her opinion respecting women being Masons , and I consider the W . M . of the Hungary

Lodge very unwise to initiate one , even if she were a countess , and well versed in Masonic literature . I do not think it a woman ' s province ; her place ( as your correspondent admits ) is " at home . " I respect Freemasonry in the highest degree , also its secrets , and in my opinion there is not a Mason living who would style women blind , profane , and not to be trusted

with a secret—unless to his misfortune he had met with such a one ; but God forbid we should all be classed under such a lowering demonstration . •As a rule I think we are held in . the highest estimation by the brethren , and they are never happier than when surrounded by us at the festive board , and why a man should feel lighter hearted , and have a better conscience ,

by divulging the secrets of the Order to his wife I cannot imagine , unless there was shame attached to it instead of being an institution founded on the best and purest principles of religion ( this is no secret ) . I honour it for my husband ' s sake , he having entered heart and soul into it , and am proud to say it was through my earnest solicitations he joined the mystic Order , and I feel the greatest

interest in everything connected with Masonry , and we can , and do converse freely upon the subject although I am not a participator in the secrets ; and what true wifes with a kind , good husband , would begrudge him attending his Masonic meetings , after the toil and harass of business , because she was not enlightened into its secrets ?

I am afraid your correspondent ' s letter will cause many of the brethren to say ( slightly altering the text ) , J' Curiosity , " "thy name is woman . " Apologising for trespassing on your valuable space , Believe me , yours faithfully , ANOTHER FREEMASON ' S WIFE .

HERMETIC MASONRY ; OR , "LONG LIVERS . " To the Editor of the Freemason , Dear Sir and Brother , — I feel sure that you will not refuse me a few lines of explanation in regard to the work entitled " Long Livers , " to which I see , with much pleasure , that you are eivine prominence . This book has been known to a few

Masonic students for some years . Bro . Matthew Cooke , about six years ago , furnished me with some extracts from it , which I published in 1872 in my work upon " Speculative Freemasonry" ( page 113 ) . This I did with the consent of Bro . Cooke , provided the name of the book was not given . Finding , however , accidentally , that the work formed a part of the library of Bro . F . G . Irwin , of Bristol , I gave further prominence to the same in the pages of a