Grand Chapter.

be any , and what objections to the recognition of the Grand M . M . M . Lodge of England , other than the non-recognition of the degree itself . " With fraternal regard , I remain , dear Sir and Companion , your ' s faithfully ,

" CHARLES T . WALMIS ; . EY , " Gd . Reg . Gd . R . A . C . of Ireland . "J OHN- HERVEY , Esq ., Gd . Scribe , E ., G . R . A . C . of England , Freemasons' Hall , London . " Grand Chapter and then formally closed .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

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

THE " JOHN THOMAS " MEMORIAL . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , J am glad to observe that attention is being called to the non-fulfilment of the wishes and expectations of the numerous brethren to whom our late lamented brother , John Thomas , had so much endeared himself .

The reason of the apparent neglect is that the brethten who first promoted the memorial have aimed too high , and , not being so readily able to reach their mark as they had anticipated , have become apathetic . To my personal knowledge they have been and still are extremely desirous

to secure such evidence of the high esteem in which our late Brother Thomas was held , as should satisfy the Craft generally that the memory of a good Mason , such as he was , would Ue effectually perpetuated . Their deliberatioti- - to tin ' s end were , however , hampered by

main suggestions as to the propriety of founding scholarships , of providing for the permanent support of one or more aged brethren or widows , antl the like means of transmitting his beloved name to posterity . These gave rise to diversity of opinion , and the consequence has been that

very many who uould have willingly assisted have nfiaitieii from doing so until the point in question « as finall y determined . So valuable time hub gone by , the spirit of the moment has been lost , and forgetfulness begins to creep over the promoters and their friends .

But had all agreed , as I contend they should have done , that the first thing to be secured was to uuiik the last resting place of our dear brother by the erection of a tomb , simple or elaborate as might have been decided , but at least Learing

the record of his name and the " sprig of acacia " ( I saw his coffin covered with branches t ! r rwii into his grave by the numerous mourners who attended his funeral ) , the present reproach that ' nothing has been done " could have had no existence .

I am sure that a great majority are of this way of thinking , and will agree with me that after we shall have marked the place where the remains of our friend and Masonic tutor lie , it will be all in good time to further perpetuate his memory by Masonic scholarships or additions to our almshouses , as contributions to the fund may provide for so doing .

Yours fraternally , J AMES STEVENS , P . M „ P . Z ., kc Clapham , Nov . 7 , 1874 . INSTALLATION OF THE GRAND MASTER .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , This event , whenever it takes place , will be looked upon as an epoch in Freemasonry . Every Mason who has the privilege of attending Grand Lodge will , no doubt , wish and endeavour

to be there . If the meeting is to be held in our own grand house , a line must be drawn somewhere—all cannot be admitted—will the admission be confined to Masters only , ( I mean the present W . M . ' s of lodges ) , excluding Past

Masters and Wardens . All who are now entitled to attend will consider themselves slighted if their privilege is withheld , and if it is " first come first served , " not above one in forty or fifty who try will obtain a seat . Those who were at Grand Lodge on the occasion of H . R . H .

Original Correspondence.

the Prince of Wales s first visit will not readil y forget the confusion ( a very mild word ) that took place . Under these circumstances would it not be much better to look for a larger building than we possess , and I do not see that it is at all necessary , as many think , that the installation

must take place in Queen-street ; for instance , as Grand Master the Duke of Bucclench was installed by proxy , at Merchant Taylors' Hall , Lord Colerane at Mercers' Hall , the Earl of Loudon at Fishmongers' Hall , the Earl of Morton at Haberdashers' Hall , Lord Byron at

Drapers Hall , and many other noblemen were installed as Grand Masters at the above halls until Grand Lodge had its head quarters at the Crown and Anchor Tavern , Strand , prior to the first building in Great Queen-street being erected . In several lodges and chapters that I have attended

lately , the Agricultural Hall , the Crystal Palace , and the Albert Hall have been suggested ; the latter has by far the most numerous supporters , and I think no better building could be obtained —every one could then be accommodatedbrethren from the East and the West , from the

North and the South , could then be certain that their journey to London would not end in disappointment , and timely notice would give them an opportunity for arranging special trains , whilst London , with her large number of lodges , would be represented as upon no other occasion . Yours fraternally ,

J . B ., P . M ., P . Z . THE ROYAL TISIT TO PLYMOUTH

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I think a few words from me in reply to the last letter of CM . ( 1205 ) are absolutely necessary , but as he promises his remarks shall be the last , I shall confine myself as nearly as I possibly can to simple replies to the issues which he has raised .

First , however , let me assure CM . that I have no intention to allow the discussion to become a personal matter between him and me , and to express my conviction that so far from having a weak case or attempting to " bully " him . I maintain my contention that the Committee did

all they possibly could to obtain the presence of the military and naval brethren , and I shall endeavour to justify the expressions made use of in my last letter , feeling convinced tr . at to those better qualified to judge than CM . I have ample materials with which to do so .

I say that for one brother to insinuate , as CM . did , in his letter published on the . 3 rd ult ., that Bro . Col . Elliott and I had undertaken to stand together in the defence of a fictitious set of circumstances , that I baveth } " hardihood , " which I conceive implies in the strongest manner the

writers belief that I was guilty of an endeavour to mislead the brethren , to take exception to a statement made by a brother , who however worthy would hardly set himself up as infallible , that Bro . Col . Elliott was guilty of falsehood ; for such according to unprejudiced readers

did CM . s letter amount to , is not only insulting , but unmasonic and nngentlemanly , and C . M . ' s last letter is almost an admission of this fact , for in offering " the expression of regret" to Col . Elliott , evoked in a manner which I am unable to refer to here , but with which CM . is

perfectly cognizant , he so manifestly admits his wrongdoing that it is really hardly necessary for me to touch upon it . CM . appears more obtuse than one would expect from a member of the fourth estate , but when he talks of tumbling " headlong into a

pit , ike , ike , it certainl y has the appearance of a personal attack . When I wrote my former letter , it was under a misapprehension as to whom CM . really was but the cap ( its , and I will content myself with expressing a hope that a longer acquaintance with Masonic obseivance will teach him more

of the true principles of Freemasonry than he at present appears to have knowledge of , and at the same time to adopt a more conciliatory policy than that at present advocated b y his powerful pen . Brotherly love and truth are two of the essential characteristics of a Mason , which CM .

Original Correspondence.

fails to realize , and doubtless a careful study on his part of our beautiful ritual will enlighten him still further on the subject , and if my presence upon the scene has only h . „| tlie effect of extracting an expression of regret , it has been of some use in bringing CM . into charity with at least one man , and demonstrates how little fit

he was , and the small ri ght he had to act as the champion of our soldier brethren and friends , whom with CM . 1 shall be very happy to meet in lodge and show that although we mny not have held the same views we may yet meet in the bonds of fraternal friendship . Yours fraternally , J . EDWARD CURTEIS , W . M . 1 S 9 .

The Masonic Revival.

THE MASONIC REVIVAL .

PART I . —LA HOUR . The most thorough pessimist in the Craft would hardly be bold enough , in the presence of existing facts , to deny the propriety of the title we have chosen for a few reflections upon

Masonry as it was and as it is . For good or for evil , a renaissance in Freemasonry—a revival resembling in its vigour snd intensity that brilliant awakening from tlie torpor of the middle ages to which Ital y owes its grandest productions , a new birth like to . that " great

upheaval , " as Lord Bacon terms it , which resulted in the splendid avatar of the literature of our Elizabethan period—must be admitted to have occurred . The strong man . to use Milton ' s nervous language , hath roused himself after sleep and shaken his invincible locks " like an

eagle renewing her mighty youth and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full mid-day beam , purging and unsealing her long abused sight at the fountain itself of heavenly radiance , ' while the whole noise of timorous and Hocking birds , with those also that love the twilight , flutter

about amazed at what she means . " The great cloud that burst upon our beloved fraternity some two months since has displayed its silver lining . The affliction—as is the case with many afflictions — proved to be but a blessing in disguise . If , under that blow , the

giant struck Ins mother earth , he has , Antaeus like , risen up refreshed from the contact ,, and the grand old institution , ignorantly , intolerantly , Spitefully denounced , promises , under the leadership of " the expectancy and rose of this Fair state , " to enter upon a new career of usefulness

and philanthropy , immeasurably grander and more comprehensive than was ever conceived in the wildest dreams of departed enthusiasts , who are now after life ' s fitful fever sleeping well . It can scarcely , then , be an inappropriate time to trace this glorious development from its source ,

and to compare it or contrast it , as necessity may suggest , with the similar movements in art , literature , and science , which are among the most noticeable phenomena of the times in which we live , and our scheme must in its completeness , involve some inquiry into tlie former

practice of the Ci aft and some illustration—always of course observing that due caution which is the first duty of a Freemason , —of the working of the various lodges in the present day . We cannot apply to ourselves in its integrity the poet ' s exhortation . We can confidently pledge ourselves

to set down naught in malice ; but we will not bind ourselves not to use the blessed privilege of extenuation , and we must beg our readers to give us credit , when we may find it necessary to employ language in description from which

indirect censurts may be implied , to believe that principles and not persons provoke the implied animadversion , and that we seek rather to represent broad groups and salient types of feature than to descend to individual detail or specific definition . • — •• -

Such a review as we propose to present would ; we think , be too abruptly introduced—tht principle of in medias res would be too rigidly app v > .. \ —were we to begin out treatise altogether without

reference to the coincident phenomena of development we have already referred to as illustrative of our main proposition , a proposition which , if it has not already been deduced from the [ ireceding observations , we will now r . rocced more