Original Correspondence.

or Grand Senior Warden , & c . Many old Masons maintain that the officers of Grand Lodge are Grand Officers of the rank to which they are appointed , and that the Senior or Junior only denotes their respective positions , and that it

should always be mentioned first . There appears to be great confusion in the general practice , and I have seen reports in which both forms were used , as though a matter of indifference ; but that correctness cannot be a matter of indifference must be my apology for troubling you . B . E . T . A .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In reply to Bro . Bagshawe , at page 169 , I have only to say that my using an initial signature wasonly to avoid an appearance of

advertising myself in The Freemason as being wiser than my fellows ; and as good wine needs no bush , it matters not one jot who the brother is who writes the article , provided the information it contains be correct .

I have again refer to my brother to page 61 of the Book of Constitutions , and there he will find the names of all the officers that it is possible for a private lodge to y appoint viz ., the Master the two Wardens , two Deacons , Inner Guard , and Tyler . There

must also be a Treasurer and Secretary . These are the regular officers ; the permissive officers , are a Chaplain , Master of Ceremonies , and Stewards ; all others are encroachments . It is to be observed that there is no Organist or Standard Bearer

mentioned , for the simple reason that there is no such recognised officer in a private lodge . It is only of comparatively recent date that music has been generally used in our lodges , and that may account for the omission in the Book of Constitutions ; but that omission need not

prevent any musical brother giving his services at the organ , as all I contend for is that he is not a recognised officer of the lodge as such , and not entitled to be invested on the day of installation . With respect to the office of Standard Bearer , there is none such in a lodge , or even a Prov . G .

Lodge ; and if lodges choose to do such an absurd thing as to exhibit a standard , and then say we must have a Standard Rearer to carry it , because we have got it , they must expect to be laughed at for their pains . By referring to the table of precedent in

the Book of Constitutions , page 18 , there is no official rank given them even , in Grand Lodge . All that the G . M . can do is to appoint any Master Mason , as occasion shall require , to carry his standard , but they are not , by their appointment , members of Grand Lodge , or

entitled to wear the clothing of a Grand Officer ( see Book of Constitutions , page , 40 and 41 , title Grand Standard Bearers ) . Several provinces have discontinued appointing Provincial Grand Standard Bearers , because they found such an officer had no existence , and I

refer you to the Province of West Lancashire as one that has done so , although the Provincial Grand Master is entitled to bear arms , or , in other words , a standard , which is generally carried by a Tyler or some Master Mason for the

occasion . As I before remarked , these observations do not apply to Provincial Grand Chapters , for there the Royal Arch regulations recognise the office of Standard Bearer . Yours fraternally , ( 4 .

A MUSICAL RITUAL

7 b the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly allow me to state , for the benefit of " Orpheus" and all whom it may concern , that I have compiled a Musical Masonic Ritual for use in the Stour Vallev Lodge , which

will , I think , meet his wishes . It consists of hymns for opening and closing the lodge in the three degrees , together with hymns and verses selected from the volume of the Sacred Law , to be sung and chanted during the ceremonies of

initiation , passing , and raising . They are all thoroughly appropriate to the teachings of the degrees , and are so arranged as not materiall y to lengthen the ceremonies . The music consists of simple tunes and chants , which may bc | sung in unison or three-part harmony , and is within the

Original Correspondence.

compass of any ordinary voices . At present the brethren sing from MS . copies which they have made , but after a short probation in order to make it as perfect as possible , the little work will be printed in a cheap form , and the profits , if any , applied to one of the Masonic Charities . Of this due notice will be given in the advertising columns of The . Freemason .

I am , fraternally yours , A . ORLANDO STEED , Organist , 1224 .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

BRITISH , FOREIGN AND COLONIAL . THE VIENNA EXHIBITION . —We have been requested to announce that the W . M . of the " Vienna Lodge Humanitas" ( Dreilaufergasse

No . 7 , first floor ) invites foreign brethren to visit the lodge during the exhibition , as it as been resolved that during that time some brother , should be present in the lodge rooms to receive foreign brethren daily from 10 . a . m . till 7 . p . m .

At the Anniversary Festival of the . Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution the largest Steward ' s list presented was that of Bro . G . W . Verry , P . M . Yarborough Lodge , No . 554 , amounting to no less than £ 206 is .

The fifty-sixth anniversary of the Stability Lodge of Instruction , No . 217 ( Bro . Henry Muggeridge , P . M ., W . M . ) , will be held at the City Terminus Hotel , Cannon-street , on Friday , the 25 th April , at half-past five o ' clock , when the

lecture of the second degree will be worked in sections by the following Brethren , viz . : —First section , Bro . John Jonas , J . W . 71 ^; second section , Bro . R . T . Fames , J . W . 22 ; third section , Bro . J . B . Scriven , W . M . K ; fourth

and fifth sections , Bro H . Muggeridge , P . M . 192 and 715 . The V . W . Bro . / Eneas J . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar , will reside at the banquet , which will be on the table at half-past eight o ' clock .

Mr . James Adley Reeves has joined the di rectorate of the Surrey Masonic Hall Company We hear with regret the melanchol y intelli

geiice that Bro . Alexander James Stewart , W . S ., R . W . Senior Joint Grand Secretary , Grand Lodge of Scotland , died at Musselburgh , on the 8 th inst ., at a quarter past five o ' clock .

Bro . J . W . Barratt , P . M . and Treas . 169 kc , was on Thursday evening , the 6 th inst ., while returning from meeting of H . C ., knocked down and run over by a reckless driver of a cart . We

are happy to learn , however that , although the vehicle passed over Bro . Barratt ' s legs , fortunately no bones were broken . The sad occurrence still keeps our worthy brother confined to his bed in great pain .

On Wednesday lsst Bro . Sidney Spencer , of the City Terminus Hotel , was entertained at dinner in his own house by his brother hotelkeepers , and presented with a handsome testimonial , as a recognition of his services in

connection with the repeal of the tav upon hotel servants . Mr . Hall , of the Great Western Hotel , Birmingham , presided , and , in proposing the toast of the evening , said the hotel-keepors of the country were deeply grateful to Bro , Spencer for what he had done on their behalf .

The Editor of the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar will be glad to receive from the Secretaries of the American Lodges , not later than September 1 st ., the information necessary for the issue of 1874 .

To ensure insertion in the Calendar all alterations and other notices from Colonial and Foreign parts should arrive at the office , 19 8 , Fleet-street , London , by the above mentioned date .

SM > ADF . NT .- —The only guaranteed cure for Toothache . —This extraordinary application , marvellous in its ellects , gives immediate relief , without injuring the tooth , and'forms a temporary stopping . 1 . 1 . lid .: post free is . 3 d . TheCORAI . ITE TOOTH l ' AsrE / for cleans , ing and improving the teeth , imparts a natural redness to the Ruins , and p , ives brilliancy to the enamel . Price is . 6 d . The KOVAI . DENTIFRICI , prepared from a recipe as used hy her Majesty , gives the teeth a pearl-like whiteness , and imparts a delicious fragrance to the breath . Price is . 6 d . Sold by all chemists and perfumers , and by the proprietors , MESSRS . GABRIEL , the old . establishcd Dentists , 73 , Ludi ; ate-hill , and 56 , llarlcy-strcct , Cavendish-square , London .

Multum In Parbo,Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

RRO . JACOB NORTON AND THE " OLD MS . " Bro . Norton has done well to call attention to "The Secret History of the Freemasons , " and I hope his reference to the pamphlet will be the means of leading to a decision as to the year in

which it first appeared . Evidently in the earliest half of the last century , but in which decade at present I cannot myself fix . I have a copy of the pamphlet ( 8 vo . pp . 4 ? . )* and have already virtually reprinted it in my " Masonic Sketches and Reprints" page P 42 part 1 .

( "Unpublished Records of the Craft . " ) The Masonic Student will find on comparing the " Secret History MS ., " with the " Harleian MS . 2054 , British Museum , that they are one and the same , and will be convinced that the author of the pamphlet in question had access to this number of the Harleian MSS . at the time of

preparing his wonderful work for the press . At page 8 . of my ''Old Charges of British Freemasons" the Harleian MS . 2054 is alluded to , and to have rendered the , ' paragraph complete I ought to have noticed the transcript of it in the "Secret | History" mentioned b y Bro . Norton , but

it had escaped my attention at the time . A second edition was not published in 1725 , for the work Bro . Norton quotes from , the Rev . Dr . Oliverls " Revelations of a Square" was " The Grand Mystery of Freemasons discovered , ' of A . D . J / 24 , the second part of which is dated

1725 , and from which the author of " Secret History" appears to quote at length towards the end of his pamphlet , which must therefore have been issued subsequently . "The Grand Mystery of Freemasons discovered" is reprinted in the " Freemasons' Monthly Magazine" for September , 1 S 55 , and September and December ,

18 57 . Looking over Dr . Kloss ' s " Bibliographic der Freemaurerei' I have not found any reference to Briscoe ' s work , but if any brother has been succesful in tracing it , he will kindly inform the readers of The Freemason the page of the work for reference . Thanking Bro . Norton for Ill's communication , I must now conclude this notice . —W . J . HUGHAN .

Metropolitan Masonic Meetings

METROPOLITAN MASONIC MEETINGS

For tin . - Week ending Friday , March 21 , 187 , 5 . The Editor will be glad to nave notice from Secretaries of Lodges and Chapters of any change in place or time of meeting .

Saturday , MarcT 15 . Lodge 715 , Panmure , City Terminus Hotel , Cannon-st . „ 1 . 329 , Sphinx , Stirling Castle , Church-st ., Camberwell . „ 1364 , Karl of Zetland , Old Town . Hall , Hackney . Red Cross Conclave , Villiers , Northumberland Arms Hotel , Islewoith .

Star Lodge o [ Instruction ( 1275 ) . Marquis of Granby , New Cross-road , at 7 ; Bro . C . G . Dilley , Preceptor Mount Sinai Chapter of Instruction , Union Tavern , Air " street , at 8 ; Comp . Brett , Preceptor . Manchester Lodge ol iiisuuctuin , Yorkshire Grey , Londonstieet , Fitzroy-square , at 8 ; Bro . Ash , P . M ., Precep .

tor . Sphinx Lodge of Instiuction ( 1329 ) , Castle Tavern , Cambcrwell-road , at 7 ; Bros . John Thomas and E . Worth , ington , Preceptors . Lily Lodge of Instruction ( 820 ) , Greyhound Hotel , Richmond , Surrey , at 7 .

Monday , March 17 . Lodge 1 , Grand Masters , Freemasons' Hall . ,, 8 , British , Freemasons' Hall . ,, 21 , Kmulation , Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-st . „ 5 8 , Felicity , London Tavern , Bishopsgate-st . „ 185 , Tranquility , City Terminus Hotel , Cannon-st . „ 720 , Panmure , Balham Hotel , Balham . „ 862 , Whittington , Anderton's Hotel , Flcet-st . „ 901 , City of London , Guildhall Tavern , Grcsham-st . „ 907 , Royal Albert , Freemasons' Hall . „ 1159 , Marquis of Dalhousie , Anderton's Hotel ,

Fleetstreet . „ 1201 , Eclectic , Freemasons' Hall . Chapter 12 , Prudence , Ship and ' Tuitle , Leadenhall-st . Strong Man Lodge of Instruction ( 45 ) , Old Jerusalem Tavern , St . John's-gate , Clerkenwell , at 8 ; Bro . Beckett , Preceptor . Sincerity Lodge of Instruction ( 174 ) , Railway Tavern ,

Fenchurch-street Station , at 7 . Camden Lodge of Instruction ( 704 ) , Adelaide Tavern , Haveratock-hill , at 8 ; Bro . T . A . Adams , Preceptor . Eastern Star Lodge of Instruction ( 95 ) , Royal Hotel , Mileend-road , at 7 . 30 ; Bro . E . Gottheil , Preceptor . British Oak Lodge of Instruction , Bank of Friendship Tavern , Mile-end , at 7 for 8 .