Another Pamphlet.

labelled asA , B , or C , these being the receipts whose exist . ence was ignored in the Official Reports , but which should have modified the ' statements therein published . With these receipts in hand , the Committee announce that the £ 124 5 s . is duly " accounted for ; " a matter none of us ever disputed , our stand-point being that it was not accounted for in the Official Reports , which were therefore fallacious and

misleading . The wish that all mig ht seem right begat doubtless the happy finding of that November Committee which was to silence all further enquiries . Let me now instance a comparison in reference to cost or capital exuenditure . Bro . R . W . Little , the Secretary of the Girls' School , has informed me that when the present alterations at St . lohn ' s Hill are completed , over 200 girls

will be domiciled at that Masonic institution . The total capital outlay , including these alterations , will bc between . £ 29 , 000 or £ 30 , 000 ; but Wood Green , with beds for 181 boys ( and only 177 said to be in the school ) has cost £ 56 , 926 9 s . 6 d . Fcr the cost of Girls'School , maintenance of fabric , and the clothing and education of these 200 girls or more , Mr . Little asks from the Craft as annual expenditure , only £ 8479 ; whilst in 1874 the samecosts for 177

boys in Wood Green amounted to £ 10 , 075 , according to the Investigation Report , and on the 10 th of April , the Quarterly Court , without the Governors and subscribers being allowed to express an opinion , " authorised the payment of £ 2000 purchase money for the freehold of Kent House , with land required as a sanatorium . " This being so , let us enquire what this property is , and why it should be purchased at so large an expenditure of charitable funds . The house was itself till some nine or

ten months ago in the possession of a case maker in Gray s - Inn-road , who held the remainder of the lease , some 1 7 years out of 88 . The property was offered for sale some 18 months previously to being taken as a sanatorium , and tbe only land belonging to it is a small strip of garden ground . Its rooms are small , and no doubt another two or three hundred pounds will have to be spent to adapt

them for the purposes of dormitories , & c . It is about 50 yards away from the institution , on the opposite side of the roadway , has the appearance of being damp , and has been considered , by a brother competent to value , not to be worth more than £ 800 or £ 1000 . If it is necessary to build an infirmary , with dormitories for fever patients and general ailments , could not one have been erected at

considerably less cost than Kent House and site on a portion of the orchard at the back of the farm buildings belonging to the school ? 1 point to this Kent House matter as an instance of how the voluntary subscriptions of the brethren are to be appropriated . Your West Yorkshire Charity report , 23 th March , 1876 , . says , " The institution has only £ 2000 funded properity ,

and is greatly in need of subscriptions and donations . " Let me add to this statement that the £ 2000 was invested by the London Executive , 6 th November , 1873 , at the time the West Yorkshire Committee was sitting at Leeds enquiring into how £ 2237 ios . for West Yorkshire pre-¦ sentations in 1870 and 1872 have been expended , and may fairly be considered as the mere capitalization of thoseWest

Yorkshire presentations . The last Official Report says , " Important changes have taken place in the Instruction Department . " These changes of Masters must be detrimental to the educational efficiency of the school . There were two new Masters in 1874 , eleven in 1873 ; and , again , there arc six new Masters , April , 1876 , who it is said decline to comply with the

terms for service sought to be " imposed " upon them . Take the examinations of Christmas 1875 . The Cambridge lists show that of 18 boys sent up for examination only 14 passed . Both the seniors failed . Of 174 boys "in " the school , seven of the boys out of the 14 who passed last Christmas , were boys who passed the same examination in December 1874 . So that only seven new boys succeeded at

Christmas 1875 . Yet these educational failures have cost on an average the sum of £ 54 10 . 3 d . each boy . On the other hand , the boys from the London Orphan Asylum at Watfoid , who were submitted to a similar intellectual trial , as candidates at the Oxford Local Examination , all passed , one boy as a Senior , with the title of Associate in Arts ; five boys being Juniors , with a certificate .

But there are even greater allegations against the management of this most costly institution . Two boys have recently died at the school , one being a West Yorkshire boy . What were the circumstances attending the deaths of these boys ? Other boys , it would appear , arc likewise not treated with that motherly care in this institution which the Governors and subscribers to the

schools , as the guardians of the orphan Boys , have a right to expect . 1 hone for the " honour " of the Craft that there will be spirit enough to enquire both how the boys when poorly are treated , and what has been the position of the Assistant Masters at Wood Green . Lastly , look at the composition of the House Committee . You will find Messrs . Browse , Chancellor , Dubois , Head ,

and Paas were certainly nominated in 1869 , if not considerably before this date . You will also find that Bros . Henry Browse , Henry Dubois , Benjamin Head , William Paas , and Raynham Stewart are on the list of members of the House Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . These Charities are managed by a clique . Are not some of them domiciled foreigners ? How can

foreigners understand about the management of English charitable institutions ? The gentlemen of 186 9 might very well retire in favour of other brethren . A large mixture of Yorkshire independence and energy might influence the rest of the Committee to inquire into the matters complained of in the West Yorkshire Investigation

Report , and lead to a thorough remodelling of the schools ; On the other side is a copy of the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford's resolution , late of Fidelity Lodge , No . 289 . Again thanking your lodge for the resolution of confidence , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , THOMAS WILLIAM TEW .

Another Pamphlet.

[ Copy of Ciruilari ] ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION roll BOYS . Quarterly General Court , Freemasons Hall , Monday , April 10 , 1876 . Twelve o ' clock at noon . Dear Sir and Brother , — At the Court to bc held as above , the following notice of motion will be submitted : —

By V . W . Bro . Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , P . G . Chaplain , and P . Prov . G . W . West Yorkshire—That , having in view recent imputations cast on the administration of the Royal Masoidc Institution for Boys , this Court deems it to be its duty to express its unabated confidence in the House and

Audit Committees and executive . Your attendance at half-past twelve , if not inconvenient to you , will be esteemed a favour by , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , F . BINI _ I ; KS .

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Original Correspondence .

I We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even A 3 approving cf the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain neces ^ arv limits—free discussion . —ED . ]

THE M . W . G . M . AND GRAND LODG K . ( To Ihe Editor of the Freemason . ) Dear Sir and Brother .- — I have perused with a very considerable amount of interest the correspondence and the articles that have from time to time appeared in your journal upon the matter that was brought before Grand Lodge at the last

Quarterly Communication to commemorate Masonically H . R . H . the M . W . G . M . ' s safe return from India , and I must confess that I as a Mason am exceedingly surpiised that the subject in question , which should have been decided unanimously , has kd to the public ventilation of many very unseemly party and sectarian opinions . The " unenlightened " are led to believe that we are a " band

of brothers , " but what must they now think when they read in the columns of the press that there is uot only a divided opinion upon the proposed Grand Lodge Commemoration , but lhat religious and almost anti-religious observations and denominational personalities arc freely indulged in by those who have all voluntarily enlisted in that noble cause , whose glorious " semper eadem " should

be " loyalty , unity , and charity . " There is no doubt that our M . W . G . M . is deeply touched by the reception he has received from all classes uf the community upon his safe arrival home , after undergoing great fatigue and no little danger whilst performing that which was—whatever may be said to the contrary—a national necessity , but 1 most respectfully beg to express an opinion that it cannot but

bc distasteful to H . R . H . to know that many of the Masonic brotherhood have thought fit to make the proposed Craft memorial of his return 1 ot only a vexed question , but that they have also taken advantage of the oppoitunity to plunge . iiito a sea of polemical discussion . Although I quite agree with many of your readers that a certain portion of one of your correspondent ' s letters had

better have been left unwritten , yet the fact must not be lost sight of that notwithstanding Freemasonry owns no particular sect , among its numerous members are many men of high social and moral culture whose ideas upon certain topics arc exceedingly broad and outre . My object in troubling you with this letter is to respectfully suggest to those prominent members of the Grand Lodge

and others interested that in dealing with this question they will endeavour to bring such a scheme forward as will meet with the unqualified approval of the entire Craft , and thereby happily prevent a repetition of those heated and unfratcrnal arguments and oratorical displays— " pro and con "—which were indulged in at the last Quarterly Communication , otherwise the outer world will have good

occasion to believe that our loyalty , unity , and charity exists but in our imagination . In " days of yore , " when the Craft was in rather a precarious position , Masonic intelligence was very meagre and but rarely sought after , but as the cause has prospered most wonderfully within the last—comparatively—few years , and as every religious , political , and professional community has its public organ

devoted to the promulgation of its ideas and doings , it was only right that Freemasons should have—what they have fortunately now got— a representative press . Public attention being for obvious reasons greatly drawn to the Craft , and as the publication " in extenso " of its proceedings is at the present time general , it should always be borne in mind that discussions and correspondence upon

any Masonic mooted question should be conducted with a perfect freedom from denominational and other objectionable personalities , otherwise the very groundwork of our great Masonic profession , " brotherly love , " will be regarded by the uninitiated as possessing merely a theoretical instead of a practical foundation . In concluding this letter I think that one of our Rev .

Iiro . Simpson ' s suggestions , that a wing should be added to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution to Masonically commemorate the Prince of Wales ' s Indian visit and safe return , would meet with cosmopolitan approval . The Boys' and Girls' Schools are , of course , objects of great interest to t-s , but their occupants are young , and , as a body , strong and healthy , and when discharged from those institutions are fit to enter , both morally and

physically , for the " race of life ; " but the benevolent objects of the other establishment arc " in the sere and yellow leaf , " and require every attention to render their declining years enjoyable . It may , and very justly , be urged that there are more applications for admission into the schools than can be accommodated ; but the majority of these applicants have the blessings of health and strength on their side , which

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the numerous petitioners for a participation ofthe benefit of the Benevolent Institution have not . s In common with many other members of the Craft \ sincerely hope that if anything is done to perpetuate our M . W . G . M . ' s brilliant and successful tour to and from the sunny land of India , that the cause of those who when in the heyday of youth and prosperity courted and received

" Masonic light , " doubtless , little thinking that the time would arrive when penury and its attendant evils would necessarily compel them in the " sunset of life , " to solicit its philanthropy , namely , the " pot _ .-and distressed Masons " will not bc forgotten , Yours truly and fraternally , T . C . W . 141 , 1381 , 1303 , 131 s , & c .

OF PROPOSING ( JOINING ) MEMBERS . To Ihe Editor of Ihe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — The courtesy of my assumed corrector , "W . S . L ., ' ' demands from me some recognition of his letter in your last impression but one , as well as a brief explanation of the position taken up in the epistle which called it forth .

Prima facie , and unaided by any other light drawn from the Book of Constitutions than that which is derived from the clause he quotes ( Rule 1 , page 83 ) , " W . S . L . ' s " construction would appear to be unimpeachable ; never , theless , I think my view is the correct one after all , at all

events , I have reason to know that the authorities at Grand Lodge hold that a brother cannot even be proposed as a joining member in open lodge , much less admitted or elected , unless the lodge be not only open but regular i . e ., a regular meeting of the lodge according to its bylaws .

A gloss on the words " open lodge " would read , " Open lodge in this sense has always fbeen construed as ' regular ' lodge meeting . " Why . ? Well , it is after all only by inference , deduction , and construction with another part of the Constitutions that we get at the reason . At page 64 , by Rule 9 , it is enacted that " the business to be transacted at . . . ( a ) lodge of emergency shall

be expressed in the summons , recorded on the minutes , and no other business shall be entered upon . " The authoritative jurists of the Craft rule that a proposition , when it can be legally made , is business , and no business ( as we have seen ; can be entered upon at a lodge of emergency that is not expressed in the summons .. As this explication to my mind did not dispose of every

difficulty , I ventured to enquire further of one well skilled in the application of the law of the Craft , and thoroughly acquainted with the reading at head-quarters , what would be the effect , supposing that the summons for a lodge of emergency brought an intended proposition within the business expressed , and complied with the law by specifying after or among the other business for which the lodge

of emergency was called " To propose for election at the next regular meeting of the lodge brother so and so , of such a lodge , tec ' : " Nay , I contend , I can go farther than that . It is conceivable that a lodge of emergency could be called for the sole purpose of receiving the proposition of a brother as a joining member . Assume a case . A ., a member of " Blue

Apron" Lodge has a pressing desire to become also a member of Red Apron Lodge . Now , Red Apron Lodge adjourns from March to October . " No matter , " says A . " plenty of time . " In October my friend B . will propose me at the regular lodge meeting , and in November , at the next regular lodge meeting , I shall no doubt be duly elected . " But behold , during the summer , events occur ,

which render it unavoidable , that between the October anJ the November meetings B . shall leave the country for , say eight or nine months . The reasons why B . might wish to expedite his admission to Red Apron Lodge will occur to most brethren j reasons sufficiently potent in his mindi we will assume , to induce him . to offer personally to incur the entire expense of a lodge of emergency to be called in

September for the sole purpose of proposing him in open lodge , that being the express and only business specified in the summons , in order that he may be duly admitted in regular open lodge meeting in October . Would that be legal ? It seems difficult to say from the Book of Constitutions that it would not . I cannot find where the law in such an instance would have been left uncomplied with . 1

did not put the case to my friend with the detail I have used here , but supposed such a proceeding generally as an illustrative test . His reply was that according to invariable and traditional construction a proposition of a joining member is not business that can be legally entered upon at a lodge of emergency . Thissecms to me to amount to a reliance upon the saving qualification expressed but

unwritten , " when it can be legally made , " which I cited some lines above , and to my mind partakes of that form of ratiocination which logicians describe as arguing in » circle , or as a lady might put it , " It isn ' t legal because il isn ' t . " My esteemed and able friend , however , from wh ° I got the ruling , is of course not responsible for a construction that involves reading the second line of the rule as i '

the word " regular " were interpolated between the words " open " and " lodge , " and the corollorary , which , however , didn ' t strike me during the conversation , but , which I shall , by-and-byc , proceed to show is inevitable , that the word " meeting" must be implied as following the wor "' " lodge . " My friend added that at all events such a case as I had

assumed had never yet arisen , and I am inclined to think it is not at all likely to arise at any very early date , * ° that , to use a common saying , " We may take up tha ' load when we come to it . " Such an exceptional circumstance as the necessity to gi ? e notice in a circular convening a lodge of emergency of an intention at t ' / me i ! ing to propose a joining member to be balloted for ( as only could be balloted for ) at the next regular lodge meeting is not so imminent that we need wait unt "