Original Correspondence.

• s f or an exposition of the general law in its practical anplical ion to cases constantly recurring . Should such a course be taken , however , I am far from saying ( and I am sure "W . S . L . " will agree with me ) that its legality would be absolutely unarguable , notwithstanding the eminent authority that has according to common report , put a gloss upon the constitution which

seems to go beyond the foundation afforded by the text . But I have promised to show that , to support what I may call head-quarters' reading , the text not only requires til ' s interpolation of the word " regular , " but the addition of the word " meeting . " I proceed to do so . In one sense it might be maintained perhaps that even an emergency meeting was a regular meeting . It is

certainly a regular lodge , for our traditional law teaches us that it cannot be duly held without a certain strictly defined formality being observed , compliance with which wc are taught alone renders the lodge regular , but the correctness of the contention of the authoritative expositors involves that a proposition for joining can only be made in open lodge at a regular lodge meeting , which is an

implied extension of the term lodge , for a lodge is made regular by the presence of that which must absolutely be materially and actually in the room at the time . Now this presence obviously cannot convert an emergency meeting into a regular lodge meeting , however essential it may he to render any lodge , ordinary or emergent , regular . A regular lodge includes both regular and emergency

meetings . A regular lodge meeting ( with one exception , to which I will presently refer ) must thus be ruled to be restricted to a meeting held on a day specified in the text ot the warrant or charter of incorporation . The exception js a consecration , which is commonly held on a day not specified in the charter , and would therefore , pi una . facie , seem to be a meeting coming within the

category of emergency , however it is well known ( I take it as conceded on all sides ) that propositions both for members jcliiing and initiating candidates are legally receivable at a consecration meeting ; but here the distinction is said to be that at a consecration the presence of the M . W . the G . M ., either in person or by duly constituted ileputy , renders the meeting regular . Still , I own myself not quite

satisfied on such a point as this , purely started as an illus tration ex hopolhesi , would such an attendance on another occasion than a consecration , convert what had been convened as an emergency meeting into a regular meeting , so as to legalize the receipt of propositions ? I hope I shall not be considered as writing dogmatically . I only profess to give the results of the information I have

taken some pains to acquire . I would not for a moment pretend to speak ex cathedra . The lex scripta and lex non ¦ xripta , alike bristle with difficulties ; and I am sure I for one most sincerely feel that all our thanks ari due to W . S . L . for re-directing attention to this most interesting part of Masonic jurisprudence . It is , I think , much to be regretted that our Book of

Constitutions is not examined and revised , so as to bring it more in ' . n accord with the present circumstances of the Craft , and in directness and simplicity more immediately availal b for the guidance of all its members . Good easy men , comparatively few in numbers , and less exposed , therefore , to complication of interests and clashing of objects , might , in the old times ,

have found no inconvenience in living under laws interpicted by inference , deduction , suggestion , and construction nf one section by another divided from it by a score or two uf pages ; but , in the present day , when our brotherhood is numbered by hundreds of thousands—when men of high education , of tact , shrewdness , and business ability , aio constantly under the necessity of referring for

direclii n to its lex scripta , it is in the last degree desirable that the source of their knowledge should appear in grammatical , exact , and unambiguous phraseology , and , if necessary and convenient for men personally able to construe language , how much more desirable is such clearness for our less highly-gifted brethren , who look to direct atlbority as a protection from bitter , profitless , and tedious

testual disputes ? A law that is hazy and equivocal , that can only bc interpreted by conjectures as to its meaning , by cross references , tradition often inaccuratelyhanded down . suggestion , inference , deduction , and , worst of all , the weak argument in justification of ambiguity ab inconveniendi , is a law that ,

failing- any enforcible sanction and depending for its exposition on varying individual opinion , ceases to be useful as a rule of conduct , and as often mischievously misleads as properly directs . The joint under discussion is not the only one that gives rise to varying interpretations of our code , as any r . cmbcr of the two boards will bear me witness . lt

seems very plausible to say " Oh , our laws were never intended to be scanned by microscopic eyes—brethren , u ~ f , f honour , men of the world , would know well enough Wi -at it means j we don ' t want any legal technicalities , no iv . tyfogg ing hair splitting , " but the more honourable ncn are the more likely are they not to come to a conclusion without good reasons well thought out , and the less jl . © - ¦ - »*¦* •—*»• # »*•«__ # MVII fcllUU ^ IIV vuij U 1 IU int . UU

Kely they are to abandon a construction so conscientiously rrived at ; and , where phraseology is capable of two instructions , it must be looked for that , however honour-^ 'c men may be , they will sometimes differ as to which i I r ' ; ll is a cheap and easy indulgence to sneer at a ' yer s anxiety for clearness of definition and simplicity and curacy of expression , and perhaps professionally that ctyis

if f 1 ' n ° t unnaturally kept within sufficient control , for frien I T " makes his own W 'H ' s the lawyer ' s best tialc ¦ ' analo & yithe statute which is a compound of the } c en "E non-professional men thinking of one subject and bieh 8 ^ fcman desiderating another , should stand very prov . ' ? - i ? ffcctions of the lawyer , who has attained the tonnf-l thlrd stage in the legal career—a period when , ' neon , ¦ eu Phuistic » ll y > an augmentation of professional t icner ' a" ° biect not wh < % - indifferent to the practi-

Original Correspondence.

But to rule and govern the Craft by " it has always been understood , " or " it is implied , " or " we construe it thus or thus , " is a system which it can be no one ' s interest to maintain . lt reminds me of the old theory of the administration of equity . Two hundred years ago equity was derisively said to be as the size of the Chancellor ' s foot . Some Chancellor shall have

a wide foot , some a narrow , some a long foot , some a short , some a high instep , some a flat sole . According to the size and shape , of my lord's shoe so shall the Chancery suitor get his relief dealt unto him . " It is , however , no use discussing an evil without suggesting a remedy . Let Grand Lodge elect a committee from among the highly educated men who adorn it as

members , and instruct this body to make a thorough and careful revision of the whole code , suggesting corrections or even alterations where necessary , and not shrinking from expanding by explanations or definitions . When finished let the proof-sheets of the suggested new edition of the Book of Constitutions bc sent to every lodge under the English constitution , inviting suggestions and

commentaries . These received , let thcrn be considered by the committee , and their conclusions , in the shape of a report embodying the re-edited work , be laid before Grand Lodge to be dealt with according to its wisdom . Such an enterprise would take years to complete , but they would be years well employed . It would cost money , but it would bc money well spent , and the boon to the Craft at large

wouleTbe invaluable . However , rcvenono u nos nionlons , I think that with the kind assistance of "W . S . L . " we have at last get a true and plain reading of the exact law on the point we have had under discussion , which may be thus summarised : — A brother as a joining member must be viva voce proposed at one regular open lodge meeting and balloted

for at the next regular lodge meeting . To this rule there is no exception . A candidate for initiation must be vivi voce proposed at one regular lodge meeting , <»• at an emergency meeting , if the intention to propose him has been announced in the circular convening the emergency meeting , and balloted for at the next regular lodge meeting , or at an emergency meeting , if the intention to ballot for him has' with all

necessary particulars , been expressed in the circular convening such regular or emergency meeting . To this rule there is the exception that under ciicumstances of emergency , ot the stringency of which the W . M . is the sole judge , and certain well-known conditions being complied with , the nomination may be by writing out of lodge , instead of ri ' ra eoee in open lodge , and initiation , on a successful ballot , may take place at the next regular or emergency meeting uf the lodge . Yours fraternally , S . P ., P . M ., & c , & c .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The Q laiterly Court uf the supporters of this Institution was held last Saturday in the Board-room , Freemasons ' Hall . Bro . J . M . Clabon , P . G . Deacon , presided over the meeting , which was composed of , among others , Bros . H . Hacker , C . F . Matier , Raynham W . Stewart , Pierce Egan , F . B . Davage , F . Adlard , R . Kenyon , Griffiths

Smith , A . 11 . Fothcrshall , H . A . Dubois , C . A . Cottebrune , Hyde Pullen , Capt . Philips , II . Moore , L . Ruf , G . Bolton , J . Roper , J . F . Peacock , G . M . E . Snow , S . G . Foxall , D . Beare , E . Harris , II . M . Smith , Dr . Hogg , R . W . Wheeler , W . Roebuck , T . Meggy , H . Massey , ( " Freemason" ) , W . Hedges , and R . W . Little , Secretary .

After the reading of the minutes of the meetings of the committees , the particulars of which have appeared in the " Freemason , " Bro . G . M . E . Snow rose to move " That commission be allowed to the collector upon such sums only as he collects and gives receipts for , and not upon donations or subscriptions paid to the Secretary . " He said that at a

late Quarterly Court , having a large cheque to hand in to the Institution , he asked the Chairman of the meeting whether if he paid it there and then to the Secretary the collector would receive his commission on ifc , and he was told that he would . This appeared » o him a great abuse , as well as an incentive to laziness , for instead of going out to collect subscriptions he might sit at home . Every

man was worthy of his hire ; but he should bc paid for what he did , and not for what he did not . Other institutions of a similar character to the Masonic Girls' School . had no such thing connected with them . In the Merchant Seamen ' s Orphan Asylum , which only admitted children of merchant seamen , there was no commission paid to the Secretary except on subscriptions which he was solely

instrumental in obtaining , and then it was only a small per centage , till it reached the sum of five shillings , and however large the subscription might be , the commission never exceeded the total sum of five shillings . At the Masonic Boys' School no commission was allowed to the collector if the subscription was paid at the office . Why , after a Steward had taken the trouble to go round to his

friends and obtain donations for the Institution , which he paid in at the Secretary ' s office , should commission be paid to the collector when he did not even know who sent the money ? it was wrong in principle , and he therefore brought forward his motion . If any brother suggested that a committee be appointed to enquire into the subject

of the collector ' s duties and remuneration , he would be pleased to support that if it was brought forward as a motion , and withdraw his own . Bro . Raynham W . Stewart said he should be happy to second the motion of Bro . Snow , but he mi ght say that as Bro . Muggeridge , the collector , had resigned , as they had just heard from the minutes , he thought a committee should

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

be appointed to consider the question of the collector ' s duties and pay , and whether it was necessary to have a collector at all . If Bro . Snow withdrew his original motion he , Bro . Stewart , would move in accordance with jtjiis view . Bro . Thomas W . White referred to the printed rules of the Institution , which provided that on the occurrence pf a

vacancy the General Committee might cause enquiries to be made into the office . The Chairman said he was unable to come to a conclusion that day on the subject , and he would suggest that there should be a general enquiry first . Bro . Snow would say that when he gave notice of his motion he did not know that Bro . Muggeridge was going

to resign . He should be happy to withdraw his motion . Bro . Snow ' s motion was then withdrawn . Bro . Raynham W . Stewart moved "That considering the satisfactory condition of the funds of this school , ten of the unsuccessful candidates at the last election highest on the poll be admitted without further election at the same time as those already elected , and that arrangements be

made for their reception in the infirmary until the alterations , now in progress at the school be completed . " In bringing the motion forward , he said he felt that ithe managers of the institution were bound to perform an act of justice to the subscribers , and spend the money subscribed towards supporting more of the children of Freemasons in the Girls' School than they did at present . It

was not their duly to accumulate the subscriptions . The Girls' School hael now . £ 39 , 000 invested . It was not doing their duty to allow this sum to realise three per cent . ; it ought to bc spent on the children . It had be ea said that' £ 10 , 000 was about to be spent in alterations iand enlargements at the school , and that this would reduce the invested sum to £ 29 , 000 . But let them at once take

in more girls , and not wait for the completion of the alterations . He was only going to ask them to take in ten more girls . There were now 132 girls in the school . He wanted them to make it 162 ; and he was quite certain that by so doing they would be conferring a benefit on the Craft , the institution , the widows who were left with the children , and on the children themselves by fitting them

for the performance of the duties of life . The thing so commended itself to the reason and feelings of the brethren , and to their favourable consideration , that he would not waste time by saying more upon the subject . Bro . Robert Kenyon seconded the motion . He thought it recommended itself to the good heart of every Governor of this institution , arid he was quite sure it recommended

itself to their intelligence . Bro . Thomas VV . White , a member of the House Committee , and its chairman for the month , thought it was a great pity that Bro . Stewart had not given the House Committee some inkling of his intention to bring this motion forward , that they might have been able to discusss it at their last meeting . They were now building at

considerable expense large additional buildings . The contract was signed , and the building was to bc completed by lhe ist of May . There was the usual strike clause in the contract , so that if a strike occurred the work might be delayed a few months longer . There would be a junction with one of the dormitories which held ig children , and when the wall of that dormitory was broken through

the 19 children would be removed into the infirmary . Already there were five childrcnthere , and this would increase the number to 24 . It would hold 49 , half in the infectious and half in the non-infectious ward . The two were cut off from each other ; and as it would not be desirable to place the children in the infectious ward , 24 would fill tbe non-infectious . He did not therefore see how they could

make room for another ten , and he hoped the brethren would pause before passing this resolution . Bro . Pierce Egan could not see that this was a question for the House Committee at all , but for the . Governors . There were great appliances at the institution which ought to bc utilised . He had been a Mason thirty years , and had watched with great interest the progress of the schools .

T he Boys' School owing to the great enterprise of Bro . Binckes , and thanks to the brethren who supported him , they were able to increase the number of boys in the school to 181 , and every year the subscriptions which came in were something startling . He remembered the time when it was considered a most gratifying result of a festival if they give £ 3500 . The Boys' School festival of

this year had just produced £ 12 , 300 ; and the three institutions altogether had received £ 32 , 000 this * year . ~ i , With such a fact before them he thought the brethren need l ^ avc no fear of the future , which would probably give them the power to have 200 children in the school . These were only small difficulties about not having room . There was always a way across a stream , even if there was not a

bridge ; but this difficulty about not having room was only a puddle which might be stepped over . I lis feelings were very strong against a large sum such as the Girls ' School had , being shut up . Bro . Meggy hoped that the admission of the proposed ten girls would not lessen the number of those who were to be elected in October . The Chairman : No I

Bro . C . F . Matier thought the ail mission of the extra number of girls would be satisfactory to thebrethren throughout the counlry . The Chairman said that he found instead of the Institution having £ 30 , , it had £ 42 , 000 . The resolution need not be negatived on the ground of want of funds . The only question was the accommodation in the infirmary .

He gathered that there was room for forty-nine girls there . He thought that the ten might be accommodated somehow , a partition being put between the infectious wards and the non-infectious . There was one thing he regretted . He thought it a pity that Bro . Stewart did not first go to the House Committee before bringing on his motion , ^ nd lay the matter before them . However , this was n 6 reason