Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents but we wish , in a spirit o £ lair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

ST . LAWRENCE JEWRY ORGAN RESTORATION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , . Among the several legacies which I have received at St . Lawrence Jewry is a grand organ , originally built in 1678 by Renatus Harris , in a matchless case carved by Grinling Gibbons . Alas , the organ is in a dilapidated condition , and I find myself obliged , and at once , to undertake its restoration . The cost of

such restoration will amount to something like £ 700 . Towards this sum the Corporation has very generously subscribed 75 guineas , and other contributions bring the amount in hand to nearly £ 300 . Will some of your readers kindly assist by sending a donation ? I can assure them that the need is most urgent . — I am , yours fraternally , J . STEPHEN BARRAS , Rector . St . Lawrence Jewry , Gresham-street .

CRAFT AND ROYAL ARCH MASONRY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I enclose a list of Provinces , with the number of lodges and brethren and chapters and companions in each . It is up to about June , 18 99 , and is , or was , about correct , as I got the figures from the Secretary or S . E . of each province—sometimes by return of post , sometimes after many applications .

If each province printed its list of contributions of lodges and members , as we have done for many years , it would be an easy matter to get these returns . It should be an easy matter to ascertain the total number of Masons in England , I should think , though it would not be easy to get the number of Royal Arch Masons , as I fear many provinces do not keep an official register , and I know Grand Chapter does not .

I may say that this province has done so both in Craft and Arch since the formation of each . —Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

H . GREEN , Prov . G . Sec . West Yorkshire . 2 , Park . place , Leeds , June 7 th . ROLL OF PROVINCES , NO . OK LODGES , CHAPTERS , AND CRAIT AND AUCII MASONS IN EACH ( J UNE , 18 99 ) .

PROVINCE I NO ; "f No- of No > ot No- ,, f Lodges . Members . Chapters . Companion ! -, Bedford 7 2 S 5 2 54 Berks « 7 757 5 150 Bristol 9 55 ° 3 220 Bucks ' 9 7 °° 9 219 Cambridge 7 45 ° 4 250

Cheshire 52 2634 21 659 Cornwall 3 o 2106 14 400 Cumberland and Westmorland ... 21 uoo 10 280 Derby 2 7 1200 8 242 Devon 59 3887 3 ° 969 Dorset ' 5 850 7 216

Durham 37 3610 13 547 Essex 44 2297 13 355 Gloucester ' 7 7 ° 4 180 Hants and Isle 6 f Wight ... 48 4000 26 975 Hereford 5 255 1 57 Herts 2 3 900 8 160

Kent 65 4 266 28 1 000 Lancashire , E " 3 4800 41 iIOo Lancashire , W > 22 8125 46 1446 Leicester and Rutland ' 4 75 ° 5 222 Lincoln 2 4 1281 8 293 Middlesex 4 2 1554 ' 3 299

Monmouth u 800 6 274 Norfolk ' 8 852 7 168 Norths and Hunts i ° ~ 810 3 nS Northumberland 3 2 2783 11 440 Notts ' 8 S 83 8 266 North Wales - ° 1050 5 , 05

Oxford ! 2 1018 4 271 Shropshire I 2 384 2 42 Somerset 26 1250 11 371 South Wales , E 2 3 18 93 8 427 South Wales , W . ... ... " ° 680 5 , 57 Stafford 33 I 76 5 " 365

Suffolk 22 1035 10 210 Surrey 4- 170 ° « 7 326 Sussex 33 1600 9 290 Warwick 32 1750 | 11 350 Wilts ' 59 8 ! 6 n 8

Worcester ' 5 55 ° 7 234 Yorks , N . and E . 34 235 8 16 756 Yorks , W 8 i 4 ' 4 45 15 S 9 Channel Islands , Guernsey A „ cn . „ ,-and Aldcrney ... j 3 S ° 3 9 °

" » M . Paderewski ' s much talked of opera has at last been christened , the ceremony having taken place in thegreat pianist ' s railway car on the journey to Sacramento . M . Paderewski has named his work " Mauru , " which is

the name of the hero . The opera is of a tragic character , and deals chiefly with the love troubles of a gipsy and a slav , whose tribes are at feud . It will probably be produced in Germany next winter . Some of the music will be heard before then , as the composer has given permission for an orchestral version of one of the scenes in the second get to be played at the Chicago Symphony Concerts .

Presentations To The Alderney Lodge.

PRESENTATIONS TO THE ALDERNEY LODGE .

On Tuesday evening , the 22 nd ult ,, the members of St . Annes Lodge , Aldcrney , No . 593 , met for a special emergency meeting , to receive at the hands of Bro . N . Barbenson , P . M ., P . G . J . W ., a very handsome Master ' s chair in memory of his late father , who was one of the foun ders of the lodge , and a P . M .

The lodge was opened by the W . M ., Bro . E . W . LIVESEY , P . G . I . W ., who informed the brethren of the reason of the meeting , viz ., the presentation of the chair , and then expatiated at some length on the signification of the different jewels , furniture , & c , used in the lodge , and wound up his exceedingly interesting peroration by calling on the brethren to exercise that most excellent gift of charity , the keystone of a Mason's faith , which he demonstrated by Holy Writ ,

was not a matter of almsgiving , but could only be expressed by the word love . Charity in thought and in word was of more consequence than charity in deed . A very large number of brethren were present , and listened to his remarks with that silence and attention which marks a proper appreciation of the subject in hand . He then asked Bro . Barbenson , P . M ., to step up to the east , and asked him to be good enough to present and unveil the chair .

Bro . BARBENSON , who was visibly affected throughout the whole ceremony , then addressed the lodge , telling the brethren what pleasure it gave him to address them on that occasion , assuring them that he required no thanks for the gift ; it was done to perpetuate the memory of his dear old father , who was a Mason in very truth . A founder of St . Anne ' s Lodge and a P . M ., it did not become him to dilate on his virtues ; everybody present knew him , and he only

expressed the wish that every Master who sat in that chair would not be a less worthy Mason than was his late father . Uttering these words , he took hold of the covering which hid the chair from sight , and unveiled it , afterwards saying , " Worthy Master , Officers , and brethren , 1 present this chair to this lodge of Masons , No . 593 , in memory of my father , the late Bro . T . N . Barbenson , P . M ., and by that you will receive it at my hands . "

The W . M . acknowledged the gift on behalf of the lodge in suitable terms , and then begged that Bro . Barbenson , P . M ., would take the chair for the time being , at the same time placing in his hands the gavel presented by Bro . R . G . May some time ago , and on which a suitable inscription had been engraved in silver , setting forth the fact that the gavel was used by our M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , when laying the foundation stone of the Madras breakwater , and also by the late Bro . T . N . Barbenson , P . M ., at the laying of the foundation stone of the Jubilee Hospital .

1 he lodge was then opened in the Second and Third , and the whole of the brethren to a joyful march played on the organ by Bro . N . Gaudion , P . M ., P . G . R ., and under the able direction of Bro . R . G . May , P . G . S ., D . C , saluted the chair as M . M . 's , then as F . C . ' s , and in the first as E . A . 's . Bro . N . Barbenson , P . M ., then delivered up the gavel to the W . M . in the same Degree as he had received it at first . Before leaving the chair , however , Bro . Barbenson read the first minutes inscribed when the lodge was consecrated under the number 863 , and by the then Prov . Grand Lodge of Guernsey .

Bro . N . GAUDION , P . M ., was next called upon to address the brethren . He congratulated the lodge on the happy occasion for which they had met . He believed that evening was one that would be remembered in after times as an epoch in the history of Aldcrney Freemasonry . The gift to the lodge might be considered in many senses—one was the earnest desire on the part of Bro . N . Barbenson to see his lodge prosperous , and his great love for it . Then it was

done to perpetuate the memory of a good and upright Mason , one who , when alive , had ever laboured for its welfare , besides being a Past Master and one of its actual founders ; and , lastly , it was a mark of filial respect and devotion to a parent , and as long as No . 593 lasted , would this devotional act of Bro . Barbenson be told of him . Words failed to mark their appreciation of this most handsome gift , and he urged the brethren to show it in a more tangible form , and that by endowing the chair in perpetuity , for either of the great Masonic Institutions , by

exercising that great and blessed gift of Charity . No . 593 was a united lodge , all present knew it , and he urged upon them to still further adorn it by the practising of every moral and social virtue , and more particularly by a steady upholding of the five points , upon each of which he enlarged at length , concluding by proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the donor , and , further , that a full and true account of that evening ' s business be inscribed on the lodge minutes . This was carried with the greatest acclamation .

The chair is a magnificent piece of work in carved oak , executed by the well-known firm of Bros . George Kenning and Son , London , the mention of whose name is sufficient proof of its excellence . On a silver plate is engraved this inscription : "Presented by W . Bro . P . M . N . Barbenson to St . Anne ' s , 593 , in memory of his father , the late W . Bro . P . M . T . N . Barbenson , one of its founders . "

Before closing , the W . M . presented to the lodge , on behalf of Mrs . Cottle , widow of the late Bro . F . Cottle , P . M ., another of the founders , six volumes exquisitely bound , entitled "The History of Freemasonry , " by Bro . R . F . Gould , which was accepted , and two of the brethren were deputed to personally thank Mrs . Cottle far her generous gift .

The lodge was then closed down by the W . M ., and the closing hymn sung , after which the W . M . invited Bro . Barbenson , P . M ., on behalf of the members , to partake with them of supper , and the whole company afterwards sat down to a most sumptuous repast , which had been provided by the Steward , under the direction of a Committee .

" The Queen , " " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " and other loyal and Masonic toasts were duly drunk and honoured , the whole finishing with the Tyler ' s toast , after which the company sang the National Anthem , bringing to a close the most perfect and harmonious meeting ever held in connection with St . Anne ' s Lodge , No . 593 .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Clapton Lodge , No . 1365 . The election meeting of this well-known City lodge was held at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool-street , E . G ., on the 17 th ult . Bro . T . T . Gething , W . M ., presided , supported by Bros . F . Orfeur , S . W . ; F . J . Thayre , J . W . ; W . Blackburn , P . M ., Treas . ; W . D . Church , P . M ., Sec ; G . Schilling , S . D . ; E . S . White , Org . ; W . R . O . Cathrow , Stwd . ; W . Finch , P . M . ; A . Tucker , P . M . ; C . E . Luker , P . M . ; F . C . Lintott , P . M . ; E . F . Bowler , J . E . Zoers , H . H . Bowen , F . ThurstonG .

, Taylor , E . Sienesi , E . C . Horley , H . E . Prior , W . D . Seaton , C . J . Storey , D . G . Zoers , J . II . Shipman , F . Moore , and Chas . Sienesi . Visitors : Bros . H . McLachlan , J . W . 1607 ; C . T . Papworth , 2472 ; and R . T . West , 1744 . The lodge heving been opened , the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . Bro . F . Orfeur , S . W ., was unanimously elected W . M . ; Bro . W . Blackburn , P . M ., re-elected Treasurer ; and Bro . H . Martin P . M ., again appointed Tyler . The Audit Committee having been appointed , a Past Master's jewel was voted to the