Original Correspondence.

possess * he great advantage that their members are protected from the presence of persons whom no gentleman desires to meet . I only trust that the Board of General Purposes will insist on

Bro . Cookes proving his monstrous charges against our respected G . Secretary , or , on his failure , suspend him till he has made a public apology . Yours fraternally , P . M .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —In your , generally correct , report of the proceedings in Grand Lodge last week , there is a slight inaccuracy as to the remarks which I made on Bro . Cooke ' s motion . The accidental alteration of one word leaves my

observations open to misconstruction . I am reported to have stated , " it appeared from the motion that irregularities existed in the Grand Secretary's office . " I said , were alleged to exist . This is material ; for I was deprecating any expression of opinion , and urging the brethren

that , while they might , on the one hand , justly complain of the terms of the motion , it would be equally imprudent to "instantly reject" acharge , without hearing it , as one brother proposed ; or " strongly reprobate" the terms of the motion , as another brother asked . I felt that the Acting Grand Master had better have stopped Bro .

Cooke at the outset , or let him go on when the damage was done . As , however , facts were not given , I submitted that judgment should be reserved till they were ; and I desire to be so understood , as the subject—now made a very serious one—will doubtless be again discussed . I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , FRANCIS K . MUNTON .

21 , Montague-street , Russell-square , 13 th September . [ Our brother will see that the " question referred was not the " charges " made by Bro

Cooke , but simply the " motion , " which ought to have been at once scouted by every one in Grand Lodge as an ignorant and intolerant tirade against degrees practised by some of the best Masons in the world . —ED . F . ]

FREEMASONRY AND JUDAISM . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I intended briefly to have commented on the remarks of W . B ., 742 , last week , but had no opportunity of doing so , but was glad to notice two letters in your last issue against the opinions entertained by

the brother referred to . Yet I feel bound to offer my humble protest against such antichristian views , and hope it will be a long time to come before we are called upon to notice the like in the pages of THE FREEMASON . I forbear , however , to enter upon the discussion of the

important subject , believing that your valuable paper is no place for religious or political antagonisms , and I will content myself with recommending W . B . to read his Bible more attentively for the future ; to read it with a mind unfettered with prejudice , and unbiased with

scepticism , and he will then discover no real contradiction , no real difference , but everything essential for man to know , so plain that he who runs may read . I venture to believe if he does so , the result will be that he will discover the garden of Eden and the fall of man to be no

allegory—that from the atonement of the Saviour flows all our hope for the future—that the doctrine of the Trinity is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian ' s faith , which to disprove would be to ignore the Deity altogether . The doctrine of the Trinity has been taught with more or less distinctness from the earliest times . I

would refer W . B . for the correct definition of the word Church , to the 19 th article of the Church of England ; and as to St . Paul regarding the atonement with horror and

indignation , he on the contrary makes it his boast and glory , and exclaims " But God forbid that I should glory , save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . " Yours fraternally , T . W . C ., 223 .

The Freemasons' Life Boat.

THE FREEMASONS' LIFE BOAT .

The regular meeting of the Committee was held on Thursday , the 7 th inst ., at Bro . Forster ' s , Railway Tavern , London-street , E . C , Bro . A . E . Harris in the chair . There were present , Bros . S . Davis , Gottheil , Mortlock , Gluckstein , H . M . Levy , C . C . Taylor , W . Carter , Dairy , M . Davis ,

C . Lacy , John Boyd . The visitors were Bros . D . Davis ( 141 ) , P . Davis ( 141 ) , Rawley ( P . M . 174 ) , Marks ( 141 ) . The minutes of the last regular meeting were read and confirmed . The minutes of the special meeting held on the 10 th ult . were then read .

Bro . Mortlock hereupon rose and said : Before the minutes of the special meeting are confirmed , I wish to state that inasmuch as this committee having been placed in a position of obtaining and taking immediate possession of a first-class life-boat , I desire to withdraw the motion ,

embodied in these minutes , relative to a proposed amalgamation of this committee and the committee of the "City of London Masonic Lifeboat Fund . " The motion having been withdrawn , the remaining portion of the minutes were confirmed . The minutes of a second special meeting , held

on the 24 th ult ., were also read and confirmed . An audit of the financial position of the committee having taken place previous to the meeting , the auditors ( Bros . Mortlock , Gluckstein , and Dairy ) presented their report , which , on the motion of Bro . Lacy , seconded by Bro . Boyd , was received and adopted . The report was as follows : —

CASH collected since February , 1870 , and expenses from same date . £ s , d . £ s . d . Grand Lodge of Stationery . books , England ... 50 o o printing , postage Prov . G . L . War- & advertisements 20 4 o

wickshirc ... 10 10 o Ditto , Cornwall 330 86 lodges , lodges of instruction , chapters , chapters of inst ' n 171 o 6 Brethren ... 215 4 o Balanee ... 420 13 6

Total . £ 449 17 6 I Total . £ 449 17 6 Balance in the London & Westminster ) /¦__ ,, .-, Bank ( Eastern Branch ) ] ^ 4- ° IjS - 0 a > The following additional subscriptions were then announced : — £ s . d .

Bro . Matthews , 112 ... ... ... 026 A Brother , 554 ... ... ... 026 Aldershot Camp Lodge , 1331 ... ... 1 1 o Brethren of Nyanza Lodge , 1197 ... ... I 18 6 Bro . Rev . M . B . Levy ( 2 nd sub . ) ... o 10 6

,, Ayton ... ... ... ... I I o ,, Moss Isaacs , 185 ... ... ... 1 I o „ Cater ... ... ... ... 026 „ R . E . Clark , P . M . 115 S 050 Wilcox 010 —

.. .. ... ... ... ,, .......... .. ... ... ... . ~ ,, Emson ... ... ... ... 010 ,, Mackay ... ... ... ... 010 ,, Croger , 141 ... ... ... 050 Per Bro . M . Davis , P . M . iSS :

J . W o 10 6 J . D . ... ... ... ... 1 1 o P . ... ... ... ... o 10 6 Capt . T . ... -. ... I 1 o Capt . Bennett ... ... ... o 10 6 Bro . W . 1 . Hughan , Prov . G . S . Cornwall ... 1 r o

Lodge Euphrates , 212 ... ... ... 220 Bro . Barford , P . M . 122 S ... ... o 10 6 ,, Moor , 212 ... ... ... o 10 6 Lodge Peace and Harmony , 359 ... ... 220 „ Southampton , 394 ... ... 100 Various Brethren , per Bro . Stebbing ... 060 Lodge Sincerity , 174 ... ... ... S 5 o

Total ... ... 23 3 o Balance , as above ... ... 420 13 6 j £ 443 ' 6 6 The purchase of the boat having been unanimously resolved upon , it was arranged that the same should be tested at the works of Messrs . Forrest ( boat-builders to the National Life-boat Institution ) , Regent ' s-canal Basin , on Tuesday ,

the r 2 th inst ., and there named " THE FREEMASON , " by the R . W . Brother J . II . Stebbing , P . G . D . of England and Prov . D . G . M . Hampshire . A vote of thanks to Bro . A . E . Harris for his courteous conduct in the chair terwinated the proceedings , and the meeting was adjourned till Thursday , the 5 th proximo . It may be interesting to the Craft to know

The Freemasons' Life Boat.

that "THE FREEMASON" Life-boat will be stationed at North Berwick station .

Coarse Oration Of The .United Service Lodge, No. I36i.

COARSE ORATION OF THE . UNITED SERVICE LODGE , No . I 36 I .

This new lodge was consecrated at the Swan Hotel , Ridgway , Wimbledon , on Saturday , the 9 th inst . Bro . John Hervey , G . Sec , presided , assisted by Bros . J . Brett , P . G . Purs ., as S . W . ; W . Hyde Ptillen , P . G . S . B .. as J . W . : Rev . D .

Shaboe , P . G . C . Middlesex , as Chaplain ; John Boyd , A . G . Purs ., as I . G . ; and R . Wentworth Little , P . G . Sec . Middlesex , as D . C . ; and a very large concourse of brethren . The ceremony of consecration was admirably

rendered by Bro . Hervey , the oration being given by Bro . Brett . Bro . Major E . Hamilton Finney , W . M .-designate , was then presented for installation , and was duly installed after the usual preliminaries .

The other officers appointed being : Bros . G . Cowell , F . R . C . S ., S . W . ; Captain J . B . Payne , J . W . ; and E . H . Finney , jun ., S . D . The usual addresses were then delivered by Bros . Hervey , Brett , and Pullen .

It was proposed , seconded , and resolved that the thanks of the lodge be tendered to Bros . Hervey , Brett , Little , Shaboe . jPullen , and other brethren who had assisted during the ceremonies ,

and the distinction of honorary member was also conferred upon Bros . Hervey and Littleappropriateacknowledgments being made by the several brethren .

Several propositions having been made , the lodge was closed , and the brethren sat down to a cold' collation . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given by the W . M ., and were all heartily received , and the proceedings terminated

at an early hour . Among the brethren present we noticed Bros . W . Ough , P . G . Purs . ; J . Glaisher , F . R . S . P . G . S . W . Middlesex ; F . H . Gottlieb , LP .

P . P . D . G . W . East . Archipelago ; W . Carpenter , P . M . 177 ; A . A . Pendlebury , P . M . 1086 ; J Willing , Captain Snow . C . Hogard , H . Potter , F . Walters , W . Roebuck , S . H . Stephens , & c

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

Reports of Masonic Meetings .

—?—THE CRAFT .

METROPOLITAN . Ptrfcet Ashlar Lodge , No . 117 S . —On Thursday , the 7 th inst ., at the Gregorian Arms' Tavern , 9 6 , Jamaica-road , Bermondsey , this lodge met , Bro . J . Green , W . M ., presiding . There were present Bros . G . J . Grace , S . W . ; J . W . Dudley , J . W . ; F .

Walters , P . M ., Sec . ; J . H . Harmsworth , S . D . ; J . H . Fudge , J . D . ; T . W . Cox , I . G . ; C . Deakin , D . C . ; J . Ruse , W . S . ; J . W . Avery , P . M . ; & c . The visitors were : Bros . E . Harris , P . M . 73 ; C . T . Bass , 79 ; W . Bellamy , 91 ; R . P . Hooton , W . M . 165 ; J . Howes , P . M . 879 ; J . Harvey , W . M . 957 ; & c . Bro . J . W . Avery , P . M . raised Bro . C . J . Joslin

to the third degree . Bro . G , J . Grace , S . W ., was then elected W . M . ; Bro . F . H . Ebsworth , P . M ., Treas ., was re-elected ; and Bro . W . J . Laing , P . M ., Tyler , re-elected . Bro . H . Bartlett resigned his membership , which was accepted with great regret . The work , as usual here , was well done . The audit was fixed to be held on the 29 th inst . There was not any banquet .

PROVINCIAL . BELVEDERE , KENT . —Cornwallis Lodge , No . 1107 . —This very efficient lodge held its last meeting for the season on Wednesday , the 6 th Sept . Bro . T . W . Knight , W . M ., in the chair , supported by his officers . The lodge was opened in due form , and

the minutes of the former meeting were read and confirmed . The ballot was taken for Mr . Sidney James Hall for initiation , also for Bro . C . Cook , of the Nelson Lodge , as a joining member , which was unanimous in each of their favour , and Mr . Hall , being in attendance , was received into the mysteries of the Order . Bro . Debney was passed , and

Bros . Landrock , Danielfs , and Piddttck were raised . A gentleman having been proposed for initiation , the lodge was adjourned till the first Wednesday in April , 1872 . The brethren , to the number of thirty , then partook of an excellent banquet , provided by the worthy host , Bro . Long , and to which ample justice was done . The cloth having been with-