Original Correspondence.

Name ? Where is the guarantee ? It follows , that there will be correspondence and bickering over petty details , and members being personally known will be " spotted . " " We solicit your co-operation , and request that you will kindly send us a copy of the circulars convening the meetings of your lodge , and a short report of the proceedings of such meeting , together with notices of any changes , or

other matters which may interest our Masonic readers . Masonic readers have journals of their own , deserving of their support , without encouraging a local newspaper , of whatever political colour , to take them in hand at present . Possibly not one per cent , of the craft was aware that a newspaper called the Higgleshiry Independent , was in

existence . " The Independent is published every Saturday morning Subscriptions 6 s . 6 d . per annum , post free , payable in

advance . " Yours , faithfully and fraternally , "THE EDITOR . " [ We give this paper at the request of our correspondent . If any of our brethren cannot find " Higglesbury" in " Bradshaw" it is no fault of ours . —ED . ]

THE BURNS STATUE AND FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the Glasgoic Neics . Sir , —In the report you give in Monday ' s paper , of the proceedings at the meeting of the committee and the representatives of the various trat * es held on Saturday afternoon last , Mr . Gordon Smith mentioned that the poet ' s mother lodge is dormant . Now , for the

information of the Craft , permit me to state that eight years ago a body of Masons here met , and made all thc preliminary arrangements to have the poet ' s mother lodge—Saint David ' s , Tarbolton , No . 125—resuscitated , and a petition with that object was in due form presented to the Grand Lodge , and a sum of money deposited with the petition . Beyond sending a receipt for the cash , thc

Grand Lodge has taken no further notice of the application , and still retains the deposited money . Thc dormancy , which in itself is not creditable to true Masons , your readers will thus see rests entirely with the Grand Lodge , whose officials will , sooner or later , have to give an explanation . I enclose my card , and am , & c , Mauchline , 2 Qth November , 1876 . M , M .

THE PAST MASTER'S JEWEL . To the Editor if the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can any among your readers tell mc whether a Past Master of a Craft lodge , not being the I . P . M ., has a

right to wear thc P . M . ' s jewel otherwise than on a collar ? It is most frequently worn as a medal . I do not want a mere expression of opinion , which is worthless , unless backed by authority . Yours fraternally , A . T .

TEMPLAR HISTORY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I see from No . 3 of the Rosicrncian that thc A . D . 1778 Laws of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the socalled " Modern " Masons , led to those of thc Bristol Templar confederation of 1 780 , which are an adapted copy ,

and both Orders base their powers upon a Charter of Compact . " ( Query , —Granted by , to themselves ?) I see also that Joshua Springer , who aided the Bath and Bristol Templar confederation of 1780 was a " Modern " Mason , belonging to Lodge No . 138 , No . 16 7 at thc Union . Prior to these two dates 1 suppose these degrees amongst the " Moderns " hail no separate Grand

Governing body . 1 should be pleased to see the writer of " Records of the Craft " follow these clues further . Now the Templars have dissolved the " Tripartite Treaty " there is a respectable and independent future again for that Order . Ions YAIIKEH . Manchester , Dec . nth , 1876 .

The Order Of The Temple.

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

A National Great Priory of England and Wales was held in the Cannon-street Hotel , Cannonstreet . on Friday , Sth inst ., the Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Limerick , Great Prior , presiding . There was a very large and unusual attendance , nearly 200 Knights being present . This large assemblage

was doubtless due to the vote to be taken on the motions regarding the restoration of Past rank & c , to be made by the Provincial Prior of Lancashire , and in support of which much interest has for a long period been excited in the Provinces of Lancashire , Dorset , and Devon . The

Provinces of Stafford and Warwick were also well represented by a goodly number of Sir Knights , who loyally assembled to do honour to their late chief , the new Great Prior , and in consequence they were allowed the privilege of forming the Arch of Steel nearest the throne .

After the minutes of the last Great Priory had been read and confirmed , the installation of the Right Hon . the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , vice the Earl of Limerick resigned , was duly proceeded with .

The Order Of The Temple.

In presenting the EatI for Installation , Sir Patrick Colquhoun , the Great Chancellor , delivered an eloquent address on his ancient and noble lineage , in the course of which he recited the following passage from Shakespeare ' s play of Henry VI . ( Part I , Act iv ., Scene vii . ) , in

which Sit * William Lucy rehearses the titles of the great and celebrated Lord Talbot , an ancestor of the Earl , describing him as , — " The great Alcides of the field , " Valiant Lord Talbot , Earl ot Shrewsbury , " Created for his rare success in arms ,

" Great Earl of Washford , Waterford , and Valence ; " Lord Talbot of Goodrig and UVchingfield , " Lord Strange of Blackmere , Lord Verdun of Alton , " Lord Cromwell of Wingfield , Lord Furnival of Sheffield .

" The thrice victorious Lord of Falconbridge ; " Knight of the noble Order of St . George , " Worthy Saint Michael , and the Golden Fleece , " Great Mareschal to Henry the Sixth , " Of all his wars within the realm of France . "

After the presentation , the installation was concluded , and the Earl was duly proclaimed by the Great Marshal , who rehearsed all the noble Knight ' s titles , . foremost of which is that of Premier Earl of England . Having assumed his seat under the

customary honours , the noble Kni ght returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him by H . R . H . the Grand Master , and for the cordial approval of his appointment by the Sir Knights present . It would be his earnest endeavour to rule the Order with firmness and good

sense , and he hoped to succeed in restoring it to a state of quietness by his resolve to allow full and free , but temperate discussion of every point . He paid a high tribute to the abilities of his predecessor , the Earl of Limerick , and he trusted he might always count upon his valuable

aid and support , and also upon that of all the officers of Great Priory , who he begged would favour him by continuing in office until he had time to make his selections after a closer acquaintance with the members of the Order . The noble Knight having resumed his seat

amidst loud and protracted applause , the business of Great Priory was proceeded with . The following report of the Council was read by the Great Chancellor , Sir Patrick Colquhoun , Q . C , & c , & c . Very High and Eminent Great Prior ,

Your Council has the honour to report that it has graciously pleased His Royal Highness the Grand Master to appoint the Right Honourable the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , Great Prior of England and Wales , in succession to yourself , and to express its regret at your resignation of that office .

Your Council has further to report the lamented death , on the 1 Sth of June last , of Theodore Mansel Talbot , the Provincial Prior of South Wales . The Warrant for raising the Dominion of Canada to a Great Priory has been sealed and

transmitted to its destination . Letters Patent have also been passed , under the Seal of the Order , appointing Colonel W . J . Bury McLeod Moore , Great Prior of Canada , and he was on the 10 th of August last installed into his office by the delegates of the Grand Master .

- our Council begs to report that a letter has been received by the Chancellor from the Arch-Chancellor of the Order , stating that a resolution was passed by the Convent General , held in Dublin , on 27 th of October last , to the eflect that the Report of the Ritual Committee had

been received by that Convent General , which had thereupon resolved that copies of the Ritual be distributed to the Order by the Great Priories , through their respective Chanceries , and on snch terms and conditions as shall be determined b y ( heir respective Councils .

Your Council recommends grants from the Benevolent Fund of 50 guineas to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and £ 50 to the Male Fund of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , in the name of the Order , to be represented by the Great Prior for the time being , and that the Sub-Prior be requested to place these sums on his list .

The Order Of The Temple.

The following balances are in the Treasurer ' s hands—General Account £ 19 ? 17 5 Benevolent Fund 247 5 7

Total £ u 5 3 < - > By order of the Council , P . MAC C . DE CotauHOUK . 28 th November , 1876 . Chancellor .

On the motion that the above report be received and adopted , opposition was raised to the fourth paragraph relating to the report of the Ritual Committee , but it was withdrawn , and the motion carried , after a long discussion , on

the understanding that the proposed " distribution " of the report of the Ritual Committee was only for the purpose of its being further considered by the Order at large through the various great Priories . The Grants of Fifty Guineas from the

Benevolent Fund to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and ^ 50 to the Male Fund of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , recommended by the Council , were unanimously confirmed . The following motions proposed by Sir Knt . J . E . Curteis were discussed .

1 . That Statute No . 4 , page 8 , be altered by striking out the words " 31 st day of March , " and substituting in lieu thereof , " last day of February . ' 2 . That Statute 7 , pages 9 and 10 , be altered

by striking out the words " appointed and , ""The Great Prior shall appoint four members and " on the first and second lines of page 10 . 3 . That Statute 50 , pages 22 and 23 , be altered by striking out the words "the Prelate , "

" the Constable , " * ' the Marshall , " "four members of the Great Priory to be appointed by the Great Prior , " and to insert after the word " five , " , in the fourth line of page 23 , " Members of the Great Priory . "

4 . That Statute 56 be altered by striking out the words " 31 st day of March , " and substituting in lieu thereof "last day of February . " After a long and animated discussion , Nos . 1 and 4 were carried , and Nos . 2 and 3 rejected .

The Great Prior then declared National Great Priory closed , and the Special Convent General open , which had been convoked by order of His Royal Highness , the Grand Master , " for the consideration of such notices of motion as were

not proceeded with at thc Convent General holden at Dublin on the 27 th October last . " The following amendments to Convent General statutes were proposed by Sir Knight the Earl of Limerick , seconded by Major S . H . Clerke . AMENDMENTS TO CONVENT GENERAL

STATUTES . Page 10—Cap . — The Convent General . — Omit " in England and Ireland on such day as the Grand Master in Council may determine , of which day not less than four weeks' notice shall be given "; and insert , " in England on the second Friday in May , and in IrelaAd on the

day of . " Page 11—Cap . —Qualification to attend , speak , and voto in Convent General . —Amend that it may read , " all Past Grand Masters , Great Priors , Past Great Priors , Great Officers , Past Great Officers , Sub-Priors , Provincial Priors , National

Great Officers , Grand Crosses , Commanders , Past Vice-Chancellors who have held that rffice for two years , Past Sub-Marshals who have held that office for two years , and Preceptors , " shall be , & c . ( as before ) . Page 14—Cap . —Honours . —After Ireland 10 ,

insert Canada 10 ; after Ireland 20 , insert Canada 20 . At end of section insert , " The Grand Master may also appoint kni g hts of foreign jurisdictions to the honours of Knig hts Grand Cross and Knights Commander , and such appointments shall not be included in the numbers as

limited above . " Page 18—Cap . —Constitution of Great Priories . —After " in Die Convent Genera ) , " insert " of the Past Provincial Priors and Past Great

Officers of the Nationality , aud of the Past Vice Chancellors and Sub-Marshals who have been two years in office as such in the Nationality . " Page 19—Cap . — Rank and Precedence . —¦ Omit the whole . —Insert , " In consideration of