Freemasonry In Ireland.

appreciation of existing qualifications in candidates , for which the present orthodox .- " grand bbcliesare ' so ' remarka'bTe ' . "' * '" From those two . dangers Grand Lodge has fully guarded the bodies referred to , by providing in ' rule so that all assemblies of Treerriascihs" in

Ireland , purporting-to be Masonic , are-unlawful and prohibited , unless held under , a * warrant or constitution from some of the grand bodies recognised by it , and as a consequence providing for the suspension or expulsion of-arty ' Irish . Mason who' may fake , part iri , or "join . any' such unlawful assembly'held in Ireland . '' "'"

- 'Seeing then that proposed law' 133 , is , 6 ti " the face bf'iti ' a ' seripus interference with ' the liberty and' independence Vof Grand T , odge , ' that'the principle involved in its' adoption wOuld'be ' coihpletely opposed to' Masonic 'jurisprudence arid

Masonic equity , and that it is quite unnecessary for the protection of llie ' ri g htsof the existing grand bodies , the question naturally arises , why is it sought to impose it on Grand Lodge . ' ' ' ' There are two reasons which , ' whether '

admitted . or denied , seem to me to be at the botttitn of the strenuous efforts , undoubtedly being made , ' to get this rule adopted . One is , that if it con-: tiniies to be part of bur "Constitutions ' , thsff'the bodies popularly , though erroneously , supposed to be "high degrees " in Freerhas 6 nry , ciiti by offi ]

c 1 all y communicating their-decrees ' ori certain cases compel G ' rand Lodge , " without any further enquiry or investigatioh ' , " ' to Carry thosedecreefe into effect ag ' ainf those uride ' rits jufis'dicCidhi ' a tenable status is given t ' 6 those bodies in ' ' Grand' Lodge , and the holder ' s of those decrees acquire irt Grand ¦¦

Lodge a fictitious trriportahce ' . ' . '" - '" ' ,: '' The ' . other , ' and possibly '' the ; rribre ifflporfant naptivej ' appears to be , ' th ' a't'siich' a rule ' would arm the governing bodies ' of those ' orders '; not' only with their legitimate authority over the members of those degrees , but with '' the ob ' edierit ;' 'po sv ' er

of Grand Lodge in' addition ; ' arid "wheri we " , bear in rhirid that as we advance upwards'in '' Irish Masonry , the true Masoriic' " element ' rapidly diminishes , and the urihYasbhic ' arid anti-Masonic principles a ' s rapidly'deVelope , ' we'carindt be too cautiovis'h' 6 ' w ' w ' e ' giVe : the ' rltlers of those orders

power fb'hold over the head's of their members " in tefrdre ' m ' , " the authority of Grand' LodgeJ-as an ' iriducetn ' eht to passive obedience "in-those degrees . . . _ - ""' ,: ' " ' : " ' Th ' ere ' are many Masons "in those' "Foreign Bodies" who might bedisp ' ose'd to 'take" an ¦

independent positiori iti what'may be' ' c ' allcd their politics , if the greatest punishment to which they w ' ere liable for so doing , ' was the forfeiture of the privileges of that' particular order , but' whe would think twice , before they would ' nin the risk of a sentence ' which would ; if this'law be

passed , send them but to the world branded' - tis cxpelledTfeemasons ' . ' without giving or allowing ah explanation 6 'f the circumstances of the ; case . The members ' of the'" High Grades ' who ' retaifi Masonic independence , should for their own sakes be at their post iri Grand Lodge \< 'hen this

law comes on for discussion ; to' help Us t 6 break at once and for eVer , the power of thcso-calted " Hig h Grades" bvef Craft Masons . " '¦'' J ' - '" I ' The tendency , of all otir recent legislation , and internal arrangements here ' , ' '' -has been in' the direction of drawing a distinct line of separation

between Craft Masonry and its modern additions . It is not very long since the funds of the various bodies were separated . Previously the funds of the Royal Arch and Knight Templar orders were under the ' control of Grand Lodge .- Now , the accounts of each' grand body ' ' are distinct , " and

three of the other braers ^ pay rent , its 'tenants to the Grand Lodge . With' regard to the- 4 th grand body , the Supreme Council" ^ " ; it is not a tenant of Grand Lodge , but b y some mysterious process it has been made a tenant , for the use of rooms required in working the degrees

under its control , to the Grand Chapter of Prince Masons , which as such pays a rent to Grand Lodge for apartments , gas ; and attendance , the amount of which is simply absurd , and must I fancy , sooner or later , be at least doubled . '

A still greater change came into operation on the 1 st inst ., by the removal of the office work of the new Templar Order from the general office to a special room , where in future , al ! Templar business is to be transacted , and as an arrangement is pi riding b y which the ^ office

Freemasonry In Ireland.

routine of the Prince Masons and 33 ° are also to be transacted in the new department , the . result - will be to confine the regular , » business .. of " . ' the general office to that connected with the Craft and Royal Arch Orders . r . ' -i ¦ ; ¦• - ¦ - > ¦¦ ¦ - ¦¦ : ' "If rule 133 be struck out , as I hope , andbelieve

it will be , but one more change appears to be necessary to complete the separation of the . ^ raft from degrees which have little in common' with it , and much opposed to its principles ; i ' andi inimical to its welfare . ., The change alluded to , is the appointment of a

different Grand Master for each ' of the distinct grand bodies , thus assimilating ^ tbefn to "the English practice . Of course no change of- this kind would be sought for or desired-while our present venerated Grand Master is' spared by the Great Architect to rule over us " . ' He -has :

himself , however , wisely initiated jt .-by .-resigning = the leadership of the Templar body in favour of the Prince of Wales . Another strong argument against Rule 133 , is to be found tathefact that the body alluded to , " the Religious and-MiJitary " Orders of the Temple and Malta , is not a

Masonic body at all , and must not , therefore , be tolerated if it attempts to ^ interfere with' the Tights and privileges of Freemasons ; ,: ! . It is true that it restricts its membership to members of the Masonic institution ; but that does ' not ' constitute it , inherently , a Masonic o ' rdeK 'It is ;

henceforth , to be a chivalric order , and seems dis - posed to tryto carry out the aspirations of one of its apostles , who , some time since , proclaimed , with dignified enthusiasm , thatif the idea wrought out by Freemasonry of " a brotherhood of men " Was a grand one , the idea to-be wrought out by

the new Order of the Temple—namely , '' " a brotherhood of gentlemen "—is still grander . Possibly so , if practicable . - Meanwhile , seeing that the two fundamental principles of universal Freemasonry are , the equality of its members , and their unquestionable right to worship God

as their conscience dictates , there ca " n' be ' nothing in common between it and a system where social position is intended to be indispensible , and where every candidate must profess -n par * ticular religious faith . It is nojt necessary to wait and see the result of this chivalric .

experiment . The leaders of the new Order have themselves cut the cable that bound them to Freemasonry , and whether ^; thojr-, venture- f be a splendid success or a ridiculous abortion , is beside the question . One thing , however , Craft Masons should bear in mind . Many-of ihem

are members also of the Templar body , and it is not only quite possible , but very probable , that ers long questions will be raised in that body which will compel them to take sides in . a division that is almost certain , apcl , J , _ . > vc-ulc } i mpress on them the wisdom of preventing Grand

Lodge being dragged into a quarrel which it does not understand , and about'which it cannot get any proper information . Let 1 tha ,, " High , Grades " manage their own affairs as they please , but do not place at their disposal the power and executive authority of Grand Lodge to be

exercised at their bidding without knowledge and without question . . ,- .... .- , Finally , let there be no compromise in this matter , ( accept no amendment . The rule is a bad one , strike it out . ) , ., 5 ., . ,, ¦ .. -., ..... It is just possible that some , of the . brethren

who are so desirous of retaining rule 1 , 3 . 3 mf 0 ' endeavour to bring to bear an influence-which has been recently applied in another case , and rewarded by a temporary success . The Grand Master , whom all parties sipcerely respect , may

be induced to give a personal opinion in favour of this rule , and may be persuaded that i . t ; , js of vital importance to retain ,. jtt , ,, | lf , thi , s . course should be taken , it will be necessary to remember that our most esteemed Grand Master , has to depend for his knowledge , of what is going on among us , on reports ponyeyed to him b y

those with whom he is immediately brought in contact , and if from their standpoint , those who are striving to purify Freemasonry in Ireland from abuses which have unfortunatel y crept into it , appear rather as Revolutionists than Reformers , it is of course only natural that similar views should arise in the mind of the G . M . I wt nld

earnestly deprecate any such course being taken , but if it should be followed , and pushed too far , the blame is on the head of those who would

Freemasonry In Ireland.

thus force us to make choice between our love for the individual and our loyalty to the-prindples of our institution .

I do hope that such a contingency may not arise , but that ; the question Iwill . be fairly and honestly fought out ., ; . I , for one , have little doubt as to the result . - ..-, ¦ - , . ;; , ' - ; ,-i .

. _ . . ..-....... „^ „„ , J OSEPH H . WOODWOR ' , - --- ---. -.--., -P . M . Commercial Lodge 245 . Dublin , 5 th January , 1874- - ~ - ^ " < - -

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

'¦ '" ¦ ¦ "I THE " CONVIVIAL . BOARD . . -

- ¦ ' ¦¦ '" -To-tli ® Editor of the ; Freemason . „ - i > Dear Sir-arid Brother ; 1 ^ 1 ' -,--,- - - ¦ The extract ! from tlie . Nc { v . York Dispatch , . on ; the . subject ; of , the , Cpuviyia } ,,. Board ( given , in-yours of . the _ iotliY ' is ' sufficient' to fill

every right-minded " brother with disgust .: ' tlie allegations and deductions therein made , ane , unwarrantable , untrue , and unworthy , the pen of , a true Mason . It Js . almost futile' to go into ' a defence ^ of the assertions Bro . Kilpatrick lias

thought fit to advance , for every English , Mason knows that , the charges are unfounded and only the emanations of , a versatile brain , and bearing the'i ' m ' press of claptrap arid falsehood . " ' * : The volubility of Mrs . Caudle , was , I presume

. intended . b y ... Douglas .. Jerrpld , to show , the ignorance of the lower order of women , arid why Bro . Kilpatrick should have introduced such a simile cannot be conceived , but may possibly have some slight application to br . etb . ren . north

of , the Tweed , T repucli ' ate ' tlie assertion that the keynote of charity " ( for this is really what . is meant ) was sounded in the GreatjCity Lodge . Letthos ^ iwho desire . to . know where the key note ' of charity has

been sounded apply to the record ' s ' of our institutions and ttiere will be , found a' ringing and ; deafening . reply to , the writer ' s insinuations . Most lodges are in the habit , when circumstances require it , and when an act of ' benevolence "has

to' be " achieved , to" forego , a banquet or two during the year , but it . is . not usual . . with , them to hayek cried from , the house-tops , ' , so that . the nations' of the earth ' may know lio ' w ' ' virtuous they are " , arid ' wliat ' an amount of . self denial they are . capable pf practising ,, . .

As to the assertion , that ' the fodge spoken of . numbers many of ^ the ' nobility and milfion ' aifes of the ' modern '' Babylon , it is simply ridiculous , and as . " to the most influential , and disinterested lodge , " . it , I ' another , wild proclamation ^ and

proves the weakness arid ignorance of tlie writer . The'lo'dge iri question has not been , in existence more than six months , ; an ' d ; is , not at present either . Subscriber , . Life Goyerho ^' Yice-Pre ' sident , or Pafron ' of either ' of the Masonic Charities .

The next ' time Bro . Kilpatrick wishes to . pro mote brotherly ( love , and : serve our charities , let him seek more honourable means than outraging principles of which' he ' lias ' exhibited ' nfs " cntire ig ' ndrarice as well ' as 'deviated from tho truth . -

, I anij . fratcrnally yours ; , , ., . - J CossTMius , " ' ¦ •"''''''' •'¦ ' i . ' " :,,: s ; w : ; i 8 i { - ¦ ¦'

• • To the Editor of the'Freemason .... . ; Dear Sir arid Brother , —i yum . ; -.=. - . / . a : ' .::. ' ' ¦ In the following " remarks upon -an article , by . Bro . W . Kilpatrick , quoteij from , the New York . Dispatch in your issue of January

10 th , I much desire it to be understood " that I am not by any means ' an ' ad vocatefor indiscriminate carousing . Neither do I wish to be looked t upon , as an example of abstemiousness . I , however frankly acknowledge a partiality , shared ,

I will " venture" to " assert , by the vast majority of my English brethren , for the pleasant gatherings which take place when the lodge is closed , for there the rare opportunity occurs , ' to enjoy with those we esteem , a few hours of social

intercourse , tree from daily cares , without indulging , as is suggested , in habits indictative of the gourmand or sot . " I did'fancy a long experience in English Freemasonry had enabled mc to attain a general