The Freemason.

WE are g lad to learn that Bro . HUBERT has given up his intention of retiring from the Editorship of the "Chaine d'Union , " Paris , which he has so ably conducted , he tells us , for thirty-two years .

* * WE are very g lad to see that the Grand Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite in England has intimated to the Swiss Masonic authorities that it

will attend no further congress of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite unless the name of the Great Architect of the Universe is fully recognized , together with the doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul .

* * THE con ' . est as regards the Rite Ecossais goes on in France , and will probably end in a deplorable schism , and a new body which cannot claim

Masonic recognition from Cosmopolitan Masonry . We have never concealed our sympathy with the Grand Conseil in these , lo us , extraordinarily un-Masonic proceedings .

* * AT the meeting of the Quarterly Court of the Girls' School on Saturday last thc various motions to wliich wc called attention in our last issue were

rejected by overwhelming majorities , and Bro . Lieut .-Col . CREATON having been unanimously reelected Treasurer , and oilier formal business having been disposed of , tlie Court proceeded to elect thirteen inmates out of forty-five candidates .

* * * BY a statement elsewhere it would seem that the London Masonic Charity Association lias been most successful in the recent elections , having succeeded in carrying all its selected candidates in

the Girls' School , as well as three cases in the Boys ' School , and placing two others very forward . The use of this Association is , as our correspondent says , now patent to all , in that b y its

means utterly friendless children are aided to success , when , humanly speaking , success seemed almost unattainable . We are pleased to note its progress , its permanency , and its good results . '

* * * AT thc Quarterl y Court of the Boys' School on the 12 th inst ., a change was made as to the time of meeting for the Quarterly Courts of January and

June , namely altering thc time of meeting from twelve to four o ' clock p . m . Wc confess that wc are rather sorry to note this tendency lo constant change , and to alterations in laws which liavc been so recently revised and settled .

* * AT the Royal Masonic Benevolent election , May 2 ist , there arc forty-eight candidates , of widows , of whom twenty-three are to be elected . Of these twenty-one are London cases , two London and

provincial , and iwcnty-hve provincial . Of the old men there are thirty-one candidates , eighteen to be elected , and of these four only are London cases ; the remaining twenty-seven are provincial and colonial .

* * WHAT a curious and even alarming tendency is that which we sometimes have to confront to day , namely , lo slander an absent brother . A case has come recently before us , in which one brother

deliberatel y makes a statement of another brother , publicly , but behind his back , which he knew perfectly well when he made it to be absolutel y false . We presume lhat with an eye to business he said

to himself , "I ' ve a bad case , I ' m in a deuced mess , I'll abuse thc plaintiff ' s attorney . " Most worth y man and faithful Mason ! Oh , si sic omnes , wc should be in a nice scrape .

* * THE article on Bclzoni , with the coloured illustra tions , wc are informed cannot possibly appear until the June number of the Masonic Magazine .

The installation meeting of St . Marylebone Lodge , No . 1305 , took place at the Eyre Arms , St . John ' s Wood , on Wednesday last . Bro . C . A . Smith was installed W . M . We hope to give a report oi the proceedings in our next .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We tlo not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

BRO . HOPKINS ON FREEMASONRY .. To thc Editor ofthe "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I always feel a pleasure in reading the composition of my esteemed Bro . Dr . Hopkins , knowing that it is the careful digest of one who is particularly correct with regard to detail as well as general principles . In reading your issue

of to-day I was very much gratified in perusing the address of my old friend ( for such I have the honour to call him ) , Dr . H . Hopkins , on his installation as VV . M . of the Royal Cumberland Lodge , No . 41 . There is , however , one point in his excellent address that is not in harmony with " the severe beauty of truth , " and , therefore , I know he will duly appreciate the correction . In treating upon the

Anglo-Israel theory , he states : " I believe it is considered by the advocates of these views that the prophet Jeremiah went to Ireland , and settled there , and thatsomeof his family intermarried with those of the Irish kings . " This is not correct . The advocates of the identity of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel with the British nation believe that Jeremiah , who had charge of the daughter of Zedekiah ( the last reigning

King of Israel , who was carried captive and died in Baby-Ion ) , brought the said daughter of Zedekiah , Tephia by name , and married her to the then reigning King of Ireland , on the condition that she should be allowed to worship according to the custom of her country , and introduce the service of Divine worship adopted b y her people . This , I believe , is the only matrimonial alliance that the

Anglo-Israelites credit Jeremiah with , and on this important issue is linked the connection of our gracious Queen with the house of King David . Yours truly and fraternally , JOHN CHAPMAN , P . P . G . J . D . Devon . 110 , Weston-street , Sheffield , April ioth .

MASONIC REGALIA . " He'd undertake to prove by force Of argument a man ' s no horse , " And that the centre ( to raise a quibble ) Is anywhere but in thc middle .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The apron argument of Bro . Horsey in your last issue reminds one of the controversial powers of Hudibras , " Who'd run in debt by disputation , And pay with ratiocination . " Thc perplexity of Bro . H . seems as great as tbat of the gentleman who , in thedays of Fenian notoriety , was sorely

Euzzledby the term "head centre , until he was enlightened y the lucid reasoning of a learned Irishman . The latter explained the term thus— "The head is the top and the centre is the middle ; therefore a head centre is a top middle . " But seriously , to Masons with a moderate share of experience the Constitutions on regalia are sufficiently explicit . For aprons , they may be summed up shortly as

follows : " K . A ., white lambskin ; F . C , same , with two rosettes ; M . M ., same , with a third rosette on flap , silver tassels , sky-blue lining and edging ; W . M . ' s and P . M . 's , i levels in blue instead of rosettes . Officersand Past Officers of lodges may wear , in addition , the emblems of office in silver or white in thc centre of their aprons . " Bro . H . ' s perplexity about the " emblems of office and the whereabouts of the

centre may be easily removed by an examination of the aprons of Grand or Prov . Grand Officers . In each of these the " emblem of ; office "is placed in the space under the flap and between the J _ levels , and corresponds with the jewel attached to the collar . The J . level denotes rank , but not office . The square , level , plumb , dove , & c , & c ., denote office as well as rank . In provincial lodees the

emblems worn denote present office and past rank . The J _ level is a distinctive mark of the Installed Master's rank , whilst the square , the " emblem of office" for W . M . 's , denotes that the wearer is the actual W . M . forthe time being . The square , with the 47 th prop , of ist book of Euclid , distinguishes the I . P . M . and all other P . M . ' s who choose to wear this emblem , and is a symbol of past rank .

A knowledge of the ceremony of installation , of the First Tracing Board , of the fifth section of the First Lecture , and of the articles on regalia in the Book of Constitutions , will inform any brother completely on these points . It will thus appear that in Craft lodges all brethren in office below the rank of an Installed Master may wear , in addition to the rosettes , the " emblems of their office " in

silver or white in the space between the flap and between the rosettes ; that W . M . 's and P . M . ' s wear blue J , levels instead of rosettes , and may also wear their distinctive emblems in the centre of their aprons , as defined above . Many W . M . ' s and P . M . 's wear metal ± levels , but in direct violation of the last article on regalia , where the difference between these emblems and the " emblems of office " is manifest .

I would suggest that , to prevent any possible misunderstanding either by young or old Masons , drawings of aprons to scale in reduced size—similar to those of the jewels of office—be added to all future editions of the Book of Constitutions . At first si ght the matter might appear trivial , but that a great deal is signified by " clothes " all readers of "Sartor Resartus , " especially all Masonic readers , will

readily admit . Bro . H . has evidently confounded J _ levels with emblems of office ; hence his doubts and perplexity . As to " several emblems of office" on his apron , if Bro . H . attains G . L . or Prov . G . L . rank ( which I hope he may ) he will have " ocular demonstration " that one will be as many as the apron can accommodate . Yours fraternally , E . T . BUDDEN , P . P . M ., P . P . G . S . D . 12 th April .

MASONIC REGALIA—APRONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Referring to Bro . Horsey's reply to "M . M . " and " R . W . O . " on the above subject , I think it is out of the question to assume that " the whole oCthe white portion of the apron " is the " centre . " We might as wejl assume

Original Correspondence.

that the centre of a square field comprises its whole area , with the exception of the hedges which surround it . Bro . Horsey talks of the unsightliness of wearing the emblem ( of office ?) in the centre of the apron . Does he then think a Grand Officer ' s apron , which invariably has an emblem of office in its centre , so very unsightly ? This , however , is not the noint we are discussinir .

It appears to me that Bro . Horsey is confounding the " perpendicular lines upon horizontal lines , " which , like rosettes , are merely marks of rank , with squares , plumb rules , doves , & c , which are emblems of office . If his view of the matter is correct , then a Deacon might wear three

doves on his apron instead of the three rosettes . Unless , therefore , some brother can give better reasons for wearing metal " perpendicular lines upon horizontal lines , " I fear I must include the apron Bro . Horsey defends amongst the So per cent , which appear to me to be unorthodox . Yours fraternally , W . ALFRED DAWSON ,

P . M . 1768 . BRO . WILSON AND THE BOYS' SCHOOL . Tothe Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — As the resolution carried at the Quarterly General Court yesterday leaves me no alternative but to enforce my just claim against the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys by legal means , may I beg from you the favour to insert in your next issue my communication to them , which was

read at the meeting , so that the Craft at large may know that I have exhausted every reasonable means to arrive at an amicable settlement of the matter . As a friend of the Institution , which , I think , I may without vanity say owes a very great deal to my own personal exertions , I cannot help expressing the hope that the Governors will at the next election of the Committees show by their votes that they will not have it injured through private

pique or ignorance . Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

S . B . WILSON . 27 , Walbrook , E . G ., April 13 th . " 27 , Walbrook , E . C , "April 9 th , 1880 . " To the Quarterly General Court of the Royal Masonic

Institution for Boys . " Brethren and Gentlemen , — " Notwithstanding the resolution passed by you at the Quarterly General Court , held on the 12 th of January last , the House Committee still raise the most litigious and vexatious objections to the settlement of my account . I have from the first moment of their dispute with me offered

to meet them as far as any sensible man could . When they paid me £ 100 on account , with the offer to refer the balance to some professional man , I immediately agreed to it , and named Sir Henry Arthur Hunt , C . B . ; they refused to accept him without any other reason that I am aware of than his being a Freemason , but why that should be a reason against his being appointed I am at a loss to

conceive ; indeed , their resolution refusing to appoint any Freemason as referee would preclude most of the chief men of standing in the profession from being appointed . " On refusing to agree to Sir H . A . Hunt , they referred me to a solicitor , Mr . Stanley , and I immediately instructed my representative , Mr . Paraire , to give him any explanations which might be necessary , but up to the present time

Mr . Stanley has refrained from seeing Mr . Paraire on the subject , although he has been repeatedly asked to do so . If I am compelled to take legal proceedings , 1 am aware that the Court can order me to put a price to each item ; but , in that case , as my account is charged on the whole much lower than the usual professional rate , I shall have to withdraw the present amount and amend it ,

charging the full amount that my professional friends can support . " I have consulted a great many architects of standing , all of whom have expressed their willingness to support me should it be necessary , and I beg to enclose copy of a letter I have received from Sir . Paraire , which shows clearly that

the House Committee are not justified in treating me in the manner they are doinp , for it is entirely their own fault if they have not long since received any explanations that they might have required . " I am , Gentlemen and Brethren , yours faithfully and fraternally , "S . B . WILSON . "

" 474 , Oxford-street , W . C . "April 7 th , 18 S 0 . " Dear Sir , — "On again referring to your account , I see no reason to alter my opinion , as I consider the charges far below those you should have claimed under the schedule of the Royal Institute of British Architects .

" I stated in my letter to Mr . Stanley , the 16 th of September , 1879 , that thc items were fair and reasonable . I could do no more than I then stated . I annex copy of my letter that you may judge for yourself . * "Yours truly , "EDWARD L . PARAIRE . "S . B . Wilson . " P . S . —Any professional man of standing will support your charges .

September 16 th , 1879 . " My dear Sir , — " I saw Mr . Wilson , and had some conversation with him respecting his claim against thc Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ; he has let me have a copy of his account , and if you will kindly favour mc with an

appointment shall , without prejudice , give you what explanation I can to show that the items are fair and reasonable . I shall be in the City to-morrow ; if you could name an hour I will wait on you . " Yours truly , "EDWARD L . PARAIRE . " F . Stanley , Esq . "

INTERFERENCE AT ELECTIONS . To the Editor ofthe "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I regret to have to call attention to a growing evil , —the interference of the Secretaries at elections . I venture to think that none of the paid Secretaries

should have anything to do with the exchange or disposal of votes . It is forbidden , we know , in the case of each separate Institution in the laws , though the provision is frequently broken , as we all are equall y aware , but I should suggest a resolution forbidding any interference by the Secretaries at any of the elections . J am , yours fraternally , E . L .