Correspondence.

Correspondence .

Wc do not IiciM cmrM'lvi-s ropimsihle for - tin * opinions expressed by our correspondents , hut wc wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , , If a Treasurer of a lodge , who banks the funds of the lodge in his own private account , should turn bankrupt , can thc money be recoverable , or would the Trustees have to make it good ?—Yours fraternally , TREASURER .

Reviews.

Reviews .

The Evolution of the English Bible , by H . W . Hoare , late of Balliol College , Oxford . ( London : John Murray , Albermarle-street ) . Price , ios . 66 . net , of all booksellers . This is a remarkable book , as it so completely fills the niche intended for it , and is beyond question , one of the most useful , interesting and reliable works ever published on the subject . All that the author promises in his "Introductory" is more than fulfilled in the subsequent chapters , the-result being a volume entirely different from all others in its special

aims and realisations ; the treatment oi the subject being happily satisfactory as well as original , and the numerous details are successfully dealt with in their historical settings , so that the " Evolution of the National Bible" is clearly illustrated and described in this handsomely got up book , in a most attractive and most scholarly manner . There are eight chapters beside the one mentioned , devoted to ( 2 ) Medieval England and the Bible , ( 3 ) The Bible and Scholasticis n , ( 4 ) Wycliffe and the Bibles of the fourteenth century , ( 5 ) William Tyndale and

his Work , ( 6 ) The Coverdale , Matthew and Great Bibles , ( 7 ) The Genevan , Bishops' and Douai Bibles , ( 8 ) The Authorised Version , ( 9 ) The Work of Revision . In illustration of these there are portraits and facsimiles , and the printer helps the reader , not only with exceptionally clear type , but on the left sides occur the titles , as required , of the chapters , and on the right are head lines descriptive of the text found in the two pages , these being changed accordingly on every other page This is the

first handbook published combining within reasonable limits ( 300 pages octavo ) a general account of the successive versions , from Wycliff to thc Revised , of our National Bible , with their historical setting . It is this latter feature that adds so much to the value of the work , for Mr . Hoare has succeeded in bringing " the history of the versions into relation with the main current of events as to associate the story of the national Bible with the story of the national life . " A Chronological Table for the period between the sixth and seventeenth centuries ,

extending to eight pages , is a positive boon for earnest and thoughtful readers of the volume , and the tabular view of the evolution of the English Bible is equally welcome and useful . Mr . Hoare is to be congratulated on having produced such a readable , instructive , and accurate work on the various Versions and Translations of the Bible , and , as our warm approval of his labours is based on an intimate acquaintance with its pages , it may be taken for granted that such praise is well deserved .

Clonfert Cathedral.

CLONFERT CATHEDRAL .

A recent discovery in the course of the restoration of Clonfert Cathedral has brought to lig ht a curious historical incident the bearing of which was not before known . King Charles , the Second , said to Bishop Burnet , the author of the Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles , that , although Wolley was a blockhead , he had appointed him Bishop of Clonfert because he had worked so successfull y

as a Parish Clergyman in Suffolk in getting the Nonconformists to come to church . Bishop Wolley proved himself to be no blockhead . Shortly after his appointment to the Bishopric of Clonfert he set about the restoration of the Cathedral . He held the Bishopric for 27 years , from 1664 to 1691 . Amongst other works , he had the Cathedral bell recast , and had the following inscription engraved upon it :

" Fracta diu silui , resono cairipana refusa Muta prius , didici jam resonando loqui . Ope el opere Eduardi Wolley , D . D ., Episcopo Clonfertis et Duaey , Anno Domini 1678 Probati me . " Which has been thus humorously translated :

" 1 Tom Bell while broken hung Lung without the use ol tongue , But have found my voice at last By my learned lord recast , And resound my former song Ding , ding , ding , dong . "

Fiom the year 1 G 64 to thc present time very little work of repair was done tut lonfert Cathedral , until Brother Canon McLarncy , the present Rector , tou ' c up thc restoration some few years ago . He has accomplished a great work under the guidar . ee of a competent architect . Everything his been done with the greatest reverence and care . A sum of , £ 2000 is slill required to complete the restoration of this historic and beautiful building .

Capitular And Cryptic Masonry.

CAPITULAR AND CRYPTIC MASONRY .

Capitular Masonry is a lesson of human life , with its ups and downs , its rough wajsand smooth , its darkness and light , its mountains and vales . No man has ever jet trod a perfectly smooth way from the home of his captivity here to the city and temple of his God above . The rugged road and dilapidacd bridges , the stony fords , the almost impassible rivers and

inaccessible mountains which the children of Israel encountered on their journey from Bjbylon to Jerusalem are striking lessons of the innumerable obstacles with which we are confronted each ciay of our lives . K-j icing , however , in the God of their deliberations , ' with their hearts fixed on the holy city , there was no barrier that could impede th ir progress .

Every obstacle was surmounted , and tne destination of th ; ir hopis finally obtained . Companions , if our hc . vts are imbued wifi the faith which inspired the Israelitish hosts and our eyes are li mly fixed on the eternal gotl , we will yet see the mountains ol opposition dissolve at our approach , rivers recede at our appearing , rough ways made smooth for our feet , and darkness become as light before us . However dark and rough and

Capitular And Cryptic Masonry.

dreary and lonesome may appear the way below , we know that there is an eternal city on hi gh , in which the Grand High Priest has preserved a home prepared for us from the foundation of the world . Cryptic Masonry informs us that as the secret vault contained the Ark of the Covenant in which were deposited the testimonials of goodness an 1 mercy , and which was to be kept in sanctum sanctorum of the Templeso

, in every human heart there is an ark of divine mercy in which God has placed the most sacred treasures pertaining to humam kind and which He has commanded to be sacredly guarded that they may be made meet for the sanctum sanctorum above . Companions , let us remember that the A 1 ISeeing-Eye is upon us , that the trestle board of our lives is before Him as

an open book ; that the light from holy Shekinah will penetrate the most benighted soul , and that He who sitteth between the Cherubim will reward us accordingly to our zeal and fidelity . '' I am that I am " is the password that shall remove walls of ignorance and superstition and gain us admission into the Grand Assembly where the Grand Council is perpetually enthroned . —William A . Davis in the Masonic Voice and Review .

Judge Krum's Lincoln Story.

JUDGE KRUM ' S LINCOLN STORY .

Judge Chester H . Krum was talking about Lincoln , whom he greatly admired . He said : " None of the yarns which picture him as swapping stories is true . Lincoln never engaged in what we call swapping stories . He never told a story except to illustrate some point . In 1889 I was in Washington , and met Postmaster-General Wanamaker , He said : ' I would like to hear a story about Lincoln that you are willing to swear is a true bill . ' I told him this one : r

" 1 he prosecuting attorney of Lincoln ' s county was a red-headed individual , who was a comical cuss to look at . He was fidgety and nervous and ¦ tuttered , and everybody had fun with him . He had contrived to tear the seat of his trousers one day , and as he sat within the bar railing , intent upon the trial of some case in which Lincoln was interested , his leg was resting on a table , and the white skin was exposed to view . Somebody

started a subscription paper with this heading : 'We hereby agree to subscribe the sum opposite our names for the purpose of buying the prosecuting attorney a new pair of trousers . ' Some five or six lawyers had signed for a quarter each , and the paper was passed to Lincoln , who was engrossed with a cross-examination . He looked at thc paper a moment , and then wrote : ' 1 can give nothing to the end in view . —A . Lincoln . ' "•—St . Louis Star .

Death.

DEATH .

BiiACH . —3 rd instant , from an accident , the Right Hon . William Wither Bram . ston Beach , of Oakley Hall , M . P . for the Andover Division , Hampshire , Prov . Grand Master of Hampshire , aged 74 .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

GRAND LODGE OF CANADA . At 2 o ' clock on Wednesday afternoon , the 17 th ult ., the 46 th annual Communication of the above Grand Lodge in the Province of Ontario was held in the Court House , Hamilton , Ontario . The Court-room is one of the largest and best proportioned in the Dominion , and is admirably adapted for the purpose . In none of the cities of the province are the Masonic lodge rooms sufficiently commodious to accommodate so large an assemblage as annually gathers to attend Grand Lodge .

Hamilton is a city of about 50 , 000 inhabitants , is prettily situated at the head of Lake Ontario , and is one of the oldest Masonic centres in the Dominion . Barton Lodge , No . 6—' . he senior lodge of the city—dates from 179 C The proceedings were enlivened by a fraternal visit from the Grand Lodge of Michigan , with its G . M ., M . W . Bro . Frank Gilbert , and a

numerous delegation . The Committee on Credentials reported 362 warranted lodges on the roll , 206 represented by their duly qualified oftijers , 7 S represented by prox / , 18 not represented by proxy but by Past Misters present , 60 Past Mister ., present , and 60 unrepresented . There were present S 43 delegates , who registered a total vote of 1444 .

On the dais were the Grand Officers and a large number of Past Grand Ollicers . M . W . Bro . Hungerford occupied the chair , with the Dsputy G . M ., R . W . Bro . J . E . Harding , on his right . There were present all the Past Grand Masters , viz ., M . W . Bros . A . A . Stevenson , Hugh Marray , ) . Ross Robertson , Hon . J . M . Gibson , Attorney-General of O . itario , W . R . White , R . T . Walkem , and Henry Robertson .

The GRAND MASTER read his annuil address—a custoimry feature at the opening of every annual Communication of Grand Lodged In conprehensive and explicit manner it dealt with all milters inciJe . ital to the Craft life of the jurisdiction during the past year , ani received ths close attention of all present .

The tlrand Master commenced with a loving reference to the death of the late Queen , and closed the paragraph with the following message , which h 3 had sent on Tuesday at midnight to the Grand Lodge of England , and which reiclud that body on Wednesday , at Albert Hall , during the ceremin ^ : " Tne Grand Lodge of Canada , in session assembled , on behalf of 31 , 000 Freenusons and British subjects , congratulates the Mother Grand Lod ge of the world on the installation of a worthy successor to the great Craft ruler who his passed from your Gran !

Easttothe Throne of a united Empire . " He stated thit he had deputed R . W . Bro , G . J . Bennett , of Toronto , a Past District Deputy Granl Jlaster , to represent the Grand Lodge of Canada on that auspicious occasion . The Grand Master recorded his visits to different parts of the jurisdiction , and the fratern . il welcome that had been extended to him by the Craft . He alluded to the Masonic situatiun in Quebec , and to the fact that one of the Montreal lodges , St . Lawrence , had passed a resalution favourable to union with the Grand Lodge of