-
Articles/Ads
Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article To Correspondents. Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 1 Article MASONIC CEREMONIAL AT WEST CALDER. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00503
FOR SALE . — £ 50-worth Fully Paid SHARES , / Eolus Waterspray Ventilating Company ; also similar Shares in good Hotel Company . —Address SURVEYOR , 19 Trinity Road , Tulse Hill .
Ad00505
MANCHESTER . —254 , Oxford Road . Eight Doors from Owens College . THE REV . ROBERT HAMMOND COTTON , M . A ., B . S . C ., LONDON , RECEIVES STUDENTS FOR BOARD , RESIDENCE , AND TUITION .
Ad00504
THIRD APPLICATION . THE ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS , EARLSWOOD , RED HILL , SURREY . OCTOBER ELECTION , 18 S 4 . The favour of your Votes and Interest is respectfully solicited on behalf of JAMES EDWARD TAYLOR , Aged 12 years , who was deprived of his reason from the effects of Scarlet Fever when four years of age . The Father ( Bro . Jas . Taylor , Lodges No . 730 ( I . C . ) , 1331 , 153 6 , and Chapters 13 , 1331 , ) is a Sergeant in the Commissariat and Transport Corps now serving at Aldershot , and although willing to support to the utmost of his abilities , is unable to provide adequate treatment or the necessary supervision required by the case , which is strongly recommended by Baron H . de WORMS , M . P ., 4 , Old Burlington-st ., W . * G EORGE KENNING , Esq ., Upper Sydenham . RICHARD EVE , Esq ., Oxford Villa , Victoria-road , Aldershot . * H . S . E . REEVES , C . B ., Assistant Commissary General , London . * G . J . PARKYN , Assistant Commissary General , Aldershot . * Rev . R . M . SPOOR , Heatherview , Cambridge-road , Aldershot . Proxies will be thankfully received by gentlemen marked thus * .
Ad00506
ATLAS ASSURANCE COMPANY . 92 , CHEAPSIDE , LONDON , E . C . FIRE , LIFE ~ ACCIDENT . Capital—One Million Two Hundred Thousand Pounds . Instituted 180 S , and Empowered by Special Jet of Parliament . The Company has been in existence more than 7 6 Years . Moderate Rates . PromptSettlements . Liberal Conditions . All its Funds are Invested in Great Britain . Transacts Home Business only . No Hypothecation of Funds for Foreign Policy Holders . Ample Reserves apart from Capital . LIFE DEPARTMENT-Wholc-World Assurances . . Liberal Surrender Values given in Cash or by paid-up Policies . Pavment of Claims immediately on proof of death . All kinds of Life Assurance transacted . ACCIDENTS —Assured Against , whether fatal or causing total or partial disablement , at moderate rates , and with liberal Compensation . p | RE—Policies issued free of expense . LOSSES OCCASIONED BY LIGHTNING will be paid whether the property be set on lire or not . LOSS OR DAMAGE caused by Explosion of Coal Gas in any building assured will be made good . even Years' Policies granted on payment of Six Years' Premiums . Active Agents Wanted . SAMUEL J . PIPKIN , Secretary .
Ad00507
THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR , DIARY , AND POCKET BOOK FOR 1885 . This Masonic annual is now preparing for its 15 th issue , the publication of which will take place on or about the 1 st November next . Forms asking for particulars as to place . and date of meeting of lodges and [ chapters have been despatched to the respective Secretaries and Scribes E ., and in the event of their not having reached their destination , a memo , advising the publisher of any alteration in date or place of meeting will be esteemed a favour . G . KENNING , 16 , GT . QUEEN ST ., LONDON , W . C .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
The following stand over : The Craft Abroad . C RAFTCurwen Lodge , No . 1400 . Eccleston Lodge , No . 1624 . Caradoc Lodge , No . 1674 . I NSTRUCTIONPrince Predenck William Lodge , No . 753 . Covent Garden Lodge , No . 1614 . Ubique Lodge , No . 1789 . ROYAL ARCHLion and Lamb Chapter , No . 192 . West Kent Chapter , No . 1297 .
1300 KS , & c , RECEIVED . " Jewish Chronicle , " " Sunday Times , " " La Monitcur de la Chance Universale , " " Hull Packet , " " Freemasons' Repository , " ¦ ' Royal Cornwall Gazette , " " Citizen , " " Freemasons' Chronicle , " ' ¦ llroad Arrow , " '' Masonic Review , " " Dover and Countv Chronicle " "Court Circular , " " Proceedings of Grand Lodge of Liberia , " " Hough Ashlar , " " Report of the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand I odgc of the Netherlands in South Africa , " " The Freemason " ' ( Sydney ) , "The Tricycling Journal , " "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " " Grand Lodge of Nebraska , 1884 . "
Ar00509
SATURDAY , OCTOBER IS , 1884 . & .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed by ourcorrespondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
"BRETHREN , TAKE NOTICE . " To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir andBrother , I beg to send you copies of two letters , the originals of which are in my possession , and in respect of which a few remarks may be of service to the Craft , and aid the efforts of your recent correspondents to unmask impostors . No . I is written in pencil on note paper bearing the printed heading , " Parish of St . Giles , Camberwell , Board
of Guardians , dated 14 th February , 18 S 4 , and reads : " Worshipful Sir and Bro ., " I am an Irish bro . in great distress , through affliction have been 3 months in the Ophthalmic Hospital , and 3 wks . in the above Infirmary , awaiting the decision of the G . L . of Ireland , which I hope to hear from soon . I shall feel for ever grateful if your lodge will grant me a little relief , Bro . Frere , who visited me at the Infirmary , advised me to make the case known to your lodge , which he told me meets to-night .
" I have the honour , & c , " ( 555 > Fermoy , " Yours fraternally , "Co . Cork . ) "J . DONOVAN . "Awaiting an answer . " No . 2 , in ink , on plain note paper , without address heading , reads : " 9 th October , 18 S 4 . " Worshipful Master ,
" I am just come out of the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital , suffering from the worse kind of Retinitis Pigmentosa . My mother lodge has my case in hand to bring before the Grand Lodge in Dublin at their next meeting , when I hope something permanent will be done , for , M . W . Sir , I am in great distress , in fact starving . Shall feel for ever grateful for a little relief . Bro . Allsopp advised me to make my case known to your Iodize , which
he told me met here to-night . Shall be glad to answer any question which may be put to me . W . Sir , you may depend that the Architect of the Universe will prosper you in all your undertakings seeing that you have relieved an infirm Mason , being one of God ' s afflicted through his devine will . I applied to a lodge at Loughboro Junction ,
they even proved me in all the Degrees , and then took my address , stating that they would send me some money in a few days , but \ have had to leave the lodgings through not being able to pay , and had to walk about this last 3 nights . I never knew a bro . being sent away empty from any lodge in Ireland .
" I have the honour to remain , W . Sir and Bro ., " Yours fraternally , "LateH . M . R . I . "JNO . CROWLEY , " Constabulary . " "Cameronians , 26 . The handwriting of the above epistles agrees in a very marked manner ; . and the parts which I have italicised are so nearly similar in expression that no reasonable doubt can exist as to the letters being the production of one and
the same individual . No . 21 was presented to the W . M . of the Macdonald Lodge , No . 1216 , meeting at Camberwell on the 9 th inst ., just as the lodge had closed . At his request I saw the applicant , who appeared to me to be about thirty years of age ( 1 am not good at guessing ages , so on this point may be mistaken ) , shabby , and badl y shod , and certainly afflicted in respect of eyesight . Blindness has ever been a
calamity calling forth my utmost sympathy , and in this instance it impelled me to be lenient and unexacting in respect of " proof . " . However , I had no cause to doubt that he had duly experienced the several introductions which constituted him one of the Craft ; and having at the moment no reason to think him guilty of misrepresentation , I suggested the customary ' * whip round " and was entrusted with a moderate sum for his use . Just as he was
about to receive it something in his manner attracted the notice of our worthy Secretary , Bro . Messenger , who at once declared he had been before relieved by lodge vote . This , Crowley , alias Donovan , strenuously denied and asseverated on his O . B ., that he had been but a few months in England . Still our Secretary persisted in his statement and said he believed he could find amongst the lodge papers at his home the written proof . That the applicant might
not be sent empty away I handed him enough for a few day ' s support , and placed the balance collected in the hands of our Tyler to be given to him if he should , on the ensuing morning , bring a certain letter from a certain medical man whom he said had attended him at the Hospital ; and he was told that if he did this he might present himself at a City lodge which met on the nth , and probabl y receive further assistance . He did not satisfy that requirement , however ,
bui , nevertheless , presented himself in the City with a very lame excuse for the omission . In the meanwhile Bro . Messenger had sent me letter No . 1 , and as that worthy brother anticipated , " I had not much trouble in coming to a conclusion as to whether the same hand did not trace them both . " The Tyler of the " Macdonald , " who is also Tyler of the City Lodge in question , at my request handed him the balance of the amount collected on the gth , and
he was informed that as far as Metropolitan Lodges , and it was hoped Provincial Lodges also , were conceined , his " little game " might be considered at an end . I hope it may be , and that this letter may be a warning to himself , if he hears of it , and to other impostors on the good nature and charity of the Craft . I need hardly say that no such names as Frere ( letter No . 1 ) , nor Allsopp ( letter No . 2 ) ,
are on the books of Lodge 1216 , but , for charity's sake , it was assumed that other than members of the lodge had made the recommendation stated in the respective letters . So much for this individual and his successful attempt at imposition ; but in the face of so many attempts to extort money from our various lodges in the sacred name of Charity , is it not time that some organised effort should be
Original Correspondence.
made to afford information generally , and directly , to all our lodges in respect of any ascertained imposition ; at the same time taking care that no genuine necessitous case should be dismissed without temporary relief ? Do what we will we must sometimes be victimised ; but with proper organization , and a system whereby the particulars of every case relieved should , under compulsion if necessary , ¦ be sent to head-quarters and there be dealt with as
rirrumstances might require , the fault would be ours if an imposition was successful more than once . To say that some such organisation is not possible appears to me to be ridiculous , for I am certain that with a recommendation from the Grand Lodge there is an existing machinery by means of which the evils we experience from the deceits practised on us can be immediately lessened and ultimately disposed of altogether , and that without abandonment of " relief to every deserving object under Heaven . "
It your readers will refer to Bro . Henry Baldwin ' s letter , under the heading of " A Caution , " they will readily connect the person therein referred to with the individual mentioned above . " P . M . 1237 , " and Bro . Pulsford , YV . M . 89 S , in their respective letters in your impression of the 4 th inst . would also appear to have received visits from "Crowley alias Donovan . "—Yours faithfully and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS , P . M ., P . Z . Clapham , August 14 th .
A MASONIC MENDICANT . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It is not unlikely that Bro . Baldwin has jumped too hastily to a conclusion in his lengthy epistle . The man referred to stated that he had been initiated in a military lodge , and that through a disease of the eyes he could not follow his usual occupation . Has anybody proved that the brother who visited the lodges in South London was not a Mason , or that he was not nearly blind ?—Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .
THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A new preceptory to meet in London is about to be formed under favourable conditions , with moderate fees , & c . Any Templar wishing to join should apply at once to " Knight Templar , " care of Bro . Lake , Freemason Office . —Yours fraternally , CRUX CORONA .
A MASONIC CHARITY SUNDAY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have read with great surprise your correspondent " C's " letter on the above subject , and also the letter of " Middlesex , " which appeared in your issue of September 20 th last . Admitting the fact that our Masonic Institutions are not supported as they might or ought to be , 1 consider
it would be highly objectionable to adopt the method laid down in those two letters for increasing the funds of those Institutions . _ All honour to those good men , the ministers of all denominations , who have so willingly and so successfully preached sermons on behalf of our Hospitals and other National Charities ; but to ask them to do the same for our Institutions would be transferring the responsibility of supporting those Institutions from our own shoulders to
the benevolent of the outer world . They would be no longer Masonic Institutions , but National Charities . We do not invite the uninitiated or popular world to join in our assemblies , or share our mysteries and privileges , and why should we ask them to share in our responsibilities ? I , for one , hope that we shall never be reduced to such an extremity as to ask aid from those who are strangers to our Masonic art . Rather let us set to work in earnest , individually and
as lodges , to support more liberally those grand and glorious Institutions . When we consider that in round numbers about 2050 lodges are in connection with Grand Lodge , there ought to be no lack of workers or funds . Taking from that number the foreign , colonial , and poor lodges , and say that in round numbers there are at the present time 1000 good working lodges , is it not fair to expect that each of those lodges should send
up one Steward every year to one or other of our Institutions ? and if that were done , would it be unreasonable to expect each Steward ( on an average ) should take up £ 100 ? This would make an aggregate sum of £ 100 , 000 , and would give to each of the Institutions a little over £ 33 , 000 ; and I think I put the average very low when you consider the large amounts some of the Stewards took up last year .
There are many members of the Craft whom I honour very much for their unselfish labours and munificent gifts in aid of our Charities ; but I fear there are some who , from unwillingness or thoughtlessness , forget the fact that Masonry is founded upon Charity , and that that virtue is the distinguishing characteristic , & c—Yours faithfully and fraternally , WASP , Vice-President of the Boys' School .
Masonic Ceremonial At West Calder.
MASONIC CEREMONIAL AT WEST CALDER .
The . memorial stone of the West Calder Masonic Hall was laid with full Masonic ceremonial on Thursday , the 25 th ult ., by Bro . John R . Brown , R . VV . M . of the Thistle Lodge , No . 270 , West Calder . Bro . Brown , after performing his part , delivered a long address , in the course of
which he traced the connection of Masonry with the town , pointing out that the lodge over which he presided was constituted in the year 181 S by a few members of the Torpichen Kilwinning Lodge , No . 13 , Bathgate . At an early period in the existence of the lodge there was established in connection with it a Friendly Society , the present financial position of which was most satisfactory .
At the close of the address , Bro . YV . Miller , President o £ the Society , presented Bro . Brown with a Handsome silver trowel , as a memorial of the day's proceedings , the following being the inscription thereon : " Presented by the Thistle Lodge , No . 270 , West Calder , to Brother John R . Brown , R . W . M ., as a memento of his laying the memorial stone of the Friendly Society's New Buildings . 25 th September , 1 S 84 . "
Bro . A . MARTIN , as a Trustee for the Thistle Lodge Friendly Society , supplemented the gift by a very cordial expression of thanks to Bro . Brown , for his services to the lodge generally , and also for his kind assistance that day . In the evening a banquet was held to celebrate the event , the chair being occupied by Bro . W . Miller , while Bro . Brown acted as Croupier . A very pleasant evening was passed .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00503
FOR SALE . — £ 50-worth Fully Paid SHARES , / Eolus Waterspray Ventilating Company ; also similar Shares in good Hotel Company . —Address SURVEYOR , 19 Trinity Road , Tulse Hill .
Ad00505
MANCHESTER . —254 , Oxford Road . Eight Doors from Owens College . THE REV . ROBERT HAMMOND COTTON , M . A ., B . S . C ., LONDON , RECEIVES STUDENTS FOR BOARD , RESIDENCE , AND TUITION .
Ad00504
THIRD APPLICATION . THE ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS , EARLSWOOD , RED HILL , SURREY . OCTOBER ELECTION , 18 S 4 . The favour of your Votes and Interest is respectfully solicited on behalf of JAMES EDWARD TAYLOR , Aged 12 years , who was deprived of his reason from the effects of Scarlet Fever when four years of age . The Father ( Bro . Jas . Taylor , Lodges No . 730 ( I . C . ) , 1331 , 153 6 , and Chapters 13 , 1331 , ) is a Sergeant in the Commissariat and Transport Corps now serving at Aldershot , and although willing to support to the utmost of his abilities , is unable to provide adequate treatment or the necessary supervision required by the case , which is strongly recommended by Baron H . de WORMS , M . P ., 4 , Old Burlington-st ., W . * G EORGE KENNING , Esq ., Upper Sydenham . RICHARD EVE , Esq ., Oxford Villa , Victoria-road , Aldershot . * H . S . E . REEVES , C . B ., Assistant Commissary General , London . * G . J . PARKYN , Assistant Commissary General , Aldershot . * Rev . R . M . SPOOR , Heatherview , Cambridge-road , Aldershot . Proxies will be thankfully received by gentlemen marked thus * .
Ad00506
ATLAS ASSURANCE COMPANY . 92 , CHEAPSIDE , LONDON , E . C . FIRE , LIFE ~ ACCIDENT . Capital—One Million Two Hundred Thousand Pounds . Instituted 180 S , and Empowered by Special Jet of Parliament . The Company has been in existence more than 7 6 Years . Moderate Rates . PromptSettlements . Liberal Conditions . All its Funds are Invested in Great Britain . Transacts Home Business only . No Hypothecation of Funds for Foreign Policy Holders . Ample Reserves apart from Capital . LIFE DEPARTMENT-Wholc-World Assurances . . Liberal Surrender Values given in Cash or by paid-up Policies . Pavment of Claims immediately on proof of death . All kinds of Life Assurance transacted . ACCIDENTS —Assured Against , whether fatal or causing total or partial disablement , at moderate rates , and with liberal Compensation . p | RE—Policies issued free of expense . LOSSES OCCASIONED BY LIGHTNING will be paid whether the property be set on lire or not . LOSS OR DAMAGE caused by Explosion of Coal Gas in any building assured will be made good . even Years' Policies granted on payment of Six Years' Premiums . Active Agents Wanted . SAMUEL J . PIPKIN , Secretary .
Ad00507
THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR , DIARY , AND POCKET BOOK FOR 1885 . This Masonic annual is now preparing for its 15 th issue , the publication of which will take place on or about the 1 st November next . Forms asking for particulars as to place . and date of meeting of lodges and [ chapters have been despatched to the respective Secretaries and Scribes E ., and in the event of their not having reached their destination , a memo , advising the publisher of any alteration in date or place of meeting will be esteemed a favour . G . KENNING , 16 , GT . QUEEN ST ., LONDON , W . C .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
The following stand over : The Craft Abroad . C RAFTCurwen Lodge , No . 1400 . Eccleston Lodge , No . 1624 . Caradoc Lodge , No . 1674 . I NSTRUCTIONPrince Predenck William Lodge , No . 753 . Covent Garden Lodge , No . 1614 . Ubique Lodge , No . 1789 . ROYAL ARCHLion and Lamb Chapter , No . 192 . West Kent Chapter , No . 1297 .
1300 KS , & c , RECEIVED . " Jewish Chronicle , " " Sunday Times , " " La Monitcur de la Chance Universale , " " Hull Packet , " " Freemasons' Repository , " ¦ ' Royal Cornwall Gazette , " " Citizen , " " Freemasons' Chronicle , " ' ¦ llroad Arrow , " '' Masonic Review , " " Dover and Countv Chronicle " "Court Circular , " " Proceedings of Grand Lodge of Liberia , " " Hough Ashlar , " " Report of the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand I odgc of the Netherlands in South Africa , " " The Freemason " ' ( Sydney ) , "The Tricycling Journal , " "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " " Grand Lodge of Nebraska , 1884 . "
Ar00509
SATURDAY , OCTOBER IS , 1884 . & .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed by ourcorrespondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
"BRETHREN , TAKE NOTICE . " To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir andBrother , I beg to send you copies of two letters , the originals of which are in my possession , and in respect of which a few remarks may be of service to the Craft , and aid the efforts of your recent correspondents to unmask impostors . No . I is written in pencil on note paper bearing the printed heading , " Parish of St . Giles , Camberwell , Board
of Guardians , dated 14 th February , 18 S 4 , and reads : " Worshipful Sir and Bro ., " I am an Irish bro . in great distress , through affliction have been 3 months in the Ophthalmic Hospital , and 3 wks . in the above Infirmary , awaiting the decision of the G . L . of Ireland , which I hope to hear from soon . I shall feel for ever grateful if your lodge will grant me a little relief , Bro . Frere , who visited me at the Infirmary , advised me to make the case known to your lodge , which he told me meets to-night .
" I have the honour , & c , " ( 555 > Fermoy , " Yours fraternally , "Co . Cork . ) "J . DONOVAN . "Awaiting an answer . " No . 2 , in ink , on plain note paper , without address heading , reads : " 9 th October , 18 S 4 . " Worshipful Master ,
" I am just come out of the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital , suffering from the worse kind of Retinitis Pigmentosa . My mother lodge has my case in hand to bring before the Grand Lodge in Dublin at their next meeting , when I hope something permanent will be done , for , M . W . Sir , I am in great distress , in fact starving . Shall feel for ever grateful for a little relief . Bro . Allsopp advised me to make my case known to your Iodize , which
he told me met here to-night . Shall be glad to answer any question which may be put to me . W . Sir , you may depend that the Architect of the Universe will prosper you in all your undertakings seeing that you have relieved an infirm Mason , being one of God ' s afflicted through his devine will . I applied to a lodge at Loughboro Junction ,
they even proved me in all the Degrees , and then took my address , stating that they would send me some money in a few days , but \ have had to leave the lodgings through not being able to pay , and had to walk about this last 3 nights . I never knew a bro . being sent away empty from any lodge in Ireland .
" I have the honour to remain , W . Sir and Bro ., " Yours fraternally , "LateH . M . R . I . "JNO . CROWLEY , " Constabulary . " "Cameronians , 26 . The handwriting of the above epistles agrees in a very marked manner ; . and the parts which I have italicised are so nearly similar in expression that no reasonable doubt can exist as to the letters being the production of one and
the same individual . No . 21 was presented to the W . M . of the Macdonald Lodge , No . 1216 , meeting at Camberwell on the 9 th inst ., just as the lodge had closed . At his request I saw the applicant , who appeared to me to be about thirty years of age ( 1 am not good at guessing ages , so on this point may be mistaken ) , shabby , and badl y shod , and certainly afflicted in respect of eyesight . Blindness has ever been a
calamity calling forth my utmost sympathy , and in this instance it impelled me to be lenient and unexacting in respect of " proof . " . However , I had no cause to doubt that he had duly experienced the several introductions which constituted him one of the Craft ; and having at the moment no reason to think him guilty of misrepresentation , I suggested the customary ' * whip round " and was entrusted with a moderate sum for his use . Just as he was
about to receive it something in his manner attracted the notice of our worthy Secretary , Bro . Messenger , who at once declared he had been before relieved by lodge vote . This , Crowley , alias Donovan , strenuously denied and asseverated on his O . B ., that he had been but a few months in England . Still our Secretary persisted in his statement and said he believed he could find amongst the lodge papers at his home the written proof . That the applicant might
not be sent empty away I handed him enough for a few day ' s support , and placed the balance collected in the hands of our Tyler to be given to him if he should , on the ensuing morning , bring a certain letter from a certain medical man whom he said had attended him at the Hospital ; and he was told that if he did this he might present himself at a City lodge which met on the nth , and probabl y receive further assistance . He did not satisfy that requirement , however ,
bui , nevertheless , presented himself in the City with a very lame excuse for the omission . In the meanwhile Bro . Messenger had sent me letter No . 1 , and as that worthy brother anticipated , " I had not much trouble in coming to a conclusion as to whether the same hand did not trace them both . " The Tyler of the " Macdonald , " who is also Tyler of the City Lodge in question , at my request handed him the balance of the amount collected on the gth , and
he was informed that as far as Metropolitan Lodges , and it was hoped Provincial Lodges also , were conceined , his " little game " might be considered at an end . I hope it may be , and that this letter may be a warning to himself , if he hears of it , and to other impostors on the good nature and charity of the Craft . I need hardly say that no such names as Frere ( letter No . 1 ) , nor Allsopp ( letter No . 2 ) ,
are on the books of Lodge 1216 , but , for charity's sake , it was assumed that other than members of the lodge had made the recommendation stated in the respective letters . So much for this individual and his successful attempt at imposition ; but in the face of so many attempts to extort money from our various lodges in the sacred name of Charity , is it not time that some organised effort should be
Original Correspondence.
made to afford information generally , and directly , to all our lodges in respect of any ascertained imposition ; at the same time taking care that no genuine necessitous case should be dismissed without temporary relief ? Do what we will we must sometimes be victimised ; but with proper organization , and a system whereby the particulars of every case relieved should , under compulsion if necessary , ¦ be sent to head-quarters and there be dealt with as
rirrumstances might require , the fault would be ours if an imposition was successful more than once . To say that some such organisation is not possible appears to me to be ridiculous , for I am certain that with a recommendation from the Grand Lodge there is an existing machinery by means of which the evils we experience from the deceits practised on us can be immediately lessened and ultimately disposed of altogether , and that without abandonment of " relief to every deserving object under Heaven . "
It your readers will refer to Bro . Henry Baldwin ' s letter , under the heading of " A Caution , " they will readily connect the person therein referred to with the individual mentioned above . " P . M . 1237 , " and Bro . Pulsford , YV . M . 89 S , in their respective letters in your impression of the 4 th inst . would also appear to have received visits from "Crowley alias Donovan . "—Yours faithfully and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS , P . M ., P . Z . Clapham , August 14 th .
A MASONIC MENDICANT . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It is not unlikely that Bro . Baldwin has jumped too hastily to a conclusion in his lengthy epistle . The man referred to stated that he had been initiated in a military lodge , and that through a disease of the eyes he could not follow his usual occupation . Has anybody proved that the brother who visited the lodges in South London was not a Mason , or that he was not nearly blind ?—Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .
THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A new preceptory to meet in London is about to be formed under favourable conditions , with moderate fees , & c . Any Templar wishing to join should apply at once to " Knight Templar , " care of Bro . Lake , Freemason Office . —Yours fraternally , CRUX CORONA .
A MASONIC CHARITY SUNDAY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have read with great surprise your correspondent " C's " letter on the above subject , and also the letter of " Middlesex , " which appeared in your issue of September 20 th last . Admitting the fact that our Masonic Institutions are not supported as they might or ought to be , 1 consider
it would be highly objectionable to adopt the method laid down in those two letters for increasing the funds of those Institutions . _ All honour to those good men , the ministers of all denominations , who have so willingly and so successfully preached sermons on behalf of our Hospitals and other National Charities ; but to ask them to do the same for our Institutions would be transferring the responsibility of supporting those Institutions from our own shoulders to
the benevolent of the outer world . They would be no longer Masonic Institutions , but National Charities . We do not invite the uninitiated or popular world to join in our assemblies , or share our mysteries and privileges , and why should we ask them to share in our responsibilities ? I , for one , hope that we shall never be reduced to such an extremity as to ask aid from those who are strangers to our Masonic art . Rather let us set to work in earnest , individually and
as lodges , to support more liberally those grand and glorious Institutions . When we consider that in round numbers about 2050 lodges are in connection with Grand Lodge , there ought to be no lack of workers or funds . Taking from that number the foreign , colonial , and poor lodges , and say that in round numbers there are at the present time 1000 good working lodges , is it not fair to expect that each of those lodges should send
up one Steward every year to one or other of our Institutions ? and if that were done , would it be unreasonable to expect each Steward ( on an average ) should take up £ 100 ? This would make an aggregate sum of £ 100 , 000 , and would give to each of the Institutions a little over £ 33 , 000 ; and I think I put the average very low when you consider the large amounts some of the Stewards took up last year .
There are many members of the Craft whom I honour very much for their unselfish labours and munificent gifts in aid of our Charities ; but I fear there are some who , from unwillingness or thoughtlessness , forget the fact that Masonry is founded upon Charity , and that that virtue is the distinguishing characteristic , & c—Yours faithfully and fraternally , WASP , Vice-President of the Boys' School .
Masonic Ceremonial At West Calder.
MASONIC CEREMONIAL AT WEST CALDER .
The . memorial stone of the West Calder Masonic Hall was laid with full Masonic ceremonial on Thursday , the 25 th ult ., by Bro . John R . Brown , R . VV . M . of the Thistle Lodge , No . 270 , West Calder . Bro . Brown , after performing his part , delivered a long address , in the course of
which he traced the connection of Masonry with the town , pointing out that the lodge over which he presided was constituted in the year 181 S by a few members of the Torpichen Kilwinning Lodge , No . 13 , Bathgate . At an early period in the existence of the lodge there was established in connection with it a Friendly Society , the present financial position of which was most satisfactory .
At the close of the address , Bro . YV . Miller , President o £ the Society , presented Bro . Brown with a Handsome silver trowel , as a memorial of the day's proceedings , the following being the inscription thereon : " Presented by the Thistle Lodge , No . 270 , West Calder , to Brother John R . Brown , R . W . M ., as a memento of his laying the memorial stone of the Friendly Society's New Buildings . 25 th September , 1 S 84 . "
Bro . A . MARTIN , as a Trustee for the Thistle Lodge Friendly Society , supplemented the gift by a very cordial expression of thanks to Bro . Brown , for his services to the lodge generally , and also for his kind assistance that day . In the evening a banquet was held to celebrate the event , the chair being occupied by Bro . W . Miller , while Bro . Brown acted as Croupier . A very pleasant evening was passed .