The Purple In West Lancashire.

showing itself amongst the brethren of West Lancashire on the score of the Prov . G . Lodge appointments , and doubtless think , with me , that it is a great pity the disappointed ones can ' t rest without letting their vexation be seen of all men

and making ill-natured remarks and spiteful insinuations against their more fortunate brethren . AVhether the appointments ofthe Prov . Grand Master give satisfaction or not , is one thing ; the right of any brother to challenge them is another .

Your correspondents seem to lose sight of the fact , that the number of offices for each yearly distribution is extremely small when compared to the number of brethren in the province * and further than this , they seem to forget that the

bestowal of them is in the hands of the P . G . M . absolutely , and however partially they may be awarded , no one has a right to challenge his prerogative . He might bestow them all on his relatives , had he a sufficient number , and we

could only grin and bear it , though the interests of the Craft would certainly suffer . My object in writing this is not to uphold the present system of appointments , but simply to remind the grumblers that they are not going the right way

to get an alteration . Perhaps I might suggest , as a means of lessening the dissatisfaction that undoubtedly exists : — ist , Let it be understood , as I think it seems to be at present , that every year a certain number

of vacancies are to be filled , they need not necessarily be always the same offices * and , secondly , that the Prov . G . M . communicate , through the Prov . G . Sec , with the W . M . ' s of the province , or , in a very large province like this , with those

in a certain district , taking the others in rotation , asking if they have any worthy brother they wish to recommend for Prov . Grand honours , * the Prov . G . M . at the same time retaining his veto . I know one province where this is the rule and

has given satisfaction . Such a plan would , I think , make the appointments more equally distributed and remove any idea of partiality . I can quite enter into the feelings of some of the older and experienced Masons at seeing their

juniors promoted before them—sometimes , not one step and done with , but year after year , and each time a little higher . Now , I have the privilege of acquaintance with several members ofthe Prov . Grand Lodge , some of whom have got into

that august body , apparently , for no other reason than that they are their fathers' sons , but once in they have shown what sort of stuff they are made of * and even if favoritism and partiality have entered into the appointments of our Prov . G .

officers , I can assert , from my own knowledge , that the greater part do their work well and trul y in lodge , in committee-room , in charity business , and in other ways , and I should very much

question whether those who express their dissatisfaction so loudly would do anything like the same amount of work , but rather think they would rest content with the onerous duties of sporting the purple on all likely and unlikely occasions .

And now a word with "Di . Cran . Kin . " How he could write such a letter I don ' t know ; surely he could not have been present at the last Prov . G . Lodge . He speaks of the " very gentlemanly conduct of the unsuccessful candidate for the

Prov . G . Treasurership , " and of his " extreme worthiness and modesty "¦! Of the former of the two last attributes I have no doubt whatever , and of the other I can only say that I though ; he looked uncomfortable under the eulogium of

his belligerent proposer ; but of the gentlemanly conduct , I think there must be some mistake , as the candidate ' s speech , made in returning thanks for those votes recorded in his favour , showed he had not much of the gentlemanly spirit in him ,

and brought upon his lu-ad the severest rebuke it has ever been my lot to hear from our usually placid Prov . Grand Master . The other three brethren whose names are introduced in " Di . Cran . Kin ' s" letter , doubtless feel much aggrieved by the weakly puns of your correspondent , as

otherwise their names and recollections might have subsided into their usual obscurity . Lastly , I would add , that a reform in the distribution of

Prov . Grand honours will not be obtained by blustering talk and threatening notices . I am , Sir , yours fraternally , FIDELIS .

"The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonry."

"THE FAIR SEX AND ADOPTIVE MASONRY . "

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am afraid the soil of England is not likely to prove exactly congenial to this " Eastern Star Order , and , so far as I can judsre , we need not be at all sorry at

it . It appears to me that our wives , sisters , and daughters are more at home looking after household affairs—darnin' stockings , or whatever happens to be necessary—than holding forth at meetings of any Eastern Star . As expressed at

page 657 , "The modest virgin , the prudent wife , and the careful matron are much more serviceable in life than petticoated philosophers , blustering heroines , or virago queens . " Modesty is a tender plant , yet none the less beautiful upon

that account , but I can hardly fancy the air of a pseudo female-masonic lodge the best place to rear it . Everything in its own place is a very good axiom , and the proper place , in my opinion , for the female who wishes to be truly loved and

respected is outside all such concerns . Some of them may be well conducted for a time , but the danger is too great , as in the hands of designing parties they might be gradually transformed into

mere temples of Venus— " revivals " of some ancient , but anything than woman-elevating , rites or customs of our eastern predecessors . Requiescat in pace . I am yours fraternally , W . P . BUCHAN .

Poetry.

Poetry .

—*—"OUR NAUTICAL BROTHER . " BY WILLIAM BERNARD . Dedicated by permission to Bro . William Tesseyman , W . M . ofthe Humber Lodtre , Hull .

Here ' s a toast ! Fill your glasses , tis one I hold dear , Let revelry settle before it , E ' en Bacchus himself , were that jolly god here , Would ponder in thoughtfulness o ' er it . Then fill to the brim ,

As we thus honour him , Through wandering oft from his Mother , Yet comes back to find That a welcome most kind Wc have all for a Nautical Brother .

Thc works of Thc Great Architect he has seen In calmness ancl in a commotion , And often , perchance , in the danger has been Of strife on the angry ocean ; But putting his trust ,

As a good Mason must , In the Master whose aid cannot fail him , Mc never despairs , But courageously dares Whatever in life may assail him . Then fill , & c .

We'll pledge him to-night , whether absent or near , And hopcHthat he always may find A Lodge in the heart of each Mason sincere , And thc goodwill of all humankind ; For when ploughing thc waves ,

Which he nobly braves , For England , for home , and for beauty , He carries our art To a far distant part , And its precepts of love , truth , and duty . Then fill , & c .

Thc widow and orphan in him never fail For charity hearty and willing , For so gen ' vous is he , as he lists to their tale , That he'll give e ' en liis very last shilling . He ' s worthy the toast ,

Though of it wc ne er boast , For ( lattery wc one and all smother , So let ' s drink to-night , With unclouded delight , " The Health of our Nautical Brother . " Then fill , & c .

The ''Freemason" Life Boat Maintenance Committee

THE ''FREEMASON" LIFE BOAT MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE

A meeting , to constitute the committee whose object will bc to collect subscriptions towards maintaining the " Freemason " life-boat stationed at North Berwick , was held at the Railway Tavern , London-street , E . G ., on Tuesday , the

7 th inst . Bro . A . E . Hams , P . M . 141 ; was voted in the chair . There were present : Bros . Chas . Lacy , P . M . 174 * J . Gillard , 1 S 0 ; N . Gluckstein , 141 , P . M . 51 , P . P . G . S . W . Essex ; E . Gottheil , P . M . 141 : P . Davis , 141 . Bro . S .

Davis was prevented from being present on account of indisposition , but a letter was read , in which he expressed his willingness to serve on the committee . The committee was formally constituted , and it was resolved that the officers

of the former committee should retain respectively their former positions . The following brethren have signified their assent to be mem . bers of committee : the R . W . Bro . J . R . Stebbing , P . G . D . England , P . D . G . M . Hampshire ; R . W .

Little , P . M . 975 , 1 . ? 93 , 862 , 1194 , 1319 , P . Z . 177 , 975 , P . G . S . Middlesex ; John Boyd , P . M . 145 , 534 , P . Z . 177 , 975 , A . G . P . ; John Coutts , P . M . 27 , 1310 , P . Z . 177 , 3 S 2 , A . G . P . ; R . H . D . Johnson , P . M . 249 , 1049 ; II . M . Levy , P . M .

18 S ; E . Grant , 228 , 742 , Hon . Mem . 435 . It was also resolved that the committee meet on the first Tuesday in the months of November , February , May , and August , and that each member pay the sum of five shillings per annum towards the fund .

1 he following subscriptions were announced * . £ s . d . Bro . Geo . Kenning , W . M . 192 , J . W . 1293 , P . G . D . Middlesex 1 1 o

Brethren of St . Chads Lodge , 112 9 ... 1 10 o Great Northern Lodge , 12 72 160 Great Northern Lodge , 12 S 7 1 1 o Bro . J . Gillard , 180 ( annual ) 050

. £ 5 3 0 Treasurer ' s balance of former fund 16 10 o Total ^ 21 13 o After a vote of thanks to Bro . Harris , the meeting was adjourned .

Tlie cost of maintaining the boat is ^ , 50 per annum , and the committee appeal to the brethren lo second them in their efforts to collect the required amount , to thc payment of which the former committee have pledged themselves .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

GLASGOW . Thc Thistle and Rose Lodge , No . 73 , met on Tuesday , when thc R . W . M ., Bro . G . M'Donald , passed and raised Bro . George Swanson . Bro . Mathew Micklcjohn , of the Rutherglen Royal Arch Chapter , was then affiliated by Bro . T . Stewart , the

I . P . M ., ancl arrangements were made for the annual meeting of thc lodge . The Caledonian Unity Royal Arch Chapter met at their hall , Buchanan-street , on the 9 th inst ., when thc chairs were filled by Comps . Gilchrist , Z . ; G . M'Donald , II . : and G . W . Wheeler , T- * with

Comps . M . Figdon , ist Soj . * , G . M . Leod , Scribe E . ; and T . Findlcr , Scribe N . Bros . Joseph Ettleston , Harris , Silverstone ,: uul Williiuu Berwick were then advanced lo the Mark and Chair degrees , and at the request of Comp . Singleton , Z ., and IT .

Malison , II ., ofthe Shamrock and Thistle Chapter , No . Sy , thc same degrees wero then given to J 3 ro . John F . Watson , on behalf of that chapter . Comp . Balfour , P . Z . 73 , imparted thc Chair degree , both the ceremonies being rendered in a very impressive manner .

DR . FRANKLIN says that " time is money . " This may account for the fact that persons , when in most need of money , ash for time .