Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , With many in the Masonic body there prevails an idea that a member of a lodge is not at liberty to invite a

brother to such lodge to witness its working , and to partake of its hospitality , without a special invite from the W . M . Possibly the opinion may be ventilated through your valuable columns . 1 am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally . M . M .

PROVINCE OF N . AND E . YORKS , GIRLS ' FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly favour me by inserting in your next issue a more complete list of the contributions from

this province to the above Festival than the one published in your paper on Saturday last . I ask this favour as I am most anxious that every brother who served as Steward , and contributed his mite , and also the lodges , & c , contributing , to render the result so satisfactory , shall have every credit to which they are entitled for their generous exertions . Yours very fraternally , J . S . CUMBERLAND , P . J . P . G . W ., Prov . Charity Representative .

Province of N . and E . Yorks List . Stewards . £ s . d . Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , "" ! R . W . P . G . M Bro . J . W . Woodall , P . S . P . G . W . ... y 340 9 o Bro . J . S . Cumberland , P . J . P . G . W . ... Bro . Christopher Palliser , P . P . G . S . of W . J 57 , Humber Lodge ( Bro . J . Walton , J . W . ) G 3 o o 250 , Minerva Lodge ( Bro . Dr . W . Holder , W . M . ) 57 ' 5 ° 1010 , Kingston , ( Bros . Geo . Bolin , P . P . G . R ., H . Logan , and W . l'order 5 S iG o

Total £ 52 ° o o A MASONIC HALL FOR MIDDLESEX . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It has been suggested that , with a view to obtain proper accommodation for the lodges meeting in

Twickenham and the neighbourhood , a Masonic Hall , to cost about £ 1000 , and to be called the " Burdett Masonic Hall , " should be erected in Twickenham . The rooms at the hotels are utterly inadequate and unsuitable ; the ceremonies are spoilt by incongruous

surroundings , and much money is spent in hotel bills . I shall be glad to learn the views of your correspondents , and if any should write , not necessarily for publication , you will , I am sure , forward their letters , and so assist in the work . Yours fraternally , MIDDLESEX .

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT GRAND LODGE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It is certainly strange that 306 lodges in the London district should be outside the " purple , " and the idea of Bro . Stevens is a good one . Fancy Cambridge , with

four lodges , and a complete set of Prov . Grand Officers . I do not approve of the arrangement suggested by Bro . Stevens ; the divisions would be unequal and the titles long ; so I suggest that six District Grand Lodges he formed , each containing as near fifty lodges as practicable , and the

designations to be similar to District Grand Lodge of " Westminster , " " Lambeth , " " Southwark , " " London , " or " North London , " " West London , " and so on ; with the City , called " London and the District of Central London , " to contain the Lodges meeting at Freemasons ' Hall . Yours , & c . A P . P . GRAND OFFICER .

THE GIRLS' FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The festival was a great success , but as usual the " Ladies Stewards " were a failure . Some few brethren accept the office as a kind of Masonic " Chiltern

Hundred ; " others , that they may be free to attend to their wives and friends . Ladies who attend , and are strangers to the Ladies' Stewards , get on very badly , their limited supply of food and drink being obtained only by asking the waiters . It is not very creditable to the Stewards that one lady got a glass of champagne , ( having failed to get any

hock ) after three times asking ; while another , after incessantly asking for some water , obtained it just as the iced pudding arrived . If brethren profess to attend to the ladies , they should attend equally to all ; but every year the same thing occurs . Yours & c . OBSERVER .

IIOLLOWAY ' S OINTMENT AMI PILLS need only a single trial to make known their capabilities . No external sore or internal inflammation can long withstand the cooling , purifying , and health influences exerted by these twin medicaments . lie the mischief recent or chronic , great or iliglit , painful or simply annoying , it will succumb before Ihe curative virtues of these perfect

remedies , which can be rightly applied by any person who will attentively read their accompanying directions , which are propounded in the plainest language , Void of technical terms , and printed in the most legible characters . To the man of business , confined to his counting-house , and harassed by engagements , these Pills are invaluable j for the man of pleasure , addicted to free living , they are peerless , —[ rVnvr . j

Reviews

REVIEWS

A NEW YEAR'S GIFT TO THE POPE , & c . & c . Translated from the French , by Bro . the Rev . W . C . LUKIS . Yorkshire Gazette Office , High Ousegate , York . Bro . Lukis , who is an active member of the York Rosicrucian Society and the Yorkshire Craft , is well-known by several valuable Masonic archailogical contributions . The little work now before us is a translation from a French

work , really called " Etvenne Au Pape , and published at the Hague , in 1752 . Would Bro . Lukis kindly accept a friendly hint from an old book collector , which is this , always give the actual name of the book in the language in which it is written , as while a book collector might for special reasons know at once all about "Etienne Au Pape , " he might not recollect that "A New Year ' s Gift to the Pope" was the same work . This work is generally

believed to have been written or edited by the well-known Baron Theodor Heinrich Von Tschudy , who also had the pseudonym of Chevalier de Lussy or Luzy . He also wrote the " Le Vatican ; Venge , Van Cleef d La Haye , " 1752 , which is another treatise on the Bull of Pope Benedict . The " Etrenne , " or " New Year ' s Gift , " was published , it is recorded , by Saurel , at the Hague , in 1752 , though I note that Bro . Lukis prints it Stephen Lewis Laurel

Liuitenhof , 1752 . Laurel , therefore , may be the right name . There was an earlier " Etrenne Au Pape , " printed at Berlin in 1740 , called also " L'Orateur Franc Macon . " The Bull of Benedict , 175 1 , which was a confirmation of the Bull of Clement , 173 S , no doubt is a confession that the first Bull had done the Freemasons more good than harm , and had fallen upon them and society without the slightest effect , and was completely

powerless and innocuous . Indeed , its provisions are so savage , and the basis on which they rest so weak and so unworthy , that it was paying but a poor compliment to the common sense of mankind , be they Roman Catholics or non-Roman Catholics , to suppose that its orders would be obeyed , or its provisions carried out . Because Roman Catholics and Protestants habitually met together , and thereby set up a sort of mutual religion , the " sequitur " is

purely that of the Papal scribe , the members of the lodges were to be handedover to the Inquisition and the secular arm ; were , "ipso facto , " by a deliberate decree , without enquiry , hearing , or judgment , ( contrary to the express stipulations of the Roman Catholic Canon Law itself ) , declared excommunicate , and unable to receive religious ministrations . The owners of the houses where the lodges met were to be taken up by the Inquisition and heavily fined and severely

punished , and the houses themselves , thus contaminated , to be pulled down . Such was the first deliverance of the Roman Catholic body , in 173 S , and , speaking by its infallible head , was repeated by Benedict , in 1751 , by Leo , by Pope Pius VII ., by Pope Pius XL , and at the present time all Freemasons are absolutely excommunicate by the Papal Bulls , under an interdict . It is true that the Roman Catholic clergy do not always carry out the law fully , many

of , them , we know , overlook it . Some treat the Bulls as " non usitata ; , " and unless the matter comes officially before them , or is forced upon their notice , take no cognizance of the fact itself . But it is , nevertheless true , that in defiance of the provisions of the Canon law , requiring citation , inquiry , full hearing and judgment , these Papal Bulls , by a definitive and an infallible decree , have condemned all Freemasons en masse , though their leading

Canonists onl y gave the Pontifical authority a supreme decision as a final court of appeal and revision . It is to this patent absurdity and injustice , repeated b y many inferior imitators and persecutors of lower rank , and without confessedly the sli g htest authority , that the writer of this work addresses himself with great clearness and power . And though perhaps it may be true , that the controversies of 175 1 have but little interest for us in 1 SS 2 ; though many

of us may be weary or unwilling as old Time runs on to give our ^ attention to the stale and unprofitable ask of controversy , yet such researches into the past , and such republication of other days , have an interest for Masonic Bookworms and Students who wish to illustrate the history of their common Order , and seek to dig up and open out long forgotten records of things , persons and events . We are much obliged to Bro . Whytehead for calling our attention to Bro . Lukis's interesting little work .

B 1 BL 10 THECA SUNDERLANDIANA . Sale Catalogue . Puttick and Simpson , 47 , Leicester-square , W . C . Bernard Quaritch , 15 , Piccadilly , W . This is the catalogue of the third part of the sale of the famous Sunderland Library , beginning July 17 th next . The second part has not | fulnllcd expectations , or rewarded the anticipations of the vendors . Many of the books turned out to be not the best editions , and it was impossible , in the

present position of book taste and book buying , to obtain a large sum for books which were neither , rare nor very valuable in themselves . No doubt a good collection ; but nothing , with very few exceptions , to justify heavy biddings , or unheard of prices . But with the third portion it probably will be very different , and we may add that it seems there are to be five sales in all , and two other portions of eight days each , to be subsequently announced . This

catalogue commences with No . 550 S , " Germon , and ends with S 15 G , " Marcellus . " Among the books for sale , and for which the competition and prices will probally run high , may be observed the " Editiones Principes of the Decretals , " ( Gregory IX . —Louis XIII . copy ) , Heliodorus , Herodian , Herodotus , Heyschius , Hierocles , St . Jerome , Hippocrates , Uorues , Horace , Joannes Damascenus , lohn

of Salisbury , Josephus , Isidorus , ( of Seville ) , Livius , Longinus , Lucan , Lucian , Lucretius , Manobius , Machal , and many more . Among the books printed on vellum may be noted the "Customs of Orleans , " by A . Oe Harlay , printed at Orleans , 1583 , and many more of much rarity and interest . There are ten volumes of portraits , which arc very scarce and valuable .

Among those on whom the honour o ( baronetcy has been conferred by Her Majesty the Oueen is Bro . M . A . Bass , M . P , Staffordshire East , and son to Bro . M . T . Bass , M . P .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

ALBANUS OR ST . ALBAN . As Mr . Elton and others seem to dispute the personality and historical reality of the pro-martyr , it seems not inadvisable to try and find out what is the actual evidence respecting him . And the enquiry divides itself naturally into two heads : ( 1 ) What is known really of his martyrdom ? ( 2 ) What is provcable of his Masonic

legend ? ( 1 ) So far , the earliest evidence in reference to Albanus or St . Alban is , as far as 1 know , that of Fortunatus , of Poictiers , priest , and some say bishop ; and a Latin poet , who wrote between 550 and 600 , and who says in a well-known lin ~ , " Albanum egregium fcecunda Britannia profert . " But it is very possible that much earlier testimonies may be fonnd . His martyrdom is said to have taken

place at St . Albans , June 22 , 303 or 305 ; some writers put it earlier . The ' •' Anglo-Saxon Chronicle " says 2 S 6 . We know that on May 16 , 794 , Offa had the body of Albanus "translated " from its burial place to the great church he had built in his honour , with the " Monde Macones . " The date of the martyrdom is not quite certain , . though the fact is mentioned by GildasBede ,

, Godfrey of Monmouth , Matthew of Paris , Lidgate , and the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle . " Gerard Leigh also dilates upon it "more suo . " Perhaps some student can tell us of an early hagiology in which mention is made of it . ( 2 ) As regards the Masonic legend , the earliest mention of it is in the Lansdowne MS . ( if it be really the earliest ) , since it is not mentioned in the Masonic Poem , nor in the Additional

Prose Constitutions , both of which evidences date from about 1415 , and are before the Lansdowne M . S . But where did the transcriber obtain his authority , as it is impossible to hold that the Lansdowne MS . is an original MS . ? We must , I think , come to this , that either there is an intermediate MS . between 1415 and 1560 , or that there was some printed authority in the latter part of the fifteenth century which has hitherto evaded discovery . MASONrC'STUDENT .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The Second Meeting of the Board of Stewards of the forthcoming Festival was held at Freemasons' Hall on Monday last . Present : Bros . George Lambert , P . G . S . B ., ( in the cHair ) J . H . Dates , J . L . Mather , Carter , Millbourn , D . P . Holness ,. Edgar Bowyer , R . F . Spice , Robert Berridge , Edward C . Davies , J . Harper , W . Topp , C .

Aldndge , 1 . W . Bush , Surgeon General , I . Ringer , A . C . Haslip , E . M . Money , William March , Joseph Clever , William Vance , W . H . Hooper , S . Smout , E . Walter Rushworth . The minutes of the first meeting-were read and confirmed , and Bro . Capt . Wordsworth signified his acceptance of the Presidency of the Board of Stewards . The report of the Sub-Committee on music was received and adopted . The next meeting was announced to be held on the 19 th June .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The following is the Report of the Committee presented to the Subscribers at the Annual Meeting on Friday , May 19 th : — The Committee have much p leasure in bringing to the notice of the Governors and Subscribers the satisfactory progress which the Institution has made during the past

year . The Annual Festival was held on the 22 nd of February last , under the presidency of Colonel J . A . Lloyd-Phillips , R . W . Prov . G . M . for South Wales ( West Division ) , who was supported by 255 Stewards . The amount raised by their exertions was £ 12 , Goo , and the Committee desire to record their thanks to the Chairman and Board of Stewards for their very able and zealous services upon the occasion .

During the year the laws of the Institution have been materially altered—the effect being not only to give greater advantages to the Governors and those acting as Stewards , but also enabling a larger number of annuitants , both male and female , to participate in the benefits of the Institution , and it is hoped that it may have a tendency to further increase its usefulness and augment its funds .

There were upon the funds after the last election 155 men and 160 widows , an increase of ten upon the previous year . To-day there is the very large list of 110 candidates awaiting election , whilst thirty-one can be elected , and of this number twenty-five only become immediate annuitants , the remaining six being admitted as vacancies occur . The Committee would therefore again urge upon the members of the Craft the claims of the

large number of candidates seeking the aid of the Institution , and most earnestly solicit their liberal support on behalf of our less fortunate brethren and widows . In addition to the 305 Annuitants there are also fourteen Widows who are in receipt of half their late husbands ' annuity , which amount is allowed them for three years ,

unless they are elected to the full annuity prior to the expiration of that time . It is believed that this institution stands alone in making such a provision for a widow immediately upon the death of her husband . The payments to the Annuitants now amount to £ 1 i , Goo excluding the necessary incidental expenses attendant upon the working of the institution during the year , whilst the

permanent income is only £ 2 joo per annum . The thanks of the Committee are again tendered to Grand Lodge for renewing its grant of £ 70 for providing coals during the winter months to the residents of the institution , a gift much appreciated by them . The alterations at the Asylum are now completed , and the different houses are in a thorough state of repair ; thereby adding much to the comfort and enjoyment of the

residents . To the Honorary Surgeons , Henry John Strong , Esq ., M . D ., of Croydon , and R . Percy Middlemist , Esq ., of London , the Committee tenders its thanks for their voluntary and unremitting kindness and attention to , those who need their valuable help and advice , which upon all occasions arc cheerfully given .