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TO OUR READERS . THE FREEMASON is published every Friday morning , price 3 d ., and contains the fullest a » d latest information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscriptions , including Postage : — United States , t ,. ,-. . , , .. United Kingdom . Canada , the Conti- Ind ' ? . ; ?» Australia nent & c . " ^ ealan < 1 » & c « 13 s . 15 s . 6 d . 17 s . 6 d . Remittances may be made in Stamps , but Post Olfice Orders or Cheques are preferred , the former payable to GEORGE KENNING ^ Ohu'cf Office , London , thc latter crossed London Joint Stock Bank . '

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la Correspondents . The following stands over : — Corinthian Lodge , No . 132 S . __^__ BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " Boletin Oficial del Grand Orient de Espana , " " Hull Packet , " " Broad Arrow , " "The Citizen , " " The Jewish Chronicle , " "Caygill's Tourist's Chronicle , " " 'The Sunday Times , " " Der Long Islaender , " " Masonic Advocate , " " New York Dispatch , " "The Voice of Masonry , " "The Canadian Craftsman , " "Allen's Indian Mail , " "The North China Herald , " " Keystone . "

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THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , AUGUST 20 , 1881 .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

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

PROVINCIAL GRAND STANDARD BEARERS , & c . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In your last week's edition you publish the reports of the annual meetings of four Provincial Grand Lodges , viz ., Devon , Hampshire , Middlesex , and Essex .

Now , I have always understood that the number of ofiicers in a Provincial Grand Lodge were the same as a Grand Lodge , with the exception of the two extra Deacons and Assistant Pursuivant , annually appointed in Grand Lodge . I will take Devonshire first . Here there is no " Sword Bearer appointed ; " then comes Hampshire with a "

Standard Bearer ; " and then Middlesex with an "Assistant Pursuivant ; " then Essex , which has a "Sword Bearer , " but neither a "Standard Bearer" nor an "Assistant Pursuivant . " Why these descrepancies ? According to the Book of Constitutions , Essex is the only province which has nrted in accordance with the established custom of our

Order . I see that Sir Lucius Cuitis appointed Prov . Grand Standard Bearers in Hampshire up to iSOG , and there has not been any brother appointed to that office since . There are some few of the old Standard Bearers slill in existence , and they wear thc purple and rank as Past

Provincial Grand Officers , which , according tothe statement of Bro . Mclntyre , the Grand Registrar , at the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , is clearly irregular ; and it seems more strange that the appointment should have becn made in the above province as its R . W . Master presided at the last meeting of Grand Lodge . I am , yours fraternally , LEX LOCI .

THE SO-CALLED PAST MASTER'S DEGREE . To thc Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read with much interest Ihe communications from W . Bro . T . B . Whytehead and others , in the Freemason , discussing the status of American brethren whe

have received the Past Master ' s Degree who desire to be recognised as such in English Lodges . It may he interesting to your readers to know that there are two divisions in this so-called Degree of Past Master in America , i . e . the actual , and the " virtual . " An " Actual " Past Master is one who has been elected

by lawful authority to preside over a lodge of Master Masons as its Worshipful Master , and having presided over the same for a lawful time becomes on the election and installation of his successor a Past Master by merit , or actual Past Master . We do not have the office of Immediate Past Master a I . P . M . as you do in England .

A " Virtual " Past Master is one who receives the Degree of Past Master ( as the fifth in the American Rite ) , under the warrant of a chapter of Royal Arch Masons and in a lodge of Past Masters . When Thomas Smith Webb , the American Masonic Degree manufacturer , introduced his

Royal Arch system in this country , he found that it was necessary that the candidate for thc Royal Arch should be a Past Master ; he therefore introduced it without law or reason , anil made il one of his scries of Degrees , ranking nftcr the Mark and before the most l . xc . lleiit Master ' s

Degree . In Pennsylvania , before the- . niium-nt ' cnn nl of this century , the- R . W . Grand Master of the Grand Lodge would , upon the application of ( In- Master and Wardens of any particular lodge , if-sue his dispensation lo that lodge to " Pass to tlie Chair " Ihe moihcr recommended .

Original Correspondence.

This dispensation was sent to the lodge , and the Master proceeded to act upon the same and actually installed the brother for the time being a Master of that particular lodge , and he was greeted as such with all the honours , and presided over its works . Then the brother became a member of the Grand Lodge . The number of brethren who had

passed the chairs by dispensation increasing , the Grand Lodge declared in a short time that a brother passing the chair by dispensation did not become a member of the Grand Lodge . This was thecustom nearly a century ago in Pennsylvania , and such are our regulations at the present day .

We do not recognise any one here as a Past Master except he has presided actually in a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons . In our Grand Chapter we confer the Degrees Jof Mark , Most Excellent and Royal Arch Mason . There is another reason why the " Virtual" or Chapter

Past Master should not be recognised by a Craft lodge or lodge of Free and Accepted Alasons , since in a large number of Grand Chapters the \ Vorsbipful Master , or Past Master of a Blue Lodge , in taking the capitular Degrees in their chapters are required to take the Degree of a Past Master , thus the chapter Past Master will not recognise the

lodge Past Master . A chapter Past Master ( "Virtual" ) has no rights or privileges as such except in a lodge of Past Masters open under a chapter warrant . This should not be recognised in the lodge in any manner or form whatever , unless , as I

have said before , they have actually presided over a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons . Yours fraternally , CHARLES E . MEYER . Philadelphia , Penn .

ANSWER TO BRO . JACOB NORTON . Dear Bro . Jacob Norton , — I have heard from Mr . Halliwell Phillips , and I now give his reply , as you will be expecting it : — " I am sorry to say that I have not a single note on the

subject of Masonry , nor even a copy of my little book—the subject has very long passed altogether out of my memory . It has never been my habit to keep notes or drafts of any book after it has been published , or I need not say how gladly I would have placed them at your disposal . " Yours fraternally , THE EDITOR .

THE USES OF FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I was reading a work thc other day entitled , " Journal of Adventures with the British Army from the Commencement of the War to the Taking of

Sevastopol , " by Geo . Cavendish Taylor , late 95 th Regiment , when I stumbled on the following passage , page 27 S ; and , as I always remember Captain Cuttle ' s apothegm , "When found make a note ol , " I send it on lo you : " At first he ( Captain Vaughan , 90 th Regiment ) was

ill-treated by the Russian soldiers , and the ofiicers took no notice of him , until he discovered one of them to be a brother Freemason . This officer immediately gave him nourishment , and sent him down to the hospital . " Yours fraternally , OUT FOR A HOLIDAY .

A MASONIC ARCH / EOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — So little response has been made to the suggestions of your former correspondent on this head , that 1 fear , to use a proverbial expression , it is like "whipping a dead horse to life" to advocate the formation of such a society .

Still , I think it but right to keep the question before your readers , and so I revert to it in these " quiet times "of Masonry to-day . Can nothing be done in it ? ls it impertinent to ask , What has become of our older institute ? Were there not Life Fellows ? Arc there no officers extant , or is it completely defunct ? Yours fraternally , JOHN DORY .

MENDICANT MASONS . To the Editor of tlie " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — We have had a man named Sam Simmonsky in this city for about a month , who alleged he was a Mason , and he had in his possession letters from several brethren

in one of the Midland Counties towns , to the effect that he was a brother in distress , and by the aid of these documents he is evidently imposing upon members of our Order . I le was suffering from rheumatism , and by thc assistance of some brethren he has had the benefit of about

three weeks' stay in our Mineral Water Hospital , and came out much better last Friday . On Saturday he applied to me for help , and I took the trouble to thoroughly examine him , and found he was unable to satisfy mc as to his being a Mason . His letters are now in my possession , and he will not get them again unless he can be more

satisfactory . Kindly insert ( his in your next edition , so that the inembeisol our Order may be p'eparcd for "Sam Simmonsky . " Yours fraternally , W . M . 41 , !? atl _ , August 13 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

ENTRIES IN ASHMOLE'S DIARY . As is well known to Masonic students , Elias Ashmole mentions in his diary his initiation at Warrington , 1646 , and his presence at a lodge , Masons' Hall , Basinghall-street , 16 S 2 . Mr . W . H . Allnutt , of thc Bodleian Library , Oxford , has had these extracts lithographed in facsimile with a copy of Elias Ashmole ' s autograph . These interesting

"souvenirs" of early Freemasonry in England , and which are very well executed , may be had of Mr . W . H . Gee , 2 S , High-street , Oxford , post free is . ( 3 d . Some recent investigations serve to throw around the name of Elias Ashmole , " his initiation at Warrington , and his presence in London , some importance in the actual position of Masonic criticism and investigation .

THE GAME OF LAWN TENNIS , WITH THE LAWS . The laws of Lawn Tennis are very remark-able ; they represent a growth of civilization and " outcome " of " aesthetic emotion " not known to our forefathers . Time was when " young men and maidens " persistently played at Croquet , and some of our readers no doubt arrived at such a pitch of excellence in that interesting game that their

performance was alike artistic and marvellous , and many happy "souvenirs" still abide to all those poor wayfarers , of pleasant combinations , attractive dresses , " wreathed smiles , " and fascinating partners . Indeed , wc can hear , we fancy , some poor married man exclaiming , " Oh I that game of croquet , which enticed me into the—well , noose of matrimony , and gave me the undeniable blessing of my dear Carry . " And the same attraction seems to linger

around the recollections and "outcome " of Lawn Tennis . Are we not taken back to a shady lawn , to refreshing trees , to energetic "dramatis persona . " and applauding spectators , to lithe maidens and " active youths , to a grateful hour of tea and small talk" and the inevitable accompaniment of real or factitious juxtaposition ? We trust that this is so , unless as Freemasons we be , which we do not opine we can justly be said to be , the

dullest of mortals , and , therefore , it is that in the grave columns of the Freemason we say a few passing words , and offer our humble tribute of praise to thc graceful and agreeable game of Lawn Tennis . If any of our readers are furnished with one of those admirable boxes of operative instruments and gay paraphernalia so deftly supplied by that courteous firm of Feltham ar . d Co ., in the rood City of London , they will not only find the means ofspending pleasantly many a summer hour , but afford their young

people some merry moments of innocent gregariousness , which may lead , who knows , to permanent partnership and prevailing " life interests , " whether for the good or the evil , the happiness or thc trouble , of many a laughing youth and fair-haired or dark-haired maiden . Who can pretend to forecast ? If doubt lingers on any such futurity , it a possibility of dark clouds tinges the blue heaven now above us , let us not seek to anticipate the stern decrees of fate , let us leave to the morrow thc things of to-morrow , —" sufficient for the day is the evil thereof . "

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

ELIAS ASHMOLE . It is well to remember the names of those present at Warrington in 1 G 4 6 , and in London in 16 S 2 . At Warrington in 1 ( 146 , were Mr . Richard Penkcth , Mr . James Collier , Mr . Rich . Sankey , Henry Littler , John Ellam , Richard Ellam , and Hugh Brewer . Some writers have assumed tllat there is a difference in social " status" between those to whose names the " Mr . " is prefixed , and

those wanting it . lt has too hastily been assumed also that all were of the " Craft " of Masonry . It seems from recent researches that Penkcth , Sankey , and Ellam were not so , and were all "Speculatives" probably . Can any brother throw any light on any of thc names ? In 1 CS 2 Mr . Thos . Wise , Master of the Masons' Company , Mr . Thomas Shorthose , Mr . Thomas Shadbolt , Waindford , Esq ., Mr . Richard Young , Mr . John Shorthose , Mr . William Hamon ,

Mr . John Thompson , and Mr . William Stanton were present with Elias Ashmole . Sir Wm . Wilson , Captain Rich , Borthwick , Mr . Wm . Woodman , Mr . Samuel Taylor , and Mr . William Wise were the candidates initiated March nth , 1 GS 2 . Can any brother throw any light on these names , or suggest any possibility of identification ? 1 have seen Mr . Allnutt ' s admirably lithographed facsimile of their entries . It is highly to be commended . MASONIC STUDENT .

FREEMASONRY IN JAMAICA . As hinted in your last , I have the pleasure to present an interesting fact or two bearing on " Freemasonry in Jamaica , " an article on which , by Bro . Biirgcr , appeared the week previously . Through the kindness and courtesy of a prominent brother in this neighbourhood , I have had an opportunity of inspecting two certificates in his

possession , originally the property of a relative . This was Bro . Simon Miller , an officer in the navy . The first certificate , dated July [ igth , 1775 , is wholly in manuscript , and it appears that Bro . Miller merely was initiated on the date named . I give the certificate verbatim , premising that at the head of the half-sheet of foolscap are pen and ink sketches of the square and compasses in the centre , with a plumb rule and level on either side ,

" From the East , where shines ye Great Light . " Lux ex Tcnebris . "These are to certify that Simon Miller was made an Enter'd Apprentice in the Union Lodge , at Savannah La Mar , in the Island of Jamaica . We , therefore , pray all respectable brethren to receive our dear Brother Simon Miller in his respectable Qualitys , and to entertain him in

everything relative to them . We promise to have thc same regard to those who shall present themselves to our Lodge , furnished with proper and Authentic Titles . To which we have subscribed our names and affixed our seal , this 19 th day of the month Sevan of thc year 7775 , of the Restoration 3-ji 5 , and of the vulgar / Era Ihe 17 th day of hine , 1775 .

" WILLIAM III . NI . Y RICKJ - . TTS , Mr . JoSKi'ii W 11 . 1 . 1 .. M . S , Senior Wn . ( AS . Ron . TOMI . IN . SON-, junior Wn . " JAMKS BAIN , P . M .. " [ SEA ... ' ] In looking carefully through Bro , Biirger ' s article ,