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It may become a fair question whether our best policy would not be , if there be room , to increase the main building- so as to hold 300 , and for the present hire a house near , ( there must be many

suitable and available ) , and take in fifty new boys in a preparatory school at once . To many of the poor lads immediate care and housing would be all in all . We shall call attention to another point or two next week .

* * WE have to report with deep regret the premature death of Bro . DALLIN , Public Orator of Oxford University , and a very rising member of our Order . He will be much missed in Oxford and the Apollo University Lodge .

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Original Correspondence .

[ Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wc wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE ANCIENT AND PRIMITIVE RITE . Dear Bro . Kenning , — I note in the last Freemason a letter from Bro . Kenneth Mackenzie relative to this subject , and as there is one point in his letter which I do not comprehend , I beg to call his attention to it , as I think it is a " slip of the pen . " What does Bro . Mackenzie mean by this

sentence?" It is idle for the . *> ncient and Accepted Rite , founded by an expelled Craft Mason in 1 S 45-46 , " & C ? I really now should be glad if my able brother will explain his statement , which to me , as I said before , is incomprehensible . When I was preparing your "Cyclopaedia , " 1 looked carefully into all the available histories of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , not being a member of it myself , and leaving out the

question of Frederick the Great , I came to the impartial conclusion that it dated in its essentials from the middle of the last century , on historical evidence , and in its entirety from the beginning of this . How then oan "Memphis" or "Mizraim" come into competition with it ? They are both of dubious origin in the early part of the nineteenth century .

The Ancient and Accepted Rite was formally established in this country under a Supreme Grand Council , in 1845 , though it might have been as well established in the latter part of the last century . The Ancient and Primitive Rite practically dates from 1 S 65 in America , and some years later in this country . I do not enter on the subject of ' * jurisdiction , " as it is

confessedly difficult for a " Craftsman to deal with ; but looking at the whole matter as a Masonic student , I should never think of putting the Ancient and Primitive Rite on the same level , actually and historically , with the Ancient and Accepted Rite , as regards antiquity . Yours fraternally , THE EDITOR OF YOUR "CYCLOPAEDIA . "

_ To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I readily acknowledge the uniform courtesy with which you have treated any communications I have had the privilege of sending you for insertion in the columns of the Freemason , and I hope that I have in no way abused this privilege by indulgence in heated language or display of * U > ritV"nni ** iiip tuali nrr iiiiiuuiuua ibmiei

Hv . ^ That I do feel very strongly that the Ancient and Primitive Rite has received the most ungenerous treatment , to call it no worse , together with a total absence of the most ordinary courtesy , from the Golden Square Body , I do not attempt to conceal , and to concede that the circular referred to is a justifiable way of notifying their members that the two rites arc not identical , I utterly decline to admit .

One might reasonably expect such a letter , or whatever it may be called , from a firm of tradesmen against a rival in business , but certainly not from one Masonic body writing of another body . You must remember that neither as individuals or as a body have we attacked the Ancient and Accepted Rite—on the contrary , we desired only peace and goodwill ; yet every opportunity is seized upon to vilify and

annoy us ( witness the enclosed cutting from a Glasgow paper published almost simultaneously , with the editorial remarks in the Freemason ) . Is the language used therein consistent with Masonic comity and gentlemanly courtesy ? I trow not . Let acts not professions speak . I say again we do not desirecontroversy , but peace ; but if peace is only obtainable by the sacrifice of self-respect , then I venture to

think it is time to consider whether it is not "well to be angry . " I hope to have another opportunity of reply to your leader of last week , if needed , but as I see you have some communications under consideration which may have a bearing on the matter , 1 will , with your permission , postpone my answer for the present . —Yours fraternally , JAMES HILL , G . S . G . Ancient and Primitive Rite , 33 .

The following is the extract alluded to : — "SOVEREIGN SANCTUARY 33 D . " Sir , —Some time since my attention was called to a curiously-worded circular notifying the fact that a body having thesounding title of the " Sovereign Sanctuary 33 d , in and for Great Britain and Ireland , of the Antient and Primitive Rite , " had granted a charter for the formation of

a chapter in Glasgow , said to be the first of the kind established in Scotland . The Degrees to be conferred in this chapter , it appears , are from the fourth to the thirtieth of the Rite , and the authors of the circular are good enough to explain that their 20 th Degree is equal to 33 rd of the Ancient and Accepted Rite . At the time I first saw the

circular I was so assured that it must be well known in Masonic circles in Glasgow that the whole Degrees of the so-called Antient and Primitive Rite are spurious , and its "Sovereign Sanctuary 33 rd " an altogether unrecognised Masonic authority , that 1 did not care to take any notice ofthe impudent pretensions ofthe new body ; but as it has since come to my knowledge that by the misrepresentations of some of its founders a number of worthy brethren

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have been induced to connect themselves with it , I think it right to take advantage of your columns for the purpose of warning the Fraternity against being induced not only to pay money for degrees which are altogether valueless and unrecbgnised , but to incur the additional penalty of exclusion from all the various bodies working under the Supreme Council of the 33 rd Degree of the Antient and

Accepted Rite , whicli is , of course , the onl y legal fountain in Scotland for what are known as the High Degrees . I may here explain that the so-called "Antient and Primitive Rite" is nothing more than the spurious rite of Memphis under another name , it having apparently been found that the 07 degrees into which that Rite was divided were unworkable , and that it was desirable to imitate the Ancient

and Accepted Rite , not only in the number of its Degrees , but also , as far as possible , in its very name . The Rite uf Memphis was founded originally at Montauban in 1814 by Sam Honis and Gabriel Marconis . It does not , however , appear to have met with much acceptance , as within a year it became dormant . It was , however , revived in an amplified form in 1 S 3 S by a son of G . Marconis ,

who constituted himself Grand Hierophant of the Order , and it then dragged out an existence till 1 S 62 , when , by the voluntary act of its head , it was merged in the Grand Orient of France . It has been shown by the clearest evidence that Marconis made over to Grand Orient all the real or fancied rights and powers possessed by him as chief of the Order , and that the cession thereof was

subsequently ratified by him repeatedly in the most solemn way . Nevertheless , he had the audacity to repudiate his own act , and in breach of his agreement with the Grand Orient , grant a faculty to Harry J . Seymour to introduce the Rite into America , whence it was brought to England in 1872 . It will thus be seen that not only have the Antient and Primitive Rite and its predecessor always oeen

accounted spurious , but that further , the authority granted to Harry J . Seymour proceeded a non habente potestatcm , and was an altogether invalid document . In England , I am happy to say , the Rite has made very little progress , although there are a few bodies with lofty titles—Mystic Temples , Senates , & c . —scattered over the country . I have hitherto felt satisfaction that Scotland has been free

from the incursions of the votaries of this bogus form of Masonry ; but although it has now appeared in our midst , I am satisfied that it will very shortly share the fate which has attended all former efforts to establish spurious degrees in Glasgow , and evanish without leaving any perceptible trace behind . I am afraid I have already trespassed too long upon your space , but before I close this letter there is

another point on which 1 would like to address a word of warning to brethren who have been deluded into ranking themselves under the banner of the so-called Antient and Primitive Rite . I am informed that among the degrees which it is intended to work in the new chapter is included the Royal Arch , in which case I would remind any Royal Arch Masons who have joined it that they have rendered themselves liable to be very summarily dealt with by the Prov .

Grand Chapter , while at the . same time 1 would caution any intending candidates that receiving the Degree in this illegal way will not only be of no service to them , but will in addition seriously prejudice their whole Masonic position for the future . —I am , Sic , J . DALRYMPLE DUNCAN , 30 , S . P . G . M . of Glasgow . 223 , West George Street , Glasgow , Oct . 12 .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In last Saturday ' s Freemason Bro . Mackenzie makes a very grave mistake . He has no right , not the shadow of a reason , to say that "The Antient and Accepted Rite was founded by an expelled Craft Mason , " meaning , I suppose , that the English Supreme Council of that Rite

was so founded . True , it is , indeed , and sad , that the revered brother and highly accomplished Mason , R . T . Crucefix , M . D ., was suspended for six months from his Masonic privileges byGrand Lodge in 1840 ; suspended , be it observed , and not expelled , for these are terms which indicate a wide difference in respect of the degree of the offence , and as well as the degree of punishment . Now I

think that Bro . Mackenzie ought to be aware of the fact that in 1844 , when associated with the lamented and learned Bro . G . Oliver , D . D ., and that excellent Mason Bro . Henry Udall , as the principal founder of the Supreme Council 33 , Bro . Crucefix was in the full enjoyment of all his Masonic privileges , including those of a Past Grand Deacon of England . The following extract from that

useful and learned work , "The Illustrations of Masonry , " will show us what the Craft at large thought of Bro . Crucefix . "In this year ( 1841 ) a valuable testimonial was presented to Bro . R . T . Crucefix , P . J . G . D ., as an acknowledgment of his zeal and assiduity in promoting the interests and advancing the practical utility of the Order . Amongst other services

the programme particularly noticed his exertions in the addition of Past Masters to the Board of General Purposes , which was acknowledged to be a great practical advantage to the Craft ; the establishment of the Past Masters' Club ; the originating of an asylum for worthy , aged , and decayed Freemasons ; the proposition of a Masonic offering to the Grand Master ; and the continuous assiduity

and exertion in bringing that popular effort to its successful issue , and the establishment or the ' Freemasons' Quarterly Review , ' as a legitimate organ of the Craft . The testimonial was presented at a full meeting of the Bank of England Lodge , on Wednesday , 24 th November , in the presence of numerous brethren from all parts of the kingdom . " Bro . Yarker , it is sad to find , has fallen into a still more

grievous error . In his Speculative I'reemasonry , he makes the astounding statement : "It — the English Supreme Council—was constituted by a spurious Mason . " This can hardly be deemed a proper epithet to apply to a Past Grand Deacon of England , even if he had not founded that grand Institution the "Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons . " Yours faithfully and fraternally , J . MARSDEN , P . M ., 30 , & c . Carmarthen , Nov . 15 th .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I regret that you should have thought my former letter un-Masonic in its temper , for such was not my intention , but obstinate diseases very often require sharp remedies , and the disease that tne , Supreme Council is

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suffering from is an hallucination that they have a sovereign jurisdiction over High Grade Masonry in this country . If this could be cured I firmly believe all would go well . The last official circular of the Grand Sec . Gen . Antient and Accepted Rite , as published in the Freemason of the 6 th inst ., is not of a character to bring about the desirableend ; the very ambiguous manner in which the name of the Grand Sec . Gen . of the Antient and Primitive Rite

is mentioned , and the presumption with which they speak 01 the Rite as an unauthorised body , is only carrying out their traditions for despotism , binding all their members from Masonic fellowships , intercourse , or communication with any other body except those recognised by the Supreme Council , which we know to be a self elected body of nine members . Will then the Craft quietly permit this clique

to veto a Rite , equally pure , or even purer than their o . vn ? The Degrees of the Antient and Primitive are universal , not sectarian , and will command the attention of all members of the Order who desire advancement , besides which it will be found on research , that the Degrees of the Antient and Accepted system have been worked in

different forms in the various Rites that have been in existence during the end of the last and present century , and to obtain them now is the right of every worthy member of the Craft . Yours fraternally , HERMES . [ We cannot understand what the " Craft" has to do with the matter . —ED . F . M . ]

GRAND OFFICERS . To the Editor ofthe "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In your impression of the 30 th October , " Not Infallible " suggests our "taking off our hats and makingway for our elders and betters ; " a fortnight ' s seclusion has , however , exhausted his patience , so , with your

permission , I will now re-appear upon the scene . My opponent states : "If * Reviresco , ' ' Lex Scripta , ' and ' Bayard' give up the argument , as it affects Prov . Grand Masters , I am perfectly satisfied . " Will "Not Infallible " kindly do me the favour to make his meaning clearer ? I have argued and proved that Prov . Grand Masters are not " Grand Officers ; " and if there is any other point raised

for decision , I am ignorant as to what it can possibly be . Is the Duke of Sussex's letter to the Board of General Purposes referred to ? If so , I will endeavour to discuss the import of that communication seriously . It is suggested that at any time by a written instrument the Grand Master may create an entirely new class of Grand Officers , previously unknown to the Constitutions . Editorially , I

observe , you introduce this suggestion as the dictum of a distinguished "Grand Officer , " which , however , you so far endorse as to say " that it throws some light on the matter . " May I , therefore , respectfully and fraternally , call upon you to show how the faintest ray of light is shed upon the status of Grand Oflicers by the letter from the Duke of

Sussex to the Board of General Purposes , of December , 1837 . In conclusion , let me add that it has afforded me much pleasure to observe that " Not Infallible " having discovered that District Grand Masters are the Jonahs of his vessel , has unceremoniously thrown them overboard , and now confines his defence to the position of Provincial Grand Masters . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours truly , and fraternally ,

BAYARD

To the Editor of the " Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , — In the discussion now being cariied on in your columns respecting the status in Grand Lodge of Provincial and District Grand Masters , it has become plain that " Lex Scripta " and " Not Infallible " are greatly dissatisfied with the place and power accorded to District Grand Masters .

Indeed , these writers do not shrink from advocating the diminution of that p lace and power . In the very best interests of the Grand Lodge of England in foreign parts , I beg to express my strong hope that no alteration whatever may be made in the status of the District Grand Masters . To diminish the' rank and privileges in Grand Lodge of

the District -Grand Masters would be to sap the especially dignified position held by English Freemasonry abroad . In the districts , English warranted lodges find themselves on common ground with Scottish and Irish lodges , and in some districts with American , German , and French lodges . That English District Grand Lodges invariabl y occupy a very commanding position among other jurisdictions is a

fact due to the ample dignity and place in her own communications , which the Grand Lodge of England has accorded to her Grand Master ' s District Representatives . Any curtailment of the place and privileges now given in the Book of Constitutions and District Grand Masters would surely be hereafter felt in the diminution of Grand Lodge

receipts from the districts . *" Such curtailment would also be a strange reaction from the views which prompted the wise legislation as respects District Grand Masters and District Grand Lodges , which was enacted some fifteen years ago . I enclose my card , and remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally .

PAST DEPUTY DISTRICT GRAND MASTER

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother . — Though I quite agree with a" Past District Grand Master " as to the general effect of his argument , yet , on one point , I venture to think we require a little information . When did the words " District Grand Masters" first appear in the Book of Constitutions ? They are not to be found in the small edition of 1 S 63 .

Of course , if the insertion of the words is later than 1870 , ( I have not been able to look at any later edition than 1863 ) , in my humble opinion it strengthens the argument of a " District Grand Master . " Can Bros . Fenn or Gould tell us ? A PAST G . OFFICER . [ The argument drawn from that portion of the Book of Constitutions alluded to was , it will be remembered , the original one of the Freemason , so much found fault with . — ED . F . M . ]

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION . To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly in your next issue give me a little space _ and reply in your ( valuable paper to the following question j * W ^« f » at the end of his year of office a W . M . remove *