Correspondence.

r 1 Shadwell Clerke , had held that a resignation once sent to the Secretary could afterwards be withdrawn , but with this exception no authority was forthn ° ming . and Grand Lodge resolved that the brother had a right to withdraw his resignation and dismissed the appeal . Under these circumstances I venture to think that the recent decision of the

„ urt 0 f Appeal will prove to be of general interest . The case before the Court on all fours with that before Grand Lodge . The society was a voluntary one , the resi gnation was sent to the Secretary and vvas withdrawn before the next meeting of the society , and the judge before whom the case came in the first stance ne i , j that the member vvas entitled to withdraw it .

The Court of Appeal , however , reversed this decision , and held that the » ignation to the Secretary vvas resignation to the Society , and that as soon as the resignation vvas received by the Society the member sending it ceased to be T member , and could not withdraw it or become a member again without the consent of the Society .

It vvas not suggested by the V . W . Grand Registrar , or any one else , when the case above referred to vvas before Grand Lodge , that the interests of Masonry required any deviation from the law which regulates the ordinary affairs of life ; on the contrary , the V . W . Grand Registrar cited in support of his contention the well-known rule of law that " a man vvho makes an offer by letter can always

withdraw it until it is accepted , but this , with all respect , I venture to say is not analogous , because the essence of a contract is mutuality , whilst it cannot be suggested that this is a requisit condition to a resignation , for the society ( if voluntary ) receiving a resignation has no option in the matter , and cannot legally refuse to accept it against the will of the member resigning .

I have no doubt that the question will sooner or later again come before Grand Lodge , when 1 trust its previous decision may be reconsidered . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , STRATTON GERRISH , P . M . ioth February .

EMERGENCY INITIATION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Rule 185 , Book of Constitutions , provides for the initiation of a candidate into the Craft , at short notice , under certain circumstance , without the necessity of the usual month's interval ( Rule 184 ) , after proposition . I

understand that this rule is very frequently made use of in the London lodges , and I have reason to think that the rule vvhich vvas clearly intended to be applied only in exceptional cases , is not infrequently abused , as 1 venture to think it was in a recent case I met with in the Province of West Yorkshire , where pressure was put upon the W . M . of a lodge , who was induced to assent to the proposition , and ballot for and the initiation of a candidate ( a local gentleman ) under this rule ,

the emergency alleged being " That the candidate was very anxious to get through the several Degrees as quickly as possible . " Whatever candidate was not equally anxious ? Could a more paltry and unsubstantial reason be conceived ? The surprise is that any W . M . who had at his installation undertaken to abide by the Constitutions of the Order could be found so devoid of backbone as to lend himself to such a pretext for an evasion of the Constitutions . —Yours fraternally , EX-SECRETARY . P . M .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

St . Michaels Lodge , No . 211 . The installation meeting of this centenary lodge was held on Tuesday , the I ith inst ., at its old quarters , the Albion , Aldersgate-street , Bro . Geo . Cockrell , W . M ., presided , and he vvas supported by Bros . Alfred Green , P . M . ; W . Radcliffe , P . M .: P . 1 . King , P . M . ; A . Dixon , P . M . ; Orlton Cooper , P . M . ; and W . Dyer , P . M . j and besides the officers and lay members of the lodge by the following visitors : Bros . C . J . Groves , P . M . 742 ; G . J . Austin , P . M . 1791 j F . J . Bierton , VV . M . 1672 ; G . E . Higginson , P . M . 1791 j R . H . Catling , P . M . 2157 : G . VV . Goss , 174 ; R . N . Larter , 1791 ; and others .

The W . M . passed Bro . Howard E . Mullins to the Second Degree , and the lodge , amongst other work which it performed , received the report of the Audit Committee , which was highly favourable , elected a Committee for the general purposes of the lodge , and granted relief to two . distressed Maso s , formerly distinguished members of the lodge . The W . M ., Bro . Geo . Cockrell , who had determined to do all the ceremonies of the lodce during his vear . installed as his successor Bro . A . B . Snawforth . the

J . W . and W . M . elect . The performance of the ceremony was highl y satisfactory , and Bro . Cockrell vvas loudly applauded when he had completed it . Bro . Cockrell was invested as I . P . M ., the other brethren receiving the collars of office were Bros . Cecil B . Mount , S . W . ; Albert H . Collings , J . W . j Alfred Green , P . M ., Treas . j William Radcliffe , P . M ., Sec . j Ernest Collings , S . D . j W . W . Colley , J . D . j Fredk . VV . Berry , I . G . j Orlton Cooper , P . M ., D . C . j F . G . Johnson , Org . j Hy . Linfield , Mwd . ; and B . Barnes , Tyler . 01

une the usual excellent Albion banquets followed , and the toasts vvhich were alterwards proposed vvere interspersed with some excellent singing by Miss F . Sercombe f n i ? p Miss HeIen Saunders > Chas - Tilbury , and Fred . Humble , Bro . A . H . Dailey , of the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company , accompanying on the piano . After the toasts of "The Oueen and the Craft , " "The M . W . Grand Master , " and The Pro Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " had been proposed and honoured ,

oro . Ueo . Cockrell , I . P . M ., proposed "The W . M ., Bro . A . B . Spawforth , " and said that in Bro . Arthur Bingley Spawforth the St . Michael's Lodge , No . 211 , had a thoroughl y good Master . The brethren were aware that Bro . Spawforth had had a slight jump in coming into the chair , but still the brethren and visitors who had been in the lodge had seen the way in which he had done his work in investing his officers , and they would all confess he had performed the work in a perfectly Masonic style . Ever ( j " ™" " known Bro . Spawforth he had found him a thoroughly good worker in all tne ottices of the St . Michael ' s Lodce . and he was certain thev would lind him as Master

a brother perfectly capable to carry out the work . It was the Worshipful Master's intention to do so , and to keep up the reputation of the good old St . Michael's Lodge . rv . 1 ,, " A > B - Spawforth , W . M ., in reply , said he hardly knew how to thank Bro . reri - £ n ? i » n for tne optimistic views he had expressed , or for the brethren's cordial hi » h 1 ° ™ jA " > Dut ne could say sincerely that since he came into the lodge his lod a , ' . 10 n—as it should be with every initiate—was to occupy the chair of ths he I ui at "? at moment - He had now attained the height of his ambition , and c WOUld leave nothing Undone tn wnrlpr h ' , a wear nf nffir * mrtcf nrrenlahlo In fhe mem _

his M j t ? V He had been in otner lod £ es and had kept his eyes open as well as a trll i ? ¦ by tnat cou'se had seen how the work should be done . He wished to pay Drew 1 n ' f , ! f instruction , which was under the presidency of a brother then prach 1 i higginson , P . M ., for that lodge of instruction had t aught him the greater cncai part of the knowledge he now possessed of the working of the ceremonies , the in , 1 t I Spivforth , W . M ., next proposed "The I . P . M ., " which he considered toast of the a fpninnr . hpr-mco iVr . nAn / Tnr . ii .-jiti U-. A t-u ^ n Uaaw % : « ti ><* ^ u ~ i ^ * .

, , mannS - , executed all the work of the lodge in a thoroughly able and efficient himnerf lne , bretl " en had seen it , and they had also had the satisfaction of seeing imnr . « eS -. i ceremony of installation . If any brethren had cause to feel deeply mason ™ e solemn ! ty of the obligations they took and with the objects of Free"irouBh th * y ? £ ounded ° y B" > . Cockrell , it was those brethren who had seen him go fl | l to Bro r in' ceremonies . Speaking only for himself , he was particularly gratehad imnre JU- 1 ! for tne way m which he performed the ceremony of installation ; it beintr « ,, ; . £ 5 ? eart and wo "' never be effaced from his memory . In addition to s sucn a good Mason Bro . Cockrell was a good man , one whom he ( the W . M . ) was

Craft Masonry.

proud to call a friend of his own . The brethren all gave him their best wishes , and as a token of the regard in vvhich they held him they had voted him a Past Master ' sjewel , which he ( the W . M . ) then pinned on his breast . It was " the outward and visible sign " of the esteem in which they held him . The jewel was never placed on the bosom of a brother more worthy . Bro . Geo . Cockrell , I . P . M ., who was received with enthusiastic cheers on rising to respond to the toast , said the duty cast upon him was to a man vvho had anything of a

heart in him one of great responsibility . It had been his great ambition since he took office in the lodge to gain the position of W . M ., and after that to have a Past Master ' s jewel presented to him . He then stood before the brethren with that honour conferred . He had tried his "level best" in every oflice he had held in the lodge to do his duty as efficiently as be could . The brethren knew what an exciting year " it had been for the lodge as it had been its centenary year , and if the celebration of that centenary had been a success—which everyone acknowledged it had been—he vvas thoroughly reoaid

for any efforts he had made to bring it to a glorious issue . There was not a brother in the lodge vvho did not know he had Freemasonry at heart , and thit he was always trying tp do everything he could in its interest . He had stood as Steward for one of the Charities , and hid taken up a sum that the brethren might be proud of . He was also one of the executive of the lodge of instruction , which , he was proud to say , was going on splendidly . During the last two years it had paid £ 1 a week into the Masonic Charities , and for the next two years it had a guarantee to pay a guinea a week to the

same Institutions . He had worked in that cause , and he adduced the fact to show the interest he took in Freemasonry . As regarded the performances of his duties that night , he had to say it had been his ambition , aroused perhaps by the Preceptor of the lodge of instruction , Bro . Higginson , to install his successor , who had said he had done the ritual very well , and ought to install the W . M . He did so , and the brethren had applauded him that evening for the way in which he had performed the Itask . He exhorted all the brethren to attend lodges of instructionwhere they would learn to do

, the work as it ought to be done . He begged the brethren to accept his hearty thanks for the beautiful jewel the lodge had voted . Bros . Rowe and Higginson responded tothe toast of "The Visitors , " Bro . Rowe stating that it was good to work the ceremonies all through as well as the installation . The brethren who saw the work that evening must have been highly gratified , as the Installing Master did his work magnificently , and his worthy successor ought to have a good year of office .

Bro . Higginson said he should say nothing about the lodge of instruction , except to repeat the words of the W . M . —they had done what every Mason tried to do . They vvere proud of the amount of money they had sent to the Charities . St . Michael ' s Lodge was doing a vast amount of good , both in teaching members the ritual and in training brethren to become good officers of lodges . The I . P . M ., as Steward of that lodge , took up 150 guineas to the Girls' School Festival in 1895 . Bro . Spawforth , W . M ., in proposing "The Treasurer and Secretary , " referred to

the excellent work those brethren had done for the lodge and for the Charities . Bro . Green , P . M ., Treas ., replying , said he had always been ready to assist the lodge . As Treasurer , he had tried to keep . the finances within bounds , so as to be satisfactory to every member of the lodge . It had a good balance . It had also materially assisted the Charities . It had given during the past year three separate donations to the Chanties , a thing it had never done before . That showed that they all took a great interest in

Mason ry . Bro . Radcliffe , P . M ., Sec , also responded . Anything the Past Masters could da for the interests of St . Michael ' s Lodge all these brethren would do . He had been 21 years in the lodge , which was his mother lodge , and that was the thirteenth year he had been appointed its Secretary . He supposed he must have done the work properly or he would not have been re-appointed . Bro . Orlton Cooper , P . M ., said the officers vvere ready and willing to support the W . M . to the best of their ability .

The toast ot " The Officers " was given and responded to , and the Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .

Lodge of Harmony , No . 580 . There was a numerous assembly of brethren at the Wheat Sheaf Hotel , Ormskirk , on Wednesday , the 5 th instant , on the occasion of the installation of Bro . Thomas P . Green , S . W ., as W . M . of the lodge . The following members of the lodge were present : Bros . C . Buchanan Spittal ! , W . M . ; R . Riding . I . P . M . ; R . Winrow , P . M . : I . Wells , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C ; T . P . Green , S . W . ; Walker , P . P . G . D ., Treas .: A . Potter , Sec . j R . C . Ivy , S . D . j J . L . Clucas , J . D . ; Bolton , P . P . G . P .. D C .: R .

Knowles , I . G . j Ashurst , Stwd . j W . Martindale , Tylerj the Rev . 1 . L Hullev , Chap . j R . W . T . Hatch , P . M . 613 ; T . W . Hickson , J . Glover , G . H . Buck , Geo ! Bodie , T . H . Hudson , S . T . Rosbotham , Hy . Taylor , and Thomas Ball , P . M . 1403 , P . P . G . P . The visitors included Bros . R . Turner , P . M , 1403 j T . C . Millington , S . W . S 23 J J . Sellers , J . W . 1403 ; James O . Piatt , W . M . 613 j Fred . Wood , P . M . 1313 ; B . Smith , S . W . 2405 j John lackson , 2109 ; Geo . Lee , W . M . 1403 ; Joseph R . Burrows , J . VV . 1 493 ; Thomas Wilde Rice , P . M . 1403 , P . S . G . W . j I . R . Bottomlev ,

r- . p . u . U . C . j Fred . W . Smith , G 13 j and G . Reahead , 823 . The ceremony in connection with the installation of Bro . T . P . Green as W . M . was performed in a most efficient and impressive manner by the retiring Master , Bro . C . Buchanan Spittall , who has during the past 12 months presided very ably over the meetings of the lodge . The investiture of officers by the newly-elected W . M . afterwards took place as follows : Bros . A . J . Potter , S . W . j R . C . Ivy , l . W .: Rev . I . L Hulley , Chap . j R . Walker , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Treas .: I . Lewin Clucas . Sec : K .

Knowles , S . D . j S . T . Rosbotham , J . D . j J . Bolton , P . M ., P . P . G . P ., D . C . j T . H . Hickson , Org . j G . Ashurst , I . G . j G . Bodie and Hy . Taylor , Stwds . j and William Martindale , Tyler . On the conclusion of the formal proceedings the brethren , upon the invitation of the W . M ., sat down to an excellent banquet , which was served in the spacious and wellappointed lodge-room . The catering was carried out by Bro . B . Taylor , and the repast , comprising six courses , vvas admirably served .

The toast list was a lengthy one , but the postprandial proceedings were very pleasantly enlivened by the enjoyable contributions of various musical brethren . During the evening a very handsome jewel was presented by theW . M ., on behalf of the lodge , tothe retiring Master , Bro . C . Buchanan Spittall , in recognition of the valuable services rendered by him during the past year , and also as a mirk of the high esteem in which he is held by the brethren . In all respects the gathering was a pleasant ou ; , and will be numbered among the most successful of the installations which have taken place in connection with this lodge .

St . John and St . Paul ' s Lodge , No . 615 . The first regular meeting of this old and flourishing lodge since its adjournment last October , was held at the Prince of Wales Hotel , Erith , Kent , on the 4 th instant , when Bro . Wm . Henry Keeble , W . M ., was supported by Bros . G . W . Mitchell , as I . P . M .: Isiah Turton , S . W . j G . W . S . Kendall , J . W . j W . Solkhon , Treas . j Herbert King , P . M ., Sec . ; C . S . Hcithersay , S . D . j W . S . Heithersiy , J . D . j Wm . Francis , A . D . C . j E . J . D . Valon , I . G . ; K . Orchard and E . Tinker , Stwds . j W . Larder , Tyler ; W . L . Doddrell , P . M . j C . Watkins , P . M . ; G . H . Letton , P . M . ; G . R . Cashlield , P . M . j A . C . Doddrell , P . M . ; VV . T . Djddrell , P . M . j and mxny others . Visitors : Bros . Bristow , P . M . 134 SJ K . M . Taylor , J . D . 913 j Johnson ; Dhonau , 700 ; Harvey , 1326 ; Bayley , 14 ; and Orford , 1471 .

1 he lodge was opened and the minutes of the last meeting conlirmed . Messrs . James David and Henry John Alfred Jones were then initiated into the mysteries of the Craft , after which Bro . R . E . Dippie was raised to the Sublime Degree of a M . M . by the W . M . in an impressive and praiseworthy manner , the full rituil bein- * observed . The W . M . then presented Bro . G . W . Mitchell , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Cwith a jewelvoted

, , by the brethren in recognition of his services as Treasurer for some years . Bro . Mitchell responded in appreciative and feeling terms . Other important business having been disposed of , the lodge , after the rising of the W . M . and " Hearty good wishes " from the brethren , was closed , and the brethren adj jurned to banquet . After the banquet the loyal toasts were observed with marked enthusiasm .

In proposing the toast of " Ihe Provincial Grand Officers , Present ani Past , " the W . M . made special reference to the serious illness of Bro . James Smith Eastes , Dep . P . G . M . of Kent , who it was thought at one time would cease meeting in the lodges on earth and be summoned to the Grand Lodge above , but , by the will of the Great Architect of the Universe , he had been restored . He hoped he would soon be able to resume his Masonic labours , which had endeared him in the hearts of the Freemisons of Kent .