Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . )

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In your number of the ist inst . appears a report of the " summer meeting of the Ancient and Honourable Order of Royal Ark Mariners , " held on Wednesday , the 21 st ult .

The names of Bros . George Lambert and Rev . W . B . Church are there given—the former as " G . Treas ., " the latter as " G . S . D . " As both these brethren are Past Officers of this Grand Lodge—which claims to be the legitimate governing body over the Degree of Royal Ark

Mariners m this country—I was commanded to inquire of them whether or not these appointments were made with their sanction ? Both brethren haye replied in terms repudiating all connection with the " Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners , " and stating that such appointments were made without their knowledge or sanction .

How many of the other brethren honoured by publication of their grand titles are similarly situated I have not , as yet , ascertained . Surely , this unauthorised manufacture of Grand Officers is matter for severe reprobation .

I may take the opportunity of informing your readers that the negociations between the Grand Lodge and the " Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners " have been finally broken off , it having

been found impossible to recognise the position claimed by the latter self-styled Grand Body . The Degree of Royal Ark Mariner will be worked by the Mark lodgesunder the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

FREDERICK BINCKES , G . S . Office of the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , 2 , Red Lion-square , High Holborn , London , W . C ., 19 th July , 1871 . FREEMASONRY , ITS NATURE .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow me to express my thanks for your leading article , at page 440 , on " American and British Masonry , " and especially for including therein " the soul-stirring utterances of the far-famed Bro . Dr . Albert G . Mackey . " It

gives me very great pleasure to find that , although , judging by his writings , Dr . Mackey and I arc at loggerheads regarding the origin of our system of Freemasonry , we yet are at one regarding its nature ; and , indeed , the latter is the principal thing .

Although each is worthy of consideration in its own place , What is it ? is of more value to us than , Whence did it come ? As to what it is , allow me to endorse the following noble sentiments of our well-known brother : " The universality and the tolerance of Freemasonry are indeed the two

brightest features of our noble and venerated Institution . . . . This wide-spread Institution has an altar around which men of every religion can kneel . ... I thank God from my inmost heart that there is such a common altar , where Christian , Turk , and Jew may kneel in adoration to a common Father . . . . There the

Christianin every phase of that comprehensive title—the Jew , the Mussulman , the Hindu , and the Parscc may all kneel . " From the foregoing , we see that the great beauty and power of Freemasonry is its universality ; and consequently that the only true ' Freemasonry " of the nature of our speculative

Masonry is Universal Freemasonry—such an expression as " Christian Freemasonry" being a contradiction in terms , for genuine Freemasonry is opposed to all sectarianism . The foundation ofthc foregoing doctrines is found in the first head of the 1723 Constitutions , where it says : "' tis now

thought more expedient only to oblige them to that religion in which all men agree . " Yet , in the face of this plain statement , I am told by a contributor to your contemporary , who styles himself " a member of your Grand Lodge , " that the 1723 Constitutions do not " entitle him ( Bro . Buchan ) to hold out the

right hand of fellowship to a Hindoo or even to a Mahommedan" ! What will Bro . Dr . Mackey think of that ? Wc treat the dictum , however , with 3 smile , for the more we learn of the non-infallibility of the popular creeds of the day , the more areweled to acknowledge the ability and far-seeing policy of the founders of that system of cosmopoli-

Original Correspondence.

tan Brotherhood , which , for the last century and a half , has been known as "Freemasonry . " I am , yours fraternally , W . P . BUCHAN .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having had a little leisure time , one afternoon , lately , my eye happened to alight on " an ode" in a magazine in my library , and thinking the same—with a few words substituted and transposed—suitable for your very

excellent publication , have done myself the extreme felicity of forwarding you a copy thereof . If acceptable for insertion , -well and good ; if not , then let it lay on the table , or commit it to the wastebasket . . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

JAMES BALLANTINE , P . S . W . Strong Man and P . S . Mount Lebanon , Peckham , Surrey , July 4 th , 1871 .

AN ODE ON FREEMASONRY . Though slander follows wheresoe ' er I go , To villify the art she does not know ; Undaunted guilt alone , has cause to fear ; Cloth'd in this honour'd garb I now appear , Owning myself a Mason—at the name ,

No guilty redness dies my cheeks with shame ; Let slander follow—I her darts defy , And laugh at sneering folly ' s oft-told lie ; But what our Order teaches , I will show The lesson you must love , when once you know ; It humbly bids us ever to adore

The Almighty Architect , by whose great power The Universe was formed ; to His decree ( Which wisdom ever guides ) , resign'd to be , It makes us zealous in our country ' s cause , True to our Queen , and faithful to her laws ; For ever bids us , with the strictest care ,

To act with all mankind upon the square ; Never to publish a frail neighbour ' s shame , Or steal away a brother ' s honest name ; To be sincere—his secrets ne ' er reveal ; But him to serve , with fervency and zeal ; Bids us show mercy , when we have the power ,

And to the stranger ope' the door ; The naked with warm vestments to enfold , And guard the shivering victim from the cold ; To visit wretches , tortured by disease—Make smooth their bed , and pour the balm of care ; The widow's tale—the orphan ' s cry to hear ,

And from affliction s eye wipe off the tear ; To know each office , each endearing tie Of heaven-descended soft-eyed charity ; Regard not modes of faith , but firm unite With all who work by the nice rule of right ; All have one Father—all good men , and true , The same great end , by different roads , pursue .

When to the lodge we come , that happy place , There social friendship smiles on every face ; Then on a pleasing level all appear , And merit only is distinguish'd there . Secrets we have , and those wc gladly show To proper persons , who apply to know ;

Be not offended , kind and beauteous fair , That you from Mason's rites excluded are ; 'Tis not because we fear you would disclose Whate'er within your breasts wc might repose ; But we'er afraid , and sure our fears are true , Were you admitted , love would enter , too ;

That jealousy might then our hearts inflame , And to a rival , turn a brother ' s name- Break all our bonds , annihilate our joy , And soon our Ancient Order quite destroy . Be not offended—we your sex adore ,

And pay true homage to your sovereign power ; If ' ere this our actions disagree , Censure the man , but blame not Masons free ; Wc do not blame , when mortals go astray , The light that came from Heaven to show the way .

Masonic Festivities.

MASONIC FESTIVITIES .

*—SUMMER BANQUET OF THE LION AND LAMB LODGE , No . 192 . This old and influential lodge held its Summer Fete on Thursday , the 13 th instant , at the Royal Crown Hotel , Sevenoaks , Kent , under the

presidency of Bro . George Kenning , W . M ., P . G . D . Middlesex . The company left London about 10 a . m ., in saloon carriages , and arrived at Sevenoaks about 11 o ' clock . After having paid a visit to Knowle Park ( the scat of Lord IJuckhurst ) , and inspected the beauties of the ancient abbey , the company

assembled at the Royal Crown Hotel , at 3 o'clock , where a sumptuous dinner was provided , at which about sixty ladies and gentlemen sat down—nearly , we we arc glad to say , equal in numbers . Bro . George Kenning occupied the chair as Master of the lodge , and Bro . F . Trott the Warden's chair . The ban-

Masonic Festivities.

quet was well served , for which every credit is due to Bro . Pawley , the proprietor of the hotel . The cloth having been cleared , the W . M . proceeded to give a few toasts appropriate to the occasion—the first being " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen and Royal Family , " which was received with great enthusiasm , the band in

attendance playing the National Anthem . The Master then proposed " The Most Noble the Marquis of Ripon , Grand Master , " " The Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Deputy Grand Master , and the Grand Officers , " coupling with the toast the name of Bro . Brett , a Past Grand Officer , who returned thanksforthe Grand Master and the Grand Officers

m a humorous speech . Bro . E . Roberts then proposed the next toast , " Bro . George Kenning , W . M . " who so worthily occupied the chair on this auspicious occasion , and said this being the first occasion that the Lion and Lamb Lodge had celebrated a meeting of this kind

to which every member of the lodge had the opportunity of introducing a lady— and which , he was happy to say , had proved a great success—upon that success he congratulated the W . Master for having so energetically put his shoulder to the wheel , and to whom , principally , the thanks of the

meeting were due for the social gathering of brethren and their ladies on this occasion . ( The toast was received anddrunk amid great cheers . ) Bro . Kenning , in returning thanks , said a great deal more credit had been conferred upon him than was justly his due , as the idea of a banquet was

proposed last summer by Bro . Trott , but , owing to various circumstances , was not then carried out . At the same time , he was happy that this meeting had turned out to be a thorough success , and when he suggested it to the members he made up his mind that it should be so . It was a great pleasure to

him to meet the brethren of his lodge and their ladies on this the first occasion of a summer festival , and hoped that it would result in many reunions He thanked them for the very kind manner they had received and responded to the toast . The W . M . then gave "The Health of the

Visitors , " who had been invited to do honour to the lodge on this occasion . The visitors present being each named by the Chairman , viz ., Bros . J . Brett , Foulger , J . B . Wolpert , — Yeoman , J . Weaver , — Thomas , A . Dawes , E . Turvey , and Mr . J . Reeves , and their ladies . Bro . Foulger returned thanksforthe visitors in an

excellent speech . The W . Master then gave " The Ladies , " and and Mr . James Reeves being specially selected by the chairman as the most fit and proper person to represent the fair sex on the occasion , returned thanks , doing ample justice to the importance and value of the toast .

The W . Master then gave the health of the officers and others who had acted as a committee and stewards on the occasion , which was responded to by Bro . Trott , S . W . pro tern . The company then rose , and reassembled in the ball-room , where the dance was kept up till nine

o ' clock . Great credit is due to Bro . Weaver for the very efficient manner inwhich he conducted the band on the occasion—playing many favourite selections and overtures during dinner , and afterwards an excellent programme of dance music . Amongst the brethren present we noticed : Bros .

W . Goodycr , P . M ., Treas . j J . G . Marsh , P . G . P . Middlesex , Sec . ; E . King , P . M ., W . S . ; Charles Hosgood , P . M . ; E . Roberts , P . M . ; F . Trott , JAV . ; George Abbott , S . D . ; A . J . Dickenson , J . D . ; George Newman , I . G . ; W . R . Baker , R . E . Bright , W . Donne , T . Fisher , F . Baker , W . Ramsay , J . Fitzjohn , W . Harwood , E . Jones , H . Davis , and

many others . The thanks of the company were greatly due to Bro . Abbott for the excellent railway accommodation afforded by him ; to Bro . E . Roberts , who actedas . and made an excellent Mastcrof Ceremonies ; to Bro . E . King for his indefatigable attention as their steward , and to the other brethren who fulfilled the duties of stewards in the most exemplary

manner . The company returned to London about ten o'clock , well pleased with the day's excursion .

PICNIC OF THE TEMPLE LODGE , No . 1094 . The members of the Temple Lodge , No . 1094 , Liverpool , held their third Annual Picnic on Thursday , July 13 th , at Eaton Hall , near Chester . There was n . large muster of the fairer portion of humanity , this pleasant outing increasing every

year in favour with the ladies . The boat was despatched at 9 . 30 from the landingstage , and reached Chester soon after 11 o ' clock . The party then proceeded to the Dee side . Their arrival being anticipated , everything was in

readiness , owing to the kind arrangements of Bro . Winstanlcy . The barges , with the band , began to move up the Dec at 12 o'clock . After about an hour and a half ' s row , the party , numbering about fifty , reached its destination . At 2 p . m . the