Original Correspondence.

sire to enter into any discussion of that nature . Bro . Carpenter must , however , pardon me for pointing out that his statements regarding the difference between the three oldest copies of the New Testament to consist of only transposition of words , orthography , and spelling , is not quite correct . One

part I must particularly draw his attention to . In the introduction to Tauchnitz ' s edition of Teschendorf , on page xiii ., he will learn that tbe last twelve verses ofthe Book of Mark are not found either in the Sinaitic or Vatican copies . That Eusebius and Jerome bear testimony that in nearly

all the trustworthy copies of their time the same twelve verses were wanting , and it is rather singular that the part omitted from the oldest copies should contain a doctrine nowhere else given in the New Testament—viz ., chap , xvi ., verse 16 , " He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved ; but he

that believeth not shall be damned . I may mfei therefrom that a majority of the first or oldest Christians did not believe in that doctrine . This idea is supported by Jesus himself , Matthew 13-9 , " I am not come to call thc righteous , but sinners ;' implying that he did not wish to interfere with creeds of the righteous . Now , Masons arc

supposed to be just and upright men , of sound judgment and strict morals—a class of men that Jesus himself would not have troubled himself about . Why , then , should his followers go beyond their Master's example ? Why not imitate him by confining your exertions to the sinners , of whom there are plenty , and leave the Masons in lodges free from molestation ?

And now I will try to define my idea ofthe mission of Masonry . Masonry is a religion which neither conflicts with the religion ofthe Jew , Christian , or Mahometan ; but it is not exactly the religion of either , because each claims to an additional something to make his religion complete , and these

additional somethings do not belong to Masonry . Secondly , " Masonry is a system of morality , " which morality is alike adapted to the religion of the Jew , Christian , and Mahometan . But it is more than that— " it is a peculiar system , " not wholly acknowledged by the church of either Jew ,

Christian , or Mahometan . I allude to its teaching " charity for all mankind . " True , the principle of such charity is admitted more or less ( generally less than more ) by nearly all churches and sects ; but it cannot be denied that , from our lisping infancy , our minds were more or less ( generally

more than less ) biased against our father's neighbour , because that neighbour worshipped his Creator in a different church to what our father belonged . Wc were instructed that God loved Jacob and hated Esau , and each was made to believe that he was ihe Jacob , and those of all other

sects were Esaus ; that all that was good , noble , disinterested , or generous , was to be found only among those of his own sect ; that all other sects might be despised , and to tolerate them in our midst was a virtue . In a Masonic lodge these illusions become dissipated . He there practically

learns that the noble principles which elevate man and serve to civilise the race , are not monopolised by his own sect ; he finds himself surrounded by brethren as generous , as whole-hearted , and as capable of fulfilling thc highest functions of manhood as any of the ideals he was taught to look up

to , and yet these men belong to thc very sects whom , in his boyhood , he was taught to hate , to despise , or to dislike . In a less degree , we were also brought up to dislike the men of opposite political parties . Now , in a Masonic lodge , wc should neither know of Esaus nor Jacobs , of monarchists or

rcpiibhcans , of Jews , Christians , or Mahometans , of Protestants or Catholics . AVe ought to meet there fully impressed that Masonry should be a centre of union between thc good and true of all religious races , kindred , and tongues ; ancl if wc were true to our mission , our influence should have

extended outside and beyond the precincts of the lodges , wc should have exerted ourselves to extinguish all hatred and dislike on account of religious differences . Masonry , however , cannot fulfil its mission so long as we have those amongst us who are ever hankering after the garlic and onions of

the pots of Egypt— . vho in their hearts still lingers t'le idea that they arc greater favourites of God tjian the brother beside them—that they are doing (• od a service to persuade him to bc baptised or circumcised , and that it is justifiable to deal underhaiulcdl y or Jesuitically in order to induce the

brother to conform to tlie practices of their church , bi short , brothcrly love can only exist where mutual confidence and respect for each other ' s integrity exists ; but the moment an effort is made to use 'nc Masonic machine for a certain church to ride

l jl'on it , from that moment the bond of union is dissolved , and Masonry becomes—as it is to-day " } Massachusetts—a mere contemptible sham , a jjious fraud , unworthy of a Society that prefixes Honourable" to its title .

I * ratcrnally and respectfully yours , JACOB NORTON Boston , U . S ., Sept 27 th , 1 S 70 .

An Urgent Appeal.

AN URGENT APPEAL .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At a ] time when so much charitable exertion is being made for the relief of sufferers in the present war , and for other deserving objects of sympathy , I am reluctant to ask you to insert an appeal for " more subscriptions ;"

still thc urgency of the present case emboldens me to do so , in the hope that I may prevail upon some one or more of those true Masons , of whom , thank God , there are such numbers in our glorious Craft , to assist me in administering to the sad necessities of one of our brethren . I should premise that the

brother in whose behalf , but without whose knowledge , I plead , is Bro . C . Punchard . The records of Grand Lodge inform me that he was initiated into Masonry in Lodge No . 627 , late 910 , Sudbury , Suffolk , on the 29 th October , 185 7 , and paid four and a quarter years . This lodge was erased in 1865 , and

the present lodge , No . 1224 ( of which I am W . M . ) , occupies its place . Not being personally acquainted with Bro . Punchard , as I have only recently come into the neighbourhood , I have made many enquiries concerning him , all of which prove that he was liked and respected , but that he became

reduced in circumstances owing in a great measure to his embarking too largely in commercial speculations , and to his losses at the time of the Cochin China fowl mania . About a year and a half ago he started with his wife and family for Toronto , where he appears to have found friends indeed , and

to have got on fairly well till sickness overtook his household . The following extracts from the letters of two highly-respectable American brethren will , I think , be read with interest . The first , in a letter dated Toronto , August 31 st , thus writes : — "Poor Puncharcl ' s case is simply distressing beyond all

precedent . About two months ago one of his children took typhoid fever and died . Mrs . Punchard , who was not strong , also caught the infection , and died on the 8 th . Ten days ago we buried another child , and this morning we have had to convey another to the grave . Two more children arc

smitten down , and probably will not recover , and , worse than all , poor Punchard himself has been laid up by the same complaint , and has been for some days almost insensible . He has had a fearfully hard time of it , lately , and but for the Masons ( I hope you are one ) he and his family would have been

destitute . Punchard , poor fellow ! happily belongs to the ' Craft , ' but he is an English Mason , and has no claim upon us here ; still we have tackled his case ; money of his own he ' s had none for over a month , but we ( the Masons ) have furnished all medical helpand comforts , alongwith twonurses , and have buried four

of his dead in decency , but hitherto the expense has fallen upon the Craft . There arc also a few private debts , which I think £ \ e , or , £ 20 would cover , but if he dies , these will remain unpaid , unless his friends step in . He was getting on tolerably well , but his large family , and a wife

illadapted to this country , and sickness , have reduced him to poverty . " Thc above extract is from a letter to some of his friends in Suffolk . The other letter is from another American brother , ancl is in a similar strain , only giving further , and , if possible , more toiichin" * details . He concludes a most

admirable account with these words :- " I am but a poor man , but I have spared no trouble or expense in this shocking emergency . Punchard is a brother Freemason , as I am , and it lias been of the greatest benefit to thc family . He is a very intelligent man , and well thought of by his fellows who had

occasion to meet him here . " This letter was followed by another , forwarded to me this morning , in which thc same writer tells us most joyfully that the two children are recovering , and that the poor bereaved father , though very weak , is expected now to live . Upon these facts 1 will make no comment ; they

speak for themselves . But I would leave this case in thc hands of my Masonic brethren , in town and country , begging them , however , to remember the solemn words spoken to them at a certain " peculiar moment" of their initiation , nnd adding that "'

whatever they may feci disposed to give they may deposit with their Grand Chaplain , who assures them that it will be thankfully received and faithfully applied . ' ' 1 have thc honour to be , dcar Sir and Brother ,

Yours faithfully and fraternally CHARLES J . MARTYN , Grand Chaplain of England Long Melford Rectory , Suffolk , Oct . 18 th .

QUESTIONABLE DOINGS . ( To thc Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Seeing in your last impression an allusion to the fact that certain moneys , transmitted for a certain purpose , have

never been accounted for , will you allow me to draw thc attention of your readers to a similar case . About a year ago I first became acquainted , through the medium of an advertisement in a contemporary , of tbe existence , ov imaginary existence , of a bodv

An Urgent Appeal.

calling itself " The Masonic Archaeological Society . " At that time I was in search of something of the kind , being very anxious to discover if there were members of the Craft whose intellectual capacities and abilities went beyond the ordinary requirements of mere ritualistic routine . Directly

my eye caught the advertisement , I exclaimed : " Here is the very thing . Here I shall meet men and brethren who have some pretensions to literary merit and requirements . I'll join it . " Accordingly , animated by this praiseworthy feeling , I walked down to . No . 19 , Salisbury-street , where the

secretaries of this soi-disant society dated from , ancl paid my half-guinea for the subscription . A day or two afterwards I received what " One who Writes for Information" so aptly terms an "informal receipt . " It was written on thebackof oneofthc "¦ Society ' s" cards , and signed by the name of Marchant .

It struck me when I received it that it was rather a loose way of acknowledging subscriptions , and I candidly confess did not impress me favourably with thc secretarial management of the " Society ' s " affairs . However , having other things to attend to , I put the card in one of the drawers of my

officetable , and thought no more about the matter for a while . After the lapse of some time I heard nothing about any meeting of our fraternal archaeologists . Certain circumstances occurred which are too well known to require further mention , which gave rise

to the idea that perhaps my receipt was not a genuine one ; that perhaps I had neverbeen enrolled on the list of archaeological neophytes , and that , consequently , I had never received any notice of the meetings of that renowned body . To set the matter at rest , I wrote to Mr . Marchant , detailing

the facts of thc case , as I have related them here , and requesting to bc informed whether the signature was his , ancl thc receipt a genuine one ? I enclosed the card , and directed the letter to him , addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street . To that letter I have never received any answer , and am in total

ignorance whether it reached the person it was intended for or not . As for the Archaeological Society , I have never seen anything more about its meetings or its doings , and after the experience I have had I do not want to . But I do want to know what has become of my half-guinea , and I am quite

certain there arc many others who would be glad to learn also what has become of their half-guineas . Not only do I want to know , but I , as well as they , have a right to know . The society publicly advertised for subscriptions , publicly asked of the brethren their support , took their money , and now

has suddenly disappeared — society , meetings , money , and all . All those who are similarly circumstanced with myself have a right to demand that a list of the subscribers be published , and a balance-sheet , showing the money received and the money expended . If this is not done , the society

has simply duped thc brethren , to the disgrace of the Craft and the shame of all honourable men . As Masons , we are always disposed to think and speak charitably of others , but leaving the present case out ofthe question , ancl dealing with thc whole subject in a broad light , it assumes a very grave

aspect . When money is obtained for a certain purpose and not applied to that purpose , it comes under the category of " obtaining money under false pretences . " It may bc termed , mildly , misappropriation , or mal-administration of funds , but thc law calls it embezzlement , outsiders terms it a swindle , and it

is , ipso facto , a felony . Reverting to the " society , " it appears from the communication of " One who writes for information , " that this inquiry of mine makes thc third oi the same kind within a very short space of time . This certainly does not redound to the credit of thc Craft . When subscriptions for

similar purposes are sought and obtained by outsiders , acknowledgments are always given in thc daily papers , of the sums received . As a member of two professional societies of the highest standing , I know the manner in which these matters are managed . I know that at the end of every season ,

a balance-sheet is published , showing thc numerical and financial status ofthe society ; that I or any other member could ascertain that information by simply requesting it from thc secretary . I demand that information from the Secretary of the Masonic Archaeological Society , if that individual bc not a

myth , and the society a myth also . I have now , Sir and Brother , stated thc facts of the case , and also made a few comments respecting the management of this soi-disant society . Should the information I have requested , in which I have no doubt many others will join me , bc not forthcoming , there can only be one opinion in the minds of honourable

men of the whole transaction from beginning to end . 1 leave it to your readers to imagine how the contents of this letter , which are accurate , truthful , and sincere , would be received by outsiders , especially those who arc prejudiced against our Order , had they the opportunity of perusing it . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours , & c , CRUX . London , 17 th October , 1 S 70 .