Original Correspondence.

In the by-laws ( approved by the D . G . M . ) of the Empress of India Lodge , W .. oliahra , M . S . W ., which I had the honourof assisting in founding and standing- godfather to , and which was opened a few weeks before our Gracious Queenwas proclaimed by that title by the then Viceroy , No . n reads thus : " Any member 12 months in arrear may be excluded the lodge , and reported to the _ District Grand Lodge . " In

the by-laws of the Prince of Wales Lodge , 1653 , the revision of and amendments in which was almost entirely introduced by myself during my office as Treasurer , By-law No . II reads as follows : "Any members 12 months in arrears shall be reported to the Worshipful Master , to be dealt with at his discretion , and the Worshipful Master , should sufficient cause be shown to him , may direct such

member ' s name to be erased from the lodge a roll , and instruct the Secretary to report the same to the District Grand Secretary . " When I took the chair of M . E . Z . in the Zetland Chapter ( the mother chapter of Australasia ) , 1 found in going through the chapter matters before my installation that for several years names were returned , and fees accounted

to be due , from companions who in all that period had not perhaps been twice present in convocation . In my address from the chair after my installation , as also later at the supper table , I stated that the first matter to which I was going to give my attention was the subject of anearsof dues , and I used the language that in the interests of the thriving trees it was necessary that the

dtad branches should be unsparingly lopped off , and the same night I gave notice "That it be an instruction to Scribe E . to report at the next convocation the names of all companions who were in arrears of fees , distinguishing those in arrear barely twelve months from those of a longer period , " and the result was that at the ensuing convocation a long list , positively startling in its length ,

was presented to the chapttr , who formulated a resolution that the names of all such companions , except those last named , be forthwiih removed fiom the roll of members , and that with regard to the others notice be at once given to them that unless thtir fees were paid within four months from date ( i . e ., a period covering two convocations ) their names would likewise be erased from the roll

of the chapter . * In that interval nearly all whose dues were in arrear within twelve months paid up . A little later in my year of office I moved for the appointment of a Committee to revise the by-laws , the issue of which was that we dispensed with all notice in writing , and By-law 14 runs , "Any companion who shall be in arrears' above twelve months shall be ineligible to vote or hold office , and

liable also to have his name erased from the list of membe . s . " I do not like the above rule so well as either of the two first quoted , because it is not quite so d rett and clear , and ot those , though the lather 01 both , I prefer the one I last begot in Lodge 1653 . As 1 said in the beginning , inasmuch as 1 have not at the

moment my copy ot the Book of Constitutions available , I assume my : ^ ll to be in ignorance of what the powers of piivate ledges in England are , out if the rule mentioned by Bro . Woudward be a stumbling block , then I say , not " in the interest ol any particular lodge , " but as a measure of rebel which 1 feel suie would be giatefully welcomed by all Wor .-hiplul Masters , Stcrctaiies , anu Tieasurers , do not " tinker , " but cut r < ght through the Gordian inot .

To mj mind the obvious , and 1 was about to say almost first duty ot every member of a ludge is to keep his subscription paid up ; it he do not do that , then he lails at the veiy threshold iti aright conception ot his Masonic duty and his appreciation ot the privilege of membership of his lodge , and his rttention as an unpaying member is a wrong done to the lodge itselt and an injury to ihe Craft in general . —Dear Sir and Brother , youts faithfully and fiaternally , E LYTTON HI I CHINS . Brackenhill , Woking , December 15 th .

Field Lane Refuges And Ragged Schools.

FIELD LANE REFUGES AND RAGGED SCHOOLS .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir , I 1 rust you will again permit me to bring this Charity before the notice of your many readers , as you have so kindly done at this season for many years . During the past year we have been enabled to provide shelter lor

660 desti . ute men and women , to maintain and industrially train 220 poor boys and girls , to provide Christmas dinners for 700 ot the homeltss poor and for 600 very poor , but deseiving , families in this neighbourhood , and to give upwards of 3500 meals away weekly . To carry out this work and our other operations , such as cieche , Ragged

Church , Sunday services for the poor , Band of Hope , mothers' meetings , & c , we require to raise , by voluntary contributions , about £ 4000 a year . I may add that we were able to assist 326 persons to obtain employment last year . Donations and subscriptions will be gratefully received by our Treasurer , Wilfrid A . Bevan , hsq ., 54 , Lombardstreet , or by—Your obedient servant ,

PEREGRINE PLATT , Secretary . Vine-street , Clerkenwell-road , E . C , December 13 th .

RULE 210 . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Grand Lodge has done , perhaps , wisely to leave B . C . 210 as it stands ; but one wonders , by the way , that the proposers of the emendations did not quote the rule

correctly j the words are " shall have received , " and not " shall receive . " We are , many of us , of opinion that Rule 210 was intended to apply to grave offenders j but there is a class of minor offenders—who are a burden on a lodge—hard to

get rid of , those , viz ., who go away without leaving any address , their annual dues being unpaid . Such brethren figure as subscribing members , though they contribute nothing . ; their names cannot be "erased " by vote of the lodge , as used to be done under lodge by-laws ; and they

Field Lane Refuges And Ragged Schools.

must be evermore returned to Grand and Provincial Secretaries— "in arrear . " A more ready way of dealing with these defaulters than the solemn procedure of B . C . seems des ' rrahle . Let private lodges be enabled to have a by-law , dealing with this class of offenders , to the following effect : When three or four years dues are unpaid , the W . M . to be at liberty to state

on the summons that he will move that Bro . A . B . s name be removed from the list of members for non-payment of arrears ; and a return thereof to be made to your Provincial and Grand Lodges . We shall he told this is illegal or unlawful ; we reply , make it lawful . A grave offender , by the nature of the case , can be

readily found and judicially dealt with under B . C . 210 , whereas your defaulter in payment has , usually , no known address ; he would be all along aware of his liability to erasure , after a certain date , and there seems no need to summon him to make his obvious defence—" can't pay . "Yours , faithfully and fraternally , PCS

Masonic Notes And Queries:

Masonic Notes and Queries :

S 18 ] ARMS OF THE G . L . OF SCOTLAND . Can our esteemed G . Sec . of the G . L . of Scotland tell us when "Supporters" first appeared in connection with the official Coat of Arms , and why they have been so generally dropped of late years ? On a certain circular issued by the Giand Lodge of Scotland in 1855 , I see that the supporters are duly given , and were then a Unicorn

and aBeaver , the former representing the National , and the latter , the Masonic characteristics . 1 am not aware , however , that these supporters ever occur in any of the Books of Constitutions published by that Grand Lodge . My friend Lyon has doubtless enough to do without my adding to this call upon his time , but I know he will answer my query , so as to inform many of us on the subject . W . J . H .

Sig ] INITIATION BY FIAT . Will any brother kindly explain the origin and meaning of the phrase , " To initiate by Fiat , " or by '' Fiat of the W . M . " ? It occurs , or has occurred , frequently on summonses issued by London lodges , and is peculiar , I believe , to Metropolitan Freemasonry . In the country , we use the term , " to Initiate under the Emergency Clauses of the

Cons itutions , " when a candidate , for certain reasons ( explained prior to the ballot being taken ) , was not proposed at the previous lodge , as usual . But " By Fiat of the W . M . " does not seem to meet such a case j and I cannot imagine wherein the Masterhas any power to acton his own authority as if he were a Sovereign , as initiations must r-u : ceed an approved ballot by the members . Will some London brother kindly enlighten me ? CHISHOLM .

S 20 I TEMPERANCE LODGES . There are now many lodges in England whose members permit no intoxicating liquors to be placed on their banqueting tables , and they are being well supported wherever and whenever started . Not that the brethren need be total abstainers , for , as a matter of tact , several of the

most active upholders of thi-r laudable plan are ( what is known a >) ' Moderate Drinkers . " I wonder when the first of the kind was started ? The earliest known to me is the 1 emperance Lodge , No . 739 , Birmingham , warranted in March , 1858 , the by-law thereon providing that " In no case whatever shall intoxicating beverages of any

description be introduced at the festival and social gatherings of the lodge . " Whilst anxious that all possible and legitima'e freedom be granted the members , 1 consider that Grand Lodge should prohibit the consumption of intoxicating liquors in open , lodge , that is during the period of work , whether in a Board of Installed Masters or otherwise . SOBRIETY .

S 21 ] BRO . LAMONBY AND THE K . T . Bro . Lamonby may always feel quite sure of a warm welcome in the columns of the Freemason from his old confreres . His labours on behalf of the Craft , whilst in this country , have not , and never will be forgotten by students who know and appreciate his History of

Freemasonry in Cumberland and Westmorland . Although so many references are to be found in old lodge minute books as to the K . T . and other Degrees , especially early this century , it must not be supposed that such ceremonies were authorised by warrants from the " Ancients , " as they were not . It is clear , however , that more than a

century since , the " G . L . of all England , at York , " did actually recognise and issue charters for the Royal Arch and K . T . Degrees . We want all particulars respecting such matters from the records of the old lodges , and it is to be hoped that Bro . Lamonby ' s letter from

Melbourne—13 , 000 miles from Old England—will induce competent bretnren to look up the treasures buried in lodge chests and neglected corners , and that we may yet obtain more evidence respecting those Degrees during the period from 1748 to 1765 as respects the R . A .,, and from 1770 to 1780 as to the K . f . W . J . HUGHAN .

A new Masonic Hall is being erected in Kirkburton , and it is expected that it will be ready for occupation in the course of a few months . On St . Thomas ' s Day the whole of the 206 members of the Court of Common Council in the City of London , in the 25 wards in the City , are subject to reelection . Of these , seven will retire , there is one vacancy

by death , and the remaining 198 offer themselves for reelection . It is expected that there will be contests in eleven wards . The total number of voters on the lists is now 27 , 915 , as compared with 27 , 110 last year . The ward of Dowgate possesses the smallest number , 342 ; and Farringdon Without the largest , 4849 . The qualification of a voter is a £ 10 rental per annum . —City Press .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft JUasonrg . ROYAL ATHELSTAN LODGE ( No . 19 ) . — A regular meeting of this lodge was held on Thursday ; the i 3 thinst ., at the Cannon-street , Hotel , when Bro . G . H . Hoyle , W . M ., presided , and there were present Bros . W . Nicholson , S . W . ; Arthur Wormu 1 , J . W . ; B . W . Bilby , J . D . ; J . Glenn , I . P . M . ; W . M . Bywater , P . M ., Treas . ; C . B . Barnes , P . M ., Sec ; D . Nicholson , P . M .: W . Pound , P . M . ; J . Charles , P . M . ; G . A . Conderoy ,

P . M . ; G . Sneath , P . M . ; J . P . Hinche ) , C . E . Moser , F . W . W . Honischer , W . S . Pound , H . Poston , A . D . Green , Milton Smith , E . G . Young , J . A . Davies , W . F . Stauffer , A . E . W . Gwynn , and G . R . Carsberg . Visitor : Bro . F . A . Barton , 2216 . The principal business of the evening was the election of the W . M . for the ensuing year , which was unanimously

in favour of Bro . Wm . Nicholson , S . W . Bro . W . M . B ywater , P . M ., was re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . H . Poston was elected on the Audit Committee . 1 he W . M . announced that an organ was subscribed for by the members , and presented to the lodge through the instrumentality of Bros . Moser and Gwynn . Bro . Gwynn was appointed Org ., and enlivened the lodge working to the great satisfaction of the

brethren present . Bro . Glenn , P . M ., reported the illness of Bro . Starling , P . M ., the father of the lodge , which was deeply regretted by all the brethren . Bro . Glenn also appealed to the brethren to support him at the next Festival of the R . M . B . Institution for Aged Freemasons , saying , he hoped the lodge in its 119 th year would become

Vice-President of that Charity , as it had done in respect to the Boys' and Girls' Institutions . The brethren subsequently adjourned , as usual , to the banquet , at which the various toasts were duly proposed and eloquently responded to , which were interspersed by the musical talent of the brethren .

Bro . Conderoy , P . M ., sang the National Anthem and " The Lass of Richmond Hill ; " Bro . Moser , " Dady ; " Bro . Young , " Good Company ; " Bro . D . Barton ( visitor ) treated the brethren to wonderful natural whistle , accompanying himself at the piano .

UNITED STRENGTH LODGE ( No . 228 ) . — This lodge held its usual meeting , on Tuesday , the nth inst ., at the Guildhall Tavern , when the following brethren were present : Bros , bmith , W . M . ; Hillhouse , P . M ., acting S . W . ; Miller , J . W . ; Terry , P . G . S . B ., Treas . j Jennings , acting Sec ; Ashby , S . D . ; Hoi and , J . D . ; Halford , P . M ., and Booker , Stwds . ; TaylorD . C ;

Lam-, bert , A . D . C ; Curtis , I . G . ; Hickman , P . M . ; Alford , P . M . ; kdis , P . M . ; Quartly , P . M . ; Reepe , Paine , P . Woodman , ] . Woodman , Butler , Woolsey , Fidge , Lobb , King , Baxter , Clarke , Burtle , Cook , Bruton , J lley , Joynes , Jones , F . W . Moss , Candler , R . P . Moss , Williams , Douthwaite , Knight , and A . O . Miller . Vis to . s : Bros , higden , I . G . 160 ; Hubbard , P . M . 1107 ; Coombs ,

W . M . 7 S 0 ; Williams , 553 ( S . C ); and Colley , 1571 . The lodge having been opened , and the minutes of the Lst meeting read and confirmed , Bro . James S . Knight was unanimously elected a re-joining member . Bro . D . J . Douthwaite was raised to the Sublime Degree of a M . M . The ballot was taken for Albert Oswald Miller , and , it

proving clear , he was duly initiated . The by-laws having been read , the members proceeded to the election of the W . M . for the ensuing year , and , owing to the lamented death of their late S . W ., Bro . Langley , the choice tell upon Bro . Miller , the J . W ., the vote in his favour being unanimous . Bro . Jas . Terry , P . M ., P . G . S . B ., was unanimously elected Treasurer .

The W . M . having announced his intention of serving as Steward at the forthcoming Festival of R . M . B . I ., a sum of 10 guineas was unanimously voted to his list ; and , on the proposition of the S . W ., seconded by Bro . Miller , J . W ., and supported by the W . M ., the acting Secretary was directed to write a letter of condolence to Mrs . Langley on the irreparable loss she and the Craft had sustained by the

death ot her husband , Bro . Langley , the late S . W . ot the lodge . Nothing further offering for the good of Freemasonry , the lodge was closed . At the banquet which followed , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured , that of "The Grand Officers , Present and Past , " being responded to by Bro .

J . Terry , P . G . S . B . In proposing the toast of "The W . M ., " Bro . Quartly , I . P . M ., spoke of the excellent mannerin which he ( the VV . Master ) had carried out his duties during his year of office , and he had no doubt but that he would install his successor in such a manner as to merit all the good opinions the brethren of the lodge had of him .

The Worshipful Master , in thanking the brethren for their very hearty reception of the toast particularly appertaining to him , said that the assistance of the brethren had much lightened his task , and now that he had nearly cotapleted his year of office , he should , after installing his successor , retire with happy memories and pleasing

reminiscences of the time he had occupied that chair . The Initiate , in responding to the toast proposed in his favour , remarked that the ceremony had very much impressed him , and it would be his endeavour to carry out in himself the principles shadowed forth in that ceremony , so that , as a Mason , he should bring no discredit to tho Craft .

Ihe toast of "The P . M . ' s" was responded to by . Bro . Hickman , P . M . Bro . Jennings , acting Sec , replied to the toast of "The Officers of the Lodge . " The toast of "The Visitors" was responded to by Bros . Hubbard , P . M . 1107 , and Colley , A . D . C . 1571 , who each paid a just tribute to the working of the lodge generally *

and the W . M . on that occasion . , The proceedings were brought to a close by the Tyler a toast . As is usual with this lodge , the musical arrangements were ot a high order , and during the evening Bros . Williams , Jennings , Booker , Ashby , Joynes , Hickman , and G . H . Williams added much to the enjoyment of the brethren .