Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondent hut we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsf . * c discussion .

NATIONAL ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL ( FOR THB DEFORMED ) . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir , May we ask you to kindly make known to your readers the critical financial position of the National Orthop . edic Hospital ?

The present year commenced with a heavy deficit , owing to the lack of annual subscriptions and donations , which has placed the hospital in such a position that unless the sum of ^ iooo is speedily forthcoming , the Committee feel they will be unable to proceed . The work of the hospital , which covers all cases of deformity , has quietly proceeded , with the result that during the last 60 years upwards of 76 , 810 patients have been cured or relieved in its wards .

In order to deal with the increasing list of applicants waiting for admission the Committee in 1 S 92 almost rebuilt and greatly extended the hospital , at a cost of ^ 8200 , of which sum £ 1000 remains unpaid—thus making provision for 60 beds as against the original number—35 . These additions were no sooner completed , and the new wards opened , than every bedwas filled ; and the demands have been so continuous that an average of 50 patients waiting for admission has been registered during the last two years .

This condition of affairs is all the more to be regretted when it is remembered that the majority of applicants are children , whose deformities require special attention before their limbs become set , which in some cases impedes , and in others entirely prevents , relief . The Committee feel it their duty to make known the present position of the hospital , with every confidence that the public will not allow the institution to close any of its wards , or otherwise curtail its good work , through lack of financial support .

Any donation can be sent to the Hospital , 234 , Great Portland-street , London , W ., and cheques can be made payable to the Treasurer , and crossed " Sir S . Scott , Bart ., and Co . " —Yours faithfully , MARLBOROUGH , President . FARQUHAR , Treasurer . 234 , Great Portland-street , Regents Park , W . December sth .

OUR RICHARD EVE LODGE REPORT . To the Editor of the '' Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your issue of the Freemason of the 15 th instant , reporting the

installation of the Grand Treasurer to the chair of the Richard Eve Lodge , among the proceedings is a report of a supposed speech by Bio . Gerard . Your representative at the gathering has unfortunately misconceived what Bro . Gerard really said ; if left uncorrected what he is supposed to have said according to your report , might lead to serious trouble and difficulty .

I enclose you Bro . Gerard's speech , and remain , yours faithfully and fraternally , WILLIAM R . BENNETT . 58 , Moorgate-street , London , E . G ., 18 th December .

W . M ., Grand Officers , Officers , and Brethren : I think every member ought to do something to mark the unique event of the Grand Secretary installing the Grand Treasurer as our Worshiplul Master , and I commenced by looking round me what I could do in my humble way as a proud member and founder of the lodge , and I saw no better way than to mark this event by some kind of record , and the best way I saw for doing so was to dust up subscriptions for the excellent

Institutions , our Charities . I commenced with my firm , Spiers and Pond , Ltd ., and made it my business to see what we had done in the past towards these Institutions and I found that we had not done over much , as a matter of fact we had not given any systematic or regular donation . I do not know whose fault this was , perhaps the Secretaries of these excellently managed Charities were lax in looking us up and bringing us up to the scratch . However , I am pleased

to inform you , Worshipful Sir , this evening I have handed to Bro . Terry a cheque for 25 guineas asour subscription , Spiersand Pond , towards the Old People ' s Institution . I understand you are , as our Master , representing the lodge as Steward tor the next Festival , and I sh . ill have pleasure in crediting your list with 15 guineas of the amount handed to Bro . Terry . Unfortunately , I was not aware you were going up as Steward for the Old People , otherwise I should have postponed

going up myself as Steward for another year ; under the circumstances , I must take 10 guineas of that amount of 25 guineas on to my own list . I have , however , the pleasure to announce that my firm have given me authority to state that they have decided to subscribe regularly every year 10 guineas to each of the three Charities , and through the instrumentality of the Richard Eve Lodge as

long as they have officers or members going up as Stewards for the Institutions . 1 am aware that the Immediate Past Master is going up as Steward for ihe Boys , and I shall be pleased to hand him a cheque for 10 guineas ; and if any member of the Richard Eve Lodge should go up for the Girls , let him remember that I have 10 guineas at his disposal . I thank you . "

DEFAULTERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Rules 210 , 212 , and 213 Book of Constitutions are clear as to the course to be observed , in certain events , with respect to a brother who is excluded or resigns from the only lodge lo which he belongs without having complied with

its byr-laws ; but if he be a member ol two lodges—say A and B—at the same lime ( A being his mother lodge and 15 one which he has joined ) , and is excluded 01 iesigii . fi from H without paying his . subscriptions , what is to prevent him from being elected a joining mem er ot Lodge C , after referring the brethren thereof to Lodge A , of which he is still a subscribing member , ar . d from which he ( having

fully complied with ils bye-laws ) is entitled to a clearance certificate , as per Rule iSy Book of Constitutions r It might be suggested that the W . M . or Secretary of Lodge B should inform the corresponding officer ol Lodge A ( which they would know to be his mother lodge ) of the brother ' s exclusion or resignation , and of the nature and extent of his default , so that his admission into Lodge C might be prevented , by means of

Correspondence.

his clearance certificate , from Lodge A , when applied for , being accompanied by a statement of the circumstances which prevailed concerning him at the determination of his membership of Lodge B . He may possibly , however , be a subscribing member also of one or more other lodges without the brethren of Lodge B being aware of it , in which case Lodge C would , on application to either of such other lodges , readily obtain the requisite clearance certificate .

The difficulty might , perhaps , be surmounted by the laying down of a rule in the Book of Constitutions making it incumbent on the Secretary of Lodge B to report , immediately , to the Grand Secretary the brother ' s exclusion and the cause thereof , or his resignation , with particulars of his arrears , in order that the Grand Secretary may ascertain from his register what other lodge or lodges the defaulting brother is a member of , and repeat to the W . M . or Secretary of each of them the information conveyed to him , so that Lodge C may be enabled to

discover , upon inquiry of the lodge given as a reference , that the candidate is not eligible for election , owing to his default . Or a step further might be taken in this direction , as a means of protecting lodges from defaulters , by the establishment of a rule making it imperative on every Iodge of which the defaulting brother may still be a member to exclude him , on receipt of instructions to that effect from the Grand Secretary , and to decline to issue a

clearance certificate in his favour to enable him to rejoin or join any lodge unless and until the Grand Secretary , upon being informed by the Secretary of Lodge B ( in accordance with what should be a standing order ) that the brother in question has at length satisfactorily complied with the terms of the bye-laws , issues an advice to each lodge concerned that the prohibition is removed .

This would be carrying out , in practice , what I conceive to be the spirit of the law with regard to defaulters , that no brother should continue to enjoy the privileges of membership of any one lodge whilst failing in his obligations to another .

Perhaps you , or some of your readers , will kindly enlighten me as to what is the usual practice in any such case ?—Yours fraternally , PERPLEXITY , P . M . 15 th Decemb . r .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"DAILY MAIL Year Book for 1901 . Published by Harmsiaorth Brothers , Ltd ., London , K . C "—This very remarkable compilation is edited by Mr . Percy L . Parker . There are between three and four hundred closely printed pages , ably arranged , and admirably head-lined as respects the paragraphs , together containing fully 20 , 000 * ' Facts of the Day , Biographies , Tables , Diagrams , and Maps . " Some idea may be formed of its scope and value from the statement , that it is a veritable multum in . parvo , and , doubtless , will have an immense circulation at the price of one shilling per copy . Fortunately , there is an elaborate index , which adds much to the usefulness of the work . Needless to state it is up to date and practically is a volume containing something about everything .

Christmas.

CHRISTMAS .

Brethren , the Star shone brightly in the East , One happy night long centuries ago ; Dispersing darkness till the Light increased To shed on all its guiding , gladsome glow . No wonder hearts were gay that Christmas morn ,

That first blest Christmas now so long since fled ; For unto us the Prince of Peace was born ; Eternal shame I—a manger for His bed . O I let us always perfect trust repose , Although God ' s ways are oft beyond our ken , With simple faith that doubting never knows ,

Clasp hand in hand and say " Goodwill to men , " Let " Peace on earth " our Yuletide message be , And Love and Hope and blessed Charity . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D . Bradford .

The Knights Templar Christmas Observance.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCE .

Grand Encampment Knights Templar , U . S . A . Office of the Committee on Christmas Observance , Portland , Maine , November 15 th , 1900 . Dear Frater , The following sentiment has been prepared for the coming Christmas : " To our Most Eminent Grand Alaster , Reuben Hedley Lloyd : A merry Christmas , and may the coming century fulfil the golden

promise of Peace on Earth and Good Will toward men . " The Grand Master sends the following response : " Templars : I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year . When all keep the new commandment of our Redeemer , the golden promise will bs fulfilled . You are obligated to labour unremittingly to bring to pass that perfection of man ' s moral and

intellectual development . "In the Gospel of St . John , xiii . chapter , 34 th verse , you will find the new commandment . " Will you join in these sentiments on Tuesday , December 25 th , at noon Eastern Standard time ( equivalent to 5 p . m . Greenwich ) , and will you

extend the invitation to your command , as well as to all true Templars and their friends , wheresoever dispersed , on land or sea ? Courteously and fraternally yours , STEPHEN BERRY , Committee , Portlaind , Maine .

Hawaiian Standard Time ... 16 5 ° W . ... 6 a . m . Alaska „ ,, ... 135 ° W . ... 8 „ Pacific „ „ ... 120 W . ... 9 „ Mountain ,, ,, ... 105 ' W . ... 10 ,, Central ,, „ ... < jo ° W . ... 11 ,, Eastern ,, „ ... 75 W . ... 12 m . Greenwich ,, o ° ... 5 p . m . Philippine Standard Time 120 ° E . 1 a . m . Dec . 26 th .