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Article Original Correspondence. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 2 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 2 of 2 Article THE STRUGGLE IN FRANCE. Page 1 of 2 →
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Original Correspondence.
Take an instance—two instances ; In " The Hervey Lodge v . Fielder "—Frcemason , Oct . 26 , 18 76 , the question was essentially pecuniary , and was decided on the legal proposition that no civic status was conferred upon a lodge to sue and be sued . I venture , Sir , to say that nine-tenths of our brethren accept that as a logical result of the purely voluntary character of our association . A case which came
before the Board of General Purposes in my time was some wretched social dispute about an alleged libel promulgated by one Mason against another , not qua his character as a brother Mason , but solely in respect to his position , or his conduct as a member of a local School Board . Here , and as I think , very properly , the disputants were left to their independent rights as members of the
general community . The question came before Grand Lodge , and that supreme body took this , as 1 think , indisputably constitutional view . But the case under discussion " " is to be distinguished , " as they say in Westminster Hall . A brief resume of the facts will , I think , show how . Certain members of a lodge , as I am informed of the circumstances , combined together to blackball , irrespective of
qualifications , every candidate for initiation . 1 he conspirators were detected—how—the modus operandi—I am not called upon to describe . It is not my province to praise the device emjiloycd , nor to animadvert upon its employment . They were detected . It is deemed to be a Masonic offence worthy of—let us say , briefly and not invidiously " gibbetting . " The bye-laws of the lodge provide , not
unreasonably , for incroyables ( to use a mild conventional term towards our irreconcileable brethren ) being—again to use a gentle phase—eliminated . The question then comes in whether their conduct , constituting an offence , which , if an offence at all , must surely be deemed purely Masonic , is cognisable by the general law courts of the realm ; cognisable , that is to say in this way , whether the
publication of what is averred to be their misconduct is such an aspersion upon their general reputation as members of the general body politic as to bring them within the risk of incurring that hatred and reprobation which is deemed by the common law ground for the awarding of pecuniary damages by an assessment of a jury of their common Masonic and un-Masoiic fellow citizens .
Perhaps such a publication may bc , as it is technically termed , " evidence to go to a jury , " and the estimate of what a jury would give in such a case , all Ihe circumstances proved as 1 have narrated them , cannot affect the question ; but what we have , as Masons , to consider is this : Are we to wash our dirty linen , when it is clearly our own fouling , at home , or to seek to blanch it in the law courts ?
Is such imputed misconduct within the purview of the Book of Constitutions , or must we resort to the tribunals of the realm open alike to exoteric and esoteric ? 1 venture to think that there can be but one reply . The report seems to imply that our illustrious M W . G . M . has declined jurisdiction in the matter . I think that this must be a misapprehension of what has really occurred . Has
the case been submitted to the Board of General Purposes ? 1 treat with the disdain it merits the suggestion in the paltry exercitation 1 have alluded to , that the learned magistrate before whom the case came appends to his illustrious name any of the misquoted titles the sensational and ignorant scribe has besmeared it with . That Mr . justice Held is a brother Mason I am proud to recognise ,
but 1 detect the valued fact rather in the sound discretion he apparently evinced in discriminating between what are and what are not subjects for tbe exercise of Masonic jurisprudence , than in the wild speculations of the writer , that the principles of our beloved brotherhood involve the proposition that Masons seek any emancipation from the ordinary obligations of law-abiding Englishmen .
1 have trespassed , sir , 1 fear , too long upon your space and your leaders' time . Exhaustively and irrefutably as you have treated the subject in your last week's impression , I find myself reduced to imitate the read y insolence of the young advocate , ( a very old joke by the way ) , who pleading before certain " grave and reverend seignours "
of the bench , was reminded by one of them that he had already advanced the same argument twice , " And 1 am afraid , my lords , " he retorted , " J shall have to re-iterate it twice more , for I see before mc four learned judges . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , SAMUEL POYNTEII , P . M . and Treasurer Burgoyne , No . 902 ; P . M . Athei a * um , No . 1491 .
ILLEGITIMACY AND FREEMASONRY . To the Editor ( if the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — 1 have received a fraternal and truly Masonic letter from my dear friend and brother , Commander C . Scott , P . M . 350 l . C . ( P . P . G . W . of Devon , &* c , & c ) , with respect to the subject about which wc have been writing of late .
There is no doubt as to our enthusiastic brother being in the right as to the custom in Ireland , though that , of course , docs not of itself prove it to be correct in the present era of Freemasonry . We should remember that the Society has passed through many stages , and that at the present time every Grand Lodge is not in the same advanced state as England ,
which may be said to exclude no one for faults not of his making , so long as its liberal prerequisites are observed . I have taken the liberty to publish Commander Scott ' s letter , and thank him for the same , though this time I cannot altogether follow his views . Wc generally ,
however , are one in Masonry , and always one in heart . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , W . J . HUGHAN . [ We print these letters , but , for several reasons , we wish the discussion now to close , and will publish no more on the subject . —ED . ]
Original Correspondence.
Dear Bro . Hughan , — This is a very interesting subject to all Freemasons , and no doubt many various opinions exist . As for the late Bro . Dunckerly , it appears by the many accounts of this esteemed Mason that he was a Freemason , and delivered addresses to various lodges before he was
acquainted with the secret of his paternity , which he . made known to the captain of his ship shortly afterwards , and asked his advice , & c , thereon . In Ireland the bar sinister has always been looked upon as a defect . I am well aware there is no Giand Lodge of Ireland law on the subject , but it is considered to be
included in the ancient charges , and a landmark , I may say , of the Order . All the old Masons I have ever met in this country declared they could not be even present at the making or raising of an illegitimate person . Bro . J . O . Andrews , of i *> 4 and si ** , l . C , is quite correct as to the views held in
this country , and I may also add that in 1804 there were ninety-two lodges in Tyrone , and two lodges , viz ., 710 , Sandholls , and S 06 , Rock ( or Zcrmon ) , did receive illegitimates , and that all such persons desirous of becoming Masons were admitted in these lodges , and afterwards were received as visitors in other lodges .
I had a conference with several very intelligent Masons about this question . We believe that free born means of honest parentage , not born of fornication , and that the words in the Gospel of St . Matthew Hi ., 7 , " generation of vipers , " and St . John , viii ., 41 , " born of fornication , " applies to this subject . We dedicate in Ireland our lodges to
the holy saint St . John , and , of course , are deeply interested in our patron saint ' s Gospels . I am of the same opinion as my brethren that this is a defect which can be removed by a dispensation from the Grand Master , but il would be a cruel act to make an honest and upright man , as a candidate , apply for such . 1 know you can show affidavits of candidates' parents being lawfully married early in
this century ; this was chiefly owing to I'resbyteriin marriages not being registered , and I really do not condemn our ancient brethren being so paiticular , as it tended towards morality . I fear 1 have trespassed on your time unduly , and with most fraternal feelings towards all brethren who may differ from
Yours fraternally , CIIARI . ES SCOTT , 3 6 5 , S . C , Halifax ; 230 , E . C , Devonport ; 350 , Omagh .
THE ORDERS OF ARCHITECTURE . To Ihe Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Bro . "J . C . " desires an authoritative opinion to
appear in the Freemason as to how the three orders of architecture aTe to lie appropriated , and I have pleasure in responding thereto by referring him and those interested to the Book of Constitutions , pp . 133-4 ( edit . 18 73 ) , as follows , re order of procession .
The Corinthian light : The column of the junior G . Warden . The Doric light : The column of the Senior G . Warden . The Ionic light : The Pro G . M . and M . W . G . M ., & c .
It is quite clear therefore that the Grand Lodge appropriates the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic orders respectivel y to the Junior and Senior Wardens and the Master , and so that is a sufficient authority for all lodges so to do . I have the authority of our well known and respected brother Thomas Fenn , P . G . D ., & c , for stating that it is
also the practice 111 the famous " Emulation Lodge of Improvement , " and that such also was the opinion cf the revered Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson is evident from an examination of the Tracing Boards painted under his superintendence , the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic columns having thereon statues of H . A . B ., H . K . T ., and S . K . I , respectively .
Bro . Kenneth R . , 11 . Mackenzie follows the same views in the " Royal Cjclopredia , " and so does Bro . the Itev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A ., in the "Masonic Cyclopaedia " ( proofs of which as to this matter 1 have in my possession ) , and in the magnum opus of Dr . A . G . Mackay ( the " Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry" ) a like order is observed . These three Masonic encyclopedists write accordingly as follows : —
Ionic East Wisdom ... Master ..., S . K . I . Doric West ... Strength . . Senior Warden .. H . K . T . Corinthian ... South ... Beauty ... Junior Warden .. H . A . B . The reasons for so doing I may refer to at another time . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WM . J AMES HUOHAN , P . G . D .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The position of the candlesticks is clearly laid down in the Book of Constitutions fsmall edition , 18 73 ,
l'P- 133-4 ) , where the Corinthian light is to be borne before the J . W ., the Doric before the S . W ., and the Ionic before the W . M . 1 venture to suggest to many inquirers in your columns a careful perusal of that book before writing to you . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , EMULATION * ,
Original Correspondence.
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A short time ago I was in the same perplexity as your correspondent , "J . C , " with reference to the pro . per assignment of the three columns in a Craft lodge , and found as much uncertainty among the P . M . ' s I referred
to for information as he appears to have done . An enquiry , addressed to our worthy Grand Secretary however , set the matter at rest . He informed me that he W . M . ' s column is the Ionic , the S . W . 's the Doric , and the J . W . ' s the Corinthian . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Lux .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — For the information of " J . C , " I beg to state that the columns of W . M ., S . W ., and J . W ., should respectively be Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic—types of wis . dom , strength , and beauty ; which qualities again were those contributed to Solomon ' s Temple respectively by the three holders of those chairs , K . S ., H . K . of T „ and
H . A . B . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , W . T .
A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can any American brother inform us what the Grand Lodge of Missouri ( La Grande Lodge constituc e en 1 S 6 5 sous letitrede Grand Loge del'Etat du Missouri ) , is , and what , the Grand Lodge of Ohio , ( LaGrande Loge
constitute en date du 27 Decembre , 1829 , sous le litre de Grande Loge de l'Etat de Ohio ) , pretends to be ? Are these the regular Grand Lodges ot these two states , and have they ever been recognised by the Grand Orient of France before ? See page 81 , Bulletin du Grand Orient , Mars et Avril , 1877 . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , QUERIST .
FREEMASONRY IN THE LAW COURTS . To the Editor ofthe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Let me call attention to the following extract from the Taller of June 16 : — " A secret society , which claims jurisdiction over its own members to the exclusion of the couits of law , and which
has its claims admitted by the judges in the land , is a curious anomaly , and its judicial cognizance should horrif y and scandalise all who cannot hear of a theory without pushing it to extreme conclusions . What would have happened bad Mr . Justice Field been unaware , as he might well have been , that a case lately before him was ' eminently ' for the jurisdiction of the Masonic Grand
Master ? And what will happen if the Grand Master persists in refusing jurisdiction ? And is a Masonic plaintiff debarred from sueing in the Supreme Court if he appears before a judge instructed in Masonry , but not otherwise ? The subject is as fertile in such questions as the historic battles for jurisdiction between the courts civil and the courts ecclesiastical . " Yours fraternally , LEX .
The Struggle In France.
THE STRUGGLE IN FRANCE .
We re-publish from the Monde Mafonniijue for June the following extracts from a most interesting letter which appears therein , and which we think well to allude to in a leading article : — The letter is from Bro . Le on Clerc to Bro . Hubert , Editor of the Chaine D'Union .
Nos agrcables rapports dans le passe ' , autant que ¦ ' amiable accueil que vous mc lttes lors de mon dernier voyage ;" i Paris , mc rendent facile l ' exc cution de ma promessc , cclle de vous tenir au courant de l'eflet que pourrait produire en ce pays les discussions des Loges Francaiscs tendant ;' i la suppression du paragraphe 2 , art . ier de la Constitution du Gr . Or .
Dcpuis mon rctour , j'ai visite la loge Royal Jubilee , No 72 , Or . de Londres , Thomas Hines , Ven . J ' ai de plus converse avec un grand nombre de Freres de diverses autres Loges , ct je ne suis que 1 ' e cho de tous en vous affirmant que , si pareille suppression a lieu , le resultat pour la Maconnerie Francaise sera des plus de ' plorables dans la Grande-Bretagne .
CesH ' . m'assurent qu'alors aucun Macon Fran $ ais nc sera admis comme Visiteur dans les Loges de l'Obediencc Anglaisc . Vous savez que la Grande Loge Unie d'Angleterre conipte plus de 1300 Ateliers , sans parler des Grandea Loges d'lrlande et d'Ecosse ; et il n ' y a pas a douter que
cellcs-ci suivront l ' exemple dc leurs sceurs . L'Amenque , les colonies Anglaiscs , toutes imbues des ide ' es de la merepatrie , meme langue , memes croyances , memes mocurs , ies imiteront aussi . II faut ne pas connaitre la race Anglo-Saxonne pour avoir des hesitations sur ce chef , et je n ' ai pas passe plus de vingt ar . ne ' es dans son sein pour ignorer ses tendances .
Que deviendraalors l ' universalitc- de laFrancmaeonnerie , si celle jireche ' e par le Gr . Orient de France est ainsi rcjete ' e , stigmatised par la moitie du globe ? Et serait-il vrai que lii sont les aspirations de la Francmacjonnerie Francaise ! Ellc , qui ne date que d ' un siccle et demi , pretend , par un vote , vouloir briser une croyance aussi vieille que le monde ct qui vivra autant que notre globe , simplcment parce qu'elle est vraie , naturelle ,
necessairc . Pardonncz-moi cette reflexion , mais une pareille pretention m'a Pair d ' une gaminerie . C ' est 1 ' enfaut disant a sou pe-re d ' un ton mutin : Eh bien I non , tu n'es pas mon pe ' re .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Original Correspondence.
Take an instance—two instances ; In " The Hervey Lodge v . Fielder "—Frcemason , Oct . 26 , 18 76 , the question was essentially pecuniary , and was decided on the legal proposition that no civic status was conferred upon a lodge to sue and be sued . I venture , Sir , to say that nine-tenths of our brethren accept that as a logical result of the purely voluntary character of our association . A case which came
before the Board of General Purposes in my time was some wretched social dispute about an alleged libel promulgated by one Mason against another , not qua his character as a brother Mason , but solely in respect to his position , or his conduct as a member of a local School Board . Here , and as I think , very properly , the disputants were left to their independent rights as members of the
general community . The question came before Grand Lodge , and that supreme body took this , as 1 think , indisputably constitutional view . But the case under discussion " " is to be distinguished , " as they say in Westminster Hall . A brief resume of the facts will , I think , show how . Certain members of a lodge , as I am informed of the circumstances , combined together to blackball , irrespective of
qualifications , every candidate for initiation . 1 he conspirators were detected—how—the modus operandi—I am not called upon to describe . It is not my province to praise the device emjiloycd , nor to animadvert upon its employment . They were detected . It is deemed to be a Masonic offence worthy of—let us say , briefly and not invidiously " gibbetting . " The bye-laws of the lodge provide , not
unreasonably , for incroyables ( to use a mild conventional term towards our irreconcileable brethren ) being—again to use a gentle phase—eliminated . The question then comes in whether their conduct , constituting an offence , which , if an offence at all , must surely be deemed purely Masonic , is cognisable by the general law courts of the realm ; cognisable , that is to say in this way , whether the
publication of what is averred to be their misconduct is such an aspersion upon their general reputation as members of the general body politic as to bring them within the risk of incurring that hatred and reprobation which is deemed by the common law ground for the awarding of pecuniary damages by an assessment of a jury of their common Masonic and un-Masoiic fellow citizens .
Perhaps such a publication may bc , as it is technically termed , " evidence to go to a jury , " and the estimate of what a jury would give in such a case , all Ihe circumstances proved as 1 have narrated them , cannot affect the question ; but what we have , as Masons , to consider is this : Are we to wash our dirty linen , when it is clearly our own fouling , at home , or to seek to blanch it in the law courts ?
Is such imputed misconduct within the purview of the Book of Constitutions , or must we resort to the tribunals of the realm open alike to exoteric and esoteric ? 1 venture to think that there can be but one reply . The report seems to imply that our illustrious M W . G . M . has declined jurisdiction in the matter . I think that this must be a misapprehension of what has really occurred . Has
the case been submitted to the Board of General Purposes ? 1 treat with the disdain it merits the suggestion in the paltry exercitation 1 have alluded to , that the learned magistrate before whom the case came appends to his illustrious name any of the misquoted titles the sensational and ignorant scribe has besmeared it with . That Mr . justice Held is a brother Mason I am proud to recognise ,
but 1 detect the valued fact rather in the sound discretion he apparently evinced in discriminating between what are and what are not subjects for tbe exercise of Masonic jurisprudence , than in the wild speculations of the writer , that the principles of our beloved brotherhood involve the proposition that Masons seek any emancipation from the ordinary obligations of law-abiding Englishmen .
1 have trespassed , sir , 1 fear , too long upon your space and your leaders' time . Exhaustively and irrefutably as you have treated the subject in your last week's impression , I find myself reduced to imitate the read y insolence of the young advocate , ( a very old joke by the way ) , who pleading before certain " grave and reverend seignours "
of the bench , was reminded by one of them that he had already advanced the same argument twice , " And 1 am afraid , my lords , " he retorted , " J shall have to re-iterate it twice more , for I see before mc four learned judges . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , SAMUEL POYNTEII , P . M . and Treasurer Burgoyne , No . 902 ; P . M . Athei a * um , No . 1491 .
ILLEGITIMACY AND FREEMASONRY . To the Editor ( if the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — 1 have received a fraternal and truly Masonic letter from my dear friend and brother , Commander C . Scott , P . M . 350 l . C . ( P . P . G . W . of Devon , &* c , & c ) , with respect to the subject about which wc have been writing of late .
There is no doubt as to our enthusiastic brother being in the right as to the custom in Ireland , though that , of course , docs not of itself prove it to be correct in the present era of Freemasonry . We should remember that the Society has passed through many stages , and that at the present time every Grand Lodge is not in the same advanced state as England ,
which may be said to exclude no one for faults not of his making , so long as its liberal prerequisites are observed . I have taken the liberty to publish Commander Scott ' s letter , and thank him for the same , though this time I cannot altogether follow his views . Wc generally ,
however , are one in Masonry , and always one in heart . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , W . J . HUGHAN . [ We print these letters , but , for several reasons , we wish the discussion now to close , and will publish no more on the subject . —ED . ]
Original Correspondence.
Dear Bro . Hughan , — This is a very interesting subject to all Freemasons , and no doubt many various opinions exist . As for the late Bro . Dunckerly , it appears by the many accounts of this esteemed Mason that he was a Freemason , and delivered addresses to various lodges before he was
acquainted with the secret of his paternity , which he . made known to the captain of his ship shortly afterwards , and asked his advice , & c , thereon . In Ireland the bar sinister has always been looked upon as a defect . I am well aware there is no Giand Lodge of Ireland law on the subject , but it is considered to be
included in the ancient charges , and a landmark , I may say , of the Order . All the old Masons I have ever met in this country declared they could not be even present at the making or raising of an illegitimate person . Bro . J . O . Andrews , of i *> 4 and si ** , l . C , is quite correct as to the views held in
this country , and I may also add that in 1804 there were ninety-two lodges in Tyrone , and two lodges , viz ., 710 , Sandholls , and S 06 , Rock ( or Zcrmon ) , did receive illegitimates , and that all such persons desirous of becoming Masons were admitted in these lodges , and afterwards were received as visitors in other lodges .
I had a conference with several very intelligent Masons about this question . We believe that free born means of honest parentage , not born of fornication , and that the words in the Gospel of St . Matthew Hi ., 7 , " generation of vipers , " and St . John , viii ., 41 , " born of fornication , " applies to this subject . We dedicate in Ireland our lodges to
the holy saint St . John , and , of course , are deeply interested in our patron saint ' s Gospels . I am of the same opinion as my brethren that this is a defect which can be removed by a dispensation from the Grand Master , but il would be a cruel act to make an honest and upright man , as a candidate , apply for such . 1 know you can show affidavits of candidates' parents being lawfully married early in
this century ; this was chiefly owing to I'resbyteriin marriages not being registered , and I really do not condemn our ancient brethren being so paiticular , as it tended towards morality . I fear 1 have trespassed on your time unduly , and with most fraternal feelings towards all brethren who may differ from
Yours fraternally , CIIARI . ES SCOTT , 3 6 5 , S . C , Halifax ; 230 , E . C , Devonport ; 350 , Omagh .
THE ORDERS OF ARCHITECTURE . To Ihe Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Bro . "J . C . " desires an authoritative opinion to
appear in the Freemason as to how the three orders of architecture aTe to lie appropriated , and I have pleasure in responding thereto by referring him and those interested to the Book of Constitutions , pp . 133-4 ( edit . 18 73 ) , as follows , re order of procession .
The Corinthian light : The column of the junior G . Warden . The Doric light : The column of the Senior G . Warden . The Ionic light : The Pro G . M . and M . W . G . M ., & c .
It is quite clear therefore that the Grand Lodge appropriates the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic orders respectivel y to the Junior and Senior Wardens and the Master , and so that is a sufficient authority for all lodges so to do . I have the authority of our well known and respected brother Thomas Fenn , P . G . D ., & c , for stating that it is
also the practice 111 the famous " Emulation Lodge of Improvement , " and that such also was the opinion cf the revered Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson is evident from an examination of the Tracing Boards painted under his superintendence , the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic columns having thereon statues of H . A . B ., H . K . T ., and S . K . I , respectively .
Bro . Kenneth R . , 11 . Mackenzie follows the same views in the " Royal Cjclopredia , " and so does Bro . the Itev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A ., in the "Masonic Cyclopaedia " ( proofs of which as to this matter 1 have in my possession ) , and in the magnum opus of Dr . A . G . Mackay ( the " Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry" ) a like order is observed . These three Masonic encyclopedists write accordingly as follows : —
Ionic East Wisdom ... Master ..., S . K . I . Doric West ... Strength . . Senior Warden .. H . K . T . Corinthian ... South ... Beauty ... Junior Warden .. H . A . B . The reasons for so doing I may refer to at another time . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WM . J AMES HUOHAN , P . G . D .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The position of the candlesticks is clearly laid down in the Book of Constitutions fsmall edition , 18 73 ,
l'P- 133-4 ) , where the Corinthian light is to be borne before the J . W ., the Doric before the S . W ., and the Ionic before the W . M . 1 venture to suggest to many inquirers in your columns a careful perusal of that book before writing to you . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , EMULATION * ,
Original Correspondence.
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A short time ago I was in the same perplexity as your correspondent , "J . C , " with reference to the pro . per assignment of the three columns in a Craft lodge , and found as much uncertainty among the P . M . ' s I referred
to for information as he appears to have done . An enquiry , addressed to our worthy Grand Secretary however , set the matter at rest . He informed me that he W . M . ' s column is the Ionic , the S . W . 's the Doric , and the J . W . ' s the Corinthian . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Lux .
To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — For the information of " J . C , " I beg to state that the columns of W . M ., S . W ., and J . W ., should respectively be Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic—types of wis . dom , strength , and beauty ; which qualities again were those contributed to Solomon ' s Temple respectively by the three holders of those chairs , K . S ., H . K . of T „ and
H . A . B . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , W . T .
A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can any American brother inform us what the Grand Lodge of Missouri ( La Grande Lodge constituc e en 1 S 6 5 sous letitrede Grand Loge del'Etat du Missouri ) , is , and what , the Grand Lodge of Ohio , ( LaGrande Loge
constitute en date du 27 Decembre , 1829 , sous le litre de Grande Loge de l'Etat de Ohio ) , pretends to be ? Are these the regular Grand Lodges ot these two states , and have they ever been recognised by the Grand Orient of France before ? See page 81 , Bulletin du Grand Orient , Mars et Avril , 1877 . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , QUERIST .
FREEMASONRY IN THE LAW COURTS . To the Editor ofthe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Let me call attention to the following extract from the Taller of June 16 : — " A secret society , which claims jurisdiction over its own members to the exclusion of the couits of law , and which
has its claims admitted by the judges in the land , is a curious anomaly , and its judicial cognizance should horrif y and scandalise all who cannot hear of a theory without pushing it to extreme conclusions . What would have happened bad Mr . Justice Field been unaware , as he might well have been , that a case lately before him was ' eminently ' for the jurisdiction of the Masonic Grand
Master ? And what will happen if the Grand Master persists in refusing jurisdiction ? And is a Masonic plaintiff debarred from sueing in the Supreme Court if he appears before a judge instructed in Masonry , but not otherwise ? The subject is as fertile in such questions as the historic battles for jurisdiction between the courts civil and the courts ecclesiastical . " Yours fraternally , LEX .
The Struggle In France.
THE STRUGGLE IN FRANCE .
We re-publish from the Monde Mafonniijue for June the following extracts from a most interesting letter which appears therein , and which we think well to allude to in a leading article : — The letter is from Bro . Le on Clerc to Bro . Hubert , Editor of the Chaine D'Union .
Nos agrcables rapports dans le passe ' , autant que ¦ ' amiable accueil que vous mc lttes lors de mon dernier voyage ;" i Paris , mc rendent facile l ' exc cution de ma promessc , cclle de vous tenir au courant de l'eflet que pourrait produire en ce pays les discussions des Loges Francaiscs tendant ;' i la suppression du paragraphe 2 , art . ier de la Constitution du Gr . Or .
Dcpuis mon rctour , j'ai visite la loge Royal Jubilee , No 72 , Or . de Londres , Thomas Hines , Ven . J ' ai de plus converse avec un grand nombre de Freres de diverses autres Loges , ct je ne suis que 1 ' e cho de tous en vous affirmant que , si pareille suppression a lieu , le resultat pour la Maconnerie Francaise sera des plus de ' plorables dans la Grande-Bretagne .
CesH ' . m'assurent qu'alors aucun Macon Fran $ ais nc sera admis comme Visiteur dans les Loges de l'Obediencc Anglaisc . Vous savez que la Grande Loge Unie d'Angleterre conipte plus de 1300 Ateliers , sans parler des Grandea Loges d'lrlande et d'Ecosse ; et il n ' y a pas a douter que
cellcs-ci suivront l ' exemple dc leurs sceurs . L'Amenque , les colonies Anglaiscs , toutes imbues des ide ' es de la merepatrie , meme langue , memes croyances , memes mocurs , ies imiteront aussi . II faut ne pas connaitre la race Anglo-Saxonne pour avoir des hesitations sur ce chef , et je n ' ai pas passe plus de vingt ar . ne ' es dans son sein pour ignorer ses tendances .
Que deviendraalors l ' universalitc- de laFrancmaeonnerie , si celle jireche ' e par le Gr . Orient de France est ainsi rcjete ' e , stigmatised par la moitie du globe ? Et serait-il vrai que lii sont les aspirations de la Francmacjonnerie Francaise ! Ellc , qui ne date que d ' un siccle et demi , pretend , par un vote , vouloir briser une croyance aussi vieille que le monde ct qui vivra autant que notre globe , simplcment parce qu'elle est vraie , naturelle ,
necessairc . Pardonncz-moi cette reflexion , mais une pareille pretention m'a Pair d ' une gaminerie . C ' est 1 ' enfaut disant a sou pe-re d ' un ton mutin : Eh bien I non , tu n'es pas mon pe ' re .