Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have much pleasure in informing you that H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , KG ., & c , M . W . Past Grand Master , has graciously consented to lay , with Masonic ceremonial , the foundation-stone of the new School Buildings now

in course of erection at Bushey . The ceremony will take place in May next . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , J . M . McLEOD , 6 , Freemasons' Hall , Secretary . Great Queen-street , W . C , September 21 st .

MASONIC SCIENCE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Now that the lodges are about to recommence their winter sessions , allow me to draw attention again , vis I did about this time last year , to the fact usually ignored by members of the Craft that Freemasonry is something far more than a kind of Charity Organisation Society on a large scale , or a convivial

association of which the most important feature is the banquet . Masonry is the grand and universal science of Human development , and when the mind attains a glimpse of the latent powers of man , Masonic science reveals itself as the consummation of all the sciences—the evolution of man from the animal to the divine . It knows no creed , race , or sect any more than a particular science knows any difference between a Christian or Mohommedan , engineer , or chemist , or astronomer . The ideal Mason is free for ever from prejudice , bigotry , and superstition , all of which would be incompatible with science .

The great need of the Masonic world to-day , it appears to me , is to initiate some practical movement towards teaching its members the rudiments of Masonic science . This parrot-like repetition of the ritual has been tolerat » d long enough . Let us begin anew to study Masonry in an understanding spirit . I am glad to say that signs of progress are visible in several quarters . —Yours fraternally ,

ARTHUR LOVELL , Member of the Metropolitan College of the Rosicrucian Society . 5 , Portman-street , Portman-square , W .

THE ASHTON MARK LODGE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Yarker ' s interesting communication and your own able article

in to-day ' s issue must be my excuse for this further reference , otherwise they contain all that need be said . I think nobody approves of the creation of Grand Lodges , and probably there are members of the Ashton Lodge who deprecate the assumption of the title . So far , then , let us hope circumstances favour peace and harmony .

I pretend to hardly any knowledge of States Mark Masonry , but I could not doubt Bro . Magnus Ohren ' s word . As reflexive of what has been in English Old Mark lodges , his letter is a confirmation ; but I take it Bro . Ohren was simply struck with a coincidence , as I was with a new experience . Craft or Arch

laws and regulations had little or nothing to do with such lodges ; some recorded their proceedings in the Craft minute book , while others purposely avoided doing so j some preferred close connection between Craft and Mark , others kept them separate , and worked the Degree outside their own when requested , under any Craft lodge warrant .

" Burial funds" were by no means uncommon throughout the manufacturing districts from 1830 to 1 S 50 and later . 1 consider them quite out of place when attached to a Masonic lodge , even if they did not cause a division of interest ; but all the same 1 can understand the Ashton Lodge sticking to its old institu tutions . With the wisdom of it I am not called upon to deal , —Yours fraternally ,

HISTORICUS September 16 th .

STAMPED RECEIPTS V To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Should a stamped receipt be given for Initiation Fees or Subscriptions of 40 s . and upwards to Masonic lodges and chapters ? Some lodges do give it , and some do not . Which is right ' i A TREASURER IN DOUBT . [ " A receipt in accordance with the law should , of course , be given . —ED . F . M .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting oi the Hoard of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . James Henry Matthews , President , Bro . David Dixon Mercer , Senior Vice-President , and Bro . Henry Garrod , Junior Vice-President , occupied their respective chairs . Bros . W . Lake , Asst . G . Sec , William Dodd , and G . S . Recknell represented the Grand Secretary ' s department . There were also present Bros . James Boulton , P . G . P . ; W . Fisher , A . G . P . i E . W . Nightingale ; Henry A . Tobias , P . G . Std . Br . ; the Rev . J . S .

Brownrigg , P . G . Chap . ; George Graveley , P . G . P . ; S . H . Goldschmidt ; Walter Martin , P . G . P . ; Thomas Minstrell , P . G . P . ; W . Kipps ; George B . Chapman ; John Ellinger ; Charles Henry Stone ; James W . Burgess , P . M . 1325 ; Richard Carey , W . M . i-44 « ; R- I- E- Brown , P . M ., P . / . 1967 ; J . P . Green , P . M . 976 ; A . Swinfoid ; F . Smith , W . M . - ' 272 ; C . H . Webb , P . M . 174 ; H . Masscy , P . M . 619 ; Charles E . Botley , W . M . 40 ; Wilfred A . Bowser , 1 . P . M . 2000 ; Edward Drew , W . M . i () 02 ; George E . Mann , W . M . 2424 ; Ernest Von Uibra , P . M . 166 9 ; G M E . Hamilton , P . M . 144 6 ; and Charles Lock , P . M . 192 s .

The brethren first confirmed recommendations to the Grand Master m-ide at the August meeting to the amount of . £ 160 , of which his Royal Hi ghness had approved , and then oroceeded with the new list of 18 cases , which were qualified

Board Of Benevolence.

through lodges in the London district , and at Devonport , N . Z ., New Brompton , Luton , Shanghai , Sydney , N . S . W ., Agra , Twickenham , Kimberley , Bruton , Urmston , Hastings , Aberystwith , Trinidad , and Newton Abbot . One of these cases was withdrawn , and four were deferred . The remainder were awarded a total of ^ 313 . One case was recommended for the confirmation of Grand Lodge f ° ^ 75 i two petitioners were recommended for the Grand Master's approval for , £ 40 each ; and two for . £ 30 each . Three petitioners received £ 20 each , one ^ 15 , one ; £ io , two , £ 5 each , and one ^ 3 .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Montagu Lodge , No . 665 . This lodge celebrated its installation festival on Monday , the nth inst ., at Lyme Regis . Bro . the Rev . Rowland Hill completed his year of office and was succeeded by Bro . H . K . Morgan , P . P . G . Org ., who was ably installed bj the lodge's oldest Past Master—Bro . W . H . Kerbey . The ceremonial was dignified and impressive and commanded the reverent attention of the following brethren , viz .: Bros . Rev . R . Hill , P . P . G . Chap . ; Sir C . E . Peek , Bart ., P . M . 1402 ; W . H . Kerbey , P . P . G . Supt . of Works ; H . R . Moreran , P . P . G . Org . ; E . H . Wallis , P . I . G . D . ; I . Radford .

P . P . J . G . D . ; R . C . Radford , P . P . G . Supt . of Works ; W . Prosser , P . P . S . G . D . ; H . W . Chatterton , P . P . G . Reg . Middx . ; W . A . L . Paul , 494 ; Dr . A . R . W . Sedgefield , P . M . 2590 ; A . H . Lock , 417 , P . P . G . Reg . ; T . Strange Biggs . 417 , P . P . J . G . D . ; T . S . Coggan , P . M . 772 ; J . Bailey Toms , P . M . 1953 ; F . E . Yapp , W . M . 11 S 1 ; C . E . Smith , F . Paul , J . Spurr , J . L . Rumsey , P . P . G . Org . ; E . Sprackling , D . T . Chapman , C . W . Bloye , F . Britton , A . T . M . Bond , Rev . A . Ball , 494 ; F . W . Kerbey , 11 j G . J . Hunt , S . W . 417 ; E . V . Osmond , 417 ; P . Coyte , 11 S 1 ; and G . T . pcrtr . Tvlpr .

After the W . M . had been duly installed , proclaimed , and saluted in the Three Degrees , the following officers were invested , viz ., Bros , the Rev . R . Hill , I . P . M . ; E . H . Wallis , S . W . ; J . Radford , J . W . ; A . T . M . Bond , Chap . ; E . Sprackling , Treas . ; R . C . Radford , Sec ; J . Spurr , S . D . ; D . T . Chapman , J . D . ; S . S . Hasluck , P . P . S . G . D ., D . of C . ; J . L . Rumsey , Org . ; C . W . Bloye , I . G . ; F . Paul

and f . Britton , atwds . ; and <¦>¦ Legg , lyler . In performing this part of the business the W . M . handed each brother a card conveying ' * his compliments , " giving a list of officers ss above and a calendar with the subject of a proposed 10 minutes'oration set down against each lodge night . The I . P . M . was presented with a Past Master's regulation collar , per standing order of the lodge . After the usual interchange of " Hearty crnnrl wishes . " lodire was closed .

The brethren retired to the Royal Lion Hotel , where Bro . Host John Grove served up a recherche banquet . The toast list followed the usual order of precedence from "' The Queen and the Craft " to that of the Tyler . Music was pleasingly interpolated . Of the toasts one might be mentioned—that of "Bro . Prosser , P . M ., " who was the welcome guest of his mother lodge after 13 years' absence . Bro . J . Radford , one of Bro . Prosser ' s first initiates , was the proposer . He said : Bro . Prosser joined the

Montagu Lodge in 1 S 81 , and by perseverance he quickly " rose to eminence by merit , " and succeeded to the chair of K . S . in 1 S 84 . Everyone remembered how ably he filled that high office , and how the brethren showed continued confidence by re-electing him at the close of the year . Not a candidate had passed under his gavel but now looked up to his Masonic godparent with respect and veneiation , and that because of Bro . Prosser ' s noble example as a man and as a Mason . That night he had returned to his old home , where the right hand of fellowship was unitedly and severally held out to give him a cordial welcome as the 'uest of the evening , and

as" The faithful , worthy brother , Whose heart can feel for grief , Whose bosom with compassion Steps forth to its relief , Whose sout is ever ready Around him to diffuse

The principles of Masons , And guard them from abuse . " The toast was warmly received with music and good " fire . " Bro . Prosser acknowledged with some emotion . He did not know really how to thank the brethren for their warmheartedness , nor Bro . Radford for the flattering way he had proposed his health . It was indeed pleasure to h- ' m to come back to find his old

lodge so flourishing , and with such an esprit de corps animating its members . He felt sure a large measure of the success was due to his old friend and tried brother , Bro . Kerbey —( hear , hear)—who never lost the opportunity of gently prodding a brother to higher things , and he must say Bro . Kerbey ' s efforts had been admirably backed up by the lodge generally . May success crown success , and may he be spared to come again to find efficiency more efficient !

The end of the programme was reached at 10 o ' clock , and the company felt that to the Stewards , to the host , and to themselves they were indebted for the celebration of Lodge Montagu ' s 44 th installation festival— "the last , " but certainly not " the least , " of the roll so far .

Jordan Lodge , No . 1402 . The above lodge held its annual festival at the Masonic Temple , Torquay , on the 12 th instant , when Bro . J . D . Beer , Past S . W ., was ably installed as W . M . for the ensuing year by Bro . John Lane , P . A . G . D . of C . Eng ., Prov . J . G . W . Devon , assisted by Bro . Samuel Wills , who delivered the charges . The Board of Installed Masters also included Bros . VV . Winget ; J . W . McKellar ; C . Hill ,- W . Hersey ; T . J . Crossman ; R . E . Drew , P . P . A . G . D . of C ; G . S . Bridgman , P . P . G . Supt . of Works ; C . Emmctt , P . P . A . G . D . of C . ; J . W . Daw , W . M . 135 S , Paiirnton : F . I . W . Crowe , W . M . 32 S , P . P . G . Ore . ; E . Richards . 123 . P . P . G .

Supt . of Works ; R . H . Beer , 32 S ; I . A . Blackler , 32 S , Prov . G . Sec ; 3 nd J . Mardon , W . M . 24 S , Brixham . The W . M . appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . J . G . Turlc , I . P . M . ; R . D . Scholes , S . W . ; J . Glanfield , J . W . ; C . Hill , Chap . ; Samuel Wills , Treas . ; J . Taylor , P . P . G . Reg ., Sec . ; T . J . Crossman , D , ofC . ; W . Grist , S . D . ; W . Eliot Thomas , J . D . ; Heaton Bailey , Org . ; C . Burrow , I . G . ; J . E . Newton , Tyler ; T . H . Wills , Prov . D . G . D . C , Representative of Committee of Petitions and Charity Steward ; and F . Halt and T . Berry , Stwds . A handsome Past Master's jewel was presented to Bro . Turle for his services during the oast vear .

At the annual banquet which follc-ed the usualj loyal and Masonic toasts were observed .

Hadrian Lodge , No . 2483-The annual meeting of the above lodge was held at the Devonshire Hotel , Bjxhill , on the 13 th inst ., when Bro . the Rev . Francis William Pawson , P . G . C ., was installed W . M . The following officers were appointed , viz .: Bros . George Nicholson , I . P . M . ; William Neeves Oldham , S . W . ; Arthur C . Dynham , J . W . ; E . W . Stillwell , P . M ., P . G . Stwd ., P . P . S . G . W ., Treas . ; Richard Francis , P . M ., Sec ; Francis Gildersleeve , S . D . ; Ernest Piper , J . D . ; Frederick G . Bretton , I . G . ; James Wood , P . M ., D . of C . ; Jabez O . Ford , Org . ; and Ebenezer Cornwell and Charles W . Miles , Stewards .

On the termination of the lodge business the brethren sat down to a banquet , under the presidency of the newly-installed W . M . The visiting brethren present included he Deputy Prov . G . M ., llro . Sir I " . Marriott , O . C ., P . G . D . ; Bros . C . H . Burchell , W . M . 5 6 ; J . Easter , W . M . 2434 , P . M . mo , P . P . G . Org . ; W . P . Sm . th , W . M . iSzn ; H . Thwaites , Stwd . mo ; J . Puttick , 40 , 2 ^ 1 , P . S . G . W . ; J . W . Burgess Stanley , P . M . ii ? q . P . P . G . D .: H . G . White , S . D . 2414 : 1 . Creichton , P . M . mo , P . P . G . Std . Br . ;

G . Fowler , P . M . 1110 , P . P . G . P . ; F . R . Serson , W . M . mo ; R . Strong , W . M . IS-M : J . Senior , W . M . 276 G ; C . II . Ilaine , P . M . mo , P . J . G . W . ; J . Andrews , I . W . IIIO ; T . Trollope , W . M . 1 S 42 , P . G . D . ; P . Beer , W . M . 2092 ; J . Hodson , W . M . 11 S 4 ; R . Hughes , P . M . 11 S 4 , P . P . G . Stwd . ; F . Garrett , W . M . 341 j E . Rushbridge , W . M . elect iS 2 y ; T . Corringham , W . M . 21 S 7 ; V . A . Wormald , and A . S . Cooke , 315 .