Correspondence,

Correspondence ,

We do not hold nut selves responsible for the opinions expressed !> y our coricspondents "hut we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion , SPECIAL APPEAL IN AID OF THE FIELD LANE RAGGED

SCHOOLS AND REFUGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Sir , The Field Lane Ragged Schools and Refuges , with which I have had the honour of being associated for 16 years , are at the present time urgently in need of special public aid to enable them to continue their beneficent operations .

The Institution celebrates this year its Diamond jubilee , having been permitted for 60 years to carry on its work . That work embraces the religious instruction of some of the poorest children in London ; the training of waifs and strays in thc certified Industrial Schools , in which they are fed , clothed , educated , and technically instructed ; and the nurturing of infants and young children in the Creche .

It also carries on a strenuous contest against intemperance by means of the Gospel Temperance Society ; endeavours to inculcate principles of sobriety through the Band of Hope ; and encourages thrift by means of its various Clubs and Savings Banks . Another part of its functions is the maintaining of Refuges for persons of respectable character who have sunk into the most painful want ; and the conducting of Mission Services , which are attended by a large number of the poor of the immediate neighbourhood and by hundreds of outcast and homeless .

'I he institution , in common with many others , has suffered severely during the past few years through the many demands that have been made on public charity , and is , consequently , unable , in spite of the most rigid economy , to meet , with its present average receipts , its necessary expenses . Society can ill afford , when so many pernicious influences are at work , to dispense with an agency for good such as this ; and yet there is a great danger that some portion of thc work may have to be given up unless it receives immediate public help .

I trust this may be averted , and that public liberality will kindly respond to an appeal on behalf of an undertaking which is well deserving of sympathy and liberal support . Contributions will be thankfully received through the Bankers , Messrs Barclay and Co ., Lombard-street , or by the Secretary , Mr . Peregrine Piatt , at the Institution , Vine-street , Clcrkemvell-road , London , E . C . —I have thc honour to be , yours very faithfully ,

ABERDEEN , President , Field Lane Institution . Haddo House , Aberdeenshire . October .

PROPOSED MASONIC STATUE FOR KING EDWARD . To thc Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Bri : i . sh Freemasons of every degree will observe with fei .-Iings of considerable pleasure that the admirable suggestion made by Bro . H . T . E .

Holmis , P . M . St . Leonard ' s Lodge , No . 2263 , Sheffield , at its recent installation banquet is to be carried on to Grand Lodge . Bro . Holmes suggested that the British lodges should erect a fine statue of his Gracious Majesty wearing the clothing and jewels of Grand Master , such statue to be erected in a prominent position in Londun .

W . Bro . Richard Wilson , Deputy Prov . Grand . Master for West Yorkshire , announced at thc recent meeting of that body , that he was bringing Bro . Holmes ' s suggestion under the notice of Grand Lodge . The proposal will meet ¦ with hearty and unanimous suppoit . 1 enclose my card , and remain , yours sincerely and fraternally , A MASTER MASON . Savage Club , Adelphi-Tcrrace , London , W . C . November Joth .

FULL MUSICAL RITUAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , On Monday last , 1 think that , in roinmon with other brethren at the Whiltington Lodge , No . 862 , 1 experienced an almost uniijue working , i . e ., a full musical ritual , the ceremony of installation and initiation being interspersed with appropriate music , vocal and instminenta ! , exquisitely rendered by some brethren

present . Thc effect was so impressive that one cannot but regret that music should rot be more frequently introduced Surely in most lodges there are a few of the brethren who could give their attention to this neglected portion of the ceremonies , and enhance the grand and sublime truths and teachings . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , BRO . 165 . November 30 th .

A CHARTERHOUSE LODGE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It may interest . some of your readers to know that a movement is on fc . t for the formation of aCraft Masoni . - Icotlire forthe benefit of Old

Carthusians and all others connected will ) Charterhouse . The lodge is to be appropri - ately called the "Deo Danle Dedi" Lodge , Nn . 2 NS 5 , and the ceremony of cnserralion will take place on Friday , December 20 th , at Charterhouse , London . E . C . 'the Master of Charterhouse h . ts kindly consented l-j the use of the beautiful and historical tapestry room at I'hai ierh . iuse for lodge purpu-ics .

Brethren interested should apply for details to the Provisional Secretary , Bro . Harold llaig-Brown , P . P . G . S . Oxford , Yarlet , Stafford . -Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

HAROLD E . HAIG-BROWN , Provis . Sec . 2 SS 5 . Yarlet , Stafloid . November loth .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1140 ] — OLD BOOKS AND MSS . Lovers of old books and rare MSS . will be glad to be informed that Mr . James Tregaskis , of 232 , High Holborn , London , has just published the 500 th issue of his celebrated Catalogues , which have been printed during the last 21 years . Copies may be had by writing to Mr . Tregaskis , and enclosing lid . for postage . The present Catalogue contains considerably over 1000 lots , many of which are of excessive rarity and value ; several are very curious and deeply

interesting , a few are unique , and all are worth reading about , even if not to be purchased . It requires a good deal of fortitude to resist becoming the owner of some of the special items , and anyway , the bibliographical notes appended to the numerous treasures are of considerable importance and most instructive . I hope that Mr . Tregaskis may long be spared to thus cater for his book-loving clients , and that the response to his attractive list of curiosities in MS . and print may be such as to soon lead to another issue . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

Tho Cathedral Church of Manchester and tho Collegiate Buildings , now known as Chatham ' s Hospital . —By the Rev Thomas Perkins , ALA . ( London : George Bell and Sons , 1901 . )— -This is the 25 th Volume of Bell ' s Cathedra ! Series , and has been written by the Rev . T . Perkins , M . A ., F . R . A . S ., who has now done five of the full set , viz ., " English Cathedrals : An Itinerary and Description ; " " Wimborne Minster and Christchurch Priory ; " "Bath Abbey , Malmesbury Abbey , and Bradford-on-Avon

Church , " and ROUEN . The same gifted Archaeologist and Historian has also AMIKNS in preparation . The present Volume is devoted to lL \ . \ 'cin-: sPin , thc short history and description of the Church and Collegiate Buildings (¦ ' Chetham ' s Hospital " ) being most interestingly written , and is not a wit behind its predecessors as to all needful details concerning the fabric , either whilst the Church was purely parochial ( to 1422 ) or Collegiate ( to 1 S 47 ) , or as a Cathedral Church

subsequently . The History of the Building is first of all duly described ; the second Chapter deals with the Exterior ; then the third concerns the Interior followed by a "Short History of the Parish and Diocese , " and the final Chapter treats most fully of Chetham ' s Hospital and Library . There arc 43 Illustrations , mostly from photographs taken by the author , which add much to the value of this brochure , which may be had from the spirited Publishers or any Booksellers in the United Kingdom , at is . Gd . net .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

United Strength Lodge , No . 228 . LADIES' NIGHT . This lodge , now upwards of 100 years old , has commenced the new century by giving thc ladies an evening when they might sit with their husbands , brothers , and friends , and enjoy the hospitality of the members of the lodge . This function , which would have taken place earlier in the year but for the national mourning , was successfully carried out on Tuesday , the 12 th instant , at the Guildhall Tavern , ICC , when the popular W . M ., Bro . A . O . Miller , occupied the chair , both in lodge and at the subsequent proceedings .

The usual work of the lodge was carried out ( of course , without the presence of the " guests " ) , and the lodge being closed and a reception having been held by thc Master and his Senior Warden , Hro . Kirby , the party adjourned to the banquet table , upwards of . jo sitting down , amongst whom were the following : The VV . M ., Bro . Miller and Mrs . Miller ; Bro . Kirby , S . W ., Mrs . Kirby , and party ; Bro . the Rev . George Freeman , Chap . ; Bro . A . H . Hickman , P . M ., Treas ., Mrs . Hickman , and party ; Bro . J . T . Ashby , P . M ., Sec . ; Bro . W . A . Smith , S . D ., Mrs . Smith , and party ;

Bro . G . J . Neale , J . D . ; Bro . C VV . Caiger , D . C . ; Bro . L . A . Newton , A . D . C , and party ; Bro . M . C Isbitter , Org . ; Bro . F . | . Gardiner , Mrs . Gardiner , and party ; lira . A . C Woolsey , Steward , and party ; ' Bro . F . W . Smith , Asst . Steward , and party ; Bro . G . II . Williams , l . P . M ., ' Mrs . Williams , Miss Louise Williams , Mrs . Sharp , Mr . and Miss G . F . Williams ; Hro . James Terry , P . M ., P . G . S . B . ; Bro . F . W . Moss , P . M ., and Mrs . Moss ; Bros . G . Brooker , P . M ., and Douthwaite ; Hro . G . k . Lambert , P . M ., Mrs . Lambert ,

andparty ; Bro . J . Holland , P . M . ; Bro . H . Colley , P . M ., Mrs . Colley . and Miss E . M . Colley ; Bros . E . II . Gould , D . Bull , P . Hencke , P . C lluct , and G . llenshilivood ; Bros . J . Ambrose , W .. M . 1457 ; IS . o . E . Bradley , IJOIJ , and Mrs . Bradley ; Bro . j . II . Crowther , P . M ., P . P . G . O . Essex ; Bro . F . B . Pitcher , 733 , and Mrs . Pitchar ; Bros , the Rev . G . E . Gardner , 2501 J ; A . Caiger , 2750 ; T . E . Williams , 15 ;

VV . Smith , P . M . 23 S ; F . Parker , J . W . 14 : 0 ; J . IJ . Smith , 1425 ; and | . Hardie , 24 OO ; Bro . II . E . Giles and Mrs . Oiles ; Bro . A . Gibtiard ; Uro . A . M . Whitby , 2 ( 153 , and Mrs . Whitby ; Bros . J . Brown , 144 6 , and VV . W . Arnutt , 231 . J ; Bro . K P . Scott and Mrs . Scott ; Bro . ILL . Bell and iV . s . Bell ; Bro . F . J . Howell and Mrs . Howell ; Uro . R . Darling , Major Philip Read , Messrs . J . Hardy , F . S . Toms , and Martin Floyd , Mrs . T .-nsell , Miss II . Tassell , Miss Browa , and others .

Ihe banquet being over , the VV . M . proposed the toast of "The King and the Craft" and that of "The M . W . G . M ., " and paid just tributes to the King and his Royal brother for the great interest they took in Freemasonry . In proposing the toast of "The VV . M ., " Bro . Hickman , P . M ., Treas ., and acting J . W ., said that it afforded him much pleasure to propose the toast , and it was particolarly gratifying to see such a large gathering to support the W . M ., as it showed the esteem in which he was held by th : members of the lodge . The toast was enthusiastically received .

The Worshipful Master , Bro . A . O . Miller , in replying , thanked the proposer of the toast for the pleasant words spoken , and the company generally for the manner in which they had received it , but expressed his regret that he could not reply in so eloquent a manner as he wished . He had been much encouraged by the way in which he had been received and assisted on ill sides , and the support afforded to him would , he hoped , be rendered toother Masters , when they occupied the position he then had the honour to occupy . In speaking of the antiquity of the lodge , he mentioned

that its warrant was dated iy : h Maich , 17 US , and its centenary was celebrated three yeais ago . The registers of members from the time the lodge was founded were intact , and held by Grand Lodge , but he was sorry to say that the lodge records had not been preserved , the earlier cries having been lost . The lodge held records dating back to the year iS . | i > , and from what he had been sole to ascertain , it appeared tint the ea rlier

members were men of humble circumstances . Ir they could only ri ; j and see the goodly assembly of members and friends they would nut be able to express any regret that they had assi-. ' . cd in the keeping up of the Lodge of United Strength . It was the desire 0 / evciy member to become trie W . M . uf his mother lodge , and when hi- ' leiiiaikiJ that the lodge was a centenary one , he was very pleased to occopy the chair .

I he W . M ., 111 propo / mg the toast uf "The Visitors , " sail thai un this evening H was more particularly pleasing than usaal o . ving tu the presence uf the lady visitors . Ihe members were always pleased to see them join in the pleasures connect--. ! with the lodge even if tliey could nut join in their labours , and it would be most pleasing to the members il some lady would reply tothii toast on behalf of the visitors . No lady responding to this invitation , Bro . P . M . Terry suggested that the " VV . Mistress" should reply , but this not being complied with , it was acknowledged by