Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

BOYS' SCHOOL . To tht Editor of the '' Freemason . ' Dear Sir and Brother , As Bro . Farncombe has chosen to come forward as the champion of the Committee in the matter of the gratuity to Bro . McLeod , it seems a pity that he did not give us all the facts pertaining to the question .

For instance , what is Bro . McLeod s present salary ? I . and those who see the reports of the Committee know , of course , what it is ; but there are hundreds , and probably thousands , of your readers who have not the remotest idea . If this information had been given they would be able to judge whether there is any ground for " these outbursts of indignation " which are now being [ so freely expressed .

If Bro . Farncombe will , through your columns , furnish this , and it is found to be inadequate to cover a little extra work on a special and exceptional occasion , I shall be pleased to advise the members of my lodge to reconsider their resolution .

Trusting that Bro . Farncombe will oblige us , —I am , yours fraternally , GEO . CHAPMAN , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Sec . of the Rufford Lodge .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Having , on the two occasions when the salary of the present Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was increased , been in the unfortunate position of standing alone in expressing dissent from the propositions , I venture to trouble you with a few remarks on the honorarium voted to Bro .

McLeod by the last Quarterly Court . My contention was ( and I see no reason to alter the opinion ) that such rapid and large increases of salary were undesirable , and not in unison with ordinary business custom ; and , further , that when necessary , they should originate with and be recommended by the Board of Management , as being , necessarily , in a better position to judge of the value of services rendered by their officers than the Council , many of whose members simply attend ad hocand are more likely to be swayed by personal feelings .

, I am glad to find that on the present occasion what appears to me the direct and businesslike course has been followed . A generous recognition of very exceptional and arduous services has been proposed by the Board , and adopted successively by the Council and the Quarterly Court . The sum certainly looks large but when it is considered that it amounts only to 15 s . per cent , on the fund reaiised ' by the Festival it can hardly be called excessive . Such a great result could not be achieved without untiring energy , zeal , and devotion , on the part of

the Secretary , and it is better that such services should be rewarded openly by the Quarterly Court than by a minority of the Board of Stewards attending the final meeting of that body . Indeed , it seems undesirable that such a casual body as the Stewards should partly remunerate the Secretary of the Institution . The ordinary Festivals are part of his annual duties and should be considered as such , and I trust that on this occasion the Board of Stewards will create a precedent by handing over any balance in their hands to the funds of the Institution , leaving the Board of Managemant to pay its own officers . —Yours fraternally ,

J . BODENHAM , P . A . G . D . C . 19 th December .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , The subjoined resolutions were passed at a meeting of the members of the Newstead Lodge , No . 47 :

" This Iodge views with disfavour the action of the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic School for Boys in voting a gratuity of 1000 guineas to the Secretary out of the funds collected for that Institution , and protests against such appropriation of moneys given in the name of and solely for a Charitable object .

" It is further resolved that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Chairman of the Committee and to the Freemason . "—Yours fraternally , T . W . ROBINSON , Secretary . Masonic Hall , Nottingham . December 20 th . *

THE CHARITY MAZE , AND A WAY OUT . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I think Bro . T . May's letter in your issue of December 17 th , p . C 12 , deserves consideration . With the idea of carrying out some portion of his letter , I have started a sort of birthday gift fund in our little province . I suggest that every member of the lodge should make a special offering on his birthday , and

that the W . M . should divide each year the amount he so receives among the three Charities . I am 70 years of age , and I thought I could not make a better return of my thanks to T . G . A . O . T . U . than to make my lodge a V . 1-. of the Boys' School . Let this thought come into every brother ' s mind , and let him give what he can afford with a food heart . —Yours fraternally , A MEMBER OF LODGE 84 . December 17 th .

QUALIFICATION OF P . P . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " As I understand , the matter referred to will be brought before the next Grand Chapter meeting ; it would , therefore , not be judicious to inquire further in respect to this appointment . But the question is—How to deal with the brother who signs the attendance book belonging to a chapter from which he resigned 14 years ago ?—Yours fraternally ,

December 19 th . IN THE CAUSE OF CHARITY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , May 1 appeal to your generous readers for their Charity to help a very poor Working Mans' Institute in the village ot Coombe , which is in great need of money " to carry it on this winter , owing to the loss of those who have mainly supported it since its opening , six years ago . Only , £ 10 is needed for this

Correspondence.

winter's expenses . There is no debt , but no money to pay for the coal and oil . Population entirely labourers , so that we can only beg a helping hand from those away . The poor men do value the boon , and it would be a great loss to them if it was closed . The smallest donation would be of the greatest help , and should be sent to Adela Brooke , Coombe , near Woodstock , Oxfordshire , who will gratefully acknowledge the gifts . December 16 th .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1128 ] ROYAL ARCH PREFIXES . In reply to " M . E . Z ., " I may state that recently , in a correspondence on the subject with E . Comp . E . Letchworth , Grand Scribe E ., that esteemed brother advised that the first Principal should be described as the E . Comp . , M . E . Z ., thus putting the prefix M . E . to the office and not to the companion .

Considering that the prefix M . E . is intended , or is used , for the First Grand Principal , it seems inappropriate , to say the least , to place it before the name of a Grand Superintendent , and to my mind it is wrong so to do . I have advocated , but so far without any success , to bring the prefixes of Royal Arch Masonry into line with those of the Craft , by employing M . E ., R . E ., V . E ., and E ., as the recognised appellations for that Degree , under similar conditions to those noted in the Book of Constitutions .

Any way , it is absurd to use the prefix M . E . to distinguish the first Principal of a chapter , but the ingenious suggestion of the Grand Scribe E ., partly smoothes over the difficulty , and , moreover , does not interfere with the time-honoured usage of the title of M . E . Z . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"THE STORY OF THE EMPIRE SERIES" ( London , Horace Marshall & Sou , Temple House , 1 S 97-S ) . —This remarkable collection of handy and attractive volumes , published at is . Gd . each , bound in red art linen , cannot fail to be heartily welcomed , as their excellence , comprehensiveness , and usefulness become known . Those who desire information as to the character of these . valuable little Books should obtain and carefully read the first of the series by Bro . Sir Walter Besant , P . M . ( the well-known au' hor and Treasurer of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , London ) , on " The

Rise of the Empire , " with an able and suggestive Prologue by Mr . Howard Angus Kennedy , lhe Editor of the Set , and to whom the credit of the scheme is due . Undoubtedly , it is of the first importance that the peoples of Great Britain and Ireland should be familiar with the enormous size and rapid increase , of late years , of the Possessions of the Empire , as well as with the prodigious extent of the English speaking Countries throughout the world . The six Countries , Great Britain and Ireland , the United States of America , the Dominion of Canada , South Africa , Australia , and New

Zealand , exclusive of Islands speaking the same language , " practically claim the same religion , have the same ancestry , obey the same Institutions , and read the same Literature , " call for popular treatment as respects their origin and progress , and in this new series already seven most interesting volumes have been published , and others are in preparation . These are India , Australia , Canada , South Africa , New Zealand , West Indies , and West Africa , as well as the introductory work by Sir Walter Besant . The various authors have been selected for their knowledge of the subjects about which they write , and it is to be hoped that the successof this mjst praisewjrtny effjrt will bj su : ii as to cheer both the Editor and the Publishers .

The same spirited publishers also announce two artistic volumes , edited by Mr . W . T . Stead— "THE NOTABLES OF BRITAIN" a quarto album , in ornamental buckram , containing some 200 of the most eminent or prominent subjects of her Majesty in the Coth year of her happy reign , with autographs and brief biographies . Must be seen to be appreciated , for it is a gem of its kind , and makes a most interesting book . The

other is devoted to " Her Majesty the Queen ; Studies of the Sovereign and the Reign , " by the same gifted author . It is really and truly a fitting memorial of the Great Jubilee , June 22 nd , 1 S 97 , in a popular , artistic , and graphic form , lavishly illustrated . The text makes most entertaining reading . The first mentioned is 5 s . and the second noted is 3 s . Gd ., the latter being also in quarto and elegantly bound . Only an immense sale can possibly recoup the publishers for their great outlay .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Derwent Lodge , No . 40 . The election meeting of this lodge was held at the Castle Hotel , Hastings , on Monday , the 12 th inst ., when there were present Bros \ H . Bovce , W . M . ; C . E . Botley , P . M . 199 G , S . W . ; T . Sourhcombe , J . W . ; F . Rossfrer , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Treas . ; P . Beer , Sec . ; A . Jones , S . D . ; II . A . Stratford , J . D . ; G . Randell , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C ., D . C ; G . H . Gaze , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C , A . D . C ; J . Baker Guy . Org . ; H . E . Smith . I . G . j W . J . Bourn and T . Wilson , Stwds . ; E . J .

McCormick , l . P . M . ; i . lrollope , P . M ., P . G . I ) . ; L . J . Jukes , P . M . ; W . S . Allen , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; P . C . Edwards , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; F . Plowman , P . M ., P . P . G . P . ; C . J . Ticehurst , P . M . ; W . H . Russell , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C . ; F . J . Sawyer , P . M . 1339 ; Rev . A . J . W . Crosse , P . M . 341 , P . P . G . C ; W . G . Rubie , VV . M . 341 ; VV . Dawes , P . M . 341 , P . P . S . G . W . ; E . Bowles , P . M . 1056 ; H . E . Smith , I . G . 11 H 4 ; H . B . Constable , 1 S 42 ; VV . R . Griffin , P . M . 2483 ,- W . N . Oldham , J . W . 24 S 3 ; and many others .

Alter the minutes and communications hid been read , and a vote of condolence with the family of the late Pro Grand Master passed , Bros . P . inceand Russell were impressively raised by the W . M . Bro . John Miller was pissed to the Second Djgree , alter which the W . M . presented a silvr key to Bro . the Rev . A . | . VV . Crosse , P . M . 341 , and called upon him to open the new lodge organ . Bro . Crosse delivered a stirring address , at the conclusion of which he declared the ne . v orgin opsn f jr the use of the lodge . This was followed by an organ recital by Bro . J . Biker Guy , Organist ,

whose playing elicited warm approval from all present . fhe Secretary then read a dispensation granted by the Dip . Prov . G . Master forthe initiation into Freemasonry of Mr . Ernest Lionel Sawyer , son of Bro . F . J . Sawyer , P . M . 1339 , Mr . E . L . Siwyer being only iS years of age . Ballots were taken for Messrs . Sawyer , Lough , and Edwards and they were all declared duly elected . The W . M . courteously vacated the chur in favour of Bro . F . J . Sawyer , who very ably initiated his son . This was followed by the initiation of Messrs . Lough and Edwards . A ballot was taken for the W . M . for the ensuing year ,

which wis unanimously in favour of Bro . C . E . Botley , P . M . 1996 . The W . M . elect briefly returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him . A ballot for the Treasurer resulted in the re-election of Bro . Kjssiter , P . M ., who his held the office for many years . After the election of Tyler and brethren to serve on virious Committe : s , a Past Master's jewel was unanimously voted for Bro . Boyce , the outgoing VV . M ., who his so ably and genially presided over the lodge , and whose year of office has been one of unbroken success , beating all previous records , both as regards number of initiates and attendances at tl e various meetings .

After a proposition for initiation and "Hearty good wishes" tendered by the numerous visitors , the lodge was closed . Between Go and 70 biethren sat down to a well-served suppir , in the courss of wl ich they were entertained by musical selections from the gramiphjne . After supper some excellent speeches were made , interspersed by singing under the direction of Bro . J . Baker Guy , Org . The Tyler's toast concluded an eventful evening .