Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a sp ii'it of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary imits—free discussion . ]

AN ERROH . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I am anxious for a little explanation on a matter which appears to me , despite the florid explanations of one or two brethren , involved in considerable obscurity . It is stated that one of the effects of the revised

legislation on Monday at the Boys School Quarterly Court , was to deprive ladies of all votes except the elections of boys . But how can that be ? By Rule XXXV . " All Life Governors not being Minors " constitute the General Committee , and to this Committee the power of election of Secretary , & c . So doubtful was the point , that the question was

deliberately raised on Monday to insert after Life Governors " not being Minors and Freemasons , " but the words " and Freemasons " were rejected by a very small majority on the ground that they would exclude the ladies . It is then a great error to say that ladies are deprived of any rights they had before , though " Minors " undoubtedly can no longer vote at the election of " Secretary , "

though they can vote at elections of boys . It seems important in the interest of the Boys' and Girls ' Schools to point out that the assertion that ladies can no longer vote at the election of Secretaries or of the General Committee is a complete mistake . No rights which they had before the passing of these amended laws have been taken away from them . Yours fraternally , JURISCONSULT .

HUGHAN'S LIST OF OLD LODGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Bro . T . W . Faulkner , P . M . 35 , has misunderstood the character of the List of Lodges I supplied for the Christmas number of the " Masonic Magazine , " as the lodges noted therein were all warranted by the " Grand Lodge of England according to the old Institutions , " known as the

"Ancients , " whereas the "Medina Lodge , " Cowes , was chartered by the " Grand Lodge of England , " known as the " Moderns" ( which , however , is ^ the premier Grand Lodge of the world . ) In my " Numismatical and Numerical Register of the United Grand Lodge of England , " now in the press , and printed to page 86 , the Medina Lodge is correctly described as follows . — " Moderns" 1814 1832 1863 Date

31 48 41 35 Medina Lodge , Cowes . 1731 The date given , as in all cases , is taken from the Calendar , published by authority of the United Grand Lodge of England . The name of the lodge also occurs in my list of special centenary warrants granted for jewels 1861-66 , at page 57 of the same work .

The lodge in question has a curious history and one worth publishing . I have not any account of the style of the special centenary medal of No . 35 , and I shall be glad to be furnished with a sketch and particulars from Bro . Faulkner . Also of those worn in Lodges 18 , 30 , 47 , 86 , 97 , 109 , 120 , 124 , 127 , 134 , 140 , and 148 . Fraternally yours , W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D . Truro , Cornwall .

MASONIC MEDALS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Having lately purchased two silver Masonic medals , I subjoin descriptions of them , and shall be glad to receive through your columns any information as to the object for which they were made .

No . 1 . A circular medal about 2 % inches diameter , which appears to have been worn with a ribbon , the loop being formed of a crown , below which is a hand grasping the top of the medal . Obverse—A building in course of erection on the left hand side of the medal . On the top of the building arc two men superintending the hoisting of a block of stone

which is being raised by a rope , a man on the floor steadying the stone by means of a guide rope . There is also a ladder placed against the building , and a man ascending the ladder carrying materials on his back . On the right side of the obverse are two men stood at a bench , one of whom is pointing with a sword towards the building j the other man holds in his hand a square . Below these figures

are a trowel , pickaxe , crowbar , and a mallet . Inscription . — " Amor . Honor . Justilia . " Reverse . —Three arches standing at the edge of a tesselated pavement . On the top of the smallest of these arches stands a man endeavouring to loosen the keystone of the arch with a crowbar . Below this arch is the open Bible , on which are placed the square and compasses ; below the Bible is a five pointed

star . At the front of the pavement stand two pillars , on the right hand pillar being a square , and on the left hand pillar a pair of compasses extended ; and at the outside of the pillars art placed a number of tools , such as the square , compasses , mallet , pickaxe , crowbar , also the letter G , & c . On the left of the reverse is a level ,

surmounted by the moon , and on the right the plumb rule , surmounted by the sun . Inscription . — " Sit . Lux . F . t . Lux . Fuit . " This medal appears to be struck or cast , not engraved , the figures and emblems being raised . No . 2 . This is an engraved oval medal , about 2-4 inches by 2 inches .

Original Correspondence.

Obverse . —Two pillars surmounted by globes ; above the left hand pillar is the sun , and above the right hand the moon and seven stars ; between the sun and the moon is a triangle , below which , and between the two pillars are the All-seeing Eye , the open Bible , square and compasses , and a level . At the outside of the left hand . dllai

is a mallet , and of the right hand pillar a trowel . The reverse is quite plain , having only an engraved rim round the medal . This medal also appears to have been worn with a ribbon having a loop riveted to the top of the medal . Yours fraternally , JAMES NEWTON .

THE BOYS' AND GIRLS' SCHOOLS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In order to express my regret for the alterations in the laws of the Institutions for Boys and Girls , suggested by the special Sub-Committee , and in the hope that it may conduce to the expression of similar sentiments

from other and older brethren , I venture to request that you will find space for this in your next issue . With respect to the extension of the father ' s subscription from five to seven years before the child is eligible for election ; I think the consecutive seven years—adapted by the Governors of the Boys' School—is a most unfortunate error , almost amounting to an injustice ; indeed , I am one of

those who are of opinion that a brother having once passed through the Three Degrees should be eligible for all the advantages of our Order . The expression " once a Mason , always a Mason , " I heard many years ago , and it has made a lasting impression upon me . Without underrating the invaluable services rendered to the Craft by the now veteran Masons , I can myself point to several

instances when brethren have within seven years of their initiation done great and good service to the Order , and have died young men , without having had the opportunity of making suitable provision for their relicts , and we always have a sufficient check upon unworthy cases being passed , through the action of the Committee who pass the list of candidates , and from the fact that particulars of

each case are inserted in that list . In regard to the ineligibility unless the father " has been a subscriber to at least one of the Institutions , " I most strongly protest against it , and as a body one must be extremely thankful to Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , and those brethren who supported him , for sparing our Order from such an unworthy and most un-Masonic

proceeding . There can be no doubt but that the Institutions are not supported as they should be by Freemasons as a body , but as you yourself say , " two blacks do not make a white . " We are most justly proud of our Benevolent Institutions , splendidly supported as they are by purely voluntary means , and I give it as a deliberate opinion , that if they could be brought more directly home to chapters ,

lodges , and individual brethren , and particularly if they were more generally urged by the P . G . Masters at the annual meetings of P . G . Lodge , as Bro . Lord Skelmersdale never fails to do , there would be no reason to complain of the result . It is certainly evident that the further we move in the direction of the alterations suggested by the Sub-Committee , the nearer we shall be assimilating our Order

to a mere benefit society , an event which would and must be deplored by every Freemason . In conclusion , let me express the hope that " on confirmation " the word " consecutive " at least will be erased . With many apologies for occupying so much of your valuable space . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , EDGAR HUMPHRIES .

AN IMPOSTOR . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I should esteem it a favour if you would kindly inseit the following in your next issue : — I was in company with the Treasurer and Almoner of Lodge Silent Temple , 126 , Burnley , on Tuesday , the 14 th

inst ., when he was asked by a short statured , prim man , of foreign accent , for alms . He gave his name as Weir , of Lodge 317 , Affability , Manchester , and also of two Scottish lodges . Just as our worthy Almoner was about to give him money , I requested that he be asked to call again in half-an-hour , as I had something to communicate . After he had retired , I told the Almoner that his

description exactly agreed with that given of an impostor in a letter to The Freemason , of November 2 nd , 1878 , and that I would fetch the paper and he should see it before the man returned . I was not long before I came back , and there was the individual pacing up and down at a short distance from the office awaiting the completion of the half-hour . He eyed me as I went in with the paper , but

did not think it prudent to await the issue , for on our Almoner going to the door to call him in , he was nowhere to be seen . Mr . Editor , I feel sure , that , on account of the scandalous imposition by such characters as the one above described , and referred to in your issue of November 2 nd , 1878 , on lodges and brethren , it is of the greatest

importance that strict investigation should be made , where it is at all possible , into the character and claims of strangers ' asking for charity , professing to be members of the Craft . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , R . N ., P . M . 308 and 126 .

A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you please answer the following query in the next issue of The Fncmason : — Can less than three Past Masters initiate a Worshipful Master ? ALPHA . [ We think not . —ED . —F . M . ]

Masonic Charity And Itinerants.

MASONIC CHARITY AND ITINERANTS .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I venture to address you on this subject , which I think is one worthy of being ventilated through the medium of your columns , and thereby lessening the abuse which is now beinir practised unon our charitv funds hv

some ( only few 1 am happy to say ) unscrupulous brethren , and in some instances imposters , who manage to obtain a fair living by begging from the lodges and Charity Committees , and by that . means depriving genuine and deserving cases of relief . In one province of the north of England a considerable check has been put upon their ' . practices by means of postal

communications between the several Committees , but such could not apply to the whole of the kingdom . Much care will have to be exsreised in order to avoid dealing un-Masonically with a deserving applicant , as in my opinion it would be far preferable to be imposed upon a dozen times , than to refuse aid to the worthy distressed ; still I believe that much good may be done by opening a

column in your paper for the purpose of registering the applications , simply by initials ; and the number and constitution of the lodge , which would be quite sufficient for identification . Cases of a local character , or those properly recommended would not of course be sent for publication , but simply such as in the minds of the lodges , Committees , or Almoners , are professional itinerants . This system would also be useful in another way . I

have known cases in which the applicant has had considerable diffidence in applying to his lodge , as he wished to hide from his friends the low ebb to which he had been reduced in some instances , poor fellows , by misfortune or other causes beyond their control . By the means I would suggest , their friends may perhaps recognise the initials and probably rescue them from their pitiable state . I would recommend a table as under : —

3 _ j k . _ 0 _ J —2 a > a £ -o __; J ' S S -a ' . M 2 5 . S' . S S a d 5 &• . . a a . E a cq ir . 3 a J 3 u C « I I _ - tf 2 § 8 I I E o * s - ^ « 3 w - -3- 3 . 2 " H O _ S « rt H j 000000 a § 000000 6 " " < j >* o o o o M a . 2 3 . . 2 oi M W < j U 3 HH c o O . £ ? N o o o « « 5 On N » C *~ MNO •^ X o D d X o ' 1 "• ^ . ^ B ? U l H - — . a . i- ^ j K 1- ^ & , < j ¦ d ' •••" _ , . a n § -r- ¦ u • ea ei . -- -ti js S- eg 8 . M u _ g g" o < n ' o S c U i 3 " 2 . 2 I x o .-: es v c .-jg _ . _ . . fi _ J CO CO i s ri _ ,.-..-Q o 1 / 5 vo

Of course the numbers arc simply imaginary in this . Perhaps some more capable pen than mine will take up this matter . Yours fraternally , ALMONER .

BURDETT TESTIMONIAL . To the Editor of tlie " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I have not seen or heard anything for some months of the testimonial to the Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex . I think the time must have come when the list should be closed , and something decided upon .

I do not know what the views of the Provincial Grand Master on the subject of the testimonial are , nor have I seen any proposed scheme suggested by the Committee . Having read the letter of Col . Burdett in your last week ' s issue , calling the attention of the brethren of the province to the " Wentworth Little " testimonial , and asking them to subscribe to the fund , I cannot help suggesting to the Committee of the " Burdett testimonial " their

suggesting to the Prov . Grand Master that it would bc a noble tribute to the memory of his late Prov . Grand Secretary and Deputy Grand Master to transfer the amount collected for his testimonial to the " Wentworth Little " testimonial—especially as the intention of the Committee of the latter fund is to reserve the same for the ultimate benefit of the Girls' School . I remain , yours fraternally , P . M .