Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

Q , The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents .

THE ARK MARINER DEGREE AND GRAND MARK LODGE . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I regret being again under the necessity of troubling you on the subject of the Ark Mariners'degree . In the account

given in your last of a meeting held at Masons ' Hall , in the City , for the purpose of conferring the degree on . distinguished brethren of the English Grand Mark Lodge—to enable them to form an opinion of its merits as members of a special committee nominated for that purpose—it is

represented as a " combined meeting . " Let me undeceive your readers as to the purport these words may be held to convey . The meeting was held under the authority of the old Kent Lodge of Mark Masters , and duly convened by order of the W . M . The lodge was opened as a Mark Lodge—called off

—an Ark Mariners' Lodge opened within it— the ceremony performed — Mark Lodge resumed , and properly closed . Brethren , being Mark Masters under the English Constitution—who have taken a part in the organisation of the " Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners "—very kindly offered their

services , and rendered valuable assistance , it being expressly stipulated and understood that the meeting so held should be " without prejudice" to the future claims of the existing Grand Mark Lodge , or of the " Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners , " to the superintendence of the Ark Mariners' degree .

The Old Kent Mark Lodge , under its warrant as a " time immemorial" lodge , has always had the power of conferring the Ark Mariners' degree , and that power has been occasionally exercised . In yielding allegiance to the English Grand Mark Lodge , the Old Kent Lodge yielded its power to

that body , and these powers arc still inherent in the Grand Mark Lodge . Whatever authority the newly-organised Ark Grand Lodge may claim , there has never yet been any implied or understood surrender by the Grand Mark Lodge of its right to take cognisance of , and to authorise the working of

the various ( so-called ) side degrees always considered to be united with the Mark degree . ' It is much to be regretted that there should be any controversy on this subject , but I wish it to be made plain that by no act whatever has the M . W . G . M ., or any M . W . Past G . M ., in even

the slightest manner evidenced the least doubt as to the authority possessed in this country by the English Grand Mark Lodge over its own and , as universally admitted , its allied degrees . The committee appointed to consider the subject of the degrees most prominently mentioned in

connection with the " Mark" will meet again on Monday , and I repeat my entreaty , that Brethren will at least suspend their decision until the report of that committee be published . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

FREDERICK BINCKES , G . S ., Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England , Wales , & c . Office , 2 , Red Lion-square , W . C ., June 21 , 1870 .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I regret much to trouble you again on this subject ; but will only say that , if Bro . Binckes , or any of your readers , will look at my letter in your impression of the nth , they will see " the M . W . G . M . stated that he did

not propose to interfere with the jurisdiction of the Royal Ark Mariners , and he has also said that he has no objection to any one who likes taking the dctrrec . " This latter part , printed in italic , I maintain , and I think it would have been more courteous of Bro .

Binckes to have ascertained from the M . W . G . M . himself whether he had said such a thing or not , before he contradicted mc . in the name of the whole body of Mark Masters as Grand Secretary , so flatly . Howcver . as it was not said in Grand Lodge . I refer Bro . Binckes to the M . W . G . M . himself for the

truth of my statement . With regard to the question of jurisdiction , the M . W . G . M . stated that he did not propose to interfere with any other jurisdiction ; and , as the Ark Mariner was the only degree under discussion that had a jurisdiction ' it could

, only mean ours . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , SCRIBE , Roval Ark Mariners London , June 18 , 1 S 70 .

THE LATE FIRE AT CONSTANTINOPLE ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I beg leave to make an appeal to the mem

Original Correspondence.

bers of the Craft through ( he columns of your widely spread journal , on behalf cf the sufferers by the late calamitous fire at Constantinople . It is impossible to convey to you a just idea of the misery into which so many thousands have been so suddenly plunged , and the affliction which for years will hover over

the city by this most disastrous event . The immediate wants of the poorer class is sufficient to enlist the sympathies of all charitable persons , but unfortunately the distress will not stop there . Of the many who have been so suddenly deprived of employment , few will be able to secure a means of

earning bread for months and will be dependent upon the foreign residents , who are themselves impoverished to a great extent by this awful visitation , for support . It is for these that I make the appeal , and , I hope , not in vain . Among the sufferers are many of our brethren ,

and meetings have been held in the different Constantinople lodges for the purpose of raising subscriptions , and devising means for their relief ; foremost among which stands that of the District Grand Lodge in Turkey , convened by our much esteemed M . W . Bro . J . P . Brown , D . G . M ., who determined

not to limit relief to members of the Fraternity , but distribute it amongst all requiring it , irrespective of religion or creed . All that can be done in Turkey , however , will nevertheless fall very short of the demand , and the calamity being so great and almost unprecedented in its severity , I make bold

to solicit that assistance from the brethren , which , notwithstanding all our endeavours in Constantinople , we are utterly incompetent to offer of ourselves . A relief fund has already been formed in London , the Manager of the Imperial Ottoman Bank , 4 , New Bank Buildings , Princes-stree ., London , having

kindly consented to act as treasurer , by whom all subscriptions received will be forwarded to the General Relief Committeeat Constantinople . Should any one , however , wish to subscribe exclusively to the fund formed by the District Grand Lodge at Constantinople , by expressing such a wish to that gentleman it will be complied with . I am , Sir , yours fraternally ,

WM . B . HOPPER , W . M . Oriental Lodge , No . 6 S 7 , Constantinople . London , June 21 st , 1870 .

"FINDEL'S HISTORY OF FREEMASORY . " ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Some years ago , while reading the sketches of a successful Bristol merchant , written by an eloquent and talented author , I was forcibly struck with the truth and

importance of the remarks advanced on a certain article , said to be well known to grocers—whether the imputation be right or wrong I do not pretend to determine—as P . D . After having described the merchant's dissatisfaction with the trade custom , and the mental discomfort produced in the

merchant by his being in possession of a cask of the said P . D ., and the ultimate destruction of "The Hypocritical Cask , " the author appeals to busy shopmen and lordly merchants : " Have you no l ' . IJ . which ought to be scattered before you go to sleep ? " He then goes on to show that there is a

great deal of P . D . in this world of ours , and urges all to get rid of the accursed thing ! 1 regret to complain that there is an example of P . D . to be found in an advertisement which has appeared in THE FREEMASON of the 4 th and nth inst . I allude to " Findel ' s History of

Freemasonry , " 2 nd edition . The advertisement states that the book contains ! 5 oo pages . A copy of this 2 nd edition now lies before me , which contains only 704 pages ; and if we add the title page , preface , and table of contents ( 16 pages ) , we can onlyget 720 pages , being So less than the number announced to

the public in said advertisement . This is P . D . Now , I maintain that this deception is very wrong , especially so when it emanates from parties who , I presume , are members of our moral Institution , which so forcibly inculcates the sacred dictates of truth , honour , and virtus . ' Let it not be supposed

tnat I notice the discrepancy between the advertised statement and fact because I think enough has not been given for the money ; although , from a mercantile stand-point , any person would be justified in so doing . Far from me be so sordid a reason ; but my sole object is to uphold the purity

of our Fraternity , and to check anything which may have the slightest nppioach to falsehood and dishonour ! I trust that in future advertisements of the book in question the truth will be given and the cause of complaint removed . With regard to the merits of the work , no doubt

it is full of research , interesting , and instructive ; but I must protest against the publication of certain parts—which , for obvious reasons , I do not specify as being in direct violation of the O . B . Yours truly and fraternally , A . McK . M .

The Legend Of Joshua.

THE LEGEND OF JOSHUA .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Bro . W . P . Buchan , at page 287 of your paper , has not proved to us to justify himself what he stated at page 261 . I have noticed lately several statements of our brother , and fail to find any reason for his assertions .

He might do well to bear in mind the words of an eminent man , who said : "Be more careful to establish a truth than to reprove an error ; men stand upon their guard when you proclaim war against their opinions . Teach your doctrine purely and wisely , and without any angry reflections , for you shall very hardly persuade him whom you go

about publicly to confute . " Bro . Buchan says that 2 Samuel , i . 18 , is wrongly translated , and that the words " the use of" mislead . We are about to have a revision of the Bible , but I do not think they will better the translation of that verse . Our present English version translates the words as we have them in Targum Jonathamben-Uzziel in the Chaldee dialect : —

" the use of the bow . " I have a Bible before me published by James Duffy from the Latin vulgate , with the approbation of Dr . Cullen of Dublin , in which we have it the same as it is in our Bible , viz ., " the use of the bow . " Our brother says that he believes in the progress which the nineteenth century has made , and not in the ancient astronomers and Rabbis . I say that

Ni-rttfpn -wo

Christian commentators of all ages have made extensive use of their learning . Let our brother refer to Lightfoot ' s ; that is sufficient proof of the value of some of the Rabbinical writings . The Bible is the belief of every Mason , and the chief point in Masonry , and if we can learn the true meaning of a passage , in Rabbinical or in any other writings , we ought to accept it . As Dr . J . Watts

said—Seize 011 the truth where cr tis found , On Christian or on heathen ground , Among your friends , among your foes—The flower ' s divine where'er it grows ; Neglect the prickles , and assume the rose . " Yours fraternally ,

D . STOLZ . SOMETHING WRONG .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In January last I joined the Lodge Neptune Kilwinning , No . 442 , in the expectation that I would thus be admitted to all the privileges which attend Masonry , but in this I have been sadly mistaken , as the following facts will show : —Shortly after initiation , I applied for

entrance to Lodge Saltcoats and Ardrossan , St . John ' s Royal Arch , No . 320 , but was refused ; not because I could not prove myself a Mason ( I was never tried ) , but because a quarrel as to the disappearance of some funds belonging to 320 had arisen between the Master of 442 and the members of 320 . Rightly or wrongly , it appears that 320

accuses the Master and Secretary of 442 of unmasonic conduct , and because of this they will hold no intercourse whatever with members of the latter lodge . Members of 442 have been repeatedly turned from the door of 320 because of the alleged misconduct of two individuals for whom I do not think thqy should be held responsible . Having some reason

to believe , however , that the charge made by 320 had some foundation in fact , I applied some four weeks ago for my diploma , and was greatly surprised to meet with a refusal from the Secretary of 442 . As a reason for refusal , he stated that I was not clear on the books . I replied that I had paid my initiation fee ( 32 s . 6 d . ) , and 6 d . for a copy of

the rules , and as this was all that was demanded of me , I considered he had no right to withhold my diploma . He replied that I had 2 s . 6 d . to pay as a yearly subscription ( is . 6 d . of this I am told is an illegal demand ) , and under any circumstances he maintained that he could keep my diploma for a year . I am informed on good authority that a member is

entitled to his diploma immediately after receiving his third degree , provided he pays all demands , and that he has no right to pay any yearly subscription till he has been one year a member . Acting on this belief , three weeks ago I addressed a communication to Bro . W . A . Lawrie , Grand Secretary in which I complained of the treatment I had

received ; but Bro . Lawrie sent me no reply . A week later I again wrote to the Grand Secretary , but up to the date of the present letter he has treated the matter with silent contempt . Now , I submit that unless Masonry is altogether a mockery and a farce , such conduct as this is both unmasonic and ungeiitlemanl y . If I was wrong , surely it was Bro .

Lawrie s duty , even apart from his official position , to put me right . But I am informed that the Grand Lodge of Scotland is quite cognisant of the quarrel between the two lodges , and yet they continue to receive fees from both , and make no effort to set matters right . If this be the case , then I can hardly expect Bro . Lawrie to attend to an individual