Who Is The Party ?

" Synagogues of Satan . " The Roman Pontiff and the Roman Curia , and Ultramontane writers clearly place us in the category of Indian "Devil worshippers . '' Now we feel it rig ht at once , though the statement be most ludicrous and contemptible , to say that any such assertion is a

direct and wilful falsehood . We ask the " Unita Cattolica" or Mr . " De Camille " for the name of this most unmasonic orator , though we can saft-ly assure all our readers beforehand that no s ' . ich words were ever spoken in Freemasons' Hall , and least of all by an English

Freemason , even though his name were " Walker . " It is a ? reat pity when an otherwise respectable paper like the " Unita Cattolica " descends to wholesale lying , and we almost wonder that Roman Catholics themselves do

not perceive the evil and degradation which such deliberate and childish fictions bring upon their entire communion . But alas , just now the love of pseudo-miracles and unreliable legends seems to have taken from the realization of the

" abstract importance of truth . ' We ask again who is the English Freemason who then gave utterance to such accents of blasphemous folly r and , like the Irish Echo , we reply , " No one . " He exists only in the imagination of some ardent but unscrupulous Ultramontane . No one

in his senses , much less a Freemason , coulu have said anything so horribly impious , and so grotesquely absurd , and we fear that it must be credited not to Freemasons' Hall or an English Freemason , but to the "Jesuit College , " or some other house of assembly for saintly libellers and

infidel reli g ionists . If the old adage be true , " Noscitur a sociis , " as we hear so much of the < c gentleman in black " from Ultramontanes , all we can say is , we wish them joy of the good company into which just now they seem to have fallen .

The Modern Lady Freemason.

THE MODERN LADY FREEMASON .

Our American contemporary , the " Masonic Journal , " of Greensboro , North Carolina , U . S ., in its issue of October 24 , reprints an article of ours on the initiation of Countess Hadick , and then proceeds to take us to task for our opinion "thereanenl , " in a very kindly and genial way . We

cannot do less than return the compliment , and reprint , which we do elsewhere , our contemporary ' s " deliverance " on the subject , We confess that we see no reason to modify any of the opinions we have previously expressed on the subject ; neither are we convinced , we feel bound to

say , by any of the arguments of our good confrere . The whole point , as we apprehend it , lies in this—can the Grand Orient of Hungary , without some express provision in its laws to that effect , declare an act of initiation performed in open lodge , after the due formalities and conditions

prescribed by customary procedure " ab initio , " null and void ? We feel quite convinced that such a step is " ultra vires " on the part of the Grand Orient of Hungary , and we will add there is no precedent for such an assumption of autocratic power , either in England or the United

States , in the history of our common Order . The able writer in the "Masonic Journal " does not appear to us to note the grave and essential difference as between punishing an illegality , and declaring an act to be " null and void . " We all agree that the initiation " per se " was illegal , as

the rules of the Order regard men , not women ; and we must all agree that the Grand Orient of Hungary would have been perfectly justified in suspending the W . M . and officers , and all assisting and abetting brethren , and closing the

lod ge " pro tern . " But can the Gr . ind Orient of Hungary , or any other Grand Lodge , declare an initiation " 111111 and void " which was duly performed in open lodge ? We doubt it very much indeed . How does such power accrue , and if existent , what is its effect ? It is sometimes

necessary to declare a ceremony invalid and informal , and to require it to be repeated according to our " lex scripta , " but we know of no case in Which any Grand Lodge has ever assumed to

"Self the authority to declare such a "fait accompli" null and void . " It may declare it to be irregular , and highly reprehensible , it may censure the lod ge and the W . M ., it may inflict the Penalty of a fine or of suspension , but can it affect

The Modern Lady Freemason.

the act itself ? Again we say , we think not . What the real position of this principal actress amidst these peculiar Masonic "dramatis personae " may be is to our apprehension one of the great difficulties of the case . As we view it , however formally initiated , until Countess Hadick receives

her certificate she cannot by our national and international Masonic law enter a lodge . Therefore if the Grand Orient of Hungary persists in its refusal to admit of her initiation under any circumstances , and if the Grand Orient is supreme in all such matters , she cannot in Hungary nor ,

we apprehend , in Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry , be received or hailed as a sister legally . If indeed under some other constitution she can be received as a joining member of some lodge , then the fact of such "healing" will become another and special question for consideration . A good

deal will also turn upon the laws and customs of the Hungarian Freemasons . Is it necessary to have a Grand Lodge certificate r or will the lodge certificate suffice ? and can lodges still grant certificates ? All these are matters which crop "Tip , and have to be dealt with , before we

can fully adjudicate even on the question of reception . For if she can produce a lodge certificate , and such is valid in Hungary by law and custom , it will be valid elsewhere ; and if she produces a Masonic certificate through her affiliation to another lodge in another

constitution , we apprehend that it would not be necessary to go into the original question of the legality or illegality of her initiation . But assuming that insuperable difficulties be in the way of her recognition or reception , is it not the best solution of the dilemma

to make Countess Hiidick ' s reception a special case ? We think it is ; our contemporary as decidedly thinks not , and believes " it will never do . " We would respectfully ask our friendly critic—why ? Does not the very exception prove the rule ? Is it not

clear that by the Grand Orient of Hungary condoning the past and making a special ease of this little incident it puts a stop to any tendency to illegal proceedings , and by no means licences , as our contemporary appears to fear , a repetition of similar acts . So far from

establishing a precedent , the Grand Orient of Hungary discountenances , distinctly , any similar attempts , but in the interests of peace and conciliation it " heals" the illegal reception , and simply follows out the old adage , " Fieri non debet , factum valet . " In this age of reasonable

compromises it seems to us absurd always to be claiming the " uti possidetis , " or crying out in lachrymose vocubulary , " non possumus , " and it is according to our notions both more rational and above all , more Masonic , to take a large and liberal view of questions , whether " burning" or

otherwise , which are so sure to come to the surface , and with which we have to deal . Such questions , we feel it right to add , we are of opinion should be dealt with , not with the fiat of an inexorable and unaccommodating Draconism , but with the genial sympathy of that kindly old Order of ours , which would always

act more in the spirit than the letter , and would always seek to accompany the sterner requirements of law with the softening and soothing attributes of an enlightened and liberal accommodation to tlm feelings of our brethren , the necessities of the case , the temper of the times , and the welfare of the Craft .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even a * approvirg of ihd opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play lo all , to permit—wimin curtain iiecc-wary limits—free discussion . ~ -liD . ]

GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND , AND GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND—A CONTRAST . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — While the Wardens of thc Grand Lodge of England are deliberating how they shall spend a few thousands of

their surplus funds in commemoration of the safe return from India of their respected M . W . Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , the Grand Lodge of Scotland is sunk over head and ears in debt . This deplorable state of things docs not arise from thc niggardliness of Scotch Freemasons , or their want of loyalty to Grand Lodge which was especially proved at Glasgow a few weeks ago ,

Original Correspondence.

but wholly and solely from the mismanagement of Grand Lodge officials and Grand Committee . You will scarcely believe it , but it is nevertheless true , which I vouch for as a member of Grand Lodge , that we have not received a single report or balance sheet of financial matters ( nor cannot get ) either from Grand Secretary , Grand Treasurer , Finance Committee , or Grand Committee , since the

beginning of 18 73 , and now we are close upon the beginning of 1877 . Such a disgraceful state of matters would not be allowed to exist for a single year out of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . And what is the result of this disgraceful mismanagement of Grand Committee ? It is tnis , that while in England with a Grand Lodge Roll of 16 31 lodges , there is scarcely a dormant Lodge , while in

Scotland with a Grand Lodge roll of 575 , they have lodges dormant by the score , as can be seen by the Scottish Masonic Calendar for 1876 . This state of matters arises entirely from the want of attention by Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge , many lodges not being visited for eight or ten years , and 1 : 0 more attention paid to them than if they lived in the moon ; so much is this the case

that it has become a common saying among the lodges , that Grand Lodge only wants the cash , and rather than continue in such a state , lodges quietly drop out of existence , or in other words dormant . Not long ago a proposition was made to start a new Grand Lodge in Glasgow in opposition to the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh , while others propose the total

stopping of the supplies to bring Grand Lodge to a total stand-still . These little matters show how the wind blows and the great need there is for improvement . The Earl of Rosslyn while on the throne did his best to improve matters , but his efforts have not been followed up by Grand Committee , and things are going from bad to worse . Everything aiid everybody beyond Grand

Committee are kept in a state of total darkness , and , as may be supposed , the most ugly rumours are flying about from lodge to lodge of what the end will be , and the common belief is that tlie end will be disastrous to Grand Lodge . The Grand Lodge ought to bs the very essence of all that is pure , honourable and business-like , as

an example to the daughter lodges . Instead of that , after sixteen years' experience , I can only pronounce it a place of hollowness and rottenness , in fact a huge sham . If we send money we may get a receipt , after shewing a determination to have it . If we write upon Masonic business we may get an answer to one letter in four . The M . W . G . Master says he is aware that

thc Grand Secretary s office is in a bad state , but he will endeavour to improve it . The M . W . Grand Master has known the same for two years , and things are there growing worse , which is something like proof that it is past redemption . It would be a good thing if the M . W . G . Master would look into the Treasurer's accounts as well . Sir , I hope that you will give this a place in your next

impression . I grieve to oe compelled to wiite this , but all parties have had so many warnings to put their houses in order , that advice is no more heeded than the blowing of the wind . Silence would longer be a crime , and before that noble institution of the Craft , the most noble that ever was devised by man , lies crumbling in the dust

I , for one , will raise my voice against the mismanagement that is bringing our Grand Lodge to ruin . Should time and space permit I may have something more to say on the subject . 1 am , yours fraternally , ADAM THOMSON , S . P . G . M . Peebles and Selkirkshire , and Proxy Master for , and R . W . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , Galashiels .

THE HERVEY LODGE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I regret to find myself once more called upon to address you on the proceedings taken against a defaulting brother of my lodge . You will forgive me for saying that your editorial

remarks on the question scarcely seem to me to be either conceived or written in that spirit of " brotherly love " which you in your opening remarks enjoin upon us ; on the contrary , they partake largely of " the abuse of the ignorant " rightly condemned . Writing of the Hervey Lodge you say , " The various blunders made by that distinguished lodge are too

numerous to mention here . " Now this , I need scarcely remind you , is a seriously damaging charge . As Master of the Hervey Lodge , 1 beg to i-tate , that it is a most unfair and untruthful st itemenr , and appeirs to me must have been made with the view of prejudicing our case should it come , as you intimate , " under the notice of the Board of General Purposes . "

I may say that any complaint you , or any member of the Craft , may have to allege against my lodge will be met without hesitation , and 1 trust that I shall be able to give a satisfactory explanation of our proceedings before any legally constituted tribunal . But-I cannot be expected to meet sweeping and general assertions such as you make , and I protest iiicommuu fairness and justice against

wholesale insinuations . You further say , " that ev ; ry step the lodge has taken is constitutionally wrong an 1 illegal . " This is a bare assertion , and an attempt to support a foregone conclusion , without knowing anything of the merits ot the case . The paragraph raises a question in my mind , and which you

will forgive mc for saying , it is quite incompetent for you to decide ; at all events , it is you rather than the Hervey Lodge who have " made the subject" one " of public conversation or Masonic scandal . " I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , G . HARRISON , Nov . 14 , 18 : 6 . W . M 12 O 0 ,