Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but \\( wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsree discussion .

THE RECENT GRAND LODGE FUNCTION AT BUSHEY , HERTS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother As Acting Grand Director of Ceremonies at the recent ceremonial of laying the foundation-stone of the new School Buildings at Bushey , I must ask you to pardon my calling your attention to two omissions in your excellent

report of the proceedings in last week ' s Freemason . 1 refer to the omission of the name of Bro . the Rev . Henry Hebb , M . A ., P . G . D ., the respected Head Master of the School , from the list of those whom , with the Duke of Connaught ' s gracious permission , I had the honour to present to his Royal Highness . I notice also the further omission of any reference to the fact that the prayer at the close of the ceremony and before the blessing was most impressively offered by the Head Master . —I remain , yours faithfully and fraternally ,

FRANK RICHARDSON , P . G . D . 28 , Golden-square W ., May 21 st . SUPREME COUNCIL , 33 ° , AND DISPENSATION TO WEAR

A . AND A . CLOTHING AT CHURCH PARADE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I am desired to inform you , with reference to a suggestion which appeared in the Freemason of the 19 th instant , that the Supreme Council , 33 ° will not grant a dispensation for members of the A . and A . Rite to appear in the clothing of their Degrees at a church parade . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , W . PORTLOCK DADSON , Sec . to Supreme Council , 33 ° . 33 , Golden-square , W ., May 22 nd .

SOUTH AFRICAN RELIEF . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I herewith beg to send you a copy of a letter received by me yesterday from the acting Secretary of Lodge 2401 , Ladysmith , Natal .

If , on reading , you think you could find a place for it in the Freemason I should be glad ; and if anyone who reads it has a few shillings to spare I should be happy to forward to Bro . W . H . Miller , either for the partially destroyed Temple or for the lodge Charity box . I should mention that as brethren would not care to send funds to an unknown man , I think Bro . G . W . Speth , of No . 2076 , would assure you that I am wotthy of that confidence .

I am the local Charity representative of my lodge , No . 1151 , also Chaplain , and am a member of the C . C . of No . 2076 . —Yours fraternally ,

GEORGE WORMALD WHITE . St . Blazey , Cornwall . . May 14 th .

[ PART COI-Y OF LETTER . ] Klip County Lodge , 2401 . Ladysmith , Natal . 1 Sth April , 1900 , To Bro . G . Wormald White , My dear Sir and Brother ,

Regarding our siege meetings , I am sure that every one who attended looks back upon them with satisfaction . Only upon one occasion was the attendance sparse , but , alas , this was caused by the damage done in the Volunteer camp by the enemy ' s shell fire , killing a brother amongst many others . 1 regret that 1 cannot give you a good account of our brethren of the lodge ; some have been killed in action , some ( two ) died of disease , one is wounded and a prisoner , and a great many have come to the verge of ruin , both in health and property .

Before the war the lodge was in a prosperous condition , and we were building a new temple ; we are now in a very awkward position ; the work had to stand during the siege , and the building was greatly damaged by shell fire from the enemy . I am sure that should the war come to its rational termination , viz .,

" One flag for all South Africa , everythi ng will yet be well with us ; and though at times we are somewhat downhearted when we look at our losses , yet our spirits are raised and the blood flows more freely through us all when we receive such a letter as yours , showing that our efforts are not in vain and unappreciated in the dear old country .

Again thanking you , Sir and Brother , in the name of my lodge and self , and with very " Hearty good wishes " to yourself and your lodge brethren , Believe me to be , Yours fraternally , W . H . Mitu . EK , Natal Mtd . Police , Acting Sec . and Hon . Treas . Lodge 2401 .

Reviews.

Reviews .

' " ' INKIA ' VV'EE MA SONS' ALMANACK AND DIAKY eou THE YEAR 1900 . " ( Calcutta Victor Printing Works , 4 , Esplanade-row , West ) . —This is one ot the largest inrectorieslof theltind published , and was started , and has been edited from the beginning , bv Bro P . C . Dutt . Besides over 200 pages of closely printed matter , this time some OS pates are added , giving a detailed account of " How Hindus were admitted into the Mysteries of'Freemasonry , and a short Masonic Career of the first _ Hindu Mason . " BroProsono Coomar Dutt has the honour of being the first Hindu initiated into the

. Craft in an'English lodge in India . At first the difficulties seemed almost insuperable , as there was a By-Law of the Prov . G . L . of Bengal against the admission ot " Mohomedans or other Asiatics . " On Mr . Dutt appealing to the G . M . of England direct this regulation was removed , and eventually he was initiated in the " Anchor and Hope" Lodge , No . 234 , Calcutta , in 1872 , so that some nine years were involved in the preliminary arrangements . Bro . Dutt has since been most successful , has taken any

Reviews.

number of Degrees , and been D . Dist . G . M . of his own Province . The Directory gives full particulars of alt the Masonic bodies in India , including those of Scotland , thus embracing- over 170 lodges , besides the other Degrees , so that the work is both complete and reliable . There is a Calendar , which includes the meetings of the lodges in Calcutta ( F . M . H . ) , and another as a Diary , that contains those of all the lodges in India , as well as the R . A . chapters , & c . It is really a very able compilation .

THE racy " Keystone" of Philadelphia , U . S . A ., is always to the fore with something good . This time it is the well known and most useful " Manning's Masonic Register for the State of Pennsylvania for 1900 . " It is a wonderful compilation , running to some 350 pages , in a waistcoat pocket edition ( 4 in . by 2 ?) , and simply " charged" with information from the first page to the last . It must be seen to be appreciated , and is simply indispensable in the State of Penn ' a , where , doubtless , its merits are duly valued . Over 430 lodges are duly detailed , having 53 ,

members , for each of which is given the place of meeting , the principal officers ; name and address of Secretary , and roll of Past Masters and Trustees . Similar particulars are afforded of the 123 Royal Arch chapters , having over iS . ooo companions , the 74 commanderies of the K . T ., the councils of the Royal and Select Masters , the various Bodies of the A . and A . Rite , & c . ; so that the publication is a veritable multum in parvo . There is also abundant information as to the Grand Lodge , the Grand Chapter , and other governing Organisations , so that it is well named a Masonic Register .

Quebec Masonry.

QUEBEC MASONRY .

NON-ASSIMILATION IN THAT PROVINCE .

THE OPINION OF A PROMINENT P . M . or ST . PAUL ' LODGE ( E . C . ) ON JOINING THE GRAND LODGE OF Q UEBEC . The subject of Quebec Masonry in connection with the affiliation of the three English lodges—St . Paul ' s , St . Lawrence , and St . George ' s—with the Grand Lodge of Quebec has again been brought to the front by a suggestion contained in a circular recently issued by David R . McCord , P . M . of St . Paul ' s Lodge , Montreal . It is well known that at the time of the formation of the Grand Lodge of Canada , in 1855 , one of the conditions of its

recognition by the Grand Lodge of England was that the three lodges in Montreal should be allowed to work under their charters from England , Subsequently the Grand Lodge of Quebec was formed , and it was thought that the English lodges would come in ; but they maintained their right under the agreement between the Grand Lod ges of England and Canada to s : ay out , and they are still in that position . Every effort has been made to

bring them in , so far without success . Some weeks ago , W . Bro . McCord sent the circular given below to prominent Masons in Montreal . His suggestions are his own . They have not emanated from anyone in connection with the Grand Lodge of Quebec , and , coming as they do , from a wellknown Mason , they seem to be entitled to some wei ght . The hope is

expressed that the suggestions of Bro . McCord may have some effect , and that possibly the Grand Lodge of England , through its Board of General Purposes , may take some action that will assist in bringing these three English lodges into the fold of the Grand Lod ge of Quebec . The circular reads :

Montreal , 5 th April , 1900 . Dear Sir and Wor . Bro ., I am prompted to send this circular , which I do entirely on my own responsibility , and based on what I humbly conceive to be in the present best and widest interest of Masonry .

If you were present at a meeting I had the honour of calling you would have heard much of what 1 now place in writing as my individual views . If you were unavoidably absent , this will afford me an opportunity of communicating them to you . I called the meeting in consequence of what appeared in the last Annual Pronouncement of the Grand Master of Quebec , regarding English Masonry . While that bodhas not been officiall

y y recognised by England , it is to all intents and purposes a de facto Grand Lodge . The relation of our Mother G . L . with it and its G . Ollicers are of the must cordial description . It is perfectly clear that we are not going to have another G . L . representative to replace R . W . Bro . the Hon . Mr . Justice Badfrley , and not only that , but the amendment to the constitution of 1897 , by the G . L . is the plainest intimation to us , that while no steps will , or could be , taken to induce us to join the G . L . of Quebec , it would be most pleasing to the Mother Grand Body should we so do .

The trend of colonial self-government points in this direction , and at this time when the colonies are occupying a larger space in the Imperial eye than ever before , does it not appear to be opportune to unite Masonic Interests in the Province ?

Our personal relations with the members of the G . L . of Q . are most fraternal , as exemplified in the working of the A . and A . S . Rite with them . I have been long enough in the Craft to remember the friction at an earlier stage ol the existence of the G . L . of Q . ft does not now affect my present action . It was painful , but it is a thing ot the past . From this experience I know how unpleasant it would now be if anything looking to non-intercourse were shortly to follow from the G . L . of O .

We would be legally right , as our position is an impregnable one , but it would be painful , hurtful to Masonry , and to be deprecated , all the more so , as it can be prevented—as I hold it can—with self respect . We are in a position to obtain any fair terms we like to ask , but what is of far more value is , a position to give a practical object lesson in the principles of the Craft which are so dear to us—peace and unity .

Understand me clearly , as an English Mason , should unfortunately any measures of a coercive nature be invoked , I would be among the first to resist but in a spirit of deep sadness , and vote to return our time-honoured warrants to England and terminate the record of three fine centres to which we could look back with pride as homes in which some of the purest and happiest days of our lives have been spent ,

There should be no necessity on our part for such a thought , as I trust there is no such antagonistic intention on the part of the G . L . of Q . We hold in our own hands the happy solution . If this , as one brother P . M . suggested be not an opportune moment , when will such be r

Arc wc to continue indefinitely , as we are now ? In that case , let us consider the prospective vital power of the three Lodges and their recruiting possibilities . On this , each of you is as well able to decide as the writer . As 1 P . M . of St . Paul ' s , I think it has , perhaps , the unique possibility of an indefinite longevity as an independent English lodge , but what of the question of the thereby limitation of our iniluencc in aiding to build up a hi gher standard of Masonry in t his new country ?