Christmas.

young , who shall meet each other , in all of heart affection , amidst the splendour of a Christmas Tree , or the merriment of a Christmas reunion . May all our Masonic young j our " Lewises j "

our " later productions , " and highly commended and commenable " little maidens , " enjoy a very happy Christmas , amidst the as yet untinged brightness of unsevered affection . May this old

year , now passing to its rest , close in all of peace and harmony and goodwill to our Masonic Brotherhood everywhere : to our Cosmopolitan Order : and , we say it in all of true Masonic

sympathy , in relief and beneficence to poor and distressed Masons in all parts of this wide world . And , above all , for it is indeed a true

Christmas wish—may the departure of 1874 help to usher in , if by slow degrees , more and more a fraternal and Masonic bond of union amid the severed sections and distant nations of the whole human race . So MOTE IT BE .

Christmas Day 1874.

CHRISTMAS DAY 1874 .

WRITTEN FOR THE "FREEMASON . " What chimes are ringing in my ears At this happy Christmas time , Bright visions , loving greetings

And memories sublime , All gather round the human heart As the years speed fast away And we still are all alive and well To greet anotker Christmas Day .

Another year of earthly life Is fading from our view , The Calendar of Time is closing Alike for me , for you ,

And some we miss most sadly From festive scene and cheer , Are still before our tender gaze , The fair , the fond , the dear .

For Christmas midst its happy strains , Its sounds of human mirth , Has ever a solemn meaning For all loiterers on earth ;

As it takes us in its message To hearts all dead and cold , To the blessed words by angels sung On that sacred day of old .

" Glory to God ! " we hear e en now , " Be given by your race To Him who looks down from on high , In all of saving grace .

Peace and goodwill to all mankind , In love all true and bright , Must fill your lives with gentle works Your minds with thoughts of right . "

And we who work on still to-day A true Masonic band ; Who cahnlyjoined together A mystic circle stand ;

E ' en we can gladly welcome The angel song once more , As we gather few and weary On life ' s advancing shore .

Some are now missing from our Lodge We used to know so well , On others Time ' s benumbing hand Has cast its icy spell ;

The pleasant voice is faltering , The loving heart is still , The warm true hand we clasp no more , Nor trust to the Trusting Will .

Change has been here to sadden Some prosperous scene of years ; Sorrow has sent its shadow Of wistful , blinding tears .

And we who gathered gladly In that humble " upper room , " Are wandering on in sever'd lots , Or in silence or in gloom .

Christmas Day 1874.

Our roll-call yearly lessens ; Kind faces age and jade . And younger voices fill with glee Each porch and colonnade .

New hopes , new plans , new ways prevail ; The old has given way To the fresher , ardent yearnings Of a younger , blither day .

And ten years hence how many Will then have ceased to meet Where many a loyal Brother Hastens with willing feet , Ten years from hence when Christmas

Asserts its genial sway , How many full of light and life Must then have past away . So let vis while the hours remain While year gives way to year ,

As Masons good and faithful With brethren near and dear , Still seek to carry out those words Which angels sang above For God on high , for Man on earth , In reverence and love .

And thus in tones of sympathy , By many a kindly deed For all who are sadly suffering , For all in woe and in need

Our hearts will open warmly Amidst our Christmas fare , For the orphan and the friendless , For poor Masons everywhere . A . F . A . W .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

LWe do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of theopinions expressed by onrcorrespondenls , but we wish ; in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1

MASONIC PORTRAITS . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Referring to the suggestion of' » T . P . C , " in your issue of December jth last , I think the hint thrown out a good one , and am pleased to see you invite opinion—which shows you are

prepared to do it if you can gain supporters . I certainl y think well-executed portraits of prominent members in the various degrees of Freemasonry , or arranged in emblematical groups , would very much increase the value and interest of your paper ; but I would even go further than

'T . P . C , " and suggest you give , from time to time , engravings of the halls , temples , & c , in all parts of the globe—especially the new ones which are being constantly opened . Let these be really first-class , and you would soon double the circulation of the Freemason . If , however

you found the expense too great , you might announce that on such a day you should issue an extra supplement , containing engravings of soand-so , which would be charged one penny extra . This might be done every two , three , or four weeks .

I hope you may be able to entertain this in your arrangements for the New Year . I am yours fraternally , Qv .

IS THE POPE A FREEMASON ? To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Referring to the photograph sent to you from Constantinople by Bro . Geo . Laurie , and your questions , Whence did he obtain it ? and , What is the name of the photographer ? I , too , am possessed of a carte-sized photograph by his

holiness in Masonic regalia , which I purchased a few years ago at a Masonic conversazione at Liage ; it is photographed by I . J . Leken , Verviers . The subscription is " F . Mastai Ferretti , et excommunicavi meos fratrcs mea culpa . " I have no doubt that there are other of the Rifle volunteers who have a like reminiscence of their

visit to Bel gium , and of the hospitality of their continental brethren . Yours fraternally , H . HOWARD HODGES , P . M . 79 . 5 . Maidenhea d , Dec . 12 th , 1874 .

Original Correspondence.

MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother . I have read with very great interest , the leader in your last number , under the above heading , relative to the -status of a

non-subscribing P . M ., on his again rejoining his lodge after discontinuing being a member thereof for two years . You say " It appears to us , we speak deferentially , that on his rejoining his lodge , he resumes his position as a P . M ., but loses his

status as Senior P . M ., and for this reason , A . has subscribed in all up to the present time , eight years , excepting two , during which he intermitted , B . has subscribed eight years without intermission , and became therefore Senior

P . M . A clearly cannot jump over B ' s head on rejoining the lodge , and B , not A , continues to be Senior P . M . " You will pardon me for saying that I cannot agree with you in these remarks , I say that B cannot jump over A ' s head and

become his Senior P . M ., he m 3 y by chance become the oldest subscribing P . M . of the lodge , but he cannot in point of time become his Senior P . M . You go on to say " any other rule or ruling would lead to endless

controversies and hopeless anomalies in our lodge system and our lodge qualification . " How so ? allow me to ask . It appears to me a very great anomaly , that a P . M . of forty years standing in his lodge should by simply leaving it for two

years be at once converted , as by magic , into the youngest P ; M ., and have his name put at the bottom of the list of P . M . ' s . This is what Lord Dundreary would call , " one of those things no fella can understand . "

In conclusion you say , " We believe that what we have now laid down is entirel y in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the Book of Constitutions . " I venture to say that you can find nothing contained in the Book of

Constitutions to support your argument in "letter" and and I have very grave doubts in the " spirit" of that book . All I can find in it is that a P . M . by ceasing to be a subscribing member to any lodge for a certain time loses his membership of the

Grand Lodge and nothing more . If I am wrong I shall be very glad to be corrected . By giving this a p lace in your next paper you will oblige , yours very fraternall y , AN OLD P . M .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In reply to M . S . I would respectfully say that the Senior P . M . referred to would undoubtedly again rank as such by rejoining his lodge , as

the words "that privilege ( page 18 Constitutions ) can only refer thereto . To regain his privilege of membership of Grand Lodge it would not be absolutely necessary for him to be again installed Master of a lodge , but appointment to a War

denship would give it to him . If I am right in this , surely there is something wrong in the constitution . Yours fraternally , E . F . 12 th Dec ., 1874 .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read with interest the letter in your last paper under the above heading , and I shall be very pleased to see your opinion and

that of our legal brethren on the point therein contained , as it is an important one . I am of the same opinion as your correspondent " M . S ., ' | but some are , I believe , of a contrary one . Yours fraternally , SUNDIKOS .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I venture to question the propriety of the allusion to me at the close of your leading article on " Grand Lodge" in last week ' s

issue . The sarcasm I laugh at , the logic I do not comprehend , the argument I cannot understand . Without the slightest knowledge of the scopo or tendency of the remarks 1 was anxious to