Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible tor the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to ail , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

LABOUR AND REFRESHMENT . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to Bro . Last , the change he refers to had no connection whatever with Masonic Jurisprudence ; neither was it the result of apathy and indolence , but simply a silent testimony to the reality of a great social upheaval .

In the preparation of "Masonic Social Life Sixty Years Ago" in 1897 , it is possible I . went deeper into such changes than was necessary for the purposes of a paper , and I , therefore , append a few extracts from it ; but my friend must merely accept my opinion for what it is worth . The change was an inner effect of an outside cause , neither more nor less . A new epoch—glorious , far beyond

any conception that might be formed of it then , and even now little understood across the Channel , although the benefits have been not merely national , but universal—had dawned at the Coronation . Perhaps one of the greatest blessings which , amongst others , we owe to our beloved Queen , was this personal and most potent example set at Court on her accession .

I think the extracts sufficiently indicate the difficulty of fixing a . definite date , and as a matter of fact I doubt if the practice of calling the lodge from labour to refreshment is absolutely now extinct . In Bro . Last ' s mother lodge he will find old instances in the minutes , and I

think once as late as 1868 , when I was was present ; but Airedale never favoured the custom at any period . On the other hand , the Apollo University Lodge , Oxford , was , owing to its composition , perhaps the most representative of English lodges , so that , should its minutes be available to him , my friend will probably find there all he wants to know , between 1840 and 1845 .

Of course , the custom has now lost its objectionable features to some extent ; but in the old convivial days of full-bodied port it was different , and no wonder it was sometimes as difficult to say when the " labour " began as when the " refreshment" ended . The installation meetings especially were not remarkable for " work , " in or outot the lodge , after the morning ceremony . I think that in the sentence quoted by Bro . Last , the word " lodge " really means " the assembled

company adjourned until five o clock . This , however , does not affect the main point . The connection between labour and refreshment up to 1838 was , as my friend says , much closer . Then the prominence of the convivial element began to be condemned , and voluntarily , because there is nothing to prohibit any lodge follcrwing the old custom to-day . It was the abuse of it that did the mischief . — Yours fraternally ,

J . RAMSDEN RILEY . 20 th January . EXTRACTS . 1 . "I want you to bear in mind that 60 years ago a brother ' s Masonic life was as distinctly separated from his family circle as it was from the general public ; also , that the Victorian era , commencing in 1837 , was the beginning of a

decided moral revolution in England . The year I have chosen to refer to as representative ( 1837 ) marks social conditions which had existed without much change since the accession of Geo . IV . in 1 S 20 , or 17 years farther back . " . . . 2 . " No visible change , however , took place ( although the young Queen ' s example was rjready having a real influence as early as 1838 ) until 1841 , the year in which our M . W . G . M . was born , when" . . .

3 . " These dates ( 1820 to 1841 ) can , of course , be only approximate , because social habits and customs always take long to change , whether for good or evil ; and , besides , that the ciders of a generation , although , it may be , quite disposed to mend , rarely care to publicly own their errors . " P . S . —Bro . Last must excuse my giving these extracts ; they do not pretend to be evidence of anything , but simply explanatory of a possible cause . The fact is I know of no authorities on this particular question . —] . R . R .

BRO . HUGHAN ON THE YORK GRAND LODGE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I do not know whether W . Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . S . G . D ., in his article on the York Grand Lodge , seriously means that the '' time immemorial assertion" that H . R . H . Prince Edwin granted the old " Constitutions" at York A . I > . n ;> 6 " is superior to proof . " I know it appears in this way in the charters granted by the " Athol Lodge , " but it does not make it correct . Unfortunately ,

no one seems to take the trouble to correct dates in our Masonic history that are obviously wrong . The only Prince Edwin we know of in English history as being in existence at about this period came to the throne in 955 , at the age of 14 , and died 959 . He must , therefore , have been born in 941 , or later than the supposed time when he granted the " Constitutions . " To show the errors that creep in from a book I have before me , I glean that St . Alban , the proto-martyr , presided over the York Lodge in 926 , whereas history states he suffered death in 303 , —I remain , yours fraternally ,

C . GARDNER VATCHER , W . M . Royal Alfred Lodge , No . 877 Royde House , Jersey , January 22 nd .

OUR RECENT REPORT OF LA TOLERANCE LODGE , No . 538 . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Your sub-editor has been caught napping . Some one has hoaxed him by sending him an account of an installation of a W . M . of the La Tolerance Lodge which cannot possibly be true . It is incredible that Bro . Jas . Terry should have installed the outgoing W . M . for a further period of 12 months because the W . M , elect was incapacitated by illness .

Ihe Book of Constitutions , Rule 130 , provides for this and requires a summons to be issued for the following regular meeting of the lodge , setting forth that the brethren will again proceed to elect a Master , & c . If Bro . Terry has acted as stated , I tremble for his treatment at the hands of the Board of General Purposes . —Yours fraternally , J . E . LE FEUVRE ,

Southampton , 15 th January . + — .. THE LiFEiioAT Charles Whi ' tton , belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution , and stationed at Gopher Head , Ireland , rescued the fishing boat Irish Girl , of Dundalk , and her crew of six men on Wednesday night last . The fishermen were in an exhausted condition when taken on board the lifeboat .

Great Britain's Appeal.

GREAT BRITAIN'S APPEAL .

COPYRIGHT . ] (" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED .

By PROF . F . W . DRIVER , M . A . A Patriotic Poem .. From near , from far , throuhout our native land , Rings forth the trumpet call to every hand : The Mother courtry , in her need , appeals For help from her dear sons , and each one feels That , though to all the summons may be sent , For each one , singly , is the message meant .

A noble feeling stirs the loyal heart , For Love and Duty each should bear a part , To face the gath'ring peril from afar , And , fearless , brave the fortunes of the war—Prove to the world 'tis not an idle boast , Great Britain's sons , undaunted , front a host .

But not alone for those who love their land , The Nation calls to make courageous stand—Our countrymen in Afric ' s torrid zone , Who equally with us Queen-Empress own As fellow subjects , they for aid appeal , Trust in our sympathy , and active zeal .

Nor shall they , in their trouble , call in vain . As we have done before , we'll do again , Whenever is an Englishman afraid Of danger , when he renders willing aid ? In dire distress , no time nor trouble lost , He does not , coldly , calculate the cost !

In this our country's crisis may be found Spring up , instinctively , from native ground , Shamrock and Thistle , and fair English Rose , Unitedly one branch , it fearless grows—True type of Irish , Scotch , and Englishman , Rivals in honour , staunch in battle

van—Like lightning flashing forth the message runs , England now calls upon her loyal sons To render help in present time of need , Trie loving help , in thought , in word , and deed ; Her colonies and empire to defend , True in the present , constant to the endi

And what the answer ? from afar , around , Like roar of rushing waters comes the sound From thousands of brave hearts , one only cry—For Mother country we will live or die , Join in her triumph with exultant breath , Or , in her ruin , seal our faith with Death !

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The following are the officers of the Board of Stewards for the Festival which will be celebrated next month on behalf of this Institution , namely ; PRESIDENTBro . RICHARD WILSON , P . G . D ., D . Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire . VICE-PRKSIHKNTBro . J . J . THOMAS , P . G . Std . Br ., P . P . G . Treas ., Bucks .

ACTING VICE-PRESIDENT — Bro . H . A . TOBIAS , P . G . Std . Br . HON . TREASURERBro . A . R . TREW , P . P . G . D . Suffolk . HON . SECRETARYBro . J AMES TERRY , P . G . S . B ., Secretary of the Institution .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesdayevening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . J . H . Matthews , President , occupied the President ' s chair ; Bro . D . D . Mercer , Senior Vice-President , took his usual post ; and , in the regretted absence of Bro . H . Garrod , Junior Vice-President , through illness , Bro . G . Graveley , P . G . P ., acted as Junior Vice-President . Bros . Edward Letchworth , G . Sec . j W . Dodd , G . S . Recknell , and H . Sadler , G . Tyler , represented the G . Secretary ' s department . The other brethren who attended were Bros . C . J . R . Tijou , H . A . Tobias

W . Fisher , F . W . Hancock , J . Block , W . Kipps , E . W . Nightingale , S . H . Goldschmidt , John Strachan , Q . C ., R . W . Ker , Thomas Jones , W . H . Caton John Ellinger , Col . Clifford l ' robyn , C . H . Stone J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . I . B . j G . B . Chapman , E . Terry , J . W . Burgess , R . Robinson , W . Noble , F . J . Burdett , C . H . Webb , T . Grummant , H . Massey , W . Radcliffe , G . H . Lister , G . R . Langley A . J . Potter , W . Rogers , J . Forsyth , W . N . Foxcroft , T . M . Bannon , J . Austin Carpenter , F . A . Guimaraem , G . N . E . Hamilton , W . Gower , A . Low , and E . Garnet Man .

To the amount of . £ 300 the Board first confirmed recommendations to the Grand Master made at the meeting of December , 18 99 . There were 26 cases on the new list , from the London district , and from Guildford , Milford , Cheshunt Park , Old Swindon , Sittingbourne , Yatton , Poona , Darlington , Landport , Beaufort West ( South Africa ) , Radcliffe , Birkenhead , Bootle , Fyzabad , Framlingham , and Newcastle-upon-Tyne . Five of these were deferred , and one was dismissed . The remainder were voted a total of £ 525 . Four were sent to Grand Lodge for , 650 each , two to the Grand Master for . £ 40 each , four for . 630 each , and one for £ 25 . Three cases had . £ 20 each , four . £ 10 each , and two £ < each .

THROUGH THE EFFORTS OK MK . WILLIAM GURNEY , a well-known member of the Bucks County Council , sufficient money has been raised in the village of Chalfont St . Giles , in that county , to equip a bed in the Imperial Yoemanry Hospital . The whole of the money was collected in the short period of three days , and the subscribers numbered joo , their contributions ranging from £ 5 to one penny .