Original Correspondence.

ofthe festival , will I hope , amount at the least , to the sum of five hundred guineas . Permit me to suggest that in each lodge some brother should at once set to work , and endeavour _ to collect something , say the small sum of five guineas and the collection of such a sum is not a difficult task if an appeal is made to every

member to give only a few shillings . This sum could be subscribed in the name of some brother and qualify him as a Life Subscriber . For example , twenty-one members at five shillings , or ten members at ten shillings and sixpence each , would accomplish the task , there are other ways to assist the object in view , but I shall not refer to them on this occasion . With

your permission , Mr . Editor , ( and I make sure of it by anticipation ) I propose once in each month to report the progress I am making , and submit the list of subscribers , to the date through the pages of your useful paper . My first report shall be sent in August , by which month I

hope to be able to report the foundation of a large and valuable list . Before closing I may be permitted to say that in May , 187 , 3 , my list for the Girls' School was £ 212 , and in January 1874 . my list for the Benevolent Institution was

^ 21 3 1 , 3 s . I feel that these amounts must be largely exceeded . My appeal this time is on behalf of an institution much in need of funds for its daily support , having no invested capital to fall back upon . The generous manner with which Committee of the Institution have increased the

number of boys to be maintained cannot but call forth our warmest sympathies , and is deserving of our practical support . I am , yours fraternally , Tnos . J . SABINE , P . M . 22 , W . M . 75 , Treasurer 168 , P . A . G . D . of C .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . To the Editor oj the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Why have you not published a list of contributions of the Girls' School Anniversary - It is a subject of much wonder , and more

comment . I am told that yours is "The Masonic Paper , " and yet I fail to find just the information that interests provincial Masons . Please Bro . Editor enlighten ,

A FRATERNAL HUT COUNTRY BUMPKIN . [ We have , alas , but one answer , " non pos sum us . " We cannot give the information we do not re ceive . If any change can be brought about which

wonld cause us to receive such information , none would more gladly receive it , or more speedily publish it than ourselves , for the information of our country cousins . —En . FREEMASON . ]

A CHALLENGE . To the Editor ofthe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — As I think the time has conr ? for us as mem bers of the "Society of Free and Accepted Masons to prefer facts to fiction , and of late many state

ments have been promulgated which cannot be proved , or which are unequivocally and demonstratively false , and as our silence as a body may be presumed to favour the acceptance of such declarations and be taken as equivalent to

acknowledging their truth , I have jotted down the following which I am ready to prove in three communications in The Freemason , in answer to anyone who can conscientiously oppose either , or the whole of the three , provided

nothing but facts are to be considered admissable or as final , and that no personalities are introduced into the discussion . 1 . ( a ) Freemasonry before A . D . 1717 , was

not wholly operative , ( b ) but partially speculative , ( c ) and ' at the " revival" the changes effected did not differ so radicall y from early Masonry , as to have obliterated the evidence s of the operative origin of the premier Grand Lodge .

Original Correspondence.

2 . ( a ) The references to Masonic degrees ( as we understand tlie term now ) never occur in the ancient minutes , ( b ) no rituals of degrees prior to 1720 , are in existence , ( c ) and whatever esoteric customs may have been communicated to Craftsmen , before the last century , they do not appear to have necessitated the temporary absence of either class of members from the

lodge . 3 . ( a ) That the three classes of Masons before the " Revival" of 1717 consisted of Apprentices , Fellow Crafts and Master Masons , and of no others , ( b ) That the members of each class were permitted to have marks , but no peculiar

ceremony attending the selection of such is recorded in ancient minutes , ( c ) and that all socalled Mark Rituals of about 200 years old , in Scotland or elsewhere , are forgeries , or bear a wrong date , or said to be much older than they reallv are . W . J . HUGHAN . Truro , 23 rd June , 1874 .

Presentation To W. Bro. W. J. Hughan, P.S.G.D. Of England.

PRESENTATION TO W . BRO . W . J . HUGHAN , P . S . G . D . OF ENGLAND .

On Thursday , iSth inst ., the brethren of the Druids Lodge of Love and Liberality , 589 , Redruth , presented the Worshipful Brother W . J . Hughan , P . M ., and P . P . G . Secretary , with a full dress P . S . Grand Deacon ' s apron and gauntlets , in recognition of the recent honour

conferred on him by the Grand Master of England , and of the many eminent services he has rendered to their lodge . The Worshi pful Master , Bro . E . Milford Cock , on rising , said , " Brethren , the reason of our meeting this evening is so well known to

you all that I will not detain you with a lengthy explanation , for as you are aware , we are assembled for the very pleasing duty of presenting Bro . W . J . Hughan with a small token , in testimony of the great esteem we entertain for him . Many of you have known Bro . Hughan longer

than myself , and are far more competent than I to discharge the duty , which , in my official capacity , I have undertaken . But during the time I have had the pleasure of his acquaintance I have known him sufficiently well to be convinced that he is a Brother Mason in the truest sense of the

word , and 1 feel that to possess his friendship is an honour . It is impossible for me to mention the many great services Bro . Hughan has rendered to Freemasonry in general . I say without fear of contradiction that I believe no Mason in England has done more , and I believe there is no

Mason who is more deservedly esteemed . The manly and upright conduct that has ever characterised his course in life has won for him golden opinions , and that fair fame which ever crowns the worker of good deeds . Right glad am I that the Grand Master of England has lately

conferred such a deserved honour on so worthy a recipient j in doing so he has conferred an honour on every member in this province , and I am sure you will one and all , heartily join me in congratulating Bro . Hughan on his high appointment . Equally impossible ]; is it for me to

enumerate the many past services Bro . Hughan has rendered this Druids Lodge in particular , to acknowledge one of which is our pleasing duty this evening . Bro . Hughan , on behalf of the members of my Lodge , and in their name , I thank you most

sincerely for the great kindness you have shown , and the vast amount of trouble you have taken , in securing the election of an old and worthy Past Master of this lodge , as an annuitant of the Aged Freemasons' Institution ; we feel that

no one but yourself could or would have achieved such a result for us , and we shall erer be deeply indebted to you . This , and not only this , but your many previous disinterested acts of kindness have called forth our warmest

admiration and esteem , and I have the very great pleasure of asking you to accept from us this Past Senior Grand Deacon ' s apron , with gauntlets , as a small memento of our fraternal regard , and , if you will allow me , I will invest you with them . May your useful life be long to look on this , as a feeble token [ of the high estimation

Presentation To W. Bro. W. J. Hughan, P.S.G.D. Of England.

formed of you by so many of your friends in the Druids Lodge , and so often as you wear the apron may you be reminded not only of its being the badge of Freemasonry , but also that by the purity of your life and of your actions it is indeed the bond of a true and lasting friendship .

And when it shall please the Grand Geometrician of the Universe to remove you from all earthly honours , may you ascend to be a member of the Grand Lodge above , joining the many ¦ worth y brethren who have gone before , and there receive your just reward . May this little memento then descend as an heirloom in your

family , and stimulate them in the same strict path of virtue that won for you the praise , the esteem , and I may say the affection , too , of all your brethren . " Bro . Hughan on rising received a perfect ovation , and on the outburst of applause subsiding , he observed that were he ffifted with the wisdom

of Solomon ( looking around to the W . Bro . Thomas Solomon , ex-Mayor of Truro ) , or the eloquence of the W . Master of No . 589 , who had just spoken , he might ttan be able to adequately express his feelings on receiving so handsome a present and so very hearty a

reception , but as it was he could not do more than thank them most sincerely for their extraordinary manifestation of appreciation of humble efforts , which he was glad to see had resulted so satisfactorily and so advantageously for the members of the province with which he had been

connected for about ten years . He had always endeavoured to practically illustrate this important fact that Masonically speaking there was no North , East , South or West in the province of Cornwall , so far as the interests of the fraternity were concerned , but that all belonged to one

happy , united family , and consequently in managing the votes for the " Great Masonic-Charities , " he had adopted candidates from different parts of the province , as circumstancesdemanded ; one time it was a little boy from Falmouth , another time one from Truro , then at

another time from Scorrier . This last election he had succeeded in returning their oldest Past Master as an annuitant in London . A short while since a widow from Bodmin was elected . In October he should have a little girl for election into the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ,

and in May , 1875 , he had promised to support the application of Bro . John Ough , an old Past Master at Liskeard . The success attained clearly proved what may be dona by rendering obedience to the Cornish motto " one and all , " for unity was indeed strength- With reference to

what the W . M . had so kindly said about himself , Bro . Hughan observed that if he had to speak about his own deeds , or the fraternal estimate of them by the Craft , he was at once in a difficulty , which he certainly did not to the same extent experience when having to speak upon a

general topic , for then it was only for them to say how long their patience would last , and he would endeavour not to exceed the limit , but when it became his duty to refer to his own promotion , the high and important office bestowed npon him by the M . W . the Grand Master , the

splendid gift of the Lodge of Fortitude , a week since ( which was but one of several from its members ) , and lastly the handsome present withwhich he had just been invested , he felt quiteincapable of saying anything , so the memberswould excuse him , and rest assured that so

long as his life was spared he would continue to value their esteem , and gratefully remember their kindness , and as he now felt that half of himself respecting the clothing belonged to Truro , and half to Redruth , he would strive to do his utmost to prove worthy of their respect and

friendship , and he could only say in conclusion , as he had often told them before , that whenever he could be of any service at Redruth , or any other part of the province , but more especially at Truro and Redruth , with which he was so intimately connected since his residence in the province , it would be his delight to respond

with all the promptness and efficiency he could command . The meeting was very largely attended , and several ofthe Past Masters and brethren from the Fortitude , Phoenix , True and Faithful , Tregullow , and other neighbouring lodges were present .