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Original Correspondence.
Gth . You conclude with a hope that there will be no further delay ; may we ask you to give some reason for this hope ? We have stated what we consider sufficient reasons for postponement ; will you state your reasons for haste ? In conclusion , will you allow us to thank Bro . Hughan for his kindly expressed appreciation of our work?—Yours fraternally , HUGH H . RIACH , P . M . 1523 . E . L . HAWKINS , P . M . 357 .
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In a letter from our P . G . Sec , received this morning , the following remarks occur : "Constitutions . So , New Rule , this I cannot make out . What is the meaning of a law to say that Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall enact By-Laws , & c , & c . Is it not absurd to say
this . " Looking over No . So as it now stands one cannot fail to be struck with the clumsy , ambiguous , incongruous , and verbose character of the amendment added at the Special Grand Lodge , June 29 th . The whole rule now reads : "A provincial or district grand lodge consists of the provincial or district grand master , the present and past provincial or district grand officers , the provincial or district
grand stewards of the year , and the masters , past masters , and wardens of all lodges within the province or district . Provincial and District Grand Lodges SHALL enact by their By-Laws , that in addition to the above , Past Masters of Lodges out of the Province or District who have joined Lodges in the Province or District shall be members of the Provincial or District Grand . Lodge . AU
members of a provincial or district grand lodge must be subscribing members of a lodge in the province or district . " The amendment is in italics , and the full copy is made Srom the revise , and the report of special Grand Lodge . The capitals in the amendment and the absence of capitals in the revise is only a minor fault ; but note how the rule as proposed will operate . It is not permissive but
imperative ; and yet the clumsy round-about way of compelling provinces and districts to enact a bye-law to do indirectly what Grand Lodge can do directly ( as it has done in the first part of this rule ) is not worthy of so capable a body . Next , consider the equivocal , ambiguous nature of the amendment : " Past Masters of lodges outside the province or district , " may embrace , and certainly
does not exclude , Irish , Scotch , French , American , European , Asiatic , African , or other foreign Past Masters ; but one can hardly suppose this comprehensive " all-embracing " clause was intended to do more than include Past Masters of English Lodges . Then , again , a Past Master who has forfeited the membership of Grand Lodge by withdrawal , may join , after years of absence , and be at
once a member of Provincial or District Grand Lodgeanother result not , perhaps , intended , and not in congruity with No . 9 . From all that has been said and written on thc subject , the only intention of the rule is no doubt to give joining Past Masters who are members of Grand Lodge a status in any province or district to which they may at any time belong . Very few will disagree with the intention , and there
must be a simple way to express this , and no more than this , in a clear and precise rule . I venture to submit the following as fulfilling these conditions : "So . —A Provincial or District Grand Lodge consists of ( a ) the Provincial or District Grand Master , the Present and Past Provincial or District Grand Officers , the Provincial or District Grand Stewards for the year ; ( b ) the
Master , Past Masters , and Wardens of all lodges in the province or district ; ( c ) Past Masters of any lodge under the English Constitution if members of Grand Lodge ; but no brother can be a member of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge unless he is a subscribing member of a lodge within
such province or district . " The rule thus expressed includes all Past Masters who have not forfeited their Grand Lodge membership , and excludes all others ; it is in agreement with No . 9 , and free from ambiguity . —Yours fraternally , October 23 rd . E . T . BUDDEN .
THE STATUS OF PAST MASTERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The writer of the excellent and temperate article in your paper last week on the Status of Past Masters has alluded to a communication from me on the subject . I therefore think it my duty , as one of those who have taken
the other view of the question , to say at once what I had intended to reserve until later in the discussion . When this question was first raised joining Past Masters had two real grievances . ( 1 ) That they had no place in their Prov . G . Lodge ; and ( 2 ) That their rank as installed masters was not acknowledged by the lodge they joined . It seems to me that many who are now writing in your
columns have failed to see that the first of these grievances is entirel y removed by the resolution recommended by the Board of General Purposes , and that by their second recommendation on this subject , " that in the absence of the P . M . of a lodge joining P . Ms , have a right to take the chair , " a distinct rank or position has been assigned to joining P . Ms ., viz . below the P . Msof the Lodge but
, , above all other members . This is all that was desired by a Jarge number of the provincial brethren , though at the last Special Grand Lodge they failed to see that they had alread y obtained it , and wished to add another resolution to the same effect . But there are others who object to young Past Masters constantl y passing- over the heads of ioininsr Past Masters ,
and who think that they might with justice rank in the 'odge immediately after the W . M . at the time they entered , ' j C , talcing the place of junior Installed Masters , and keeping 'heir position in the list of Installed Masters as others Passed through the chair . But although they might thus tt P recedence ° f those who had actually passed through the chair of the lodgeno one for a moment supposed that
, any legislation could make a joining Past Master a Past th if ° f t / w l "' l £ e ne joined . All that was asked was , [^ '" e should have a rank or position assigned to him in ¦ e ' ° "ge , which would recognise that he had entered the lodge at a certain date as an Installed Master . In a
ani •n manv 'oo ^ es this recognition has been voluntarily •ma willingl y accorded , but in others it has not been so . sir ! tu" ^ S pecial Provincial Grand Lodge in Surrey to conbet question , we felt that there was a great difference "ween lod ges in the London district and in the provinces , can niwn en man moves from one suburb to another he " still attend his old lodge , but brethren moving from
Original Correspondence.
one county to another are generally at too great a distance from their mother lodge to continue to attend . We , therefore , thought that whatever resolution was proposed should be limited to the provinces , and not apply to the London district . Those who were present at the first Special Grand Lodge will remember that this is what I advocated . I was unable to attend the second Special Grand Lodge , and I
certainly think that the resolution then carried goes too far , and may justly be deemed a grievance by the London brethren , many of whose lodges are of a very different character to those in the provincial towns and villages . I should be extremely sorry if , in attempting to remove one grievance another should thereby be inflicted , which would tend to disturb that harmony and brotherly feeling
which ought to exist amongst us . In a question which evidently brings out strong feelings on both sides , it would be unwise to carry any resolution by a small majority , which would most likely be the case . It seems to me ( and here I differ from the writer of your article ) that the most truly Masonic course to adopt would be to effect a compromise , which would not interfere with lodges that desire no
change , but would give those who wished the opportunity ot honouring a joining Past Master whom they thought likely to be a valuable addition to their lodge , and thus both sides would be satisfied . This might easily be effected by substituting for the words added " to Section 1 S 6 at the last Special Grand Lodge , " that such joining member , if an Installed Master , may by a vote of the lodge , have
a position assigned to him amongst the Past Masters of the lodge , provided that he has not ceased subscribing to a lodge for 12 months . " It was urged by one of thc speakers at the Special Grand Lodge that this might now be done by a bye-law of the lodge , but the Grand Registrar did not seem to think that a private lodge had powerto enact such a bye-law . If on further consideration thc Grand
Registrar could now give it as his opinion' that such a bye-law might be made , lor the sake of peace and harmony it would be much better done in that way than by a clause in the Book of Constitutions ; for after all it is a matter rather for private than for public legislation . One strong argument for the compromise I suggest is this . 1 do not see how the resolution carried at the last
Special Grand Lodge can be retrospective , and therefore all those who are already in the position of joining Past Masters would gain no advantage from it ; whereas the resolution I suggest would apply to present as well as to future joining members . If this power were given to the lodge , no further grievance could exist ; for if a lodge did
not choose to honour as well as to receive a joining Past Master , it would in all probability be because it considered that he was a speculative rather than a working Mason , and no one would sympathise with him under such circumstances . —I am , yours very truly and fraternally , C . W . ARNOLD , P . G . C . and D . P . G . M . Surrey . Woking College , October 23 rd .
To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It appears to me that this question is very simple and that the Rule 1 S 6 is quite in order if the joining Past Master only takes rank "after the then Junior Past Master . " This means , as I take it , that in a lodge of say six Past Masters , the Immediate Past Master will be No .
G and will take his place next to the Worshipful Master ; then in order of precedence in the fourth degree will come Nos . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , the joining Past Master sitting next to No . 5 at the end of the table . In the lodge Past Masters have no more privileges than any other subscribing
members , and in taking a seat the same precedence would be observed as above . What injustice is there in this?—Yours fraternally , A P . M . P . S . —I do not see what hurry their is for printing a new edition . Let the new Book be as perfect as possible and provide for all contingencies .
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I have perused the volumious correspondence in your columns respecting this question , and up to lately considered 1 had as much right to be classed a P . M . ot my mother lodge as the one in which I held office as W . M ., and I know a very great many worthy brethren of the same
opinion . However , according to existing regulations I suppose such is not so ; but after stating my own case 1 feel sure you will sympathise with my unlucky lot . In 1 S 72 I was admitted into Freemasonry , and in due time served all the offices up to the W . M . ' s chair in my mother lodge . In 1874 I was one of the founders of another lodge , and served the offices in this lodge also , and passed
the W . M . ' s chair in the new lodge . I was eligible for thc W . M . ' s chair of each lodge in the same year , and it was the wish of both lodges that I should take both chairs , but in order to heal a grievance , and thinking it might bring about a little more unanimity in my mother lodge , I waived my claim in favour of an older brother who had missed his chance years gone by , little thinking that by doing so I
should have placed myself in this awkward position . You may be sure my feelings are rather sensitive on this matter , and I feel that I could not longer continue a member of my mother lodge if this law is not altered . It will be sore displeasure to me to relinquish the position in the lodge I have hitherto held , having been recognised a Past Master of the lodge . I shall , in case of removal to another province , continue to subscribe to the
lodge in which I passed the chair , but could not with any dignity join another lodge unless I could take my position as a Past Master since 1 SS 0 , and rank as such in the lodge which I may wish to join . —Yours fraternally , SECRETARY , P . M ., and P . P . G . S . B . W . Lane . October 22 nd . [ Very sorry for you . But you are only Past Master of the lodge in whose chair you have sat . —ED . F . M . \
OMISSIONS FROM THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It may not be amiss to open up the question of " Proposed Omissions from the New Book of Constitutions , "
previously to the Grand Lodge for December . The following is quoted from the " Report of the Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset ; " and may serve as a "text" or theme for profitable discussion in your pages : — "Proposed Omissions : —The Members of this Committee hope that those portions of the old Constitutions , " of con-
Original Correspondence.
stituting a New Lodge , " not transferred to thc body of the revise , may be retained , as well as the article " Masonic t ' unerals : " and they venture respectfully to submit that whatever force there may be in the reasons given for their omission is entirely neutralized by three important facts : t ( !•—The retention of the Antient Charges . "If . — The retention of the Chaptcr . on laying Foundation Stones .
" III . —The Burial ' s Act recently passed . " Many good and zealous Masons regard the old Book of Constitutions with a veneration second only to that which they have for the Sacred Law itself , and whilst concurring in all the improvements of the revision , would view with
extreme distress the removal of these 'Antient Landmarks , ' which , even from an arch .-eological point of view are valuable , are worth preserving , and deserve to be handed down from generation to generation . " 1 shall be glad to offer some remarks in your next issue . Yours fraternall y , E . r . BUDDEN .
THE JUNIOR SCHOOL FOR BOYS . To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Binckes ' s interesting address on Monday week last suggests not a few serious ' considerations to all who have paid attention to the movement for a Junior Boys ' School ! Nothing that I am aware of has occurred to
render those who originally supported our lamented Bro . Wordsworth ' s idea , doubtful of its need or sceptical of its advisability . On the contrary , they , I believe , one and all regard its completion as imperative almost in the truest interests and for the salutary progress of that now great institution , the Boys'School . " But Bro . Binckes , generallyso lucid , wasa little hazy , perhaps intentionally so , as to the
intermediate steps to be taken to carry out the original plan , whether it be to erect the building itself , or whether it is to be constructed for 50 or 100 boys ! The designs which were exhibited some time hack ranged in estimated cost from £ 10 , 000 to £ 25 , 000 , and some of your readers might like to know , with myself , which design ( if any ) after all has been selected , who is the architect ( if
any ) appointed to superintend and compass the undertaking ? Or are we to have a fresh . competition and new designs ? I speak , like many others , in complete darkness on thc subject , being in no sense privy to the decision of the House Committee , or the views and proposals of the executive . I venture , however , to repeat a caution which I hopo will be
taken in good part by our esteemed Bto . Roebuck and others , that too elaborate designs are a great blunder in policy , and a serious waste of money . A neat , plain building is surely all that is required for a preparatory school for little boys , and I , for one , earnestly hope that not more will be spent on " bricks and mortar " than is absolutely necessary to attain the common end we seek to accomplish .
The object of this letter is , however , somewhat different , namely , to press upon the authorities of the Boys' School the necessity and duty of making provision as soon as possible for more boys than the normal number to be elected in April , 1 SS 4 , will provide for , and thus expedite the creation of an actual Junior School . Why , for instancecannot a
, house be found and hired near Wood Green , for two years say , where these little boys of the preparatory school admitted in April next may be housed , taught , fed , and clothed practically at a minimum of expense to the School , and yet the maximum of convenience to the subscribers and candidates ?
Such a measure of progress , such an earnest of interest , would be very striking of itself , a commensurate return for the sacrifice and liberality of many donors , and would be an almost inexpressible boon to many a poor struggling widow , and many a friendless suffering orphan . There is an old rural proverb , "while the grass grows the horse
starves , and to many the measure 1 have ventured to advocate and sketch out would be their salvation , humanly speaking , since the phasis of distress , sheer , ccuel , hopeless distress , which the boys' list of candidates reveals , is indeed most worthy of fraternal consideration , and most deserving of immediate relief . —I amsir and brother ,
, fraternally yours , A SUBSCRIBER TO ITHE BUILDING FUND
IHE SCHOOLS ELECTIONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Now that the October elections for both Boys and Girls are over , it might not be uninteresting to say a few wordson the matter , and give a few figures relative thereto , the Girls brought forward from April last 2133 votes , and there issued for this
were 32 , 8 77 , making a total of 35 , 010 . Ut the 32 . S 77 votes , 29 , 399 were recorded , some 60 or 70 were spoilt ( from want of signatures , not beingfilled up orimproperly so ; for instance one elector who had but one vote gave that one to eight different candidates , another who had ten votes gave ten to two different , another paper was signed by the executrix of a deceased brother , & c ) , the remainder then unpolled making in all a total of 3 , 47 s lost votes . ""'
Ihe Boys brought forward from last election 2 S , 54 o , and there were issued for this 47 , 769 , making a total of 76 , 309 . Ut the 47 , 769 votes , 43 , 975 were recorded , of the remainder 127 were spoilt , and which , with 3 , 06 7 not sent in , make a total of 3 , 794 unpolled . For the next election the Girls carry torward 12 , 960 votes against 2 , 1 . 13 , the Boys 19 , 415 against 28 , 540 this time . The Girls will have 23 vacancies
next time , winch would more than cover thc unsuccessful candidates of this election , three last applications having tailed . 1 he Boys will have 29 vacancies in April , for which there are alread y 40 candidates left over from this election . I he average number of votes polled for each successiul bov 1 S , S 44 . ' f . for each elected girl 2321 ^ . I ' herc is one feature in our elections which 1 think could
with fairness to all be amended . A childiseligible for election at the age of seven , but cannot be admitted into the school until the age of eight , so that , as was the case at this election , a boy or girl who is but very little more than seven is a successful candidate , can , like the dog in the manger , keep out for several months another child who might be occupying the vacant place . Now to avoid this useless waste of time 1
, would propose that the next highest should be declared elected , making one vacancy less for the ensuing election , so no time or place would be wasted and the under-age candidate would come on in due course . A word or two to those conducting cases—they have been given before , and in many instances a great improvement has taken place in the way the proxies are sent in
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Original Correspondence.
Gth . You conclude with a hope that there will be no further delay ; may we ask you to give some reason for this hope ? We have stated what we consider sufficient reasons for postponement ; will you state your reasons for haste ? In conclusion , will you allow us to thank Bro . Hughan for his kindly expressed appreciation of our work?—Yours fraternally , HUGH H . RIACH , P . M . 1523 . E . L . HAWKINS , P . M . 357 .
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In a letter from our P . G . Sec , received this morning , the following remarks occur : "Constitutions . So , New Rule , this I cannot make out . What is the meaning of a law to say that Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall enact By-Laws , & c , & c . Is it not absurd to say
this . " Looking over No . So as it now stands one cannot fail to be struck with the clumsy , ambiguous , incongruous , and verbose character of the amendment added at the Special Grand Lodge , June 29 th . The whole rule now reads : "A provincial or district grand lodge consists of the provincial or district grand master , the present and past provincial or district grand officers , the provincial or district
grand stewards of the year , and the masters , past masters , and wardens of all lodges within the province or district . Provincial and District Grand Lodges SHALL enact by their By-Laws , that in addition to the above , Past Masters of Lodges out of the Province or District who have joined Lodges in the Province or District shall be members of the Provincial or District Grand . Lodge . AU
members of a provincial or district grand lodge must be subscribing members of a lodge in the province or district . " The amendment is in italics , and the full copy is made Srom the revise , and the report of special Grand Lodge . The capitals in the amendment and the absence of capitals in the revise is only a minor fault ; but note how the rule as proposed will operate . It is not permissive but
imperative ; and yet the clumsy round-about way of compelling provinces and districts to enact a bye-law to do indirectly what Grand Lodge can do directly ( as it has done in the first part of this rule ) is not worthy of so capable a body . Next , consider the equivocal , ambiguous nature of the amendment : " Past Masters of lodges outside the province or district , " may embrace , and certainly
does not exclude , Irish , Scotch , French , American , European , Asiatic , African , or other foreign Past Masters ; but one can hardly suppose this comprehensive " all-embracing " clause was intended to do more than include Past Masters of English Lodges . Then , again , a Past Master who has forfeited the membership of Grand Lodge by withdrawal , may join , after years of absence , and be at
once a member of Provincial or District Grand Lodgeanother result not , perhaps , intended , and not in congruity with No . 9 . From all that has been said and written on thc subject , the only intention of the rule is no doubt to give joining Past Masters who are members of Grand Lodge a status in any province or district to which they may at any time belong . Very few will disagree with the intention , and there
must be a simple way to express this , and no more than this , in a clear and precise rule . I venture to submit the following as fulfilling these conditions : "So . —A Provincial or District Grand Lodge consists of ( a ) the Provincial or District Grand Master , the Present and Past Provincial or District Grand Officers , the Provincial or District Grand Stewards for the year ; ( b ) the
Master , Past Masters , and Wardens of all lodges in the province or district ; ( c ) Past Masters of any lodge under the English Constitution if members of Grand Lodge ; but no brother can be a member of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge unless he is a subscribing member of a lodge within
such province or district . " The rule thus expressed includes all Past Masters who have not forfeited their Grand Lodge membership , and excludes all others ; it is in agreement with No . 9 , and free from ambiguity . —Yours fraternally , October 23 rd . E . T . BUDDEN .
THE STATUS OF PAST MASTERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The writer of the excellent and temperate article in your paper last week on the Status of Past Masters has alluded to a communication from me on the subject . I therefore think it my duty , as one of those who have taken
the other view of the question , to say at once what I had intended to reserve until later in the discussion . When this question was first raised joining Past Masters had two real grievances . ( 1 ) That they had no place in their Prov . G . Lodge ; and ( 2 ) That their rank as installed masters was not acknowledged by the lodge they joined . It seems to me that many who are now writing in your
columns have failed to see that the first of these grievances is entirel y removed by the resolution recommended by the Board of General Purposes , and that by their second recommendation on this subject , " that in the absence of the P . M . of a lodge joining P . Ms , have a right to take the chair , " a distinct rank or position has been assigned to joining P . Ms ., viz . below the P . Msof the Lodge but
, , above all other members . This is all that was desired by a Jarge number of the provincial brethren , though at the last Special Grand Lodge they failed to see that they had alread y obtained it , and wished to add another resolution to the same effect . But there are others who object to young Past Masters constantl y passing- over the heads of ioininsr Past Masters ,
and who think that they might with justice rank in the 'odge immediately after the W . M . at the time they entered , ' j C , talcing the place of junior Installed Masters , and keeping 'heir position in the list of Installed Masters as others Passed through the chair . But although they might thus tt P recedence ° f those who had actually passed through the chair of the lodgeno one for a moment supposed that
, any legislation could make a joining Past Master a Past th if ° f t / w l "' l £ e ne joined . All that was asked was , [^ '" e should have a rank or position assigned to him in ¦ e ' ° "ge , which would recognise that he had entered the lodge at a certain date as an Installed Master . In a
ani •n manv 'oo ^ es this recognition has been voluntarily •ma willingl y accorded , but in others it has not been so . sir ! tu" ^ S pecial Provincial Grand Lodge in Surrey to conbet question , we felt that there was a great difference "ween lod ges in the London district and in the provinces , can niwn en man moves from one suburb to another he " still attend his old lodge , but brethren moving from
Original Correspondence.
one county to another are generally at too great a distance from their mother lodge to continue to attend . We , therefore , thought that whatever resolution was proposed should be limited to the provinces , and not apply to the London district . Those who were present at the first Special Grand Lodge will remember that this is what I advocated . I was unable to attend the second Special Grand Lodge , and I
certainly think that the resolution then carried goes too far , and may justly be deemed a grievance by the London brethren , many of whose lodges are of a very different character to those in the provincial towns and villages . I should be extremely sorry if , in attempting to remove one grievance another should thereby be inflicted , which would tend to disturb that harmony and brotherly feeling
which ought to exist amongst us . In a question which evidently brings out strong feelings on both sides , it would be unwise to carry any resolution by a small majority , which would most likely be the case . It seems to me ( and here I differ from the writer of your article ) that the most truly Masonic course to adopt would be to effect a compromise , which would not interfere with lodges that desire no
change , but would give those who wished the opportunity ot honouring a joining Past Master whom they thought likely to be a valuable addition to their lodge , and thus both sides would be satisfied . This might easily be effected by substituting for the words added " to Section 1 S 6 at the last Special Grand Lodge , " that such joining member , if an Installed Master , may by a vote of the lodge , have
a position assigned to him amongst the Past Masters of the lodge , provided that he has not ceased subscribing to a lodge for 12 months . " It was urged by one of thc speakers at the Special Grand Lodge that this might now be done by a bye-law of the lodge , but the Grand Registrar did not seem to think that a private lodge had powerto enact such a bye-law . If on further consideration thc Grand
Registrar could now give it as his opinion' that such a bye-law might be made , lor the sake of peace and harmony it would be much better done in that way than by a clause in the Book of Constitutions ; for after all it is a matter rather for private than for public legislation . One strong argument for the compromise I suggest is this . 1 do not see how the resolution carried at the last
Special Grand Lodge can be retrospective , and therefore all those who are already in the position of joining Past Masters would gain no advantage from it ; whereas the resolution I suggest would apply to present as well as to future joining members . If this power were given to the lodge , no further grievance could exist ; for if a lodge did
not choose to honour as well as to receive a joining Past Master , it would in all probability be because it considered that he was a speculative rather than a working Mason , and no one would sympathise with him under such circumstances . —I am , yours very truly and fraternally , C . W . ARNOLD , P . G . C . and D . P . G . M . Surrey . Woking College , October 23 rd .
To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It appears to me that this question is very simple and that the Rule 1 S 6 is quite in order if the joining Past Master only takes rank "after the then Junior Past Master . " This means , as I take it , that in a lodge of say six Past Masters , the Immediate Past Master will be No .
G and will take his place next to the Worshipful Master ; then in order of precedence in the fourth degree will come Nos . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , the joining Past Master sitting next to No . 5 at the end of the table . In the lodge Past Masters have no more privileges than any other subscribing
members , and in taking a seat the same precedence would be observed as above . What injustice is there in this?—Yours fraternally , A P . M . P . S . —I do not see what hurry their is for printing a new edition . Let the new Book be as perfect as possible and provide for all contingencies .
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I have perused the volumious correspondence in your columns respecting this question , and up to lately considered 1 had as much right to be classed a P . M . ot my mother lodge as the one in which I held office as W . M ., and I know a very great many worthy brethren of the same
opinion . However , according to existing regulations I suppose such is not so ; but after stating my own case 1 feel sure you will sympathise with my unlucky lot . In 1 S 72 I was admitted into Freemasonry , and in due time served all the offices up to the W . M . ' s chair in my mother lodge . In 1874 I was one of the founders of another lodge , and served the offices in this lodge also , and passed
the W . M . ' s chair in the new lodge . I was eligible for thc W . M . ' s chair of each lodge in the same year , and it was the wish of both lodges that I should take both chairs , but in order to heal a grievance , and thinking it might bring about a little more unanimity in my mother lodge , I waived my claim in favour of an older brother who had missed his chance years gone by , little thinking that by doing so I
should have placed myself in this awkward position . You may be sure my feelings are rather sensitive on this matter , and I feel that I could not longer continue a member of my mother lodge if this law is not altered . It will be sore displeasure to me to relinquish the position in the lodge I have hitherto held , having been recognised a Past Master of the lodge . I shall , in case of removal to another province , continue to subscribe to the
lodge in which I passed the chair , but could not with any dignity join another lodge unless I could take my position as a Past Master since 1 SS 0 , and rank as such in the lodge which I may wish to join . —Yours fraternally , SECRETARY , P . M ., and P . P . G . S . B . W . Lane . October 22 nd . [ Very sorry for you . But you are only Past Master of the lodge in whose chair you have sat . —ED . F . M . \
OMISSIONS FROM THE REVISED BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It may not be amiss to open up the question of " Proposed Omissions from the New Book of Constitutions , "
previously to the Grand Lodge for December . The following is quoted from the " Report of the Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset ; " and may serve as a "text" or theme for profitable discussion in your pages : — "Proposed Omissions : —The Members of this Committee hope that those portions of the old Constitutions , " of con-
Original Correspondence.
stituting a New Lodge , " not transferred to thc body of the revise , may be retained , as well as the article " Masonic t ' unerals : " and they venture respectfully to submit that whatever force there may be in the reasons given for their omission is entirely neutralized by three important facts : t ( !•—The retention of the Antient Charges . "If . — The retention of the Chaptcr . on laying Foundation Stones .
" III . —The Burial ' s Act recently passed . " Many good and zealous Masons regard the old Book of Constitutions with a veneration second only to that which they have for the Sacred Law itself , and whilst concurring in all the improvements of the revision , would view with
extreme distress the removal of these 'Antient Landmarks , ' which , even from an arch .-eological point of view are valuable , are worth preserving , and deserve to be handed down from generation to generation . " 1 shall be glad to offer some remarks in your next issue . Yours fraternall y , E . r . BUDDEN .
THE JUNIOR SCHOOL FOR BOYS . To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Binckes ' s interesting address on Monday week last suggests not a few serious ' considerations to all who have paid attention to the movement for a Junior Boys ' School ! Nothing that I am aware of has occurred to
render those who originally supported our lamented Bro . Wordsworth ' s idea , doubtful of its need or sceptical of its advisability . On the contrary , they , I believe , one and all regard its completion as imperative almost in the truest interests and for the salutary progress of that now great institution , the Boys'School . " But Bro . Binckes , generallyso lucid , wasa little hazy , perhaps intentionally so , as to the
intermediate steps to be taken to carry out the original plan , whether it be to erect the building itself , or whether it is to be constructed for 50 or 100 boys ! The designs which were exhibited some time hack ranged in estimated cost from £ 10 , 000 to £ 25 , 000 , and some of your readers might like to know , with myself , which design ( if any ) after all has been selected , who is the architect ( if
any ) appointed to superintend and compass the undertaking ? Or are we to have a fresh . competition and new designs ? I speak , like many others , in complete darkness on thc subject , being in no sense privy to the decision of the House Committee , or the views and proposals of the executive . I venture , however , to repeat a caution which I hopo will be
taken in good part by our esteemed Bto . Roebuck and others , that too elaborate designs are a great blunder in policy , and a serious waste of money . A neat , plain building is surely all that is required for a preparatory school for little boys , and I , for one , earnestly hope that not more will be spent on " bricks and mortar " than is absolutely necessary to attain the common end we seek to accomplish .
The object of this letter is , however , somewhat different , namely , to press upon the authorities of the Boys' School the necessity and duty of making provision as soon as possible for more boys than the normal number to be elected in April , 1 SS 4 , will provide for , and thus expedite the creation of an actual Junior School . Why , for instancecannot a
, house be found and hired near Wood Green , for two years say , where these little boys of the preparatory school admitted in April next may be housed , taught , fed , and clothed practically at a minimum of expense to the School , and yet the maximum of convenience to the subscribers and candidates ?
Such a measure of progress , such an earnest of interest , would be very striking of itself , a commensurate return for the sacrifice and liberality of many donors , and would be an almost inexpressible boon to many a poor struggling widow , and many a friendless suffering orphan . There is an old rural proverb , "while the grass grows the horse
starves , and to many the measure 1 have ventured to advocate and sketch out would be their salvation , humanly speaking , since the phasis of distress , sheer , ccuel , hopeless distress , which the boys' list of candidates reveals , is indeed most worthy of fraternal consideration , and most deserving of immediate relief . —I amsir and brother ,
, fraternally yours , A SUBSCRIBER TO ITHE BUILDING FUND
IHE SCHOOLS ELECTIONS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Now that the October elections for both Boys and Girls are over , it might not be uninteresting to say a few wordson the matter , and give a few figures relative thereto , the Girls brought forward from April last 2133 votes , and there issued for this
were 32 , 8 77 , making a total of 35 , 010 . Ut the 32 . S 77 votes , 29 , 399 were recorded , some 60 or 70 were spoilt ( from want of signatures , not beingfilled up orimproperly so ; for instance one elector who had but one vote gave that one to eight different candidates , another who had ten votes gave ten to two different , another paper was signed by the executrix of a deceased brother , & c ) , the remainder then unpolled making in all a total of 3 , 47 s lost votes . ""'
Ihe Boys brought forward from last election 2 S , 54 o , and there were issued for this 47 , 769 , making a total of 76 , 309 . Ut the 47 , 769 votes , 43 , 975 were recorded , of the remainder 127 were spoilt , and which , with 3 , 06 7 not sent in , make a total of 3 , 794 unpolled . For the next election the Girls carry torward 12 , 960 votes against 2 , 1 . 13 , the Boys 19 , 415 against 28 , 540 this time . The Girls will have 23 vacancies
next time , winch would more than cover thc unsuccessful candidates of this election , three last applications having tailed . 1 he Boys will have 29 vacancies in April , for which there are alread y 40 candidates left over from this election . I he average number of votes polled for each successiul bov 1 S , S 44 . ' f . for each elected girl 2321 ^ . I ' herc is one feature in our elections which 1 think could
with fairness to all be amended . A childiseligible for election at the age of seven , but cannot be admitted into the school until the age of eight , so that , as was the case at this election , a boy or girl who is but very little more than seven is a successful candidate , can , like the dog in the manger , keep out for several months another child who might be occupying the vacant place . Now to avoid this useless waste of time 1
, would propose that the next highest should be declared elected , making one vacancy less for the ensuing election , so no time or place would be wasted and the under-age candidate would come on in due course . A word or two to those conducting cases—they have been given before , and in many instances a great improvement has taken place in the way the proxies are sent in