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 all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

THE ASHTON DISTRICT MARK LODGE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It may interest some of your readers to know that the Ashton District Mark Lodge held a meeting lately at which it was arranged to wind up its workinp- and eive the balance of its funds to the Charities .

The members resolved to apply for a warrant of confirmation from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England under the title , Ashton District ( T . I . ) . A petition , numerously signed , wis forwarded , through Bro . Richard Newhouse , Prov . G . Sec , to the Provincial Grand Mark Master of Cheshire , who has added his signature of approval and transmitted it to Bro . C . F . Matier , Grand Secretary , who will present it to the Board of Grand Lodge for final approval , & c , at their meeting on the 2 nd prox .

Thus , the over-magnified little " storm in a tea cup " is ended , and we trust peaco and harmony henceforth may reign supreme . —Yours fraternally ,

THOMAS D . FOREMAN , P . P . G . W . Lanes . Denton , October 24 th .

THE OLD KING'S ARMS LODGE , To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I have read with great interest the review of Bro . A . F . Calvert ' s " History of the Old King's Arms Lodge , " by W . J . Hughan , P . S . G . D ., and also the remarks of Bro . John Lane , P . A . G . D . C , as well as the most interesting

introduction by Bro . Henry Sadler , our Grand Lodge Librarian , and as these three gentlemen are amongst the most important Masonic writers we have at the present time , it is clearly unnecessary for me to express the favourable opinion I have formed of the work , and I only hope that Bro . Calvert will see his way to continue the good work he has commenced , and give us the further information , to which he refers , respecting this very old and distinguished lodge .

There is no doubt that the early history of the Old King ' s Arms Lodge is very closely associated with the Grand Lodge , and within a very few years of its formation no less than five of its members filled the chair of Grand Master and seven that of Deputy Grand Master , and for many years a number of Grand Ollieers were drawn from its ranks .

It is impossible for me to deal in this letter with the important position held by the lodge in the early days , but , on reading the work , I was particularly struck with the most interesting and complete chapter of the history of this lodge in connection with the Red Apron , and the important part played by it from the firstin 1728 up to 1852 when the honour was forfeited by the Grand

, , Master on a technical and immaterial breach of one of the regulations . Everyone to whom I have spoken who has read " the work is of opinion with myself that a serious mistake has been made , and it is to be hoped that even at the present time it is not impossible for those in authority to consider the matter once and for all and give a decision which would satisfy all parties .

1 am informed , on the best authority , that every single member of the lodge still looks upon this matter as the one bi ' ack spot in its history , and they are all confident when the matter is investigated ( as surely it must be some day ) that it will be admitted that a mistake has been made .

It is very curious to note that since the lodge met with this misfortune in 1852 , and notwithstanding the numerous Grand Officers made from this old and distinguished lodge , not one single member has had thi 3 honour conferred on him since that time , which is now 47 years ag . o . —I am , yours fraternally , HENRY VIELLEVJLLE .

WHEN IS A W . M . A P . M . ? To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Will some of your readers who know inform me whether a W . M . of a lodge who continues in the chair for a second year without further election ( owing to the brother who had been elected as Master for the ensuing year not being qualified , as he had not served the office of Warden for a full year ) , is entitled to the rank of a Past Master , having served the office of Master for

upwards of a year , although still in the cnair ; ana auring seconu year of office he is Masonically entitled to wear a Past Master ' s jewel ( which the brethren of the lodge had subscribed for and presented to him since the expiration of his year of office ) , seeing that he has not yet been invested as I . P . M . of the lodge ' : ' Briefly , is it strictly in order for a W . M . of a lodge who is not a P . M . to wear such a jewel until he shall have been invested as I . P . M . on his retirement from the chair ¦ » —Yours fraternally , EX-SECRETARY P . M .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother I beg to inform you that , in consequence of an extraordinary vacancy having occurred in the School , the Board of Management has resolved to admit , with the 17 boys elected at the Quarterly Court of the 13 th instant , the hig hest unsuccessful candidate on the poll , viz , John Bowen Jones , who polled 5107 votes .

This boy will be admitted in due course with the others , making 18 in all . — Believe me , dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , J . M . McLEOD , Secretary . 0 , Freemasons' Hall , W . C , October 24 th .

URO L OUD CIIAHLKS BKRKSKUKD , M . P ., will preside at the dinner of the Royal Temple Yacht Club , which will be held at the Hotel Cecil on Monday , the 3 'Jth inst ., at which it is expected Sir Thomas Lipton will be a gu : i t . THK NFWS OI- the important successes at Glencoe and Eland ' s Laagte have been received bv the Oueen with the greatest satisfaction . While admiring the gallant conduct of her troops , her Majesty is most deeply grieved to hear of the heavy losses that these victories have occasioned , and greatly deplores the loss of so many valuable lives .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Aldersgate Lodge , No . 1657 . A meeting was held on Monday , the iCth instant , at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgatestreet , E . C . Bro . Rupert Smyth , W . M . The minutes of the meeting held March 20 th , and the emergency meeting held July 27 th , were read and confirmed . A brother was admitted as a joining membsr and a brother raised to the Third Degree . A gentleman was proposed for initiation . The W . M . presented to the lodge a handsome kneeling stool , as a memento of his year of office . The brethren dined together .

Beadon Lodge , No . 619 . This lodge held its installation meeting on Wednesday , the iSth inst ., at the Holborn Restaurant . The lodge was presided over by Bro . Dr . Charles Albert Adams , W . M ., who was supported by Bros . Charles A . Hunton , S . W . and W . M . elect j L . A . Faull , J . W . ; James C . Hayes , P . M ., Treas . ; Charles Norrington , P . M ., Sec ; M . Beedle , S . D . j W . ] . Greenaway , J . D . ; James Swallow , I . G . j W . H . Lilly , Stwd . ; H . Massey , P . M . ; W . Seaman , P . M . ; Carl T . Fleck , P . M . ; Moss

Chapman , P . M . ; Charles Meierhoff , P . M . ; Arthur R . Austin , P . M . ; G . Hall , Samuel I . J . Wise , F . W . Philpotts , J . R . Kent , S . G . Murray , N . Fanner , W . M . F . Oster , A . E . Gisborne , George Perry , George W . Barnard , H . C Phillips , W . J . Cowling , J . Jones R . Her . chley , J . W . Harrison , G . Campbell , and A . E . Bodkv . The visitors were Bros . A . A . Grille , I . G . 766 ; H . Heck , P . M . 766 ; James William Avery , P . M ., late 619 ; T . Spotswood , 1471 ; M . Clapshaw , P . M . 1 S 04 , P . P . G . Or ? . ; F . S . Bolt , P . M . 13 SS , P . P . A . G . D . C . Bristol ; W . R . Dunn , P . M . 227 S ; E . Wells , I . G . 2622 ; J . L . Glasscock , J . W . 2136 ; J . H . Cureton , P . M . and Sec . 21 S 2 ; W .

S . Hunter , 452 ; W . Finch . P . M . 1365 ; Charles Batting , P . M . 15 G 6 and 1501 ; J , Leather , 53 S ; Charles E . Milnes Hey , J . W . 1657 ; F . Sydney Smyth , P . M . 1982 , P . P . G . D . C . Surrey ; J . E . Reaney , 139 ; T . J . Carpenter , S . D . 19 S 2 ; G . W . Hawksley , P . P . G . Supt . of Works W . Yorks ; John Shaw , P . M . 2491 , P . P . G . Supt . of Works W . Yorks ; John Paul , P . M . 12 S 7 ; James Farmer , S . D . 165 S : John Mason , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . E . Knight , 65 ; J . J . Pratt , S 7 ; G . E . Grimes , P . M . 134 ; Charles Daniel , 1 S 6 ; W . G . Booth , P . M . 139 , S . D . 226 S ; and R . W . Ha worth , 2601 .

The W . M . initiated Messrs . Daniel Rose and Edwin Still , and afterwards proceeded to install as W . M . Bro . Charles Alfred Hunton ( director of Moses Eadon and Sons , Limited , steel forgers , 5 and 6 , Bishopsgate-street Without , and Sheffield , Birmingham , and Johannesburg ) , S . W . and W . M . elect . Bro . Adams was invested as I . P . M ., and collars of office were placed by the W . M . on the following brethren : Bros . L . A . J . Faull , S . W . ; M . Beedle , J . W . ; J . C Hayes , P . M ., Treas . ; C . Norrimrton , P . M ., Sec ; C . Meierhoff , P . M ., D . C . ; W . I . Greenaway , S . D . ; I . Swallow . I . D .:

b . J . j . Wise , I . G . ; and VV . H . Lilly , Steward . Bro . Thomas Bowler , P . M ., who was elected at the August meeting as Tyler , was not present to be invested . His duties , however , were most ably performed by Bro . Ball , P . M . Bro . Adams , I . P . M ., who had come specially from Huddersfield to fulfil his functions of W . M . and Installing Master , carried out his work with great efficiency , and concluded his year of office with the same credit to himself and satisfaction to the brethren as he has filled the chair for the

past 12 months . He was congratulated by the brethren when he sat down . The labours of the evening ended with the adoption of the Auditors' report , which showed a balance in hand on September ist of . £ 170 7 s . Sd . on the general account of the lodge , ar > d £ _ 3 i 15 s . to the credit of the Benevolent Fund . The VV . M . having announcsd his intention to be the lodge ' s Steward at the next Festival of the Benevolent Institution , thc brethren , on the motion of the I . P . M ., seconded by the Treasurer , voted 15 guineas to his list , this sum completing a Vice-Patronship for th ; lodge to the Old People .

Lodge was then closed , and an adjournment nude to a choice banquet . Sixty-five brethren sat down , the largest number ever accomplished by the Beadon Lodge , the brilliant success of which is mainly due to Bros . Hiyes , Norrington , Fleck , Austin , and Meierhoff . At the close of the dinner the toasts were propossd , and a grand programme of music was performed under the direction of Bro . George F . Grov ; r , Orginist of Eton College , by Miss Annie Swinfen , Miss Florence Venning , Bro . Aeer Graver and Bro . W . H . Webb .

The benevolent box yielded £ 1 15 s . Bro . C . A . Adams , I . P . M ., in proposing the toist of "The W . M ., " said he believed nearly every one present had watched Bro . Hunton from his initiation down to the present time , and no one of them could say he had not b ; en attentive to the different offices to which he had been appointed . Now that he had reached the hiehest

eminence in the lodge every one would congratulate him on his position . Bro . Hunton had been a most indefatigable worker , and the brethren would look forward to his having plenty of work for himself and his officers . He ( the I . P . M . ) would like to see a [ good many candidates , good both in quality and quantity , such as would be an ornament to the Beadon Lodge and to Freemasoniy . He advised the brethren to see that none but such came forward , ( Hear , hear , and cheers . )

Bro . C A . Hunton , VV . M ., in acknowledging the toast , said he considered it to be a very proud position to b : thc Master of his mother loJ j je . He was a very young Mason , for it was not six years since that he sat on the immediate ri ght of the then W . M . He was at that time much surprised at what he saw and heard . The initiation ceremony to him seemed a very grand thing . He was afraid many men did not enter Masonry with any idea of what it really meant . If he had known as much of

Masonry as he did now he thought he should have hesitated— for one reason , thit a mm enpagedto do a greatdeal ; he promised to be a true mm . H ; hop ; J that b :: onin * a Mason had made him a better man ; it had taught him broth : rly love . H : hip ; d to be able during his year to do his work thorojghly well . The lodge had s ; viral P . M .., all of whom knew their work , and were rather critical ; but still hj knew they wjre ready to help him and the other officers in doing their work . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . C . A . Hunton , W . M ., next proposed "The Installing Master , " and said Bro . Adams had had many difficulties in preparing his work ; he had had sickness at home , and mental worry often threw a man awry ; yet he did his work very well . It afforded him ( the W . M . ) much pleasure to present him now with a Past Mister ' s jewel , voted to him in August last for havinrr dons his work in a thoroujhly efficient manner ; he had fairly won his reward . He onl y hopsd that at the end of his ( the W . M . ' s ) year of office he would find he had done his work half as well as B : o . Adams . ( Cheers . )

Bro . C . A . Adams , I . P . M ., responded . He thanked the VV . M . for the kindly way in which he had referred , not only to his services to the lodge , but also to the trouble he had had in the illness of his wife during his year . Ha was pleased to say that he thought matters had taken a turn for the better now . II ; had left London , and he hoped the change would improve his wife ' s health . He felt grateful to the brethren for their { acknowledgment of what he had done for the Beadon Lodge . Hi had certainly worked hard to bring it up to its present standard . But he could not have dina thif i , u

himself ; he had been ably assisted by the Past Masters and the ollieers of the lodge . The brethren had been very , very kind to him ; they had always been ready to assist him in making the harmony of the loJge inside and outside perfect . While he had health and strength he should always be there to help , althjusfh hs wis located many miles away . He thanked the Great Architect for giving him strength to instal the W . M . ; it gave him great pleasure to perform the ceremony . He thanked the brethren very much for the jewel they had voted him and the W . M . had presented to him , and he hoped to be present many times in lodge wearing it .

Bros . Still and Rose responled to the toast of " The Initiates , " aidas many is e ' ght brethren replied for " The Visitors . " Bro . J . C Hayes , P . M ., Treas ., responding for " The Past Masters , " hoped the W . M . was satisfied with the Beadon Lodge . lie had 11 of his predecessors present to support him . The Beadon Lodge was very fond of seeing visitors , and he was proud