The Freemason.

the institution itself hy the good old Ojibbeway term in use * by the Aboriginal inhabitants of Manitoba , " Gitchi-Midiwikamig * , " whilst I shall assume the titleof" Calyeepha Bilmhal ' am AlmoadJan , " ' or some such Arabic equivalent . The vernacular of Moghrebia and . Manitoba would thus be delightfully blende * *! , an J your ideas of the " eternal

fitness of things " would no doubt be satisfied . But any one can clearly perceive that your real reason of unmerited antagonism has nothing to do with mere empty words or expressions . The important portion of your editorial lies in its concluding clauses .

You here indu ' ge in a little sarcasm which you might have spared us . You speak of us as " a very modern body of Freemasons , who from across the Atlantic foam chartered a lodge in Morocco . " What has tint misguided body of water , the Atlantic Ocean , been doing that in the same year both Mr . Oscar

Wilde and yourself should spsak so contemp * -uously of all pertaining to it ? In your case is there not a little tiny speck of inconsistency displayed , for I perceive among the members of the 30 ' ' , under the Supreme Council of England , the name of one George Kenning . If the high Masonic rank borne by this

Grand Elected Knight K . H ., and Knig ht of the Black and White Eagle , did not originally come to England from across the " Atlantic foam , " to u ; e your own practical expression , from where on earth did he obtain it ? You then proceed to say that it is absurd on the face of it for these " foaming Atlantic Freemasons " to intrude on

Morocco . Where is the absurdity . ' . Morocco was unoccupied territory , open to the whole Masonic world . You add that , because in " close proximity to Morocco is one of the oldest Provincial Grand Lodges , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Andalusia and Gibraltar , under the English Constitution , that all would admit that the proper course would have been for an offshoot from this Provincial Grand

Lodge to have taken root in Morocco . " Now , strange to say , there is no such Masonic Body in existence as the Provincial Grand Lodge mentioned above , and the putting out of offshoots by a non-existent institution would be rather a curious , not to say difficult operation , and one which , I fear , if performed , would be in the critical eyes of some , a rather " abnormal Masonic act , " which it would be the duty of a Masonic journal to comment upon .

I presume , however , you refer to the District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar ( E . C . ) . This no doubt respectable , but highly " Rip-Van-Winkellian" body pursues the even tenour of its ways , and is highly satisfied with its own performances , in holding monotonous semi-annual communications , without pruning its wings for a fight into

Morocco or pruning its offshoots to be planted in that soil . Now , may I ask you to give a plain answer to a plain question or two ? What have English Masons done that they should regard Morocco as a par t of their Masonic inheritance ? and why

should the public be informed chat the movement , which you unwillingly admit was an admirable one , was begun Masonically wrong , because , forsooth , myself and others wcre not English Masons , and did not look for support to a source with which we had no connection ?

Since 172 S , when the Grand Master , the Earl of Coleraine , granted a charter to the first Masonic lodge originated in Gibraltar , English Masons have calmly looked on the broad field of Masonic enterprise lying fallow and unoccupied before them across the Straits . Yet during all this time it never entered into their conceptions to do anything

for the advancement of our Order in that vast territory . But mark you , when I , at the head of some forty-two brethren , of whom a very small proportion indeed were English Masons , initiated a movement which after two years of contention with great difficulty we have brought to a flourishing condition , instead of meeting with

approbation we arejassailed by jealous and unfraternal remarks . What did English Masons care for a century and a half about Morocco ? Nothing ! Absolutely nothing ! And therefore now they have not the slightest right to interfere with our proceedings .

There is no use lamenting over spilled milk ; and the conduct of the fox who looked at the unattainable grapes in the fable is therefore highly to be comm ended . I would advise you , my dear brother , to bow to the inevitable , and not grieve over the " might , could , would , or should have been , " for one of our American poets tells us

" That of all the sad words of tongue and pen There is none so sad as ' might have been . " Instead , therefore , of finding fault with those who are endeavouring to do a good Masonic work in a legitimate manner , and instead of sadly musing over what might have heen , I frankly ask you , as you have tendered your opinions

unsought , to tender us now your sympathy and help on being solicited to do so . I am no novice at the opening up of new Masonic territory , and have never before been accused of illegality . If you were fully cognizant of the various difficulties which have been encountered and overcome , and all the

peculiar circumstances of thc case , and how in a mixed Population Christian , Jewish , and Mahometan prejudices have to be met with , treated with circumspection , and successfull y explained away ; how far work such as this , a mere nominee to a certain office , say that of District Grand Master selected in the manner you suggest would prove an utterly aboitive appointment , as the enterprise requires

The Freemason.

at its head one who has some knowledge of thc people of the country , who likes them , and above all , takes an interest in the work , and has sufficient knowledge of Masonry , in a Cosmopolitan sense , to adopt special measures to meet special contingencies without transgressing the bounds of Masonic laws .

Situated as you are at a distance , it is impossible for you to understand the difficulties we have encountered ; if you knew them you would sympathise instead of discourage . Did it ever strike you , for instance , that the establishment of a lodge under the obedience of the Grand Lodge of England , or the Grand Orients of France cr Spain

would give offence to many ? Yet I assure you it would ; for just now throughout the Empire of . Morocco international rivalries are very prevalent , and the opening of lodges under the auspices jof every European Grand Body would be certain to give alarm to others and awaken political animosities .

All such feelings are avoided by the introduction of Masonry into the territory , through the comparatively unknown Grand Lodge , whose kind assistance I have so far availed myself of . Yours fraternally , R . STEWART PATTERSON , iS °

Special Deputy Grand Master for Morocco , P . Grand Master Province of Manitoba , and P . b . G . M ., Grand Lodge of Canada . Gibraltar , April 13 th . [ Our brother cannot complain either of our courtesy or our liberality of space . —ED . F . M . _

A LATIN QUOTATION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I notice in one of your leaderettes last week a mistake in Latin , wh ch , though of small moment in itself actually , is trying both to the readers who understand

Latin and to the writer who " uses a classical illustration seeking to make a point . " Invelvo " is , of course , a printer's error for " Involve , " and may be a slip of the typist , or it may be an oversight of the corrector . As a rule , the less Latin we use the better , though every now and then a Latin quotation , as in the present instance ,

is apposite and full of force ; but as it is just possible that our printers do not like Latin , I venture to suggest that , unless the passage is correctly given , more harm than good is done by its appearance , and Latin quotations should be introduced , then , as seldom as possible , and very often excised by the Editor . No doubt , some people like the use

of Latin . We may many of us remember the well-known story ofthe old parish clerk , who was commenting to a friendlyvisitor of the church on the comparative merits of the new and the old vicar , and who declared that the old vicar was , in his opinion , a far better preacher than the new one , who

had great reputation in that respect . " Why , " asked his visitor , " do you say so ? " " Ah , sir , " was the o'd parish clerk's triumphant rejoinder , "he was such aline Latinec !" Excuse my troubling you , and believe me , fraternally yours , PLAIN ENGLISH .

AN APPEAL To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The Masonic Charity Organizations are doing very valuable work in advancing thc interests of manycandidates who would otherwise be friendless ; but I fear

that there are some deserving Masons who will be somewhat prejudiced by their action , —I mean our Colonial brethren . With no English Province to support them , there is the danger that their claims will be overlooked . I can at the present minute vouch for the extreme urgency of one

such case , that of Bro . Thomas William Sewell , a candidate at the May election , He is blind , and very poor . I shall be extreme ' y gratelul if any brethren will send their votes for him to Yours very fraternally , J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , P . G . C . Moulsoc Rectory , Newport Pagnell .

AN IMPOSTOR . To the Editor of Ihe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Almoners and others should keep a sharp look-out for one James Baird , tall in stature , rather dark , and shabbily dressed , who says he was initiated in St . Mark ' s Lodge , No . 102 , Glasgow , and recently a member of the

Dalhousie Lodge , No . S 60 , London . The answer from the last-nam ed is , " Know nothing of such an individual . " He was this way in June , 18 77 , and is , in all probability a professional vagrant . Yours faithfull y and fraternally , Havant * SECRETARY , S 04 . P . S . —He is making his way for the S . W . provinces , via Southampton .

I- "' ¦ " - " «>¦ **••; - ' '* ¦ - Patenters of these Pens are the Guardian Mmcls ot the Noble Aran of Mart ITS who live bv the Pen . " ¦ '" . '" fr " l ! " * W . WEKI - 1 ' .-md the " lli . i | " Tux . 1 I bev come as a boon and a blessing to men , 1 lie Pickwick , the Owl , and the Waverley Pen . " Sample ISnx , with all the kinds , hy post , is . nl . I atentees— MACXIVKX and CAMEHOM , ¦ "J * » ' 33 , Hum STREET , Edinburgh . ( ICstd . 1770 . ) IJeware of tli « uarty oll ' ering imitations .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

DEBRETT'S ILLUSTRATED HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE JUDICIAL BENCH . Compiledand Edited by R . H . MARK , LL . D . Dean and Son , 16017 , Flcctstrcct , E . C . This is a most useful work and an almost indispensable " vade mccum " lor those in public offices and official positions , or who wish to know , as y-ear succeeds year , " who ' s

who and " what s what . " It contains . ' .-6 pages of well written , carefully compiled , and very valuable statistics and facts , which it is often both a saving of time and a very needful reality to have close at hand to refer to , in the certainty of accurate information and reliable authority . It commences with an alphabetical list of the Members of Parliament in 1 SS 2 , and trives us their coats of arms in

230 pages . It sets before us at p . 237 tbe counties , divisions , cities , boroughs , universities , and cinque ports returning members to Parliament . At p . 314 commences a list of the Peers and Peeresses of the United Kingdom and Ireland . We would suggest another year that the names of the wives and children of Peers be given . Then comes the Judicial Bench , and then follow the Judges of the

County Courts and the Recorders . An explanation of some technical Parliamentary expressions is succeeded by the names of Her Majesty's Ministers and of all Prime Ministers since 1715 , a chronological list of Lord Chancellors , and of Speakers of the House of Commons , and of present Lord Lieutenants . We repeat that the work is a most useful one , and for which we doubt not there will be much natural demand .

FAITH , HOPE , AND CHARITY . By ANSA LISLE . Groombridge and Sons , London . Anna Lisle , or rather Annabella Crawford , is favourably known to some of our readers as the authoress of "Winnie Travers , " " Quicksands , " & c , and has now put forth a fresh claim for public approval in the story under review . It seems to us , after perhaps only a cursory

examination , owing to much pressure of work , one of those semi-sentimental , semi-didactic , semi-prosaic utterances of the hour which seek to weave out of our common dail y life , experience , and converse , a web of pleasant romance , gay illusions , and improving emotions . 1 he writer starts with an ideal of what is amiable , high , true , graceful , and good , and all the characters are skilfully pressed into the

service by this pleasant mystagogue , who unveils the scenes and illusions of the lesser and the greater mysteries of life to wondering acolytes or sagacious cpopts . And we quite agree with the theory of the writer of this and similar stories , and quite approve of their efforts and their outcome . Surely it is better far to fix our minds on the sublime and the sentimental , the tender and thc

true , the loving and the loyal , than to educe from our overwrought consciousness , or irritable temperament the unwholesome and the unsound creations of the mere sensationalist . The trees pf the Garden of Eden are preferable to the Dead Sea fruits ; and the unreal and unsavory illustrations of animal passion or desperate crime give often a most pernicious tendency to the yearnings of

the young , and lead them rather to grovel in the dirt , to dwell in the cities of the plain than aspire and look upwards to mountain ranges , or , in Longfellow ' s thrilling words , unfurl the banner of " Excelsior . " It was said by one of the wisest and best of men that the one point which filled him with anxiety as regards the present , was that young and old were not content with humble

enjoyments , but must always be craving for what is expensive , grand , abnormal , new , strange . And yet it is in the round of little things , humble homes , daily sacrifices , and perhaps unwelcome duties , common joys , and simple pleasures , that the existence of most of us must be spent ; and if dissatisfied with our lot , or longing always for excitement and change , the grotesque follies or painted shadows of the

hour , we leave our own natural position , and the normal claims upon us , for what lies really beyond our horizon , we arc only laying up in store for ourselves , one and all , a bitter disappointment and depressing heartache some day . All such stories , then , as the one before us are to be commended for the young and for us all , inasmuch as they set life and home and duty and responsibility before us , as

they are for us all here . It is possible , nay , probable , that to some of us who like only high-spiced tales , who do not believe in human virtue , who have little faith or trust in our fellow creatures , such books as those may appear to be poor , dull , tame , devoid of moving fancies or striking episodes . So be it . We have been all living in a very

heated , unhcalthly atmosphere for some years ; let us seek rather the pure air of heaven , and enjoy the moorland breezes or the briny ozone of thc great sea , and the peaceful and elevating influences of wood and hill , of meadow and of dale . Let us turn back readily from the unnatural to the natural , fiom what is gtotesque to what is graceful , from evil to good , from falsehood to truth .

COMFORTABLE WORDS IN SICKNESS AND SUFFERING . Second Scries . Kerby and Endean , 440 , Oxford-street . The peculiar position of the Freemason in respect of all that touches upon works of a religious tendency , whether in the abstract or concrete , renders it a very difficult matter for a reviewer to preserve that golden mean which the

constitutions and customs of the fraternity imperatively demand . And , therefore , we fear that it is impossible for us , with the best will in the world , safely to enter upon the consideration of this and similar useful works , further than to say , if it is sought to review them that in the present instance wc are much struck with thc admirable collocation of the special papers , and the very clear and readable and appropriate type in which so

benevolent a work is printed . We arc extremely struck , we may fairly add , with the beautiful verses headed , "Working , Suffering , Waiting , " at page j . We Ihink that many of our worthy readers and Masons may be glad to know of such a useful companion for the sick bed or the sorrowing family ; and we will conclude with a translation from " Spitta , " equally effective and touching , entitled" Light in Darkness , " appropriate both for Freemasons and non-Masons ;—