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To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

The following and several other communications unavoidably stand over—CRAFT LOPGES—Union Waterloo , No . 13 ; Nelson , No . 700 . ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER—Chapter of Truth , No . 521 . RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE—Saye and Sele Conclave . Italian Masonry .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

^ fcg ^ MB ^ S M ^ r ^ r ^&^^ jaaar ^ tz ^^' it' * '<§ V 9 yrm SATURDAY , MAY 29 , 1886 . ?

PAST MASTERS' COLLARS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I am not a little shocked to find in yonr issue of the 22 nd inst . " Mancunium " asserting that / threaten to defy Grand Lodge . I defy " Mancunium " to point to any words in my letters that support any such assertion or

inference . The strongest form of expression that I know of in my letters on the subject is contained in yours of the 15 th inst ., where I say tha ' , ' finding it necessary " ( that is , essential ) " to have a collar to obtain admission to Grand Lodge , I want lo bc legally provided - . villi one , and having once got it I shall claim the right to wear it , " as per Art . 28 S . Pray , what is defiant in that ? If it defies any one

it will be such an one as " Mancunium , " or some such other individual brother , who might possibly be disposed to order me to take it off or leave the lodge , or possibly give instructions to the Tyler or I . G . not to announce or admit "light blue collars . " Bro . Budden ' s suggestion as to Art . 307 would meet the matter so far as giving a P . M . a collar ; but I want more if I can possibly get it . I want a distinctive collar , viz ., wilh

a silver cord , same as Past Stewards have ; but , of course , "blue , " instead of " crimson , " yet if I cannot get this by the will and sanction of Grand Lodge , I will be pleased to have one of any sort . The " lex non scripta " Bro . Budden refers to would possibly answer all the purpose required , if , happily , every one agreed as to what it is ; but , to show Bro . Budden the difficulty of such a thing , with your pei mission , I will relate

an incident that occurred with myself . Recently a new lodge was being consecrated in an adjoining province ; I was invited by one of the Provincial Officers to attend . Having one or two personal friends amongst the founders , I very readily accepted the invitation , and , of course , being anxious to do all the honour in my . power to the occasion , I took with me my full clothing , as I understood the law . Having arrived and clothed , I was cordially

greeted by several well-known brethren , one of whom told me that , under the new Constitutions , Past Masters were not allowed to -wear collars outside their own lodges , except in Grand Lodge or their own Provincial Grand Lodge . I replied I had not discovered such a law , Jand I believed I was conversant with all the changes . While we were talking the matter over another brother joined us , and said he had been informed that the Prov . Grand Secretary

( who was acting as Consecrating Ofiicer and Installing Master ) had given orders that no officers' collars were to be worn ; that I quite recognised as in accordance with new Rule No . 30 S , and was about to rest content , when another brother asserted that the order Included P . M . ' s ; this I resented as an insult , and immediately sought out the P . G . Dir . of Cers ., and asked him if he had received any such instructions . He replied in the negative . I

requested him as a favour to make minute enquiry , at the same time intimating 1 hit if not permitted to enter with my collar ! would decline to go in at all . He returned and said 1 was properly clothed , and he had no instructions to the contrary . I entered accordingly , and was not challenged till after the Hoard of Installed Masters was called from right to left , when the newly-installed Master rose and said " he was informed that there were

Original Correspondence.

some Past Masters present who were under the impression they had a right to wear their collars , not being' members of that lodge , and for their information he would read the law . " He read Art . 30 S , and instantly the collars disappeared in a marvellously short space of time . Seeing the Master ' s eye fixed on me , and observing no collar but my own of the *• light blue " tyne , I

rose and saluted , and said , "W . M ., I am not an ollicer of any lodge , and consequently that law does not apply to me . " "ihe P . G . Secretary then stepped forward , and , taking the Book of Constitutions from the Master , said , "Allow me to road the law ; it ' s just as well to have this matter settled at . once . " He again read Law 30 S , emphasising it especially at the words " Past Masters " and

" representing . " I again saluted , and said , " 1 am not representing any lodge ; 1 am a Past Master , and not an officer . I simply attend as a member of Grand Lodge , and therefore * that law does not refer to me . " He replied , " You must either take that collar off or retire . " I rose , saluted , and retired . As 1 passed the J . W . ' s chair , I heard such calls as "Shame , ! shame !"

' "Take the collar off , " "Put it in your pocket , " . & c . I passed on ¦ without noticing these calls till past the S . W . 's chair , when theW . M . gavelled and demanded that I , as an Installed Master , obey the chair . I halted , saluted , and said , "W . M ., 1 am most anxious at all times to obey the ruling of tlie chair , but as I read the law that article does not apply to me ; I therefore prefer to accept the alternative ,

and with your permission will retire . I retired accordingly , and returning to my office b y the first possible train , at once wrote a letter to the P . G . D . C , explaining my views , and requesting him to transmit them to the Prov . Grand Secretary . To tin ' s I received no reply , but after a few days I learned that _ the _ Prov . Grand Secretary of that province , in conjunction with the P . G . Secretary

of my province , who was present on the occasion , went to London and had an interview with certain of our Grand Rulers in the Craft . Making this discovery , I wrote my P . G . Master with full details , but , of course , the occurrence having taken place outside his province , he could not interfere . 1 then wrote the Grand Secretary ; he laid the matter before the Board of General Purposes , and they

resolved " That Article 30 S was intended to and does include Past Masters . " Now , does Bro . Budden see why I do not like Article 30 S , and cannot take " Lex non Scripta " with such a ruling as sufficient ? and does he also see how hopeless my task is , with all the weight of the Board against me ?—nay , more , will he not bc disposed toconsider it high treason on my part to venture to pursue the subject

any farther ? Well , possibly it is . 1 have the greatest possible respect for all constituted authority , but 1 do not think I am erring very far if 1 try to get the laws that authority has got to interpret and administer altered for the better in a constitutional way . The facilities at the disposal of a provincial brother , residing some 200 miles away , are expensive and not

numerous . Even if I could succeed in getting a notice of motion on the Agenda , it would cost me the better part of two days'loss of time , besides the expense of going and returning to propose my motion , and even then , unless 1 have gained the ear and the sympathy of those in a similar nlie-ht . I had better stay at home . My hope was that the

Board of General Purposes themselves would bring the matter forward ; if they would even remove the words * ' Past Masters " from 30 S and insert them in 307 I would rest and be thankful even , although I do want the silver cord!—Yours , very fraternally , P . M .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I do not like trespassing on your space , but should be glad to say a few words more on this subject . I have read the correspondence with some attention , but , with all deference to Bro . "P . M ., " I do not see that he has succeeded in refuting my arguments .

He will , lam sure , . agree with me that where the lex scripta is clear no custom can constitutionally override it , and I most cordially endorse what 1 state to be his view that , having a written code of laws , we are entitled to be governed according to that code , and according to that code only . But is the lex scripta . clear on this point ? Bro . " P . M . "

seems to have a strong opinion that it is , and in effect he accuses Grand Lodge of illegally acting in direct violation of the written law . I would submit that Grand Lodge is in itself the final court of appeal , not only to say what the laws shall be , but also what is the correct construction of those laws when made ; and a ruling of Grand Lodge or of the officials of

Grand Lodge must be held , 1 think , to bc according to law until Grand Lodge on full consideration decides otherwise . I am loth to think that Grand Lodge , or its officials , after such full provision had so recently been made in the written law , would at once allow an unwritten custom to

override that law , and therefore I look at my Constitutions to see * what grounds I can find there for the course adopted . . , I think thc reason of the decision is that for some purposes , if not for all , Past Masters are recognised as officers , arid therefore entitled to collars . I own t do not see where collars are provided for P . M . ' s unless as officers .

I believe the late or present Grand Registrar once ruled that P . M . ' s were not officers , but I do not know when , nor under what circumstances , nor upon which Boole of Constitutions . Of course a P . M . is not one of the " regular " or " . necessary " officers . Will'liro . * ' P . M . " give us the reference to that part of the Constitutions which " distinctly states a P . M . is not an

officer ? " I have failed to find such a statement . Certainly Law 129 does not say so , even if it docs not say he is . 1 have already given my view of that law , hut would remind " P . M . " that omission is not prohibition . As to the marginal notes , I do not say they are a part of thc law , but I take it it is perfectly fair to refer lo them as showing the intention of the revisers of the Book . They were specially alluded to in the synopsis sent out with the

draft revise . But I do not need to press this . I am satisfied with the body of the laws . 1 do not quite see how Law 9 gives a " distinctive personal right" to a P . M . to attend Gtand Lodge apart from his representation of a lodge . Laws 9 , 179 , and 300 all seem to me to be most carefully framed to preserve the principle " no representation , no seat . " 1 confess I do not know under 179 whether a P . M . of Lodge A returned as a member of Lodge li , who had dropped his subscription to

Original Correspondence.

A , would be considered as representing A or B ; but I do not think this of importance . But 30 S surely includes a P . M . as an officer ? If it does , then 307 and 30 S are coherent and intelligible , placing all officers on the same footing , saying what their collars are , and when to be worn . If , on the other hand , a P . M . is not an officer , then I cannot see what business the words Past Masters have in that law at all , and the whole subject

becomes involved in difficulty . If my reading be wrong , and a P . M . is not an officer , then what is the jewel of a P . M . of the Lodge of Antiquitysilver or gold ? See Laws 205 and 296 . If a P . M . is not an officer , why is an acting I . P . M . appointed at the consecration of a new lodge ? Why , lo take the latest example , does the Freemason , by implication , in its leaderette of the 15 th inst ., and in definite words in its

issue of the 32 nd inst ., page 304 , say , " The other officers are Bros . Major George Lambert , F . S . A ., P . G . Swd . Br acting P . M . ?" 1 submit that my view is the correct one , and that Grand Lodge are acting on a perfectly kgal and common-sense reading of the Book of Constitutions , and , by calling on P . M . ' s to wear collars in Grand Lodge , has recognised them as officers within the meaning of Laws 307 and 30 S . — Yours fraternally , LEX SCRIPTA .

Reviews

REVIEWS

THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR FOR DURHAM Bro . Hudson , the energetic Prov . Grand Sec . of Durhamj has ably edited the Masonic Calendar for Duiham . and has given a valuable lot of information in the bulky little volume of nearly 150 pages . We believe the series was inaugurated by Bro . Dr . Hill-Drury , and though not an old publication , has already become one of the

indispensables of the province . The roll of Prov . Grand Masters is given from 1735 ( 1734 in the G . L . Calendar ) , very few provinces dating so far back , and the names . of the Provincial Grand Officers are recorded from 17 SS , with the years of appointment duly noted . Some of the officers , of course , do not date from that year , e . g ., the Deacons and Registrars , who were first appointed in 1 S 18 . Then , under

the lodges , the names of the officers , Past Masters , years of service , dates of warrants and installations , number of subscribing members , & c , are all given , as also for the chapters , Mark Lodges , & c , so that the Calendar is a veritable mttltum in parvo . The tables of days of meetings for 18 S 6 of the lodges and chapters represent a work of considerable labour , and enable even a hasty lance to detect the dates

g required . There are 32 lodges , with 2414 subscribing members , an average of 75 to each [ odge ; and 13 chapters with 470 members . Mark Masonry is represented by some 11 lodges and about 400 members . There are no lists of votes in the Royal Masonic Charities , but the totals given —viz ., 336 "Girls , " 743 "Boys , " 515 "Benevolent , " being a grand total of 1623 votes

leave much room for improvement . The " Educational Fund , " under local auspices , is in its ninth year , and is an excellent Institution , seven children being now educated ; the capital account being about £ 400 . We hope that Bro . Hudson will tackle a list of the voters of his province for the " Royal Masonic Charities , " so that the issue of 1887 may contain that desirable addition .

MASONIC CALENDAR OF LODGES , & c , MEETING AT SA , RED LION SQUARE , & c . This most useful publication is edited by Bro . C . F . Matier , and issued by order of the General Board ( Mark ) . We presume it is its first appearance , and it certainly deserves a warm greeting , not only because of the competent editorship , but especially as it supplies a long . felt

want . The Calendar portion is very clearly arranged , and the official part is brimful of information on the special points for which the handsome little book would naturally be consulted . Five Craft lodges assemble in the Masonic Hall , Red Lion-square besides a number of Mark lodges , & c . ; and when brethren visit that sanctum , now the premises have been so improved , we shall not be surprised if

that number rapidly increases . Full particulars are afforded of 46 Mark lodges meeting " In and near London , " the names and addresses of several Secretaries being duly noted , and the Allied Degrees are also carefully attended to . We consider this a step in the right direction , and wish other metropolitan bodies would follow such an excellent example so well set by Bro . Matier .

OFFICIAL DIRECTORY FOR THE PROVINCE OF CORNWALL . The veteran editor of this Directory is Bro . Hughan , who first began such duties in ISO , this particular publication being in its fifteenth year , and the present number completes the third volume . The special feature of liro . Hughan ' s Directory is , that it is kept wholly and solelfor

y Provincial Grand Lodges purposes , the only officers given being the Master and Wardens , who have votes in the province at all its meetings , all the Past Masters with their years of office , and provincial appointments ( if any ) , and the names and addresses of the Secretaries . So also in like manner the Royal Arch Chapters are attended to , so that the Prov . Grand Master can see at a glance the names of

all the brethren entitled to vote , and are members of the Province under each lodge , and how the " purple" has been distributed . Then from time to time the by-laws of the province , Craft and Arch , are printed , and other rules and particulars inserted , the volumes containing all that is obtainable wilh aspect to Freemasonry in Cornwall . A full list of votes fir th- " Koyal Masonic Charities" is appended , amounting in all to 1276 , which for 29 lodges and 14

chapters , with 1 4 O 5 and 294 members respectivel y , arc none too many , but doubtless the newly organized " Charity Association " will continue to improve matters in this respect . The local " Educational and Benevolent Institution " has been a great success . It was started in 1 SG 4 , and has now nearly £ 4000 funded . Provinces intending to issue Directories should consult this publication , for it is considered a model one by many competent brethren .