Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion . |

A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , 1 am thc W . M . elect of my mother lodge , and I am anxious to do everything according to Masonic line and rule . I shall therefore esteem it a favour if you or any of your readers will kindly inform me through the medium of your columns—and thereby possibly enlighten others besides myself—who is the proper person to undertake my installation . Is it the duty or privilege of

the outgoing W . M . to instal his successor , if he can , or if he cannot , then is it the duty or privilege of the I . P . M ., and failing him , then of the oldest Past Master of the lodge , or failing him , then the next oldest Past Master of the lodge , and so on ? Or am I at liberty to ask any P . M ., being a member of the lodge , but a P . M . of some other lodge only , or say an outside P . M ., who is a personal friend , to the exclusion of all or any of the P . Ms , of my own lodge who may be able ar . d willing or anxious to perform the ceremony?—Yours fraternally , Freemasons' Hall , Halifax . PERPLEXED .

Masonic Service At St. Saviour's, Southwark.

MASONIC SERVICE AT ST . SAVIOUR'S , SOUTHWARK .

To celebrate the Record Reign of the Queen a large number of brethren assembled in the Collegiate Church of St . Saviour ' s , Southwark , on Thursday . By dispensation , granted by the M . W . G . Master , H . R . H , the Prince of Wales , the brethren appeared in Masonic clothing . The congregation numbered nearly 2000 brethren , prominent amongst them being Bros , the Earl of Lathom ( Pro G . M . ) , Lord Harlech , Lord Llangattock , the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., Sir Ofiley Wakeinan , Justice Bruce , and Lord Connemara .

Bros . Archdeacon SINCLAIR and Canon THOMPSON intoned the service . Bro . the Rev . C . V . CHII . DE , Grand Chaplain , read the first lesson , and Bro . Archdeacon STEVENS , Past Grand Chaplain , the second . The sermon was preached by the Dean of Rochester ( Bro . S . R . HOLE ) from the text , " Sirs , ye are brethren . " The musical portion of the service was magnificently rendered , under the direction of Dr . A . Madeley Richardson , Dr . George F . Smith , of the Guildhall School of Music ; being the organist .

The offertory , which was taken in aid of the debt of A 7000 on the restoration fund , amounted to . £ 2340 , including the sum of , £ 1000 from Lord Llangattock , £ 600 from Mr . Alfred Bevan , and / 400 from the Committee .

Festival Of The Grand Masters' Mark Lodge Of Instruction.

FESTIVAL OF THE GRAND MASTERS' MARK LODGE OF INSTRUCTION .

The 13 th Annual Festival of the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction in the Mark Degree was held on the 20 th inst ., at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queenstreet , W . C . Previously to the supper the ceremony of advancement was worked , the proceedings being witnessed by Viscount Dungarvan , Dep . G . M . M . ; Bros . Loveland , C . F . Matier , and others . Bros . William Vincent , P . A . G . D . C , Preceptor , presided , and the following brethren assisted—Bros . George Thomas , P . M ., S . W . j W . Featherstonhaugh ,

P . M ., Prov . J . G . D Surrey ; Greenham , M . O . ; H . Sadler , P . M ., S . O . ; J . S . Tamburini , P . M ., P . G . Stwd ., J . O . ; Rev . V . P . Wyatt , P . M ., Grand Chap ., Chap . ; C . F . Matier , P . G . W ., G . Sec , Treas . ; W . Briggs , M . O . 406 , Reg . of Marks ; John Smith , P . M ., P . G . Stwd ., Sec . ; P . Clifford Probyn , S . D . ; Percy F . Matier , J . W . 406 , J . D . ; H . Thomson Lyon , P . M ., G . Stwd ., D . of C . ; H . R . Rose , P . G . Org ., Organist . ; E . M . Money , P . M ., P . G . Stwd ., I . G . ; and E . J . Mills , P . M ., P . A . G . I . G ., Tyler . Bro . Royle was a candidate .

At the conclusion of the ceremony , the Secretary , Bro . John Smith , gave the lecture on the tracing board in masterly style , and Bro . Lord D UNGARVAN afterwards moved a vote of thanks to the working officers , paying a high compliment to them for the efficiency in which they had performed their duties . Such a lodge of instruction , he said , could not but add greatly to the success of the Mark Degree . Bro . R . LOVELAND LOVELAND , President of the General Board , seconded the motion , which was then unanimously carried , and

Bro . W . VINCENT , in acknowledging the recognition , said he was pleased that the working had gone so well and produced such satisfaction . Some alterations had to be made in the arrangement of the officers , at the last moment , and hc had been afraid that as the lodge of instruction was now out of session , and there had been no practice for the last two months and more , the officers might not be so fluent as was requisite to the proper and effective production of the Degree . He was glad , however , to find there was no hitch at all , and he assured the brethren of his constant desire to produce good workers and his unflagging interest in the success of Mark Masonry .

Thc lodge was then closed and adjourned until October , and the brethren retired to Freemasons' Tavern , where an excellent supper awaited them . Viscount Dungarvan presided . Thc usual toasts followed . Viscount DUNGARVAN in giving "The Queen and Mark Masonry , " said in a few days the Queen , who had already reigned , longer than any other monarch , would ride through the city , and Masons , although they would not be in the majority in numbers ol those who saw her would not be in the minority in the enthusiasm with which they received her .

Viscount DUNGARVAN in giving " The M . W . G . M . M . M ., " said the last toast was the one which in this year was of the greatest significance for English Masons , but still they did not forget the loyalty and devotion they owed to their Grand Master . They wished him health , and also wished him well through the arduous duties he had to perform this year . liro . the Rev . FRASKR-FRIZELL , Prov . S . G . W . Cornwall , proposed "The Pro G . M ., the Deputy G . Master , and the rest of thc Grand

Officers , Present and Past , and in doing so said it was nearly 1900 years ago since the wise men started from the East . Hc grieved to say they had not yet arrived in Cornwall , because the Cornish barbarians had to travel Irom the far west to the far east when they wanted to receive instruction and information . It was an unfeigned pleasure to him to come up and see the way the work was done in the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction , and he should go back not a sadder but certainly a wiser man than when he came up . It was a

pleasure to mingle with brethren in all parts of the world , in India , in China , and Japan , he would say that if they wanted to see lodge work well done they must come to the very centre , to the Mark Masons Lodge in Loudon if they wanted information and instruction . It was well that they should open their curs and their eyes ; certainly the work in this lodge made them open their eyes in many ways , and also their mouths , by the good things set before them . He was pleased to propose this toast . His lordship had spoken about the Grand Master ,

Festival Of The Grand Masters' Mark Lodge Of Instruction.

In no part of the realm was the Grand Master held in greater reverence than in his own Duchy of Cornwall . They gladly welcomed him when he went among them ; they gladly welcomed his toast when it was proposed , but they also welcomed in the great west when it was proposed the toast now before the brethren , that of " The Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Euston , and the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " He had some knowledge of a good many officers in the Craft and in the Mark , and he knew how much brethren were indebted to the Grand

Lodge and its indefati gable officers . The Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Euston , had long been associated with them , and they knew how great a debt of gratitude they owed to him ; but he had to couple with that toast the name of a worthy brother to whom they owed a very , very great deal in Mark Masonry—Bro . Loveland Loveland , President of thc General Board . He was afraid in West Barbary they hardly recognised how much those brethren did for them ; but the more they knew of their work , the more they should appreciate it , and the more grateful they should be to them .

Bro . R . LOVELAND LOVELAND , in reply to the toast , said it was a great grief to the Pro Grand Master that he was not able to be present that evening . The brethren all knew that he attended lodges as often as he could , that he took great interest in all Degrees of Masonry , and that whatever he took in hand he did thoroughly and well ; he was greatly beloved for his attention to all Masonic duties , and for his courtesy and kindness . With regard to the other Grand Officers , they did what they could , and when lodges required assistance they gave it in every form and shape , and in any part of the land . He ( Bro . Loveland )

personally had since he had been appointed to office endeavoured to do all he could for the Mark Degree , and to bring to bear the experience he had in the Craft as President of the Board . It was a responsible position , because at the Board they hau a great many matters brought before them which required close attention and consideration before they adopted any measures . Not only in the case of ritual , but in other matters , lodges sometimes erred , not wilfully , but they got into trouble through negligence or through not studying the Book of Constitutions . The Board in its deliberations tried to temper justice with mercy , and to do the best they could for the Order .

Bro . C . F . MATIER , P . G . W ., G . Sec , proposed "The Chairman , " and in asking the brethren to drink it he begged to couple with it Lord Dungarvan ' s position as Deputy Grand Master and Prov . Grand Master of Kent . He had

many positions in Masonry ; he was Prov . Grand Master of the Craft for Somerset ; in the Order of the Temple he was Great Seneschal ; and in every one of these Degrees in which he took so great and overwhelming an interest he was facile princcps , his heart and soul were in the prosperity of the various Orders . Viscount DUNGARVAN , in acknowledging the toast , said that in coming to the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction that evening and presiding at the dinner of the 13 th anniversary of the festival he could call the lodge his twin brother , as it was 13 years since he became a Mason . Like his twin brother he was advanced

in Masonry , but in carrying out duties his twin brother had the advantage of him . Perhaps the brethren would allow him to turn his attention to the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction of which he would propose the toast . He had witnessed an excellent carrying out of the ceremonies ; every officer did his duty so admirably that it would be difficult to select any one to respond , but there were three who stood out pre-eminent—Bro . Vincent , Bro . Smith , the Secretary , and Bro . Matier , the Treasurer . Bro . Vincent as W . M . was excellent ; Bro .

Smith ' s lecture on the tracing board was a masterpiece of skill ; and to Bro . Matier they owed the existence of the Iodge . They had heard from the brother from Cornwall what he thought of the work and it was to be hoped he would come again to witness it . He ( Lord Dungarvan ) was personally indebted to Bro . Vincent for assistance on many occasions . He was glad to see Bro . Matier ' s son at the lodge and to find him a good worker like his father . It was to Mark Masonry in England he ( Lord Dungarvan ) owed his advancement in Masonry , and he should never forget it . He was now nearly at the top .

Bro . WILLIAM VINCENT , who replied to the toast , said he had to thank Lord Dungarvan very warmly for what he had said . Lord Dungarvan got his first step in Masonry in Mark Masonry , and he ( Bro . Vincent ) was in the same position , for the Prince of Wales when he became Grand Master , gave him his first Grand Office , and now he was one of the Grand Officers in the Craft . His first step was in the Mark Degree . He did not know whether he should be considered guilty of high treason , but he could not help saying

he thought he loved Mark Masonry more than any other Degree , at any rate he had given a great deal of time to it . With regard to the lodge of instruction itself those brethren who had not seen the work before , had that night witnessed the sample of work they tried to give at it . Any one who was in London at the time of the session of the lodge between October next and March next should come to it : the work was always done in the same style , and they tried to suit the wishes of any brother who wanted to learn ; whatever his rank might be if

a brother came and asked to take the position of Overseer , or Deacon , or Warden , as it might be in his own Iodge , that particular officer for the evening would give way and alloy * him to have that post . If a Master was in the chair of his lodge and was desirous to do that which every Master ought to do , instal his successor , the officers of the lodge offered him the facilities of practice after the lodge work was over , and the Executive Committee would stay behind so as to constitute a Board of Installed Masters so that he might have the precept and the

practice of installing his successor . The same thing was done in the Ark Mariners ' Degree , if a brother wished to learn the work of Commander Noah they gave him facilities for learning it . The brethren always had the heartiest welcome The lodge laid the flattering congratulation to itself , that during the 13 or 14 . years , since it was established by Bro . Matier , it had done some good in London ; at jtny rate , the working of the London lodges was becoming more what they desired it should be ; the work was becoming more uniform ; there was no book

working . If a book was seen open in a Iodge in London it would be put down at once as a bad working lodge . In the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction , if a brother was seen with a book he was ordered to shut it up . Thus much for the Grand Masters' Lodge of Instruction . The Executive Committee , presided over by Bro . Matier and other officers of Grand Lodge , who occasionally honoured them with their presence , desired to extend the working of that lodge of

instruction , and if brethren could not come themselves who were distinguished in the provinces , they might have influence then to recommend others to join and come to the Grand Masters' Lodge . The lodge met at six p . m ., not five minutes past . If a Master was elected to the chair , and was not at the lodge at two minutes to six he lost his position . The lodge was over by seven , or five minutes past , always , excepting thc extra work to which he had alluded . A brother could come straight from his office or club at six o'clock , and get home at reasonable time .

Bro . s . AMiiURiNi proposed " The Visitors , " to whom thc lodge tried to show good work , and to give a hearty welcome . Bro . Major WOODALL replied . He had been frequently among the brethren of the Iodge , and he hoped to be still oftener among them now . Referring to what Bro . Fraser . Frizell had said , he thought the annals would show that the wise men went to the West 1900 years ago . ltwas a pity they did not keep them there

when they got them . ( Laughter . ) He had seen a good deal of Cornishmen ; they were very wise chaps ; they were the best sailors in England , and it took a wise man to be a sailor . He" wished to express his feelings ot thanks to Bro . Vincent for the manner in which the ceremonies had been done by him ; it was a revelation to those who came from distant regions that the work should be performed with the dignity which had marked the proceedings that evening . At the call of Bro . E . J . MILLS the Tyler's toast was honoured , and the brethren separated .