Original Correspondence.

ren admitted since the Crimean war were members of our Order . The large number of non-commissioned officers who are constantly entering the Fraternity ensures that we shall never be without such candidates , and the cordial support of the Craft would equally ensure their

prompt election . I shall be only too happy to answer any inquiry , or to send reports etc . to any brother desirous of contributing or collecting . Unless I can raise ^ 2 , 000 between this and next April , 150 orphans now on the list of candidates will be disappointed , as no election can take p lace .

I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , L . P . METHAM , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . Devonshire , Hon . Sec .

LODGE SUMMONSES . "To the Editor ofthe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I think it would not a little conduce to fraternal regard and brotherly love if each of the several lodges would instruct their Secretaries to send a copy ef their Lodge summonses to the

Secretaries of the other lodges in their respective provinces , as far as they are able , so that the meetings may be made known to the brethren , and opportunity offered , that should any brethren in the course of their respective callings find themselves at that particular time near to a

lodge meeting , they could avail themselves of the pleasure of attending , and enjoy themselves with their brethren . It would also shew each lodge how all the other lodges in the province were progressing , and also as each lodge has a different method of printing its summonses , the best and neatest form would no doubt b 3

followed . I can scarcely suppose such a province as Middlesex , where so many lodges are located , ( London ) or so large a province as Yorkshire , would or could carry out the above suggestion . Yours fraternally , R . T . ANDREWS , 403 .

LADIES AS FREEMASONS . Sir , — Will you kindly allow me to ask through your columns , if Freemasonry has a purifying , elevating influence upon men , why not admit women ) Surely it would have a good effect on them also , and in many cases keep inviolate that unlimited confidence between man

THE ROYAL VISIT TO PLYMOUTH . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — It would be a very great pity indeed that the discussion of an important subjecl affecting very materially the interests of the Ma sonic body should be allowed to degenerate intt

a personal quarrel between two humble members of the Order like Bro . Curteis and myself ; bul I ask to be allowed just a word or two—ane they shall be the last—in reply to Bro . Curteis' ; last letter , which is framed in a spirit that has nothing to recommend it , but everything tc

condemn it . Bro . Curteis is a lawyer , and h ( therefore adopts the lawyer-like policy of " nc case , bully the other side . " Seeing the extreme weakness of the cause which he came forward at the eleventh hour to defend , he now accuses me of having been guilty of insulting , unma ^

sonic , and ungentlemanly language in my lasi communication—a charge which has its complete refutation in the fact of my letter being published in the columns of the Freemason , for 1 am quite sure , sir , that if it had approached tc anything like the character which Bro . Curteis

has been pleased to give to it , it never woult have made its appearance in your columns . The insinuation that I am only a recently admitted Mason is as ungenerous as it is stupid I have yet to learn that a long connection with Masonry is necessary , in order to enable a persor to form a common sense view of a commor

sense question . Bro . Curteis ' s letter is a sadly painful illustration to the contrary , and clearly proves that the oldest Masons are by no means .

and wife that constitutes the happiness of every home . THE WIFE OF AN APPRENTICE .

Original Correspondence.

necessarily , the wisest . But Bro . Curteis is a lawyer . Again , he makes it a charge against me that I fail to realise the duties which , as a Mason , I am bound to discharge . That is an imputation which I throw back in Bro . Curteis ' s teeth . It

is unfounded , unwarranted , and grossly malicious , and is simply a part of the policy to which I have already alluded . Bro . Curteis says I made a personal attack upon him in my last communication . Nothing was further from my intention , and having read

it again , I utterly fail to see what grounds he has for the assertion . I am afraid that at the moment of writing he was anticipating the contents of his own letter , than which there cannot be anything more ungenerous or unmasonic . But Bro . Curteis is a lawyer .

As I have already said , it was only at the last moment , when the explanation so long sought for , was forthcoming , that Bro . Curteis came upon the scene , but it cannot be said that he has in any way helped us out of the difficulty . His two letters did certainly contain just three facts ,

and they were—first , that he was a Mason , secondly , that he was a member of the Committee , and thirdly , that he is a W . M . These are not matters of the least public interest , but taking them for what they are worth , we were acquainted with them before .

And now , sir , having taken Bro . Curteis to task , permit me the opportunity of doing another act of justice . In my previous letters I was led , through an unfortunate misunderstanding , to reflect upon the action of Bro . Colonel Elliott , as a member of the Committee , but having

satisfied myself beyond doubt that that gentleman is in no way responsible for what took place , I am desirous at the earliest moment of fully and freely expressing my regret that in the discussion of a question in which I took a very deep interest , I should have been induced to

cast reflections upon a gallant officer and an excellent brother , which I am now convinced were undeserved . I am quite sure that Bro . Colonel Elliott will accept this expression of my regret in the same spirit in which it is given . Thanking you for your courtesy in allowing such a free discussion of this unfortunate

question to take place in your columns , I beg to subscribe myself . Yours fraternally , CM . ( 120 *;) .

THE LATE GRAND MASTER . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , I cordially echo the conclusion at which you have arrived in " A Few Words of

Caution" in your number of 24 th inst . Perhaps you could not conclude this very unmasonic controversy in a better manner than by the insertion of the following clever anagram , which may also amuse your readers : —

" The Marquess of Ripon . " R . I . P . quoth Freemasons . " Yours fraternally ,

P . M . MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I think your reply to our " South African Brother " will not prove quite satisfactory to him ; another glance at his letter will show you that he meant proxy of person .

ist . The S . W . being absent through illness a proxy or substitute might have been invested by the W . M ., and the brother so substituted could have acted for the absent brother , and as , I presume , he had previously held the office of J . W ., he would have " regularly served as a

Warden for one year , " and would therefore be eligible for the Master ' s chair ; but if he did not serve the office of J . W ., and was absent a great part of the year , his having a substitute would not help him . He could not be installed

even if elected , or if he were he will find it will come to the long ears of the " Board of General Purposes , " which reach all over the world , and the " Board of Installed Masters , " and the lodge must answer for it . I should rule in my own lodge that if a J . W .

Original Correspondence.

appointed by me was absent through illness on the installation night , and I invested a substitute , that if the J . W . proper attended at the next meeting of the lodge , and continued his lodge attendances for the remainder of , the year , that he was eligible for the chair . But the J . W

in "South Africa " had no pretence for being put forward ; he was not appointed or invested by proxy , and only took the J . W . ' s chair by favour on the resignation of the brother who was appointed and invested . Dispensations are

not granted in such cases . I am , yours fraternall y , MAGNUS OHREN , P . P . G . J . W . for Surrey . Sydenham , Oct . 20 , 18 * 74 .

Italy.

ITALY .

Bro . George Kenning has received a most flattering communication from the lodge "Anziani Virtuosi , " at Leghorn , of which the following is the translation from the original Italian : —

"It affords us gratification , to send yon , in the name of the Worshipful Lodge Anziani Virtuosi , Orient of Leghorn , a diploma of honorary membership , to which you have been elected , as a proof of our esteem for your Masonic virtues ,

and we are proud to place upon the roll of our lodge your honoutable name . We consider ourselves fortunate in having ' entrusted to us the duty of acquainting you of the above resolution , and we inform you , as a Member of our Lodge

Anziani Virtuosi , that we should be happy to greet you between the Grand Columns . In the meantime accept , in the name of the Craft , our Triple Masonic Fraternal Greeting . " ( Here follow the official signatures ) .

The " Masonic Magazine " of August , September , and October , 1873 , being ont of print , copies will be thankfully received by the publisher , at 19 8 , Fleet-street . London . The " Cosmopolitan Calender " is now ready , price as ., post free , 2 s . 2 d . To America , post free , 2 s . 6 d .

Metropolitan Masonic Meetings.

METROPOLITAN MASONIC MEETINGS .

The Editor will be giad to receive notice from Secretaries of Craft Lodges , ltoyal Arch Chapters , Mark Lodges , Prcceptories , Conclaves , & c , of any change in place or time of meeting . Saturday , October 31 . Manchester Lodge of Instruction ( 179 ) 1 Yorkshire Grey , For the Week ending Friday , November 6 , 1874 .

77 , London-street , Fitzroy-square , at 8 j Bro . I-I . Ash , Preceptor . Lily Lodge of Instruction { 810 ) , Greyhound Hotel , Richmond , Surrey . Star Lodge of Instruction ( 1275 ) , Marquess of Granby New Cross-road , at 1 ; Bro . C . G . Dilley , Preceptor

Monday , November 2 . Lodge 12 , Fortitude and Old Cumberland , Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall-street . „ 25 , Robert Burns , Freemasons' Hall . „ 72 , Royal Jubilee , Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , i , go , St . John ' s , Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street . „ 144 , St . Luke ' s , Masons' Hall , Masons' Avenue ,

Basinghall-street . „ 188 , Joppa , Albion , Aldersgate-street . „ 25 6 , Unions , Freemasons' Hall . ,, 1319 , Asaph , Freemasons' Hall . Mark Lodge 139 , Panmure , Balham Hotel , Balham .

K . T . Preceptory , 128 , Oxford and Cambridge University , 33 , Golden-square . Prince Leopold Lodge of Instruction ( 1445 ) , Lord Stanley Tavern , Sandringham-road , Kingsland , at 7 ; Bro . T . Austin , Preceptor . Strong Man Lodge of Instruction ( 45 ) , Crown Tavern ,

Clerkenwell green , at 8 ; Bro . Beckett , Preceptor . Sincerity Lodge of Instruction ( 174 ) , Railway Tavern , Fenchurch-street Station , at 7 . Camden Lodge of Instruction ( 704 ) , Adelaide Tavern , Haverstock-hill , at 8 ; Bro . T . A . Adams , Preceptor . Eastern Star Lodge of fnstruction ( 95 ) , Royal Hotel , Mileend-road , at 7 . 30 ; Bro . E . Gottheil , Preceptor .

British Oak Lodge of Instruction ( 813 ) , Bank of t'riendship Tavern , Mile-end , at 7 for 8 . St . J ames ' s Union Lodge of Instruction f 180 ) , Ho .-se and Groom Tavern , Winsley-street ( opposite the Pantheon ) , Oxford-street , at 8 j Bro . J . R . Stacey , Preceptor . Wellington Lodge of Instruction , White Swan Tavern , Deptford , at 8 ; Bro . C . G . Dilley , P . M . 1155 Preceptor .