Correspondence.

MASONRY IN SCOTLAND . 1 To the Editor of the Masonic Mirror . SIR—At p . 341 of your last number , you request some explanation regarding the Banff Lodge , and Royal Arch Chapter . By the laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , out of the dues paid by a Candidate for admission , 5 s . & d . is to be laid aside for , and

paid over to the Grand Lodge for enrolling the name of the Candidate . If the Treasurer of the Lodge retains this , or pays it into the funds of the Lodge , instead of to where it is due , he is guilty of a fraud . The Candidate is not required to contribute any more to the Grand Lodge during his life . The Lodge to which he belongs has , however , to pay 5 s . annually ; and even were there only 10 members , this is merely 6 d . each ; but according to your correspondent ' s letter there were 50 "paying members" to that in the Banff Lodgel $ dwas all that was required annuallfrom each

, ;— . y to prevent the Lodge getting into arrears with the Grand Lodge . Now ., by our Grand Lodge Laws ( cap . XXI § 21 ) , if any Lodge shall be four years in arrear of such dues , it shall be considered dormant and struck off the Roll , but may be re-opened ^ upon such terms and conditions as the Grand Lodge may appoint . Your Correspondent then does not make out a good case , the 5 s . 6 d . clues paid by every Candidate for behooff of the Grand Lodge , could not be devoted to any other purpose except fraudulently , and as there is no suspicion as to that , such sums were , it is presumed ,

still available ; even if in the hands of private parties , they could be easily obtained . The only difficulty there is as to the 5 s . 6 d . annual payments for the whole Lodge , and that is so trifling , that it would almost seem that there must be reasons not stated for the Banff Lodge not making the proper returns . At the several quarterly communications of the Grand Lodge , those Lodges which are in arrears are mentioned and struck off , but this is not done till their names are printed in the annual circular as liable to be struck off , if all the clues be not paid immediately ; and by that circular it appears that Lodges are allowed more frequently seven than five years , so unwilling is the Grand Lodge to do anything harshly . Once struck off , a Lodge must be

reopened m the usual way . According to your Correspondent's letter , the Banff Lodge did not proceed in the proper way , but seemed to claim as a right , what could be only granted by courtesy . Let it send to Edinburgh its charter , and a petition , to be reopened , with the arrears due , list of Candidates admitted since the last return , and the 5 s . 6 d . paid by each Candidate for the Grand Lodge , and the Grand Lodge , there can be no doubt , will place the Lodge on its former footing . Until such re-openment be effected , the Banff Lodge is an illegal one . No candidates admitted since the Lodge

ceased to make returns , can be registered in the Grand Lodge Roll : but all who were registered previously although only now applying , are entitled to Grand Lodge Diploma . As to the Royal Arch : this is a degree not recognized as Masonry by the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and the consequence is twofold ; that our Royal Arch Chapter has no necessary connection , as in England and Ireland , with St . John ' s Lodge in the same place : and 2 nd that the Superior Arch has no law to the effect that the members

of a Royal Arch Chapter , must be also members of a Lodge on the Grand Roll , and previously registered there . Hence , in Banff , when there are two Royal Arch Chapters , and one Lodge , it may be that all the Royal Arch Masons there are also members of the rebellious Lodge , nor does there seem to be any check to this , unless when such Royal Arch Masons visit other Chapters at a distance , or Royal Arch Masons from as distance visit these Chapters ; in which case a person who had been initiated by the Banff Lodgeduring its rebellioncould not be regarded as either a Master Masonor

, , , a RoyalJArch Mason , by others , at least if such was known ; but when he presents the regular Royal Arch Diploma , it is rarely that he is asked for the name of his Mother Lodge . If , however , such an individual were to apply for exaltation to a Royal Arch Chapter at a distance from Banff , he would require to state what was his Mother Lodge , and on its being known that he had been admitted after it was cut off the Grand Lodge Roll , no regular St . John ' s Mason could acknowledge him or exalt him . The whole confusion arises from the Grand Lodge not recognising their other degrees of