Correspondence.

correspondent advocates would not only entail an entire remodelling of every portion of our ritual , but would as certainly drive from our ranks thousands whom we never could replace ! There is , practically , no difficulty whatever in the difficulties started by "A German Freemason . " A . member of the Society of Friends isas I have myself

, seen , following the course of our law courts , anel the " ordinances of the realm , " admitted , on an affirmation , of the words of the secreta ' receptio ; while js Chinese who is admitted as evidence in our courts by the breaking of a piece of pottery would , I believe , be so admitted by every wise Master in our lodgesand

, a Mahommedan on the Koran ; at least , I should make no difficulty in doing so , because I thereby recognise what is most binding on the conscience of the person admitted . This is , however , only my own individual opinion , and I see no inconsistency , no want of toleration , as we ask none to join our Order , in requiring

from all candidates alike the same condition of admission and reception . But it is a very different thing to ask us as English Freemasons to dispense altogether , for such exceptional cases , with what is so cherished and essential part of our system . I hope the time is not far distant when all national Grand Lod meet together in a general

asges may sembly and sanction but one usage of " perfect points of entrance . " But to endeavour to lay down for every Grand Lodge independent in itself the views of , after all , a minority of even foreign Masons , on the plea of philosophy and fraternity , and the moral power and the intellectual idea , and sweep away , by

one bold stroke , the time-hallowed usages of the best and truest exponent of real and practical Preemasonry in the world , our own English Grand Lodge , together with English Preemasonry , requires a good deal ever to commend itself to the cooler and less excited judgment of English Freemasons . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Tours fraternally , AN ENGLISH PAST MASTER .

The Proposed Testimonial To The Assistant Grand Secretary.

THE PROPOSED TESTIMONIAL TO THE ASSISTANT GRAND SECRETARY .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EHEESTASOi-S' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC 3 IIEH 0 K . DEAR SIR , —I have been looking forward to receive an announcement of some authorised plan for carrying out the suggestion made in your columns by a P . M . to present Bro . Farnfield Avith some mark of our esteem on his retirement from office after his forty years' service .

I hope to hear that the matter will be at once taken up with vigour , and a spontaneous offering from many brethren -will certainly be the result . Tours fraternally , THE MASTER OE A LONDON LODGE , Aug . 29 , 1 S 6 G .

[ Bro . William Smith , C . E ., the proprietor of this MAGAZINE , writes us from Italy , where he has been for some weeks , to say that having seen with pleasure the suggestion of a P . M . upon the subject referred to aboA'e , he authorises his name to be placed on the list of those who are prepared to come forward with their spontaneous offerings in aid of the very laudable object in view . —ED . F . M . I

Ar00902

THE MASONIC MIRROR . * * All communications to bo addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , AV . C .

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

The following is tlie Agenda of tlie business to be transacted in Grand Lodge at tbe monthly communication , ou AVednesday next , tbe 5 tli instant : — 1 . The minutes of tbe Quarterly Communication of tbe 6 th June to be read , and put for confirmation . 2 . Tho report of tbe Board of Benevolence for the last

quarter , in which are recommendations for tbe followinggrants , viz .: — The widow of a brother of the Lion Loelge ( No . 312 ) , Whitby £ 40 A brother of tbe Eoyal Lancasbire Lodge ( No . 116 ) Colno SO „ „ Sydney Lodge ( No . 829 ) , Sielcnp 50

„ „ Lodge of Benevolence ( No . 33 G ) Marple 30 3 . Report of tbe Board of General Purposes . There is very little of importance in tbe report of tho Boar ^ to be brought up on AVednesday . Clauses 1 anel 2 are co plaints preferred against lodges for irregularities . Clause relating to the new and . much needed edition of the Book oi

Constitutions , will cause considerable satisfaction to the Craft ; it is as follows : — " 3 . The Book of Constitutions being out of print , tbe Board have ordered an immediate reprint thereof , nnd bave embodied in the same , in their proper places , the new laws that have recently been passeel by tbe Grand Lodge , anel bave also made such verbal alterations and transpositions of paragraphs as

appeared necessary to render fee sense more clear . " To tbe report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on the 16 th inst ., showing a balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 2 , 138 ISs . 10 d ., and in tho hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ 50 . Of theee sums there belongs to

the Fund of Benevolence £ 1 , 245 15 s ., to the Fund of General Purposes £ 271 Os . 8 d ., and in the Unappropriated Account £ 672 Os . 2 d . A letter will be read from Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , acknowledging tbe receipt of the resolution passeel at tbe last meeting of Grand Loelge , with respect to his father , the late Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , P . G . D .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

MOUNT LEBASOH LODGE ( No . 73 ) . —On Saturday , August 25 th , at the "Green Man" Tavern , Toolcy-street , Southwark ( Bro . C . A . Cathie ' s ) , the emergency meeting of this flourishing lodge was held . Bro . Frederick Walters , I'M .., acted as W . M ., in the absence of the AV . M ., Bro . J . C . Gooddy , caused by his boing out of town . There were present , Bros . G . Morris , S . W . 5 T . J . Sabine , J . W . ; E . Harris , P . M ., Treas . ; J . Donkin , P . M ., ¦

Sec . ; F . H . Ebsworth , S . D . ; D . Rose , J . D . M . A . Loewenstark , I . G . ; G . Free , AA . S . ; AV . AVatson ; 11 . Fronton ; J . Trickett ; E . Prince ; M . Hornsey ; R . Orel , and many others too numerous to enumerate . Amongst a very large number of visitors , whose names we were able to ascertain , were , Bros . A . II . Tattershall , S . AV . 13 , J . W . 140 ; H . A . Collington , P . M . 79 , Sec . 140 , W . M . 871 ; W . Noak , S . W . 140 ; AV . Robinson , 147 ; Alloneler , 145 ; J . Terry , P . M . 228 ; R . Watts , P . M ., P . Z . 185 ; A . D . Loewenstark , P . M . 548 , 733 ; J . W . T . Barrett , 871 ; E . AV . Little , I'M . & Z . 975 , & c . & c . The lodge was duly opened . A ballot was taken for Mr . F . Mew , and declared to