Masonic Clothing.

become so , inasmuch as ifc involves the claims of individual Masons in reference to clothing , which may lead to personal dispute and recrimination , such as ive ought all most carefully to avoid . It will be esteemed a favour if you or any one of your correspondents whose opinion has weight can give a satisfactory and authoritative reply to my query ; at the same time I am anxious that due thought and consideration may be bestoAvcd on

the question before expressing it ; for unless the matter can be made perfectly clear , it may be necessary to appeal to Grand Lodge on the subject . The case is this : — A Past Master of a foreign Lodge goes to settle in England , and as a preliminary step to connexion AA'ith a Lodge there , visits one under an English Avarrant , of course on such occasions merely as a visitor , Avearing his foreiPast Master ' s bad . After a time he becomes a subscribing

gn ge member of this Lodge . He is then informed that , in compliance ivith an order Avhich issued from the Grand Lodge of England about the period Avhen the Mark degree was under the consideration of that body , he must give up the use of his foreign badge , and ivear an English one . He conforms to this arrangement , and obtains an apron bearing the emblems of a Past Master , when he is again told that this is not permissible , and that he can onlbe allowed to wear a simple Master Mason ' s apronnot having

y , filled the chair of a Lodge Avorking under au English warrant . Query : — Is he right in displaying his foreign honours as a Past Master on his apron , having been compelled to give up the use of his original badge for an English one ; or are those Avho thus interfered with him right ? Awaiting the favour of a carefully studied reply , I remain , dear Sir ancl Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally ,

January 22 nd , 1859 . P . M ., and Past Prov . G . S . W . [ We feel there need be no doubt on the subject—and that A'ery little consideration is required to ansAver the question . If a Brother has been regtdarlg installed and filed the Master's chair in a foreign Lodge , ho Avill have a right to Avear the insignia of a Past Master should he join an English

Lodge ; but he will not become a member of Grand Lodge until he has been elected a Warden under the English jurisdiction . At the same time , a Brother AVIIO has merely obtained the brevet rant of a "Past Master , " by taking ivhat is call the "Past Master's degree , " as a preliminary to the Mark and the Arch , as practised in Scotland , Ireland , ancl other places , is entitled to no rank in an English Lodge beyond that of a Master Mason .

This regulation ivas in existence long before the revival of the Mark degree , a few years ago ; and were it repealed ive should have our Lodges inundated with Scotch ancl Irish Past Masters—and the ambitious initiate , if he chanced to hear how easily the degrees are conferred in the sister countries , would often make a journey with no other view than that of obtaining them . An instance in point occurred a short time sincewhen a Fellow

, Craft Mason , who hacl only taken his second degree the evening previous to leaving London , hacl to visit Scotland on business—and in less than a week came back a full blown Master Mason , Past Master , Royal Arch , and we know not what besides—only to learn that , under the circumstances , his easily acquired dignities could not be acknowledged in England , where a man has at least to pass through a considerable probation , even if he does