Correspondence.

the term of office of the Grand Master ; 2 nd . The fact that all the Grand Lodge meetings are held in London , and hence , not only are the provinces singularly ignorant of the proceedings , and non-participative in the honours of that august body , but they feel very little interest in them . The only opportunities

they have of knowing anything of the subject occur when theW . M . ' s andWardens of an unfortunate lodge are summoned to attend , at great expense , to account for some trivial offence of time or place ; though any breaches of honour , of virtue , of morality , are passed over as beyond the province of the heads of a society

professedly based ou the practice and the inculcation of these and of kindred principles . Indeed I have known one of the most important officers of Grand Lodge , when officially consulted as to the course which ought to be pursued in a certain case , reply that such matters could not be entertained bthe

y administrative body ; and that , notwithstanding the important ancient charges with which the Book of Constitutions opens , and which are required to be read occasionally in open lodge , these things are , as

it were , outside the pale , and , were they to be made subjects of inquiry , there would be no end to the duties of the governing body , aud a serious diminution in the number of members . Hence has arisen the difficulty in one province of getting rid of an unworthy brother in a high position , which required

seven years for its accomplishment , and even at last was not brought about by direct authoritative interference , but rather by the force of local public opinion , both within and without the sphere of tbe Craft . As to the first point referred to above , I have no hope that further remarks , in addition to those made on

former occasions , will be of any avail ; and therefore I content myself with merely observing , that in order to prevent matters falling too much into a fixed groove , it is most desirable , before the term of the present head of the Craft in England shall be brought to an end ban event whichsooner or laternone of

y , , us can prevent , that , iu future , a limit to the exalted position of Grand Master should be fixed—say , seven or ten years ; and a shorter limit—say of three or five years , to that of Provincial Grand Master .

The second point I have noticed is the small chance that a provincial brother—however eminent by zeal , talent , and skill—has of appointment to office in Grand Lodge , unless he have the ear of some Provincial Grand Master who has influence at head quarters . The only remedy for this is perhaps the of

holding intermediate meetings in the provinces , such as those introduced iu the Mark Grand Lodge of England , by which means an acquaintance with provincial merit in different districts may be obtained , with a fair chance of its being rewarded . These remarks are , however , preliminary to those on another matter

, which I now proceed to mention . In a short Masonic biography of the late . Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England , inserted in " your columns on the 1 st ult ., I notice the observation , "" Although not very popular with the Craft , & c . " From personal experience & c . I might add muchespeciallin

con-, , , y nection with the subject to which I have alludedthe continuance in office of an unworthy provincial brother ; but I bear in mind the maxim , " De mortuis nil nisi bonum , " and willingly endorse your continuation , that our late brother was " a thoroughly

Correspondence.

conscientious man , and a ; hard-working and zealous Secretary . " The question I wish to lay before your readers is this : —Is it desirable that the appointment to an office so important should be entirely with the Grand Master , an office which commands so large a salary as nearly £ 600 a year—one in which there are so many

opportunities of favouritism , and in which it is so easy to cause annoyance to any brother who demands inquiry into subjects which are not convenient ? As in the former recommendations I have made I would on no account interfere with the prerogative of the present distinguished and much-beloved head of our Order ,

but I do think that during his rule there would be great propriety in changing the law prospectively , to the effect that the selection of Secretary should lie with the Grand Lodge , and not with any future ruler of the Craft . Such is now the case as regards the Treasurer . The two offices appear to me to be kindred , and if the latter is important in reference to the funds of the Craft , the former is equally so in other

respects of quite as great moment , and such as affect the character of the Order , both collectively in the lodges and individually with the members . It appears to me that where the possession of an office is accompanied by the receipt of so large a sum , those to whom the funds whence the salary is drawn belong should have a voice in the matter . Probablwhen the law

y on the subject was made the amount was far less , the duties were much lighter , and the Craft of far less importance , and composed of men of much lower status and mental calibre than is the case at present . As one change has taken place by the enlargement of the operations , it appears to me that another is

rendered desirable as a consequence . I throw out the suggestion as a clearance of my own conscience , and if it be not acted upon , the responsibility thereof is thrown upon others . The opportunity offers , and it is for Grand Lodge to judge whether or not things remain as they are . Yours fraternally , P . M . 1 st August , 1868 .

Very Like An Impostor.

VERY LIKE AN IMPOSTOR .

TO THE EDITOB OE THE PEEEHASOIfS' MAGAZINE AKD STASOITIO MIBBOB . Dear Sir and Brother , —On Tuesday night a gentleman , who unfortunately was a cripple—having lost hia left arm , and the right one not perfect—presented himself for admission to a lodge in the north of Englandand when testedproved himselfrather

im-, , , perfectly , a Mason , but had no certificate ; said he lost it in Manchester * eighteen months ago through distress , it being locked up in a big box , with three locks to it , and the only articles he had with him were some letters , which he got from , several brethren from the west of this province—as

far back as April , 1864 , as a recommendation to other brethren for their support . The " wife " of this selfstyled brother is now giving readings in a small city