To The Editor Of The Freemasons' Magazine And Masonic Mirror.

a library , and reading and refreshment rooms , although the members of the Craft who use them will have to pay for the latter , and the library will be for the Craft generally . Brethren will be by no means surprised to learn that No . 48 does not object to extend the tavern . " Again , after paying some—I doubt not well merited—compliments , you say— " This is certainly more honourable than the conduct of the Royal Cumberland at , Bath ,

which , though meeting in Lodge rooms , would degrade the Grand Lodge of England to meet in a tavern . " As an old Bath Mason , I claim for those who are not members of the Royal Cumberland Lodge exemption from any censure merited by that Lodge ; as the oldest member of the Royal Cumberland Lodge , I am prepared to take my share of whatever responsibility attaches to the resolutions complained of ; andas an old reader of the MagazineI venture to hope

, , you will be glad to hear and to publish the fact , that there is no foundation for your writer's conclusions . First , as to the insinuation contained in the words— " Brethren will be by no means surprised to learn that No . 48 docs not object to extend the tavern , " I have simply to . state that surprise is most frequently caused by finding persons unlike ourselves—things different to what we expect them . You are probably a better judge of your general readers than I can pretend to be ,. but those—and they are man )*—who know

the Royal Cumberland Lodge , and know that the whole of its funds , exclusive of rent and Lodge expenses , are devoted to charitable purposes—that we have neither monthly or quarterly banquets , and that the expense of that which is held annuall y , at the installation of the Worshipful Master , is paid , not out of the Lodge funds , but by the brethren who partake of itwould , I think , feel surprised at the insinuation that from sympathy with mere tavern Masonry , " the Royal Cumberland Lodge does not object to extend the Tavern . "

The resolution adopted on this subject— "We do not advocate "—should have been "We deprecate considerable outlay in this manner ; but , if it can be shown that an expenditure to extend the tavern would be productive of an adequate return , we should not object to it . " I quote from the Magazine , April 20 th , p . 75 o , in which I find the resolutions of the Royal Cumberland Lodge recorded , and to which I beg to refer you , and any of your readers who wish to know the facts ; and I respectfully contend that

the fair inference from the resolutions is—not that we object to " the application of the hall to Masonic purposes ; " not that we "oppose a library and reading and refreshment rooms ; " not that we " would degrade the Grand Lodge of England to meet in a tavern" ( it was expressly resolved that suitable accommodation should be provided for the Grand Lodge and its officers)—but that , while the cries of worthy Masons iu distress , and those of the widows and orphans of departed brethren are ringing in our

earswhile we have earnest and necessary appeals for assistance from all the Masonic charities—there arc luxuries which we cannot afford ; and amongst them is that of providing lor our London brethren a "library and reading and refreshment rooms . Although the brethren who use them will have to pay for the latter "—who will pay for the former ? "The library will be for the Craft generally" —it will be of great benefit to country Masons . In sober seriousnessmy dear brotherthis is an attempt to do something

, , which , in other days , not long past ,, no one would more heartil y , as few could more effectually , denounce than yourself ; and I am greatly mistaken if the unenviable notoriety which you promise us , be not shared in by many independent Lodges and brethren throughout the kingdom . We have recently had the pleasure of responding to the appeal lrom the charities by constituting the First Principal of our Ghirota a life governor