Masonic Discipline.

he base so preposterous an assumption ? Does he mean to say that the fact of a brother having publicly shown himself thoroughly qualified for the office of W . M . would render him undesirable ? Supposing both the S . W . and J . W . equally eligible on other considerations for the chair , does he mean to assert

that the fact of the S . W . having received a certificate of proficiency from the Grand Lodge of Instruction would render him obnoxious to the lodge ? If so , oh ! _ shame for Masonry , for it would be the only institution in the world who failed to recognize the motto , "palmam qui meruit , ferat . " While I beg on

the one band to thank " Crescent" sincerely for his well-intentioned efforts , I must remind him that , instead of " pushing behind , ' ' there is such a thing as " dragging behind . " I would also inform him , as probably you will do , Sir and Brother , in your next , that he cannot according to the etiquette of the

press , preface bis articles by the title of "Masonic Discipline . " He may do so of course in a letter , or as a correspondent , but not in any other capacity . It is evident that my friend and brother , " Crescent , " is _ not accustomed to literary labours , or I am much mistaken .

I now come to the letter of " H . C , " and I confess that , were I at the present moment engaged in investigating and writing upon the theory , and not the practice , of Freemasonry , I should have much pleasure in going deeper than I can now do into the origin of our ceremonies and ritual . At the same time , I must

state that I do not consider it is quite fair for him to state that " there are four and not three " assistant officers . I beg to submit that the answer , " Three besides the O . G . or T ., ' ' is precisely equivalent to the answer , "Three , and the O . G . or T . " According to Cocker , three and one make four , and it is absurd

to blink the truth of a statement simply because , so well as we know , our ancestors bungled the rendering of it . When we find anyone who openly maintains that he likes errors" for the sake of errors , it is best to leave him alone . He has not even the excuse of the classic Avho exclaimed , " Video meliorapro ' boqiie , deteriora sec / nor . "

To the last paragraph of Bro . H . C , I reply that , although we may view the origin of our ceremonies , like the Fisherman of Loch Leven , by " the li ght of other days , " it must be remembered that , at the present day , that li ght is to us darkness , and , what is more , " darkness visible . " It is one thing to study a

science and another to apply . Supposing gunpowder to have been invented by the Chinese , it is one thing to investigate its origin and history , and quite another to apply the deadly powder . According to the opinion of H . C , we ought to apply our gunpoAvder by using a primitive China gun , instead of an Armstrong , a Fraser , or a Blakely .

The first and fourth paragraphs of the excellent letter of H . H . prove how necessary it is that some regulation should be promulgated in order to ensure uniformity in merely the " drill of Freemasonry . " It is really not a matter of very much consequence which way it is settled , although I admit there is a good deal of force in the argument put forward by Bro . H . H . when he states that as the brethren who have been in the lodge from the first have gone through the signs , so should those AVIIO subsequentl y

Masonic Discipline.

enter , do the same . The case of Bro . Morris and his 142 degrees is simply absurd , for it applies , as stated by H . H ., that the signs of a lodge are given in a chapter , those of a chapter in an encampment , and so on throughout the different departments of Masonry . Your correspondent should be a little moreearefulor he Avill render his effusions

ridicu-, lous . * I have to thank my "friend" and brother the " Quaker " for his excellent opinion of me , and trust that I shall ever deserve it . From what be has stated , and I perfectly agree with him in the soundness and -fitness of his views , 1 surmise that

if neither the proposer or seconder " turned up " on the evening of the initiation of that friend , he could not pass through the ceremony . I think it would be a very desirable rule to make it so in the next revision of our " Constitutions . " I contend that the " Quaker " and his lodge have no authority for insisting upon a candidate for the second and third

degrees , being " proposed and seconded in open lodge as at his initiation . " All that is required by the " Constitutions" is the conditions relating to "time , " and that the candidate should have " passed an examination in open lodge . " Every weeks brings some fresh evidence to prove what a perfect dead letter the " Constitutions" and the manner in which they are

, enforced , have become . A word to H . M . G ., and then , dear Sir and Brother , accept my apology for trespassing so much upon your space . Will H . M . G . allow me to suggest that he has made a grammatical mistake . He does not understand the etymology of the word " Immediately . " It

does not refer to place , but to time . However well meant his answer , I must inform him that it is not English . In his anxiety to preserve something of the old form of the answer , he has committed a grammatical blunder , which a little reflection will convince him of . To use the words of the poet , " Bicidit in

Scyllam , cupiens vitare C liar ib dim . ^ Yours fraternally , CEUX .

Broadfoot, Thompson, And Muggeridge's Ritual .

BROADFOOT , THOMPSON , AND MUGGERIDGE'S RITUAL .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC IIIEBOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —I beg to tender my apology and express my sincere regret to Bro . P . M . Hosgood that I should have entertained for one moment that he Avas the P . M . meant as having altered the ritual as it at present stands . The manner in which the party who has been the instigator of bringing this

sensational writing to light must have received Bro . Hosgood ' s statement in Grand Lodge as though one of Jove ' s thunderbolts had fallen upon him ; but , had I have known that it was intended for Bro . Hosgood , depend upon it they would not have imposed upon one Avho has known Bro . Hosgood for

upwards of 30 years . Expressing my regret for Avhat has occurred , permit me , dear Sir and Brother , to remain , Yours fraternally , J . H . D . P . S . —I have written privately to Bro . Hosgood on the subject .