Honorary Members.

the South of France , where there was a lodge , and I attended it , by invitation , as regularly as I could . I assisted at their "Fete de St . Jean , Solstice d'Hiver , " when the annual word was to be communicated ( mot annuel—a

password peculiar to each Grand Lodge abroad , changed every year ; communicated with great secrecy in open lodge to each member of the lodge , without which visiting brethren of the lodges of the jurisdiction may be refused

admittance ) ; this password is never communicated to foreign visiting brethren . On my rising to leave the lodge , I was requested not to leave the precincts , and in about five minutes a deputation requested me to re-enter the lodge , when the "Worshi pful Master informed me that , in order to be able legally to communicate the word to me ,

the lodge had , then and there , unanimously voted me an honorary member , and that in that quality I was entitled to receive the communication . On proceeding afterwards to the election of officers , the Worshipful Master informed me that , as an

honorary member , I was entitled to vote on that , as on all other questions , and he urged me to do so . I need scarcely state that I declined on that occasion to exercise the right of voting , although I generally voted subsequently on matters of more

general import . Whether , however , honorary members can take office in foreign lodges , I am unable to state . I must observe that the Worshipful Master cf the lodge in question was an experienced Mason ( 18 ° ) and well acquainted , as every Master of a French lodge must be , with the then provisions of French Masonic regulations .

I quite agree with that part of Bro . Dr . Oliver ' s statement , quoted in the leading article of the MAGAZINE of the 31 st December , that , " although the law is silent regarding his ( an honorary member's ) privileges , we think the common sense view

of the case would assign to such a one the same privileges in the lodge , when he is present , as are enjoyed by a subscriber ; else of what value is the membership ?" Alas ! how seldom does common sense influence

the decisions of any Grand Lodge ! In respect to the question as to whether an honorary member of a lodge must be a subscribing member to some other lodge , I must answer that such is virtually the law in Switzerland , but arising

from other laws affecting membership . No Mason in Switzerland can be active ( subscribing ) member of more than one Swiss lodge

Honorary Members.

A member withdrawing from his lodge , unless it is expressly to join another , or a member excluded from a lodge , ceases to be an active Masonin fact , for all intent and purpose , withdraws from the Craft ; and if an honorary member of-other

lodges , he equally ceases to be a member of them , and his name will be erased from all subsequent lists ^ of members . This affects only Swiss Masons within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland ; but foreign brethren , even when living in

Switzerland , are not affected by it . There are many other points in connection with the foregoing which it would not be uninteresting to touch upon ; . but this communication has already exceeded the limits'I proposed , and I will therefore add no

more . R . T . S . Berne , January 3 rd , 1865 .

Freemasonry In Denmark.

FREEMASONRY IN DENMARK .

A heavy blow was inflicted on Danish Masonry through the death of King Frederick YIL , who had held the dignity of Grand Master during his reign , and endeavoured by every means to further the interests of the Craft , which derived an invaluable benefit from being

protected by the royal purple . Upon his demise , in accordance with the statutes by which the Order is governed , all activity was prohibited as long as the Grand Master ' s chair was vacant . The present King does not belong to the Craft , and declined , joining itin spite of numerous invitations

froni-, inany quarters ; and several months were wasted while the Grand Council could not agree as to the brother upon whom the dignity should be conferred . At length , a motion was made to resume at least the operations of the St . Johannis Lodge

pending the contest ; but the motion failed , it being considered compulsory to strictly adhere to the letter of the law , and thus an unspeakable damage was inflicted on the cause of human progress by the entire suspension of Masonic labours during the season of 1863-4 . The electoral

contest was very serious , there being no end of candidates to the highest dignity in the Craft ; but non ex quoins ligno fit Mercit-rius . At last , the jealousies among the brethren , were fairly overcome , and in May Bro . Brastrup , the highest official of the chapterwas elected Grand Masterat the

, , urgent instance of the St . J ohannis Lodge . The next difficulty arose with respect to the forms to be observed at his inauguration , it being deemed necessary that the oath of allegiance should be taken by all brethren in a public lodge ; and much time was wasted with the ritual that had to be

g one through on that occasion . In the meantime , an obituary lodge was celebrated in May , by the St . Johannis Lodge , for the illustrious deceased