Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ THE E DITOB does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained by Correspondents . ' ]

THE NEW SELF-STYLED LODGE OE MARK MASTERS . TO THE EDITOR OP THE JTBEmrASOXS' JIAGAZISE A > T > 3 I . 1 S 0 XIC MIKHOIt . DEAU SIB . AND BUOTHEU , —As I previously saicl in a former letter of mine on this subject , I shall leave Bro . R . E . X . to luxuriate in any amount , he may please to pen , of fine writing . My business is ivith . facts . I have already disposed of the

matter as far as regards the 111 . Bros . Colo , and Stebbing , unci have no need to qualify one word which I have heretofore written . R . E . X . states thafc I know " that there has existed for somo j-eavs a Grand Mark Masters' Lodge , established precisely in the manlier in which the Grand Craft Lodge was constructed . " This I deny , and will not be reputed to have

acknowledged a falsehood , a sham , or the indecent caricature of the Grand Lodge of England , which Bro . R . E . X . delights to decry , in order to raise his more exalted and moro illustrious new-fangled authority . I do know that some individuals have , for five years , arrogated to themselves a title ivhich is indefensible , bufc that they did this " precisely in the manner in which the Grand Lodge of

England ivas constituted , " is not true . The Grand Lodge was formed thus : —In 1717 there had been no Grand Master elected , and the Grand Lodge was in abeyance . To call ifc again into existence , the masters of four lodges did , as

warranted by the constitutions of the time , summon the brethren to meet and choose a Grand Master , and brethren from some thirty lodges met and elected the oldest W . M . present as Grand Master , and under his rule tho Grand Lodge of England ivas re-established . Now , hoiv did this New Selfstyled Cvvnud Lodge of Mark Masters act ? They did not summon the Mark Masters of any lodge . A Bon Accord mooting was heldfour Mark Masons attended it as visitors

, , the visitors were told their presence was nofc required . They refused to withdraw while the lodge was open , upon which some of the magnates retired into another room , were absent less than five minutes , and returned , stating that thoy had formed themselves into a Grand Lodge , and as the visitors were nofc named amongst the officers , and fchafc was the first Grand Mark Loclge meeting , they ' must go out , and out they

were turned . If'R . E . X . will now tell me that there is a shadow of resemblance between the two cases he can see much more than I do . Next , R . E . X . offers me his patronage and " salutary advice , " because , forsooth , he says my expressions were im-Masonic ! This I deny . I can have no sympathy with mi-Masonic assumption . An unrecognized body cannot claim

Masonic obedience , respect , or silence , from a Mason . The right of free discussion is an Englishman ' s proudest boast , and not all the sham authorities in the universe can abrogate one tittle of ifc .

The degree being upheld by several of tho most eminent Masons I admit , but they do not uphold the self-styled Gravid Mark Lodge . They cannot do so as true men and Masons . They have most of fchem sworn " to discountenance all impostors , " and this New Grand Mark Lodge is , on the face of ifc , a gross and glaring imposition , neither practising that fealt y to the law of tho land that every Mason professes

should ahvays guide him , nor assembling as individuals , but factiously , and insultingly , aping the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of England , with ivhich body the New Grand Mark Lodge can have no affinity , as the majority of its members have renounced their obligation , and gone astray after the delusive semblance they havo themselves set up . R . E . X . is very much mistaken if he thinks thafc by using

my words he will cither draw from mc an affirmation , or denial of membership . He is perfectly at liberty to enjoy any opinion he may form on the subject , as well as of " my high position in the Craft , " which ho reall y does nofc know , and of which I shall not inform him . Nor do I think R . E . X . a good tactician . He has "lefc the cat out of the bag" too soon . The agitation in favour of the Mark cler / rce will nofc avail him one jot . It will never pass in Grand Loclge , but even if ifc did , can he think tho

Correspondence.

great body of the Craft so blind as to stultify their own condemnation of the obstructive principles , known to actuate the prime movers in this affair , aud add one more to the many insults our M . W . G . M . has received from that body ? If he does , he will find he has hallooed too soon and spoilt his device . I am also obliged by the definition R . E . X . has taken the

pains fco set forth as to his " time immemorial . " It is as vague as his other general assertions . But n'importe ; lefc it pass . I have no doubt that the Jersey , Irish , and Scotch lodges , grand and subordinate , recognise the degree . Nay , more , I know they confer it . But do they acknowledge the right of this self-elected body to be supreme in England ? Say

what he will , the point for R . E . X . is—who acknowledges the new self-styled Grand Loclge of Mark Masters ? Does the Grand Lodge of England , Ireland , Scotland , or even the subordinate Mark Loclge of Jersey ? Does the Clerk of the peace for Middlesex ? No . It is as illegal , as spurious , and mi-Masonic as the self-constituted lodge of the Philadelphes .

R . E . X . asserts I wish to be informed of the antiquity of the degree—I do not ; I flatter myself I know it a little better than he does . And if his information is as correct as that given in his following sentence , the less said the better . He refers me to Gloucester Cathedral for evidence of Mason ' s Marks , but as my time is otherwise employed , I must decline going on a wild goose chase to search out

marks which were made by operative Masons long before Mark Masonry was heard of . Nor do I suppose that in a cathedral of the new foundation , like Gloucester , they maintain a Professor ! as the " sub-sacrisfcan . " If that elevated personage held such a humble post , we should be sure to find it chronicled in the " Report of the Cathedral Commissioners , " or in " the Clergy List ; " but no , it is not to be

found in either . Professor Willis , of the Archceological Society too ( which one R . E . X . is kind enough to suppress ) is paraded as understanding more of our Graff ; than Professor Wilton , the deputy sweeper of Gloucester Cathedral 1 Well , perhaps he does ; R . E . X . says so ! and I am very happy to close this letter , and sign myself , Tour Fraternal Brother in the Craft , AxTi-Srmuous MAIIK .

Proposed Masonic Hall In Norwich.

PROPOSED MASONIC HALL IN NORWICH .

TO THE EDITOIl OF THE HiEEM . lSOXs' 31 . CG . IZIXE -CXD 3 I . lS 0 . VtC lltREO DEAU SIR AND BUO ., —In my letter in the FREEMASONS ' MAGAZINE of last week on the above subject , au error of the printer crept in , which , though manifest enough , may as well be corrected . I stated "that if the sum of 5 s . each , were contributed out of the yearly subscription of the 200 brethren belonging to the Norwich Lodges , this would give

an annual sum of £ 50 , which ivould be a good rental to begin with . " The printer put 6 d , for 5 s . It is obvious 200 sixpences would not amount to £ 50 a year ; bufc the 5 s . per annum ivould be equal to loss than 6 d . each a month , which is merely a nominal payment . While on this matter , I may as well add that , according to the present system in Norwich , a certain proportion of tho

subscriptions is devoted to " refreshment , " and in this way , besides the small sum paid for the rent of the room and gas at each meeting , the landlord is remunerated for the accomodation he provides . I am sorry to say that the system has so won upon the affections of some of the brethren , that they do not altogether relish the prospect of relinquishing this species oi quid pro r [ uo . At present they

get back so much in grog , and those who take their " refreshment " at the close of the lodge ( some , by the way , aro more punctual at the latter than the former ) look upon their amount of subscription as reduced pro tanto ; and , in some instances , the return is fully equal to the investment , for tho subscriptions of the absentees aro sometimes spent in that way among those who aro present—a plan that I

have heard defended on the ground that ifc operates as an inducement to the brethren to attend to their duties . Ifc is needless to point out how degrading this system is to the dignity of Preemasonry . If a Mason ' s lodge were merely a club for the promotion of social enjoyment among its own members exclusively , there coulcl bo no objection to