The New Grand Officers.

Bro . Slight ' s merits as a man ancl a Mason are _ so well known , that I am surprised that your correspondent should profess ignorance of them . There are doubtless many older Masons who may have a legitimate hope of office , but I know of none who have surpassed , and very few who have approached , Bro . Slight of late years , in his zealous and honest services to Freemasonry . Successively Master of three first-rate Lodges , bountiful in his charities in his work

, a pattern , devoting much of his time wherever and whenever he can serve the Craft , and binding together in fraternal union those who come within his influence—such is our Junior Grand Deacon . Many can vouch hoiv sincerel y he carries out in his own life the best princip les ^ ! ' our Order ; and in Grand Lodge , even those ivho like myself hare sometimes differed from him , know his value as a clear headed man of business and a successful combatant of faction .

Bro . Gavin Pocock is not so ivell known iu London Lodges , but I have long heard of him as ' one ofthe main supporters of Masonry in the province of Sussex ; and from close inquiries I believe him to be in every way deserving of thc office of Grand Sword Bearer , and hi more provinces than one I have heard thc greatest satisfaction expressed at the annointmeiit .

coupled with the hope that the practice may be continued , and that year after year some provincial brother of distinguished merit may have a similar honour conferred upon him . In reference to the selection of the Grand AVardens , I , for one , cannot see why exception should be taken to the practice of selecting brethren with special regard to social station ; but I must not trespass on your columns to argue this question , my main object being to do justice to those who may be

specially attacked by the censorious or the disappointed . In thc circle of a very large Masonic acquaintance , the only objection I have heard raised to the recent appointments has been the regret ' that , for some reason which wc below the dais do not know , there are so many reappointments ; as to the new appointments , I have heard in all quarters thc highest approbation . That the "dissatisfaction" should be " universal" I can

easilunder-, y stand , if your correspondent ' s Masonic universe be limited to the circle of the disappointed or thc factious ; and if so , the " resentment" he talks of need cause no distress to our rulers . 1 am , clear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , May iitfi , 1 S 50 . K . T . '

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

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR .

Di-. iK Sin ANOBKOTJIER , —Iii thc Magazine of May 1 . 1 th , there is a letter signed " An Independent P . M ., " impugning the appointments to offices in Grand Lodge for the present year . Now , without wishing to forestall the remarks which you promise us in your editorial note at the foot of the letter , I must beg to be allowed to say a few words upon one appointment , which is spoken of in terms of such injustice , that I can only imagine " An Independent P . M . " to be unacquainted with Bro . Gavin Pocockand i-

, gno rant of the great services which he has rendered to Freemasonry in tbe province of Sussex . Thc propriety of this appointment rests upon this one question—Arc provincial brethren to be excluded from holding office in Grand Lodge ? If not , and if it is desirable—nay , just—that the honours of the Craft should be extended beyond the limits of London , then I make bold to say that there is no provincial Mason more worthy than himself , of 3 3 i 2