Correspondence.

service be has done the state , he may be talented , good , or what is more , the son of a Mason ( as was the case in the Cawnpore Lodge last month ) , he must be degraded , lie must creep into the Craft by the permission of the Provincial Grand Master . " Old Brethren , Masters of Lodges , will see the insult offered them by this beautiful bye-law . The Asiatic may

'be the son of a Mason ( thereby entitled to be made a Mason before any other , be he prince or peasant ); he may possess all the requisite qualifications for a Mason ; he may be accepted by his father ' s lodge ; be recommended by several old Past Masters ; honoured by tho great , respected by the Masons and non-Masons of his country—bah 1 it avails him nothing ; without the

sanction of one man he must go away ; no admission for the Asiatic . " The new law would throw aside the recommendation -of all ; the " ballot-box , " the great tost , which stands between the Mason ' s lodge and the uninitiated world , is disregarded ; only let the Provincial Grand Master say "Yes" ( oven though he is a thousand miles away ,

and consequently knows nothing of the candidate , or those recommending him ) , and all is correct . "The picture just drawn is not a bit exaggerated , 'tis too true , as a similar case has only been experienced at this station last month ; and my only fea . t now is that some such attempt will be made by and b } 'e to keep out ihe poor man . Who can tell . I can only say , Masons , beware—GUAIID YOUR , LANDMARKS . "

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BENGAL HUHKARir . " SIR , —Your observations on the doings , & c , of Freemasons in this pron ' nce is , I regret to say , too true . The Indian Freemasons' Friend , for October contains many unpleasant truths on our present working . " Our princiles do not appear to be understoodor at

p , least but poorly practised , by brethren from whom we look for better . Hard , indeed , is tbe remark of the editor of the Indian Freemasons' Friend , in his report of last Proviucial Grand Lodge ' s proceedings , wherein he states ( like a good faithful Secretary in support of his Master ) , applause was given by the brethren present . When the Provincial Grand Master threatened to

suspend the Cawnpore brethren if they continued or persisted in contumacy—can it bo possible that the old Past Masters and other first-class legislators of tho Craft applauded tbe Provincial Grand Master ' s threat ? No ; I confidently deny that these honourable brethren applauded on such an unfortunate occasion . A few young Masons may have forgotten themselves , and in

their zeal to support ( right or wrong ) a favourite chief evinced their ill-timed pleasure at the expense of their distant brethren . Applause ? Pity , sorrow for their offending brethren Avould , I think , bo more opportune . Where , I ask , were their Masonic sympathies , their promised forbearance towards an erring brother?—forgottenI blush to saywhen they should have

remem-, , bered the poor erring brethren most . In what part of the Masonic Hall , may I ask , was that gem of our Masonic profession—charity ? Echo ansivers , Where ? I , your humble servant , knoAv not .

"AlloAving the Cawnpore brethren were acting Avrongthat they were guilty of contumacy—would it not be more charitable , i . e ., Masonic in the Provincial Grand Master , to have waited for the final report from the Cawnpore Lodge , before he threatened suspension . Surety Bro . Hoff might aliOAv his Master ' s threat to pass without uniting applause to support that threat .

" Being acquainted with tbe particulars of the act of insubordination complained of by the Provincial Grand Master , permit me to observe that the Cawnpore brethren appear to have acted throughout in accordance with the acknowledged practices of the Craft ; and unless the

Correspondence.

Constitutions have beenlately altered , I think their view of the landmarks are correct , and will be borne out by the opinion of greater and older heads than Right Worshipful Bro . Sandemann's . Tho ease is that of a Mason ' s son , a Mahomedan Prince , Saedoodowlah , having been initiated without dispensation 1 But the best of it is , dispensation was requested — proofs of candidate ' s

character , & c , given . The candidate Avas balloted and approved of by the Cawnpore Lodge , with the full recommendation of candidate's father ( Prince Moomtazoodowlah ) and several old Past Masters , Avho knew the candidate thoroughly . Would you believe it , in face of these many strong recommendations , the Provincial Grand Master would not give his consent to the initiation ,

nor would he refuse it ; kept the Cawnpore brethren and the candidate ou and off , for more than a month . Finally , Master , Bro . Jordan , at the earnest request of several Past Masters and others—to save the candidate the disgrace of returning toLucknow without the degree , himself , and father , and several brethren came 50 miles to witnessinitiated the son of a Mason ; and to prevent such unpleasantness again occuring , has referred the matter to

the Grand Lodge of England . " Here is Masonry boasting of its ' universality , ' & c , and yet after hundreds of natives have been initiated into the Craft , a new law ( 55 ) is quietly added to the Provincial Grand Lodge by-laws , barring the door to all 'Asiatics and Mahomedans . ' Beautiful , isn't it . After the opinion of the late Duke of Sussex and other great

Masons of experience iu favour of Asiatics—here we have a new bye-law keeping out a man because of bis colour and creed . Nice universality this ! I am no great advocate for tho admission of common Hindoos , no more than I am for tbe admission of any other common people ; but I certainly think we cannot legally keep out good Mahomedan gentlemen ( particularly after

they have been accepted by a lodgo ) without infringing the " Constitutions" of the Order . However , this point will soon be settled by the Grand Lodge of . England , to whom the question has been submitted by tho Master of the Cawnpore Lodge , who , I may observe , has closed his lodge pending the decision of the Earl of Zetlandof which more by-and-bye . " FIDELITAS . "

Masonic Charities.

MASONIC CHARITIES .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AOT ) JIASONIO MIREOH . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Referring to a former letter I had the honour of addressing to you on this subject , after noticing the remarks of W . M ., 1 took the liberty of calling attention to the great benefit that would accrue to the Charities by levying from every member the small sum of half-a-crown yearly for each Charity—say ten

shillings in all . I noticed lately that you calculate the number of members at 1 ( 3 , 000 to 20 , 000—even taking the lower number , this would realise £ 8 , 000 per annum , which I venture to say would be given generally with great good will , and would nob interfere with the liberal voluntary offerings which have for some time been increasing in such a satisfactory manner . I throiv out the

suggestion to any brother who has the ear of Grand Lodge to bring the subject before it , trusting to tho support of the brethren to carry it to a successful issue . I am , very fraternally , Dec . 16 . 18 G 3 . P . M .

Ar00503

Singing oils the wheels of care and supplies the place of sunshine . A man who sings has a good heart under his shirt-front . Such a man not only works more willingly , but he works more constantly . A singing cobhler will earn as much money again as a cordwainer who gives way to low spirits and indigestion . Avaricious men never sing . The man who attacks singing throws a stone at the head of hilarity , and would , if he could , rob June of its roses and August of its meadow-lark .