Correspondence.

actually endorsed all that had been done by pronouncing the Benediction ? If so , Mr . M . ' s " services appointed" must fall to the ground , for in the absence of such a service , the presence and approval—nay more , the episcopal blessing —• was formally given to the work , and in giving it to the work it also stamped the arrangements and details with the diocesan ' s approbation . If Mr . Mainwaring therefore ignores the bishop ' s power , what becomes of his own " p lain dealing . "

With regard to Mr . Mainwaring ' s " standing justified " supposing the Bishop of Salisbury did not answer , that is a matter between Mr . M ' s own conscience and his Maker . Let him see to that . He first attacked our order , and his attack would have been harmless but for one circumstanceits publication in one of thebest of newspapers , The Guardian . The poison has been disseminated by that journal , and all

that can be done is to endeavour to show the untenable position of the writer , and from , his own letters proceed to convict him of such a want of " plain dealing , " that few men would care to have attached to their names . In Mr . Mainwaring ' s second letter he shuffles out of sending Bro . Cooper ' s letter back ( " plain dealing " again ) , and advises the latter to read Bishop Armstrong ' s article on

Freemasonry . People should be careful how they stir a stagnant pool , for the 3 may "touch pitch and become defiled " in a like manner to Mr . Mainwaring . The article by Bishop Armstrong first appeared in The Christian Remembrancer , and as I happen to know something of the way in which it was concocted , I will give my brethren to understand with what " plain dealing" it was written . When the Rev . John Armstrong held a living hi the country a certain young man , one D A , was a dissenting

preacher , he was reputed to be a young man of good education , and had a desire to enter into Holy Orders in the Church of England . Several clergymen felt an interest in him , and as the Rev . John Armstrong was known to be a good churchman D- —— A was placed under his care . Now D A was a Mason , and when Mr . Armstrong found he could do but little with him , for D A—— had strong low church sentimentsand in fact is nowthough in

, , Holy Orders , nothing more than an ordained dissenter , it came out one day that he had some Masonic books in his room , and Mr . Armstrong questioned him about them , borrowed them , and in order to ridicule him , wrote from them such an attack upon Masonry as any clever man could have done . This paper made no difference to D A ; but soon after he left Mr . Armstrong ' sand the latter was

, so piqued with his want of success in not being able to make his former pupil a hi g h churchman that he laid the blame of it to D A ' s . Masonic faith , as Armstrong termed it , and without knowing what Masonry was , or being initiated , recast his paper , and sent it to The Christian Bemembrancer , in which it appeared , and , on account of its smartness , attracted considerable attention . If Mr . Mainwaring

rejoices over such a specimen of " plain dealing" he is perfectly welcome , but to my mind it was a paltry way of venting the annoyance Mr . Armstrong felt by attacking a society of which ho was entirely ignorant , ancl of whose principles he had only gathered scraps . Agreeing entirely with Mr . Mainwaring that such correspondence as he suggests " does not generally tend to

edification , " and hoping that , for the future , he will confine his observations to himself , and not cast suspicion on a society that has done more for the church than generations of his ancestors , who appear to havo become the impropriators of parochial tithes to the detriment of the church itself . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours truly ancl fraternally , MATTHEW COOKE , K . T ., S . P . R . > K

The mallet which the Earl of Orkney used in laying the foundation-stone of the ISTew Junior "United Service Club was the identical mallet used by Charles the Second in laying the foundation-stone of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , and which was presented by Sir Christopher AVren to the Masonic " Lodge of Antiquity , " of which he was Master .

Poetry.

POETRY .

THE OTHER DAY . Till , in my soul , she grow enshrined , A young Egcria of the mind!—T . K . Serve ;/ . It seems , love , but the other day Since thou and I were young together ; And yet we ' ve trod a toilsome way , And wrestled oft with stormy weather ;

I see thee in thy spring of years , Ere cheek or curl had known decay ; Ancl there ' s a music in mine ears , As sweet as heard the other day 1 Affection like a rainbow bends Above the past , to glad my gaze , And something still of beauty lends

To memory ' s dream of other days ; AVithin my heart there seems to beat That lighter , happier heart of youth , AVhen looks were kind , ancl lips were sweet , And love ' s world seemed a world of truth .

Within this inner heart of mine A thousand golden fancies throng , And whispers of a time divine Appeal with half-forgotten tongue : I know , I feel , 'tis but a dream , That thou art old and I am grey , And that , however brief it seem , AVe are not as the other day .

Not as the other day—when flowers Shook fragrance on our joyous track ; AVheii- Love could never count the hours , And Hope ne ' er dreamt of looking back : When , if the world had been our own , AVe thought how changed should be its state , — Then every cot should be a throne , The poor as happy as the great!—¦

AVhen we'd that scheme which Love imparts , That chain all interests to bind—The fellowship of human hearts , The federation of mankind ! Ancl though with us time travels on , Still relics of our youth remain , As some flowers , when their spring is gone , Yet late in autumn bloom again .

Alas ! ' mid worldly things ancl men , Love ' s hard to caution or convince ; And hopes , which were but fables then , Have left with us their moral since ; The twilight of the memory cheers The soul with many a star sublime , And still the mists of other years Hang dew-drops on the leaves of Time .

For what was then obscure and far Hath grown more radiant to our eyes , Although the promised , hoped-for star Of social love hath yet to rise . Still foot by foot the world is erost—Still onward , though it slow appear : AVho knows how slight a balance lost Might cast the bright sun from its sphere !

All time is lost in littleness ! All time , alas ! if rightly shown , Is but a shadow , more or less , Upon life ' s lowly dial thrown . The greatest pleasures , greatest grief , Can never bear the test of years : The pleasures vanish leaf hy leaf , The sorrow wastes away in tears .

Then , though it seem a trifling space Since youth , and mirth , ancl hope were ours , Yet those who love us most may trace The hand of age amid our flowers . Thus day by day life ' s ages grow ; The sands which hourly fall and climb Mark centuries in their ceaseless flow , And cast the destinies of Time ! CnAEEES SWAIS .