Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for ihe opinions expressed by Correspondent ! . "CONFIRMED" AND "AFFIRMED . " 10 THE EDITOE OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AUD MASONIC MIEK 0 I 1 . Dear Sir and Brother , — "Week after week I see in your reports of various loclge meetings that " the

minutes of the previous meeting have been read and ¦ confirmed . The word confirmed I believe to be out of place here—it should be affirmed ; and in support of this I give you an extract from " Cox ' s Law of Joint Stock Companies . He says : — " It is not , as is generally supposed , a confirmation by the present Board of

the acts of the last Board , for that would imply that the concurrence of two Boards is necessary to the validity of any vote , and it would involve the absurdity of empowering those who were not present when the subject was discussed to rescind a resolution formally carried . The proceediug is , in truth , nothing more

than an affirmation hy the present Board that the Secretary had rightly entered the minutes of the proceedings of the last Board , and that they were as they appear upon the book , and , as a voucher for this , the -chairman signs it . Yours fraternally , J . H . KEEBIE , S . TV . 1 , 131 .

A COUNCIL OF RITES . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —I am pleased to see that aome of our most distinguished brethren are interesting themselves upon the subject of a " Council of Uites" with the object of obtaining a mutual support

, and recognition by the diiFerent groups of " high grade" Masons . It does seem to me a great anomaly that the Grand Lodge of England should declare that Masonry shall consist of three degrees and no more , including the Holy Royal Arch , while at the same time it should

wink at the exercise , by some of its leading members , of the ' ' high grades , " which its constitutions not only decline to recognise , but in a measure prohibit . In my humble opinion , the course of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ¦ of England and TVales should take one of two directions—there should be no via media in the matter .

Either the high grades should be recognised , ackuow .. ledged , aud governed over by the Grand Lodge of England , or , on the other hand , be , as far as our Grand Lodge is concerned , declared , as Masonic bodies , spurious , and the practice of them should be denounced and prohibited . "We find in some countries that the 33 rd degree is

the crowning point of Craft Masonry ; that all these degrees ( as in Sweden and France ) are recognised , and the conferring them is made the reward of assiduous labour in the lower degrees . The system seems to work well . The great aim and end of Masonic work through all

ages has been the universality of Freemasonry , aud I cannot see how this great object can be accomplished while Masons in different nations each agree to differ in the mode of conducting their work . I would suggest that not only a " Council of Rites " should be appointed , but that a " Universal Congress

of Masons" should be held , and that efforts should be made to reduce Masonry to one uniform system throughout the world , so that , knowing the language of the country , there would be no difficulty for a Mason to join in the great work in any part of the globe in which he might happen to bo sojourning .

I must confess that I am not myself a high grade Mason . I have a great admiration for our beautiful Craft degrees , and the ceremonial of the Royal Arch , aud I do not feel I should be doing right in penetrating into further mysteries , while the Grand Lodge to which I owe obedience fails to support or recommend ,

and which it seems to me is by her forbidden to be exercised . If the sanction , approval , recognition , ancl supervision of these high grades should be accomplished , I have no doubt a laudable ambition would lead me , with thousands moreto seek another and yet higher

, " summit of perfection" than the one I once fondly imagined I had attained . But I feel in this some sense of disappointment as in days gone by , while erasing mountainous passes , I have climbed up hill after hill , fondly imagining that each oue must be summit , only to findon the accomplishment of every fancied

, victory , that I was apparently farther than ever from the goal of my hopes and aspirations . Tours fraternally , PEOQ-EESS .

MASONIC SAYINGS AUD DOINGS ASEOAD .

The Masonic Record of Western India has entered upon the seventh year of its labours . The conductors " fully appreciate the kind and encouraging words of praise bestowed upon their humble exertions by contemporaries in England , France , aud America . " News reaches us of the severe illness of Bro . TV .

H . Hoff , the talented editor of the Indian Freemason ' s Friend , who is obliged to proceed to the Straits for change of air . Masonry is laying for itself a sure foundation , and

establishing a healthy ancl vigorous existence in Hungary . La Chaine d'Union welcomes this great triumph , and hope for our noble institution . Our principles of humanity , progress , and liberty meet with devoted hearts and willing hands iu that country .

From Italy we learn that the Lodge Giorgi " Washington , of the Rite Ecossais , has declared itself independent , haying retired from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council of that Rite iu Italy . The lodge had protested against a sentence which affected Bro .

Crispo , editor of L'llumanilaro . In answer to this protest , the Supreme Council passed a judgment , condemnatory of the course taken by Lodge Giorgi "Washington . This lodge , feeling its dignity affected , withdrew itself from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council condemning it .