Correspondence.

works of art at the Emperor of China ' s Summer Palace ; for I require as great a preparation for the reception of our noble mysteries as " Secretary No . 162 , " or any other member can ; and I would blackball an immoral man , even though he were a prince , whilst I would admit a "just and upright" man of intelligence , even though he was a private soldierwhom I cannot join in regarding as " a

, ^ slave to her Majesty , " etc . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , BROTHER PETER . September 14 th , 1861 .

TO THE EDITOE OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEEOR . SIR AND BROTHER , —With reference to the letter signed Brother Peter , of the 31 st ult ., in your MAGAZINE , I wish to make a few remaaks which will meet his case . I was initiated in a military lodge , and Master of it several times , ¦ and I havo no hesitation iu stating that allowing private

soldiers to become Freemasons would bring discredit upon the Craft . In my lodge when a well conducted non-commissioned officer applied and was properly proposed , there was no difficulty in the matter , and the private to become a Freemason should first aspire for promotion from the ranks . The brother officers dare not associate with men of the same grade as Peter , and he knows that quite well ; he must be

one of those military lawyers who are continually grumbling and striving to find fault ; it is very probable that they have « xpelled him for misconduct , such as drunkenness , and reduced him in consequence to the ranks ; for if he was made in a military lodge he must have been a non-commissioned officer first , and reverting to bis former rank of private would exclude him from Masonry , until by good conduct he

might again be promoted . Such , in my military experience , has often occurred , and I have no doubt but Bro . Peter is in some such predicament . I am , Sir aud Brother , yours fraternally , J . W . W . P . S . — "What he means by recruiting for Freemasonry in the army I am at a loss to know , for soliciting even , he should know is strictl y forbidden , his obligation should teach him better .

"How Old's Your Mother?"

"HOW OLD'S YOUR MOTHER ? "

TO THE EDITOE OH THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AXD MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the "Masonic Notes and Queries" given in your MAGAZINE for the 31 st ult ., CE . says : — " I was asked theother day , 'How old's your Mother ?' and laughed at because I could not tell . " Aud he asks " What answer should I have given ? " Presuming that the question was a genuine oneas I have often known it asked

, by that class of Masons with whom laughing at a brother is , I am sorry to say , about the only mark of attention paid to him , I forwarded you an ansiver to tho query , and was rather surprised to find in your "Notices to Correspondents " the remark that I " can scarcely suppose that you would publish it . " From your answer to the question , I really did not suppose " had you thought it desirableyon could

your-, selves havo supplied tho ansiver ; " nor would you have been at all deemed lost in ignorance by your humble servant had you never heard of this very foolish question before , for I 'had hoped that the habit of asking it was confined to a few old brethren in the North of England , whose vagaries tbe younger brethren might bear with . I had not the faintest conception that it was one of those genuine tests of initiation

which we are solemnly sworn not to reveal to the outer world . If it be , why is thc information never given in lodge ? And only after the brother so questioned has been " laughed at , " even if then . I know that many worthy brothers have been annoyed with tbe ridiculous manner in which they have been jeered and " laughed at" by their brother Masons for not being able to furnish the wished-for lto this trumpery

repy catch question ; and I put it to you seriously , whether Freemasonry is not degraded by such tomfoolery ? Would it not be better for those jeering brethren to meet together in Lodges of Instruction , and practice our lectures , which have never been given in many of thoir lodges for half a century , if at all , and where oven tho P . M . ' s have never so

"How Old's Your Mother?"

much as seen a tracing-board . I think the Prov . G-. M . ' s neglect their duties very much in some provinces , in not visiting the lodges under their care , and seeing that no lodge is allowed to substitute paltry catch-questions like " How old ' s your Mother ? " out of doors , for instruction in tbe lectures in the lodge . I only wish , Mr . Editor , that you could visit every lodge in England , and report , from your

own observation , on the state of Masonic instruction amongst us . I am not one of those who wish to see no smile on the human countenance ; I even believe , in its proper place , in "Laughterholding both its sides , " but not at the expense of a brother who never happens to have hoard tho silly question of "How old ' s your Mother ?" I am , clear Sir and Brotheryours very fraternally

, , September 16 th , 1861 . G . W . F . [ We did not mean to intimate that it was a genuine test of Masonry , though we still hold to the opinion that what our correspondent calls a jeering question only requires a jeering answer . ED . 7 . ]

Sussex Provincial Grand Lodge.

SUSSEX PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE .

TO THE EDITOE OF THE FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . _ DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Impolitic as I consider it at all times to answer auoymous communications , I cannot refrain as Master of the Provincial Grand Secretary ' s Mother Lodge , alluded to by " Observer " in your MAGAZINE of August 24 th , and September 14 th , from putting you in possession of the facts as regards our Bro . Pocock's

attendance at this lodge . On reference to the Minute Book I find that in 1859 out of twelve meetings he was only absent from two , in 1860 , three , and out of ten meetings alreadyheld this year he has been present at eight . I think you will agree with me , that it cannot in truth be said , that he is not a regular attendant at his Mother Lodge . I presume that your correspondent is not aware that our Bro . Pocock

is a member of the medical profession , or he would make some allowance on that score . I am enabled to assert that his absence from thc duties of the lodge on tbe occasions referred to during the last thirty-three months arose solely from tho pressing emergencies of his professional avocations . I am , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , JOSEPH DIXON , W . M . Royal Clarence Lodge , 338 . Brighton , September 17 th , 1861 .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIKE 02 . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —My object in replying to the first letter of " OBSERVER " AA-as in consequence of the ivide circulation which your Magazine commands . Although I felt sure that my brethren of this province would judge fairly of the points at issue , I Avas very unwilling that brethren of other provinces should form an unfavourable opinion of the state of Freemasonry in Sussex by alloAving the misstatements of "OBSERVER" to remain

uncontradicted . "OBSERVER" has , however , repeated his assertions , adding others , if possible , of still greater inaccuracy , so that I feel compelled , though reluctantly , again to ansAver them . I shall pass over all the personal observations , not feeling called upon to break a lance ( to use " OBSERVER ' S " oivn phrase ) Avith one AVSIO avails himself of the shield of an anonymous writer ; should be , however , feel disposed to step forth from his obscurity , I shall

be then ready and happy to meet him upon more equal terms . In answer to his assertion that " there is not , unfortunately , another brother in the province equally capable of performing the ceremony of installation , " I maintain that there are various well-known brethren in the several lodges in Sussex who are perfectly capable , and AVIIO have often most admirably performed that ceremony . The only other portion of " OBSERVER ' S " letter to Avhich I shall reply , is the tabular statement ivith which it concludes , viz .:

—"Lodge 45 ( 42 members ) , none . Lodge 47 ( 34 members ) , none . Lodge 64 ( 29 members ) , none . Lodge 420 ( 10 members ) , none . Clarence Lodge , 338 ( 91 members ) , Bros . Scott , Taylor , Pocock , H . Verrall , Kuhe , Tathain , Corder , Chittenden ( and "Verrall and Ancock elected ) . Lodge 390 ( 34 members ) , Bros . Hearne and Turner .

Lodge 394 ( 72 members ) , Bros . Moppett , Freeman , and Challen . Lodge 1034 ( 25 members ) , Bro . Potter . Lodge 1113 ( 18 members ) , Bro . Moor . Lodge 1153 ( 18 members ) , none . "