Sussex Provincial Grand Lodge.

On reference to the List of Provincial Officers for 1861 , I find that in Lodge 45 tAA-o brethren were appointed , vii ., Bro . Smith as S . D ., and Bro . Goodove as S . B . ; in Lodge 47 tivo appointments were ottered but declined by the brethren this year ; Lodge 64 was only resuscitated in 1859 by brethren , the majority of AA-liom were , Present or Past Prov . G . Officers . Last year the father of the Lodge , Bro . " Wilson , received the appointment of S . W . ; tivelve of the twenty-nine members have been initiated in 64 , and cannot ,

therefore , at present , feel an injustice has been done them . In Lodge 338 Bro . John Scott was promoted to J . W ., and Bro . Tathani ( also member of 64 ) appointed J . D . ; Bros . Taylor , Chaplain ; Pococlc , Sec ; H . Verrall , Reg . ; and Ivuhe , Organist , are re-appointments , I believe a very general practice adopted in Grand Lodge and most Provincial Grand Lodges . Bro . Corder is also a member of 1034 and 1153 ; Bro . Chittenden is also a member of 643901034 and 1153 . The elections of Prov . G . Treas . and

, , , Tyler rest Avith . the members of Provincial Grand Lodge , and they have this year re-elected Bros . W . Verrall and G . Ancock ; the former is also a member of 64 , 390 , and 1153 , and the latter is Tyler to the four lodges in Brighton . In Lodge 390 , Bro . Chittenden , the "W . M " ., received office , also Bros . Turner and Hearne . In Lodge 394 Bro . Moppett was promoted to G . Dir . of Cers . Bro . Freeman , also a member of 64 ancl 1034 , Avas re-appointed G . Sup . of Works ; ancl Bro . Challen , of 64 , Prov . G . Steivard .

An appointment Avas offered to , but declined by , another member of this lodge . Lodge 426 numbers amongst its ten members tivo Prov . G . officers . Last year one initiation took place- —Bro . Kidd , the mainstay of this lodge , has declined accepting office . Lodge 1031 ' Avas consecrated May , 1858 , Bros . Potter , Freeman , Corder , and Chittenden , are Prov . G . Officers for this year . Lodge 1113 Avas consecrated September , I 860 . Bro . Moor , its first W . M ., has received the appointment of S . G . W . Lodge 1153 was only consecrated

April , 1861 . Having noiv , as briefly as possible , corrected " OBSERVER ' " various misstatements , I shall not feel it incumbent on me to notice any future annonymous correspondence , and with many apologies for occupying so much , of your space , believe me , dear Sir and Brother . Yours fraternally ,

GAYEST ELLIOT POCOCK , Prov . G . SB . Brighton , Sept . 16 , 1861 . Prov . G . Sec . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having read in your Magazine the letters signed " Observer , " and replied to by Bro . G . E . Pocock , permit me , through your columns , to endorse my approval of the contents , and confirm the truth of the statements contained in those

signed " Observer . " First , in reference to the V . W . D . PI-OA * . G . M . making himself acquainted Avith the worlcing of the different lodges in this province , I have for these last three years been a constant attendant at some of the lodges to Avhich I belong , and in one the V . AV . D Prov . G . M . has attended but once during that time , and then by special invite . Secondlas to the friendly feeling existing among the brethren :

y , I am sorry to say there is but little of that ; for Avhere there exist lodges AA'hich may be termed first , second , and third class , and persons wishing to join the Craft are sent from first to second class , it is obvious that there can be but little friendly or brotherly feeling chai-actei-izin" - the movements oftlie members .

Thirdly , as to the discontent the recent appointments have created . If I wanted anything to convince me that the opinion expressed hy " Observer " Avas right , I should appeal to the brethren who were present at the Provincial Grand Meeting , and ask them if some of the names were not received with coldness , while others were greeted with the heartiest applause ? Therefore I say that Bro . Pocock has not given " a flat contradiction to the many misstatements" contained in "Observer's" letter of the 24 th ult . for

; , says he , " I helieA-e ( believe !) that a thoroughly good and truly Masonic feeling prevails throughout the province . " Again , he acknoAA'ledges the V . W . Prov . G . M . depended on the information received from him for the returns made of the different lodges in the province ; and though , as he states , he is no " stranger" to the lodges , being a member of some six or seven , yet I think if Bro . Pocock were to examine the signature books of some of the lodges ,

he would not find his name as a frequent attendant ; in fact , one lodge he has not visited for these last ten months . As regards the Lodge of Instruction , though at one time a most indefatigable member , he now seldom attends . And lastly , Bro . Pocock believed that the appointments Avould give general satisfaction , and that they would be conferred on those brethren who had been " energetic . " "NOAV , I knoAV for a fact that some of the members who have received them are totally surprised , for their own remark has been , "Well , it cannot be for anything I have done in the province . " So much for energy . Taking into consideration the above facts , I ask

Sussex Provincial Grand Lodge.

Avhere is it that Bro . Pocock has given such a flat contradiction to the so-called misstatements and inaccuracies contained in the letters of " Observer ; " for it is only his belief that certain things exist , which " Observer , " myself , and many of the brethren faio-w to be different . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Brighton , September 17 , 1 S 61 . VERITAS . ERRATA . —In our last impression there appeared a

communication from "Observer . " Three mistakes were therein , made , Avhich ive desire to correct . In the fourth paragraph , for " counties " read " continent . In the fifth paragraph , / OT- "deems" ' read " denies . " And in the list ( at foot ) of the neiv provincial appointments , for " 45 Lodge , none , " read "Bros . Smith and . Goodeve . " In our provincial HBAVS AA'e recorded such appointments .

"Beauceant And Banner Of War."

"BEAUCEANT AND BANNER OF WAR . "

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am not a Knight Templar , but . having held the office of Standard Bearer in the Supreme Grand ' Chapter of England , I have been led to inquire into the origin and application of the various standards , banners , & c , and herewith send you an extract from the result of my researches , Avhich will , I think , in some measure answer the inquiry of J A under the above head in number of the 7 th instantand winch had ould have

your , I hoped AAbeen ansivered by some one more conversant Avith the subject . When Oonstantine the Great Avas on the eve of a battle Avitl . Maxentius , Ave are told that a luminous standard appeared to him * in the sky , Avith a cross upon it and this inscription : — "In hocsigno vinces—By this sign you shall conquer , " and that this sign , so encouraged Oonstantine and his soldiers that they gained the next day a great victory . When Waldemar 'the Second , of

Denmark , was engaged in a great battle with the Livonians , in the--year 1219 , it is said that a sacred banner fell from heaven into the midst of his army , and so revived the courage of his troops , thatthey gained a complete victory over the Livonians , and in memory of the event , Waldemar instituted an order of knighthood called " St . Danebrog , " or the strength of the Danes , and Avhich is still the principal order of knighthood in Denmark . NOAA * , taking these legends for as much as they are worth , and no *

more , Avhat do they prove ? Not that this miraculous standard and cross came to the assistance of Oonstantine ; not that this miraculous banner came to the aid of Waldemar ; but they prove that such Avas the paramount importance attached to the sacred banner among the forces , that , wherever it ivas present , it . Avas a great means of inspiriting the men with increased confidence and courage , and so contributed to the victory . In this country the introduction of banners was clearly of a religious origin . Venerable Bede says that when St . Augustine . and his companions came to preach Christianity in Britain , in the

latterpart of the sixth century ( his Queen Bertha had already embraced the Christian faith ) , the monk and his followers , entered Canterbury in procession , chanting , " We beseech thee , 0 Lord , of thy mercy let thy wrath and anger be . turned away from this city , and from , thy holy place , for we have

sinned-Hallelujah . " And they carried in their hands little banners , on AA'hich were depicted crosses . The missionaries were allowed to settle in the Isle of Thanet , and Canterbury became tbe first Christian Church . The great importance attached to the , banner in the middle ages is not to be

wondered at , when we consider that it Avas a kind of connecting link betAveen . the military and the clergy : it Avas a religious symbol applied to a military purpose ; and this ivas the feeling Avhicli animated the Crusaders and the

Tem-„„ _ , , , _ , plars in their great struggle against the ^ llSauscan " " " «« mtas of Christianity The contest , then AA'as betAveen the Cross and the . Crescent—betweeu Christ and Mahomet . The Knights Templars had a very remarkable banner , being simply divided into black and Avhite , the Avhite porti on symbolisin" - peace to their friends , the black portion evil to their enemies , ancl their dreaded war-cry , " Beauseant . Yours , VERITAS . September 11 th , 1861 .