Wardens And Masters.

WARDENS AND MASTERS .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Excelsior need not seek in formation , in his difficulty , from the writings of our Rev-Bro . Oliver , when he can find full conviction in the Booh of Constitutions . In the edition of 1861 , p . 75 , Art . vi ., he will find as follows : — " If no Past Master of the lodge be present ,

then the Senior Warden , or , in his absence , the Junior Warden , shall rule the lodge ; " in reading which he must remember it refers to a P . M . of the lodge , one Who has occupied by installation the Masters' Chair in that lodge , and that it does not refer to any other P . M . in the lodge . On reference to the same Constitutions , p . 23 , Art . xv ., he will findinter aliathat " all for the

-, , powers govern ment of private lodges shall be exercised by the officers by any law or constitution authorized to preside or act in the absence of any superior officer , as fully , to all intents and purposes , as if such substitute officer was specified in any law or constitution in which any powers are given or regulations prescribed for the principals , & c . " When the Wardens are appointed and invested , they are

informed that in the absence of the W . M . his duties will devolve upon them , and they would be called upon to exercise the more important functions ; that the brethren may not suffer for want of proper instruction . And when I filled the position of S . AV . in the presence of several P . M . 's in the lodge , but not of the lodge , I conferred the ceremony of F . C . on two of the members of

the lodge , and acting under the same opinion of the legality of the act , I should not have hesitated to confer the superior degree , if necessai * y , and my acts on that occasion were unanimously confirmed at the next meeting of the lodge . As to a W . M . delegating his office to a stranger , except in the Prince of Wales Lod ( No . 324 ) no W . M . has the

ge , power even to permit a stranger to occupy his chair , unless with the consent of every P . M . of the lodge , and both of the AYardens , unless such stranger should be the Prov . G . M ., and iu that case he must submit . —Constitutions , p . 46 , Art . hi . Tours fraternally , March 17 , 1862 . R . E . 5 .

The Channel Islands.

THE CHANNEL ISLANDS .

TO THE EDITOR OE TIIE EEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Under the above heading in your Magazine of the 22 nd February , appears a verylong letter signed by H . H ., and according to the writers wish , I have turned to the different reports of Jersey , and find that all those wherein a disrespectful tone is conveyed touching the conduct of " an officer of high

rank , " is signed H . H . He must certainly be of a very amiable and benevolent disposition to take so much trouble to endeavour to bring his Masonic chiefs into such unenviable notoriety , and I must say I am somewhat pleased to see that he has all the fighting to himself ; as no one takes the slightest notice of his remarks , in the shape of a lbut I can assure Mr

repy , you , . Editor , I am not going to commence one , as this will bethe only letter I shall write on the subject , my object being to protest against such continual attacks , which are highly disrespectful to our Grand Master , who appoints the Provincial Grand Master , or in accordance with our principles as Masons . When a brother deliberatel " it is thought better to allow

y says matters to work round in full confidence , that the evil now felt will become more fully developed , " shews the animus of the writer ; had he expressed a hope that the evils complained of would have been speedily removed . It would have been much more honourable to himself ,

The Channel Islands.

both as a man and a Mason . He says the matter , whatever it was , has been enquired into , and a verdict given in favour of the brother " the officer of high rank , " if so , he as a Mason is bound by law to acquiesce in that decision , it is certainly not Ms province to constitute himself both judge and jury on the verdict given by our " officers of hih rank" or question the decision of our

g , Masonic tribunals after the case is disposed of , or account the judgment not being as he could wish . I would recommend him to read the decision of our Board of General Purposes marked number four in their Agenda paper , to be presented on Wednesday , and which no doubt tMs week ' s MAGAZINE will give every particular of , also the decision of the Colomal Board on the complaint

against the Prov . G . M . for South Australia ; as I think they bear exactly on his case . H . H . tells us he is from the " mother country " but does not complain of "the officer of high rank , " having decorated him with the highest honour he could give him , which I presume he has done ( signing himself P . Prov . S . G . W ., ) over the heads of those initiated in his province . I can only say

Bro . Editor , this continual stirring up of strife tends neither to elevate us in public opinion or private estimation , and unless our brother can excercise a little more charity , brotherly love , and Masonic feeling ; in my opinion it were better by far that he should retire , rather than disturb the harmony of the province . I am Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , OMEGA . London , March 4 th , 1862 .

English And Irish Past Masters.

ENGLISH AND IRISH PAST MASTERS .

TO THE EDITOE OE THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEEOK DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having read your excellent answer to a correspondent in this week's MAGAZINE , relative to P . M . from the Grand Lodge of Ireland . I presume he will not again by inuendo trouble you in my case , and as I now have the satisfaction of publicly stating for his information and others , that I had the

honour of being duly elected , installed , and served as W . M . for two consecutive years , 1839 and 1840 , in St . Andrews Lodge ( No . 25 ) I . C , which has been proved to the entire satisfaction of excellent Masters and Past Masters in Deptford and Greenwich . I wish you would therefore kindly inform me , Sir , if in the absence of the immediate P . M . of Lodge 1173 , of which I am now S . D .,

and a member since its formation , I am entitled to do his duty , being the senior P . M . in the lodge . I am Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , JOHN W . WEIR , P . M . No . 25 , 1 . C . Deptford , March 8 th , 1862 . [ The correspondent did not refer to Bro . Weir at all nor any lodge with which he is connectod . We do not consider that a P . M . of an Irish lodge can claim the right of performing ceremonies in English lodges , though he may by courtesy be allowed to do so . ]

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

TO THE EDITOE OB THE IRESMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIBEOE . DEAR _ SIR AND BROTHER , —I find that the publication of the lists of contributions at the late Festival , in the manner referred to in my letter to you last week , would encroach so considerably on your space that I have preferred having them printed for circulation in a separate form . Apologising for the trouble I have uselessly

occasioned you , I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours , fraternally obliged , FREDERICK BINCKES , Secretary . 16 A , Great Queen-street , W . C , March 19 , 1862 .