Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for ihe opinions expressed hg Correspondents . LODGE No . 600 . 10 THE EDITOH OF THE F-IEE-JA-SOyS * SIAGAZt ^ 'E 4 . KQ 3 IAS 0 XIC 1 IISR 0 K . LEAK SIR AND BUOTIIEK , —I beg to remind the several correspondents who have Avritten in your

MAGAZINE respecting the financial tables put forth by the Lodge of Harmony ( No . 600 ) , that the respected Treasurer of that lodge , Bro . J . Ward r P . M ., offered last year in the columns of your journal , aud in the fairest manner , to give any inquiring brother all the information he sought in reference to

the tables if be would only write in his own name , and state the lodge to which he belonged , distinctly declaring that no further notice would be taken by him of anonymous correspondents . I may add ' that I write this without the knowledge of Bro . J . Ward , or of any members of Loclge No . 600 ,

save one . I remain , yours fraternally , S . 0 . BAILEY , P . M ., Lodge of Harmonv , 600 . Bradford , Sept . 19 th , 186-1 [ All communications on this subject must now cease , unless the brethren append their real names ancl addresses to their communications . —ED . ]

Bute Lodge (No. 960).

BUTE LODGE ( No . 960 ) .

TO THE EDITOH 03 ? THE 1-KEEHASOXS JIAGAZIXE ASD HASOHIC 3 IIEE 0 H . DEAB Sin AND BKOTHEE , —As you have inserted , by request of the Worshipful Master , a copy of resolutions of the Bute Lodge , purporting to " record its disapproval of the sentiments contained" iu a letter in tlie FKEEHASONS' MAGAZINE of the 3 rd inst ., in the same spirit of fairness which has ever

characterised the valuable organ of our Order under your able conduct , you will , I know , allow me a few words in justice to your correspondent . I must first premise that , although ostensibly' emanating from tlie Bute Lodge , the resolution iu question was really dictated to that lodge by the Worshipful

Master , as affording a consistent opportunity of carrying out that parasitical line of conduct which has characterised his whole tenure of the chair ; and that tlie W . M . gave notice to the brother , whom ho supposed to be the wrtter of the letter referred to , of

his intention to bring such resolution before his lodge only at the eleventh hour , when he well knew it could only be received by that brother after the loclge had been holden , and thus rendered it impossible for him to be present , ancl probably upset the whole proceeding . Indeed , the very " resolution" bears internal evidence that the letter under review was not even read to the

lodge , ancl that no copy of the FEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE was in the lodge at the time . Nor do I believe that it had even been seen by any member of the lod ge other than the Worshipful Master . Whatever construction this worthy brother may have been pleased toplace upou the communication in question was

therefore , evidently , the basis of any conclusions arrived at b y "Tlie Lodge . " This , however , will not appear so surprising if it be borne in mind ' that this lodge is a very young one , composed almost entirely of brethren who do not profess any Masonic knowledge or exper . ence , aud who , therefore , naturally , look up to the

W . M . as a sort of infallible authority upon all matters . Nor , I must admit , has this semi-dictatorship been often abused by the able aud intelligent brother whose "resolution" I am now reviewing , and whom , I trust and believe reckons me among his friends ; but the W . M . appears to have reared to himself an idol , in the person of Prov . G . M ., whom on many Occasions

he has gone entirely out of his way to fall down and worship , with a devotion which has been simply amusing to the many , but truly distressing to his best friends . An instance of this kind is before mv mind .

In reference to an article you thought it necessary to insert relative to the absurdly un-Masouic conduct of the Prov . G . M ., in recognising and actually being present at that ridiculous farce of " re-initiation " enacted in a certain loclge in the province . On that occasion the W . M . of the Bute Lodge could not forbear addressing you in defence of his idolanclto my

, , mind " damning him with faint praise , " although he was in no ways implicated in the after . Agaiu , in the instance under consideration , the objectionable letter contained nothing but a fair criticism upou the extraordinary decision of a lodge ( not the Bute ) and an incidental expression of the

individual opinion of the writer relative to the total incapacity , in a Masonic point of view , of a brother filling an important trust , who may be , and I believe is , a very worthy man , but no Mason , never having filled the chair , or , I believe , any office in a loclge ; but the W . M . of 960 cauuot let the opportunity slip , and rushes to the rescue with adulation , eulogy , and

flattery bordering upon sycophancy ' . Had this been the whole burden of his resolution , I should , nevertheless , have left him to revel in his idolatory ; but he has also levied so foul aud unmerited a blow upon the FEEESIASONS' M AG AZINE , that , as a warm admirer of that able and independent orgau of the fraternity , I feel bound to take up the gauntlet in its

defence , and challenge the worthy brother to show in what single instance you have " published letters and articles wholly inconsistent with facts . " As a very attentive peruser of everything which has appeared in your valuable periodical , bearing upon this province or its Prov . G . M ., I take leave to

stigmatise this base ancl totally unfounded charge as a gratuitous libel , ancl therefore , for the present , leave it to the brother who has made it , either to retract it , or endeavour to substantiate it . If he does neither I shall , with your permission , take opportunity to further express my sentiments upon the matter . In the meantime I hep- to remain

Tours truly ancl fraternally , ANTI-TOADY . P . S . —I omitted to inquire how the W . M . of tbe Bute Lodge justifies his conduct in acting in defiance of the " mandate" of bis Prov . G- . M ., by forwarding the proceedings of his lodge to a publication against

which that dignitary has so recently hurled bis " Jovelike thunder ; " or , how he came to set all notions of Masonic order at nought , by acting upon a nominal resolution before it has been confirmed by the lodge ! He has , however , some precedent for the latter proceedingin tbe conduct of his hea-u idealwho has

, , been known to give his official written authority to a by-law before it had been confirmed , obtained from him ( doubtless in ignorance of its irregularity ) just to serve the interests of a clique .