The Grand Secretary's Imprimataur.

valid until so submitted and approved . " This being the law . how is ifc fchat the G . Sees , have taken upon themselves to usurp one of the Grand Masters' functions ? Ifc is no use to meet the question by saying tbe G . Sec . is the G . M . ' s executive officer , because in neither of tho above bye-laws is the Grand Master ' s name introduced , and , if he has delegated to them to do this part of the work in the face of

fche law above quoted , I have more than doubts of its legality , If we examine the above law we shall find in the words I have italicised , the relative duties of G . M . and G . Sec . As I take them to be , the former is to approve the bye-laws , the latter to preserve the copy delivered to him . If this construction be right , then the form adopted is , I contend , incorrect and should be , after the G . M . has given power to the G . Sec .

to append his name . — "Approved , Zetland , G . M . By order , William Gray Clarke , G . Sec . " Passing from the lax dicipline that has so long tolerated this breach of the Booh of Constitutions I come to the second part of my objection , and thafc concerns our present & ., Sec . only . In the 1861 bye-laws , referred to above , he states they "have been examinedand to be in

, appear accordance , " & c . This is very guarded . If they have been examined , who was the examiner ? Was it tbe G . M . ? No ! ifc will be said , it was the G . Sec , can ' t you see he has signed them p Very well ; then the G . Sec . having examined

them , is certifying to thafc which is against the general laws ofthe Craffc , for I read afc page 6 of fche Booh of Constitutions that the fourth ancient charge is to the effect ; that "All preferment among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only , " and in the bye-laws , which appear to the G . Sec , "To be in accordance with the general government of the Craffc , " there is this strange , though I

believe by no means exclusive , clause , viz : — "Thafc upon brethren being appointed to fill the offices of the lodge , a fee of one guinea from the W . M ., half-a-guinea each from the S . and J . W . ' s , and five shillings each from the S . ancl J . D . ' s , be paid , such fees to be devoted to the general fund of fche lodge . " If this is a specimen of " real worth and personal merit" those words shonld have in addition " together with

, a readiness to pay all fees legalised by thafc which appears to the G . Sec to be in accordance , " & c . It is high time that such jen de mots should be discontinued , for it appears that if these bye-laws have been examined , the examiner is not particularly conversant with the " general laws for fche government of the Craft , " and the sooner lod having a G . See's imprimafcaur

every ge , , submits its bye-laws for the approval of the M . W . G . M ., the sooner ifc will be working legally and have fche power to insist on its regulations being respected and adhered to by ifcs members . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , MUTATIS MUTAKTUS .

Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

TO " 11115 EDITOE OS THE EHEEMASONS MAGAZINE AUD 3 IASOMIC AtlHEOE . DEAR , SIR AXD BROTHER . —I could not read the remarks of your correspondent , "J . W . W ., " in to-day ' s MAGAZINE , without recalling to mind the appropriate passage in the first epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy : —" " Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart , and of a good conscienceand of faith unfeignedfrom which

, ; some _ having swerved , have turned aside unto vain jangling , desiring to be teachers of tho law , understanding neither whafc they say , nor whereof they affirm . " Because I have beeu anxious to discover some good and sufficient reasons for the law which debars the private soldier from the Fraternity , of which it is my highest desire not merely to be considered . bufc really to be , a good ancl faithful brother ; and to discover such

failing , have been bold enough to declare that I do consider the prohibition utterly opposed to tho grand principles of Ereemasonry , which seek to unite in one phalanx all the wise ancl good men ou the earth , whatever their creed , clime , or rank in life , so that their mode of gaining their bread be a reputable one ; thinking that if it was disreputable to enlist as a common soldier , it could not be very reputable to command such . I am—of course in a T . ery gentlemanl y aud Masonic maimer—proclaimed in your

pages as one of the vilest of men . " The brother officers dare not associate with men of the same rank as Peter , " sublimely writes this J . W . W ., " and he knoivs thafc right well ; he must be one of these military lawyers who are continually grumbling , and striving to find fault ; ifc is very probable thafc they [ who ? the military lawyers ?] have expelled him for misconduct , such as drunkenness , and reduced him in consequence to the ranks , " and so forth . It is hard to believe that the mau who could write this is a

Mason at all ; and yefc he tells us that he " was initiated m a military lodge , and Master of ifc several times . " I sincerely hope that the Masonry he shows in his letter is not a fair sample of the article to be found in military lodges . Cannot your charitibly-minded correspondent complete his picture and say thafc I have been scores of times confined to barracks and in the guard-house for disorderly conduct ;

that I have been some dozens of times subjected to heavy and prolonged knapsack drill for insubordination ; thafc my body bears the marks of repeated brands and floggings for desertion ; and that I have just been released from the hulks on a ticket-of-leave , after a confinement of some years , for highway robbery , burglary , or rape ; and that I am strongly suspected of having committed more than one

murder , for which there is no doubt that I shall yet swing All this is just as true as the assertion of this truthful and charitable-minded brother who " was initiated in a military lodge , and Master of it more than once . " With , what a high hand he must have held the reins of office , if his letter in to-day's MAGAZINE may be taken as a sample of his justice . Pity but he could tie me up to the halberds , and

give me the lashing I so richly deserve . There I durst nofc turn again , and he could have things partly his own way ; but as ifc is , why I can spill ink for ink , and it is bad hanging me with my pen and inkhorn round my neck , as Jack Cade bid his rabble do the Clerk of Chatham . Jack , however , sufficiently preserved the appearance of justice so as to have the culprit brought before himand some little

, evidence given of some sort . Tour correspondent deals with " Peter" in a more summary manner . He reduces me to the ranks—plucks the stripes from my shoulders , but leniently puts more on my back—and expels me without so much as hearing evidence , or calling upon me for my defence . Now , Mr . Editor , I think I may legitimately , without a

particle of malice , retort upon your correspondent , and say" His obligation should have taught him better . " It is no use bandying personalities , but had I been the scamp which J . W . W . is pleased to brand me , would the proclamation of tbe fact answer tho arguments I have brought forward ? Abuse is not argument , and the cause thafc needs it is weak indeed . One would think , by the mode in which I have

been treated , that I was anxious to let in upon us all the tag-rag ancl bob-tail of the army . It is not necessary for me to rc-open the question of private soldiers and the Craft in your pages ; but I must state , injustice to the cause of which I have volunteered as the humble advocate , that I am entirely unconnected with " those military lawyers who are continually grumbling and striving to find fault" and

, was nofc aware of their existence until J . W . W . was pleased to introduce them to my notice ; and that I have not been unfortunate enough either to be " expelled for misconduct , " or " reduced to the ranks . " Though deeply sensible of a thousand shortcomings towards that perfect purity of soul which tbe true Mason must ever strive to reach , I am not afraid to subject all the actions of lifeif to

my , necessary , the most searching enquiry . Doubtless , like every other mortal man , I have said and done many a foolish thing in my lifetime , for which I humbly beseech the Most High to pardon me ; nor shall I less earnestly beseech Him to preserve me from the horrible vices which " Secretary No . 162 , " ancl "J . W . W . " have been so courteous as to ascribe to me . In a future letter I will explain my mode of "

Recruiting for Ereemasonry , " and I will leave it ^ to every true Mason who may peruse your pages to decide whether or not my method is Masonic . At some future period I may collect my contributions to the M AGAZINE together for further publication , when I shall be happy to openly avow them ; bufc for the present I prefer to be known as , Dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , September 21 , 1861 BROTHER PETER .