Bro. Percy Wells.

having _ an easy conscience in regard to it , lie thinks the safest course is to assume an outraged virtue , and to indulge in language not quite in accordance with good taste or refinement . I can endure , for a short time at least , to allow Bro . Ridgway to ascribe to me the moral cowardice of not daring to avow my name ; but the time I hope is near at hand when I shall stand face to face Avith him before a tribunal Avhich , whilst doing full to

justice my motives , will not fail to convince even Bro . Ridgway , that , in promoting "Wells to an office of trust , he has himself manifested gross neglect of his duties , and committed a grievous outrage on the Avhole Masonic body . I wish not to say more than I can ai'oicl of the indiA-idual whose antecedents here are notorious . For myself I can truly say that but for his again showing his restless desire to interfere in Masonie

affairs in Australia , I should have troubled myself no more about him ; hut when he is again put forward as a ruler in the Craft to which I belong , I cannot hesitate to denounce so foolish an act , even though it bring upon me the contempt of Bro . Ridgway , and exposes me to the charge of " cowardly exemplifying malicious slander . " But I am conscious of the moment when I shall turn these

charges against him who makes them , and at the same time prove that , whilst I am not unmindful of my obligation to cherish a brother ' s good name in his absence , I am not the less acquainted with the correlative duty of protecting , as far as I am able , all those who have good names against others who creep into and disgrace the Order .

Ihe injunction to protect a brother ' s good name implies the necessity of every brother maintaining a good name , and if he fail to do so , the brethren are bound to deal with it as it deserves ; not for the purpose of a vindictive exposure , but in order to protect those Avho righly value a good name , and who take cave to preserve their own . It is the want of this healthy , manly principle that leads to that maudlin tone of

sentimentality which too often usurps the place of direct arid honest dealing . The language of Masonry , rightly applied , is admirably adapted to describe our mutual obligations ancl moral duties , but it too often becomes in the mouths of many , insufferable twaddle , ov a hypocritical jargon . A parting word with Bro . Ridgway . I beg emphatically to observe that I have so little confidence in his judgment little

, so reliance on that " unbiassed position" on ivhich he prides himself , that I should long hesitate before personally entering into any communication officially with him . His dilatory mode of procedure—his overweening self conceit , ancl that tendency in Iris mind to adopt foregone conclusions , might , if not suppress , at least greatly retard justice . Neither shall I have anything to say to the Grand Master of Australiasimplbecause he has juris

, y no - diction in this country . I shall await the advent to office of the new Grand Master of Marks , and lay my ease before him , be he who he may . I am clear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , AN OLD 'WELLSIAN . Bath , March Mth , 1860 .

[ iVe must close this correspondence , as we cannot allow our columns to be made the medium of attacking , by innuendo , any brother in his absence . At the same time wo must not shrink from placing on their guard brethren at a distance , against comparative strangers who may appear amongst them ; aud nothing can be more important than to avoid giving office to brethren in the colonies whose antecedents will not bear the strictest inquiry . —ED . ]

•• DRY fcxEUOH . '—The late celebrated Dr . Maeknight , a learned and profound scholar and commentator , was nevertheless , as a preacher , to a great degree , heavy , unrelieved by fancy or imagination ; an able writer but a dull speaker . His colleague , T ) r . Henry , well known as the author of a history of England , was ou the other hand a man of great humour and could not resist a joke when the temptation come upon him . On one occasion when coming to church , Dr . Maeknight had been caught

in a shower of rain , aud entered the vestry soaked with ivet . Every means was used to relieve him from his discomfort ; but as the time drew on for divine service he became much distressed , and ejaculated over and over , "Oh , I wush that I . was dry ; do you think I ' m dry ; do you think I ' m dry eueuch noo ? " His jocose colleague could resist no longer , but , patting him on the shoulder , comforted him with the sly assurance , " Bide a wee , doctor , and ye ' sc bo dry eneuch when ye got into the pu ' pit . "—Dean Rummy .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

—v MASONIC MEMS . THEBE are now fifty-six stewards for the approaching festival of the Girls School ; Bro . F . Slight , G . D ., has been appointed President ; Bro , Burton , P . Prov . G . Keg ., Cambridgeshire , Treasurer ; and Bro . G . Barrett , Secretary . Lord cle Tabley , S . G . AA ., will preside . WE understand that a project is on foot for building a Alasonic Hall

at th ' e Surrey side of the Thames , with a capital of 42 , 000 ; to be raised in shares of . £ 1 each . AVe trust that , should the project be carried out , the brethren will not lose sight of attaching a library and reading room to it .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ENOCH LODGE , ( NO . 11 . )—The usual monthly meeting of this Lodge took place on the 14 th instant , at the Freemasons' Tavern . Bro . Job Austin , P . M ., in consequence of the absence of the AV . M ., Bro . George E . Sewell , most ably presided and raised Bro . Graves to the third degree . Business being completed an adjournment to dinner took place , which was supplied in a most satisfactory style . Bro . Job Austin , P . AI . was supported by forty brethren , including the following visitors AVhitemaii ( 318 ) Scott ( NoWi ) M

: —Dr . , AV . M . No . AV . , . , . Fernandez , ( No . 247 ) , F . Binckes , ( No . 10 ) , F . AVaddiugton , ( No . ' 211 ) , John Smith , ( No . 3 ) . The latter , with Bros . J . H . AVilton , Watson , Garrod , & c , added to the pleasure of the evening by their vocal abilities . KENT LODGE ( NO . 15 ) . —The monthly meeting of this Lodge was held on AA ednesday se'nnight , at Bro . Harris ' s , Three Tuns Tavern , Southwark ; Bro . Alariner , AV . M ., in the chair , assisted by Bro . Thos . Anslow , S . AA . pro tern ., and Bro . G . D . Cossens , J . AV . The business consisted of

two raisings and four initiations , and at the conclusion of these ceremonies a Board oE Installed Masters was formed , consisting of Bros . Barnes , P . AI . Nos . 15 and 33 ; R . E . Barnes , P . AI . No . 15 ; H . Smith , P . AI . No . 15 ; E . Hawkins , P . AI . No . 15 ; S . AVhitehouse , P . AI . No . 15 ; John Manger , P . M . No . 15 ; Thos . Trebbeck , P . M . No . 15 ; R . L . Harris , P . AI . No . 33 ; C . C . Gibbs , P . AI . No . 15 ; Al . Alariner , P . AI . No . 15 ; Vanderiey , P . M . No . 223 . Bro . Cossens was then duly installed as AV . M . of the Kent Lodge , No . 15 , for the ensuing year , and appointed

his officers as follows : —Bros . T . Anslow , S . AV . ; Richard Bennett , J . AV . ; John C . Bates , S . D . ; S . Hayworth , J . D . ; Philip Alarcus , I . G . ; -Richard Barnes , Treas . ; Richard Edward Barnes , Hon . See . ; T . Gibbs , . Dir . of Cers . ; C . AVoodrow , Steward ; aud George Young ,. Tyler . The AVorshipful Master , at the conclusion of the ceremony of installation , said he had then a very pleasing duty to perform , which was to confer a proud distinction of honour upon their immediate P . M ., Bro . Mariner . At the previous meeting the members had unanimously voted him a P . AI . ' s . jewel as a slight token of their appreciation of his conduct in the chair , which he hacl great pleasure in placing on his breast , and he sincerely trusted that while it remained there it ivould remind him of the esteem

in which he was held by his brethren , and hoped he might long continue to merit it . The jewel bore the following inscription : — ' ' Presented by the Kent Lodge , No . 15 , to Bro . Matthew Alariner , P . M ., to mark the high sense entertained of his Masonic conduct , likewise his assiduous and faithful discharge of the duties of AVorshipful JIaster . March 1-1 , 1860 . " On the motion of Bro . Gibbs , P . AL , it was agreed that the sum of £ 10 be given from the funds of the Lodge to tho Royal Alasonic Benevolent Annuity Fund . It was also resolved that the thanks of the

Lodge were especially clue to Bro . E . C . Gibbs for the very able maimer in which he had presided as installing Alaster on that occasion . The business being concluded , the Lodge was closed in due form . About sixty ofthe brethren adjourned to dinner , and the usual loyal toasts having been given and responded to , Bro . Alariner , P . M ., gave "The health of the AV . M ., " and in do doing so , observed that Bro . Cossens had laboured hard in the acquirement of Alasonic knowledge to lit himself for the arduous duties of the Lodge , and he felt assured that his utmost energies ivould be used to promote its interests . Bro . Cossens , in reply , assured the brethren that he felt great pleasure on that occasion , which was , indeed , one of the happiest moments of his life , and he felt truly grateful for the kind assistance he had received at the hands of the Past Alasters .

To them , as well as the members of the Lodge generally , he owed a debt of gratitude for the proud position iu which they hacl placed him at so early a period , and he would endeavour by assiduity and diligence in the performance of his office to promote the best interests ofthe Order . He was truly delighted with the tenets and principles of Freemasonry , and the more he studied them the more he admired them . He was thankful for the assistance he had that evening received from the officers of the Lodge , and trusted that it ivould continue during his

year of office . The AV . AI . in giving the " Past Alasters , " alluded to them as the pillars of the Lodge , but more especially Bro . Richard Barnes , the father of the Lodge . He bore his testimony to the zeal and energy evinced by him at all times for the furtherance of tho princip les of Freemasonry , for his home was open every Saturday throughout the year for the instruction and improvement of those brethren who were desirous of making themselves proficient for the proper discharge of their several offices . He had used great efforts to promote the interest of the masonic charities , and in advocating their cause . As P . AL ol