Correspondence.

only of the material comforts it affords . This is a new view of the Craft—Udall's view—and he evidently wishes to propagate his ideas on the subject ; for , with the very worst possible taste , this dictum appears in the Daily Telegraph , having the largest circulation of any paper , next the Times , for all tho profane to take their cue , and gibe and sneer at "the luxury of Freemasonry" which no man

, ought to indulge in unless he had power to support it ! Bro . Udall is , of course , a Past Grand something or other , and with the peculiar acumen of Past Grand Officers , having had his full share of such honour as Freemasonry could give , begins to throw dirt at one of . its most cherished precepts . In the lodge we are told all the brethren are equalbut it is evidentfrom Bro .

; , Udall ' s view , that good , honest , upright and true men are not to indulge in it unless they have purses as long as Bro . Udall ' s ! If the bad taste that prompted this public sneer at " honest poverty " had been confined to the pages of your periodical , which circulates among

the Craft , it could have done but little or no harm ; but when it is dispersed over the whole face of the land and read by every class of society , what can the uninitiated world think but that the whole Craft is a luxury , aud that it is , or ought to be , reserved only for such epicurean spirits as Bro . Udall . In the name of common sense , which seems very

uncommon amongst Grand , and Past Grand , nobodies , let us not be branded as mere luxurious idlers who have nothing to care for beyond keeping the good things of this world amongst—not a chosen , but a pnrse-elected few , and whose duty should be to disseminate , rather than curtail , the numbers of those who may wish to enter the Orderalthough their business avocations

, may not have been so highly remunerative as Bro . Udall ' s .. Hoping you will use your potent authority to put an end to such false notions being published to the world , in such a reprehensible manner , I remain , your obedient brother , LlIXURIiE INIMICUS .

Can A Warden" Initiate, &C.

CAN A WARDEN" INITIATE , & c .

TO THE EDITOK OF THE EKEEMASOXs' HAGAZIXE AXD 3 TASOXIC UlnEOK . DEAR SIR AND - BROTHER , — "Resurgam" writes , "In tho year 1646 the learned antiquary Blias Asbmole was made a Mason , in Warrington , by the AVardens and Fellow Crafts ; " and then continues , " in 1646 a Warden unquestionably could initiate . " I askwere there not at that period two Grand

, Lodges existing in England , with identical landmarks , but differently constituted ? and did not the Union in 1813 place all the private lodges in England and Wales ¦ under one grand head , named "The United Grand Lodge of England ? " and did not this United Grand Lodge of England , in 1815 , put forth " regulations for the government of the Craft , " ' thereby "altering , repealing , and

abrogating " all past regulations ? The laws existing in 1646 , 1682 , andl 725 are not in authority now . Is " Resurgam" quite sure that the Warden of 1646 , 1682 , 1725 , in the Atbol or York Lodges , was the same officer as of the present day ? . The word Warden has , I think , its ancient and its modern meaning . It is a Saxon wordandiu times

; , long past , it was given to persons in whom was vested absolute authority . The division of the City of London into wards show this . Again , the chief officer of the Cinque Ports ( at one time an almost kingly office ) is called tho LordWarden ; the governor cf a prison is sometimes called the warden ; tbe chiefs of some of the city companies are called wardensprime wardenand master warden . In

, , one English university the name of warden is given to the heads of some of the colleges ; there is a Lord Warden of the Sfcanneries , and there was a Lord Warden of the Marches , all men of mark ; all of which , I think , prove that the person called a warden , in the days of Elias Ashmole , had more significant and definite duties

and powers than are conferred on a Warden in a Freemasons' lodge in the present day , whose office is probationary . In the " Boole of Constitutions " ( I have before rne the edition of 1861 ) we have , from page 1 to 15 , "The Charges of a Freemason . " These charges are commanded to be read on certain occasions , because upon them are formed

the "Regulations for the Government of the- Craft , " which follow on page 16 ; and'these charges will give some insight in the working of ancient lodges , and I fail to find anything which will support the "Wardens ' Rights , " as assumed by " Resurgam" in the seventh paragraph of his communication . At page 6 chapter iv . the office of Warden is spoken

, , of as a position of honour , but it is nob said that the AVarden can take an apprentice . That portion of tho the charge which relates to taking apprentices distinctly states , " Candidates may , nevertheless , kuow that no Master should take an apprentice unless he has sufficient employment for him . " Page 9 , chapter v ., " Where a Fellow Craftsman is chosen Warden of the work under

the Mas ! er , he shall be true both to Master and Fellows , shall carefully oversee the work in the Master ' s absence , " & c . Here is nothing about taking an apprentice , only as to " the Management of the Craft in Working , " id est , work already in hand ; and in that sense only may a Warden rule a lodgo at the present day . " Resurgam " refers with great confidence to Bule 15 ,

on page 23 , and is amazed that this rule has been overlooked . It has not been overlooked by me , but carefully read . If " Resurgam " can prove from Rule 15 that a AVarden can initiate , in like manner I could prove that an Entered Apprentice could initiate , as being done " in the absence of the Grand Master , or any superior officer , or member in such lodges . " But , in the first place , Rule 15 is an extension aud supplement to Rule 14 , which gives no warrant for a Warden to initiate ; and in the second place , Rule 15 , at page 24 , concludes with these

words , "Unless special provision is made to the contrary , " and special provision to the contrary is made by Rule 12 , pages 62 and 80 , " Of Proposing Members—Making , Passing , and Raising . " " Resurgam " seems very anxious as to his right as a Warden only to sit in the Master ' s chair while ruling the lodge in the absence of his superior officer , and to

regret that the " Book of Constitutions " will not assist him . He must rely upon his good taste and modesty in the matter . A Mason so inquiring and zealous as "RestTrgam" ( who , I think , will never be able to sign himself " Resurexi" ) will be sure to become the Master of his lodge . But in the interim , if I were he , I would not dress myself in borrowed robes . I would patiently

wait until I should have an undoubted claim to the position , and feel that no one could push me from my stool . I think it is an affair between him and his lodge , or a question for the Board of General Purposes . E , ule 16 , page 24 , declares , " The Grand Lodge alone has the inherent power of enacting laws and regulations for the government of the Craft , and of altering ,

repealing , and abrogating them , always taking care that the ancient landmarks of the Order be preserved . " I call upon the members of the Grand Lodge to take that care . Our duty is not to inquire what were the practices in 1646 , 1682 , 1725 , or any period anterior to the " Solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of Freemasons of England in December , 1813 ,

but to transmit to onr successors the antient landmarks of the Order , " and "the laws and regulations for the government of the Craft " pure and unsullied as Ave have received them . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , very fraternally yours , WILLIAM BLACKBURN , P . M ., Secretary to Crystal Palace ( 742 ) , member of Dobie , Kingston ( 889 ) , Prov . G . S . B . Surrey . Surbiton , S . W ., Oct . 20 , 1863 .