Correspondence.

Correspondence .

. £ ., To the Editor . .: '' ' "EPHRAIMITES . " ' SIR , —An old proverb mns thus , " Give a dog a bad name and hang Mm . " Now I beg to offer , with this proverb as a kind of text , a few remarks which I think are called for in the present state of our affairs . If you agree with me , you will insert this letter , if not . you will omit it , and I shall not impute discourtesy to you for differing with me . I would first observe that certain members of Grand Lodge , whom as they are not actuated by party spirit , 1 will not call a " party , " have Jong ago acquired bad therefore is bad for them

a name . No name now Aw . I mean those who in an independent spirit ( which must be carefully distinguished from a party spirit ) , have determined to uphold at once the dignity and the independence of Grand Lodge , as the governing body of the Craft . They have been at different times designated by different names . First of all , the " . Observer Party ; " then the " Oxford Party ; " and last of all . " Ephraimites . " This last happy idea originated in the fertile brain of a bright Liverpool Mason , who . in a truly Masonic (?) spirit strove to pay his mite of courtship and loyalty to the Ministerial Clique . May he be rewarded with the broad purple , sit on the Dais in GLto his heart ' s contentand swell the obsequious majority

.. , , of which Brother Havers is the enviable and envied leader . This worthy cotton lord , or sugar boiler , or whatever he may be , Brother James lleyes , W . M . of the Devonshire Lodge , Liverpool , No . S ( H , could not however even get up his facts correctly . But lie wanted , as we have said , to say something , as every one does , on the occasion of his Installation , and not knowing exactly what to say , lie fell foul of the first purple that came uppermost , who happened to be the Oxford Masons . " There are some Ephraimites , " lie says , " in Grand Lodge . They come from Oxford , and are called the Oxford Party . " And then ho proceeds to attribute all the " unpleasantness and unbrotherly conduct , " which had , in his opinion , agitated G . L . at its to the unfortunate Province of Oxford

previous meeting , . Now I do not for an instant suspect that province of any party spirit in that direction . If it is the case it has become so lately . In November last , tlicy deelared on Hie other side , at least they declared for Hie Ministerialists . Tlicy may not like the charge , as tending to a renunciation of their independence , but it is nevertheless the fact . They have however their champion . Forth comes a bold Oxfordshire P . M , all the way from Kent , to do battle with this Liverpool man , and in a few common-places about charity , thinks that " we must not impute other than honourable motions to those with whom we differ in opinion , " and opines that the Liverpool assailant of Oxfordshire has not made himself acquainted with the proceedings of the glorious meeting of the Grand Lodge of that province , in November last . Brave Oxfordshire P . M . ! Happy Oxford Masons !!!

But if on the one hand the Oxford Masons deny that they have sacrificed their independence , and the " Oxfordshire P . M . " pats them on the back , surely the Independent Brethren may , on the other hand , repudiate the " Ephraimite " spirit with which their Liverpool assailant charges those members of Grand Lodge whom he dignifies with the name of it " Party . " Docs not this astute person see that the " Party" is on the other side ? That if there is Party spirit anywhere , it is on the side of that magnanimous and energetic debater , whose willing disciple , whose Liverpool mouth-piece he has made himself ! Look at the Constitution of Grand Lodge . Without wishing to say anything offensive of the Grand Master , it is natural that he , or any one Ailing his high office , should Grand Officers

appoint , as , those who support his measures ( I of course mean his Masonic measures ); and thus they are bound as it were by a tie of gratitude to continue to support him ; and so others follow in their track us the safest path to advancement . Thus ( probably unconsciously ) a Ministerialist "Party" is formed . A leader with a fair amount of eloquence , and some powers of argument , easily commands their votes , and they in their earnest desire to prove their loyalty and zeal , forget in this same loyalty , alike their own independence and that of Grand Lodge ; attribute Party spirit to those who do remember that Grand Lodge ( and not any one , or two , ' or three individuals ) is the governing body of the Craftand readily supported in their

, arc mistaken views by the obsequious editor of the " newly-organised Magazine . " There is of course no party spirit in the Grand Officers'Mess , at which the business paper of the evening is discussed previous to the opening of Grand Lodge , although singularly enough the Dais always do vote together ; but the Grand Lodge Club , where the same proceedings take place , is a party affair , although openly and avowedly its members only come to a conclusion if they can , and do not always vote together . Again , if any one dares to attempt to assort the independence of Grand Lodge , and requests ( for instance ) that a paper on which their own votes are to he taken , be first submitted for their consideration , what so easy for one of the to raise the

loyalists "Party " war-cry , or to quote the Ancient Landmarks , against the offender , or easier still , to say something so strongly personal , as to send hiin straight but of the room and get rid of him at once ? When will our Brethren have the pluck to assert their own rights ; to shake off this Party monopoly ; to see that the Ephraimites are neither from Oxford , or from the Grand Lodge Club , or from the Observer , or from the country , hut from the Dais , from the Ministerialists , and , by making one or two determined efforts , shew the habitue ' s of Grand Lodge that the country not only has its repiesentatives , but that those representatives have voices , and wills , and force , and power , and majority ? I am , Sir and Brother , 1 ' ours fraternally , January 3 lst , 1859 . EAIK PLAY

JO the Editor . Sir . Asn Biurrnisii , —In a letter which appeared in your number of 20 th Dec . last , I announced my intention to set forth in the next number of vour publication " a statement of facts bearing on the affairs of G . L . lor the ' last two or throe years , " my object being to endeavour to clear away the clouds of mystification which have been thrown around the proceedings of a much-abused

section of the brethren , by presenting a briefresume * of the measures they have been chiefly instrumental in introducing , supporting , and carrying . At the Quarterly Communication of 7 th March , 1855 , it was resolved , on the motion of Bro . II . J . Spiers , P . G . S . B ., seconded by Bro . Itev . G-. R . Portal , that a pocket edition of the Hook of Constitutions should be printed , the motion being opposed by the majority of the members on the Dais , on the ground that this innovation would be the means of rendering the Craft too well acquainted with the laws under which it is governed , and so be productive of increased discussion . On September 5 th was adopted a resolution providing for the present system

under which the elections for the various Boards are conducted , Bro . H . G . Wan-en—at that time , true to his first principles—proposing , and Bro . I ? awson seconding the motion . On December 5 th , Bro . Rev . G . R . Portal proposed , and Bro . W . Ay . Beach seconded , the following resolution , "That a paper stating the business to be transacted at every Quarterly Communication be placed in the hands of every member on'his entrance into G . L . " This was adopted , but On March 5 th , IS 5 G , the non-confirmation of the minutes , so far as this resolution was concerned , was unsuccessfully attempted , though the proposition received the support of the majority of the GOfficers

. . On 19 th November , the report 1 ' rom the Committee specially appointed to consider the question , recommending the formation of a Colonial Board was adopted ; and at the same meeting , Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon carried his motion for an alteration in the day of meeting of the Board of Masters , so that Masons resident in the country might have earlier notice of the business to be transacted in Grand Lodge . In these various propositions I challenge the most prejudiced of our

opponents to detect anything of a factious or party spirit . They are all eminently calculated to improve the efficiency of our legislative system , and to facilitate the working of its machinery ; and experience has proved that their introduction has realised all the advantages expected by their promoters . I have not alluded to the discussions with reference to the appointment of the Colonial Board , nor have I mentioned the Canadian question . The latter is a subject of snch magnitude and importance as entirely to preclude the possibility of adequately treating it in tins communication . This , however , I may fairly affirm , that had the interest taken in the matter by Bro . Beach been duly appreciated , and . his i-epi-esentations attended to ; had our views in support thereof been receivedand had the demands of trans

favourably , just our - atlantic brethren met with proper consideration , the magnificent province of Canada would have remained an appanage of the English Grand Lodge . "We urged concession—the G . M . and his advisers upheld prerogative—the usual result followed—demands were more forcibly made—the concessions previously refused were now tendered— "too late "—the banner of independence was unfurled , and the allegiance of Canada for ever withdrawn . It is , however , a subject for hearty congratulation that our Canadian brethren have evinced the most sincere desire for the maintenance of amicable relations with our G . L ., and it is to be earnestlhoped that the fraternal feeling nrw existing

y . may never be disturbed . It is generally understood that "bygones are . to be bygones , " and I have only cursorily glanced at the past for the purpose of placing in its proper light the conduct of those against whom the shafts of obloquy have been unceasingly directed . I am , Sir and Brother , Tours faithfully and fraternally , London , Sth March , 1859 . PKEDEHICIC BINCKES .

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