Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the facts , or opinions , expressed by any cor resp > on dent . He reserves to himself the right of deciding when any subject shall be discontinued , and of rejecting such letters as he deems -unsuitable to THE MASONIC PKESS . Every letter must be accompanied by the full names , masonic ranlc , and address , of the writer , not necessarily for publication , -unless desired , but as a guarantee of good faith . These particulars will always be treated as a confidential trust . ' ]

The Last Thing Out In The Masonic Line.

THE LAST THING OUT IN THE MASONIC LINE .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC PEESS . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Very many brethren must have sympathised deepl y Avith the Confederate States of America during the late unhappy war , but to make that a reason for leA'ying contributions to build a Masonic Hall is so intensely American , that few will credit it here . The following circular Avas addressed to " AVorshiful Master of Lod

p ge No . , P . & A , M . London , England , " and Ave were charged one shilling and twopence extra postage for the precious document , Avhich you may think Avorth reprinting , as it is tho last thing out , in the masonic line , that I knoAV of . THE SECRETARY OP LODGE , No . . " PORTSMOUTH , VA . DEC . 1 , 1865 .

" To ( lie Worsldpful Master , Wardens and Brethren , of Lodge , No . . " The undersigned have been appointed a Committee on behalf of MOIWT " A ^ ERXOJf LODGE , No . 166 , Portsmouth , Virginia , to memoralise our Brethren to ' ' aid and assist us , in erecting a MASONIC TEMPLE in this city . " It is known to our Brethren throughout our land , that as a section , AVO are " at this time almost destitute of money ; and that from the effects of the

" disastrous Avar which has so lately ceased , we have been left A'ery poor indeed . " It may even be said , that during tho last four years , it has been at times " extremely difficult to keep our beloved Order above the surging Avaves Avhicli " have swept over our laud , carrying down , almost Avithout an exception , all the " other charitable and beneficial Institutions , Avhich before , Avere in so flourishing " a condition ; and it was only through those efforts , which true Masonry will " ever invokethat through this dark period our lights have been kept burning

, , " and our column standing erect and unscathed amidst this almost universal " desolation . In our hour of need , will not our Brethren come to our relief , " and out of their abundance relieve our necessities ? " But it may be asked , Avhat claims have Ave , more than our sister Lodges , " throughout our section ? We ansAver , that Ave claim no pre-eminence in good " deeds , in charitable Avorks , or in Masonic devotion ; but as we have made our " ¦ necessities knownsurely Ave will not appeal in vain to our sister Lod for

, ges " that aid , Avith each Brother , in his individual capacity , is entitled to receive . " Mount A ernon Lodge was organized in 1858 , and until the present , Ave have ' struggled on through good and through evil report , occupying , by sufferance , ' ' the Lodge room of our sister Lodge in this city . But as three other Institu" tions also occupy the same room , it will be apparent to all , that our privileges " cannot bo commensurate with our requirements . Under ordinary circumstances , " and under a different state of affairs , it might not have been necessary that