Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . resvondents . All Lettern must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , hut as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return refected communications .

— : o : — THE ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To the Editor of the FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAE SIR AND BBOTHKB , —A very special engagement will prevent my being present at next Grand Lodge . This will not , however , matter much to any one , not even to myself , as I shonld not have voted on the question which will claim special attention on that occasion , namely , the election of Grand Treasurer . But as I took a humble .

but decided part in that election last year , I desire , with your permission , to say a few words on " the situation" now presented to us in reference to this question . Let me say nt the outset that for both Brothers Allcroft and Marshall I havo the greatest respect , as good Masons and good men , with hearts and purses ever ready to help in time of need j bnt I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that there are

other brethren who have an equal claim to onr regard , and in my humble opinion a stronger claim to the appointment of Grand Treasurer of England . A stronger claim than Brother Allcroft , becanse he has had his turn , and obtained his purple ( and most willing he was to have laid down his office at the end of the year ) 5 than Bro . Marshall , becanse many eminent Masons have been not only con .

tnbutwg to the Charities for years ( according to their ability ) but working hard in Masonry , not merely for six , but for sixteen , twenty . six , or thirty-six years . Now , the principle that was asserted and acted npon last year , of electing a new Grand Treasurer each year is so just , so reasonable , and so fair , that nothing can imperil its maintenance , except the

abuse of it , by blind partiality , violent party spirit , or plutocratic auctioneering . And here let me add , that in saying this I do not for a moment allude to Brother Marshall , whose noble and munificent gifts to our Masonio Charities were dealt out with the purest motives and must have been bestowed without the remotest reference to any honour , such as the one now in question . For you will remember

this appointment was not then within a measurable distance of any one except the worthy brother who held it , and wbo would , and ought , to have held it still if Grand Lodge did not unmistakably adopt the principle of a real—not formal—annual election . Now , it ia one thing to assert a good principle and another to apply it well If Grand Lodge has only one opportunity in twelve months of

honouring one Mason , and this in such a numerous and rapidly in . creasing body as our own , it is clear that such a selection should be made as would bear the strictest scrutiny—not only in reference to high character aud liberality , but also to Masonic service and length of standing in the Order . Now , there is no doubt that there are dozens of excellent Masons

who could fulfil all these conditions , and who would esteem it a high compliment to be thus recognised after a long and honourable Masonic career before they passed away from amongst us . And even if two or more such men were proposed as Grand Treasurer and went on to election , surely this generous rivalry would be healthier far than the peaceful , but pompous , policy which selfishly sanctifies

stagnation and raises a single fortunate Mason to a dignity for life , leaving to our children , or our children ' s children , about every quarter of a century , the very rare honour of conferring this single reward of merit on some very distinguished and fortunate brother , who is now in petticoats , but may be living at that time ! Again , it has been asserted by some opponents of the new

principle , that there is in some dark corner a terrible conspiracy to propose and elect some paid Officers of the Craft . I know not how it could have entered into the brain of any sane man to conclude that our Order wonld in this way set at nought one of the mosfc obvious canons of every well constituted society under the sun , unless it be on the supposition that when a man is driven to the wall for

argument he will knock his head against it , if only for the purpose of shaking out some new idea . As to the social status of a Grand Treasurer , tbe less said the better on this delicate subject . But I may say , that in our country and times , and in all professions , we see men—and a glorious sight it is—rising from the ranks to eminent positions . In the army the private and the corporal , of a few year since , are to be found at the

officers' mess ; a barber ' s son sat upon the woolsack ; an arch , bishop is the son of a village draper , and a vendor of newspapers has presided over the Navy of England . If this principle of promotion holds good in other societies of men , how much more in Masonryfor Masonry , like the Great Architect , professes to be no " respecter of persons . " The only rank it recognises is that represented b y its Degrees and its Officers : it holds with the old

poet"An honest man ' s the noblest work of God . " and that even " Money ' s hut the guinea stamp , The man ' s the man for a' that . " There is one other point on which I wonld say a word . Ifc is thisthe E . W . Pro Grand Master at last Grand Lodge ruled that , under the new Constitutions ( supposed to be confirmed two minntes before ) ,

thnt ni < rht and that Grnnd Lodge * . vere the time and place for the nomination of the Grand Treasnrer for the ensuing year . This took many of us , even official members of Grand Lodge , by surprise , anr * prevented other nominations being made , one of which would probably have claimed and received the unanimous suffrages of the brethren , and so avoided this present crisis . Now , I venture , with all due respect to the Pro Grand Master , on

Correspondence.

the ground both of equity and law , to question the validity of this ruling . 1 . Surely it is nofc equitable to consider the Craft bound by Constitutions whioh have never yet been printed , published , or promulgated amongst the Lodges , mnoh loss the Masons of England , and whioh are only very vaguely known to tbe few brethren who assembled at

the Special Grand Lodges . 2 . Had the Constitutions , as passed at these Grand Lodges , been confirmed en bloc at last Grand Lodge , they would have become , then , and there ( however unreasonable and unjust on the ground already named ) Masonio Law ; but there were several changes made , and therefore I humbly contend that they are not yet the law of

Masonry , and will not become so till confirmed , and that without alteration at next Grand Lodge , for even on that day it is open to any Brother to move the non-confirmation of any portion of the Constitutions , and thus still further postpone their completion as a code binding npon the Order . Before I conclude , permit me aa an old "Mason to convey a humble

warning in regard to future elections to the office we are discussing . Let us not make the possession , or even the liberal expenditure of money for Masonio Charity , the qualification for the office of Grand Treasnrer , even though tho title is suggestive of gold , otherwise we may become more notorious than famous as worshippers of the Golden Image , as having joined that ancient Craft at Thyatira where

" sellers of purple " plied their trade , or having allied ourselves to the silversmiths of Ephesna who , finding " the Craft in danger , " sought to retain their gains and power by selfish " uproar . " Let Masonry in this , as in other respects , be like Cfesar ' s wife , " without reproach . "

We have many opportunities of " uniting in the grand design of being happy and communicating happiness , " bnt in matters of public duty let us not study to please ourselves or gratify our personal feel - ings , bufc rather endeavour to promote the welfare and maintain the dignity of our Order .

Believe me , yours fraternally , E . J . SIMPSON , P . M , and P . G . Chaplain .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —So the Delphic utterance has been reserved for the eve of the meeting of Grand Lodge , and it is , of course , expected that the knee must bow to Baal . " I am Sir Oracle , and when I ope my month let no dog bark . " My reference is , of course , to the virulent diatribe—directed

against all those wbo have the presumption to differ from the writer —which appears over the signature of a not unknown brother in the columns of your contemporary , of Saturday last . And what protest , may I ask , is sufficiently strong against the use of such language as that of the fourth paragraph of the letter under review ? To whom does this master of innendo—willing to wound , and yet afraid to

strike—refer as the " five or six brethren , the prime movers in the proposed change ? " It is all very well in one recognised as tolerably well skilled in the method " to prove the worse the better part" to shelter himself under cover of "I am informed , " " if rumour tells the truth , " & c , hut why withhold the names ? In making charges so serious as that of " putting np an honourable office to the highest

bidder , " "financing the present scheme , " & c . something beyond hearsay , testimony is necessary ; and on behalf of a large body of brethren as honest and as " representative " as that comprising the signatories in opposition to Brother Marshall , I challenge the author of these calumnies to produce his proofs . ¦ As to Grand Lodge being " saddled with a new Grand Treasurer

every year , " why not equally object to annually appointed Wardens , Deacons , & o . ? Here we havo absurdity " saddled " on vituperation ! But it is wearisome to pursue this mixture of abuse and assumption of purity through its length . Surely there will be found , on the 5 th proximo , a sufficient number of intelligent brethren upon whom all this " wordy dust" will fall innocuously , who will have the manliness

to resist this last attempt at "dictation" from one who has all the will though , let us hope , not the ability to " bestride this narrow world of ours like a Colossus . " Ifc is because " this is not a question of individuals , bufc of jprinciple , " that those who have the interest of tbe Order at heart , and who are desirous thafc its hononr should be legitimately extended as

widely as possible , are supporting the " principle of an election of a new Grand Treasnrer yearly . Grand Lodge has already accepted the " principle . " Is it prepared to stultify itself at the bidding of a certain number of brethren who think themselves , and those whom they favour with their approval , as the only qualified recipients of rank and office ? I trow not . One word as to the question of

" pledge . " If such pledge as that referred to were given , any honourable man would regard ifc as a binding compact . If no pledge were given there is an end of it . It is not because "I" hold it to be wrong to exact such a pledge that to do so is wrong , but here again we have the old style , "lam assured- no such pledge was given . " In reply , I say , it is knoion such pledge was given .

If the members of Grand Lodge will only consider from a broad point of view ihe importance of the issue to be determined on Wednesday next , there ought not to be the slightest doubt as to the result . " Timeo Daneos et dona ferentis . " Had tbe warning contained in these words been attended to by those who should have guarded

the Citadel , " Fuit Ilium would never have been written . Let those who value their rights aud privileges iu Graud Lodge be careful to maintain them , and not risk their loss by too readily accepting what seems offered in specious guise as the ntlvice of a friend , but which , if acted upon , will prove to be the agent of destruction . Fraternally yours , AMICUS CURI *