Correspondence.

favour of yonr presence in tho same , as ifc may affect fche fortune of the Lodge . —I am , & c . " The meeting on the 3 rd ultimo was hold accordingly , and a resolution submitted and " carried by a majority of the brethren present" to the effect— " That the Lodge shonld be discontinued , the furniture , working tools , jewels , & c , of the Lodge sold by public

auction , and tho proceeds of tho sale added to fche list of Brother J . Hayes , tho Worthy Preceptor , who was fulfilling the office of Steward this year ; also that the Lodge funds in tho hands of tho Treasurer be paid over to Bro . W . Webster , who was stated to be in reduced circumstances , and greatly in need of assistance . " These facts having been laid before the meeting of the 10 th nit ., together with the announcement that the furniture was in the hands of the

auctioneer , and was to be—as indeed ifc was—sold the very next day —Saturday , the 11 th ult ., Bros . G . W . West P . M . 1287 S . W . and A . Braun P . M . P . Z . 766 J . W . severally proposed and seconded that the minutes of tho 3 rd nlfc . be not confirmed . Protest was made against the " undue haste and precipitancy" with which effect had been given to the resolution , as being " perfectly illegal and

unconstitutional , " and after somo remarks from Bro . H . Moore , appointed Secretary pro fern , who pointed ont thafc thero was nothing in the Bye-Laws to warrant snch proceedings , the minntes were unanimously not confirmed , and the meeting stood adjourned till Friday , the 17 th ult ., ifc being resolved , at an emergency meeting held in the interim , that the meetings should take place at the Seymour Arms ,

Seymourplace , Bryanston-square , on Friday evenings as usual . The brethren met , as arranged , on the 17 th ult ., and therefore the William Preston Lodge of Instruction exists still , if it does not flourish . Now , Sir , let me at the ontsefc call attention to the fact that fche notice , as issned by the late Secretary for ihe meeting of 3 rd of Febrnary , when ifc was agreed by a majority to

discontinue the Lodge , is characterised by two very ugly features , which can only be set down in plain English as ( 1 ) a suppression of the truth , ( 2 ) a suggestion of the untruth . It says nothing about the "discontinuance" of the Lodge , bufc hints thafc the presence of members is requested , as the business to be transacted " may affect the fortune of the Lodge . " So much

for the " suppression of the truth ; " the " suggestion of the untruth " will be found in that part of the notice describing the business that will be brought forward , where it is distinctly stated that after " the Report of the Audit Committee " had been taken , the " election of Officers" wonld be proceeded with , and that , before the " other important business connected with the Lodge" which , ifc was

suggested , mighfc "affect the fortune of the Lodge . " Now , in my opinion , it is impossible not to arrive afc one or other of two conclusions . Either the notice was written , throngh ignorance , in so bungling a fashion as not to convey the meaning of what was intended ; or , the adoption of the " suppressio veri , suggestio falsi" was deliberate . Now as to the unconstitutionality of the whole proceedings . I

will nofc trouble you with any reference to the Book of Constitutions , but will content myself with pointing out that , according to Bro . H . Moore , acting temporarily as Secretary , " the fourth Bye . law " of the Lodge distinctly sets forth " thafc the minutes of the Lodge shonld be presented by the Secretary for confirmation on the following meeting night . " Thus , in defiance of this very Bye-law , the resolution of the

majority was carried into effect instantly , without waiting for the confirmation , and the Lodge chattels , despatched forthwith to the auctioneer , havo been disposed of with an " nnduo haste and precipitancy" which cannot be too strongly condemned . Whether , even if I overlook the confirmation of the minutes , as required by tho Lodgo Regulation specified by Bro . Moore , ifc is legally competent for any member , short of the whole number of

members of any Lodge of Instruction , on withdrawing from it , as they have a perfect right to do , to dispose of the property of the Lodge in question , I shall leave for others better versed in Masonic law than I am to determine . But if the same rale applies to Lodges of Instrnction as to regular Lodges , then I submit , with all deference , thafc a majority , no matter how large it may be , has no such right . Afc p 71 of the Book of Constitutions it is clearly enough laid down

that"Should the majority of any Lodge determine to retire from ifc , the power of assembling remains with the rest of the members who adhere to their allegiance : but if all the members of a Lodge withdraw , the warrant becomes extinct . " Now , in the absence of the minutes , and so far as can bo gathered from tho record , it was only " a majority of the brethren present " at

the meeting in question—which was not necessarily a majority of tho members—which passed the resolution for discontinuing the Lod"e and disposing of its property , and it is manifestly this more " majority " which is responsible for the action that was taken immediately afterwards . If , however , according to fche above Const ! I ntion , any number of members elecfc to remain in tho Lodn-o . the

warrant remains in force , and , ipso facto , it seems to mo , tho Lodgo retains its interest in its property , which does not belong to any section of the members , however superior in numbers , bnt to the Lodge in its corporate capacity . In that case , the William Preston Lodge of Instruction , being still in existence , and meeting constitutionally under the warrant granted by its parent Lodge , has the ris < ht to

demand from the seceding majority , which has acted unconstitutionally , the restoration of its furniture and jewels , or their equivalent in money . There are other points to which I should wish to call the attention of your readers , but I fear I have already trespassed too far upon their patience and your valuable space . So I subscribe myself , Fraternally yours , Q .

J . E . SIUXD & Co ., Wino Merchant ( Experts aud Valuers ) . Well fermented old Wines und ; muturua Spirits , a Albert JIaiibions , Vi- ; turiu-Street , Lo * idoii , ' S . \ V ' .

The Late Grand Secretary Cheever.

THE LATE GRAND SECRETARY CHEEVER .

Read hi Grand Chapter of Massachusetts , at its last Annual Convocation , by Comp . Alfred F . Chapman . FOR twenty-five years tho figure of Tracy Patch Gheever remained a central ono among Freemasons of all grades in Chelsea , and for a large proportion of that time was quite as conspicuous in Masonic circles thronghouttyhe Commonwealth . Coming from an old

family , he was well-born , f manly character , and cultivated intellect , so that it may be said 0 f him truthfully , he was " first among his equals , " without in any wbit detracting from the graces of those with whom he was peer . His father was Ira , son of Ezekiel Gheever , author of a Latin grammar , and who lived at a period extending from about 1660 to

1724 . His mother was Martha Stafford , of Hamilton , widow of Capt ; . Henry Patch , of Salem , a granddaughter of Capt . John Whipple , an officer in the Revolution , and at one time an aide of Washington , and to this latter town his parents removed when Tracy was about six weeks old , he being born in Marblehead , the home of fcho Cheevers , on 28 th March 1824 .

Tracy graduated from the Salem High and Latin Schools , ia Salem , and from Brown University , in Providence , R . I ., in 1843 ; he soon after commenced the study of the law , was admitted to the bar , and to practice in the connty and town where his parents resided . His family removed to Chelsea , in 1846 , thither Tracy followed them , where his subsequent life became as familiar to his neighbours as an

open book . In 1852-3 , he was the private secretary of fche Hon . F . B . Fay , Representative in Congress from Massachusetts . In 1862 , and again in 1865 , he was a member of the Legislature of the Common , wealth , and of the Senate in 1868 . His interest in the social and civil affairs of Chelsea was active and enduring . For a number of

years he was chairman of the School Committee , and in 1865 was elected City Solicitor ; he was also at one period a member of the Board of Aldermen . In each of these places he was scholarly and systematic , and had his will coincided , his fellow-citizens would gladly have bestowed on him their highest local gifts . During the summer of 1862 , he recruited Company C , of the

Thirty-fifth Regiment , and was mustered into service in Chelsea , 13 fch August of thafc year , with the rank of Captain . He served with his Regiment at South Mountain , and at Antietam in September following , and at the latter place was so serionsly injured by concussion from the explosion of a shell near him , that he was discharged for disability on the 23 rd day of June 1863 . From the effects of

this shock he never fully recovered , nor can there be any doubt that it was a contributing agency to his final sudden dissolution . He received Masonic light in Star of Bethlehem Lodge , in Chelsea , first , on 22 nd November 1854 ; second , 27 th December 1854 ; third , 24 th January 1855 . Of this Lodgo he was Master in 1860 , dimitted therefrom 18 th December 1867 , to become a charter member of

Robert Lash Lodge , and was complimented by his mother Lodge , which elected him an Honorary Member , 15 th January 1868 . The Grand Lodge elected him Junior Grand Warden in 1871 . He was made a Royal Arch Mason in tbe Royal Arch Chapter of Shekiuah , on 15 th February 1856 , while that body was working U . D . ; was its first High Priest under the Charter , * served for

1857-8-9 , and was elected an Honorary Member , 28 th March 1860 . His ability was promptly recognised iu the Grand" R . A . Chapter of the Commonwealth , which elected him Deputy Grand High Priest in 1857 . The degrees in Cryptic Masonry were confered upon him in East Boston Council of R . and S . Masters , ancl he became a petitioner and

charter member of Naphtaly Council , in Chelsea , 1 st May 1869 , and was its first Thrice Illustrious Master . Of this body he was made an Honorary Member , 26 th May 1871 . The Orders of Knighthood were conferred upon him in De Molay Commandery , of Boston , bufc he at once engaged , with others , to organise Palestine Commanderv of Knights Templar , in Chelsea

was its Eminent Commander in 1865-6 , and was made an Honorary Member 7 th April 1869 . In 1878 , the death of the then Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts caused a vacancy in thafc office , which Brother Gheever was admirably qualified to fill ; this tho sa « acity of M . W . Grand Master Welch at once perceived , and from

thon to the time of his death , ho more fully demonstrated how well ho was equipped to be what he really was , a courteous , intelligent , and ablo Grand Secretary . The lasfc Masonic act ; of his life was in the discharge of his duty in office . He had accompanied the M . W . Grand Master , and other Officers of the Grand Lodge , to North Easton , on Tuesday , the 22 nd day of November last , to assist in

dedicating new Masonic apartments , erected for the nse of Paul Dean Lodge . The assemblage of ladies and brethren was a brilliant one ; the elegance of the apartments , the display of flowers , the banquet , and the speeches which followed , all contributed to make tho occasion one long to be remembered in the society annals of tho town . Tho Grand Secretary had completed his record of tho

official ceremonies , and retired to ono of the ante-rooms , when it soon became apparent that he was really ill . The attack was preceded by somo premonition , its severity was manifest at about 10 o'clock , ancl soon he lay without any faculty or power to help himself , until on the next day , at ton minutes past three o ' clock , fcho gate of death was opened , and an immortal passed beyond . Medical skill ,

brotherly and affectionate care , faith , hope , love , these and moro wero alike in vain ; his hour of dissolution had come . A messenger was despatched for Mrs . Cheever , and she was convoyed by special train on Wednesday morning , to her stricken husband ; by his side , and nnder tho shadow of death , the scene was a sad one ; bub if consciousness of anything to him remained , it