Coloured Masonry In The United States.

gality is concerned , there waa really no difference between the white and black American Masons ; they are either both , legal or both illegal ; and I trust , therefore , that my English brethren will no longer be misled by the sophistry of American Masonic luminaries . They have had their say , now let me have mine .

( To le continued . ) [ It is needless for ns , after our article on " Coloured JVeemasonry , " to point out that wo have not the slightest sympathy with Bro . Norton ' s views . However , we consider it is only just that he and others who may differ with us

should have , if they wish it , an opportunity of expressing their opinions . "We were invited to insert the foregoing article , or portion of an article , and we have done so , because the invitation was a just one . At the same time we beg to offer one or two remarks . We have

no present intention of embarking m any controversy with Bro . Norton . Onr comments , therefore , will take , for the most part , the form of suggestions . In the first place , we must point out to our contributor that his attack on White American Masonry in Massachusetts

is alien to the question , which is the legality of Coloured Masonry . Assuming for the sake of argument that all the irregularities mentioned by Bro . Norton did actually occur , that proves nothing more than that the career of White American Masonry was marked by certain

irregularities . Again , as to the secessions and subsequent reconciliations to which Bro . Norton refers . If we take the principal secession , that in England of the " Ancients " from the " Moderns , " we must bear in mind that originally they formed one arid the same body ;

but certain differences of view begat a schism , and the main section , or " Moderns , " very properly declined to recognise the seceding section or "Ancients . " When , however , in the fulness of time these differences of view were reconciled , the two sections again became one and

the same body . But as between American White and Coloured Masonry no such parallelism exists . They never were parts of one and the same body . Therefore no separation can ever have taken place between them . Nor was there ever a secession of African Lodge from the Grand

Lodge of England . The former was struck off our Roll at the Union . The question as between the American White and Coloured Grand Lodges is whether the former can in reason or in justice be required to recognise the legality of certain rival Grand Lodges which never

formed part of themselves , and which are indebted for their origin to a foreign Grand Lodge . We point out likewise that the discussion as to the legality of Coloured Grand Lodges has , so far at least as we are concerned , nothing whatever to do with " Colour . " We have called them

Coloured Lodges because they are so called in America ; but we recognise no distinctions of colour in Freemasony . Lastly , as to Bro . Norton ' s mild sarcasm touching the historian Findel's knowledge and our own ignorance ; we

have a high sense of Bro . Findel ' s merits and our own imperfections , but we claim to exercise our own judgment on a question we have studied very carefully . We admire Bro , Findel as an historian , but we do not bind ourselves to accept unreservedly all his views . —[ Ed . FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . ]

Early in April next year one of the most curious and valuable collections of antique furniture , tapestry , & c , in this country will be broken up . Our good brother Joseph Sly , of the King ' s Arms , Hotel , Lancaster , intends to sell by auction all the valuable and historical relics of the 15 th ,

16 th , and 17 th centuries , which have for so many years formed the principal attraction to that ancient hostelrie , which was immortalised by Charles Dickens in the story of "The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices . " The curious old staircase , which dates from 1625 , the carved

oaken chairs of the 15 th century , and the solid oak fourpost bedsteads are well worth y the attention of the antiquarian . Among those we may particularise the magnificent bedstead made for King James the Second in 1686

for which Bro . Sly recently refused 250 guineas . We were also highly delighted with the splendid specimens of Gobelin tapestry and Florentine needlework , which , by the way , is mentioned by Professor Ruskin in "Ariadne Florentine" We wish Bro . Sly all success .

ULTTB S « UABDS . —Mogul Quality , picked is 3 d per pack , 14 s per dozen packs . Do . seconds is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by post lid per pack extra , Cards for Piquet , BiSzique , Ecarte " , & c , Mogul Quality lOd pei pack , 9 s per dozen packs . —London : W . W . Morgan , 67 BwbieaB ( B , o ,

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor * respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the nam * and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

— : o :-r-WHICH IS CORRECT P

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I quite understand " P . M ., P . Z . ' s " thirst for knowledge , and I trust that , over and above any satisfactory solutions as to moot points between this aud that Preceptor which he may succeed in obtaining by his present system of inquiry , he will further succeed in drawing attention to the importance of onr having

Lodges of Instruction where Craftsmen may not only acquire a knowledge of onr ritual , but where they will glean in addition some insight into its rationale . We all know there is much in our ceremonies and lectures which is very trying to educated men , and which they must experience some difficulty in listening to with becoming gravity . I believe the appearance in them of many strange assertions is capable

of explanation , and I think it is undoubtedly one of the chief duties of our Preceptors to furnish the brethren with something like an exposition of the spirit of our system . Somo there are who , I feel sure , are capable of fulfilling this higher class of duty—of expound , ing onr ceremonies , and lecturing upon our lectures . But others are themselves so ill-furnished with knowledge that any attempt on their

part to instruct others in the direction I havo indicated wonld only involve them in endless ridicule . " P . M ., P . Z . " may or may not obtain authoritative replies to his several queries ; but he will have achieved good work if he succeeds , through the medium of your columns , in obtaining a greater degree of respect for our Lodges of Instruction .

Meanwhile as to the rival versions in his last paragraph . Preceptor No . 1 says , " The hardest bodies polish by attrition , " and Preceptor No . 1 , being a commonsensible kind of person , is right . The idea is of two bodies rubbing against each other and becoming smooth and glossy by the rubbing . Thus , if two stones are rubbed against each other for any length of time , the surface of eaoh , where the friction

occurred , will present a smooth and glossy surface . Preceptor No . 2 , however , thinks bodies polish " by Collision , " and I am sorry for him . " Collision" implies the striking of two bodies against each other with greater or less violence , and consequently with greater or less damage to one or both of them . There was , for instance , in the summer of 1875 , a collision between the Iron Duke and the Vanguard ,

which certainly " polished off " the latter , for it is lying still at the bottom of tho Irish Channel ; but in no other way can I trace any polish to the collision of these war vessels . In the other case , where Preceptor No . 1 lays down the word as " promulgate , " while Preceptor No . 2 prefers " propagate , " there is not tho samo violence in the antagonism between the two versions . The meaning of the sentence

will vary , according as wo use " promulgate or " propagate , but the use of the less preferable word is not calculated to excite in ns any sense of contempt . Promulgate means to make known or publish , e . g . to promulgate a law or a scheme , that is , to make it known by open declaration . This hardly conveys the sense of the passage quoted , which is : " They travelled East in search of knowledge , and

West in order to spread that knowledge by implanting it in the minds of men . " The promulgation of knowledge means its publication in the sense in which an act of Parliament is published . The propagation of knowledge is its multiplication and extension , by planting out the seeds or germs of knowledge in other minds , after the same

manner as a plant is multiplied by planting ont seed or striking slips from tho parent plant . I consider propagate undoubtedly the better word , indeed the correct one of tho two to use ; for it conveys the sense of the passage . But , as I have said , I see nothing supremely ridiculous in tho use of " promulgate . " Fraternally yours , "Q . "

Lodges Of Instruction.

LODGES OF INSTRUCTION .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR , —Knowing you take a deep interest in the proper con . duct of the several Lodges of Instruction I am sure you will accord me space for a few lines . I am not a smoker , bnt I do nob object to smoking , —in moderation . I have attended several Lodges of

Instruction lately , where it has become absolutely necessary to stop the proceedings of tho evening to enable those assembled , —shall I say it ?—to breathe . This surely should not be ; the " quiet pipe , " by some of our energetic brethren , is turned into an instrument for " funking the cobbler , " and I am snre , in many cases , with as happy

a result , —that of laying the operator by . I will not occupy your space with further remarks , my object has been to call attention to an evil which might easily be remedied . I hope my hint will be taken , as if we are to keep our Lodges of Instruction close tyled , it were as well those who attend should not puff quite so hard . Believe me , yours fraternally , COUNTERBLAST ,

A Distressing Case.

A DISTRESSING CASE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —Among the fifty-seven applicants as candidates for admission into the Masonic Boya' School , if elected , on the 16 th inst ., stands