Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . AH Letters must bear the name and address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

To the Editor of the EBBBMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB AND BBOTHEE , —Whilst agreeing in the main with P . Z . ' s letter , I cannot help thinking that his methods are somewhat extreme . Were he to suggest a radius of seven miles from Manchester , and then strike due north , the removal of some thirteen Lodges from the West would probably result , but only to be replaced by a similar number from the East , becoming then simply a matter of exchange . Yours , & c , P . M . M .

NEEDED EEFOEM

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB , — " Masonry being a progressive science , " I am sure the whole county of Lancashire will express their sympathy for the cause which the FBEEMASON ' CHRONICLE has thrown open its columns to discuss . That reform is needed is clearly evident from your map , and I feel sure that the steps taken will lead to ultimate success , and that Freemasonry will no longer be seen and regulated by the uncertain " Lete o' th' Mune . " Yours , & c , NOAH .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHEONICLE . DEAE SIR AND BEOTHEE , —I was most gratified this morning to find that " Needed Beform" is being championed by you , and I am sure a continuance in that course will bring such suggestions from all parts of the Provinces of Lancashire that the questions will become so sifted and improvements suggested that our Provincial Grand Eulers will have very little trouble in coming to a satisfactory means of giving us this much " Needed Reform . "

Fraternally yours , PROGRESS 5 th July 1896 .

FEEEMASONEY AND THE LAW .

The following appeared in the " Tablet . " SIE , —I shall be much obliged if you or any of your readers will kindly inform me where I can purchase Leo Taxil's book on Freemasonry , and other more recent works- of the same kind . I prefer to have them in French if possible . A couple of years ago I tried numerous shops in Paris , but without success , and came to the conclusion that the Brethren there had managed to interfere with the sale of the book .

May I draw your attention to the fact that there is a Freemason ' s Lodge in the Temple , and that many of our leading barristers and several of the judges are members of it ; at least so I gather from the daily papers . Without for a moment supposing that the founts of justice are tainted , it seems to me clearly irregular that the Judges of England should be members of a Secret Society ; and I shall be glad to hear that I am mistaken about that . Yours truly ,

J . J . L . E 4 Cresswell Park , Blackheath , 29 th June 1896 .

We desire to notify to our Manchester subscribers , many of whom are members of the Lodge of Instruction , No . 581 , that the meetings usually held at the Old Boar ' s Head , Withy Grove , are now adjourned until Thursday , 10 th September . The Lodge , which has been established for some years , has proved its

usefulness in many ways , as evidenced by the reports which we have from time to time given in these columns . Brethren wishful to join may do so when the Lodge resumes its meetings , full particulars of membership , & c , being obtainable from the Secretary , Bro . Alfred Hebden , 21 Talbot Street , Withington , Manchester .

Can any of my military readers tell me whether there is any rule in the Army Act , or the Queen ' s Eegulations , or anywhere else , which forbids soldiers to belong to secret societies ? A Service correspondent in India gravely suggests that not only is there a rule of this kind , but that Freemasons come within the

scope of the rule . Seeing the extent to which Masonry flourishes in the Army , I can hardly suppose that there is any ground for this opinion , but judging by some of the stories which occasionally reach me respecting the results of Freemasonry among military men , it would be no bad thing if such a Eeeulation did exist . —" Truth . "

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

THE Midland and North British Eailway Company and the Midland and Glasgow and South Western Eailway Co . have issued their popular illustrated Tourists' Guide Books for the use of tourists in Scotland during the holiday season . They have been in great part re-written , and are supplemented with the latest information . The pictures are numerous—not to speak of handy maps—and the descriptions of the country and its associations are written in an agreeable style . The books , under the respective titles of " The Land of Scott" and " The Land of Burns , " are published ( John Miller , Glasgow ) at the marvellously low price of threepence each .

As supplementary to our remarks of last week we may call attention to the particulars given elsewhere in this issue of the summer train service of the Midland Company from London , to Derbyshire , Lancashire , the Yorkshire Watering Places , the Lake District , & c , and also brief details of the Scotch , Isle of Man , and other arrangements , including notice of the weekly excursion to Matlock , Buxton , Liverpool , Southport , and neighbouring holiday resorts .

THE enterprising and energetic General Manager of the Midland Railway has added to that Company ' s series of special publications , " A Tourists ' Illustrated Guide to the Holiday Eesorts in the British Isles " which are in connection with the Company ' s network of lines . Practical information regarding fares , routes , special travelling arrangements and so forth constitutes the staple of the volume ; but the introduction furnishes descriptive notes of the country traversed , and the whole is accompanied by maps and numerous vignettes .

THE London and North Western Railway Company is , as usual , keeping pace with the requirements of holiday passengers , and this week announces excursions , to run on Friday ( midnight ) and Saturday of next week to the principal stations on the system , with varied limits for the return journeys , as set out in the Company ' s advertisement given elsewhere .

THE Brighton Railway Company announces another of the favourite Saturday trips from London round the Isle of Wight , to take place to-day ( Saturday ) , when a special fast train , conveying passengers at cheap first and second class fares , will leave Victoria Station , at 9 - 30 a . m . ( calling at Clapham Junction and West Croydon ) for Portsmoth Harbour Station direct , in connection with a steamer leaving the Station Pier , for a trip round the Isle of Wight , immediately on arrival of the special train , and returning in time for the return journey of the special train to leave Portsmouth Harbour Station at 6 ' 15 p . m . for London .

THE great popularity of cycling on the Continent , and especially in France , has induced Messrs . Cook and Son , the originators of tours and excursions , to extend their operations for the benefit of the great army of cyclists . An attractive programme has been issued descriptive of a series of fortnightly cycling tours through Normandy and Brittany , commencing 18 th inst ., and fortnightly afterwards . Considering the magnificent roads for

which Normandy is celebrated , and the remarkable scenery in both provinces , the tours cannot fail to attract a large number of those who now take their holidays on wheels , and who may wish to be relieved of all trouble as to customs , foreign language , and hotel arrangements . Entering at Havre , the parties will travel to Rouen , and then in a south-westerly direction to St , Malo , visiting all places of interest on the route .

Bro . D . P . Cama Past Grand Treasurer has forwarded to the Lord Mayor a cheque for 100 guineas for the Mansion House Poor Box fund , with a letter , in which he states : " To-day being the anniversary of my mother ' s death , to mark the solemn

occasion I am desirous to do some charitable act , as taught me by my religion . " This is the third occasion , within a comparatively short period , that the Mansion House Poor Box fund has benefited by our Brother ' s benevolence .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

BEO . HENEY STONE , one of the most prominent men of Aldershot , died on Friday , 3 rd inst ., after a long and painful ilness , in the fifty-third year of his age . Bro . Stone always took the deepest interest in Freemasonry . He was initiated in the Panmure Lodge , No . 723 , in the year 1875 , the Lodge at that time being held at the Wellington Hotel . He soon

afterwards took office , and has since then passed through the whole of them . It was in 1881 that he was first elected as W . M ., but , being host of the hotel where the Lodge met , the dispensation necessary for him to enter upon the office was refused . Again in 1882 the Brethren gave him their support and elected him as their Worshipful Master , but for the same reasons

the P . G . Master declined to authorise him to take the office , and it was not until 1895 , on a vacancy occurring through the departure from Aldershot of Bro . G . W . Eeeves , the then S . W ., that the Brethren for the third time elected him , and through the powerful influence brought to bear in his favour he was on this occasion installed as Master . It was an office that he had

looked forward to for years , and one that he always said he should fill . In addition to the Craft Lodge , he was a Past Master of the Aldershot Military Mark Lodge , No . 54 , and was , on the distribution of honours in the Jubilee year , appointed Sword Bearer by his Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales . He was a supporter of the Mark Charities , had qualified as Patron ,

and was thereby the owner of some 150 votes in his own ri ght . He also took a prominent part in resuscitating the William Stuart Preceptory , No . 76 , which had been dormant for several years , and , thanks to his energy and that of a few others who did their best to assist , it is now in a flourishing condition . Besides the honours already enumerated , Bro . Stone held Provincial rank in the Eoyal Arch , and the Provincial Grand Priory .