Questioning The Records.

which , we believe , bears tlie name of the Grand Secretary on the title page , and is so liable to the error of being regarded as an official publication—which qualification it must be distinctly understood it is not entitled to , although we can quite believe

that efforts will be made by some of its enthusiastic admirers to win for it that distinction . It will be interesting to watch the battle that must now be regarded as fairly commenced between those who seek to uphold the authority of Grand Lodge , and those who desire to see an individual ' s work override ifc .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All 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 .

LODGE OF FRIENDSHIP , No . 44 , MANCHESTER .

To the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow me to take exception to your leader of the 5 th ihsfc ., entitled " Questioning the Records . " Not as respects your claim to independence and impartiality ( as these traits should at all times characterise journalism , and especially any Masonic magazine ) , but because of your defence of tbe erroneous advocacy of Bro . Heywood in regard to the antiquity of No . 44 , Manchester , in opposition to Bro . Chadwiok ' s view of the matter .

I agree with you that " we should think no more of criticrsmg the acts of the Masonic luminaries than of finding fault with the conduct of a private member . " In this instance , however , you have singled out the wrong luminaries for praise , and found fault with those who are in the right . The " Warrant oi Confirmation " by whicb the present No . 44 works was granted in 1835 , in consequence of the one of 1803 authority having " become

defaced and illegible . " It rs true that the document of 1835 mentrons " a Warrant bearing date the 18 th of June 1755 , '' which was issued to " certain Brethren" authorising them " to open and hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the town of Manchester , " but that was not the Charter by which the Lodge of Friendship was working when application was made

for a Warrant of Confirmation . Therein the luminaries of 1835 wero to blame , for had they examined the actual Records of Grand Lodge , they would have found that this first issue of 1755 "was cancelled in 1793 , " as Bro . John Lane notes in his admirable and invaluable " Masonio Becords 1717-1894 . "

As Bro . E . P . Gould wrrtes rn his " Atholl Lodges " ( 1879 ) , and Bro . Lane in the aforesaid work , the minutes of tho " Ancients" of 1795 state that the Lodge was " Renewed and revived on recommendation of Nos . 275 and 278 , " on the condition tbat the " old Warrant be transmitted previous to revival . " The Records declare it was " Revived and granted to Bro . Watson and others ,

late of No . 39 . " No . 44 waa 39 prior to the Union of December 1813 . The official Records also prove tbat the Lodge again lapsed , the demise following soon after tbe start of 1795 ; but in 1803 the same number 39 was issued to other Brethren , not one of whom was connected with the previous Lodge of 1795 , and hence it is by this authority the present No . 44 acts , and was then a new Lodge .

I feel assured you could not have remembered these facts on writing your leader on the subject , which I much regret , as the " FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE " has done yeoman service in this department by the reproduction of nearly all the " Atholl " Warrants , the value of which Bro . Lane and myself havo often most heartily acknowledged . The Warrant under consideration is No . 116 of the series , and occurs in the " F . C . " for the 9 th Mnrch 1878 .

My own opmron is that the dates of Warrants which are printed in the official Grand Lodge Calendar should be revised so as to accord with the Records of the two rival Grand Lodges , and thus prevent Brethren assuming some of the Lodges are of the age ascribed to them . ' ' I should also like to say that Bro . Lane ' s great work is the most important and valuable volume of the kind ever published , and I am delighted that the Grand Lodge decided to accept my friend's kind offer of the copyright , and has had it published in such a handsome form .

Yours , & c , W . J . HUOHAN , [ Bro . Hughan misunderstands the ground on which our article was written . It was not our intention to attempt to decide the date of the formation of the Friendship Lodge , we simply desiring to support the view of Grand Lodge authorities

—as set out m the official Calendar—in opposition to those of private individuals , and in view of the mischievous results thafc are likely to arise from the attempt to foist Bro . Lane ' s work on the Craft as an official compilation we are prepared to maintain our position . It may be perfectly true that Bro . Lane has found oufc the true history of several Lodges misrepresented in the Calendar . If he has , the proper conrse for him is to seek to have

the particulars amended , nofc put himself up as an authority and , even by inference , bring contempt on the rulers of the Craft . Bro . Lane has been very well paid for his work , and may yefc have occasion to regret the fulsome adulation showered upon him by some of his worshippers , who seem to regard him as a sort of Masonic Pope for the time being . Bro . Hughan refers to the publication of particulars as to the Friendship Warrant in the FBBBMASON ' CHKONICLE of March 1878 . Nothing then appears

Correspondence.

to have been known of the lapses now referred to , and we think Bro . Hughan will agree that due care was taken to find out all that was possible of these matters . Of course there has been ample timo since then to make new discoveries , but proper respect should be shown to our rulers , even if some of their edicts are found to be based upon erroneous information . —ED . F . C ]

New Temple At Newcastle.

NEW TEMPLE AT NEWCASTLE .

AN interesting ceremony took place on the 3 rd inst ., afc fche new Masonic Temple for the Province of Northumberland , situate in Pilgrim Street , Newcastle , in the unfurling of a flag by the Chairman of fche Central Masonic Hall Company Aid . Bichard Henry Holmes , J . P ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master . The ceremony was performed on the leaded roof behind the dome oi the building .

Bro . Richard Hopper Holme , in calling on the Deputy Provincial Grand Master to perform the function assigned him , said it was always his ambition to do something , be it ever so little , at fche opening , or partial completion of fche Masonic Temple , and he , therefore , took the liberty of offering this flag to float over fche edifice .

Bro . Richard Henry Holmes said he accepted the flag on behalf of the Masonic Hall Company , and also on behalf of Masonry of Newcastle-on-Tyne and Northumberland generally . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master then , amid applause , unfurled the flag , which , on a blue ground , displayed in white

characters the Masonic emblems of the square and compass . Continuing his remarks , Bro . Holmes said that evening the first Lodge meeting would be held in fche building since its erection , the Lodge being Newcastle-on-Tyne Lodge , No . 24 , the oldest Lodge of the Province , and also the oldest oufc of London . He

might further add that it was with extreme pleasure he unfurled the flag on that auspicious occasion , and it was his fervent hope that ifc might ever float from now and for the years to come over only good , true , and loyal Freemasons , and that no dissensions might ever be found under the roof of this—what would be , when completed—magnificent Masonic Temple .

After thanking Bro . Richard Hopper Holme for his gift , he called for three cheers for the success of the Masonic Hall Company and prosperity to Freemasonry in Newcastle , and the Province of Northumberland . The Brethren heartily responded to the request , and thus brought the interesting ceremony to a close .

In the evening , as indicated by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the Brethren of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Lodge , 24 , met in one of the large rooms of the building , under the presidency of the Worshipful Master Bro . Thomas Pickering . There was a

large attendance of members . The building , it may be further added , is rapidly approaching completion , and in a very short time will be dedicated to the service of Masonry . — " Newcastle Chronicle . "

West Lancashire Educational Fund.

WEST LANCASHIRE EDUCATIONAL FUND .

rilHE annual court of Governors of this Institution was held JL on the 4 th , at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool . Bro . Thomas Whitehead P . P . G . D . presided , and there was a large attendance of Governors from Liverpool and other parts of the Province . The minutes of the last Court and the general Committee

having been confirmed , the meeting elected nine children on the foundation of the Institution , recommended by the General Committee , at an additional yearly cost of £ 78 , the candidates including three of the family of a popular Brother connected with the dramatic profession , a grant of £ 26 per annum being voted for their education .

Bro . J . T . Callow was re-elected Treasurer , Bros . G . Broadbridge and J . H . Tyson Hon . Secretaries , and a number of Brethren as Members of the General Committee .

Bros . Drs . J . K . Smith , H . N . Pitts ( Liverpool ) , J . E . Dunn ( Preston ) , J . H . Irvin ( Lancaster ) , R . P . White ( Wigan ) , W . C . Challoner ( St . Helens ) , and E . F . Hall ( Prescot ) were re-appointed Honorary Medical Officers of the Institution , and afterwards the Auditors aud members of the Finance and Schools Committees

were elected unanimously . A motion was also carried thafc the grants for children at present on the foundation of the charity , amounting to upwards of £ 1 , 700 , should be renewed for the year 1895-6 . A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings . —" Liverpool Mercury . "

The annual meeting of the Metropolitan Lodge , No . 1507 , will be held on Wednesday next , at Anderton ' s Hotel .