Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

MASONIC QUERIES . To the Editor of Ins FREEMASON ' S GIII : OMI-I . K . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —I will endeavour to answer , to tho best of my ability , tho series of questions propounded by " W . M . C . L ., " in your issue of tho 30 th ult . 1 . —Ifc is not necessary the Constitutions should make any

provision for tilling a vacant chair " when any officer , from S . W . downwards , dies , or otherwise withdraws , during his year of office . " The Master , Treasurer and Tyler are chosen by the Lodge , but the Wardens and other officers by the Master . In the event of the death or withdrawal of any one of the latter , it would clearly rest with the

W . Master to fill tho vacancy . I take it , however , there is , indirectly , a provision made to meet at least ono mode of vacating an office , namely , tho compulsory mode . Section 9 , at p . 79 , provides as follows : — / " The Wardens and officers of a Lodge cannot be removed , unless

for a cause which appears to the Lodgo to be sufficient ; but tho Master , if he bo dissatisfied with the conduct of any of his officers , may lay the cause of complaint before the Lodgo , and , if ifc shall appear to the majority of the brethren present that tho complaint bo well founded , ho shall have power to displace such officer , and appoint another . "

2 . —I believe the " practice in the oldest Lodges " is governed by what I have stated above . 3 . —The Lodgo elects its Tyler , and may remove him at any timo , " for causes deemed sufficient by a majority of tho brethren present at a regular meeting . " It follows , logically , that when a Lodgo displaces its Tyler , ifc is acting within its right when ifc appoints a successor . 4 . —The insignia on a Master ' s apron aro improperly described by "W . M . C . L . " as " three TAUS , " which , in the form of tho triple TAU , is an emblem in Royal Arch Masonry . Under tho head of " Regalia , " tho Constitutions provide as follows : — " The masters and past masters of lodges to wear , in the placo of

the three rosettes on the master masons apron , perpendicular lines upon horizontal lines , thereby forming three several sets of two right angles ; tho length of the horizontal Hues to be two inches aud a half each , aud of the perpendicular lines ono each . "

These insignia then , which mark the rank of a Master and Past Master , are regulated by the Constitutions , and are , in fact , " levels , " not " TAUS , " as " W . M . C . L . " mis-names them . Tho Scotch Constitutions , indeed , so describe them , roughly . They say : —

" In place of each of the Rosettes on the Master Mason ' s apron , a horizontal line , two and a half inches long , with a perpendicular lino from its middle , one inch high , thereby forming two right angles , in imitation of a rude level . ( N . B . —The italics are mine . ) The instructions in both Constitutions as to these " levels , " not " TAUS , " are clear and precise .

5 . —I think if " W . M . C . L . " will carry his inquiries further , he will find that " the ritual employed in opening a Board of Installed Masters" was determined at tho Union of " Moderns" and " Ancients , " in 1813 . If ho will refer to Articles III . and IV . of that Union , as contained in Preston ' s Illustrations of Masonry , ho

will find , in tho former , these words : — " There shall be the most perfect unity of obligation , of discipline , of working the Lodges , of making , passing and raising , instructing , and clothing Brothers ; so that but ono - pave unsullied system , according to the geuuine landmarks , laws , ancl traditions of the

Craft , shall bo maintained , upheld , and practised throughout tho Masonic world from tho day , & c , & c . " In Article IV ., wo read : — " To prevent all controversy or dispute as to the genuine and pure obligations , forms , rules , and ancient traditions of Masonry ... it is agreed that the obligations

ancl forms that havo , from time immemorial , been established , used , and practised in the Craft , shall be recognised , accepted , and taken by the members of both Fraternities as the pure and genuine obligations and forms by which the incorporated Grand Lodge of England , and

its dependent Lodges in every part of the world , shall be bound . When , then , the two fraternities of Ancients and Moderns were united , the rituals must havo beeu settled in accordance with the above prescriptions . It is useless , I think , to go further back than this . FraternaMy yours , Q .

The word I reemason is found in a statute of Edward VI ., of the year 1518 . Iu the year 1500 , John Hylnier and William Vertue , Freemasons , were engaged to " vaulto or doo to be vawltcd with free-stouc , the roof of the quero of the College Roiall of our Lady and St . George , within tho castcll of Wyndsorc , according to the roof of the body of the said College . " This appears iu an indenture dated June 5 , 21 st year of tho reign of Henry VIII . So saith the Philadelphia Keystone ,

The Magazines Of The Month

THE MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH

Blackwood , opens tho now year with a uow story , entitled " Tho Shadow of the Door . " "Inside tho IIouso of Commons" is pleasantly written , by ono who speaks as with authority , and is well worth reading therefore . Then comes Part viii . of a "A Woman Hater , " in which all tho principal personages take part . Miss Rhoda Gate evidently has her reasons for rejecting tho advances of Mr . Severne , while tho

latter makes a stupid blunder which greatly lowers him in tho estimation of his fiancee . Rhoda Galo is also terribly in earnest in hoc now sphere of work near Vizard Court , and the Klosking re-appears on the scene , ancl receives a visit from a detective , despatched by Severne for purposes of his own . Wo aro evidently approaching a denouement , and shall look forward to future Parts with great

interest . " Weariuess : A Tale from France , " is well-written , but sad , in accordance with its title , and there is a good biographical sketch of "George Sand . " "The New Year" is the title of tho political article , tho writer of which inclines to the belief that peace , after all , may be preserved . We hope so , but then " Tho New Year " was written before the latest disturbing news had reached us .

For sufficient ; reasons , no doubt , the present number of the New Quarterly appears without tho usual critical article on contemporary literature and criticism . We miss this sadly , and trust it may uot wholly have disappeared from the programme of this magazine . The opening article is on " Pessimism , and one of its Professors . " The writer handles her subject well , but wo do nofc think ifc is one that

will be very generally appreciated . The two contributions in the way of fiction aro " Tho House on tho Beach—a Realistic Tale , " by G . Meredith , and " Kate Cronin ' s Dowry , " by Mrs . Cashel Hoey . They aro both of the same excellent class and charoter as invariably aro to be met with in these pages . In addition , aro an account , of " Tho Reformation of tho Thirteenth Century , " by Francis Huefler , from

his forthcoming work on " Tho Troubadours , " ancl a sketch of " Revolutions and Itussiau Conquests in Central Asia , " by J . H . Trernenheere , which will form a special attraction at this period , when tho feeling of jealousy is strong between Russia and Great Britain . Wo cannot say wo incline altogether to the writer ' s views about Russian objects in extending her empire into the heart of Asia . We are not

by any means pessimists , but we do not undervalue , as Mr . Iremen . heere does , tho evidences of Russian lust of conquest , which are noticeable throughout Captain Bnrnaby ' s book . A picture by E . Barrington de Fonblauqno of " Goethe in his Old Age , " and a paper by H . Schiitz Wilson on " Tho Pompeii of the Tanuewold , " complete the list of contents . Tho number is a good ono , albeit wo have read more than one among its predecessors which we consider superior .

Baily contains an article on "Tho Decline of tho English Horse , " a paper on " Stud Gossip , " and another on the question of " Amateur or Gentlemen Huntsman . " There is au interesting sketch of tho career of " Mr . Robert Peek , " well known in racing circles , and , besides this , two other articles to which wo would call our readers ' attention , namely , "A Fogey ' s Kaleidoscope" and "A September Holiday . " Both are readable . As to '' Our Van , " need we say more than that it is genial iitid lively as ever ?

In Cassell's Family Magazine , the serial stories , "Paul Knox Pit . man , " aud " My Guardian , " impress themselves still more favourably upon tho reader , and will doubtless developo into excellent tales . But the class of useful articles it is which always predominates iu this Magazine , " Tho Art of Packing Up " is a case iu point , aud so are the papers " On Healthy Exercise , " by a Family Doctor , " How wo

Failed to mako Both Ends Meet , " by Phillis Browne , "Arc Embroidery as an Employment for Ladies , " and "Food for Culd Weather , " by that excellent caterer of common senso iu matters culinary , Mr . A . G . Payne . The directions for " Gardening in January" will be found of use to tho amateur , and thero is some

pertinent advice in the description of " How I engage my servants . Besides these there is a paper on " The Arctic Expedition : its Aims and its Deeds , " some pretty littlo " Miniature Stories to be read round tho Christmas Fire , " " Chit Chafc on Dress , " and " The Gatherer ' s " very useful array of notes .

The Leisure Hour opens with a new serial story of domestic interest , entitled " A Young Wife ' s Story . " The paper on " Old Almanacks " belongs to that class of article which occurs so frequently in this periodical , aud which is always welcomed so cordially by lovers of antiquarian lore . The biographical sketch of "Viscount Stafford do Redclill ' e K . G ., G . C . B ., " is that of ono of the most eminent

diplomatists England has over had the good fortune to include among her public men . The sketch is well drawn , and we commend it particularly to the notice of onr readers . " Australia Fulix : Impressions of Victoria , " Pint I ., by Isabella L . Bird , introduces ns to one ot ont most important cities in Australia . "Tho New Law Courts" explains to us their New Constitution , as far as the brief limits of an

article will permit . "Au Early Breakfast in the City" is a very entertaining paper , which must bo read in order to be thoroughly appreciated . It is specially interesting as containing somo interesting information respecting the Religious Tract Society , aud tho excellent work ifc does . " Our Ironclads" is a short account of some

of our most formidable war ships of tho day , and , in one or two cases , a contrast is offered between tho ships wo possess ancl those of other maritime powers , among the latter being the Russian Circular Ironclad , tho Ponotf ' , of which there is an illustration . The coloured engraving of the "Soldier ' s Dream" makes an excellent

frontispiece . Iu the Sunday at Home , we have noticed a short , yet appropriate Christmas story , entitled " Tho Echoed Song , " No . I . of " Pictures from Jewish Life , " by J . Alexander , author of " The Jews , their Past , Present and Future , " ancl " An Iudian Chaplain ' s Recollections . " We can further recommend to tho notice of our readers , tho . sketch of "A Portuguese Mountain Village , " and an explanation of tho " Chinese Tail Cutting Mystery . " Tho usual class , of contents will