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upon himself Secretarial functions , or a Secretary Tresonal functions ; that a newly-appointed official , who is yonng , modest , and of retiring disposition , though at first ho needs the kindly assistance and sympathy of his elders , should in time lie allowednay , e neon raged—to assert himself , nor [ always bo held in leading strings ; that there can bo too much of a good thing , even when that

good thing is tho dictation of one mind in tho management of a large institution ; and , in short , that a little change— " tho infusion of a little now blood "—is at all times good for ns ; then I havo yet to learn that to endeavour to give effect to such opinions is " tho ' outcome ' of personality and malevolence , tho intrigues of a potty cliquo , or the arrangement of an audacious ' caucus ; ' " that it is

dono " to gratify personal pique ; " that ifc is " a very Jesuitical proceeding iu itself ; " and that thoso who do so are "influenced by a desire for petty revengo for a previous defeat . " I chargo no ono with being actuated by improper motives , whether he nominates an old Committee or a Now Committee , and I have a right to expect that others shall allow I am animated by the s . irao spirit of justice and impartiality as I concede to them . If "party spirit and personal

feeling " aro disturbing elements in tho Freemasonry of tho present generation of Craftsmen , they will be intensified , not removed , by such writing as I havo been commenting upon , whothcr that writing takes tho form of editorial animadversions of a pergonal charactei ' , or of" strong meat for babes" which has received editorial sanction and approval . I derivo at times so much interesting information from the columns

of your contemporary , that I regrot to have been obliged to write in the manner I have done . But this stylo of editorial comment passes my poor understanding . And as I condemn it for its personality , so do I feel sorrow for its foebleness and inconsistency . In order that "babes" may swallow and digest tho " strong food" provided for them , it must be seasoned with the proper quantum of sense and

consistency . If tho editor of tho journal in question will only disabuse his mind of tho idea that every ono who differs with him is unprincipled , and that Freemasons aro not such bad fellows as ho seems to think they are , I am sure he will feel much happior , and the Freemason will be better appreciated . Fraternally yonrs , X . London , 24 th May 1880 .

WHITSUNTIDE AMUSEMENTS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIK ASD BROTHER , —I read with much pleasure your account in last week ' s issue of the festivities in which tho holiday folk indulged this Whitsuntide , and as it may interest your reader 3 to contrast tho amusements of this more prosaic age with those which were in vogue in the good old times , I will , with your permission , and

for the especial benefit of those who delight in the study of popular manners and habits , mention ono or two customs formerly peculiar to tho season just past . Thus , the Reading Mercury for the 24 th May 1819 contained the following curions advertisement : — " Peppard Revel will bo held on Whit Monday , 31 st Blay 1819 , and for tho encouragement of young and old gamesters there will bo a

good hat to be played for at cudgels ; for the first seven couplo that play , the men that breaks the most heads to have the prize ; and one shilling and sixpence will be given to each man that breaks a head , and one shilling to the man that has his head broke . " I offer no opinion as to the sufficiency of the sum [ eighteen pencol awarded for breaking a man ' s head . Some of those people ' s

head 3 may havo been so thick as to havo taken a good deal of breaking , But one shilling would seem to have been but a poor solatium for having one ' s head broken . Perhaps , however , as eels arc said to like being skinned because they are used to it , so those Peppard Revellers , for a similar reason , may havo enjoyed having their heads broken , —at all events , » 3 the next best thing to breaking other

people ' s . Probably most of your readers have seen accounts iu tho daily papers of the Passion Play , acted at Obor-Ammergau , on Whit Monday . Well , among the old local customs which prevailed centuries ago in this country I may mention ono peculiar to Chester , where on Monday , Tne 3 tlay , and Wednesday in Whitsnn week , were

enacted Plays or " Shewes " iu a series of fonr or live and twenty parts , so many being apportioned to each day , and each guild having a part allotted to ifc . Thus to tho Tanners was assigned the representation of " The Fall of Lncifer , " tho Drapers wero charged with " The Creation , " the Water-carriers very appropriately gave a rendering of " The Flood , " and so on . Accounts aro still preserved of

the expenses incurred in acting these plays , and iu thetn occur not a few quaint items , such as the following : — "Item , payd for inendyng hell mought" ( month ) , " 2 d . " " Item , payd for kepytig of fyer at hell rnothe " ( month ) " 4 d . " " Item , paid for settyng the world of fyer , 5 d . " It must ; be remembered that a penny iu thoso days was of greater

value than a shilling is now , but even , at that rate , the charge of 2 d for tho repair of " hell monghfc " must be regarded as trifling , while only 5 d for setting the " world of fyer" must be set down as dirt cheap . Ono more old custom and T have done . Strutfc , in his work on "The Sports and Pastimes of tho People of England , " mentions a

custom that prevailed at Kidlingtou in Oxfordshire , where , on the Monday all " . ' Whitsim week , a fat lamb was provided , and the maidens of tho town , having their thumbs tied behind them , were permitted to ran after it , and she who with her mouth took hold of tho lamb was declared the Lady of tho Lamb , which being killed and

cleaned , but with tho skia hanging upon it , was carried on a long pole before the lady and her companions , attended with niusic . and a morisco dance of men , and another of women . Tho rest of the day was ppent in mirth and merry glee . The next day the lamb , partly baked , partly boiled , and partly roasted , was served up for the lady ' s feast .

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where sho sat "majestically at tho upper end of tho tablo , and her companions with her , " tho mnsic playing during the repast , which being finished , the solemnity cuuo to au cud . Trusting you will find a placo iu your valuable columns for these memorials of yo olden time , Believe mo , fratornally yours , " ANTIQUUS . "

A PLEA TOR THE CANDIDATES TO THE R . M . B . I .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR Sin AND BROTHER , —I bog to thank Bro . Francis for his courtesy in informing mo that he " could give satisfactory ovidenco why the brother who died in Peters field Workhouse was not elected an annuitant of tho above Institntion . "

I am well acquainted with that brother ' s history . My argument is this—If our deceased brother was worthy to be accepted as a candidate , ho must have been a fit and proper person to bo elected to the Institution , or , failing that , why did lie not receive a gratuity ( by

instalments ) from tho Benevolent Fund , to keep him off tho parish ? I wish Brother Francis to understand that , in referring to this case , I had not tho slightest intention of casting any reflection upon tho Petersfield Lodgo , but meroly wished to give an instance of the hardships endured by tho unsuccessful candidates .

Yours fraternally , Tuos . AYLING . 25 fch May 1 S 80 .

SUPREME COUNCIL A . & A . S . RITE

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have the honour to inform you that tho following changes have taken place in the Supremo Council 33 ° . 1 . Tho Most Puissant Sov . Gr . Commander has been created an Earl of the United Kingdom by Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , under the titlo of Earl of Lathom .

2 . HI . Bro . Lfc .-Colonel Shadwell Honry Clerko having resigned his office as Grand Secretary-General , in consequence of his being appointed Grand Secretary to tho Grand Lodgo of England , 111 . Bro . Hugh David Sandeman has been appointed in his stead . 3 . 111 . Bro . The Hon . James Gibbs , C . S . I ., has beou created a Supernumerary Member , residing in tho East Indies .

Tho Supreme Council is now constituted as follows : — Grand Patron . III . BRO . H . R . H . ALBERT EDWARD PRINCE OF WALES , KG . 33 ° . Honorary Members of Supreme Council . H . R . H . ARTHUR DUKE or CONNAUGHT , K . G . 33 " .

H . R . H . PRINCE LEOPOLD , K . G . 33 ° . Supreme Council . III . Bro . Rt . Hon . tho Earl of Lathom , M . P . S . G . Commander . 111 . Bra Captain Nathaniel George Philips , Past M . P . S . G . Cr . and M . III . Lt . G . Commander .

111 . Bro . Major-General nenry Clerk , Grand Treasurer-General . 111 . Bro . John Montagu Pnlteney Montagu , Grand Chancellor . 111 . Bro . Hugh David Sandeman , Grand Secretary-General . 111 . Bro . Sir Michael Costa , Grand Captain of Guards . Ill Bro . Colonel Alexander William Adair , Sov . Grand Inspector .

General . III . Bro . Lt .-Colonel Shadwell Henry Clerke , Sov . Grand Inspector-General . 111 . Bro . General John Stndholme Brownrigg , C . B ., Sov . Grand Inspector- G eneral .

111 . Bro . The Hon . Dr . Robert Hamilton , Supernumerary member , residing in the West Indies . 111 . Bro . The Hon . James Gibbs , C . S . I ., Supernumerary member ,

residing in the East Indies . Official Letters should bo addressed to the Grand Secretary-General , No . 33 Golden Square , W ., at which address all information concerning the Ancient and Accepted Rite can be obtained .

I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , HUGH D . SANDEMAN , 33 ° , Grand Secretary General , H . E . 33 Golden Square , London , W . 14 th May 1880 .

TRURO CATHEDRAL .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . Mount Edgcumbe , Devonporfc . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Ifc is proposed th ; ifc all Masonic subscriptions for the Truro Cathedral should he k -vfc separate from others and applied to some special portion of the l > ui , < iiu £ .

A collection was made after the ceremony on Thursday last , bnfc I have reason to believe that many brethren present ; had no opportunity of contributing . I tliereforo trouble you with this letter , to sny that any contributions which brethren may liko to send , either to myself at No . 23 Belgrave Square , London , or to E . T . Carlyon , Esq .,