Correspondence.

to the Craft if Bro . Stevens could bo induced to reprint his valuable articles aud letters of tho last ten years in pamphlet form , at a moderate price . Perhaps it might bo done by each Lodgo subscribing

for one copy . I am sure AVO should all find such a work an invaluable assistance . Yours fraternall }* , W . H . GULMFOKD I . P . M . 1017 . 11 Caroline-street , Bedford-squaro . 27 th May 1879 .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I recently had tho honour to fill tho chair of Senior Warden in a Lodge of Instruction , and , after the first ceremony had been worked , somo sections Avere commenced . I Avas very much surprised to find that my answer to the first

question put to me Avas pronounced Aviong by tho Brother who filled tho office of Preceptor , ho stating that " s—o " ivns tho correct answer . I afterwards asked him on what authority he based his opinion , as I had always heard the question replied to as I had answered it , ancl I had no idea thero Avero two answers to what had

hitherto appeared to mo so simple a question . Since then I have , in somo measure , analysed the two replies , together with tho one that follows , until at last I am at a loss to know to Avhich to give the preference . As I seo by your last paper that such questions as theso are

receiving tho attention of thoso Avho appear to hold a prominent position in the Craft , I hopo yon Avill excuse my troubling you . I shall certainly moke myself acquainted with the correspondence you havo already published on question * of ritual , and shall therefore be glnd if you will please forward me a copy of the volume Avhich contains same .

I am , Seo ., Yours fraternally , A NEW SITIISCKIISER

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRO . VICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —On rc-perus il of my letter of last week I notice an error , which I am desirous of speedily correcting . Tho letter of tho 27 th March ISO !) in tho Frfcwasnn , therein referred to , was headed " Past Masters ns Preceptors , " and not as I have written " Uniformity of Working . " Ifc is as well , in view of future

possible action , to aruid nil chance of misleading fhoso who may tako interest in tho , general subject of Masonic ritual and observance , and therefore T sin 11 be glad if you will publish this correction . I have already received most earnest requests to carry out tho suggestion made in my last week ' s letter , and to publish in r . ctcnsn the Avhole of the correspondence referred to : and 1 should very

willingly set about the task of doing so , and of adding thereto some most valuab'o and interesting informal ! > n , if I could bo insured against pecuniary loss . My leisure I would cheerfully devote to the end in view , bnt I cannot afford to sacrifice money ; and , therefore , before setting about tho compilation of tho suggested pamphlet or book , I must know Avhat likelihood thero is of snpporfc from the

Masonic fraternity . I presume tho work could bo published at the prico of , say half-a-crown or three shillings per copy , and if I receive a reasonable number of applications for copies , addressed to me as below , I will undertake the Avork , and probably in the course of a month or six Aveeks may bo enabled to forward the same to subscribers . Of course my desiro Avill bo to limit the cost in order to

ensure extended circulation , and consequently tho more support given by tho brethren , tho less will be the expense of publication , and the prico of the Avork itself . Of the examples of differences in ritual which have been already noticed , probably only the least important have had attention , it having been my original intention to work gradually up to the

more serious matter of divergence iu Masonic ceremonial ancl observance . This will now be gradually approached , Avith all the caution and reserve necessary to the subject ; and I veiy respectfully invite tho private communications of brethren in reference to any portion of Lodgo Avork which they may think should be discussed . Meanwhile ,

Preceptor No . 1 says , in the course of each Craft ceremony , " - duly obligated . " Preceptor No . 2 says " newly obligated . " Again , referring to pillars , Preceptor No . 1 says , "In tho porchway entrance . "

Preceptor No . 2 says , "At tho porch or entrance . " And speaking of the three enn-ancos to tho Temple , Preceptor No . 1 says , "South , north , and cast respectively . " Preceptor No . 2 says , " South , west , and cast , tec . " Which is correct ?

Yours truly aud fraternally , JAMES STEVENS , P . M ., P . Z . Clapham , 27 th Mav 1879 .

"WHICH IS K'WECT ?"

To-aw—the Editaw of the FWEEMASON ' S CWONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BwoTiiAAv , ~ It stwikes me—an *—wathawfawciblyaw—that those fellahs wlioarc always Aviting to Masonic papa ws—awabout Avitual and that kind of wubbisb , are Avcgulaw boaws—aw ! II I join a Lawdgc—aw—as I should do a club , don't you know—why in tho name of fawUrae—aw—can't I do as I like ? Am I to be twip'd up

Correspondence.

hcaiv . aucl bntton-holed theaw , by fellahs Avho—aw—pwido themselves as sticklawos for propaw obsawvanco—aw ! and stwict ad howanco to " what they are pleased to call the—aw—ancient pwinciplesand land ' mawks of our AAYCIUW ? Pshaw !—aw . I dare say Bwothaw Stevens nnd thoso Avho are so fond of scwibbling for tho Pwess are decent sort of fellahs , but 'pon maw word , Bwothaw Editaw—aA \*!—I for ono

am bound to say I don t like it . When I—UAV—agwecd to become a membaw , don't yon know , I had an ideaw that—aAV—a Lawdgo waa an agweeablo place—liko an Elysian field , or something or othaw , Avheaw a fellah could lingaw at ease ancl enjoy tho fcasfc of Aveanon mid all thoAvesfc of it—you know Avhafc I wefaw to—aw . But when I am appAventiced—my faAvthaw , by the bye—aw—always had a howwaw

of any of his sons being apprenticed to anything—I Avas told—awthat I mnst weason , study to impwove , pwogwess , in fact , become a bettaw follaw ! Absurd ideaw , don't you think ? How can I become bottaw ? And how am I to become more useful to my follawcweataws ? What—aw—have my fellaw-cweataws to do with mo , or I with them ? Positively widiculons ! Then a "MASTAAY MASON "

tavvks about discwepancies in cewemonial Avitual ; what is tho follaw dwiving at ? I don't doubt it is all wowy Avight for thoso fellaAvs who aro evaw troubling their heat ' s about pwogwesscoveting chaiws and that sort of thing , yon know—fo bo pAvccise in evewy word they uttaw . But I rcgawcl it as a Avidiculous pwactico of wed-tapeism , don't yon ? Whenevaw I am waised to tho position

of Mastaw—which I don't suppose will be wewy long first—I shall nevaw bothaw my bwethron with any cwotchots about witual , or , in fact , anything afc all . Let 'em all do as thoy like . What ' s the uso of their bothcAving their bwains about " discwepancies , " and all thafc kind of wot ? Fweo and easy is my motto , and pwaps that's tho Aveason somo fellaAvs don't agweo with me . But—aw—that ' s their

ewaw of judgment—nofc mine . I arguo if a fellaw joins a Lawdgclot , him join it . If he wishes to become an Officaw—let him wait till his turn comes by wotation . My turn must como in the awdinawy way-aw and then—aw ! Bufc nevaw feaw ! / shall uevaw iwwitato anybody by quibbles and cwotchets about anything whatevaw What's tho uso ? I should pwefcr to havo an intelligent

chat—awovaw a cigaw and a glass of shewwy ancl AvataAV , and let evewy fellaw do pweciscly as he likes . I— aw—pawdon me , Bwothawabominate newspapaws and papaws of evewy descwiption—and shonld I evaAv bo such an egwegious duff aw as to wite this only I have an ideaw it might deter some othaw fellaws who might othervyise bo twoubled Avith that dwistwessing malady known in litewaywy

circles as racrethes scwibendi . Still if they will pwesisfc in argning mattawK which no fellaAV can understand , and therefaw can't appweciate—lot ' em ! That ' s all I can say . I havo always pwactised stwict non-intefewance in othaAv fellaAv's business or pleasuaAVS , and in spite of being called a dawdle , I mean nevaAV to bweak tho cawso I have Aveligionsly pursued all thwongh my—aw—pwofessional cawoaw—aw !

T . i , ta , old fellaw ! you AA * on ' fc bo offended , don't you know ; but pwaps at a not vewy wemote fnchaw wc may meet—aw—and pwaps not . See ? Not a bad joke for me—ch ? But to yon , as a pwofessional Avitaw , it will bo appawenfc ! I'll say no moaw at pwesent ; so aw revaiw .

Dear Sir and Bwothaw , Yours fwaternally , 0 . PHI : ntv GWKKN .

Malta. Lodge Of St. John And St. Paul, No. 349, E.C.

MALTA . LODGE OF ST . JOHN AND ST . PAUL , No . 349 , E . C .

AN emergency meeting of this Lodge Avas hold on Tuesday , tho 20 th of May , at the Masonic Hall , 27 Strada Strefcta , Valletta ,

Present—Bro . Coffey W . M ., also Bros . Kingston R . W . D . G . M ., Rosenbusch P . D . D . G . M ., Officers , ancl numerous brethren . Lodge having been opened , a ballot was taken for Mr . Thomas Steele as a candidate for initiation into the mysteries of Freemasonry , which resulted unanimously in his favour . Lodgo was then passed to tho second degree , and Bros . Leader and McLaughlin having shown that they

possessed a satisfactory knowledge of this degree , Avere entrusted and retired . Lodge was raised to the third degree , and Bros . Leader ancl McLaughlin having been re-admitted , Avere , under dispensation from tho Wor . District Grand Lodge of Malta , raised to the sublime degree of M . M . by tho D . G . M . Bro . Kingston , Avho performed the ceremony in a most impressive manner , aud to the admiration of all present .

Lodge having been successively reduced to the second and first degrees , a vote of thanks Avas passed to the D . G . M . for working tho third degree . After which Lodgo was closed in due form . The brethren adjourned to the refreshment room , where , after tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts had been given , and duly honoured , the W . M ., Bro . Coffey , rose and proposed in the warmest terms tho health

of tho R . W . D . G . M ., Bro . Kingston , whoso admirable Avorking of the third degree that evening had called forth tho highest encomiums . The W . M . referred to tho approaching departure of tho D . G . M . for England , Avhere he Avill spend the summer . Ho felfc sure the brethren present would nnite Avith him in wishing Bro . Kingston a happy time , and a safe return to Malta in the autumn . This toasfc was received with the greatest enthusiasm , and feelingly responded to by the D . G . M .

Mess : ? . G . E . Dod and Co ., publishers , have lately been appointed the Loudon Agents of the Hoeiett Biographiqv . e de France . Applications for membership , and biographies of English litciar / men , soldiers , politicians , artists , and members of leading industrial firms intended for publication in that Society ' s journal should be addressed to Messrs . Dod , 26 Parliament . street , Westminster , S . W .