Complimentary Dinner And Presentation To Bro. J. R. Stebbing.

to him or better suited to make this presentation , for the warm heartedness with which he had given effect to their intentions regarding himself . The inscription on that most beautiful work of art spoke of the esteem and regard they felt for him after being associated with them for

some twenty years . That , in itself , was no small compliment to bestow upon him in connection with an institution that was now so thoroughly established . Twenty years was a long period for men to be associated together During that time many things would arise to

cause differences of opinion , and to try the temper of men who were connected with the management' of a large financial institution , and he esteemed' * it as one of the most gratifying circumstances that could occur to any one , that after twenty years of intimate association they

could inscribe upon that plate the sentiments of esteem and regard they had done , showing that whilst he had worked harmoniously with them in carrying out the objects of this society , it had engendered between them a feeling of such kindness . He valued that expression more

even than the testimonial itself , beautiful as it was , because it assured him that they had worked honestl y and fairl y together , and in mutual confidence for the good of the society During those twenty years they had had to deal with "the property and sometimes with the

wants' of their fellow-townsmen , and it afforded him great satisfaction to say that in all those transactions no secrets had been divulged , no man ' s affairs had been talked about , the value of no man ' s property had been brought before the public , but the full value had been given for

what he wanted , and if they could hot always give what was expected , the man ' s affairs were never talked about to his disadvantage . If , as their President , he had thus gained their estee m and confidence , it was gratifying to him to say that they had worked harmoniously together to do what was just , and had won the regard and

respect which was the source of so much enjoyment in social life . There was another point connected with the inscription which was extremely gratifying to him , and that was the reference to what they were pleased to call his val liable services as President of their society . He had not' been one of the business workers

connected with this institution , who had , by constant attendance at the Board , done so much for the industry and nrovident habits of so many of his fellow townsmen ; ¦ but he had worked with them earnestly to do good under that law which

enables persons to purchase their own dwellings by paying the rent and a little in addition to it , thus becoming possessed of what is called a stake in the hedge . And if his services had been valuable , they had not been so valuable as theirs which had been untirinp in the interests of the

institution . He could mention to their praise that when it was proposed at the last annual meeting to give a substantial bonus to the directors for some extra trouble they had been put to , they said , " No—the line has been drawn , to which we will adhere , and we will not take

another shilling from the society , being content to work under the olcl system" ( cheers ) . By that system they had been able to advance £ 66 , 000 to people in that town and neighbourhood ; at the present moment they had £ 33 , distributed amongst the saving and industrious

classes , who with that money are becoming the owners of their own residences or other property it is important for them to possess . Then there were the depositors , who got their 5 per cent , with the greatest regularity ; then there were the investors , who in addition to receiving ** per cent .

interest for their money , got an annual bonus of over 4 per cent ., milking upwards of 9 percent , altogether ( cheers ) . They who received this not only benefited themselves , but also others who were borrowers , and who were going on in the same path of providence and thrift as themselves .

The society , when Mr . Bntler joined it , had a capital of onl y / 4 , 000 , but it had gone on increasing year after year until it reached its present flourishing position . There might have been times when thsy were not quite so successful as they desired , but there had not been a time when they were not safe ( hear , hear ) . He had always

Complimentary Dinner And Presentation To Bro. J. R. Stebbing.

in his mind the words inscribed on the Atheni-i 1 Temple , " Look not mournfully on the past ; it can never return . Enjoy the present ; it is thine . Go forth manfully to meet the future ; it can be conquered by a valiant heait" ( cheers ) . He desired not only to testify to the invaluable services

ofthe directors , and their great devotion to the interests of the society , but to the admirable manner in which the various officers connected therewith did their work , and he was bound to speak in warm terms ofthe untiring energy of the Secretary , Mr . Sandy , who seemed to live

only in the welfare of the society . He had so identified himself with its interests that the public had come to designate it "Sandy ' s Society , " and by which it was so popularly known ; and by his attention and urbanity and hard work he had justly earned that distinction . The Actuary , Mr .

O'Farrell , had been invaluable in his hel p ; his accurate and—because accurate—his unassailable estimates and calculations were a strong foundation on which the society rested , whilst his cheerful and ready disposition to meet every detail with the excellent auditors , Messrs .

G . Bridger and Sparrow , was the theme of constant praise . Then they had their valued and experienced surveyor , Mr . Alderman Furber —the very sheet anchor of such institutions , to keep them right as to the value of property on which advances were made . In this Mr . Furber

was indeed a safe foundation on which to rely . No loss had ever occurred on any property he had passed , and he was sure there never would be , and many of the directors practiced in building matters lent their experience in assisting and supporting the judgment and prudence of his

views , thus not only protecting the society , but frequently aiding the borrowers in not giving excessive prices for property they sought to obtain . Mr . Stebbing said he must now leave the somewhat business allusions again to thank them for the valuable gift he saw before him , for

the far more valuable sentiments engraved upon the base , and the generous hospitality that had been exhibited towards him and many of his friends that evening . He could assure them the recollection thereof would be fresh in his momot-y as long as life should last , nnd cheer him to the

closing hour ofhis existence . The imperishable testimonial would descend to his children , anil he hoped his children ' s children , as an incentive to action iu their lives , and to justify the good opinion of those with whom they lived , as , in this instance , it had been his great happiness to

enjoy from some of his most valued friends and fellow-townsmen . Words failed him to do justice to the grateful emotions that were springing from his heart , which made that evening one of the most gratifying—he had almost said the most gratifying—of his life . and he should never forget

their generous acknowledgments of his poor services , but as the time gained on him— -and the time must come when he would no longer b „ " n busy worker in the hive , bnt have less activity amongst his fellow-townsmen—he should find happiness in dwelling upon the past , and then the sight of that beautiful work of art , and all

the surroundings of their friendship and regard , and the kindly manner in which they had done so kind an net , would charm the downhill of life , and in a grateful memory of all these things , give to his last days many sources of joy , and the choicest recollections of the love and friendship which had been so abundantly lavished on him that night .

The Mayor briefly proposed " Success to the Institution , " which was responded to by Mr . Mitchell .

The editor of the " Bnuhiitte" has founded at Florence an establishment for the sale of German and linglish books . Wo have much pleasure in introducing the same to the notice of our many readers who may visit the fair city , feeling

assured that they will meet with every attention from those in charge . The address is — . Messrs" . Flor and Findel , German and Foreign Booksellers , 24 , Lung Arno Acciajoli , Florence , Italy . Prints , photographs , pictures , and English stationery , are also kept in stock . —Ami ' .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

THE MALTESE RITUAL .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — . Without infringing your positive declaration last week aga inst further correspondence respecting the English Order of St . Iohn . which f hnve nc irz-. nr n , o ^» o ... ; il .... . .

with good reason declined , I may ask you to admit the following extract from an official , published , report of the Grand Prior of the Masonic Templars in Canada , Colonel Macleod Moore , dated the 14 th August , 1873 ; - :

" It has been stated that onr Maltese Ritual was brought from the Island of ' Maltji ; this I can postively say is not the case , for in May , 1849 , I was the first to introduce " . the Temple Order there , and we did not work any degree of Malta . " Yours fraternally , Lurus .

Saint John's Gate.

SAINT JOHN'S GATE .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you permit me to say , in reference to your paragraph of the 18 th instant , thatjl believe one tower only of this interesting building will as yet be occupied as the business office ' s of the English Order of St . Iohn . The remainder

will not _ be disturbed as a tavern , with all , its antiquarian and literary associations , at all events for some time to come . The statement that the gateway had become the property op ' otie - of the English Knights ofthe Protestant Lringueis correct . Yours farternally , LUPUS .

Masonic Literature.

MASONIC LITERATURE .

To the Editor af Tim Freemason . Dear Sir , and Brother , — It 10 midnnrlvibr nnd as linmiliatin - nc melancholy , that the shadow of a shade of just cause should have called forth your leader in the last issue of The Freemason .

You write , that " it mi ght be a cnrious enquiry why there should be a want of appreciation of our Masonic literature ; " but it strikes me that as far as your journal , nnd other serials of equal intelligence and independence , are concerned , the solu tion of the problem is simple enough .

Ihe Press disturbs ancient unreasoning and unreasonable beliefs , and by opening its columns to free and temperate discussion exposes shame and explodes wind-bags ; and since it cannot be denied that not a few Freemasons prefer repose in a fool ' s paradise , to contact with the outer

world of fact and enlightemment ; and that they resent as much as they fail to understand and appreciate , intelligent and exhaustive enquiry ; it can scarcely alford due cause of surprise that they hate thc trouble of thinking , and detest still more , the labour of proving all things , and holding fast that which is true . Hence the lack of

" a warm , a full , a sympathetic support of Masonic literature . " '' Our lodges make little—rather no—provision for literary studies or Masonic libraries , " and the consequence is that , in spite of the fraternal

elf ' orts of many hardworking brethren , the majority of our m . Miibars , when not plunged into a gulf of myths nnd nbsurdities , are pleased to remain in what you aptly term the " insular contcntedness of knowing little or nothing of intellectual Freemasonry . "

To The Freemason at least must be . adjudged the palm for affording a fair field nnd no favour to all comers . The discussion which was finall y closed in your Inst issue , is a case in point , and the thanks of all those who have at heart the true

interests of our noble institution are due to you for your impartiality and for your putting a stop to the freedom of debate , only when on one side it had degenerated into the inane repetition of untenable assertions , in the vain endeavour of

covering the ignominious failure of an unprovoked and unjustifiable attack upon an association utterly unconnected with Freemasonry .