Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

LONDON LODGES AND THE VICTORIAN COMMEMORATION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear- Sir and Brother , " W . W ., " in your issue of last Saturday , invites discussion upon a subject which cannot but be of great interest to London Freemasons . He suggests that a Province of London , or London District Grand Lodges—corresponding to Provincial Grand Lodges—should this year be formed .

To make all London into a separate district in this way would be quite impracticable , because of its immensity ; but the 439 lodges it contains might very well be divided into , say , eight districts , the 55 lodges in each of which might be united , and thus might form eight Metropolitan Grand Lodges . In each case

a Metropolitan Grand Master—ranking precisely as a Provincial Grand Mastera Deputy , and tbe usual officers would be required . The collars , jewels , & c , might be identical ( " Metropolitan " taking the place of " Provincial" ) , and there would then be between 30 and 40 collars to bestow each year in each of the eight Metropolitan Grand Lodges .

By this means deserving London brethren might obtain recognition which under present circumstances they cannot even hope for , and—which is perhaps more important—each Metropolitan Grand Lodge might have its Metropolitan Charity Committee by means of elected representatives from each lodge , as is done in the provinces .

This would have a three-fold advantage —( 1 ) It would materially increase the amount contributed to the Charities ; ( 2 ) It would do away with the present expensive collecting system ; and ( 3 ) And , most important of all , it would enable London lodges to combine and bring the full force of their voting power to bear in support of their candidates at the elections .

That such a scheme as I have roughly sketched has not been carried out long ago has been a matter of wonder to many besides . —Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

DISINTERESTED March 3 rd , 18 97 .

P . S . —The province which contains 70 to 100 lodges finds , I am told , the distribution of honours difficult ; hence the suggestion that London should be divided into eight Metropolitan Grand Lodges . The names to be assigned to them and their respective boundaries would be matters of detail .

THE LODGE WARRANT AND CONFERRING DEGREES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , "Ex-Secretary , P . M . ' s" letter , if answered by the present Book of Con stitutions alone , is exceedingly simple as to his first question . Law 125 says " No lodge . . . can meet without a warrant . , . which is to be specially

intrusted to the Master for the time being at his installation , who is responsible for its safe custody , and shall produce it at every meeting ol the lodge . " •» The italics , of course , are mine . The meeting described was undoubtedly " an irregularity . " The lodge being " irregular , " no countenance ought to be given " to any person initiated therein . " —See A o . 13 of the Ancient Regulations agreed to by the W . M . at his installation , prefixed to the Book of Constitutions .

In fairness to the newly-initiated brethren , the W . M . should state the circumstances to the Board of General Purposes , confess his error , submit to their punishment—which , if heisservinghis . / ittf ! Mastership , will probably be lightand ask what they require as to the candidates . As they are innocent , probably re-obligation will be sufficient . —Yours fraternally , LEX SCRIPTA . Feb . 24 th , 1897 .

THE ENDOWMENT OF GUY'S HOSPITAL . Tothe Editor ot the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I feel confident that you will be kind enough to favour me , to insert he copy of the enclosed letter from his Royal Highness our M . W . Grand Master , to the authorities of Guy ' s Hospital , together with this from your humble servant , in your next publication . Perhaps this might be the means to induce the various

lodges to send a small subscription of a guinea , or even half-a-guinea , towards the endowment of a bed at Guy ' s Hospital in the name of the " Freemason , " only about ^ 125 more is required to complete the ^ 1000 necessary . The brethren will remember that Grand Lodge has granted the sum of £ 500 —and Grand Chapter . £ 125—for that purpose , and with other subscriptions already received—amongst those of Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G . D ., ^ 100 , and Bro . Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Sec , . £ 25—the sum subscribed is about ^ , " 870 . It would be a great pity if for the few pounds the object of the endowment should

fail . It seems from the experience I had by visiting several lodges , that there is an impression amongst the brethren , that the appeal just now before the public for the General Hospital Fund is for the same purpose , therefore I trouble you with this letter that the brethren might know that the endowment of one bed at Guy ' s Hospital in the name of the ' * Freemason / ' is quite a distinct appeal from the

other . Subscriptions for the endowment will be thankfully received by Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G . D ., of Aldermaston Court , Reading , or by Bro . Sir Joseph Dimsdale , P . G . T ., of the firm Messrs . Prescott , Dimsdale , Sr Co ., Bankers , of 50 , Cornhill , which will be acknowledged in due time in the Freemason . Thanking you in anticipation for publishing this statement , —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally ,

MAURICE SPIEGEL , P . M ., P . Z ., & c London , Feb . 26 th , 18 97 .

The Governors of Guy ' s Hospital have just issued an interim report relating to the appeal for funds made on behalf of that Institution , and the response thereto up to the 30 th September last . From this it appears that the , 6500 , 000 for which the appeal was made only about one-third has been forthcoming , and that 150 beds remain closed to tbe sick poor . To the report is appended the following letter , which has been received by the Treasurer :

"Marlborough House , Pall Mall , S . W ., " December , 1896 . " Dear Mr . Cosmo Bonsor , " The generous response by all sections of the public to the appeal which has been made on behalf of the re-endowment and sustentation funds of Guy ' s Hospital has naturally been a source of great pleasure to the Prince of Wales , and he would be glad if you would add to the official interim report , which

Correspondence.

you are about to issue , a paragraph expressing his sincere personal thanks to eac donor and subscriber . " His Royal Highness , as President of the Hospital , cannot , however , but entertain much anxiety concerning its future prospects , and he desires me to remind you that even the considerable measure of financial success which has already been achieved will not , unless further efforts are still made , prove adequate fully to meet the exigencies of the situation .

" Believe me , yours truly , "FRANCIS KNOLLYS . " H . Cosmo Bonsor , Esq ., M . P ., Treasurer , * ' Guy ' s Hospital , S . E . "

MASONIC RECORDS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was quite delighted to see you were publishing records of Masonic attendances . I should like to add one of a member of the lodge to which I belong . I allude to Bro . John Constablewho for upwards of 10 years in his

, mother lodge—Isle of Axholme , No . 14 82—never missed a lodge , making a total of about 115 ; besides attending all lodges of emergency , & c . It should also be known that his residence is eight miles from the lodge , to which he could only go by train , returning home by road . He is also one of the founders of the lodge to which I belong , which made its 106 th meeting last month , at which he has al-ways

been present , as well as every lodge of instruction , emergency , & c . I saw a paper the other day , in which it showed that up to 1894 he had travelled nearly 10 , 000 miles in Masonry , and had visited 47 lodges . I think this , Sir , will be admitted is truly a " record . "—Yours fraternally , 2259 , W . Yorks .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , As I understand you are making a collection of records of Masons , I have pleasure in bringing before your notice W . Bro . and E . Comp . E . Billington , who was initiated in Lodge Wharncliffe , No . 1462 , in 1881 , and has never missed a lodge or chapter meeting yet . The lodge meets 11 times a year , and this will make his attendances equal to 176 at least , in addition to an attendance at every lodge of instruction . —Yours fraternally , J . CONSTABLE , P . P . G . S . B , W . Yorks .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1096 J . — It seems that " An Old Past Master " is right ; Masonic clothing is certainly not underc \ oth \ ng , and , as St . Paul says , we ought to be " clothed upon . '

C . H . W . 1097 ] " Lex Scripta " will probably inform " Ex-Sec . P . M . " that the custody of the warrant is in the W . M ., who is bound to produce it at every meeting of his lodge . I suppose that the Degrees conferred were invalid , and probably Grand Lodge will order the candidates to be again obligated . C . IH . W .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"THE BERKSHIRE MASONIC REGISTER AND C ALENDAR FOR 1 S 97 . "—This excellent Annual is printed and published by Bro . G . J . Cosburn , M . J . I ., of the Caxton Printing Works , Newbury , and the typography is in the best style . The Editor is the esteemed Deputy Prov . G . M . ( in charge of the province ) , Bro . John Thornhill Morland , P . G . D . of England , who has done his utmost to make the Calendar one of the best in this Country , which it certainly is . There are 15 lodges in the province , five Royal Arch chapters , four Mark lodges ( two others being in Oxfordshire ) , one lodge of Royal

Ark Mariners , and one Rose Croix chapter . At page 5 there is a table devoted to the " Distribution of Masonic Bodies in Berkshire , " but it is incomplete , not having the total members subscribing under each Class . It would be better to add at foot , total membership , 635 , 130 , 143 , & c , so as to give that important detail . It is remarkable that there are more Mark Masons ( 143 ) in Berkshire than Royal Arch Masons ( 130 ) . Under each lodge and each chapter and other Masonic bodies not-only are the names of all the members given , but also lists of the Presiding Officers from the commencement and the rolls of the oresent officers . The information also respecting the Prov . Grand

Lodge , Prov . Grand Chapter , & c , & c , is very full and complete , and the Central Masonic Charities , including the Mark Benevolent , are done ample justice to . Then , as if these items were not enough , though they entailed great labour , there is a Register of all the members , with the numbers of their lodges , chapters , and Mark lodges , and stars and daggers to denote P . M ., & c , and Rose Croix Masons . It is a marvellous compendium of facts , most carefully arranged and detailed , and makes the province a considerable debtor to the Deputy Prov . G . M . for his arduous labours . According to

the Grand Lodge Calendar , the first Prov . G . M . ( Colonel Deakin ) was appointed in ' 773 . not 1791 , and the R . W . Bro . Arthur Stanhope in 1795 , Sir John Throckmorton , Bart ., following in 18 J 7 ( also Prov . G . M . Bucks from 179 G ) , Bro . John Ramsbqttom , M . P ., dating from 1833 . Possibly Bro . Morland has overlooked these dates owing to the Prov . G . Lodge Records not being preserved prior to the Union , or , at all events , not so far back as 1773 . The frontispiece for this year ' s issue is devoted to a capital portrait of the R . W . Bro . Viscount Valentia , Provincial . Grand Mark Master of Berks and Oxford , who is an enthusiastic Craftsman . H .

Ladies' Night Of The Gallery Lodge, No. 1928.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE GALLERY LODGE , No . 1928 .

The annual night given by this Press lodge to the ladies and friends of thc members was held this year on the 27 th ultimo , at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , under the presidency of the W . M ., Bro . George Tarran , of the lodge ' s first batch of five initiates . Bro . Tarran was supported by Bros . Percy W . Husk , I . P . M . j W . M . Duckworth , P . M ., Treasurer ; Samuel James , S . D . ; E . A . Peachey ,

J . W . ; F . W . Brodie , S . D . ; Lionel F . Gowing , J . D . ; George H . Ribbons , I . G . ; Charles Lock , P . M >; Rev . J . Stephen Barrass , Chaplain ; Henry E . Peacock , Organist ; John Hurdell , P . M . 1348 , D . C ; H . L . Bell , A . D . C , Asst . Secretary ; J . D . Irvine , A . D . C ; Alfred F . Robbins , Treasurer Benevolent Fund ; W . G . Kirby , A . E . Baines , R . G . Emery , and John Martin , Stewards j John Bune , J . E . C . Lane , W . A . Lawton , G . A . Jones , and W . T . Perkins , P . M ., Secretary .