Original Correspondence.

as an unwarrantable interference with their private affairs . As regards the second class , I shall not be surprised if Grand Lodge strikes out the addition to the Rule , and says to joining Past Masters , You must be content with the redress of your grievances as provided for by the amended Rules 80 and 141 . But there is , in my opinion , a great deal to be urged in

favour of the compromise that has been suggested , —that of granting lodges the power of conferring precedence on joining Past Masters . Some brethren , —yourself , Mr . Editor , amongst the number—fight shy of this proposal . What harm is there in it ? What possible injury can be done to the Craft , what " antient landmark " is disturbed by allowing a lodge to say , if it feels so disposed , that the affiliated Past Masters therein

shall take precedence in this order or that order ? It is a matter that concerns the individual lodge , and nobody outside the lodge . If it pleases a lodge to do it , it harms nobody else . Let them , I say , have the power if they choose to exercise it . There is all the difference in the world between granting a lodge this power , and granting an individual Mason the

right of claiming such and such a position , whether the lodge he joins is agreeable to it or not . I cannot sympathise with those Past Masters who , on removing to another part of the country , want to join a lodge and , whether the lodge wishes it or not , have their exact precedence amongst the roll of Past Masters of such lodge guaranteed by the Constitutions , and before thev

have , by their work or their services , shewn whether they are worth y of any consideration from the lodge or not . I say that if Grand Lodge compels my lodge to do this I will take due care that no joining Past Master passes the ordeal of the ballot box . Now with reference to the compromise . It vvas Bro . Havers , P . G . W ., who , at the very commencement of the

controversy , suggested this solution of the question , and I have as yet seen no more simple , more practial , or less objectionable method of dealing with it . Only it should be made quite clear by a clause in the Constitutions that lodges may exercise this power if they choose . It must be permissive , not compulsory The application of the privilege should be left as

unfettered as possible . It ought not to be this position or that , but any which the lodge thinks well to confer . Whether it should be done on the joining Past Master ' s admission or afterwards , whether any or . all existing Past Masters who have not filled the chair shall have precedence amongst those who have , whether it shall be done under by-law or by resolution proposed and carried in the ordinary

way , vyhether each individual case shall be decided by a majority or a fixed proportion or the unanimous vote of the lodge , whether it shall be done by ballot or otherwisethese are all matters which may be left to the judgment and decision of the lodges interested . Let me add one argument in favour of the proposal which I have not yet seen urged . It is conceivable that

cases may occur , quite outside what has given rise to the present controversy , in which the privilege of conferring precedence on joining Past Masters would be very properly and legitimately exercised . Suppose , for example , there are in a town or neighbourhood two or three lodges , each with a roll greater or less of Past Masters , and who for good and sufficient reasons mutually desire to amalgamate and form one strong lodge . Naturally they would

seek to amalgamate under the warrant of the oldest lodge , and it is quite understandable , and it would also seem to be quite proper , in such a case as this , that the precedence of the two or three sets of Past Masters should be mutually at ranged and regulated , say , by the dates of their respective in stallations , or otherwise . The provision that has been suggested would meet such a case as this , and no one could take any possible

exception to it . In my opinion Grand Lodge cannot do better than support and carry Bro . Havers ' s original solution of the question . —I am , dear sir and brother , yours truly and fraternally , CESTRIAN .

To the Editor of the "Freemason " Dear Sir and Brother , As the Board of Masters vvill shortly have to decide what course is to be adopted as to the confirmation of the minutes of the two Special Grand Lodges of June and August , and to determine what motions , if any , are to be submitted to Grand Lodge in December , it occurred to

me that a summary of the views your correspondents have taken on the subject might be of interest . Since the 4 th of August you have published letters from 38 correspondents , one half being anonymous . Ot these , 13 only are in favour of the amendment which vvas carried in rule 1 S 6 at the August Grand Lodge ; 23 are against it , and two are neutral , though the last do not quite like the

. If therefore these 3 S correspondents may be taken as fairly representative there is evidently a very large majority against the new rule . It is incomprehensible to me that so many of your correspondents ( several of them evidently well read in Masonic law ) , should have been ignorant of the fact that bv rule

3 on page 73 of the present Book of Constitutions , joining Past Masters are members of Provincial Grand Lodges , and that it was the Board of General Purposes who , by their drafting of the new rule So , took away this membership . Several writers have been candid enough to admit that a seat of honour in lodge and at the banquet is one of the

chief objects of this new rule , and I can only express my fervent hope that this admission vvill prove fatal to the granting of what is asked for on such an unsatisfactory ground . Since I last had the honour of addressing you I nave made many enquiries as to the feeling in various Parts of the country upon this subject , and I have not come across one single brother in favour of the change . —Yours "uly and fraternally , S . M . M . C . O ., P . M . of a London and of a Provincial Lodge .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , At a meeting of the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . th r' i * 16 ' ^ at ^ urv > Lancashire , on Thursday , the 1 st inst ., . he following resolution was unanimously passed on the sublet of the Status of Past Masters . —Yours faithfully , WM . D . WALKER , P . M ., P . P . G . J . W . E . Lane . „_ , . COPY OF RESOLUTION . ihat this lodge , having considered the proposed altera-

Original Correspondence.

tion of Rule 1 S 6 in the draft Book of Constitutions , is of opinion that it would be detrimental to the best interests of Freemasonry , and strongly disapproves of any such alteration . "

SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN AND FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " . Dear Sir and Brother , As one interested in the above subject , I perused the " study " on the matterin yourlast issue with pleasure . In the " Pocket Companion and History of Free Masons , " & c , by J . Scott , London , 1754 , dedicated to Baron

Carysfoot , G . M ,, several paragraphs in chap . 111 ., entitled , "The State of Masonry from the Union of the Ciowns to Grand Master Montagu , " contain references to Sir Christopher Wren . In this work a list of Grand Masters and Wardens is given from 1663 to 1752 . 1 have appended a portion of several paragraphs that mention Sir Christopher Wren . J . C . M . Sunderland , Nov . Cth . ——

Page S 5 . " After the restoration of King Charles the Second , who , though he had been a Mason abroad , neglected the Craft , giving himself entirely up to his pleasures ; however , in 1 G 63 , Henry Jermyn , Earl of St . Albans , being Grand Master , Sir John Denham , Deputy Grand Master , SirChristopherWren and Mr . John Webb , Grand Wardens , made the following regulations , " and so on . PageSG . "Thomas Savage , Earl of Rivers , succeeded

St . Albans as Grand Master , who appointed Sir Christopher Wren , Deputy Grand Master , and Mr . John Webb and Mr . Grimlin Gibbons , Grand Wardens ; but the Deputy and Wardens had the management of everything concerniug the Craft . This year , on the second of September , the City of London being almost destroyed by fire ,, the Free Masons were necessarily emp ! oyed , and encouraged to rebuild that noble City in a more elegant style than before . The

Deputy had formed a grand design of making it the most regular and splendid City in the World , but by private properties and other hindrances this laudable design could not be carried into execution . The elegant style of the Craft evidenced itself in building the Royal Exchange , St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the foot stone of which vvas levelled in due form by the King , Grand Master Rivers , the architects , craftsmen , nobility , and gentry , Lord Mayor and Aldermen ,

Bishops and Clergy , in the year 1673 ; designed and conducted by the Deputy Grand Master Wren , as Master of Work , with his Wardens , Edward Strong the Elder and Younger , " & c . Page S 7 . " George Villers , Duke of Buckingham , an old Mason , became Grand Master ( 1674 ) , but being indolent , he left all to Deputy Wren and his Wardens , and vvas succeeded by Henry Bennett ( 1679 ) , Earl of Arlington ,

who was too deeply engaged in State affairs to mind the lodges , yet in his Mastership the Craft was very considerable , and many persons of distinction requested to be admitted and were accordingly accepted by the fraternity . " Page 91 . " Upon the death of Grand Master Arlington , in the year 16 S 5 , the lodges met and elected Sir Christopher Wren Grand Master , who annually , while carrying on St . Paul ' s , met those brethren who could attend him to keep

up good old usages till the Revolution . King William vvas privately made a Mason , approved of the choice of Sir Christopher Wren , greatly promoted the interests of the Craft , appointed the fine new Palace at Greenwich in the year 16 95 to be an hospital for seamen , and ordered it to be finished according to Jones ' s old design . This year also

( 1695 ) the most noble Charles , Duke of Richmond and Lennox , grandfather of the present Duke , Master of a lodge at Chichester , coming to the annual assembly in London was chosen Grand Alaster and approved by the King . Sir Christopher Wren was his Deputy , who acted as before at the head of the Craft , and vvas again chosen Grand Master in the year 16 9 8 . "

MASONIC PORTRAITS . t To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I should be glad if you would permit me to thank Bro . "Mancunium "for his interesting letter and kindoffer with reference to Masonic portraits . 1 have reason to believe that all the portraits he mentions were published in the " Freemasons' Magazine " during the latter part of the

last century , and no doubt he will be glad to learn that a complete copy of that now rather scarce publication is in the Grand Lodge Library . My letter of the 13 th ult . referred more particularly to engravings of the identical portraits lost through the late fire ; of course , if we cannot get these , other portraits of the same eminent Masons would be very acceptable . However , I am much pleased in being able to say that , with

one exception , we have , of one sort or another , likenesses of all the noble brethren named in my former letter , the exception being the Duke of Athole . Bro . W . H . Longhurst , a few months ago , presented to the Grand Lodge an exact copy of the full length portrait of the late Earl of Zetland , which vvas destroyed b y the fire , and Bro . R . S . Warrington has recently presented a very beautiful half-length of the Duke of Sussex , evidently taken from the one we have lost ,

signed and presented by his Royal Highness to the late Bro . Silvester , Bro . Warrington ' s uncle and predecessor in business ; and we have now to thank Bro . Whytehead of York ( to whom we are already indebted for a very fine engraving of the last of the York Grand Masters ) for a companion picture to the above of H . R . H . the Dulte of Kent , by the same artist and engraver . Bro . " Mancunium " describes Lord Petre as " in Royal Arch costume . " Now as I have some doubt as to whether

that distinguished brother vvas a R . A . Mason I should be glad to know if there are any R . A . emblems in the picture , or has your correspondent mistaken ( very naturally ) the robe of a peer for that of a Principal of a R . A . Chapter ? Again , in the description of the Duke of Cumberland he says " with Grand Master ' s chair . " If he really means chair that picture is new to me ; if however " chair " is a misprint for " chain , " and your correspondent will take another look at the picture , I think he will find it is not a Masonic

chain , but the chain or collar of the Order of the Garter with the " George" attached . Should not Robert , Lord Donoughmorc , have been Richard , Lord Donoughmore ? If on looking at the pictures again Bro . " Mancunium " finds I am wrong I should be glad if he would favour me with a sight of the three I have mentioned . For the benefit of future readers it is as well to be accurate in small matters of this kind as well as in those of more importance . —Yours fraternally , H . SADLER " , P . M .

Original Correspondence.

OBJECTIONS TO CANDIDATES .-A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A case has happened in a lodge of which I am a member , and which I venture to think is unequalled in the annals of Freemasonry . In July last a candidate was duly proposed and seconded .

his name , address , & c , vvas entered on the summons for the next meeting and sent to every subscribing brother , in accordance with the Book of Constitutions , pageS ? , paragraph 2 . Between the proposal and election objections were raised against him , and some arraneement vvas entered into between the proposer and objectors that the same should be withdrawn . This information was not

conveyed to the VV . M ., and the proposer unfortunately failed to arrive at the lodge in time , consequently the candidate vvas unanimously elected . A strong objection has since been raised against his being initiated , and the VV . M ., in deference to the wishes of a number of the brethren , has from time to time postponed the ceremony . Some of the brethren urge that page So , paragraph 4 , settles the matter , and

declare the candidate should be initiated ; others are of opinion the latter clause of paragraph 13 , page 65 , of the Book of Constitutions is sufficient to warrant the lodge in rejecting him . Will you or some of my senior brethren who are well versed in our ancient rules and regulations answer the following questions , or give any information bearing on the case ? ( a ) Has any brother the right to raise objections after an

election , when every subscriber had ample opportunity of making them at the proper time ? ( b ) Is the W . M . justified in listening to objections at this time , and refusing to initiate the candidate without being furnished with some specific charge against him ? ( c ) The initiation being postponed , is there any court to which the brethren can appeal , for the W . M . to be instructed how to proceed ?—I remain , yours fraternally , AN ENQUIRER .

A PRINTER'S ERROR . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , By a sad typ-ical blunder " the frontispiece to the Constitutions of 1723 " is turned into "the frontispiece of the Constitutions of 173 S" in my recent "Study" of Sir Christopher Wren . Luckily , most Masonic students vvill see the mistake at once ; but it is none the less annoying to , yours fraternally . THE WRITER .

Reviews

REVIEWS

THE REPORTS OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE FOR 1 S 82 . As our contemporary the Observer truly says , the reports , for Mr . Vincent ' s report accompanies Sir E . Y . Henderson's , are very good reading , and will , well repay perusal . We are glad to commence our notice of them by propounding Mr . Vincent ' s emphatic assurance and

declaration that our own " little village , " with more than 700 square miles of territory and barely less than five million of inhabitants , is the safest capital in the world for both life and property . " It is very remarkable to note and realize at what a rapid rate London is increasing year by year , so much so as to lead us sometimes to ask ourselves these questions : " Where do all these millions

come from ? what do they do ? and where vvill it all end ? Yet it is so ; and making every allowance for the " classe dangereuse , " London affords a home and a shelter to crowds who cannot find any elsewhere . The responsibility of the police for the peace and order of this overgrown metropolis of ours is intense , and on thewholeit is but fair to accord to that often abused but indispensable and

invaluable body of men , not only our highest meed of praise , but our fullest sympathy and our patriotic support . In 1882 , in illustration of what we have said , 2 , 300 new houses were added to the metropolitan area , forming 508 new streets and one new square , and covering a distance of 75 miles S 62 yards ; 78 , 416 persons were apprehended by the police ; 3581 were taken for assaults nn

police officers ; while 9042 were simple drunkenness . As regards burglaries , and larcenies , & c , of a serious criminality , on the whole the report is favourable . 12 , 876 children and 39 G 1 adults were reported missing . Of these , 7538 children and S 60 adults were found by the police , the remainder returned home or were recovered by their friends , except 74 adults who committed suicide , and 124 adults and 12 children who utterlv disaooeared . This

surely is a sad but awful blot amid our frequent claim to a high civilization , that so many living beings annually disappear from our very midst and are untraceable , suggesting many serious considerations as to the onward progress of •prosperous criminality . " The number of fatal accidents in the streets increased to 272 in 18 S 2 , while the number of persons injured advanced to the serious total of IKRO .

Allowing for the reckless driving of hansoms , omnibuses , & c , it is wonderful that more accidents do not occur in our crowded streets . 18 , 659 deposits were made by cabmen of property left in cabs , and 10 , 031 articles have been returned from the office in Scotland-yard . The articles deposited by cabmen were of a most varied character , amongst them being three bonds for / " 1000 each , a plate of

silver valued at ^ 240 , a diamond worth £ 500 , and bank notes to the value of £ S 30 . Amongst the articles deposited and never claimed by their owners were three £ 50 notes . In the public carriage department 12 , 010 new licences were issued , and 140 G new carriages had been introduced ; 22 , 275 licences had been issued to drivers and conductors during the year . The working of the Criminal Detective Department , under Mr . Vincent , seems to bo oroirressinrr

satisfactorily , and will no doubt greatly improve in efficiency and thoroughness . Suggestions are sometimes made as to introducing a foreign system of detection into England ; but we believe that any such organized course of procedure to be impossible in ourcountry for many reasons . The readers of Gaboriau's novels would hardly like to believe that , despite his ability and ingenuity , we had many " Lecoqs " at work amongst us in England ; on the contrary , we hold , and hold openly , that our English system is best suited for our English temperament and temperature . The detective police in London arc often greatly hampered by the actions