Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents but we wish , in a spirit of fait play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion , INSTALLATION MEETING OF INHABITANTS LODGE , No . 153

( E . G . ) , GIBRALTAR . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Not hearing much from this corner of the globe , I trust I am not taking you by surprise , and imagining that none of the abler pens will find time to narrate this I took it up and here it is . It is a short narrative of our installation meeting on January 2 nd , which will remain a red letter-day in ^ the annals and history of the Inhabitants Lodge , No . 153 ( E . G . ) , founded in 1777 .

It is a thorough working and up-to-date Iodge , and without any disrespect to other local lodges , I can safely say that for the good work carried out and its able working members , we can hold our own , and I venture to say that many Masons will bear out this statement ; numerically we hold a record ( for Gibraltar ) , and also financially , the quarterly cash account which was read on the 2 nd January , 1899 , corroborating my statement .

But , to return to the installation ; the whole arrangements were vested in a Committee of nine , to whom an amount of praise can be given , those deserving of special mention being W . Bros . J . Cunningham , P . M . ; A . J . Weir , P . M . ; E , Stock , I . P . M . ; A . Betenson , W . M . elect ; and Bro . Robinson ; also Bros . Bennett

and Slack , who , although not forming part of the Committee , most gladly helped and their assistance was most welcome . Bro . Davies ( S . C . ) also deserves notice for his voluntary services , and last , but not least , our caterer , Bro . Montegriffo , whose name is too well known in this locality to require any mention , for the able manner in which he brought everything to a successful conclusion .

The installation over , we proceeded to the all-that-could-be-wished-for Hall , next door to the Iodge , where an excellent repast was awaiting us , and by the justice done , it must have been . veil appreciated by the 117 who sat down . Among our visitors the R . W . D . G . M . ( J . T . Harrison ) , with the District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar were most prominent , also representatives from the other local lodges ( 115 and 278 ( E . G . ) , 578 and 670 * ( S . C ) , and 325 ( I . C . ) honoured us with their attendance , which went far to bring that success which we attained .

The usual toasts , as per list , were rendered in thorough Masonic style . W . Bro . Stamborough , W . M ., of 278 ( E . C . ) j W . Bro . Gibson , P . M . ( S . C . ) j and W . Bro . ] . Discombe , P . M ., P . D . G . S . ( E . G . ) , gave some stirring speeches on the qualities required of a good Mason and Masonry in general . An incident which caused great gratification among all present was the

announcement by the Dist . Grand Master that he had a magnificent jewel suitably inscribed for our able and hardworking W . Bro . Secretary , J . Cunningham P . M . It was presented on behalf of our LP . M ., W . Bro . E . Stock , in recognition of the Secretary ' s excellent services during W . Bro . Stock ' s year of office , needless to say , that this jewel was well earned , and may its wearer live many years to wear it is the motto of all Masons who have known our Secretary .

The time getting short , and as every good thing has an end , so did our banquet come to a happy conclusion at exactly 3 a . m ., with the singing of the National Anthem , everyone straining his lungs to their utmost . In conclusion , dear Editor , allow me to offer you a happy and prosperous

New Year on behalf of Gibraltar Masons , trusting that God may grant you all that your heart desires . —I remain , yours sincerely and fraternally , J . TANTI . Lloyd ' s Signal Station , Gibraltar , January 4 th .

» 'A THREE CENTURY OLD SCOTTISH MASONIC DOCUMENT . " To the Editor of thc "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother ,

In an interesting paper in the Freemason of December 17 th , by Mr , Murray Lyon , on a " Three Century Old Scottish Masonic Document , " the author is led quite naturally to state his own views on the bearing of this document on the famous question of the ancient position of the Mother Lodge of Scotland . Though entirely disagreeing with the conclusions stated by Mr .

Murray Lyon in his remarks on William Schaw ' s Statutes of 1599 , 1 do not wish to try tn controvert them at present . But he goes beyond this document , and , one would say , very unnecessarily , almost , indeed , in opposition to his own expressed desire , proceeds to fortify what he regards as Schaw ' s position by arguments against the ancient priority of Mother Kilwinning from other sources , and I beg that , in the interests of truth and justice on this truly important historical question , you will give me space for the following criticisms :

Mr . Murray Lyson writes : " Its ( Mother Kilwinning ' s ) appropriation in 16 43 of the title of the Ancient Lodge of Scotland may naturally be held as a claim of priority of existence , but the ground upon which it was based is not shown . " Now , the inference from this is that Mother Kilwinning ' s claim is not to be admitted , because no proof of it is given . Is this logical ? Would any one for a moment say that because an office bearer of Grand Lodge simply states that he is , say , Grand Senior Warden , his claim is to be set aside ? Surely not . But

this is just what Mother Lodge in 1643 did . In her records of that year she simply , without any preface or explanation , as if it were the proper thing to do , states that she is the Ancient Lodge of Scotland , and passes on to enter the business of the meeting . The fact is that Mother Kilwinning , in miking this claim without stating " the ground upon which it was based , " indicates that there was no need for her advancing any proof ; that her position was admitted ; a

conclusion to which we seem naturally to arrive when we remember the conduct of Canongate Lodge , Edinburgh , in 1577 , when she sought a charter not from the Lodge cf Edinburgh , which was at its door , but from far distant Kilwinning . This claim , indeed , on the part of the Mother Lodge has ever been regarded as of the utmost importance , and hence the dastardly attempt to obliterate the word " ancient" from the records , a fact which Mr . Murray Lyon himself detected and exposed .

Mr . Murray Lyon also states : " In its earliest minutes Kilwinning is represented as holding its meetings in ' an upper chamber' of a private dwelling house , instead of in the parish church , as directed by the Warden General . " There is no reason given why this statement is made , but , apparently , it is meant to show either that Mother Kilwinning was contumacious or poor or both . Very readily

I admit both inferences . Mother Kilwinning was poor , and she was disobedient to the orders uf William Schaw . But it is no crime to be poor , and however poor , she expected and required what she believed to be justice , and when as she evidently believed that thc Warden-General was doing her wrong , she resented his conduct . And the Freemasons of the time approved of what she did , and declared against what the Warden-General regarded as " neidful and expedient , "

Correspondence.

as the conduct of the Lodge of Perth in 1658 and of Canongate Lodge , Edinburgh , in 1677 , most distinctly shows . I must crave your indulgence to notice another statement in the article , viz ., " it has been asserted that the position of Kilwinning as the ancient lodge of Scotland was recognised by Grand Lodge in 1808 . . . . Grand Lodge made no such admission . " The italics are Mr . Murray Lyon ' s . Now , I venture to say

that this is mere quibbling , and unworthy of being used in an argument so interesting and important . It is true that Grand Lodge in 1808 did not do this in so many words , but ipso facto it did so when it put down the Lodge of Kilwinning and put Mother Lodge in its place . If not , what did it do ? Besides , Sir John Stuart , one of the members of the Committee to which Grand Lodge entrusted the investigation of Mother Kilwinning , claims emphatically and asserts in a letter to

one of the officials of Mary ' s Chapel that the Grand Lodge did " assent to what every one of us , Mary ' s Chapel and others , that the Kilwinning is the most ancient in Scotland , notwithstanding that Mary ' s Chapel shows the oldest written records . " Not only so , but Grand Lodge of 1737 makes this statement , even while placing Mary ' s Chapel before Kilwinning— " It was generally considered that Kilwinning was the birthplace of Scottish Masonry . "

In view of such facts , I submit that it is not worthy of a brother so distinguished as Bro . Murray Lyon to assert that Grand Lodge of Scotland of 1808 made no such admission as that Kilwinning is the ancient lodge of Scotland . By its deeds and by its representations it emphatically did so . —Yours

fraternally , WM . LEE KER , Chaplain Mother KilWinning . The Manse , Kilwinning , N . B ., January 6 th .

MASONIC IMPOSTORS . Tothe Editor ot the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Again I have to caution Masonic Almoners against being imposed upon . On 29 th December last , at the Ashton-under-Lyne Borough Police Court ,

Joseph Lomax Bullock was convicted of obtaining relief from the Masonic Almoner , under false pretences , in the name of Frank Bradley , Commercial Lodge , No . 411 , Nottingham , and sentenced to one month's hard labour . This is the third case of a similar conviction at the same Court during the last four months .

_ Another case of imposition I have just ascertained is that of an individual giving the name of Samuel Young , claiming to be a member of Minerva Lodge , No . 250 , Hull . The Secretary writes me that they have no such name on their books . —Yours fraternally

, JAS . NEWTON , Prov . G . Sec . East Lancashire 23 , Silverwell-street , Bolton , January loth .

A MISUNDERSTANDING . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Referring to your editorial note in the Freemason of the 7 th inst ., in regard to the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury , New Zealand , I fear there is a misunderstanding somewhere or other . To explain , when I wrote to the District Grand Secretary of Canterbury , acknowledging receipt of kind donation to ^ my Steward's List , as representative of Australasia , at the Centenary Festival of the Boys'School , my suggestion was that

I might be permitted to hold the proxy for the vote accruing from such donation , to accumulate same from year to year , and place the accumulated votes to the credit of an Australasian candidate , whenever there should happen to be one . It will , therefore , be gathered that the suggestion has unaccountably been mixed up with a matter quite foreign to the Boys' School elections .

I have not as yet- heard from th e District Grand Secretary of Canterbury , nor have I seen a copy of the October Quarterly Communication referred to in your note . —Yours fraternally , W . F , LAMONBY . January 7 th . CHRISTMAS HAMPERS TO POOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Sir , The subscriptions already received by me have been sufficient to pay for the banquet at Guildhall , for 4020 hampers to be sent to poor crippled children in the metropolis , and to leave a balance of about £ 25 . But I am appealed to to send out 300 more hampers , and I shall send them out this week . This will leave a deficiency of £ 35 , about .

These 300 poor little ones have been led to believe that hampers would be sent to them . Perhaps some of your readers will help me to make up the deficiency now , so that next year we may start clear and send out 5000 hampers . —Yours fraternally , W . P . TRELOAR , Alderman . Ludgate-hill , London , * E . G ., January 12 th ,

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Derwent Lodge , No . 40 . On Monday , the gth inst ., the above lodge held its installation meeting at the Castle Hotel , Hastings , when Bro . C E . Botley , P . M . 199 G , S . W . and W . M . elect , was duly installed by Bro . H . Boyce , W . M ., the ceremony being peiformed in a most able and impressive manner , and quite in keeping with the high tone and ability which have maiked the Mastership of Bro . Boyce during his year of ollice . A larcre muster

of the brethren of the ledge , as well as a goodly number of visitors , were present to do honour to the retiring W . M . and to congratulate and heartily greet the newly-installed W . M . The presentation of a beautiful Past Master's jewel to Bro . Boyce , I . P . M ,, was made on behalf of the lodge b y the W . M ., who spoke in eulogistic terms of the admirable manner in which the duties of the lodge had been performed during thc past year , and expressed the high appreciation of thc brethren on his year ' s work . Bro . Boyce suitably and feelingly responded , and thanked the brethren generally , and his officers in particular , for the heaity support accorded him during the year .

fhe banquet which followed was attended by 65 brethren , and was served in the usual admirable style giving entire satisfaction to all present . The musical arrangements , being in the hands of Bro . Baker Guy , J . W ., assisted by Bros . Russell Hocking and Val Marriott , were admirably carried out , while Mr . H . Botley , A . R . C . M . —at the piano—delighted his hearers with his rendering of sine mist difficul ; music .