Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondent hut we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsf j * . e discussion .

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , My suggestion , which you appear to consider as humorous , and which has so greatly amused you , according to your " Masonic Notes " of to-day , was , allow me to say , founded on what , I have been informed , actually occurred in a Iodge some few years ago , and it may , surely , be assumed that what has happened in one case is possible in another .

A member of the lodge , whom we will call "A , " was disqualified from voting , by one of the bye-laws , through being in arrear with his dues . After imbibing rather too freely , without having had the counteracting advantage of a good lunch , or dinner—so that it turned out , afterwards , that he " did not remember having attended any meeting at all— " he entered the lodge just as the ballot was about to be taken for the election of Treasurer . There were two candidates for the office , " B" and "C , " who received an equal number of votes , when the W . M .

gave a casting vote in favour of " B , " and declared him to be elected . After the closing of the lodge , when it was discovered that " A " was in a reprehensible condition he left , first stating that a vote had been recorded from himself in favour of "B , " and , consequently , upon the reading of the minutes at the following meeting ( when " A " was absent ) the question was raised , leading to a dispute which could not be settled , some brethren present being of opinion that " A " had voted , whilst others were certain he had not , and the election was proceeded with again at the next regular meeting . —Yours truly and fraternally ,

E . PRINCE . 68 , Wokingham-road , Reading . 8 th December .

THE MASONIC CHARITIES AND YOUNG MASONS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The member of the Charity Association referred to should give notice to the Secretary of the Charity for which he purposes acting as Steward that the sum of io guineas from the Charitable Association will be on his list , and should request the Secretary of the said Association to pay the amount accordingly .

A brother drawing a successful ballot is entitled to give to the Charity of his choice by himself or any brother chosen by him . —Yours fraternally ,

HENRY LOVEGROVE . Eboracum , Herne Hill , S . E .

A VETERAN YEOMAN . To the Editor of the " Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you allow me to inform many members of the Craft who knew and esteemed Bro . John Purrott , of Maynes Farm , St . Albans , Herts , that he passed away on Sunday morning .

Bro . Purrott was well known in the Province of Herts , and was a Past Prov . G . Officer . In London he was associated with the Shadwell Clerke ( Rose Croix ) Chapter , of which he was Prelate , and in the similarly named Knight Templar Preceptory he was E . P . elect .

He was Regimental Sergeant-Major in the Herts Yeomanry , and the oldest member of the force in England . He was a fine type of a gentleman farmer , a keen agriculturist , and a straight and daring rider to hounds . He was Chairman of the St . Albans Board of Guardians and the Rural District Council . The funeral will take place with military honours . —Yours fraternally ,

HENRY LOVEGROVE . MASONIC CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother After 26 years' experience of Masonic Charitable Associations , I hare read with much surprise " Justicia ' s " letter in your issue of the Sth instant , and as there are generally two sides to a question , I hope this is a

misunderstanding only , otherwise 1 feel that it must have an injurious effect upon Charitable Associations , and the Masonic Institutions likewise . Suffice it to say , that " Justicia ' s" letter do not apply to the City Permanent Masonic Benevolent Association , now in its sixth year , in which the ballo * : is only paid upon the written instruction of the member in whose favour it has been drawn .

The meetings are held in connection with the Sincerity Lodge of Instruction on the fourth Monday in each month , at the Blackwall Railway Hotel , Fenchurchstreet , where brethren can join at any time , or by applying to the Hon . Sec ,

C . H . WEBB , P . M ., 156 , Manchester-road , December 12 th . Cubitt Town , E .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"THE N EW HOUSE OF COMMONS , 1900 ( London , Macmillan and Co ., Ltd . Price One Shilling ) . —This is a very hand y and most useful publication , and is well arranged for reference . It contains all the Recorded Polls from 1 SS 5 , carefully detailed after the names of all the members of Parliament , about whom are given condensed Biographical notices . The latter , though brief , are wonderfully to the point , and furnish the chief facts that should be known to ordinary readers as to their

Representatives . The Election particulars are of a very interesting character , and the Statistical Analysis is both comprehensive and valuable . The Table at end is devoted to an alphabetical arrangement of all the members of the New Parliament , with their Constituencies noted , and finally there is an Index to Constituencies , the whole concluding with a List of Candidates , those that were defeated being in italics . The information really is from the Times , and is a creditable production from first to last .

"THE TEMPLE MAGAZINE" ( Horace Marshall and Son , Temple House , London ) . —Thc Christmas number of the Temple Magazine is one of the best and cheapest of the season ' s publications . The cover is suggestive of the period , and the interesting and varied contents are fully representative of Peace and Goodwill , as far

as possible . Of course , there is a Ghost story , but this " Ghost of Malvma"is not very " creepy " in character , and ends well . Articles on the Home , Toys , Parties , Guests , Winter , & c , are all redolent of Christmastide , and being abundantly illustrated as well as well-printed , this Part for Sixpence ( no extra charge for the additional fare ) is a marvel , and a credit to the well-known Publishers so familiar to Craftsm en as the Firm of Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall .

Reviews.

"WEEK-ENDS IN DICKENS ' S-LAND , " being No . 2 of the " Week-End " Series . It is written and illustrated by Mr . Duncan Moul , and contains a map of the Rochester district . Lovers of Charles Dickens will be interested in this little book , which guides one to Gads Hill and the numerous spots in its vicinity immortalised by Dickens . The scenes ( in the author ' s eye ) of Mr . Pickwick ' s exciting adventures from Rochester to Dingley Dell , and the " Leather Bottle" at Cobham , are described and illustrated , besides numerous other interesting places in the locality . The book is published at is ., and is a very handy size for the pocket .

"GODALMING AND ITS SURROUNDINGS . "—This book has been very carefully and accurately compiled , and the information is presented in the clearest possible form . Chapters are devoted to the town in the past and at present , the remarkable Parish Church , the Charterhouse School , Loseley House , and the numerous villages scattered over the lovely wooded valleys which range themselves about Godalming . The type is illustrated with a number of drawings by Gordon Home , as well as some interesting

photographs . The frontispiece shows the delightful old Market Hall , which , we regret to say , is very nearly doomed to destruction , and can only be saved by the most prompt measures . Included in the book is a map covering a large tract of country round Godalming , a plan of the town , and a list of distances for cycle rides . The index is a full one , and every piece of information is readily accessible . The ordinary edition is published at 6 d . nett , postage 2 d . j library edition ( bound in cloth ) at is . 6 d . nett , postage 2 jd .

BELL ' S CATHEDRAL SERIES . —This remarkable Series of Handbooks to the Cathedrals of Great Britain is , happily , being well supported by the reading public . The Publishers ( Messrs . George Bell and Sons , of Covent Garden ) only began the issue of these admirable Books , with Canterbury and Salisbury in 1 S 96 , followed by three in 1897 , and so many as 10 in tSgS . This year witnesses the number raised to 20 , with four others of a uniform character ( noted below ); so that there are now in print the

maior portion ofthe series . The most of these were soon exhausted , and are to be had , in Second or Third Editions , carefully revised . The charming monographs have been p lanned to supply visitors to the great English Cathedrals with accurate and wellillustrated guide-books at a popular price . The Editors originally were Mr . Gleeson White ( Author of Salisbury ) and Mr . Edward F . Strange ( Author of Worcester ) , but since the decease of the former gentleman the latter has been alone responsible . More than a score of Contributors have been enlisted for this great enterprise , each of whom

has a special knowledge of the great Fane he writes about . The . complete list of this very handy , artistic , and deeply interesting , as well as most instructive , Series , so far published , is as follows , viz .: Canterbury , Carlisle , Chester , Durham , Exeter , Gloucester , Hereford , Lichfield , Lincoln , Norwich , Oxford , Peterborough , Rochester , Salisbury , Southwell , St . Paul ' s , Wells , Winchester , Worcester , York ; also uniform with these are ( 1 ) Beverley Minster , ( 2 ) St . Martin ' s Church , Canterbury , ( .- ») Tewkesbury Abbey , ( 4 )

Wimborne Minster and Christchurch Priory . All are ornately bound in cloth , crown Svo ., at is . 6 d . each , subject to the usual reduction by discount houses until January ist , 1 9 01 , when the Price mil be net . "Award to thc wise should be enough . '' They are all lavishly illustrated , of a convenient size for the pocket , neatly bound , beautifully printed , and average about 130 pages to each volume . It is but the simple truth to state that they are supplying a long felt want , and have only to be consulted to be very warmly appreciated . The five handsome monographs not yet noted in these columns , which have been

published since the previous issues were reviewed , are those of ( 20 ) Wimborne and Christchurch ( 21 ) Tewkesbury and Deerhurst ( 22 ) Carlisle ( 33 ) Worcester , and ( 24 ) St . Paul ' s . Of the first two , by the Rev . Thomas Perkins , M . A ., F . R . A . S ., Rector of Turnworth ( illustrated from photographs by the author ) , and Mr . H . J . L . J . Masse , M . A . ( author of" Gloucester Cathedral" ) , respectively , no higher praise can be bestowed than that they are fully equal in all respects to their predecessors . Carlisle is b y Mr . C . King Eley , and contains 29 illustrations , adding interest to the excellent description

of its fabric , and a brief history of the Episcopal See . Mr . Eley has used all reliable aids and done his best to make the volume as attractive as possible . Worcester is by Mr . Edward F . Strange , Editor of the Set ; and there are 53 illustrations to aid in explaining and enforcing the text , which is of much more than average interest , and makes Worcester one of the best of the many thus published . A charming "Note on the City" will prove of value to the Masonic Fraternity , and indeed , the whole work is of special interest for all students . "St . Paul ' s , "

however ( in a second edition ) , will possess chief value and be of most importance to the general reader , and so in some respects for the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons , because the new building is so modern comparatively , and had Bro . Sir Christopher Wren for its architect . It is written by the Rev . Arthur Dimock , M . A . ( Rector of Wetherden , Suffolk ) , who has succeeded most admirably in his much-loved task . Of course , the earlier buildings are duly described and illustrated ( there are 39

in all of the latter ) , but most of the space is occupied with the present grand and sacred edifice , of which , as the author states , " we know not only exactly when it was built , but , to a great extent , ftow and -why . " The Parentalia , by Sir Christopher Wren ' s son , and published by his grandson in 175 S , and other notable and important works , have been utilised and all other known sources of information , the result being a very attractive brochure of considerable value , and which , of its kind , has really no rival .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Amity Lodge , No , 283 . INSTALLATION OF BRO . J . T . TAYLOR . On the Cth instant , the brethren of the above lodge met in their lodge room , Grey Mare Hotel , Haslingden , for the purpose of installing Bro . J . T . Taylor as the W . M ., and appointing and investing the officers of the lodge for the ensuing year . An intimation from Bro . James Newton , P . M ., Past G . S . B ., Prov . G . Sec . of East Lanes ., that he , and Bro . Clement R . N . Beswicke-Royds , Past Grand Deacon . Deputy Prov .

Grand Master East Lancashire , intended to be present was the means of attracting a large gathering of Masonic brethren from various parts of the province . Amongst the distinguished brethren present were Bros . John Chadwick , P . M . 277 , P . P . G . Treas . ; Alderman Edwin Hardman , P . M . 2 SG , P . P . G . D . ; J . C . Witham , P . M . 21 ** , P . P . A . G . D . C ; William Halstead , P . M . 1948 , P . P . G . S . B . ; James Shuttleworth , C . G , P . M . 2 S 6 ,

P . P . G . S . B . ; T . H . Hamer , P . M . 283 , P . P . G . P . ; G . H . Braddock , I . P . M . 277 ; Hughes , P . M . 1219 ; Greaves , P . M . 194 S ; Joseph Harling , P . M . 1948 ; E . H . Elison , P . M . 1 C 34 ; T . Collinge , P . M . 215 ( Hon . Member ); E . Barlow , P . M . 215 ; James Clarke . P . M . 215 ; Captain D . Halstead , P . M . 215 ; Thomas Baxter , I . P . M . ; G . H . Haworth , W . M . 215 ; and numerous other brethren from the sister lodge and other lodges in the locality .

In consequence of the various ceremonies , the lodge was opened at four in the afternoon , all the officers of Amity Lodge and a large majority of the brethren other than officers being then present . Bro . R . V . S . Houghton , W . M ., occupied the chair , and after opening the lodge , and placing Bro . James Shuttleworth as acting S . W ., and Bro . Clarke as acting J . W ., proceeded to raise Bro . Glover to the Sublime Degree of a M . M . In this interesting ceremony Bro . Houghton , by his impressive manner , rendered the ceremony very effective , calling forth eulogies from the distinguished brethren .

It being now six o'clock , the W . M ., through the medium of the acting J . W .. the brethren were invited to partake of a " high tea , " which , for their better comfort and convenience , was spread in the lower room of the Public Hall . After a short vacation , the brethren were duly called to resume their Masonic duties , when Bro . Houghton proceeded with the ceremony of installing his successor , Bro . 1 . T . Taylor , W . M . elect . In this ceremony the Installing Master , Bro . Houghton , greatly surpassed any of hia previous renderings of Masonic ceremonials , and proved that , as a comparatively young Freemason , he affords promising expectations of his future usefulness to , and influence in , Freemasonry in the Eastern Division of the Province of East Lancashire , which fact