Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

REGISTER OF MEMBERS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Many thanks for the appreciative comments in your issue ot the 6 th inst . in reference to the " Register of Members " which I have compiled for the Earl of Mornington Lodge , No . 2000 . Of course , an old lodge could not now

make up such a register from the commencement , but , as about two-thirds of our lodges are less than 20 years old , there should be little difficulty on the part of the Secretaries of a large proportion of same in compiling a complete register of their members , present and past , whilst the older lodges might go back as far as their records permit . The points I submit are ( 1 ) that a Complete register of

members from thc commencement is required to be kept , according to the spirit , if not by the letter , of Art . 173 of B . of C ., and ( 2 ) that in years to come such a register would be exceedingly interesting , and to some extent useful , to the members and officers of a lodge , whilst ( 3 ) once made up to date , it involves no trouble in keeping it up .

Your editorial has elicited several communications and requests for information on the subject , I therefore subjoin the plan of the register , which is arranged in column form , and should be indexed and strongly bound . I have made one or two trifling alterations , suggested by the experience gained in working up the 16 years' records of No . 2000 , and have added a few notes on the use of the different columns . If you think the matter is of sufficient general interest the

form of register is at your disposal for publication . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WILFRED A . BOWSER , I . P . M . and Sec . 2000 . " Haslemere , " Amhurst-park , Stamford-hill , N ., May 12 th . REGISTER OF MEMBERS OF THE LODGE , No .

Column 1 . Register Number . „ 2 . Name , in full . „ 3 . Age of Initiate . „ 4 . Address . ,, 5 . Title , Prolession or Occupation . C ( a ) Initiated . „ 6 . Initiate Member ] ( b ) Passed .

( . [ c ) Raised . ( ( a ) Joined . „ 7 . Joining Member ] ( A ) Lodge No . (( c ) Rank . „ S . Town , Country , Honorary ( or other ) Member . roo i . e .

( b ) J . D . „ 9 , Date of Appointment , ( c ) S . D . or Installation as | ( d ) J . W . (<*) S . W . ! _ ( . /) W . M . „ 10 . Other offices held , and elected . ,, II . Grand Lodge honours . „ 12 . Provincial honours . C ( a ) Resigned . „ 13 . Date of leaving Lodge < ( b ) Excluded .

( . ( c ) Died . „ 14 . Remarks . NOTES . Column 1 . If a member resigns , but subsequently rejoins , make fresh entry in proper place , but with original number . ,, 2 . Enter surname lirst .

„ 4 . At time of admission . 5 . Do . „ 6 . If a Degree is taken in another lodge state date and number of lodge .

SINGULAR TURN-UP IN AUSTRALIA . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In Masonry ( published in Melbourne ) of April ist , is a photo sketc ' i of a Past Senior Grand Warden ' s jewel , presented in Grand Lodge , along with the clothing appertaining lo the office on September 7 th , 1836 , by H . R . TL the Duke of Sussex , to H . E . the Moolavec Mahomed Islam Khan , at that lime Ambassador to this country from the King of Oude .

The presentation and investiture were the outcome of a suggestion from thc Grand Master to the Grand Lodge of England at the June Communication , thc Ambassador having beer , previously initiated , passed , and raised in the Lodge of Friendship , No . 6 , then , as now , meeting in London . Thc singular part of the incident is the fact that the aforesaid jewel was

recently spotted in a pawnbroker ' s shop in Brisbane , Queensland ! How did the jewel get there ? will naturally be asked . The inference , one would think , is very simple ; namely , that it was part of the spoil accruing from the fall of Delhi , at the close of the Indian Mutiny , and that it was taken to Australia by some soldier when his regiment was subsequently ordered there , probably from India direct .

The discovery brings back to my mind another one , which occurred during my sojourn in Melbourne . It was no other than an elaborately bound copy of the" Book of Constitutions" of the period ( about 1780 ) , belonging to the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , purchased for a shilling on a second-hand bookstall . When shown to mc I suggested to the buyer that he should offer it to thelodge . He did so , and in the course of a few months received in return a handsome Westminster and Keystone jewel . —Yours fraternally , VV . F . LAMONBY . May iCth .

FUNERAL OF BRO . MAJOR VV . A . WESTON . To thc Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Referring to your interesting detail of the funeral ol our much respected Bro . Major VV . A . Weston in the current number of the Freemason , allow me to say that " Adam ' s " Lodge , No . / . vi ' . is , and always has been , at Sheerness , not Chatham , as stated by your careless informant .

Correspondence.

The Freemason is well known and trusted for its correct information and possibly at some time yet to come such careless notes may possibly lead to unnecessary investigation er argument . When I had the honour of being initiated by my old school fellow Henry Jacobs , upon the evening of his installation as W . M . of No . 1 S 4 , as it stood in January , 1 S 51 ( by-the-bye , he was the first Hebrew elected member of School Board ) , I had the honour of being J . D . in 1852 , and J . W . in 1853 , when I removed from Sheerness to Portsmouth .

I have kept in touch with Adam ' s all the intervening time and I have reason to believe I am about the senior initiate now surviving . I have been a member of the Royal Sussex , A o . 342 , for many years here , and also an Int . Gen . Red Cross , & c ., & c . —Yours fraternally , ALF . R . ROBINSON , Asst . Sec . 342 . 206 , Lake-road , Landport , May 16 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OK DURHAM , " by J . E . Liygatc , A . R . C . A ., with 44 illustrations . —This is the latest issue of " BELL ' CATHEDRAL SERIES , " and is quite equal to its 16 predecessors in respect to its text , typography and artistic excellence . Mr . Bygate has spared no pains to describe the Cathedral of Durham , both in relation to the Fabric and the eventful past of the Episcopal See . It would not be possible to give any adequate idea of the extent of the author ' s researches , in the limits usually allotted to reviews , but as each volume may be had for eighteen pence from Messrs . George Bell and Sons , Covent-garden , London , or of any bookseller , we strongly advise

our readers procuring copies for themselves . That for EXETER , by Percy Addleshaw , B . A ., should be carefully studied by the members of the celebrated Quatuor Coronati , No . 207 G , London , who intend to visit that city next month . The following have been published of the series , and about a dozen others are inthe press : 1 , Canterbury ; 2 , Salisbury ; 3 , Chester ; 4 , Rochester ; 5 , Oxford ; 6 , Exeter ; 7 , Winchester ; S , Lichfield ; 9 , Norwich ; 10 , Peterborough ; 11 , Hereford ; 12 Lincoln ; 13 , Wells ; 14 , Southwell ; 15 , Gloucester ; 16 , York ; and 17 , Durham . Uniform with these are two devoted to St . Martin ' s Church and Beverley Minster , and two others are' in { . reparation for Westminster Abbey and Tewkesbury Abbey .

"MASONIC CALENDAR AND DIRECTORY FOR iSqg . "—( . // . h . Marquand , Bordage-street , Guernsey . )—This enlarged and well-arranged annual is edited by Bro . J . B . Nickolls , Prov . Grand Secretary , on whom the mantle has fallen , on the retirement of our good Bro . A . C . Quick , who originated and ably filled the role of Editor . The frontispiece is devoted to a capital portrait of Brigade-Surgeon J . Balfour Cockburn , M . D ., the esteemed Provincial Grand Master of Guernsey and Alderney , and on the title-page is an impression of the seal of the Provincial Grand Lodge , being the arms of

thc Grand Lodge within a garter , with the appropriate title of that body . The usual Calendar of lodge meetings , & c , and Lists of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers are duly given , and then follow particulars of each of the six lodges , three Royal Arch chapters , and other organisations , the names of members of each , with the years of admission . It seems a waste of space to put " Initiated " or " Joining " in full to each subscriber , no prefix being needful for Initiates , but the letter I or a * for Joining

members . Bro . A . C . Quick ' s compilation of all the Lodges in Guernsey from 1753 , with their numbers , is also inserted , and very useful it is for reference . The summary shows that there are 34 6 subscribing members in the Province ( or , deducting duplicates , exactly 332 ) , and there are 106 Royal Arch companions . The List of Voters in the Central Alasonic Charities is fully detailed ; but the total is not given , which should bs inserted in another issue . The work is creditably done in every department .

"WEST LANCASHIRE MASONIC CALENDAR , iSao-1900 . —This directory is edited by Bro . VV . Goodacre , the indefatigable Prov . G . Sec , who thus meets the needs of his province for such details as to the lodges and other bodies by the publication of this very useful annual . The province is the largest , in England , numbering 121 lodges and 7910 subscribing members : larger in fact than many Grand Lodges , and yet ably managed in every respect . With East Lancashire , there are some 234 lodges in the whole of the county . Bro . Goodacre ' s report to the Prov . G . Lodge , in October , 1 S 9 S , is of a most interesting character and proves how extraordinary has been the increase

and prosperity of West Lancashire Masonically . In 1 S 73 , there were 64 lodges and 326 9 members , so that the former have nearly doubled and the brethren even more so Through the 25 years , the province was blessed with a truly grand _ Provincial Grand Master , and now , happily , is ruled over by the son who has long been identified with the Craft . There are 4 O chapters , eight Templar preceptories , and three Rose Croix chapters . The Mark lodges , numbering 37 , are grouped under the _ province for all the county , and thus unite the two Craft Provincial Grand Lodges in a most pleasant manner . The editor has accomplished his work in a most helpful style , and published at one s / iillinir one of the handiest and best-arranged annuals extant .

"MASONIC CALENDAR KOR THE PROVINCE OF HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT , i . Sgy—1900 . "—This is the largest Provincial Directory published in England , and it is one of the best edited and most ably arranged of these handy annuals . The editors are Commander II . G . Giles , R . N ., Prov . G . Sec , and Bro . G . F . Lancaster , P . P . G . Reg ., Asst . Prov . G . Sec , the Publishers being Messrs . Holbrook and Son , Queenstreet , Portsmouth . The Calendar is complete for all Masonic organisations < n the county , and the Directory is literally " crammed full " of information , so that the

particulars arc varied and exhaustive . Additional to the usual list of odicers , Past Misters , & c , the number of meetings , initiates , joining members , and total members are given under each lodge , chapter , & c . There are 4 S lodges in the Province , with 3 S 9 G members ; 25 Royal Arch Chapters , and 927 companions ; 13 Mark lodges , and 360 members ; live Ark Mariner lodges , and S 3 subscribers ; live Rose Croix chapters , and 97 members ; three preceptories , and 71 Knight Templars . There are also two councils of the Cryptic Decrees , a Red Cross conclave , and a sanctuary of the Knights of Holy Sepulchre . An

abstract of Provincial Grand Lodge accounts is appended and valuable Masonic memoranda . The rolls of Past Grand Officers in all the Provincial Bodies are duly detailed and much else , the work being in reality complete as to all details . Eleven of the lodges and one lodge of instruction belong to the "Correspondence Circle " of the Quatuar Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , London . The list of extinct Himpshire lodges will Ge welcome , and so will the roll of chapters , according to dites of constitution , as well as their members . Well done , Brother Editors !

"FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND DIRECTORV I * OR THE PROVINCE OK DaRiivsiiiiiE , iSyj . "— This artistic Annual is in its 24 th year of publication , and has acnpital portrait of the Secretary of the R . M . L for Boys , as the Frontispiece for this yeir . Bro . J . Morrison McLeod is a P . M . of S . S 4 ( Derbyshire ) as well as a P . Prov . S . G . W . of the Province , so thc brethren are naturally proud of their connection with that zjalous Brother . There are now 27 lodges , eight R . A . chapters , seven Mark lodges , a K . T .

Preceptory , and a Rose Croix chapter in Derbyshire , about all of which a mass of information is supplied , but n where can we find the total membership of thc Province . This surely should bc given , especially as the list of the votes for the Central Masonic Charities is duly and fully detailed , showing 5797 votes in all , being a large total , and 119 O for the Mark Benevolent , each Charity witnessing an increase during 1 S 9 S , Bro . Wm . Naylor , Prov . G . Sec ., is the efficient and painstaking Editor , as usual .

"BUCKS MASOMC HANDUOOK AND CALENDAR FROM 18 94 x 0 1 S 99 . '—This official publication is edited by Bro . William Woollett , the Prov . G . Sec , who has done his part most thoroughly . There are 19 lodges in the Province , with 612 members , so that the average is low compared with most counties , being slightly above 33 per