Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

"THE SHINERS . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Your correspondent "P . M . S 72 , " who asks for particulars of a Masonic Degree worked in the United States of America called the " Shiners " has , I think , been slightly misinformed .

I suspect what he refers to is the Order of " The Mystic Shrine , " the members of which are familiarly called Shriners . In a recent visit to the States I heard this Society continually referred to by Freemasons , and I gathered it is largely a burlesque on Mahommedanism . In New York city there are two "encampments "—the Mecca Temple and the Arab Patrol—none but Freemasons being eligible for membership .

The regular meetings are held on the Mahommedan Feast Day , the principal officer is addressed as " Potentate . " Summonses , which I was shown , were delightful pieces of buffoonery , and led me to think that conviviality was the leading characteristic of the " Shriners . " The following extracts from the Masonic Sta . it . da . rd will give your correspondent a good idea of this Masonic excrescence ' :

The March session of Mecca Temple will be held next Thursday night , March 29 th . A number of pilgrims are awaiting the start of the caravan . The camels have already been watered , and are eager to begin their journey across the hot sands . The Recorder will be found at' the receipt of custom ' to take the shekels from the pilgrims before their interviews with the Arab Patrol . The fingers of the Arabs tingle with expectation at the pleasure they will experience when they officially greet the pilgrims . "

" Mecca Temple ' s session last Thursday night was one of those joyous and halcyon occasions that are vouchsafed only to ( he true followers of the Prophet . . . . . An unusually large number of pilgrims from afar , upwards of 100 , presented themselves at Mecca's shrine , and received the Haji badge at the hands of the Illustrious Potentate . Eighty-one candidates put up the necessary 25

(? dollars ) , and were escorted with fear and trembling into the awful presence . There they conducted themselves with much meekness and humility , and having displayed the faith and courage characteristic of the true Moslem , they were permitted to occupy high seats in the multitude . The Arabs didn't do a thing to them , and after the toilsome journey was over the traditional banquet refreshed and revived them .

" The great throng of hungry and thirsty Shriners taxed Noble Terhune's resources , but he was equal to the emergency . The divertisemcnts were excellent , and were of a true Oriental character . " The number of members on the roll is , I believe , about 60 , 000 , but in addition there are the " black Shriners , " who have 27 temples , with about 500 members . These are not recognised by their white brethren . The Imperial Council ( corresponding to Grand Lodge ) met this year at Washington , where it was officially received by President McKinley . —Yours fraternally , DAVID HILLS .

P . M . and Sec . 185 St . Brelades , Elm-road , Beckenham . July 16 th .

Important Transactions.

IMPORTANT TRANSACTIONS .

1 have been favoured with the sight of an advance copy of the Transactions of the " Lodge of Research , " No . 2429 , Leicester , without doubt , second in importance of its kind in this country , and of considerable interest and value . The present W . M . is the Rev . H . S . Briggs , B . A ., P . M ., Src , the esteemed Master of the Grammar School , Lutterworth ; and , as every Masonic student knows , the Secretary of the lodge , its prime mover , and Editor of the Transactions is Bro . Jno . T . Thorp , P . M ., Ike .

This is the eighth volume , and the equal of the best of its several predecessors . It gives racy reports of the 36 th to the 40 th meetings inclusive , and most interesting sketches or digests of the Papers read , the discussions thereon , & c . My Lecture on " Recent Discoveries concerning Freemasonry —its early history and the origin of additional Degrees "—is so ably reproduced as to be a surprise to myself . The next one on " The Triads of

Freemasonry " by the Rev . H . S . Biggs , B . A ., the W . M ., is well reported , as alsn a capital discussion on "Lessons from the Sequence of the Degrees , " introduced by Bro . F . \ V . Billson , I . L . B ., I . P . M . " The Grand Lodges of England , " Part 2 , is by Dr . R . Pratt , P . M ., & c , who has carefully epitomised the particulars concerning that important subject . Tne Secretary briefly introduced for discussion " The Qualifications for

Masonry , operative and speculative , " at the 3 8 th meeting , and at the next Bro . Laurence Stains , S . VV . 523 , & c . ( LG . ) , read a very thoughtful paper on " The Life and Career ' of the Rev . William Dodd , LL . D ., Grand Chaplain 1775-6 , " and the subject for discussion was " The Privileges of a Lewis , and the reasons lor them . " The final meeting was devoted to" The Jewels of the W . M . and the P . Ms ., " by Bro . John T . Thorp , which requires to be read to be appreciated ; and , finally , there is an excellent

reproduction for the first time , transcribed by Bro . Thorp , of the " John Strachan MS . " of the " Old Charges , " from the famous collection owned by Bro . G . W . Bain . Finally , I said , but really not so , as Bro . Thorp intends to present to each member of the lodge and of the" Correspondence Circle " a copy of his last valuable work , so that for the trifle of a cro-. vn the C . C . members will obtain all this important Masonic literature , and all I can say is if they are not grateful to the Secretary , I am . Doubtless the esteemed Editor of the Freemason will soon review this work . VV . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

* ' MASONIC MUSINI . S . "—This is the title of a well-printed and altogether nicelygot-up book by Dr . Charles Forshaw , of Bradford , a well-known Yorkshire poet , and frequent contributor some vears ago to the columns of the Courier . The work is dedicated to William Blackburn , Esq ., J . P ., of Crofton Tower , Wakefield , a prominent West Yorkshire Freemason , and there is a biographical introduction by a Macclesfield Freemason , the doctor having some years ago joined the Combermere Lodge of Union , No . 295 , and written a magnificent ode on the centenary of that lodge in 1893 , and which is incorporated in this excellent volume of " Musings . " To Freemasons generally the

Reviews.

book must be of great interest and advantage , and by members of the Craft in Macclesfield , and the district in particular , from the circumstances mentioned , it is sure to be received with genuine fraternal greetings , while the public at large will find pleasure and instruction in the perusal of everything the book contains , which cannot fail to arouse a keen curiosity as to "the sacred beauties of the Mystic Tie . " The author is a man of remarkable energy and ability , as is proved by the biographical sketch of him by a Macclesfield Freemason , already alluded to . It says , inter alia , " Freemasonry has no more devoted son than Bro . Chas . F . Forshaw , and if thoroughness and

conscientiousness in all that relates to the Craft — as , indeed , in regard to anything else that he touches—be any justification for the publication of 'Masonic Musings , ' then no little book ever had a greater title to existence . Goethe tells us that' The history of man is his character , ' and in this simple but eloquent sentence there is prolific meaning as applied to so versatile a personality as Dr . Forshaw , whose ability , energy , and industry , are known and appreciated by a very wide circle . Over so extensive a field , indeed , do his talents range , that it would be impossible to do anything like justice to them in the necessarily limited space allotted to an introductory memoir to such a work as this . After enumerating the author ' s

distinguished professional and other attainments , the biographer proceeds , In the province in which he appeals to the wider and more sympathetic audience of the whole nation , Dr . Forshaw is known as ' the' Poet of Yorkshire , and also its biographer . He has , in his day , written over 1000 biographies of poets and poetasters , and all his writings are marked by grace and refinement of style . His love for the Masonic order , as I have already indicated , has been more than once made the subject of song , and as a member of the Combermere Lodge of Union , No . 295 ( Macclesfield ) , it is with no little pride that I call attention to the magnificent ode , written by Brother Forshaw , for the Centenary of my Mother Lodge in 1 S 93 . The ode speaks for itself and author more eloquently than anything I can write . But

Masonry is by no means the only Art or Science that has benefited by his muse . Dr . Forshaw is a prolific poet , he has contributed verse to more than 5000 journals and magazines . A large number of his songs have been set to music . In April of this year the doctor was elected a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature . He is one of the founders of the Bronte Society , of which the Earl of Crewe is president . He is a freeman of thc Spectacle Makers' Company , a freeman of London , a member of the Council of the Optical Society , a member of the British

Optical Association , and of half a score other learned and scientific societies . The public look lorward to many more works from Dr . Forshaw , and 1 trust they will not be disappointed . " Bro . Dr . Forshaw ' s " Musings" omit no phase or point of Freemasonry —they are sung in the sweetest tones and in a spirit which proclaims the true tenets of the Craft , and we shall be surprised if , in the future , he is not compelled , by the unanimous voice of his brethren , to add to his numerous titles that of " The Post of the Mystic Tie . " The world knows comparatively little of the Charitable organisitions of

the Craft and the immense amount of good it has achieved and is still achieving and pursuing—it knows as little of the real principles upon which the Craft is governed , but all these , and other topics bearing upon them , ar > : d . velt upon with tru ; pjetic fervour . The poet also recognises thatAlasonry . no more than Christianity , can make a man what he ought to be if he strives not himself to do the thing which is right , but he beautifully enforces the duty of the Fraternity to " a fallen brother" as follows :

" A broken Column crumbling to decay Can sometimes be restored to strength an J beauty And so a brother erring on Life ' s way May be awakened to a sense of Duty . Forget bis faults—forget his foolish deeds , And still the hand ot Fellowship extend—And if he o ' er and o ' er ignores your pleads ]

Still oct and o et persuade him and befriend . Then haply round our Altar ' s Sacred Shrine Again he'll labour in the cause of Truth , And thro' your aid gain such of Love Divine That age departs and leaves renewed youth ; Thus will he cut the ignoble bonds of strife

And like thc Ph < emx use again to Life . " If wc could afford space to quote further from Dr . Forshaw ' s " Musings , " the public would be enlightened with many phases of Freemasonry in regard to which there is much ignorance and misconception , but to be rightly appreciated the volume must be carefully perused and thought over . It can be obtained only at Gjorge Kenning and Son's at 5 s . per copy- Orders may be s'mt to The Courier Publishing O . fice ( Messrs . Clayc , Brown and Claye , Chestergate , Macclesfield ) .

Miss Winifred Pyne , a grand-daughter of the famous opera singer , Miss Louisa Pyne , was married a little time ago , to one of our most promising concert-singers and managers , Mr . Holmes Kingsley . The lady is breaking ground favourably , as an actress , after a two years' probationary career . __ ,