Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

A SPURIOUS AND CLANDESTINE GRAND LODGE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was a Maik Mason before 1870 . Am I then a spurious one ? The ti : Ie of one and the other leave nothing for choice as regards pomposity—where , tnen , is the consistency ? I agree with you that it would have been better to let the Ashton body work out its success or extinction , for , after all , whatever rights

the present Mark Grand Lodge possesses , it could only have acquired them from . such as I take the Ashton brethren to be , viz ., members of Mark lodges formerly existing ; and as antiquity has always been a sore point in Freemasonry generally , this is dangerous ground . I do not for a moment deny the rights of the Grand Mark Lodge in its recent action ; at the same time , I cannot help thinking that course ill-advised . As you say , these very brethren were recognised in 1870 , and , therefore , cannot be spurious now—in fact , the less said about it the better .

I may add that I am in no way connected ( as you will know ) with the " Grand Lodge " for the Ashton District . All I know about it is from the papers , and I regret that so many of the public dailies have referred to and commented on the matter , which , in my opinion , was to be expected . I observe something new to me in your quotation , " they open in the Three Degrees , and then go through this Degree of Mark Master Mason ? "

What I in . Grand Lodge ? The eld system was to work in the Second . Degree Craft lodge , and there are lodges in which this is still the practice . I suggest that the word " Sunday " preceding that quotation may be similarly incorrect ? Lodges I refer to never meet for that purpose on a Sunday . —Yours fraternally ,

HISTORICUS . Tune 18 th .

THE ANCIENT LANDMARKS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Permit me to express my entire concurrence with the view of Bro . T . May as expressed in his letter published in your issue of June 17 th . The picture given in Black and White is more than a breach of Masonic courtesy , and

1 said so to several brethren at the time it was published . I doubt , however , whether Bro . May is quite right as to his snap-shot theory . If he looks at the picture again he will | see that the brethren are all facing him and not the dais—i . e ., they were facing the brother who took the picture and were evidently posed for the purpose . Does not this imply that the photograph was taken deliberately and with the authority of the Provincial Grand Master , whom , I piesume , occupies the chair . Something wrong somewhere I—Yours fraternally ,

HENRY LASHMORE , P . M . 394 . P . P . S . G . D . Hants and the Isle of Wight . Southampton .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It is with great pleasure I have to inform you that the Right Hon . the Earl of Dartmouth , R . W . Prov . G . M . Staffordshire , has most kindly consented to preside at the 112 th Anniversary Festival of this Institution , to be held on

Wednesday , the 9 th May , 1 9 , and 1 shall esteem it a favour if you will kindly make this gratifying fact as widely known as possible . —I am , dear sir , yours faithfully , R . W . F . HEDGES , Sec . 5 , Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . Tune 21 .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . James Henry Matthews , President , in the chair . Bro . D . D . Mercer , S . V . P ., and Bro . Henry Garrod , J . V . P ., occupied their respective positions at the Board . Bros . Edward Letchworth , G . Secretary ; W . Lake , iAsst . G . Secretary ; W . Dodd , G . S . Recknell , and Henry Sadler , G . T ., represented the Grand Secretary ' s

department . The other brethren who attended were Bros . Charles J . R . Tijou , Henry A . Tobias , Walter Martin , George Graveley , F . W . Hancock , W . Fisher , E . W . Nightingale , W . Kipps , S . H . Goldschmidt , C . Pulman , Lewis Lazarus , E . M . Money , Charles Henry Stone , John Slrachan , Q . C , G . Registrar , John Erlinger , Walter N . Glazier , P . M . 34 ; C . H . Webb , P . M . 174 ; A . G . Sandberg , P . M . 3 ; Robert G . H .

Goffin , P . M . 1572 ; James Whitaker Burgess , P . M . 1325 ; E . T . Mackrill , P . M . 591 ; Frederick Ashby , W . M . 1421 ; Harry Pearse , P . M . 1524 ; J . Seaton , P . M . 1829 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 and 1928 ; R W . Ker , I . P . M . 194 ; R . J . Coates , W . M . 890 ; J . Austin , P . M . 1158 ; J . H . Collingiidge , P . M . 1677 ; G . J . Farrington , W . M . 2705 ; D . Dupcar , W . M . 147 ; Jas . F . W . Morris , W . M . 1050 ; and R . VV . Barber , P . M . 198 .

The brethren first confirmed those grants which at the May meeting were referred to the Grand Master to approve to the extent of . £ 260 . There were 23 cases on the new list , which were qualified through lodges in the London area , and at Devonport , N . Z ., Siacup , Lucknow , Starcross , New Malton , Cailisle , Wclchpool , Frome , Shaftesbury , Kobe ( Japan ) ,

Cairo , Lancaster , Manchester , Aylesbury , Rhyl , Byculla , and Bellary . Five of the petitions were dismissed , and three were deferrec \ The remainder were voted a loial of . £ 515 . Two cases were recommended to Grand Lodge for £ 75 each , and two lor £ 50 each . Two were recommended for the Grand Master's approval for , £ 40 each , and four for ^ 30 each . Two petitions received £ 20 each , two , £ 10 each , and one £ 5 .

THE NIW null , DINGS that have recently bien completed at the London Hospital Med cal College will be opened on Tuesday , the iSth July , by Viseount Knutslord . Tie inauguration will be followed by the d ^ tiibution ot piizes to the students and nursing probationers , in the Library ot the Medical College , by Viscount and Viscountess Knutsfoid .

Summer Outing Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge.

SUMMER OUTING OF THE QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE .

Many lodges are in the habit of spending -a day once a year in the country , and these excursions are deservedly looked forward to by the members . Few , however , if indeed any , provide such an annual treat for their members as does the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , extending over four days , and taking the brethren far afield to some city of Masonic interest .

From the 15 th to the 18 th of this month this Iodge of literati has been feasting its eyes on the beauty of Devonshire and Dartmoor , gladdening its heart by contact with the brethren of that province , and acquiring fresh knowledge by its inspection of the most notable buildings and municipal records of Exeter . A party of 36 brethren left Waterloo Station on the

Thursday by the 3 p . m . train , arriving at Exeter shortly before 7 o'clock . The journey was most comfortably made in saloon carriages , and the tedium of travel lightened by tea , which was served in the ~ carriage at Salisbury . At Exeter some 24 brethren of the extended Correspondence Circle , who

had made their way there independently , joined them , and they were met and welcomed at the station by the foremost Exeter brethren , who , under the guidance in chief of Bro . J . Gould , had been for weeks preparing for their reception .

Among the members were such well-known Masons as Bros . C . Purdon Clarke , CLE ., the W . M . ; Hamon le Strange , Prov . G . M . Norfolk ; R . Hudson , P . G . S . B . ; W . J . Hughan , P . G . D . ; W . F . Lamonby , P . Dep , G . M . Victoria ; J . Lane , P . A . G . D . C . ; J . E . Le Feuvre , P . G . D . ; H . Lovegrove , P . G . S . B . ; Col . Pratt Saunders , Prov . G . M . Wicklow and

Wexford ; T . J . Railing , P . A . G . D . C ., G . W . Speth , P . A . G . D . C . ; J

J . Thomas , P . G . Std . Br . ; H . Tipper , P . G . P . ; Dr . W . J . Chetwode Crawley , P . G . D . of Ireland ; F . J . W . Crowe , Dr . VV . W . Westcott , and many others ; whilst the wild field covered by the membership ' of the lodge may be inadequately guaged by the fact that among the brethren were some hailing from Ireland , Yarmouth , Hastings , Gosport , Torrington ,

Birmingham , Torquay , Berwick , Liskeard , Tynemouth , Selby , Stroud , Nottingham , Southampton , Hunstanton , West Bromwich , Witney , Retford , Colchester , Ludlow , Stoke , and , of course , London and its immediate vicinity . Moreover , many of the Exeter brethren , for this occasion , acting as hosts , were in reality also members of the Iodge .

The headquarters were the Rougemont Hotel , Exeter , where , after settling down , dinner was served . The Masonic Institute having made all the visitors members pro tew ., many of them spent the remainder of the evening there in company with their Exeter brethren . Friday was a busy day . After a nine o ' clock breakfast , a move was made to the ancient Gild Hal ) , where the brethren were received by the

Town Clerk , Mr . Shorto , who had caused the city regalia to be set forth on the table , around which the brethren seated themselves , whilst he , in a most interesting and eloquent address , rapidly glanced at the history of Exeter , and exhibited and explained some of the remarkable old documents and charters in the possession of the Corporation . So interested were both lecturer and audience , that the appointment at the Cathedral was almost

forgotten , but finally a move was made in that direction . Here the brethren were taken in charge by the Rev . Canon Edmonds , who , in the Chapter House delivered an eloquent address upon the history of the sacred fane , and then conducted the party through it , calling attention to its most remarkable features . Two more eloquent and capable ciceroni it would be hard to find than Mr . Shorto and the Canon , and the brethren were glad

to be able to entertain them both at lunch . Indeed , Mr . Shorto , although not a Mason , found himself in such good company that he was kind enough to dine with the brethren also , and accompany them throughout the afternoon , and also to Dartmoor on the following day . After lunch the old castle and gardens of Rougemont were visited , and under the guidance of Bro . Gould and Mr . Shorto , many other points of interest in the city .

After dinner a special meeting of the four Exeter lodges , under the banner of the senior lodge , St . John the Baptist , No . 39 , was held in the large supper room of the hotel , the chair being occupied by Bro . Gould , and those of the Wardens and I . P . M . by the other three Masters . The visitors were received in procession , being joined by Bro . Col . Davie , P . A . G . D . C ,

Dep . Prov . G . Master , and speeches of warm welcome to Exeter and Devonshire were delivered by him and by Bro . Gould , and replied to by Bros . Purdon Clarke , W . M ., Hamon le Strange , and Col . Pratt Saunders . Bro . Speth conveyed a special message to the lodge which had been entrusted to him for that purpose by Bro . Sir James C . Meredith , Dep . G . Master of Ireland .

From thence a move was made to the ball-room , where the rest of the evening was passed in the enjoyment of unrestrained fraternal communion , and the delights of an excellent programme of music supplied by the Exeter brethren , good tobacco and a moderate allowance of some inspiriting liquid , most welcome after a hard day ' s work , not being forgotten . In view of a still more arduous day to follow , the closing hour had b ; cn fixed

at 11 p . m ., which arrived all too soon , and the party broke up after loyally singing the National Anthem . Suurday ' s breakfast was as early as 7 o ' clock , and 8 a . m . found the brethren at St . David's Station , where the Great Western Railway had provided a special train , which conveyed them and some hundred Exeter brethren to Djvey Tracey , on the border of Dartmoor . Eight well horsed and appointed brakes were waiting , and soon the parly was all on board and

bound for the wilds of this beautiful distric f . Eich carriage was supplied with a large sketch map of the route to be followed , with every natural and artificial feature of interest distinctly marked , an arrangement which much conduced to the comfort of the brethren . But all the complicated arrangements of this day were so perfect , the organisation so admirable , the

provision so thoughtful , that were all to be detailed this account would run to too great a length ; let it simply be said that even the provisioning of such an army of hungry tourists , miles from any good hotel , was no light matter , and would have taxed the resourses of the A . CD . And yet it was by no means the greatest of the difficulties , all of which were successfully surmounted .

The first halt was made at Hensbury Gate , where Mr . F . S . Amery , of Druid , Ashburton , was kindly awaiting the brethren in order to explain one of the numerous hut circles found on the moor . The alarmingly steep