Original Correspondence.

bcrs of a lodge are not forthcoming . I do not for one moment suppose that brethren intend to be discourteous when they neglect to answer a letter from a Secretary on Masonic business , or when they neglect to advise him of inability to attend lodge and other meetings , or even to intimitatc their attention to attend banquets ; yet the

forgetfulness to attend to such common matters of business precision very often gives trouble and sometimes irritating annoyance to others who have lodge duties to attend to . Take , for instance , the very ordinary summons to attend a lodge— " Business at five , banquet at 6 . 30 . " An officer or member of the lodge is say in Yorkshire , the Master and

other officers are punctual but the I . G . is absent , and yet from courtesy precious minutes are wasted because a letter or telegram has not made doubtless unavoidable absence known to the Master and lodge . Or , the want of acceptanceof lodge summons by acknowledgment leaves the Secretary unable to advise the host of the probable number

likely to be present at the banquet ; the host either provides too much , or too little , too many or too few waiters , so causing either annoyance to guests or loss to himself . These , and other troubles , might be avoided if the ordinary courtesy of the acknowledgment of a letter were observed . I may further observe that this special neglect diminishes

loyalty to the lodge and the Craft . To write from York , say , to a city Lodge , and announce inability to be present , keeps the absentee pleasantly in the memory of the brethren , promotes good-fellowship , and diminishes that tendency to selfishness which Masonry of all systems seeks to discourage .

Perhaps you will further permit a reminder that brethren should keep their lodges and the general interests of the Craft before them in their travels . Much can be learnt , observed , and communicated for the good of a lodge in particular and the Craft in general , if brethren would trouble themselves to observe and communicate . Many

practical hints for increased ' zeal would thus be utilized which might be resented if coming perhaps from Secretaries , but would be increasingly valuable if submitted to the brethren in lodge by another member . I may further suggest that if members more frequently read the copies of bye-lawsbelonging to their lodge—if such , with certain

selections from the Book of Constitutions , were ordered to be read publicly in lodge by the VV . 1 M ., the forces of a lodge would be stimulated and energy generated for the greater good of Freemasonry . If the Secretary be an important factor in lodge work it may be asserted that good members make a good Secretary ,

good members will be worthily represented , and in a wellbalanced lodge there is a wholesome emulation in the discharge of duty by officers and members . But I am not sure that a good Secretary always makes a good lodgeperhaps he may . Your article on a Secretary was doubtless inspired by necessity from your wide horizon of

observation , wherein you may have discerned defective service even among willing satellites in the revolutions of a Masonic year ; but permit me to observe that during that course there are Masons who are erratic , nebulous , and eccentric , and need a little of your attractive warmth to keep them to the course of duty . By all means let " Excelsior" be

the cry , not only for ofheets , but also for rank and file . Dear Mr . Editor , don't be too severe on the Secretary , nor permit him to be rudely critical on his Masonic masters and equals . He owes them duties , they owe duties to him , not only as their equal , but also as the holder of an office indispcnsible to lodge prosperity . Truly and fraternally yours , A MIDDLESEX SECRETARY .

THE DOMATIC LODGE OF INSTRUCTION . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can you find space in the Freemason for a reminder to the brethren in South London of the Domatic Lodge of Instruction , still in existence at Surrey Masonic

Hall , Camberwcll New-road ( three minutes' walk from Camberwcll New-road Railway Station ) , but at which no workings have been carried on for sixteen weeks past , owing to a scarcity of members—not more than three being at any time present during the sixteen weeks ? Doubtless it is greatly due to the want of a Preceptor , our late Bro .

Preceptor having resignedly reason of failing health . Unless this old lodge is sustained it must ere long collapse . At present we arc not in debt , but we are in want of attendance . The instruction workings are held every Tuesday evening , at 7 . 30 for S . 1 say 7 . 30 for S , because frequently there is a Craft lodge held in the same room , which delays commencement of instruction lodge 15 to 20

minutes . I am , dear Sir , yours respectfully , A REGULAR ATTENDANT . October 21 st .

MASONIC MAGAZINE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Interesting as the November number of the Masonic Magazine is , there is one unfortunate typographical error , which either arises from partly non-editorial

supervision , or the badness of my own writing . " Moxen "—at page 1 S 3—is really "Julius Mosen" who was born at Marinei , in Saxony , in 1 S 13 , but died in 1 S 67 . I think it right to send these lines for fear any of your German readers may wonder who is " Moxen . " Vours fraternally , THE TRANSLATOR .

Original Correspondence.

MASONIC IMPOSTORS—A WARNING . [ Charles Warden Couch , alias Charles Southwood , initiated 1 S 65 in St . Aubyn Lodge , No . 934 , Devonport , then aged 24 , has expended not more than one

pound sterling in fees and quarterage . In 1 SG 9 was relieved in Grand Secretary ' s Office . In 1 S 70 was in bad Masonic repute under circumstances known at Liverpool and elsewhere ; and is now tramping the country and obtaining money under false pretences . ]

To the Editor of the "Freemason . '' Dear Sir and Brother , — I take the entire responsibility for the correctness of the above particulars relating to the individual who was the subject of . my two former letters , and only hope that the opportunity might be afforded me of proving the facts

in his presence . Having given the warning by my letter ( in yours of the 1 st inst . ) , I would not have pursued the matter further as against him but for his continuance in imposition on other brethren . The Rev . Bro . C . VV . Arnold , of Woking College , Surrey , writes to me that he has had a visit from this man en route

to Portsmouth . He was assisted ; our worthy brother expressing , what is the feeling of most ol us , that he " would rather give a man who might not deserve it a trifle than run the risk of sending away one honest man unrelieved . " After the assistance had been rendered , and the impostor out of reach , Bro . Arnold learns that he has been tricked .

I maintaui that it is our bounden duty to stop this fellow's malpractices if we can , for he not only wrongs the few he swindles , but the " poor and distressed" who have honest claims on our sympathy and brotherly help . Will the brethren who see this letter kindly refer to those inserted in your impressions of the rst and 15 th inst .

respectively , and be good enough to make the subject known in their several lodges ? Doubtless such a course of action would result in preventing other members of the Craft suffering from this fellow ' s machinations . Many districts are yet open to him , I dare say . I'll bet he doesn't show in this neighbourhood for a while ! Yours faithfully and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS . Clapham , S . W ., October 21 st .

Reviews.

Reviews .

TWELFTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF QUEBEC . This is 2 very weighty address , with an " Appendix " of important " correspondence and historical facts , " put forth officially by Bro . j . H . Graham , G . M . It deserves attention and perusal , not only from the nature of its contents ,

but the " status" and authority of the G . M . We make every allowance for the wish of Bro . Graham to assert the dignity and rights of his Grand Lodge , and , no doubt , in the abstract , a very great deal may be said in favour of the leading principle of unity of organization and jurisdiction , which it is the aim of this publication to enforce and advance . But we think it may be well to doubt—we say

it in all good feeling and regard—whether the Grand Lodge of Quebec has taken the wisest or the most opportune course to establish its asserted rights , and to strengthen its professed claims . The Grand Lodge of Quebec is a very young Grand Lodge , and can rocll afford to wait ; and anything like impatience , or hurry , or petulance , or implied menace , is certain to retard its wishes , and delay the

fulfilment of its anxious expectations . We always speak honestly and pointedly , otherwise a review is worthless . We know something of our English brethren , and we feel pretty well assured that the tone of much of this correspondence will not commend itself to the calm and fair but somewhat sensitive English mind . We pass over many extraneous matters , recommending our readers to

study the correspondence printed elsewhere in extenso from this Address , the Address itself having previously appeared in the Freemason . We wish , however , to call special attention to two arguments drawn from the Constitutions of the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , as they both rest on a fallacy , and both mis-represent ( of course unintentionally ) the meaning of such provisions of the

two Books of Constitutions . "The acknowledgment of lodges" is made to express an " exclusive and territorial sovereignty . " Such certainly is not the real meaning of suc ' . i words , and never has been , and never can be . In the English Grand Lodge they are of longstanding , are based on the oldest laws of all , and simply declare the necessity of lodges being legally warranted lodges to be

recognized by the Grand Lodges as lodges at all . In England the four original lodges had no warrants or charters . The Lodge of Antiquity and Somerset House still exist , working " from time immemorial , " without a charter ; one is extinguished ; another , for some reason or other , took out a charter . And it is just possible that originally there were other lodges like the Lodge of

Industry , Swalwell , and the lodge at Alnwick , which had nochaiters . Now , therefore , we repeat , neither in lingland nor in Scotland , has any provision of the Book of Constitutions any such meaning . All that the Books of Constitutions for the respective jurisdictions mean to assert , as we have always pointed out , is that in England and Scotland respectively they acknowledge no Craft lodges except those duly chartered by the Grand Lodge , and very

properlyand Alasomcally so . In the Colonics , English , Scottish , and Irish lodges are all recognized , and all harmonious . Formerly there were lodges without charters , and it is that point the Constitutions deal with , not prophetically , legislating in respect of possible future Grand Lodges . VVith all respect to our M . W . Bro . Graham , such an argument is hardly worthy of his great ability . But we repeat , we recommend our readers to study the pamphlet itself .

NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . By Bro . HKNKV SUTHERLAND , M . D . and P . M . By the kindness of the publisher we have been favoured with a copy of the " Notes " in advance . They apparently

Reviews.

are the developement and completion of a smaller publication on the same subject by the same author , to which we deemed it right to call attention some time back . And now we are glad to again express our thanks to cur very able brother for the care and conciseness , the thoughtfulness , and the grasp of the subject by which this useful little book of Masonic " Memos " is characterized from first to last .

Indeed , to many of us , this diminutive " vade mecum" will be a source of much thought and study , will furnish a hint for many a research , and will be a " text book " for many a young student , or zealous lecturer in Masonry . Making allowance for some " conclusions" which are based on an "imperfect authority" in others , deeming it but right honestly to point out that some of the propositions of some

writers which Bro . Sutherland alludes to cannot be accepted without some reservation , we think it right to add the expression of our humble opinion , that Bro . Dr . Sutherland ' s " opusculum " is a most honest and meritorious , and well meant effort to promote Masonic research , to establish Masonic authenticity , and to lead other brother students like himself , distinguished as he is in his own

profession , intellectually and critically to consider the claims of Masonic history as best becomes the thoughtful and the intelligent Freemason . The time has happily gone by when unauthentic fables and hopeless anachronisms could be accepted by the Alasonic student without a protest . If the "authentic school " has done nothing more , it has led to greater carefulness in statement , greater precision as

to facts , the abandonment of untenable" myths , " and the attempted substitution of evidence and history for questionable assertions and unverified , unverifiable " sheepwalking . " Commending , therefore , Bro . Dr . Sutherland ' s effective and painstaking contribution to Masonic studies , and his friendly aid to Masonic students , there are one or two matters on which a few words may fitly fall from us . 1 . As regards

the question of " Degrees , " it is still "sub judice , " and no one , we venture to think . can " pace" Bro . Findel and others , venture to speak dogmatically on the subject . A great deal may no doubt be said on the comparative simplicity of our early ritual , the perhaps unscholastic arrangement of its ritual , its teaching , and its symbolism ; but that more Degrees than one , with peculiar

secrets , separating each grade from the other , existed before 1700 , will , we think , without doubt eventually prove to be the case . The subject has only been recently carefully studied , and requires some knowledge of Masonic arch .-eology to appreciate it in all its bearings . That the actual terminology of much of our ritual is modernized no one denies , though many archaisms

remain ; and it is utterly impossible that in 1717 an entire new ritual could have been adopted without some prevalent marks of preparation and compilation . That such is not the case all careful students of our olden ritual know : indeed the further we go back the more antique it seems to become , indeed , it is not a little singular , and is a notable fact , as we hold it , that the earliest so-called exposure of Freemasonry

makes out the ritual to be " rythmical ; " practically based on the lectures of the Masonic Poem of 1415 ( at latest ) , which Bro . Dr . Sutherland quotes , and to which Bro . Dr . Oliver alludes . It is more than probable that the earliest Masonic ritual was rythmical . 2 . Bro . Dr . Sutherland seems to divide the existing ritual into those of the Emulation and the Oxford . What our esteemed brother means by the " Oxford "

we really do not profess to know . There are in use in this country now no less than live different systems , mainly only varying in verbiage , with some little contrarieties in ceremonial . 1 . The Emulation ( William ); 2 , the Stability ( Hemming ); 3 , the Prestonian ; 4 , a relic of the Anticnt working ; and 5 , the remains of an older system which some have termed the "Old York . " By the

Oxford system we presume Bro . Sutherland means a system of working adopted and used by some of those able " Masters"who have emanated from the "Apollo Lodge , Oxford . " 3 . Where | the real origin of Freemasonry is to be found is still the " Crux" hard to be mastered by the most diligent student . For some time the Gild system had many advocates , but latterly an Hermetic explanation , as a

concurrent explanation of Masonic continuance , has found many friends , as it is quite clear Hermeticism has never received in itself , or in its bearing upon Freemasonry , sufficient study , and the real difficulties of the Gild system in its best aspects have been too easily passed over . But such works as these of Bro . Dr . Sutherland , however unpretending in form , serve to show that Masonic researches are full of interest and pleasure , that they open outcountless matters of importance

for the general and the special student , and that , though we may not all agree in this , or concur in that , there is a general "consensus" amongst us in favour of " facts , " not " fiction ; " a wide-spread desire to have in our hands a reliable history of Freemasonry . For Bro . Dr . Sutherland ' s careful , and lucid , and suggestive " Notes" we beg , therefore , in Masonic sincerity , to tender to him our grateful thanks and fraternal appreciation .

STORIES OF YOUNG ADVENTURERS . By ASCOTT R . HOPE . Bro . John Hogg , Paternoster Row . This is a stirring book of those adventures and dangers by land and sea which often have such a fascination for the young and inexperienced . We are not quite sure that such books do good ; whether they do not rather unsettle than edify ; but still youth is youth , and while youth remains

youth , such " weird tales " and such " strange stories " will be always potent to interest , to enthral , and to dominate . Some of the stories in Mr . Hope's book are well written , not a few are very thrilling and exciting . We can especially commend " He Would be a Sailor , " " Home and

Freedom at Last , " " Stirring Days of the Navy , " & c . We arc reminded in one story of that young soldier of the Buffs who died under torture rather than degrade his English uniform and perform the "kotoo" to an opium-eating Mandarin . Sir Francis Doyle ' s stirring lines will find an echo in the heart of many of our

readers—Poor reckless , rude , low-born , untaught , Bewildered and alone , A heart with English instinct fraught , He yet cancali his own . Ay , tear bis body limb from limb , Bring cord , or axe , or flame , He only knows that not through him Shall England come to shame .

Far Kentish hopfields round him seemed Like dreams to come and go ; Bright leagues of cherry-blossom gleamed One sheet of living snow .