Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

GLOUCESTERSHIRE LODGES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In the report of to-day ' s Freemason of the consecration of the

" Royal York Lodge , " No . 2709 , at Nailsworth , the writer thus refers to the " Foundation Ledge , " No . 82 , " It was founded , it is said , in Cheltenham , in the year 1753 , though moved the same year to Burton ' s Coffee House , in London , whence after one or two other changes in the interval , it returned to Cheltenham in the year 1817 . "

There is no foundation for this statement , the facts being that a lodge was constituted in London at " Burton ' s Coffee House , Crane Court , Peter ' s Hill , " on 5 th March , 1753 , then numbered 226 . This lodge had no name until 1776 when it took the title of " Foundation Lodge . " During its existence it met at nine different places in London , down to the year 1806 when it ceased to exist , its number then being 96 .

In the year 1807 , a New Lodge was constituted at the Lamb Inn , Abingdon , Berks , to which was assigned ( for reasons given in my Handy Book ) the number of the defunct London Lodge , 96 , and this is the lodge which was removed to Cheltenham in 1817 and is now No . 82 .

A somewhat similar record maybe noted in relation to No . 270 ( also referred to in the report ) now " The Royal Lodge of Faith and Friendship , " at Berkeley . A lodge was constituted at the Guildhall Coffee House , London , on 25 th July , 1789 , as No . 540 , and was entitled " The Country Stewards' Lodge , " which became No . 449 in 1792 , and lapsed about the year 1799 or 1800 .

An entirely New Lodge was formed at Berkeley , on 4 th November , 1802 , to which was assigned the number of the old London Lodge , 449 , and was then called " Lodge of Faith and Friendship . " Neither the lodge at Cheltenham , No . 82 , nor that at Berkeley , No . 270 , had any connection whatever with the defunct London lodges whose vacant numbers they subsequently received . — Vburs fraternally , JNO . LANE . Torquay , October , 22 nd .

RE ENGLISH VIEW OF AMERICAN FREEMASONRY . To the Editor ot the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The Review by Bro . Josiah Drummond , of Maine , U . S . A ., of Bro . Speth ' s article on the above subject , which you reprinted from the American Tyler in the Freemason of the 8 th inst ., is very interesting reading and was

couched in temperate language . Bro . Speth ' s article , which appeared in the Freemason a few weeks since , was , I thought , written in the " lighter vein , " and it occurred to me at the time that he betrayed a certain amount of levity in criticising the customs and doings of some of the Grand Lodges of the American Jurisdictions . Having in my possession a number of the reports of the proceedings of the annual communications of several of the United States Grand Lodges

1 perused them with much interest , and , like Bro . Speth , have noted the numerous reported decisions of the Grand Masters , ' many dealing with the physical qualifications of candidates and the eligibility or otherwise of traffickers in liquor for admission to the Craft . These doubtless appear trivial to English Freemasons as probably nothing of the kind is ever submitted to our Grand Lodge or to the Board of General Purposes for decision ; but after all , such

matters are unimportant compared with the bulk of the business dealt with by the Transatlantic Grand Lodges during their two , and often three days' session . A few weeks since I read a paper to my lodge , entitled-- " An Evening with the Grand Lodge of Nebraska , " and made reference to some of the Grand Masters' Addresses , the Grand Orators' Orations , Tributes to the memory of the fraternal dead , and the care taken to ascertain the needs of the widows and

children of deceased members of the subordinate lodges , & c , which evoked remaiks from several of the brethren and visitors present— " that in America the brethren took their Freemasonry much more seriously than we do irj England . " One important matter frequently dealt with at the meetings of the American Grand Lodges is the disciplining of members of lodges for " un-Masonic conduct , " and suspensions and expulsions of unworthy members of the Craft are by no means

infrequent ; but how rarely is it that the United Grand Lodge of England is called upon to exercise such a jurisdiction . I have in mind a recent case where an unworthy brother was by Grand Lodge deprived of his rank as a Grand officer , and I believe the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons went a little further , and expelled the same person from the Mark Degree . This was an exceptional case . 1 do not remember another . In this respect our brethren across the water are more careful than we are in England to purge their lodges of unworthy members .

The fact that a number of the American Grand Lodges still hold to the perfect youth rule as one of the landmarks of the Order is the cause of such a considerable number of questions regarding physical qualifications of candidates being submitted to the Grand Master for his ruling . It is , however , probable that in the near future such questions will be fewer than in the past as it becomes more general to relax the " perfect youth " rule . Surely the requisites of our "

speculative" system of Freemasonry are not necessarily identical with the requirements of the " operative " system as practised by our ancient brethren centuries ago . Such a question came up for decision by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Oklohoma—one of the youngest of the American jurisdictions—in 1893 , as to " whether a candidate with only one eye , but in all other respects qualified , was

eligible to be made a Mason r " The decision was given in the affirmative , on the ground that it is the mental and moral condition which is the paramount requisite of " offered material . " True , the Grand Master qualified his decision by adding " so long as the physical defect is not so serious as to prevent the candidate from complying with the Masonic requirements . "

The decision is noteworthy inasmuch as it recognises that it is the " mind and morals " that after all are of more importance than whether the candidate has the regulation number of arms , legs , eyes , & c . Not many years since a blind candidate was iniliated in a London lodge , though this case was certainly not up to the standard prescribed by the old charges approved in 1722 .

Bro . Drummond goes a bit out of his way when he almost insinuates that the Masonic Institution in this country is held together by " Beer and whisky , " and suggested that Bro . Speth alleged that the meal after the lodge is washed down with " beer and whisky . " In London undoubtedly many " exclusive " lodges indulge in expensive banquets after their meetings , but country lodges arc

usually satisfied with a plain supper , seldom asking more than is . or is . 6 d . per head . I have visited lodges at Whitby and elsewhere , where the suppers , except at installations , are dispensed with altogether , and yet very pleasant social evenings are spent . I am informed by correspondents in America that , excepting at installations and on special occasions , they have no banquets after lodge meetings .

Correspondence.

If we may judge from experience in this country , the American system of "jurisdiction over rejected candidates" would not work fairly . It frequently happens that a candidate gets refused admission to a lodge , not because he is unworthy , but because one or more of the members of such lodge from personal , but insufficent Masonic , reasons object to his becoming a member ; yet there is no reason why such a candidate should not be elected in another lodge . It would almost appear that in America a candidate once rejected at one lodge from whatever cause , would have a dilliculty in gaining admission to any other lodge .

In making comparisons in the Masonic press as regards the American and English or any other systems on which the Craft is conducted , it is desirable to do it in such a manner that the criticisms are not calculated to disturb the fraternal sensibilities of the brethren practising the system criticised . As Bro . Drummond puts it , their system has been proved to work well in America as our system has

worked well under the English Constitution . After all , the articles of Bros . Speth and Drummond have been interesting contributions for the Masonic reader . — Yours fraternally , J . T . LAST . Bradford , October 19 th .

THE ENGLISH LODGES IN NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It may interest yourself and readers of the Freemason to know that the English lodges in the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury , N . Z ., have taken a vote as to whether they will adhere to their mother Constitution , or join the recently-recognised New Zealand Constitution .

In a letter I have received from the R . W . District Grand Master , Bro . R . D . Thomas , it appears that the brethren of all the lodges in his jurisdiction , with two exceptions , were unanimous in their resolve to remain under the Grand Lodge of England , and that the other two lodges were nearly unanimous in the same direction .

I believe the Canterbury District is the first to take the plebiscite , as provided by the addition to the Book of Constitutions . —Fraternall y ^ yours , w ' . F . LAMONBY . October 22 nd .

A CORRECTION . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Please permit me to correct an error in my letter on " R . A .

Working , " which is of a most vital and important character . For the seventh word of verse 2 of Genesis I . read seventh word of verse 3 of Genesis I . —Yours fraternally , T . MAY , 754 . 40 , Spondon-road , Tottenham .

ROYAL ARCH WORKING . To tht Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I am afraid I am not sufficiently learned to reply to Bro . T . May ' s letter with such intelligence and ability as I should like to , or to enter into any

argument with that brother on a subject which he seems so well able to comprehend . All that I wanted to say and to inform the Craft is that the translation of word the " Aleph and the Lameth , " ( or Lamed ) is " omnipotence " and not as now translated "word . " There can be no mistake , and this was the only object I had in view in writing my letter to vou as the official guidance of the Craft .

The Gospel of St . John was not known at the time of the building of the Temple , where this word is used ; besides , there are thousands of Freemasons who are ignorant of the Gospel and are still good Freemasons . I trust by your kindness in giving this letter a space in your next publication we may hear more about it . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , MAURICE SPIEGEL , P . Z .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Aldersgate Lodge , No . 1657 . A meeting of the above lodge was held on Monday , the 17 th inst ., at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street , E . C , when there were present Bros . H . N . Bennett , W . M . j Thos . Briggs , I . P . M . ; Rupert Smyth , S . W . ; Arthur B . Hudson , P . M ., S . D . ; James C . Hayes , J . D . ; Geo . Rawlinson , P . M ., Stwd . ; Thomas , Tyler ; Septimus Croft , P . M . ; H . F . Woodward , T . H . James , and George Briggs , H . M . Visitors : Bros . C . W . Bowker , iSG ; Percy M . Rogers , 4 C 3 ; Chas . J . Hey , lyo ; JamesCowan ^ P . M . 1572 ; and James Kift , 1701 .

1 he minutes ot the last meeting held March 21 st were read and confirmed . The ballot was taken for Mr . II . F . Woodward and Mr . T . H . James , and it proving unanimously in their favour , they were initiated in an able manner by Bro . Thomas Briggs , I . P . M ., who afterwards delivered the charge . Bro . Kift presided at the organ . A letter of regret at not being able to be present was read from the Treasurer , Bro . S . White , P . M ., also a telegram of regret from Bro . Leedham , J . D . The W . M . then rose and read By-law No . iG , and proposed that Bro . Georee Briirzs . P . M . of the Carnarvon

Lodge , No . 1572 , be admitted an honorary member , he having eminently qualified himself in a marked manner to everything embodied in By-law No . iG , especially during the last year . In the regretful absence of Bro . George Kenning , P . M . and Sec , the proposition was seconded by Bro . Arthur B . Hudson , P . M ., supported by the S . W ., and carried unanimously . The W . M . then read the following resolution : " That the thanks , of this lodge be , and are hereby accorded to Bro . George Briggs , a P . M . of the Carnarvon Lodge , 1572 , for services rendered as acting Secretary ; and , as a further mark of oui

appreciation , he be , and is hereby , elected an Honorary Member of the Aldersgate Lodge , 1657 , " which was put and carried unanimously and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bro . G . Briggs replied that it was always a labour of love to assist a lodge in its work or a brother in his duties , more especially for such a lodge as the Aldersgate and still more especially to act for so renowned a brother as Bro . George Kenning , and it wa ^ a source of great pleasure to know that his cessation from labour had now almost restored him to his usual good health and that shortly they might have the pleasure to

welcome him back to his place in the lodge . He added , " above all things I shall ever prize the resolution you have carried to be placed on the minutes of your lodge , as that will remain and be a testimony to the honour you have done me in electing me an honorary member of the lodge , when I shall be no more , and I beg to think you , W . M . and brethren , most heartily . " It was proposed by Bro . Hayes , and seconded by Bro . Rawlinson , P . M ., that Bro . Dr . Milner Hey , of the Oak Lodge , become a joining member ot the lodge .

The brethren then dined together under the gavel o ! thj W . M ., when th : W . M . presented the lodge with a model in carved oak of Aldersgate , mide as a receptacle tor cigars , and in which was a box of choice Havannahs . , . Bro . Kift presided over the musical arrangements , and tbs Tyler ' s toist co . iclulea a most enjoyable evening .