Correspondence.

of mere discriminating criticism , the authentic history of Masonry has been carried further back , while the mythical history has been much curtailed . Yours fraternally , As AS - TIQUAET . GEAND LODGE AGENDA .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . D EAE SIE USD BROTHER . —Can you tell me how I can get the notices for Grand Lodge ? My only chance is their publication in the Freemasons' Magazine of the week before the meeting , which gives little time . They are sent to the lodge of which I am a

subscribing member , but our meeting night is occasionally after Grand Lodge is over , and they become waste paper . Yours fraternally , A MEMBER OE THE GRAND LODGE OE ENGLAND . MUSIC IN LODGES .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAE SIB AND BROTHER . —I was much pleased at seeing in your last number a communication from Bro . J . II . M . Bairnsfather on " Sacred Music in Lodges , " and I beg to observe that I entirely approve of what he says , and not only so , but it is months since we commenced to take action in the matter , and I am therefore all the more satisfied that the

want of it has been felt by others . I may therefore add that we are getting up a selection of tunes and words adapted for the purpose ( simple , solemn , and sacred ) , for the use of our own lodge , which I expect the printer will have all finished in a week or two . I have some extra sheets of each tune w ^ hich I send for

your perusal , and if they please , nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see other lodges adopting something similar . I have often felt a listlessness during the workin ° - of the degrees , which I could see no way of curing but by the introduction of music into its

proper place . As a spectator I have often felt tired for the want of being able to take an active part , however small , in the proceedings , and even when I have been working the degrees myself , I have felt the Avant of appropriate music , and I consider that without it they are not half wrought . When we have rr omnd

nlnveiat the organ , and one to lead the singing , with a Deacon who knows his duty , and the other officebearers taking their parts , then the degrees can be wrought something like what they ought to be , but of course anything to be done well must be practised , and if the degrees are worth doing at all , they are worth do well

ing . Most of us who go to church join in the singing , and why Masons neglect the duty of praising God at their meetings I do not know-, unless it be from mere thoughtlessness . Masonry is either something or it is nothing , when we meet for the purposes of initiation , & c , is it merely to push the

candidate through as quickly as possible and get the fees , or have we a higher object in view ? If the latter , let us show that we have true Masonic feeling in us , by giving expression to it . Let us join together as brethren in praising that God whose all-seeing eye is ever over us , with guardian care , from all our

partings to our meetings . Then may we hopefully expect his blessing on all our proceedings . Yours fraternally , Glasgow , June 17 th . W . P . BucHAy . SIR KNIGHTS .

TO TnE EDITOR OE THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC HIEROE . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —Bro . Bairnsfather was good enough to inform us in last week's Magazine that , when the Order of the Templars existed , such a thing ( sic ) as baronets and knights being created by the royal prerogative was unknown . I have no doubt

that our worthy Grand Vice-Chancellor knew when Bro . Bairnsfather was yet in petticoats that baronets were first created in 1611 ; but , as to the other statement that knights were not then created by royal prerogative , I am afraid my youthful brother isslihtly at sea . Everyone knows thatin those days

g , , knighthood was conferred by all great generals , but I was not aware that the king himself was impotent to create and dub a knight . Perhaps Bro . Bairnsfather meant to say that , in the' 13 th and 14 th

centuries , knighthood was not given by virtue of the royal prerogative alone ; but , then , why did he not say it ? The fact is , however , that we are called Sir Knights now because it would he illegal to take any other title , since , in this country , the sovereign isrecognised as the fountain of honour , and it would

be trenching upon the royal prerogative to adopt the style and title of knight without her permission . Thus , all foreign Orders are disallowed , and , although I have known men who were Knights of the Tower and Sword , Knights of the Netherlands , or Knights of the Legion of Honour , I am not aware that they

were called themselves Sir John Smith , or Brown , as the case might be , in consequence of their holding those titles . The Knights of the Order of the Temple and that of St . John of Jerusalem , being foreign Orders , are likewise debarred from using the prefix " Sir" although they have an undoubted

, right to do so ; they , therefore , adopt the equally distinctive though not equally correct style of " Sir-Knight . " Iu encampments the knights' shields are decorated with the helmet full-faced , but in public the esquire's helmet is all that is claimed aud borne bTemjdars .

y I might , however , inform Bro . Bairnsfather that I have seen an old K . T . certificate in which the Prater was styled " Sir " so and so , and not " Sir Knight . " Yours fraternally , A KNIGHT TEMPLAE .

FREEMASONRY CONSIDERED . TO TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC Mir . ROE . DEAR SIE AKD BROTHER , — I am thankful to inform your readers that , as one of the very verdant brethren whom Bro . Haye has kindly corrected , I still survive . I am glad that Bro . Haye admits he is

a young man , but I join issue with him when he says " in Masonry a man has no age . " Bro . Haye knows as w ell as I do that a man is not eligible until he has reached the years of discretion , a period of life which he seems not yet to have attained . If he really knew anything of the higher degrees , he would be aware that in Masonry men have distinct ages— "Rose Croix" will understand what I mean .