Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

2 ? ke Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . PRECEDENCE OF OFFICERS . < Z 0 THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Excuse inv pointing out to you that your reply to the inquiry of "A Prov . G . Supt . of Works ' ' is hardlsufficientl

y y explicit . As applied to all Craft lodge meetings in the London district it is undoubtedly correct , because an officer or past officer of Grand Lodge takes rank in every Craft lodge under the English Constitution , whilst a Prov . G . Officer or P . Prov . G-. Officer takes no rank out of his own province . But tlie " Book of

Constitutions " declares that Prov . G . Officers shall possess , within the district , the rank and privilege of Grand Officers ; it is therefore clear that , in a Provincial Grand Lodge , or a Craft lodge in the provinces , the Prov . G . Officers and P . Prov . G . Officers of that district would all ( with the exception

of Prov . G . Stewards ) take precedence of a Past Grand Steward . Yours fraternally , H . B . WHITE , P . M . 148 , & c , Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . West Lancashire .

SUSPENSION OF OFFICERS .

TO Tim EDITOB OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC KIMOIt . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —My attention has been called to an article which appeared in your valuable paper of date 17 th August , 1807 . Having only recently become a subscriber I had not au " opportunity of seeing the article previous , viz ., " Glasgow . —Meeting of the Provincial Grand . Lod" wherein

ge , you state that a J . W . of a lodge which had been suspended b y tlie Provincial Grand Lodge for soaie breach of Masonic discipline , was deprived of his vote because no official notification had been given them of the removal of the alleged suspension . This was not necessaryas the ProvGSecwas present in

, . . . the Grand Lodge at the time ; further , it was the duty of the Prov . G . Sec . to have written to tlie Grand Clerk for a copy of the minute of the Grand Lodge thereanent . The Grand Lodge is not bound to instruct them of said removal , except in the usual manner throuoh the Grand Lodw , renm-tr ..-. TI . R

alleged suspension alluded to was , as described by the Grand Committee , liarslt , cruel , and unjust . ' You describe it as being a nice point of Masonic law , pray Avho was there that knew anything of Masonic law ? On a former occasion the D . Prov . G . M ,, in his Masonic wisdom ( Heaven save the mark ) refused to allow the

S . W . of said lodge to sit in the Provincial Grand Lodge , although the office-bearers suspended had complied with Cap . xxi ., sec . 9 , of Grand Lodgo laws , whith says " that should auy brother be suspended or expelled from any lodge , holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , without appealing against such sentence within

one mouth thereafter , he shall be deemed to have lost his Masonic privileges , and shall not be permitted to appear ' either in Grand Lodge or in any daughter lodge , until such judgment has been recalled . This law proves that no brother has lost his Masonic privileges provided he appeals within the given time . This view is held by the Grand Committee and Grand Lodge . So much for

the Masonic knowledge of the D . Prov . G . M . But to show the Masonic lore of the majority of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow for the last twenty years , to my knowledge , out of the cases of suspension , & c , appealed against to Grand Lodge , nine-tenets of the decisions have been reversed . So

much- notoriety has the Provincial Grand Lodge gained through their ignorance of Masonic law , that some of their most intelligent office-bearers have resigned their offices rather than belong to such a body . How did the D . Prov . G . M . allow the said Bro . S . W . { being suspended ) to sit in open lod on

ge that occasion , he having returned to the Provincial Grand Lodge after the vote , he having lost his Masonic status through the alleged suspension , he had no more right to sit in open lodge until such suspension was removed . Although I heartily agree with Bro . McTaggart

and liis news as regards the " Masonic Benevolent Educational Fund Scheme , " it will be found difficult to work , owing to the great want of tlie third step in the Masonic ladder being carried into practice in the province of Glasgow . This scheme is nothing new , as

the late Prov . G . Chaplain , Bro . The Eev . W . D . Henderson , about eight years ago visited every lodge in the province , urging them on to establish a scheme exactly similar to the one at present proposed by Bro . McTaggart , who , I hope , will be more successful . As the office of Prov . G . M . is at present vacant ,

I trust that the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge will see it to be their duty ( although the election rests in tho hands of the Grand Lodge ) to select a brother who will guarantee a thorough renovation of the Provincial Grand office-bearers ; otherwise make crooked things straiht .

g Your insertion of this letter in your next iasue will show to the brethren how far the Provincial Grand Lodge has done justice in this matter . I enclose you a copy of our protest aud note of appeal against the alleged suspension alluded to in your article . The whole of our grounds of appeal are sustainedboth

, by Grand Committee and Grand Lodge , only one Bro . ( the Prov . G . See . ) dissenting . Yours fraternally , THOMAS M . CAMPBELL , W . M ., Clyde Lodge , No . 408 .

MASOISTIC STATISTICS . TO MIE EDITOR OF TIIE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I beg you will contradict the statement made in " Masonic Statistics " of there only being one lodge held in Aldermanbury . Such a mistake may tend to mislead brethren

many , particularly those visiting London . Seven Craft lodges hold their regular meetings , viz ., Lion and Lamb , Tower Hamlets Engineers , Panmure , Victoria , Stability , Euphrates , United Mariners ; one chapter , the Canonbury ; two Mark lodges , two lied Cross conclaves ; also the last new chapter under the

Victoria Lodge , granted by Grand Chapter , at their last meeting ; one chapter of instruction , and one lodge of instruction . Yours fraternally , B . P . TODD , P . M . and P . Z ., & c . George Hotel , Aldermanbury , Sep . 4 th , 1867 ,