Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

to purchase life governorships in the different chanties m rotation , according to the largest amounts paid by the respective lodges : that every AV . M . do pay on his installation a fee of 10 s . 6 d . ; the Wardens 5 s . each ; each chair in the chapter 5 s . ; assistant officers 2 s . 6 d . ; and candidates , on initiation , 2 s . each ; the above payments to be made at the end of each year to the Prov . Grand Treasurer at the same

time as the Prov . G . L . dues . The Treasurer to open a separate account for the charity fund . At the same time , Bro . Oliver suggests that , as the Lodge of Rectitude iuas already a Life Governor of the Royal BeneA'olent Institution , it Avould be better to give that lodge a governorship of one of the schools , instead of another govemship in the same institution . Again , in page 335 , you have a report of the

AViltshire Lodge of Fidelity , held at Devizes , 19 th April , 1860 , Avhen I had the pleasure of carrying a vote of ten guineas to purchase a Life GoA ernorship in the Boys ' School , and that from the funds of a lodge whose warrant vrns not four j-ears old . It is as well a recorded fact that our highly esteemed , right worthy , and worshipful Bro . D . Prov . G . M . Gooch not only took the office of SteAvard , but

presented from this notorious uncharitable province one of the best lists on that occasion—considerably over £ 100 . The exact amount I cannot now name , as I have no figures to quote from , but hope , Avhen the returns are sent me , to give

yon full particulars for a future number of all the unchariiahle doings of the Wiltshire province , feeling sure that the R . AV . Prov . G . M . and his Deputy have the true principles of Masonry too much at heart to alloAv for one moment so important a duty to be negfected . The obseiwations you make are also A"ery ill-timed , after the observations made by Bro . CreAV , Avho rose to return thanks for the support

given by the Provincial Grand Committee to the Girls ' School , Avbo had that day voted tAvo life governorships for two lodges , by virtue of their resolution of August 23 rd , 1859 , and Avho , at the same time , had to thank our Worshipful Brother Col . Goddard , P . Prov . G . S . W ., for taking the office of SteAvard for the next year . Sow , then , does it appear that , if the AViltshire lodges are so notorious for not

supporting our charities , that Bro . CreAV should feel himself called on to return thanks in open Prov . G . L . for that Avhich he ( as Secretary of one of them ) could neA er have received ! I fear I have trespassed too much on your valuable space ; but feeling that a stigma , not only on our proAunce , but also on our Pro \ r . G . M . and D . Prov . G . M ., AA ^ as conveyed in your remarks , Avhich I could not let pass unnoticed ; and I am

sure the Masonic world , from these extracts , will feel that our province is presided over by brethren who have the Masonic charities at heart , and AA 4 IO are not so notorious as you Avould make them out to be .

I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WILLIAM BIGGS , P . M . 247 and 261 , Prov . G . Reg ., Wilts . [ We shall accept our brother ' s challenge , and show in an early number that Bro . Oliver , of Bath , has been making political capital out of a pure error , Avhich Avas immediately corrected by the Committee , Avho haA'e given pounds against the shillings or sixpences of those Avho complain . —ED . ]

TO inE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR , SIR AXD BROTHER , —I fear your representative was too busily engaged in his enquiries for my name to catch what I said at the lateProv . G . Lodge for Wilts Avhen seconding Bro . Oliver ' s motion , noticed at page 354 of the MAGAZINE . He Avould not othenvise have reported me as saying " that no sane man Avould support the Benevolent Institution while

under the present system . " * I shall not trouble your readers with what I did say , but shallmerelyassure them thatuo member of the Prov . G . Lodge of Wilts , no member of No . 420 , and most assuredly not its J . AV . Avould , otherwise than repudiate Avith just indignation , as I do IIOAV , a sentiment so foreign to their and my own feelings .

I am not a resident in Wilts , possibly , therefore , though that province possesses ample means of justifying itself , I may spare the feelings of my Wiltshire Brethren by pointing on their behalf to thc statements contained in your report of the proceedings of the same Prov . G . Lodge , as amply

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

refuting your footnote . Tho Province of Wilts has for the last two years possessed an organization supported by taxation imposed under the bye-laws of every lodge within its limits , and resulting in a handsome yearly provision for the charities . Add to this consideration , that the AV . M ., of No . 420 Avas , previously to the inauguration of this plan , a Governor ( bdonation ) of the BeneA-oIenfc Institutionand I

y , think you will admit that the note in question Avas erroneous and withdraAV the slur you haA'e doubtless unintentionally cast on a province , equalled by few in its arrangements for the support of our admirable chaz'ites . I am Sir and Brother , yours & c . Bath , November 7 th , 1860 . ' J . W . 420 .

The Charities.

THE CHARITIES .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In your correspondent ' s letter of last week , he Avill not alloAv the Socrates Lodge ( No . 511 ) to be a subscriber to the Boys' School . In December , 1858 , 1 sent ten guineas that the AV . M ., might be a life governor to the Boys' School . In March , 1860 , I sent five guineas to the Widow ' s Fund , that the AV . M , might be a life governor

for 15 years . The Provincial Grand Lodge sent in July , 1859 , ten guineas to the Boys' School , and ten guineas to the Girls'School ; June ,, 1860 , fiA'e guineas to the aged Freemasons' and in July 1860 fiA-e guineas to the AVidows Fund . As regards the candidate Ridgway , his father belongs to a lodge at Spalding , in Lincolnshire . It appears his mother resides at Fletton , inHuntingdonshire , but AVO know nothing of the case and AA ere never solicited for our votes . I am Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally Huntingdon-, Nov . t > tlh GEORGE M . FOX , Sec , P . M .

Knights Templar.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR . AKD BROTHER , —Your volume of 1857 contained a circular from the Grand Encampment of Knight Templars in America , calling upon the various encampments throughout the Avorld for co-operation "To elucidate the mystery Avhich hangs 0 A er our Order since the death of De Malay . To investigate the claims of those and other ( if there be any ) branches of our common familto legitimacy . To

y unite them , if possible , as of yore , and to ascertain the real connexion between Freemasonry and Templarism , at what time it occurred , and Avhether it should be continued . " Permit me to encpiire through your pages Avhether anything has yet been done either in Europe or America to fonvard these desirable results ?

Every member of the Order must feel the unsatisfactory position in which it is placed from the want of unity between the different bodies , Avho appear to have little or no communication with each other . Why our Graud Conclave does not mutually appoint representatives with those of Scotland , France , Ireland , & c , I cannot understand , since Ave are stated to be on the best of terms Avith them , and through

that means come to some understanding Avith regard to uniformity of laws and ritual . It would appear , from a preface to the Scottish Statutes of the Order , Avhere its progress since the suppression is briefly traced , that the Order in that country is divided into two classes—Chivalric and Masonic , the only difference in the present day being the recognition of tho former by

a patent from the "Grand Master or Sovereign of the cosmopolite body . " From the differences to Avhich I have already alluded , it would be almost an impossibility to unite the Masonic Templars , but if the Scottish Templars from Avhom all others doubtless derive their origin , Avere to admit the Masonic Templars of other countries into thc Chivalric branch , those

of England , America , and Ireland ( and perhaps Franco might be brought to participate ) Avould most likely be glad to cement under one Grand Master , as suggested by our American fraters . Perhaps some of the Scottish Templars vrho are acquainted with the views of their Chapter General , Avould kindly inform us through Avhether the Chivalric bod

your pages , y AA ^ ould be likely to assent to such arrangements , and what terms and qualifications would he enforced from the Masonic-Templars of other countries ? I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , A