The Hot Weather, And Its Influence On Scottish Freemasonry.

much good work has been done in Scotland . There has been a movement going on for some time past to purify-the ceremonies from the vulgarities which encumbered them ; and , in one province there have been meetings in the several towns in order to get up an uniform system of working . These have not been so well attended as they deservedperhaps from them

, being limited to present Masters and "Wardens , thereby excluding some of the oldest and most experienced brethren ; seeing the failure which had attended the provincial meetings . Bro . Logie , the R . W . M . of No . 47 G . L . S ., issued invitations to the lodges in his neig hbourhood , and after several very successful and

instructive meetings , a committee has been formed to draw up a ritual to ue worked in open lodge , to which all qualified brethren shall be invited , and the proper steps taken to ascertain how much of , and in what form , the ritual can be used consistent with the Masonic O . B . The past season lias also been highly

successful in its meetings for lectures , readings , and lodges of instruction , and by arranging for future subjects which may still further advance the moral knowledge and intelligence of the craft , rendering the office of the J . W . less of a sinecure than it has been hitherto . The fees for initiation are also raised in many lodges .

A few more visits from the more intelligent of our English Masonic brethren—such as those which were paid ^ to us in Dundee and other p laces during the meeting of the British Association last year , by yourself and others—would be of infinite benefit to Scotch Freemasonry . Yours fraternally ,

Masonic Charities.

MASONIC CHARITIES .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR , _ Dear Sir and Brother , —In your last number you published a tabular statement of the provincial contributions to the Masonic Charities , which was produced at the Prov . Grand Lodge at Eareham by Bro . Sherry . From that statement it would appear that in the province of Hereford there are 15 lod and that the amount

ges , gross subscribed to the Charities in . 1867 in the province was £ 8 8 s . Will you allow me to correct the statement ? There are only four Craft Lodges in the province : the Palladian , meeting at Hereford ; the Vitruvian , at Ross ; the Eastnor , at Ledbury ; and the Royal Edward at Leominster . I cannot speak as to the amount contributed by three of these lodges , but I know that the Yitruvian

subscribed £ 2 2 s . the Boys' School , and that a brother , a member of a lodge , subscribes to both the Boys' and Girls' Schools . I quite agree with Bro . Sherry that the charities are not supported as they should be by such a large and wealthy body of men , as Masons undoubtedl y are ; but I must protest against this province being so inaccurateldescribed in list . I mention that

y your may at the last Prov . G . Lodge , the R . W . Prov . G . M . proposed , and it was unanimously agreed , that the permissive clause in the Book of Constitutions , number 4 , relating to Prov . G-. Lodge Charities , should be adopted , and that therefore in future we shall do more than wc have done in the past . There is a R . A . Chapter in Herefordwhich increases the number of lod to

, ges five . Yours fraternally , J . E . HEWETT , Prov . G . Assist . Sec . Ross , 10 th August , 1868 .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

IO THE EDITOR OF THE " FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . " Dear Sir and Brother , —I am neither ignorant nor unmindful of the many rumours , reports , and insinuations which have for some time been so rife with reference to this institution , its management , and executive . From the letter of " P . M . " in your last week's issue , I infer that these reports & o-are about to assume tangible

, , shape . I hope such may be the case . Do the " five provinces , " which withhold their support , refrain from sending candidates for admission to this school ? In one instance I know , that , while support is scanty , candidates are abundant ; and I do not doubt but that inquiry will prove that in the other four provinces the same anomaly will be found . I am writing this in the country

without present- means of access to our books . Singularly enough , the only plea urged as affecting us—the collector ' s remuneration—should equally affect the two other institutions , as in each case that remuneration is fixed on the same basis—and yet we are told that the Girls' School and the Benevolent Institution are " liberally supported" ( by these "five provinces " ) while we

are neglected . Let specific charges be openly brought forward , so that they may be fairly met ; it is worse than useless to fight with shadows . On behalf of all concerned in the conduct of the affairs of this Institution , I state , without hesitation , that they court inquiry , and will not shrink from

investigation ; but they deprecate covert , insinuations or anonymous detraction . To those whose confidence is unshaken , it will be satisfactory to know that our benefits were never so urgently or extensively sought , and that the value of those benefits never was so severely tested , and so conclusively proved , as at the present time . —In sound faith , in strong hope—aye , and for all these unworthy reflections—in full charity , I am

Yours fraternally , FREDERICK BINCKES , Sec . Hastings , August 10 , 1868 . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR .

Dear Sir and Brother , —I notice in the Freemasons ' Magazine , of the Sbh inst ., a letter from Bro . Hughan asking for the result of the April election to the Boys * Institution ; and I quite agree with him that such returns should be furnished for the first Publication after the election . I asked for the same information in May , and on the 16 th May . in the Magazinewas answered

, , that the return of the poll had not been sent yon . Now , I think it should have been asked for then , as well as now ; but I suppose Bro . Hughan has more power in the Masonic world than the individual writing this . However that may be—now the election is published—I think it should have been correct , seeing the length ot timesince the election took lace ; foron looking overI find

p , , a candidate's name omitted ( although an unsuccessful one ) . Will you , therefore , inquire at the Secretary ' s office , and in your next please insert his name and the number of votes he polled , as many of the governors and subscribers , not seeing the name might think Le was withdrawn , when such is not the case .

Yours fraternally , JOIIN WALKER , W . M . 57 . Hull , 10 th August , 1868 . [ The name of the candidate omitted in our last issue , in reply to Bro . Hughan ' s request , is Henry Thompson Rigden , No . 15 on the list . This was a third application , and the number of votes polled was 143 . —ED . F . M . ]