Masonic Persecution.

MASONIC PERSECUTION .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 15 , 1860 .

We last year pirblished some communications relative to the rather extraordinary manner in -which the business of the province of Hereford is conducted , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , the Rev . Dr . Bowles , being "anable to open his loclge , and so ignorant of the law as laid down in the Book of Constitutions—for Ave cannot

suppose he woxdd wilfully break it—as to appoint a rev . and yen . brother as D . Prov . Grand Master , who had never served the office of Master in a regular loclge . The first letter of the correspondence , signed " An Old P . M ., and in the Province , " was , as appeared at the time , attributed to Bro . W . H . Warner , the then W . M .

of the Palladian Loclge , Hereford , Secretary to the Vitruvian Lodge , Ross , and Prov . Grand Registrar . On these suspicions being expressed , Bro . Warner at once denied that , he was the author of the letter , a denial which we willingly endorsed , though of course declining to state who was our correspondent .

We deeply regret that , so far from that denial beinodeemed satisfactory , such has been the obloquy cast upon Bro . Warner , that he has been forced to retire from both lodges , and relinquish his well-earned honours

—the Prov . Grand Master having so far forgotten his character , alike as a Mason , and as a minister of reli gion , as to denounce him in Prov . Grand Lodge as a disturber of harmony , and congratulate the brethren on his absence , and that on the mere suspicion of an act , which has been solemnly and Masonically denied .

In g iving publicity to the subjoined communication we are sorry that Bro . Warner should bave adopted a course to arrive at the name of the author of the letter which we cannot but condemn in the strongest of terms ; for , sbould it be persisted in we might be led into a tilt with

every Past Master , and indeed every brother in the province . That Bro . Luckes is a valued correspondent of ours , we do not pretend to deny ; but we as strongly assert that , so far as Ave knoAV , he had nothing to do with the communication in question ; and we hope that this will be considered a sufficient answer to the question ,

without his being provoked into a personal discussion . There are plenty of P . M . s in the province—altogether apart from Bros . Warner and Luckes . As regards the acceptance by such a man as the Ven . Archdeacon Prere of the office of D . Prov . Grand

Master , we are fain to admit that it could not do otherwise than tend to the advantage of the Craft in the province—supposing that he had been let / ally appointed ; but we must protest in the strongest terms against an infraction of our laivs , however distinguished may be the individual in whose favour it is made .

The law , as laid down at page 49 of the Book of Constitutions , is clear upon the point that " the Deputy Prov . Grand Master must have previously served the office of Master in a regular lodge -, " and we can find zto power in a Prov . Q-rnnd Master to dispense with that law . The Prov . Grand Master , the Rev . Dr . Bowles

has evidently placed himself in a position by which he may be severely censured—if nothing further takes place —should the matter be broughtregularly under the cognizance ofthe M . W . Grand Master , as it ought tobe ; and he certainl y A ery far oversteps his duty , AA'hen , in order to blink his own wrong , he assists in so far persecuting a

brother as to drii * e him from the Order . That Archdeacon Prere might not be so fully acquainted with the law at the time as to be aware that no brother could legally take the position of D . Prov . GMaster AA * ifchout having served the office of Master in a

regular lodge , we can readily understand , he never haidng been installed into the chair , and therefore not had his attention so closely directed to the Constitutions as had the Rev . Dr . BoAvles , AA'ho must haA * e had his attention pointedly directed to them . Por such a man

it can be no excuse to say that he did not knoAV the law —he had SAvorn to observe and maintain it—and a pretty governor and judge must he be who can not onl } - commit offences against the laiv , but plead his ignorance of it . We sincerely trust that Dr . Bowles is not a fair specimen of our Masonic rulers .

TO THE EMIOK 01 ? IHE UKGEMiSONS JIA . GAZISE AND HASOlfrC MIKIIOH . SIR AJ >* D . BHOTIIEB , —In the FREEMASONS MAGAZINE of 29 th October of last year , there appears a letter , under the signature of "An Old P . M ., and in the Province , " reflecting on the conduct and management of Masonic affairs in this proA'ince by the ProA'incial Grand Master , tho Eev . Dr . BoAvlesand against certain Masonic appointments made b

, y him . At that time I was the "W . M . of the Palladian Lodge , Hereford , Secretin *} ' - to the Vitruvian Loclge , Eoss , and Provincial Grand Registrar of the Province . This letter created great sensation amongst the Masonic hody , ancl throughout the county ; aud an impression was conveyed to the minds of the Provincial Grand Master and his now

Deputy , the Venei'ablo Archdeacon Prere , that I was the author thereof ; and this impression became ( in the face of my oivn positive denial ) general , and resulted in my being publicly charged in lodgo by the Prov . G . M . with being a , disturber of harmony ; and the Prov . G . M . congratulated the brethren pz'esent upon my absence on that occasion . I had many kind friends ; but the position in ivhich I became placed by repeated and unfair attacks upon my veracity and character as a man of honour and a Mason , led to my

Avitbdraival both from the Palladian and the Vitruvian lodges . You , sir , have done me justice , by declaring that I am not the author ; but I am still told that until I can clearly fix the authorship upon the right man , I cannot re-enter tho Palladian Lodge without suspicion . Sad as the fact may be , it is a belief entertained by some , and as I am one of

those , I publicly , as I have done privately , charge Bro . PL E . Luckes , W . M . of tho Vitruvian Lodge , Avith being , if nofc tho apparent , the real author of this letter , and the promoter of those suspicions which have so unfairly fallen upon mo , and call upon him , as publicly , if ho can , to deny the charge ; audi ask you , sir , to state ( if such be the fact ) that from the means of knowledge ivhich you may have possessed , Bro .

Luckes is not the author , or that the insertion was made in tho MAGAZINE upon any request made by him to 3 * 011—an act of justice AA'hich you . have done me ( and will I am sure repeat ) , and which should not be denied to him . I may state that Bro . Luckes , as the W . M . of the Vitruvian Lodge , has refused all inquiry being made in his lod which Avould have afforded the brethren present an

ge , opportunity of aiding in the settlement of the complaint made by me against him . Iain , sir and brother , yours fraternally , W . H . WAENISB , P . M ., 141 . The Woodlands , Eoss . Dec . Uh , 1860 .