Correspondence.

an outsider , aud therefore an uninterested party , ancl haviug heard both sides of the story , the facts referring to the above may be thus briefly stated . In consequence of some unpleasantness some years ago , three or more Past Masters fell out . One of them was recently balloted for in a R . A . chapter ,

was blackballed by the other two , and prevented from taking the degree ; this was afterwards reversed , the brother first referred to being subsequently received as a companion . The newly-elected companion , well knowing that his presence would be distasteful to the others , determined to visit the lodge of Avhich they

were respectively Treasurer and Secretary . The right to visit Avas claimed , and refused on the ground that the visitor would disturb the harmony of the lodge . The ri ght to visit was again claimed at the following meeting , and by the "W . M . ordered to be admitted , who evidently preferred the right of the visitor to the

harmony of the lodge . Under these circumstances , the Treasurer and Secretary , "both Past Masters , retired , ancl committed the offence for Avhich they have been fined .

The above is a p lain , unvarnished statement of facts that have lately occurred , aud must raise the question of ri ght to visit iu the proper quarters , so as to be definitely settled . I have withheld the names of the lodge , locality , and brethren for obvious reasons , and I think even Bro . Haye will give me credit for this time using the nam dc plume . Yours fraternally , PAST MASTER .

[ The above appears to have been a very unseeml y squabble , and very disgraceful to our Order , but as the matter appears to be sub judiee , Ave shall offer no further opinion upon it beyond this—that Ave think the brethren had a perfect right , and were , indeed , called upon to leave tbe lodge if an unAvelcome visitor

was introduced , but as the books were the property of the lodge , ancl not of the individuals in whose hands they were placed , Ave doubt any power they had to lock them up and thus deprive the lodge of the use of them . —ED . P . M . ]

THE HIGH GRADES . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is a subject of much regret to me , and I am sure it must be so to many of the readers of the Magazine , that its columns should have heen occupied with some of the articles that

have lately appeared therein . I refer to the denunciations of the hi gh grades hy Bro . Haye , Avho , with all his splendid talents , lias foiled to see the "beauties they contain . Just hecause it is possible tlmt he has received his knowledge in some illegitimate manner , otherwise his obligations would

have taught him a more excellent Avay . His articles make it self-evident that he does not know that which is communicated onl y to perfect Masons . Being the merest tyro in Masonry , I will not attempt to argue with him . I will make no statements of my owntherefore I shall not be to

, open the charge of wanting courage to defend them , but will content myself with drawing the attention of your readers to the few quotations from Bro . Haye ' s articles : — "It Avas their esoteric teachings veiled in symbols ,

their living retired lives , ancl the fact of their being expert chemists that caused them to be supposed to possess these secrets or to be in search of them . ' ' Is Bro . Haye quite sure that he knows the secrets I they were in possession or search of ? Let Bro . Haye

answer .- — " And even now we have wandered far away from the pure paths lit up hy the spirit of God , and , while Ave sneer at the worships of former days , we forget that , in many instances , Ave know not what these really were . " Again . But if nothing else could show the absurdities of these multifarious degrees , the fact of their not being- worked because unworkable shows their

uselessness . who Avould dream of attempting to work the rite of Mzsraim ? It would require a nation and the income of a king . Let Bro . Haye tell us if he can . Had the brother Avho was authorised in Edinburgh in either the year 'Go or ' 0 ( 5 to work the rite of Misraim the income of a king ? Was bein himself a nation ? and where was the justice of his

receiving authority to work that which was unworkable ? Again . Now , since the thirty-three degreesare unworkable , why not choose out certain of them and cast aside the rest ? If all are umvorkable , why will Bro . Haye reserve some of them ? Further ,. Bro Haye says— " I confess they manage these things

better in England and in Devon and Cornwall ; the grades below the ISth are all worked . " Surely the Devon and Cornish brethren must be very clever to Avork that which is unworkable . Bro . Haye says hedoes not believe iu writing under a nom de plume . Does the name added to the article increase the depth

of the argument ? Is it to be entitled to more consideration because it bears the name of some literary giant ? I think it Avas a countryman of Bro . Haye ' s that said— "The rank is but the guinea stamp ; the man ' s a man for all that . " Again . Attacking persons is the Avorst of all arguments . It may be used as a

weapon of attack , but it is no argument at all to attack the writer ; it is , therefore , in my estimation not necessary for anyone but the editor to know who the writer of an article is , especially if his early and best days have been passed in other than literary culture . I shall , thereforeconceal myself under an

, appellation by which Bro . Have will recognise me . Yours fraternally , ROSE CROIX . P . S . I shall be glad to communicate Avith " Rosa Crucis " through the editor .

MASONIC LITERARY UNION . TO TIIE EDITOR OF TIIE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I should like to know by Avhat authority " A Knight Templar " states that Bro . Haye is the self-constituted President-General of the Masonic Literary Union . If Bro . Haye is

self-constituted President-General , all the other office-bearers are in the same predicament . While denying " A Kni ght Templar ' s " right to interfere in a matter with which he is unconnected , I may state that it was Bro . Haye's earnest wish to haA e the Union ' s head-quarters established in London , and it was only to set the society afloat that he consented to be the first President-General , and to have the head-quarters in Edinburgh . It is a gratuitous