West Lancashire.

Had " Justice " been desirous of supporting thc title he somewhat inappropriately assumes , he ivould—before complaining of the Masonic temple not being sufficiently central—have glanced over the map of Liverpool , when he would have found that the building is , as near as may be , centrally situated east and west within the parliamentary boundary : lie would also , before stating that the members of JNo . 971 ivere " opposed to a large sum of

money being expended in alterations on an inconvenient building , " have taken the trouble to make some inquiry , when he would have been informed that no portion of the money contributed towards the erection of a hall lias been expended on such alterations , but that the expense has been borne by those Lodges now meeting there . The contributions towards a new hall form a separate and distinct fundivhieh is graduallaugmentingand

, y , which I trust will soon be large enough to permit of a building being erected which will at once be a credit both to the Order and the town . I may also add that a considerable amount of trouble was taken to fix _ on a suitable locality , and that tbe present building , to which is attached a largo piece of ground well adapted for the erection of a hall , was the only piece of suitable freehold property attainable as a central position ; and so far from the

Temple being inconvenient , it possesses , I believe , the largest Lodge room in West Lancashire , besides committee , retiring , and waiting rooms , and affords the great advantage of quietness , not often attainable in a tavern . If "Justice" will take the trouble to re-peruse my letter ofthe 4 th instant , he will find that my object was not to ' dictate to tiie members of No . 971 ivhere they sliould hold their meetingsbut

. , fo refute an erroneous statement made by one of them . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , J . M . Liverpool , 21 st February , 1 SC 0 .

The Blackheath Meeting Of August 1858.

THE BLACKHEATH MEETING OF AUGUST 1858 .

50 THE EDITOR 01 ? THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIREOR . SIR AND BROTHER , — -Bro . Hinxman having in a letter inserted in your Magazine of January last somewhat reflected on me with respect to the Masonic festival held as above , I beg to observe that I was not the appointed Secretary , but simply offered my services on the occasion to assist , owing to that brother ' s time being too much engaged to do justice to the intention . If Bro . Hinxman will recollect

, about three hundred tickets ivere issued : and had tbe same exertions been used by the numerous stewards as were by myself and a few others , no doubt something handsome would have been realized for the benefit of one or more of our Masonic charities , in wliich case , it was purposed to erect a marquee on the spacious ground of Bro . Ecliugton , at the JRoyal Standard . The roomas JBro . Hinxman was quite fullbut

, says , , there were , I think , but fifty persons present , three of whom received gratuitous tickets ; 1 am therefore at a loss to imagine how Bro . Iliiixman ' s calculation can make it appear that there should be a surplus of £ 15 , as fifty persons at 8 s . would amount to & 7 10 s . only , from which thc expense of printing , circulars , cards , postages , & c , was to be deducted . Now the cause of delay was collecting in the money after the festival , which my state of health and

subsequent occupation prevented me finally from accomplishing , and there still remains some unpaid . It is now some months since I handed to the Secretary all papers connected with the transaction , together ivith an account of all the receipts aud disbursements which passed through my hands showing a balance of about 15 s . in the possession ofthe 'Treasurer ' and further sums to be collected which ivould realize a net surplus of about . £ 5 . I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , P . lachlieatli , 20 th Feb ., 1860 . '' J . p . AV ~ . TO . UT

The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.

THE GRAND LODGE OF IRELAND .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EREEMASONS MAGASUNE AND MASONIC MIRROR . SIR AND BROTHER , —In your number of the 4 th instant , is a letter signed " John II . Goddard , " with an euphonious tail appended , which Masons can weigh at its worth , cognizant as they are of how such addenda are obtained . I blushed for my country , proverbial for generosity and frank fellowship to the fraternityon the perusal of the letterand I

, , regret that the hero of many titles did not consult , if lie would not ask permission of , the enlightened D . G . M ., before indulging in such a puerile and egotistical tirade—attacking a young and zealous brother whose credentials have been honourably recognized and received by the G . Ms , of England , Scotland and Ireland . Indeed Bro , Cooke may feel perfectly unscathed by the intended

The Grand Lodge Of Ireland.

slight in designating him " a traveller for some American newspaper , " and justly take Masonic glory in being the intelligent , energetic envoy of that bright luminary , Bro . Bob Jlorris , G . M . of Kentucky , who spreads the purest refulgent light over both hemispheres through thc columns of the Foice of Masonry . Such a mission is more creditable to the dignity of a Mason than appending a string of anomalous distinctions to one ' s signature ;

for I beg to inform Bro . Goddard that it is foreign to Masonic usage for a Prov . Grand Lodge , which is a dependent body , to have any representative at its parent Graud Lodge , except the Deputy Grand Secretary ; and I would recommend Bro . Goddard to modestly retire from the dais back into the ranks until better inspired by the fundamental requisites of a true Masonforbearance and brotherly love .

I remain , your faithful brother , A LOVER OT- FAIR PLAY . House of Commons , February , 1860 . [ " A Lover of Fair Play" scarcely shows that courtesy which might be expected from one brother to another in the way he speaks of Bro . Goddard ; and evidently is unacquainted with tho laws and usages of the Grand Lodge of Ireland . —ED . ]

Inspection Of Lodges.

INSPECTION OF LODGES .

, TO THE EDITOR 01 ? THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR Sin AXD BI . OTI . ER , —In the number of your excellent monthly publication for last December , page 508 , under the head of "Inspection of Lodges , " "J . TV " . P . " has addressed you from Skibbereen , County Cork ; he there alludes to the laxity of our Irish Lodges in conferring degrees , ancl the marked superiority as practised in America . I do think it may be well if " J . W . P ., "

who appears to be a zealous Mason , would visit the Cork city-Lodges , as he would , I conceive , in them find that portion of his letter answered , and particularly in Concord Lodge No . 71 . Of the ceremonies practised in that Lodge ( of which , after my return to this country from India , I became an affiliated member ) I can speak from personal knowledge , ancl therefore I unhesitatingly state that I never witnessed any degree conferred in that Lodge

( except the first ) before an examination of the candidate in open Lodge , by the Worshipful Master or Past Master of the said Lodge , ivas held ; aud , judging from what occurred in the said Lodge lately , I suspect our American brethren have little to boast of , superior to us , in the knowledge and practice of genuine Freemasonry . What I allude to is this , —an American brother from Kentucky was introduced to our Lodge by a well known brother , Past Master of one of our city Lodges , and consequently

it was considered unnecessary to subject him to the customary tests ; however , on being asked for his certificate from his Grand Lodge he answered that diplomas were not granted in any of the American States , except in the State of _ ^ ew York , and added that he would wish to be regularly tested by us the same as though he had not come to us vouched for . Two of the brethren ivere then directed to do -that duty ; one of the said brothers alluded

to , put three questions to our American brother , neither ol which could he answer ; and this induced our testing brother to say that if he ivere the Worshipful Master of the Lodge , and the tested brother unvouched for sought admission to the Lodge , he would not admit him . In the after part of the evening the same brother , as well as other brethren of the Lodge , had to correct our American brother in several Masonic

matters which he advanced ; and if he had " an ear fo hear" he certainly learned that evening ( iu Cork Lodge , No . 71 , ) Masonic truths he never heard before , though reported to be a well informed Mason in . Kentucky Grand Lodge . I mention these facts to show that our American brethren have not the superior ^ over Irish brethren that some give them credit for . Hoping that the foregoing may be thought worth y of appearing in your next publication , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , ' P . Z .

lino . DISTIN . —We are requested to notice the following donations , to assist Bro , Distin in his hour of need : — Domatie Lodge 4 : 1 2 10 Bro . K . Warner Wheeler , P . G , Steward 1 10 0 Bro . Woodley , Camberwell Brewery . . . 10 0 A Brother of Tso . 394 , Brighton ... 0100 Subscriptions may be forwarded to Bro , Diatin , or to the care of Bro , H , 0 , " Warren , at the office of the Freemasons' Maga-fne ,