Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondent * but we wish , in a spitit o £ fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

ROYAL ARCH IN RELATION TO CRAFT MASONRY . To thc Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The statistical information which appeared in your paper of the 16 th instant on the above subject presents very interesting features . I propose ,

with your permission , to make a few deductions therefrom , which may put their value in a more practical form . But , first , leaving the Colonies out of the question , let us take the numbers which are supplied in the Grand Lodge Calendar In that valuable little book we find that at the expiration of the year 1899 there were in

London : Craft Masons ... ... 26 , 840 R . A . Masons ... ... 6 , 039 Provinces : Craft Masons ... ... 74 , 470 R . A . Masons ,,. ... 17 , 49 x 1

This gives a grand total of 101 , 310 Craft Masons and 23 , 529 Royal Arch . Considering the importance which is assigned to Chapter Masonry , it will come as a surprise to many to find that these figures work out to only 23 per cent . ; in other words , that , roughly speaking , out of five Craft Masons on an average , only one has joined a chapter . Coming to the different provinces , we find still more startling facts . R . A . Masonry is evidently much more popular in some districts than in others . For instance—and these are the highest : —

Cambridgeshire has 55 per cent . R . A . Masons . Worcestershire „ 42 „ „ Bristol „ 40 West Yorkshire „ 37 „ „ Monmouthshire „ 34 „ „ N . and E ' . Yorks „ 32 „ „ Bucks „ 31 „ „ Notts „ 30 „

London , along with some of the largest provinces , shows a very low rate—only about 22 per cent . W . Lancashire , numerically thc most populous Masonic province , has but 17 per cent . ; whilst in Shropshire it is as low as 11 , and in North Wales it is just under 121 It is no part of my intention to attempt an explanation of this condition of things . If Royal Arch Masonry were now what it appears at first to have been—a separate and distinct Degree—the discrepancy in numbers would be readily

intelligible ; but when we are told that ' pure and Antient Masonry consists of three Degrees , and no more" ( italics mine ) , and includes " the Supreme Order of the Royal Arch , " we are somewhat at a loss to account for this extraordinary indifference ; still more is this the case in the li ght of the words addressed to a newly-exalted companion , who is solemnly assured that the ceremony is a " completion of the M . M . 's Degree . " Grand Secretary Samuel Spencer , of the " Moderns , " clearly thought otherwise , for in 1759 he said " our Society is neither Arch , Royal Arch , or Ancient . "

Similar , only perhaps strongei , views are clearly held and courageously expressed by eminent Masons in our own day . When the debate on the proposed reduction of the period of probation from one year to one month took place—which alteration was to mark a new era in the progress of Royal Arch Masonry , but has not yet done so—a distinguished companion said : " Seriously speaking , the whole dramatic story " ( I ejuote from Grand Chapter minutes ) , " of the R . A . is a romantic fiction founded on anachronisms and impossibilities . "

I am not going to pursue the subject further . I have an absolutely open mind about it , but I am struck by these facts :

( 1 ) . That there is considerable difference of opinion as to thc validity of the claim of R . A . Masonry to be what i t professes to be . ( 2 ) . That notwithstanding the confident and emphatic assertion that it is essential as a completion of Craft Masonry , four out of five of those who enter a lodge utterly ignore it .

These statements are , perhaps , a little startling , but they are indisputable . An expression of thc views of other brethren on these points would be welcomed by yours truly and fraternally , JOSEPH MATTHliWMAN . 36 , Spencer-place , Leeds . 27 th June .

BRO . THORP'S NEW BOOK , To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I am very glael to know you intend drawing special attention to LJro . Thorp ' s able work on " Frcm . li Prisoners' Lodges , " In your preliminary remarks in to-day ' s Freemason you describe the tasty volume as most interesting , which undoubtedly it is , and the number of illustrations " naturally enhance its value . "

1 o me its perusal has been a source of great pleasure , and profit combined , for , as you state , Bro . Thorp "has brought together much that has been unknown even to the Masonic student . " One feature of the work , which will enlighten many , is the information supplied as to several prominent Craftsmen of early this century , and thc reproduction of the wonderfully artistic Certificates renders the " French Prisoners ' Lodges " a book of considerable value and importance . Bro . Thorp ' s address is 57 ( not 65 ) , Regent-road . Leicester , and the subscription price per volume is 5 s ,, post free . —Yours fraternally , W . J . HUGHAN . Dunscore , Tonjuay , June 23 rd .

"THE FESTIVAL OF ST . . JOHN . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother ,

Can you or any brother give me and a . fcw well-known brethren in this district the meaning anel origin of calling an iurstaUatiou the " Festival of St . John . " I have never met a brother yet who could ronlly explain it . Thanking you in anticipation . —Yours fraternally , D . C .

Correspondence.

"AN UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I think it probable that the case cited by Bro . Peachey in your issue of the 23 rd instant is an unusual experience , but I can refer to an instance which

though not on all-fours with his , is , I think , equally " unusual . A candidate was proposed and duly initiated , and a month or two afterwards his father was proposed , and I had the satisfaction of taking him through his three Degrees , father and son being " raised , " if my recollection is not at fault , on the same night . It was a joke of the lodge brethren to refer to the son—he having been initiated first—as Brother senior , and to his father as Brother junior . I am sorry to add that , as the result of an accident , the " senior " brother , who was a true Mason by heart , was very soon called to join " the Grand Lodge above . " —Yours fraternally , HENRY LASHMORE , P . M . 394 . Southampton .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge , No . 12 . This old lodge had the honour , on the 25 th instant , of initiating a new scheme in the system of celebrations by commemorating the formation of Grand Lodge of England , which took place on St . John ' s Day , 1717 . with Bro . Anthony Sayer , a Past Master of the Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge , as its first Grand Mister . It was claimed that four Time Immemorial Lodges took part in the formation—of which there still survived the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 : the Somerset House and Inverness Lodge ,

No . 4 ; and the Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge , No . 12 . Such an event as the foundation of what is now the Mother Grand Lodge of the world , is perhaps an event that should not be allowed to be passed over unnoticed , and the opinion , as well as the hope , was expressed on Monday that in future years there may be continued the plan inaugurated by the Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge of celebrating the anniversary of such a good Masonic feature , and that the other Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , which originated with lodges having a time-immemorial record ,

would follow the example so well set . The company present at the celebration , which took place , by dispensation , at the Prince ' s Rooms , Piccadilly , were Bros . Samuel Walter Stephens , W . M . ; Sidney Stuart Walker , I . P . M . ; John J oyce Telfer , S . W . ; Matthew Jervoise Jams , J . W . ; Robert Coombs , P . M ., Treas . ; Samuel Arthur Stinger , P . M ., Sec ; Charles Rolfe , J . D . ; K . S . Murray , I . G . ; OctaviusF . Peall , P . M ., D . C ; F . PonlerTelfer , Char . Stwd . ; 1 . A . W . Roy , P . M . ; T . E . Carey Bates , P . M . ; A . H . Lilley , P . M . ; John R . CreaseyP . M . ; JW . Ry landsP . M . ; John C . Nicholson , P . M . ; F . W . Howard ,

, . , 1 . B . Adams , and Samuel Gillis , Tyler . The visitors were Bros . Sir John Tyler , 371 ; J . Coutland , 662 ; D . L . Wallet , iS ; Dr . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D . ; F . Gordon Brown , P . A . G . D . C ; R . F . Gould , P . G . D . ; J . T . C . Winkfield , P . A . G . D . C ; I . J . Elndgc , iun „ 55 ; Dr . Clement Godson , P . G . D . ; John Smithers , A . G . D . C . ; VV . A . Scurrah , P . G . Std . Br . ; Robt . Gresley Hall , P . G . S . B . ; W . B . Curlye , 1 ; C . Sheath , W . M . 253 S ; George Beech , P . G . Std . Br . ; Charles Martin , P . A . G . D . C ; Robert L . Devonshire , G . Stwd . ; D . F . Gellion , P . M . 1425 and 2310 ; J . Brocket Sorrell , P . M . 1260 ; J ,

D . A . Norris , P . M . 70 S ; E . T . Lea , 24 S 4 ; Fred West , P . G . D . ; Spencer W . Morris , 99 ; Carl Lienard , 2077 ; H . Massey , P . M . G 19 and 192 S ; J . Cams Diss . 2721 ; W . M . Bywater , P . G . S . B . ; R . Cairley , W . M . 172 ; R . M . Long , and Dr . A . Ayres . After the choice banquet which was given to celebrate the day , a special list of toasts was honoured , and Bro . Stephens , W . M ., in proposing "The Queen / ' referred to the glorious upholding of the Imperial Flag in South Africa . In proposing The Most WorshiDiul Grand Master . " he said the obstacle about this toast was that when one

began to enumerate the many virtues of the G . Master it was difficult to determine when to leave off . They all knew the ability with which H . R . H . presided over Masonry . Last week he was laying the foundation-stone of St . Mary ' s Hospital , Newcastle . How many foundations of charitable institutions had he not well and truly laid—those magnificent monuments of the charity and benevolence of the country ? He had shown a good example to all operative as well as speculative Masons . In his position as t .. e first gentleman of the kingdom , he had nobly proved the old adage that none worked so hard as those who had nothing to do , and the Prince of Wales had gained the esteem of every man in the nation .

Bro . Stephens , W . M ., in proposing "The Pro G . Master , Earl Amherst , the Dep . G . M ., the Earl of Warwick , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , said we all knew we owed a great debt of gratitude to the Grand Officers ; it was they who were the pr incipal instruments in keeping the Fraternity together ; they did an enormous amount of work , and devoted a great deal of time to the Craft ; in fact , it was not only their time they gave , for , as he had heard in Grand Lodge on the Cth inst ., they gave their exertions , and were ready to starve ; they either did starve or ruined their digestions services

in time past at any rate . But the brethren acknowledged and appreciated their and were grateful to them . To-night the lodge was favoured with the presence ot 12 Grand Officers , who were worthy assistants ot the Grand Master . They were all well known , and he would call on Bro . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D ., to respond . Bro . Dr . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D ., in reply , said the W . M . had made reference in his toast of the M . W . Grand Master to the fact that when he began he did not know when to leave off He had said the Grand Officers were a half-starved lot and men

. whose digestion was ruined . He ( Dr . Gooding ) was a perfect specimen of it . But whatever starvation they might have suffered from and whatever digestion they might have ruined they were willing as Grand Officers were a 100 years ago to carry out and further the interests of the Craft . I le need only point out the duties the Grand Oilicen had to fulfil . If the brethren would turn their eyes to the Board of General I urposes , to the Board of Benevolence , lo the great Charities which had been established by O . Officersand were now carried on by other G . Officers , he thought the G . Officers 0

, England deserved well at the hands of the brethren . But when he saw so distinguished a Mason as Bro . Gould present , who had not only dug out the archives of England , but who had brought out the true conditions of the Craft , he was convinced the brethren owed a deep debt of gratitude to the G . Officers , and Bro . Gould was one ot the best exponents of that body . He was pleased to see Bro . Gould present . He was also pleased to see thc Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge so prosperous , and that it was one of the oldest lodges of the Grand Lodge of England , the Mother Grand Lodge 0 the worldHe trusted it might be rejuvenatedand be under the careful attention ol

. , succeeding Masters , and have the goodwill and caretul attention of G . Olluers . He wished it a prosperous future , and that it might be well worthy the name and repuUtun of the lodges which had established the . Grand Lodge of England . Bro . Nicholson , P . M ., proposed the toast of the evening- " The Pious M jmxy of the Founders of the Grand Lodge of England , the Mother of Grand Lodges . He said : W . M . and Brethren , at a late monent the W . M . has put upon my shoulders what I conceive to be the most important toast of the evening . I cannot explain why

it was put upon my shoulders , except that the most eligible man was not present , anil he chose the least eligible man here . But if they did so they put it upon one who has thoroughly the objects of this meeting at heart . In submitting this toast to you this evening , 1 conceive that I am asking you to celebrate one of the most remirkaW features in Masonic history , and one that must claim your hearty sympathy and indur gence on every account . I hat event which we are celebrating this evening—St . John - Day—marks a wonderful transition from what was called " Operative Masonry' mw That this it forms a

" Speculative Masonry , " which we now appreciate . being so turning point , as you will all admit , in the history of Masonry . There are some lodge that consider themselves of some repute if after 25 years of existence they still surv ' , ' others more fortunate with 50 years behind them are proud of their ancestry . 1 "Jarc other lodges which have a hundred years behind them ; but they are ¦' and far between . But we have here this evening lodges of older date . We have telegram from No . 3 Lodge , otherwise we should have the representatives ot