long and regularly paid for, snatched from our hands by illegal and unconstitutional bodies. Our appeals are unheard, and remonstrance we have found vain. The questions are these :

1. Cannot the Senior Prov. Grand Warden, in the absence of both Prov. and Deputy Prov. Grand Masters, summon and hold a Prov. Grand Lodge of Emergency whenever the good of the Craft shall require it? Is Article 7 of Prov. Grand Lodges, in Book of Constitutions, applicable to places at this distance from the "fountain head ?”

2. Should the W. M. of a Lodge die, be deposed, or removed, and no Past Master on the spot, can the Senior, or in his absence the Junior Warden, summon a Lodge, and work it in the degrees: we know he cannot initiate, pass, or raise; but can he open it in regular form as a W. M.? If not, what is the extent of his power?

3. Are initiations, passings, and raisings, performed by a Brother elected to the post of W. M., but not installed agreeably to ancient usage, valid? and can Masons so made obtain certificates from the United Grand Lodge?

4. Can a member who has never filled the W. M.'s chair arrogate to himself the title of "officiating Past Master," and as such initiate, pass, and raise in front of the Master's pedestal. Is there such a rank as officiating Past Master, and are Masons, thus made, legal?

5. Can a warrant of revival or even a dispensation be granted to the W. M. of a Lodge that had been dormant, nay defunct for nearly twenty years; never having either worked or contributed to the United Grand Lodge during all that time, and the said W. M. having in his possession for that period the original warrant of said Lodge, the said W. M. not having been even subscribing member to the Craft?

6. Can the Deputy Prov. Grand Master take to himself the name and rank of Deputy Prov. Grand Superintendant of Royal Arch Masonry, when the Prov. Grand Master himself never received the appointment of Prov. Grand Superintendant?

7. Can such Deputy Prov. Grand Superintendant give a Lodge permission to open and hold a Royal Arch Chapter? and can exaltations effected under these circumstances be legitimatized by the Supreme Grand Chapter at any future period? Are those individuals who have been thus admitted into this most holy degree, legal? Can they receive certificates from the Supreme Grand Chapter ?

8. Finally, is not the Grand Lodge of the province where such doings are tolerated, highly culpable for countenancing such proceedings?

Worshipful Brother, we are under serious and fearful obligations, and therefore I as one, having this continually in view, with the rest of my Brethren of No. 326, earnestly implore of you to answer these questions impartially. Your Review testifies to your fearlessness.

I am told there is an uniform method of working established in England; we have been, and are as yet in ignorance of it, in consequence of which we are open to imposition at any time.

The Grand Sword Bearer, Bro. H. Bellamy Webb, was here a few days ago. I am told he visited the Lodge of Universal Charity, where all these irregularities I have enumerated are practised, and made them acquainted with the established mode. He visited also the Lodge of Perfect Unanimity, it being the "gentleman's" Lodge, but never condescended to notice the Lodge 326! A PAST MASTER.

REPLIES.-1. The Art. 7 of Prov. Grand Lodges, in the Book of Con

stitutions, unfortunately applies to distinct Grand Lodges, whose interests are most shamefully neglected. On this point there is a lamentable deficit in legislation; for surely when the P.G.M. is not at hand, and the P. D. G. M. is no longer a resident! The actual P. S, G. Warden, or the Senior P. P. S. G. Warden should be empowered on requisition, or even on his own authority, to convene a Prov. Grand Lodge, in cases of emergency. Let a memorial to such effect, respectfully worded, be sent forthwith to the Board of General Purposes-verb. sap.

2. There is no law on this point, but there is precedent sufficient for the following course-let the Senior, or in his absence the Junior Warden, summon the Lodge, and place his seat in front of the Master's chair; he may then open, rule, and close the Lodge; but he cannot make, pass, or raise. Should, however, any Brother, a Past Master, not a member of the Lodge, be present, such Past Master can legally make, pass, and raise.

3. A Master-elect, not being an installed Master, cannot make, pass, or raise; his acts therefore as such are invalid. The Grand Lodge knowingly would NOT grant certificates.

4. No Brother can assume the rank of "officiating Past Master." When a Past Master of another Lodge is requested to sit as such, in the absence or want of subscribing Past Masters, he may be termed the officiating Past Master; but it is only a temporary title of courtesy-all acts by unqualified persons are invalid.

5. The warrant should be surrendered to the Grand Lodge, unless proof be given that it has remained in the custody of the Master and Wardens; when, even after a lapse of twenty years, such dormant Lodge may be legally revived;-e. g. three rule a Lodge. If the W. M. has never been a subscribing member to the Craft, how came he in possession of the warrant? There is a hitch here.

6. The D. P. G. M. would incur liability to attainder for assuming the rank and power of Grand Superintendant of the R. A. without sanction of the Supreme Grand Chapter; but if the P. G. M. be not himself qualified, the Grand Chapter would have power to appoint the D. P.G, M., if qualified.

7. A Deputy Grand Superintendant has no power to grant permission to any Lodge to hold a R. A. C; such power being vested only in a properly qualified Grand Superintendant, or in the Supreme Grand Chapter itself. No act under such soi-disant authority is valid. The Grand Chapter, however, may in its wisdom see fit to legitimatize Companions whose confidence have been thus abused, and in such case would probably grant certificates.

8. Any Prov. Grand Lodge disregarding the Masonic exercise of its duties and privileges is certainly highly culpable.

BOMBAY, POONA-June 24.-The Masonic Brethren of Poona celebrated the Festival of St. John with much form and hilarity, at the magnificent Lodge-rooms here. Advantage was taken of the M. W. Bro. Burnes, K. H., being at Poona, to request him to fill the chair, which he did in his accustomed able manner. He was attended by the R. W. Bro. Sir Wm. Harris, P. P. G. M.; Bros. Colonel Campbell and Boileau as Grand Wardens; Bro. W. J. Stewart, as Grand Secretary and Sword Bearer; Bro. Jerome, Standard Bearer; Bros. Down and Gibbs, Grand Deacons; above fifty of the Brethren assembled under the guidance of W. M. Bro. Buchanan of Lodge St. Andrews in the East. The evening was spent in the utmost harmony and good

feeling; the dinner was excellent; and the rooms through which the Brethren walked in procession were splendidly lighted and fitted up. The band of Her Majesty's 22nd Regiment were present, and the evening was enlivened by excellent singing, especially from some German Brethren. We have not been able to obtain any of the after-dinner speeches; but the address of the M. W. G. M., which has been described to us as "a most remarkable Masonic document, containing, in a few paragraphs, the essence of all that has ever been written on the subject," was loudly called for by the Brethren, and we have been kindly favoured with a copy of it. It will doubtless be read with deep interest by the Masonic bodies in India, as well as at home.

LITERARY NOTICES.

The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine. Boston (U.S.)

Our indefatigable cotemporary, Bro. Moore, caters so well for our literary wants, that we cannot do less than wish him "long life, and health to enjoy it;" albeit, too, he is versed in that excellent knowledge of selection from other sources that tends to improve even his own contributions and those of his salient cohort. Thus, he republishes in his Magazine, for the instruction of his numerous readers, some of those amazing aspirations of Dr. Oliver and Thomas Pryer which have already appeared in our pages, but which we have reperused, with added interest, in our American contemporary. The Editor has also extracted from the delightful work of the Reverend Erskine Neale, "The Mason in high places, Bishop Griswold." We thank Bro. Moore sincerely for this Masonic compliment, and shall, as time may permit, return it by making copious extracts from his Magazine, many of which we have marked for that purpose. "The Soldier Mason," a paper by Nicholas Brown, and an extract, "Charity," are among these. The original papers and subject matters are, as usual, highly interesting; none more so than the observations on the "Duties of Grand and Subordinate Lodges."

Transactions of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York.

These important statistics range from the 1st September, 1846, to the 3rd June, 1847, and are ordered to be read in all Lodges, for the information of the Brethren; they contain, without reservation, the entire proceedings of the Grand Lodge. The pamphlet contains ninety pages of very close letter-press, and is replete with most valuable matter. Besides its own transactions, there are various documents from several other Grand Lodges of the Union. There is also an additional appendix of thirty-two pages, containing the meeting of the "Sorrow Lodge," in memory of the late Grand Masters, Morgan Lewis and A. Robinson, and other departed Brethren, at which the R. W. James Herring delivered a most impressive oration on the characters of each. With us in England we either fear to publish our transactions, or have no talent at headquarters competent to the task. How well might a few pounds be spent from our ample revenues in a similar publication.

VOL. V.

3 c

Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina.

Closely observing the example of the Sister Grand Lodge of New York, the State of North Carolina has also fearlessly published its transactions of the 7th and following days in December 1846, which are highly interesting. We observe that the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge agree on one point in which they stand alone, viz., they do not join in the condemnation of the Prussian Grand Lodge for having excluded Jewish Freemasons, on the ground that Masonry requires of its votaries obedience to the laws of the land in which they live, and consequently that our offending Brethren of Prussia, instead of being held up to scorn, should call forth our sympathies. The Grand Master is here visibly in error, for the Prussian State recognizes the Jew, which the Masonic body does not. How will the Grand Master of North Carolina reconcile the fact of the Prussian Grand Lodge having since determined to admit visiting Brethren of all denominations, with his own previous opinion of the propriety of their former refusal? Rather curious this.

Freemasons' Calendar, 1848, for Ireland. Grant & Bolton, Dublin. R. Spencer, London.

The compiler of this valuable Almanac is Bro. MICHAEL FURNELL, Prov. Grand Master for North Munster: who, determined to rescue, if possible, the Order of Irish Freemasonry from the comparative oblivion to which apathy had nearly consigned it, has thrown himself into the arena, and given good token of what an enthusiastic admirer of the Royal Art can do—O! si sic omnes. The Calendar is announced as under the sanction and authority of the Duke of Leinster. The Prov. Grand Master, Bro. Furnell, has evidently taken the English Masonic Calendar as his model, and on this he has improved (no difficult task, perhaps), by giving many valuable details of continental and transAtlantic Masonry. As a first effort it is highly creditable to Bro. Furnell, and we cordially wish it every success, more especially as the profits are to be appropriated to the Female Masonic Orphan School, Dublin. There are so many extracts from the English calendar, that it may be almost preferred to that edited by the Grand Secretary of England and his junta, containing as it does so much other general information. It has, however, one inconsistency, for it gives to Scotland what it does not possess, viz., a Council of the 33rd; unless, indeed, that be one which is assumed to be created by a soi-disant, who will find it not less difficult to prove himself a 33rd, than that he has any authority whatever for the violation of a sacred duty. Bro. Furnell can afford to be told the truth, for he is too generous to take offence, and too sensitive not to repair a fault.

We had nearly omitted to state that the traditional and recorded history of the Irish constitution, selected from the ancient authors, and from the archives of the Grand Lodge, is well arranged, and will repay examination. We should advise that a second edition, revised and corrected, be forthwith issued, having heard that the present edition is nearly out of print.

Digest of the Conduct adopted by the Bishop of

It is scarcely possible to trust the pen in the task of describing the apparently impossible conduct of the Right Honourable and Reverend Father in God towards his humble brother in Christ; nor will we

attempt it, lest in our observations we might lower the character of a Bishop in the estimation of his fellow Christians. The "digest" is a plain statement of facts; at least the letters, with names and addresses, are given. To numerous applications no answer is vouchsafed; meanwhile the reverend victim is now a man of broken fortunes; but the Bishop still rejoices in his superabundant wealth, and the luxury of his lawn sleeves. Queen Bess, it is said, threatened to "unfrock some of her recusants.

The Christian Remembrancer. (A Quarterly Review.) James Burns, Portman-street.

Freemasonry is greatly indebted to opponents, whose mistaken endeavours to disprove its superior claims invariably turn the tables on their own fallacious arguments. The moral assay is always testing the truth and purity of Freemasonry.

"The Christian (!) Remembrancer," for July, rejoices in a diatribe against the Order, embracing no less than thirty-eight pages; and, as it pretty constantly refutes itself, we should have permitted its venom to become harmless by the due lapse of time, but that it has, with a sort of dare-devil malignity, singled out the historian of Freemasonry for its unfair and unjust criticism. The Rev. Dr. Oliver will pardon the liberty we take in noticing the subject-as gratitude for public services of no ordinary kind, personal esteem and affection, and heartfelt devotion to the principles of (Freemasonry scarcely inferior to that which we know to be the guiding star of his own magnificent thoughts) direct our views. Is the Christian Remembrancer" really aware that the adjective prefix (as its title imports) can only be interpreted as " professing the religion of Christ," and what was that religion but " Peace on earth, goodwill towards man."

Our contemporary, in his title, should be ranked among the soidisants, or, at least, among the misnomers; for so virulent is the invective that generally pervades the thirty-eight pages of abuse, that, as far as they go, we should, but for the sake of courtesy, hail the periodical as the "ANTI-Christian Remembrancer," inasmuch as it altogether remembers to forget the principles inculcated by the "Adorable One," who suffered for the sake of those he came to save. The author of the paper in question dares to joke upon subjects of the gravest importance, and, were he followed in his opinions, which he may assure himself he will not be, he would take from us a real blessing, and substitute his own farrago of trashy intolerance. Whatever his religion may be is a matter of indifference; that he is no Freemason is enough for us. He can grasp little else than a wordy argument, altogether at variance with truth. He might remember, however, that even in argument" Want of decency is want of sense. He travels through a variety of papers, perverting the facts of every one in turn, merely that he may at length fix his erratic configurations, as plague spots, on one of the brightest Masons of all time-for such is the Rev. George Oliver, D.D. What is the real object of this coarse and virulent attack on that illustrious and distinguished divine and Mason we are at a loss to conjecture, but a more unholy, disgraceful, and abusive one we have seldom been pained to wade through. It is among the possibilities that disgrace human nature that the author in question delighteth himself with the hope that, as man is but mortal, he can inflict a wound, assassin-like, and that Dr. Oliver will wince at such infliction. And the Doctor probably will, for