does not appear but in one work, and that of the French author, Clarel. I have troubled you with this, thinking it might be interesting. Yours fraternally, J. W. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. Gray's Inn, February 23rd, 1854. -- DEAR SIR AND BROTHER,I HAVE long contemplated addressing you on the subject of Sunday Evening Lodges of Instruction, and feel glad that my delay has not prejudiced the argument I wish to raise against them, but afforded Brother P. Y. W. an opportunity to open the subject, by his excellent letter which appeared in the October number of the Freemasons' Quarterly Magazine. Brother A. S. D. has replied in the last number of the Magazine, and his temperate remarks form such an agreeable contrast to the vituperation, which is too generally indulged in by the defenders of a proposition that cannot be maintained, that one is inclined to wish he were in the right; indeed, in one sense he is, for although he comes forward as the defender of Sunday Lodges, yet the substance of his letter, so far as it relates to the matter in question, only deprecates a harsh judgment being passed, and asserts that pure and pious feelings may be excited by the study of Freemasonry, to which expressions assent may very readily be given. While I remember with him that it is written "Judge not that ye be not judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again, I would premise that I have no wish to condemn those who think attendance in a Sunday Lodge innocent, or at least allowable under peculiar circumstances to some; my object is to remove from the fair escutcheon of Freemasonry a blot, which, if known to the world, would deter right-thinking individuals from wishing to enter our Order. I was so surprised and pained at learning, soon after my initiation, that Sunday Lodges were permitted to be held, that I entertained serious doubts of the propriety of remaining a member of an Institution, which apparently sanctions that which is a desecration of the Lord's day; but subsequent conversations with several brethren who think such Lodges ought to be discountenanced, have led me to hope that the subject will receive due consideration, and that they will be declared irregular. The spirit of so-called liberalism of the present day, which affects to consider the strict observance of the Sabbath as only obligatory under an obsolete law, would turn the latter half of the day into a time to be devoted to amusement; but I would ask all who hold such views, to consider what the continental Sabbath is, and whether, if amusement be once permitted, trade and business, buying and selling, will not assuredly follow. There are, doubtless, Brethren who are unable to acquire Masonic knowledge during the week, without a sacrifice of personal comfort, as A. S. D. has suggested; let them, then, if they are zealous Masons, make the sacrifice, as I would, if asked to help them forward, and they will reap a double benefit, if the hours of the Sunday, no longer interfered with, are well spent; there are others, perhaps, who cannot by any amount of personal sacrifice obtain time to attend a week-day Lodge of Instruction, and to them I say emphatically that they are better without Masonic and all other knowledge, if they can only obtain it by breaking the repose of the day, which by that great Masonic light, the Volume of the Sacred law, we are enjoined to honour, “not finding our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words." There are other important considerations bearing upon the subject, irrespective of the moral welfare of the individual Mason, who may thus employ his Sunday evenings, such as the encouragement given to the tavern-keeper to open his house and pursue his daily calling, the unnecessary employment given to the Tyler and waiters, and the evil example set them of engaging without restraint in secular occupations on the Sunday; but the matter may be reduced into very narrow limits, putting aside all questions of necessity, expediency, harmlessness, &c. The practice is wrong, and I, with many of the best members the Craft can boast, sincerely join in the hope expressed by A. S. D. at the conclusion of his letter, that the Grand Lodge will decide upon the subject "in accordance with religion and morality." I am, dear Sir and Brother, Yours fraternally, F. D. F. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. DEAR SIR AND BROTHER, -shire, March 2nd, 1853. I FEAR that the letter of your correspondent A. S. D. in answer to mine of last September, contains but a weak defence against, and consequently strengthens, the accusations which I then brought against some of the London Lodges of Instruction. A. S. D. acknowledges that smoking and drinking are permitted “in moderation.' He and I differ as to the meaning of the word "moderation." Perhaps he would like to follow the example of Captain Duncan Knockdunder, and smoke his pipe in church "in moderation." A. S. D. asserts, with truth I have no doubt, that he never saw any such disgraceful scene as that which I described. To this I can only reply, that I did see it, and join most heartily in the hope of your correspondent, that the conduct of the Brethren on that occasion may have been unique. Perhaps we might not positively insist on Masonic clothing, (though it is undoubtedly more in order); but, at all events, the common courtesies of civilization demand that Brethren should not denude themselves of coats and waistcoats, as well as aprons and collars. With regard to Sunday meetings, I may as well observe, that, as Freemasons are not gifted, any more than other mortals, with duality of body as well as of mind, it is impossible that they can attend the evening service of the metropolitan churches, as it is celebrated at precisely the same time at which the Lodges in question meet; and, therefore, although A. S. D. states that "desecration of the Sabbath cannot be sanctioned by Masons," I contend that it is sanctioned by them if they meet on Sunday anywhere else but in a place of, and for the purpose of, public worship. I must repeat, it is not a pursuit for Sunday, and that, if Brethren are not at church on Sunday evening, they ought to be at home with their families; and that we do not, therefore, judge those "harshly" who devote their Sunday evenings to purposes so opposed to those for which the Sabbath was originally intended. The Grand Lodge is undoubtedly the authority to which such irregularities should be referred; but I preferred giving a friendly notice in your Magazine, to sending a formal report to the Grand Lodge. For the same reason I refrained from publishing the name of the Lodge, although its numbers and the names of some of the Brethren present are in my pocket-book. Having dismissed this subject, let me call your attention to another point, namely, the houses at which many of these Lodges of Instruction are held. Some meet at houses of well-known respectability, such as Freemasons' Tavern and the George and Vulture; but others are held at (and the fact is well known to Cowans, as well as to Masons) regular public-houses, which, though perhaps quite respectable, are still public-houses. And this may also refer to country Lodges, as well as the Lodges of Instruction in London. The mere fact of these meetings being held at public-houses, is enough to keep gentlemen, and certainly the clergy, away from them altogether. We cannot doubt that the clergy are a body of men whom it is most desirable to retain among us, and who may be of the greatest service to the Order. I know that many a young man, on taking Holy Orders, refrains from attending the Lodge nearest to his curacy, from the habits in which the Brethren indulge, and on account of the character of the place in which they meet; and I think that, considering the professions made by Freemasons, a Mason's Lodge ought to be a place which both clergy and laity may frequent without the fear of scandal. I am glad to find, on good authority, that one Lodge of Instruction has since my last letter changed its night of meeting from Sunday to Wednesday; and I hope that, before long, others will follow such a good example, and that Brethren, instead of making paltry excuses to themselves for practices which admit of no justification, will at once abandon them, and thus once more set themselves on a proper footing with their families and with the rest of the world. I am, dear Sir and Brother, P. J. W. MASONIC INTELLIGENCE. SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ENGLAND. QUARTERLY CONVOCATION, Feb. 1, 1854. Present.-W. F. Beadon, as Z.; H. L. Cröhn, as H.; F. Pattison, as J.; W. H. White, E.; R. H. Giraud, as N.; H. Stuart, M.P. as P. Soj.; T. R. White, as Assist. Soj.; J. Hodgkinson, as Assist. Soj.; C. Baumer, P. Assist. Soj.; B. Lawrence, P. Stand. B.; J. Havers, P. Stand. B.; J. H. Goldsworthy, P. Stand. B.; T. Tombleson, P. Stand. B.; Rev. J. E. Cox, Dir. of Cer.; J. B. King, P. Dir. of Cer. ; T. Parkinson, P. Dir. of Cer.; A. A. Le Veau, P. Dir. of Cer.; G. Biggs, P. Dir. of Cer.; the Principals, Past Principals, &c., of several subordinate Chapters. The Grand Chapter was opened in ancient and solemn form. The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation were read and confirmed. The Report of the Committee of General Purposes, stating the amount of receipts and disbursements of the last quarter, was read and confirmed. Charters were granted for Chapters to be attached to Lodge No. 895, London, Canada West. After the despatch of the ordinary business, the Grand Chapter was closed. UNITED GRAND LODGE. QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION, March 1, 1854. Present. The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Zetland, M. W. G. M., on the Throne; the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Yarborough, D. G. M.; R. W., W. F. Beadon, as S. G. W.; H. Stuart, M.P., J. G. W.; W. Stuart, Prov. G. M. for Herts; A. Dobie, Prov. G. M. for Surrey, and G. Reg.; S. Rawson, Prov. G. M. for China; H. C. Vernon, Prov. G. M. for Worcestershire; C. P. Cooper, Q. C., Prov. G. M. for Kent; W. Tucker, Past Prov. G. M. for Dorsetshire; Lieut.-Col. W. Burlton, Past Prov. G. M. for Bengal: F. Dundas, P. S. G. W.; J. Pattison, P. S. G. W.; V. W., Revs. J. E. Cox and E. S. Moore, G. Chaps. ; S. Tomkins, G. Treas.; W. H. White, G. Sec.; H. L. Cröhn, G. Sec. for German Correspondence, and Rep. from G. L. of Hamburgh; W., H. Giraud, S.G.D.; G. Leach, J. G. D.; S. C. Norris, P.J.G.D.; C. Baumer, P.J.G.D.; J. H. Goldsworthy, P.J.G.D.; T. Parkinson, P.J.G.D.; J. Havers, P.S.G.D.; J. B. King, P.J.G.D.; J. Nelson, P.S.G.D.; G. W. K. Potter, P. S. G. D.; T. R. White, P. J. G. D.; J. Hodgkinson, P.J.G.D.; W. F. White, P.S.G.D.; R. W. Jennings, G. Dir. of Cer.; J. Chapman, Assist. G. Dir. of Cer.; A. A. Le Veau, G. S. B.; J. Masson, P. G. S. B.; E. H. Patten, P. G. S. B.; J. R. Spiers, P. G. S. B.; F. W. Breitling, G. Pur.; Rev. W. J. Carver, Rep. from G. L. Massachusetts; the Master, Past Masters, and Wardens of the Grand Stewards' Lodge; and the Masters, Past Masters, and Wardens of many other Lodges. The Grand Lodge was opened in ample form, and with solemn prayer. The minutes of the last Quarterly Communication having been read for confirmation, Bro. Barrow rose to ask the G.M. a question: whether it was his intention to instal Bro. Cooper, the Prov. G. M. for Kent, in an adjoining room, as Bro. Cooper had never been the W. M. of a Lodge ? The G.M. said, "such an idea never entered his head." Bro. Allen, W.M. of Lodge No. 528, then rose to inquire of the M.W. the G.M. as to the reason why Bro. Wm. Tucker had been deposed from his office as Prov. G.M. for Dorsetshire. The M.W. the G.M. said if the Brother had been present at the last Grand Lodge, he would have heard his reasons; he could not again open the question. Bro. Massy Dawson said he was present at the last meeting of Grand Lodge, but did not rightly understand the question. Bro. R. W. Jennings rose to order. Bro. Dawson, in explanation, stated he was in order, and was proceeding with the discussion, when Bro. Dobie called the attention of Grand Lodge to the prerogative of the G.M. The M.W. the G.M. here rose, and stated that this discussion was irregular. He had felt it necessary to exercise his undoubted prerogative, and could not give any further answer to the question. Bro. Dr. Jones spoke as to the confirmation of the registry of facts; if they did not require confirmation, he thought they should not be discussed. Bro. C. P. Cooper rose and gave an explanation of his views as to the meaning of confirming minutes, that it was merely an assurance that they had been correctly recorded. This opinion, not being in accordance with the established custom of Grand Lodge, met with considerable disapprobation. The M.W. the G.M. said, any communication he thought proper to make to the Grand Lodge, and ordered to be entered on the minutes, could not be subjected to confirmation or rejection. Bro. Allen thought he should be in order if he then moved, that any part, or the whole of the minutes, be not confirmed; he should therefore move, that that portion of the minutes, which related to the |