' ' " ' ' ; ; ; . : .. , . THE ; '¦': . ' EREEMASONS' . V. V QUARTERLY REV IE W. SECOND SERIES—DECEMBER 31,- 1846. r * I have ever fel t it my duty to support and encourage its princi ples and practice, .because it powerfully developes all social and benevolent affections; because it mitigates without, and annihilates within , tbe virulence of politieal and theolngieal eontroversyr^heeause.it affords the only neutral ground on which all ranks and classes can meet in perfect equality, and associate without degradation or mortification, whether for purposes of moral instruction or social intercourse.'*—T/ie EAUL OV DURHAM on Freemasonry, 21st Jan.'1834. ' ¦ '.yy: ". This obedience, which must be vigorously observed, does not prevent us, howeVer rfrom investigating the inconvenience of laws, which at the time they were framed may have.been political, prudent—nay, even necessary ; but now, from a total change of circumstances"and ' ¦ events, may have become unjust, oppressive, and equally useless. *' *.- ., '.* " -: "Justinian declares that he acts contrary to tbe law who, confining himself to the letter, acts.contrary to the spirit and interest of it."—H. R.H. the D UKE OF S USSEX, April 21. 1812. House of Lords. AT the Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England, held in September last, the Grand Secretary announced that in the event of the confirmation of the minutes of the previous Grand Lodge held in June, he had authority to read, if required, a letter which the Gran d Master the Earl of Zetland intended to transmit to the Grand Master of Berlin, in relation to the non-admission of any Brethren to Lodges under that Masonic authority excepting such as professed the Christian, faith. The Grand Lodge did not require the letter to he read ; but we now present, to our readers a copy thereof, addressed by order of the Grand Master of England, and leave it to the consideration of the. Masonic world, as a document clearly illustrative of the pure tenets of the Order, the dignity of which has been most honourably maintained by .the distinguished'nobleman at the head of the English Graft; * THE S UPPLEMENTARY NUMBER WAS PUBLISUHD ON THE 15th OF MAY, '184 3; CONTAININ()iAl.i 'THE' INTERESTING PARTICULARS , MASONIC ANli OTHER WISE , RELATINa JTOyH.R.fI.-AT.HM -DUKE OF SU-sSEXi THE LATE ILLUSTRIOUS .GRAND MASTER. WITH A PORTRAIT , AND MAY BE HAD HE THE PUBLISHERS , MESSRS. SHERWOOD AND CO., 23, PATERNOSTER ROW. PRICE THREE SHILLINGS. VOL. IV. 3 F To the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Grand Lodge, Royal York of Friendship, Berlin. Proem.-.s.ms' Hail London , 4lh September . lil-lfi. MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER,—The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Englan d, the Right Honourable the Earl of Zetland, received with the deepest feeling of grief the reply made by the Right Worsh i pful Brother Bier, the Grand Secretary, on behalf of the Grand Lodge, Royal York of Friendshi p, Berlin , to the communication of his Lordship of the 15th of December last, inasmuch as that reply announces that, by the existing laws of the Grand Lodge, Royal York of Friendship, none but Christians and duly legitimated Breth ren of recognized Lodges, are to be allowed access to the labours. To this law it appears that all subordinate Lodges are bound to con- form, and to exclude, as visitors. Brethre n of the Jewish faith, notwith- standing such Brothers may take with them the certificate of the Grand Lodge of England, and be in every respect, as to character, unexcep- tionable, the religious creed being alone the ground of refusal. The Grand Lodge of England , by the earliest history and tradition, has always declared and observed the universality of Freemasons, making no distinction or exclusion on the score of religious faith,—a matter in which she never enquires, beyond the point in which all men agree. It is . for this reason that she does not sanction or recognize meetingswmch in some places are holden—assemblies of particular religionists. With these the G rand Lodge of England does not interfere * but she strictly guards, by her laws and her practice, against the introduction into her Lodges of any emblems or decorations which are indicative of particular creeds, deeming them liable to be taken as offensive demonstrations at variance with the true spirit of Freemasonry. This universality the Grand Masters of England have always upheld, and, as far as has been within their power, have sought the co-operation of other (5rand Lod ges - with- out, however, pretending to any right of direct interference. But when members of English Lodges, lawfully admitted, and bearing diplomas from the G rand Lodge of England, duly authenticated under her seal, are not recognized, and, on the contrary, are rejected merely on account of' their particular faith, it becomes ah imperative duty of the Grand Master to vindicate the rights, the honour, and the integrity of the body over which he has been called to preside, whose branches extend into every quarter of the habitable globe. In the discharge of: that duty, then, the Grand Master of England protests against the refusal which has been made to acknowledge the legitimate children of a.lawful constituted English Lodge; and at the same:time is constrained to recal from his post the Right Worshi pful Brother the Chevalier Esser, as the Representative of England in the Grand Lodge, Royal York of Friendship, at Berlin. The communication from the Right Worshipful Grand Secretary Bier, dated the 2nd March, states that the Grand Lod,;e, Royal York of Friendship, has long been occupied with the question of admission of non-Christian Brothers, but that circumstances connecte 1 with the Pro- tectorate of all the Prussian Lodges by His Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia, have unavoidably caused the consideration of that question to be postponed , and expresses a hope that the Gran d Lodge in alliance with her would not consider the resolution for the admission of none but Christian Brethren, as the dereliction of a principle always acknow- ledged by her, and that the Grand Lodge of England will recognize the fact , that the ground for not altering a long-established rule, is the wish to maintain the mutual relations of amity now subsisting among the Lodges in Prussia. Into the alleged causes for deferring the consideration of the Rule, and the reasons for wishing it at present to be retained, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England cannot enter, because they involve matters with which they cannot interfere. But however the Grand Master may feel the difficulty in which you may be placed, it would, on his part, be a dereliction of Masonic prin ciples to concur in a plan of religious exclusion, and an abandonment of duty to permit his Grand Lodge diploma to be declared of no avail. The Grand Master of England regrets exceedingly that any circum- stances should even temporarily interrupt that intimate union avhich has heretofore existed between the two Grand Lodges, and he anxiously looks forward ; to a period (he hopes not distant) when those intimate relations may be restored with honour and advantage .to the respective Grand Lodges, and to the benefit of the universal Masonic family ; and he trusts that in the interim , personal fraternal feeling between indivi- dual members of the two . 'countries will not be weakened.. The Grand Master commands :me to add, that he has communicated to the Grand Lodge the sentiment here conveyed , as well as the course he felt, com- pelled, to adopt, and.that the Grand Lodge with one accord declared.its full assent; .. .. ,. .*¦- - ¦ .:• ¦ ... y,,The Grand M aster of England, in his own name, and on behalf of hisiGrand Lodge, begs to reassure you, Most Worshipful Grand Master and ybur.Right Worshipful Grand Lodge, of his and their.high consi- deration .and brotherly affection , while he laments the occurrences which for a time unfortunately impede the wonted intercourse. i- 1' ermit me to subscribe myself, with all deference, : ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ -' ' <&: • ¦' ¦ ' ¦ ' ' •'A -.' "¦ ' -¦ ¦ ¦• ' :" • •;¦ Most Worshipful Grand Master, ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ •¦ ¦ '•< ' '" ' • '.- ! '¦ ¦- '' w - ' - ¦ Your faithful and devoted Brother, ¦ l l ' : '» U y 'A. -y .;. ... ;.,. :¦ ¦ ' ¦ 'i' " WjXLIAM H. WHITE , ' " ¦ > " ¦ ¦ ¦ -' yyy ' ' ,¦¦) : - . : : Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of England. V:J THE M ASON'S WIDOW, AND HER COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY .—We pre- sume that: the Committee appointed to examine into this case must have misinterpreted their directions, for but one of them—the Grand Secre- tary—visited the widow. His report, though unfavourable, was heartily adopted by the other twain. This case is curious. Enquiry arose from the report that the lady was to receive 1400 guineas for the medical practice of her deceased husband. Was this report proved on examina- tion of the tres fundi in uno ? Quite the reverse. A letter from the gentleman who entered into an-engagement, proved that up to the pre- sent time he had paid nothing to the family, and that if he received nothing he .was,to pay—nothing. .. The case of enquiry therefore broke down. But was the Grand Secretary to break down—was he to go back tip the Grand Lodge an unsuccessful inquisitor—and his alter et idem to face public contempt—or were they to pay tbe £50 ? Oh, no! he dis- covered a mare's nest, and they applauded. What was it? Had the widow then any immediate means of help that she had withheld from them ? Marry, no immediate means; but her husband had settled on liter children a policy of insurance for £1000, the interest of which (-£30) she .was to appropriate in their board and education. Six children ! to be boarded and educated on £30. Five pounds per year for each ! But the Committee of inquisitors did not state that some opposition to the payment, and subsequent expenses, had delayed the investment, so that she will receive but a very infinitesimal interest until July, 1S47.