Correspondence.

irrecoverably tost ; it is now ( 1856 ) in private hands , and is occasionally shown as a curious old document by a R . A . Mason in this city . Now , I understand that these " certain knights" are about to extend their operations into other portions of England and Wales ; but do they imagine that they fulfil their M . and T . obligations by establishing a rival order ? I call upon all true Sir Knights to

repudiate these discreditable proceedings . And now one word with reference to the present S . W . of the B . C . L ., with regard to whose appointment so much unpleasantness has arisen ; it is well known that he , then only a newly-raised M . M ., was employed by certain "Sir Knights" to wait on , " and endeavour to persuade the only surviving member of the Camp of Antiquity" to attend a meeting , which he did , and signed the minutes of the proceedings of Sir Knights , all of whom , with the exception of himself , were tenants of the grave ! The knights are dust , Their swords are rust ,

Their souls are with the saints , we trust ! Here was a resuscitation indeed ! hut I do not say that for this service he ( the S . W . ) was put over the heads of all the senior Brethren , although such is , and I fear ever will be , the current opinion . He is now R . A . and soi-disant K . T . R . I admire Masonic zeal , but Masonic discretion is far better . As an old P . M ., P . Z ., and K . T . R ,, I say that there is something more in our ancient system than a parrotdike repetition of the mere formulae of ceremonies ; for a system founded on love should exhibit in the hearts and actions of its members the attributes of charity , mercy , and forbearance . I have endeavoured to state facts for which I can vouch , for the true Sir Knight should be like Bayard , " Sanspeur et sans reproche" and I sincerely hope that this letter will close an unhappy controversy . Believe me , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

JAMES TUNSrALL , M . D ., P . Prov . G . S . of W . Somersetshire ; W . M . No . 61 ; P . M . and P . Z . No . 48 ; P . M . No . 420 ; P . J . W . No . 123 ; P . G . Reg . of Knights Templar for Somersetshire . P . S . With regard to t \ ie ^ hrple , how can these " resuscitators" expect it from the P . G . M ., who is also G . M . of the Knights Templar ?

TO THE EDITOB OF THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —After perusing your valuable correspondent " Justitia ' s " letter , published in your Magazine of this month , an answer to " Sile ' s " last letter would seem almost superfluous , were it not that my silence might be construed into consent : I therefore address these few lines in reply , trusting that as far as he and I are concerned the correspondence may here terminate . I opine that " Sile " has " stooped to calumny" and "lost sight of veracity " in making charges against a Brother , more especially when the information upon

which . these charges are based was " afforded by friends . " I cannot understand why " Sile" should have introduced my name into the correspondence at all , more especially as his remark respecting myself was not founded on his own knowledge , but upon " hearsay" only . Such conduct on the part of one who takes up his pen to endeavour to refute what he terms "incorrect representations" is , I consider , anything but the conduct of a good Mason or a gentleman . No man is without his faults , but I cannot plead guilty to the dictatorial spirit in ruling my Lodge imputed to me by " Sile . " In order that your readers may judge how

" Sile " and his party feel in consequence of the untenable nature of their accusations , I am prepared to state that one of the leading Masons in this city has on more than once occasion called on an influential member of my Lodge , who he believed was acquainted with "Justitia , " and begged him to use his influence in order that all matters might be dropped , as your now silent correspondent A . Z . could not respond to the appeal made to him by J . W . in your number for May . Men , whether Masons or not , when they unfortunately take up an untenable position , generally make use of very hard words , thinking , I suppose , that this species of defence will have great weight with their fellow-men : —such has been " Sile ' s " conduct ; he and his party , after the long and masterly letter written by