The Province Of Somerset.

never failing kindness and conciliation—be assailed , there are not ten Masons in the province who will not unite to support and defend him . " Another P . M . " is as ignorant of the feeling in the province of Somerset as he is alien in spirit to the great majority of the members , and therefore is utterly unable to form a correct opinion on the subject in question , or any other affecting the good of the Order .

I confess it gives me much pleasure to know that Bro . Babbage is not one of those Masonic pharisces ,. which " Another P . M . " denominates " Masonic stars ; " the term is suspicious—it is ever associated in my mind with self conceit and quackery . AVe had an orb of this magnitude , for some time in this province—may we never have another ! The provincial hemisphere was too circumscribed for such a planet . An . astronomical revolution conveyed it to an antipodean hemisphere—where may it long

coruscate with resplendent lustre . "Zmnmerzet" may do strange things , and so long as "Another P . M . " dwells in it strange things will " never cease in the land . " It is " strange " to find a Brother , who contemplates with unctuous pleasure the proposed task of dishing up a la Paisse , in your columns , the small remnants of scandal which a wicked world preserves or invents to gratify a morbid appetite .

The province of Somerset will condemn the Prov . Grand Master ' s appointment when it is found to be inimical to the interests of the Orderuntil then all good men and true will give Bro . Babbage a full , fair , and generous trial . I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Bath , Jan . Villi , 1859 . ' A BATH P . M .

[ We can assure " A Bath P . M . " that he altogether mistakes and misunderstands the man if he supposes that the writer of the letter signed " Another Past Master" is capable of dishing up for the Freemasons' Magazine or any publication small remnants of scandal " to gratify a morbid appetite , " even if we would publish them . We have the honour of the personal acquaintance of " Another Past Master , " and can vouch that a better working

Mason , a more charitable man , or a Brother better versed in the constitutions of the Order , is scarcely to he found ; and it is strange indeed to us if with such qualifications he is " ignorant of the feelings of the 2 'rovince of Somerset , " or " alien in spirit to the great majority of the members . " We shall not lend ourselves to any " covert attack" on the venerable Prov . Grand Master , yet we cannot think that a Mason of scarcely twelvemonths

standing is the most fitting to fill so important an office as that of Prov . Grand Secretary ; as we hold that officer ought not only to have a good general knowledge of the working of Masonry , but be thoroughly conversant with the Book of Constitutions in all its bearings , so as to give any advice that may bo required of him , to different Lodges , with a weight which will ensure attention to his ruling . He should also have such a general

knowledge of the practice and members of the different Lodges as will enable him to assist the Prov . Grand Master in the selection of his officers with the utmost [ impartiality , and thereby avoid cliquism and undue influence being brought to bear upon a Brother who from his position must necessarily to a considerable extent have to act upon the advice of others . We however have no wish to quarrel with Brother Babbage ; but whilst we