REV. MR. WELLS' ADDRESS.

We have read with more than usual interest, an excellent address recently delivered in New York, by our Br. Rev. E. M. P. WELLS, of this city. The Templar Lodge did right to publish it; for it is most admirably adapted to do good to the cause it ably advocates. And there is withal so much of true Masonry in it, that we take the liberty to transfer a few extracts to our own pages:

DE MOLAY-GRAND MASTER OF THE TEMPLARS.

At length the noble and heroic Molay, their Grand Master, with his principal officers and Knights, having been artfully decoyed into France, was arrested in Paris, by Philip the Fair, and, with the assistance of Clement V., they were imprisoned, tortured, put to death and their immense treasures seized by those who had wrought their ruin. But "they confessed their crimes," we are told. They did, poor fellows, as thousands of even more immaculate men have done. Some, when their brains were turned by the excruciating revolutions of the wheel of torture, have confessed to whatever they were bidden; and others, of still feebler nerve and weaker morale, to escape this dislocation of joints, mangling of flesh, crushing of bones, and cracking of nerves, did the same. But thus did not they all. It is recorded of the heroic Grand Master Molay, that after hearing his sentence to be burned, he turned to Philip of France and Clement V., and, in a manner awfully impressive, summoned them both to meet him before the tribunal of the Almighty, within a year, to answer for those wrongs they had brought upon him. Both Philip and Clement died in about half that time. Now, though I would not insist that there was the divinity of a special Providence in this result, yet, if not, I see not how it can be denied that, at least, there was that conscious innocence, and sense of suffering wrong and injustice, on the part of the Grand Master, which enabled him to hurl the moral thunderbolt, like a human Jupiter, and a consciousness of guilt and baseness, on the part of the King and the Pope, which laid them open, through their imaginations, to the archery of death.

SECRECY OF MASONRY.

We announce the establishment of Lodges in any new section. Our name and insignia are blazonsd upon our porticoes. Our times of meeting are published. The names of our Brothers we tell you, and neither fear, nor are ashamed to own ourselves members. Our Constitution and Laws, containing our principles and object, we print and throw upon the wings of the wind. We thus court inquiry respecting our Institution. We would not put our light under a bushel, nor eat our morsel alone. We say to all, even to the poorest and to the most humble, if they do but belong to the aristocracy of virtue, come and see-come, and be of us. Shall we, then, be called a secret society? We are not a secret society-not in the sense of history. But have we secrets? We have-and we thank God that it is so. That man who has not, is not worthy to be called a man. None are destitute of secrets but those who are unable to keep them, for our God has made us not only capable of keeping secrets, but has given us powers and faculties especially for that purpose, and has given us secrets to keep. The secrets of the heart are, by a virtuous mind, kept with all vigilance of virgin chastity, except when we open our hearts to God-to our parents-to the moral physician who has the care of our souls, or, respecting our own personal secrets, to that "other self,"

who is not another, God having made both one. How often does the Almighty in the Holy Scriptures declare, as the highest mark of His approbation, that He communicates His secrets to His servants? Shall, then, the secrets of our Churches, our Lodges, our families, or ourselves, be violated to gratify the weakly curious, or the viciously jealous?

CORRESPONDENCE.

Vicksburg, Miss., Sept. 9th, 1848.

C. W. MOORE, Esq.-Dear Sir and Brother :--With this, you will receive a copy of an address delivered by Rev. Br. W. C. Crane, on the 26th ult., on the occasion of the laying of the corner-stone of the new Masonic Hall, now being erected in this city, by Vicksburg Lodge, No. 26. It is by the unanimous vote of the Lodge, that I send the address for publication in your Magazine. Vicksburg Lodge, No. 26, (this is the Lodge whose vicissitudes you published a few years since,) is in a very flourishing condition, numbering one hundred and eleven members, You published an account of the dedication of their new hall, June, 1847. In February last, it was destroyed by fire, and everything in the Lodge and Chapter rooms was lost; but with an energy not to be surpassed Vicksburg Lodge set to work to make arrangements for the erection of a new hall, and on the 26th Aug. last, the corner-stone was laid with the usual ceremonies.

The procession on this occasion was the largest and most imposing civic procession ever before witnessed here. It was composed of the I. O. of Odd Fellows; Hibernian, and Mechanics' Benefit Societies; Sons and Cadets of Temperance; Constitution, Phoenix, and Washington Fire Companies; Mayor and Council; Clergy and Masonic Fraternity; the latter with rich regalia, emblems and banners. After passing through the principal streets, they repaired to the site of the new Hall, where the corner-stone was laid by the M. W. G. M., Charles Scott, in the presence of a large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. The procession then repaired to the Prentiss House, and partook of a collation. Fraternally, yours, B. S. TAPPAN.

MASONIC INTELLIGENCE.

MARYLAND.

We have read the report of the Committee on foreign correspondence, submitted at the last semi-annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, as we always do, with great satisfaction. It is an able paper, and altogether worthy of the reputation of its author, (Br. C. H. OHR,) as an intelligent and talented Brother. We give such extracts as we have room for :

GRAND LODGE OF VERMONT.

In the outset New York assumes that the Grand Lodge of Vermont "ceased her labors;" the Grand Master of Vermont says she "never ceased her labors." In the absence of any other testimony, and from the declarations of the M. W. G. Master of Vermont, in his letter and opening address, your committee are bound to believe that the Grand Lodge of Vermont did live in her communications as such by meetings and by regular adjournments." In relation to the rights of recognition of one Grand Lodge by other Grand Lodges,-your committee believe the practice is, that when a Grand Lodge has been formed in accordance with the usages of the Order, and asks recognition as such, it is usual to furnish a copy of the proceedings of the Convention and the Constitution adopted for the government of said Grand Lodge, and its organization under that Constitution. If the proceedings be regular and the Constitution does not come in conflict with any of the "Landmarks" or well known and established laws of the Order, it is customary to recognize, and correspond with her. Should there be any provision contained in the Constitution of such Grand Lodge conflicting with a general law or landmark, recognition may and should rightfully be withheld until the objection be removed, but matters of mere internal policy or regulation afford no ground for refusing recognition. After such recognition has once been extended it should not be withdrawn unless for discourtesy, death, or the violation of a general law or landmark. The regulation of the internal policy, the adoption of rules affecting none but herself, are matters purely her own; others may advise or recommend a different policy, but have no right to disfranchise or excommunicate her therefor; and there is no "right of one independent Grand Lodge to question another independent Grand Lodge as to the construction it gives to its own Constitution, general regulations and by-laws, and its own action under them." Your Committee believe that the power to make, is greater than the thing made, and that a Grand Lodge has the right to alter and amend her local laws as to her may seem best, without let or hindrance. The Constitution of a Grand Lodge, so far as it concerns the government of that Grand Lodge, is a local law subject to any alteration she may see fit to make, but an alteration affecting a landmark cannot be made valid by any one or all the Grand Lodges. That the Grand Lodge of Vermont has attempted to make or has made any alteration in any landmark of Masonry does not appear on the record.

This Grand Lodge having long since recognized the Grand Lodge of Vermont as a regular, independent, and sovereign Grand Lodge, of A. F. and A. Masons; and there being no evidence adduced that the Grand Lodge of Vermont has at any time committed an act of suicide by declaring herself dead, or permitting any other Grand Lodge to exercise jurisdiction within her limits, or that she has violated any landmark of the Order, but to the contrary; the question of vitality, your Committee conceive is not before you. And there being no allegation that she has committed an act of discourtesy toward this or any other Graud Lodge, recognition may not be withdrawn. The undersigned will not, even by indirection, favor the position that there is no legal Grand Lodge in and for Vermont, and therefore do not offer the right hand of fellowship, or invite her to take her place as a Member of the Masonic family, these acts having long since been performed by the Grand Lodge of Maryland. The only question for your decision is, will you continue the interchange of communications with the Grand Lodge of Vermont? That the opinion of this Committee may not be taken, er necessitate, by the reception of this report as the opinion of this Grand Lodge, the Committee will subjoin a resolution by which the Grand Lodge can define her position.

The resolution was adopted and is as follows:

Resolved, That the Grand Secretary is hereby directed to continue on his "List of Grand Lodges in correspondence with the Grand Lodge of Maryland," the name of the Grand Lodge of Vermont.

MASONIC CHIT CHAT.

MASONIC MEANS.-There are about 2000 subordinate Lodges in the United States, now in active operation, having not less, probably, than 70,000 enrolled members, and giving to the Grand Lodges an aggregate annual revenue of about $50,000. The estimated annual receipts by the subordinate Lodges is $275,000. Here are certainly the means of doing an immense amount of good, if actively and wisely directed.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has an annual income of about $9,000, besides the interest arising from the Girard Legacy, the principal of which now amounts to $30,000. The sum of $1522 50 of the interest, was distributed in charity the last year, to seventyfive needy members of the Order.

Gen. Quitman, in some remarks made at a public meeting at Albany, thus notices the opening of a Lodge at Vera Cruz:

"Ancient York Masonry was now proscribed in that country by the existing gov ernment ;—precisely what might be expected from such a population. He said that better times were dawning on that country; that the advance of our army had carried with it that engine of civilization, the Press, and that other engine of civilization, Freemasonry; that a Freemason's Lodge had been formed at Vera Cruz, which had honored him by adopting his name; and that it had already produced the happiest results, and effected great good, by relieving distress, removing prejudices, and promoting good fellowship and kind feeling."

DRESS AT FUNERALS.-The Grand Lodge of Ohio has adopted a resolution, requiring that the dress to be worn at the burial of a Mason, shall be WHITE APRONS AND GLOVES; and in this resolution the Grand Chapter concurs. This is in good taste, and we hope to see the example followed by the other Grand Bodies.

The Grand Lodge of Tennessee has ordered for the same purpose, White Aprons, White Sashes and White Gloves, except for the officers, who are to wear their appropri ate jewels-in addition, we presume.

THE WATER CELEBRATION.-The Cochituate water was introduced into this city, on the 25th ult. We understand that the pipes have been laid in most of the streets, and that the water is very generally taken by the citizens. The occasion was one of great rejoicing. The procession was probably two miles in length, and was composed of the civil authorities of the State, and of this and neighboring cities, the Military, the Fire Department, Masonic Fraternity, and other charitable associations, and the children of the various public schools.

The Masonic part of the procession was composed of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Princes of Jerusalem, Grand Chapter, and several subordinate Chapters and Lodges. The Boston Encampment of Knights Templars performed escort duty for the Masonic bodies.

An agent of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, collected the past year, voluntary subestablishment of an Orphan Asylum, and scriptions to the amount of $1810, for the school for children of Master Masons in that State.

We invite the attention of our readers to the excellent address contained in the present number. It occupies more space than we are generally willing to spare for such a purpose, but we believe that in the present case, we could not have made a better use of it. The address has not before been published.

We regret not being able to see our siding out of town, and being particularly enBr. Morris, of Indiana, when in the city. Regaged at the time, we did not get his card in proper season.

A notice of the new Encampment recently formed in this city, will be found on another page.

We had prepared a large amount of Masonic intelligence, foreign and domestic, for the present number, most of which has been crowded out by the address of Br. Crane.

TESTIMONY OF PERSONS NOT MASONS, HOW TAKEN IN MASONIC TRIALS.

As we look to you in the east, for light, will you have the kindness to answer the following

:-

Is it proper on the trial of a Brother to introduce into open Lodge, a witness who is not a Mason, for the purpose of receiving his testimony? If not, what is the proper method of obtaining such testimony?

There is a great difference of opinion here, among Masons, in reference to this matter, and an answer from you will be of great service. I dont know but you may have discussed this question before; if so, please do so again, as we are without the benefit of your answer. Fraternally,

Marion, 28th August, 1848.

SYLVANUS EVANS.

It would certainly be improper to introduce any witness who is not a Mason, into "open Lodge." None but a Mason can properly be allowed to pass the tyler when on duty. But notwithstanding this prohibition, there need be no difficulty in taking the testimony of uninitiated wit nesses. This may be done before a committee, in the ante-room of the Lodge, or in any other convenient place. But in such case the party accused should be seasonably notified of the name of the witness, and of the time and place where the examination is to take place, that he may have an opportunity to be present and cross-examine him as he, or his council for him, may think proper, and the general rules in such cases will permit. Whenever this course becomes necessary, the examination ought to be conducted in writing; or the questions and answers should be immedi .ately reduced to writing by the chairman of the committee, and read to the parties, that there may be no errors or misunderstanding as to the testimony given. The result should then be signed by the committee, or by all the parties, and presented to the Lodge as the basis of its action, or for such consideration as it may be entitled to.

In trials for dereliction in Masonic duties, the most liberal consideration