PROCESSION AT MASONIC BURIAL.

Editor of The Ashlar: Can an E. A. or a F. C. join in the procession at a Masonic burial?

ANS. No.

BROTHER ADMITTED BY AVOUCHMENT.

A Brother comes to the Lodge and vouches for another Brother, about whose identity there is no doubt. The Brother vouched for does not appear till a subsequent evening. Can he then be admitted on the vouching aforesaid, or must he be examined?

ANS. He can be admitted without examination.

APPEAL FROM THE MASTER.

Bro. Weston: The Master of our Lodge made a decision on a question of order pertaining to business and not to the work, which is contrary to the opinion of a large majority of the Lodge. Have we no immediate remedy?

ANS. You can appeal to the Grand Lodge or Grand Master.

ADMITTING VISITORS.

Editor Ashlar-Dear Bro.: Suppose a Master refuses to admit a visitor contrary to the wishes of some of the Brethren, can the matter of admission be put to a vote in the Lodge, and is the Master bound by the vote?

ANS. The decision of the Master cannot be appealed from, consequently a vote cannot be taken.

EVIDENCE ON APPEALS.

Editor Ashlar: A Brother is convicted in a Lodge, and takes an appeal to a Grand Lodge. Can any evidence not given in the subordinate body, be introduced in the trial before the superior body? Please answer in THE ASHLAR.

ANS. We regard the case opened anew when it is appealed, and any evidence may be produced which will further the ends of justice.

MASONS MADE IN LODGES U. D.

My Dear Brother Weston: In a Lodge under dispensation, are those who are Master Masons, members of the Lodge?

ANS. They are not.

For THE ASHLAR.

THE OGIBWA MAIDEN'S SONG TO HER CHIEFTAIN.

By Salathiel C. Coffinburg.

O, come to the grove, where the song of the fountain,

In lute-tones of love, softly swells on the air,

Where the eagle's wild scream on the peak of the mountain
Is blent with the echos that answer it there;

Or come where the rill in a cascade is flashing,

And we'll gather bright pebbles on its silvery shore;
There we 'll mingle our song with the cataract dashing,
Or we'll mock the wild birds till they answer no more.

O come where the streamlet so softly is singing
Its day song of joy 'neath the emerald screen
Of dew-sparkling branches, that over it swinging,

Reflect in its waters the purest of green;

Where the honey bee hums 'round the bells of the flowers,
That open their petals and woo for a kiss

Of the love breathing zephyrs, all moist with spring showers
Of pure crystal rain drops; come join me in this.

O come where the soft velvet moss is inviting,
'Neath the shadowy foliage of many a tree;
Where vines intertwining, like fond hearts uniting,

We'll sing our glad song; there our bower shall be ;
And o'er the green carpet we'll watch the bright dancing
Of the checkered sunlight through the boughs of the trees,
Now quiv'ring and flitting, now flashing and glancing,
As the branches are waved in the whispering breeze;

And there, where the waves turn their bright silv'ry edges
All gently aside, to let in the pure light
O'er the beautiful flowers, we 'll renew our love pledges;
Fair wood nymphs will gather in vestments of white.
Then come when the dew-drops bespangle the bowers,
Or when the soft sunlight fades dim on the day,
And there let us linger and gather sweet flowers
Till the pale silver moonbeams shall steal o'er our way.

THE ANSWER.

I come, my love, in my light canoe,
The breeze is fresh, the skies are blue;
I'll dance with thee by the sparkling rill,
In the shadow of the cragged hill.

I left the path of the buffalo,

And ceased to chase the bounding doe;

At the hungry wolf on the desert plain
I shot my feather'd darts in vain,
Mine eye was dim, and dull my spear,
For the song of love was in mine ear.
I come, my love, &c.

I'll scale the dizzy mountain peak
The eagle's feathers there I'll seek,
And, with spring flowrets fresh and rare
I'll twine them in thy raven hair:

The eagle, chiding, shall look down
With envy on thy bridal crown.

I come, my love, &c.

The panther's skin thy couch shall be;
The silver fox I'll chase for thee;

The beaver and the otter fine,

Their furs shall spread that couch of thine;

The swan shall yield her snowy breast

A pillow where thy head may rest.
I come, my love, &c.

The Huron's scalp thy feet shall grace,
His richest paints thy cheeks shall trace;
His beads shall dangle from thine ears,
Like sparkling chains of frozen tears.
The bounding elk and dappled fawn
Shall sport around thee o'er the lawn.
I come, my love, &c.

The Osage and the Pawnee braves
Upon their nations' wildwood graves
In agony shall shriek again;

I'll twist their war tufts in a chain,

With shells and wampum rich and rare,
And braid it with thy glossy hair.
I come, my love, &c.

ACKNOWLEDGED candidates, who are invested with the Most Excellent Master's Degree, are said to be "received and acknowledged " as such, because as the possession of that Degree supposes a more intimate knowledge of the science of Masonry, the word acknowledged is used to intimate that such a character is conceded to its possessors. The word received conveys an allusion to the original reception of the first M. E. Masters by King Solomon.

For THE ASHLAR.

FIFTY DEGREES.

ANN ARBOR, SEPT. 8, 1859.

Ed. Ashlar-Esteemed Brother: Not being well at this time, and not in condition of mind to compose a letter suitable to the subject, I leave all to you to make such remarks as the nature of the case may require, (should you deem it proper to publish anything of the kind,) only stating that some of our Brethren think that no such number of degrees as mentioned in No. 1 of Vol. 5, was ever conferred in America. I will therefore write them down by their titles, as I received them, but cannot say they are in the order in which they should stand; many of them are ineffable and honorary, and were received as opportunity offered, and several of them were some forty years ago conferred in Ladies' Lodges, composed of Royal Arch Masons' wives. Those who suppose that ladies cannot keep a secret, are at least forty years behind the times. Their Lodges were conducted with the greatest decorum, and the most strict scrutiny was exercised in the admission of candidates. The following are the titles of the Degrees as I have them:

Intendant of the Building, or Master Elect of Perignan.、

THOMAS SMITH WEBB.

ANYTHING pertaining to Bro. Thomas Smith Webb cannot fail to interest the Craft. We find in the last Voice of Masonry, the following account given by Bro. Jas. Collins:

My recollections with regard to Bro. Webb, are in most particulars so vague and indefinite as not to afford many very reliable statistics. I knew him by sight, as he was familiarly called Tom Webb, as early as 1813, '14 and 15, but my intimate acquaintance did not commence until the 16th of August, 1818, the evening on which I received the degree of E. A., and from that time until early in the Winter of 1819, I was with him nearly the whole of the time.

I think, from what I can now recollect of his account of himself, that he must have been an Englishman by birth, but may have been a Scotchman; at any rate his connections must have been on the old continent, as I have often heard him speak of writing them there. I have often heard him speak of his father, Joseph Webb, an Episcopal clergyman, who was appointed Deputy Grand Master of a Grand Lodge at Boston, and all parts within the distance of one hundred miles, in 1771, which appointment he held until 1777; when, after the revolutionary troubles were at an end, it was thought best to establish an independent Grand Lodge in Massachusetts, of which he was elected Grand Master, which he held until his death in 1782.

Thomas Smith Webb was small in stature, dark complexioned, and anything but prepossessing in his appearance. His father had intended him for the law. He graduated in the classical department with the highest honors, and had nearly finished the study of his profession when he was initiated into Masonry, and from that time abandoned the idea of the law, and paid his whole attention to the institution, and made frequent visits to his friends in the old country, for the purpose of perfecting himself.

His manner of teaching was very familiar, easy and communicative; a stickler as to words or letters, but in possession of all the necessary patience, accompanied with explanations, illustrations and all manner of anecdotes calculated to make such impressions upon the memory as to rivet his particular phraseology in such a manner as not easily to be forgotten.

Nor must they suffer any to spread unjust reproaches or calumnies against a Brother behind his back, nor to injure him in his fortune, occupation or character; but they shall defend such a Brother, and give him notice of any danger or injury wherewith he may be threatened, to enable him to escape the same, as far as is consistent with honor, prudence, and the safety of religion, morality, and the State, but no farther.-Ancient Constitutions.