The French Freemasons.

THE FRENCH FREEMASONS .

( I ' GOM our ; CORRESPONDENT ) . PARIS , Monday , 2 nd October . rpHE role played by the Freemasons in tho political -L situation of France having given rise to much discussion of lato , a short account of the present condition

of tho Order , as furnished by a member of if , may be found both useful and interesting . The Grand Orient is the most important of the French Masonic Lodges , of which there are four . Its headquarters are in the Rue Cndcfc , where a convent , or general assembly , composed of a

delegate from all the Lodges of obedience and thirty-three members of the Council of the Order is held every year . Theso dignitaries are invested with administrative power , and are elected by the convent for threo year .- * . Tl c labours of the convent , which ended tho other day i <* a

banquet of over four hundred covers , were parfcicul . * - ! y important this year , and will probably form the starting point of a fresh evolution of French Masonry , wlvch considers it its duty to bo foremost in tho field of progress .

As the reader is aware , the Freemasons are supposed to work in secrecy , but in these days when the public desires to bo informed of every current event the secret or-zes out somehow or another . Thus ifc is thafc we know all the

resolutions of general interest adopted by the convent , and , though it may be an indiscretion to divulge them , yefc Masonry need not complain , since all its efforts tend towards tbe amelioration of the condition of the people . Such being the case , publicity cannot fail to be productive of good .

Under the Second Empire Freemasonry was checkmated by Napoleon Ill . / who forced the Order to accept as Grand Masters successively Prince Lucien Murat , Marshal Magnan , and General Mellinet . In 1870 , however , ifc regained its liberty and proclaimed in favour of the Republic . One

of its first reforms at that date was the suppression of the phrase " Grand Architect of the Universe , " which caused an outcry , especially among the English Freemasons . This done , ifc entered the domains of practical reforms , and elaborated tbe laws which are recognised as the foundation

of French political institutions . Gratuitous secular and compulsory education , and equality in tho military conscription are , according to the Freemasons , the work of the Lodges , which , after having studied those great questions in the silence of their temples , propagated them in public

lectures , books , pamplets , and newspapers . They have nofc slept on their laurels , and are now pursuing the perfection and integral application of the scholastic and military laws as well as the separation of Church and State . On all these subjects the French Freemasons are distinctly intransigent

I hey hope to succeed because they say they never abandon a task before accomplishing it . With this object in view they are trying to induce the electors to refuse their , suffrages to all candidates who do not accept these reforms , which so far have not been exacted by Republican Committees in a sufficiently decided manner .

From a strictly political point of view , the opinions of the Freemasons are , -we are told , equally firm and uncompromising . They are nofc likely to be gained over by those who have rallied to the Republic , although they have no great enthusiasm for the present policy of the Place

Beauvais or that of the Elysee . Bufc ifc musfc nofc be imagined from this that Freemasonry will tako up an attitude hostile to the executive power of the State . Ifc will work patiently and peacefully , as the besfc . way of arriving at success .

Respecting social questions , Freemasonry during the firsfc years of its liberty was almost exclusively bourgeois , to use the word now in vosruo . Now and then in some

unimportant Lodge a member would present a resolution in favour of the study of such questions , and that was all . Lasfc year , however , a decisive stop was taken in this direction , and several Lodges accepted the programme of thc Social Workmen Party ; indeed , thc current became so

strong that the convent of 1802 , on the prosposal of some of the delegates , offered a money prize for thc best work on tbe means of extinguishing misery . A number of pamphlets , many of them very remarkable , were laid before the convent of 1893 , bnt , as none of them realised the ideal desired , tho prize remains open for next year . In the convent just held the area of social questions was enlarged , and tho great reforms which now occupy tho

The French Freemasons.

public mind woro submitted to the examination of fcho Lodges , notably tho laws necessary to prepare tho way for the separation of Church and State ; tho suppression of nil religious congi * egations of no matter what creed , and tho confiscation of their property to the nation ; tho abolition

of monopolies of all kinds , including railways , tho Bank of France , and mines ; and the redistribution of property under n ' . l its various form ? . It appears that ifc was nofc without a vague terror that certain Fro 3 masons saw placed

on the table several of theso qu ^ s ' ion .- " , particularly thafc concerning property , and r . o doubt tho nexfc convent will bo divided on many of them . Bufc the division will not go to the length of a schism .

In regard fco another delicate point , tho patriotism of tho Order , which is contested by tho clerical ;* , ifc is said that an opportunity took place during tho last convent which enabled tho Freemasons to mako an imposing

domonstratiou showing iheir zealous devotion to their country . In two speeches made ab Naples and Rome , Signor Adriano Lemmi , Grand Master of the Italian Freemasonry , declared that he hoped in a short time to see tho Italian flag floating over Corsica . This was no sooner communicated fco tho

convent than all the members rose from their seats and proclaimed thafc if war broke out between Franco ancl Italy contesting the legitimacy of French rites over Nice and Corsica the French Freemasons would be found in tho first rank of combatants . The incident wound up wifch enthusiastic cries of " Vive la Franco !"

It is scarcely requisite to give all tho names of tho celebrated personages who belong to the Order . Suffice it to say thafc the President of fche Republic , the majority of his

Ministers , and a great number of Republicm deputies , are Freemasons . Every day , we are assured , fresh Masons are made . During the electoral period a new man comes to the front . In nine cases out of ten he will be found to be a

Freemason , brought forward by one of the Lodges , the members of which , have found him capable of supporting the reforms desired by the Order . Citizen Benoit Malon , who died the other day , has left a vacancy in ifc which will not be easily fille . l up . —Qlohe .

Devon Masonic Educational Fund.

DEVON MASONIC EDUCATIONAL FUND .

fpiIE success of the concei t given by the brethren of the Threo JL Towns last year in aid of the D . > von Masonio Educational Fund was so complete that it has been determined to maku a similar effort this year . List year ' s concert , thniiks t > Bro . TV . WilIon « liby ' ri valuable £ oriices , yielded a net profit of nearly £ 70 , nnd in the sum' ) able bands it is anticipated th ^ t tbe forthcoming oue will bo oven more successful . The Plymouth Guildhall has been secured for Wednesday , 29 th November , for it .

Scottish Masonic Club.

SCOTTISH MASONIC CLUB .

fTlHE promises recently acquired by this club in Hill Street , Edin-1 burgh , wero thrown open to the members on tho 9 th inst . The club has been established for the express pui pose of providing a ready means of social intercourse between members of the Masonio Fraternity . It has received official recognition of tho Craft in Scotland—the Grand Master , the Earl of Haddington , having accepted the presidentship , while tbe Grand Master-Depute , Sir Cbarles

Dalrymple , and the Substitute Grand Master , Lord Silmon , are the honorary vice-Presidents . The offices of Secretary and Treasurer are in the able hands of Bro . W . A . Davis , accountant . A spacious club-room , an excellent billiard table , Masonic notices nnd literature , and arrangements for luncheon for the convenience of country members are nuionget the attractions of the snug new premises of the club . There is already a membership of about 80 .

Women In "Masonry."

WOMEN IN "MASONRY . "

ON tbe Sth inst . a concert was held at the Masonic Hall , Rankino a Court , Dundee , under the auspices of the Orderof tha Eastern Star , a Masonic body whose members are restricted to tho fair sejt . Mr . William Willsher , who presided , waa accompanied by Miss J , Grant , tho Worthy Matron , and there was a good attendance . Tho programme was an excellent one , and inclnded songs , recitations , & o . —Dundee Courier .

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[ ^ n ^ . FT 1 HIS valuable medicine , discovered and ifflJM «| j 9 fc JL invented by Mr . RicirABD FJH-KMAS in 18-14 , RHilnj , introduced into India and Egypt in 1850 , ancl sttb-WtillHripMHWBr scquently all over thc world , maintains its suprc-HBVS \ 3 macy as a special and specific Remedy for tho JBLBUSLHlftr . !? . Treatment and Cure of Coughs , Colds , Consumpw 5 S 5 ^* R *'' 5 r tion , Cancer , Bronchitis , Asthma , Ague , Sore ''^ GDfiJlAA" Throat , Influenza , Neuralgia , Diarrhoea , Dysentery , Asiatic Cholera , Colic , Gout , and all Fevers . - ,- ~ «««* - i -. T . r . At ls lid , 2 s Od , Is 6 d , lis , and 20 s per bottle . FREEMAN O Sold by Patent Medicine Dealers in all parts of the world . / -miTTM A T N . B . —Lord ChanceHor Selborne , Lord Justice UI \ luliN ALi James , and Lord Justice Mellish decided in favour Of FREEMAN'S ORIGINAL CHI . OUODyNE , and PLTT fYDfiTWWT ? against Brown and Davenport , compelling them to LilLUlvvJJL'IlH Xj . pay all costs ia the suit— See Timesol 21 th July 18 / 3 .