The Masonic Year 1877.

of Ireland , which was in correspondence with the Grand Orient , issued an edict forbidding further intercourse between the members of tho two bodies , and our Grand Lodge , which had no official relations with it , has appointed a committee whose duty it will bo to inquire into all the

circumstances and report thereon at the next Quarterly Communication . None moro deeply regret the action of tho Grand Orient than wo do , and none will moro heartily rejoice if there should bo found , even at the last moment ,

some way of rectifying this terrible mistake . However , we need say nothing further , ancl most gladly do we turn to the other occurrences which have marked the history of the Craft in Franco . Among these , at all events , wo shall find 1 r . fc slight reason for regret .

The latest returns we have received of the strength ancl distribution of the Craft in France are given in Le Monde Maconnique for July , the information being extracted from the Calendar of the Grand Orient . From these it appears there are 258 Lodges , 33 Chapters , 14 Councils , 1

Consistory , and 1 Grand College of Rites , making a total of 307 bodies subordinate to the Grand Orient . They are thus distributed : —in Paris 46 Lodges , 5 Chapters , 2 Councils , and the Grand College of Rites ; in tho Department of tho Seine , 8 Lodges ; iu the other Departments , 164 Lodges ,

16 Chapters , ancl 7 Councils ; in Algeria , 10 Lodges , 2 Chapters , and 1 Council ; in the French Colonies , 8 Lodges , 3 Chapters , ancl 1 Council ; in foreign parts , 22 Lodges , 7 Chapters , 3 Councils , ancl 1 Consistory . In the way of new or revived Lodges we find that Lodge

L JEcole Mutuetle , which had been dormant since the war , was solemnly revived on the 30 th May . Ten days previous a new Lodge in the Orient of Mantes was installed by Bro . Caubefc , one of the Secretaries of the Council of the Grand Orient , assisted by Bros . Wyrouboff and Blanchon , members of

the same . Another new one at Neuilly-Plaisance was installed by Bro . Dalsace , member of the Council , and applications for warrants for Lodges at Cannes , Cette , Belfort , & c , have been favourably entertained by the Council . On the other hand , no less than twenty-three

Lodges have been closed , by order of the civil authorities , and among these are the five Lodges at Toulouse , two at Chambery , two at Vienne ( Isere ) , one in Paris , ancl others at St . Malo , Perigueux , & c , & c . One Lodge was

provisionally suspended tor violating the laws relating to Masonic displays in public , and several brethren , including certain Venerables ( W . Masters ) were similarly punished for irregularities in initiating M . Jules Faure , formerly member of the Government of the National Defence . As

to the work done by , and the position of , the G . Orient , there is nothing which is not eminently satisfactory , excepting , of course , the passing of that resolution we have already condemned . In the cause of education and beneficence , however , the G . Orient renders excellent service .

Last year a course of instruction in the English language was opened , under the auspices of the Council , which was impelled to this step by the success of its German class established in 1875 . And , as nothing succeeds like success , the commencement of the year 1877 was signalised

by the establishment of two additional courses , one in the language and literature , and the other in the history , of France . On the 4 th August , the prizes to the successful pupils in the several classes were distributed by Bro . de Saint Jean , President of the Council , in the presence of some

two thousand persons . Bro , de Saint Jean was assisted in his very agreeable duty by Bros . Cambas , Caubet , and Andre Rousselle , members of the Council ; Koch , Director of the Courses ; and Albert Leroy , Professor of French ; Thevenot , head of the Secretariat of the G . Orient ;

Poulain , President of the Masonic Orphanage ; Aug . Marais , Secretary General of the Society for Elementary Instruction ; and several Venerables , & c , & c . Three speeches were delivered—by Bros , de St . Jean , Leroy , and Koch , after which the prizes were awarded , as follow : —

French language , Mdlles . Moyeux and Mezin , M . Honrdry ; German language ( third year ) , Messieurs Laboure , Deguilhem , and Kaltenbach ; second year , Mclmes , Gaudilliere , Studler , ancl Rougier , Messieurs Dnpuis and Baumann ; first year , Mdile . Petitfils and Gille , MM .

Lepine ancl Mongel ; English Language , second year , Mcllles Huten ancl Desartre , MM . Gaillarcl ancl Nickels ; first year , Mcllles Chatelain and Dromery , MM . Brot ancl

Dedieu ; French Histoiy—Mdlles . Mezin ancl Dizambourg , MM . Ernest Dncas and Dreyfus ; Geography , Mcllles Dizambourg , Ginier , Tafforeau and Messier , MM . Geerfcs and Lecordier : Stenography , Upper Class , Mdlle Flock , and MM .

The Masonic Year 1877.

Lanisoland Olivier ; Elementary ditto , Mdlle Guillemin . This work reflects the greatest credit on our French brethren ; for tho education in these several classes , it must be remembered , is given gratuionsly , and as far as tho accommodation will permit , any person may avail himself of these opportunities

for self-improvement . Nor , as we have said , is French Freemasonry unmindful of its obligations in respect of Charity . On tho 10 th February , tho Council decided that subscriptions should be opened towards the relief of tho Lyons workmen . Tho Grand Orient itself headed tho list ,

with a subscription oi 1 , 000 frs ., and in the course of some six or seven weeks , the amount contributed had reached upwards of 8 , 000 frs . Early in April tho Toulouse Lodges gave a concert in aid of the same sufferers , and the amount realised exceeded 2 , 000 frs . The Lodgo La Parfaite Amitie .

afc Alhi was alone the means of raising , by means of a lottery , towards this fund the handsome sum of 3 , 000 frs . On the 27 th October it was decided to open a subscription for the sufferers by the Russo-Turkish war , while tho instances of similar deeds by individual Lodges are frequent

throughout the year . Then there is a Masonic General Orphanage , in support of whose funds a grand dramatic ancl musical foto was given last month . The receipts of this Institution amounted during the past year to 21 , 365 . 25 frs ., and the expenditure to 17 , 561 . 30 frs .,

leaving a balance in hand of close on 3 , 704 frs . Seven additional children were taken in , of whom four hailed from the Provinces , thus raising the number of children , who have been adopted by the Orphanage to eighty-three . But our readers will be able to form a better idea of the

exploits of French Masonry in this field of labour , if we enumerate some of the more recent subscriptions raised among the French Lodges , as recorded in le Monde Maconnirpte . At the outbreak of the late war , the Grand Orient formed an ambulance of fifty beds , complete in all its

appointments . At the close of the war , a subscription was raised towards the liberation of the occupied territory , amounting to 91 . 093 frs . Another of 40 . 446 frs . was raised for the sufferers of the war . In aid of the sufferers by the inundations in the South of France the amount subscribed was

64 , 212 frs . 12 , 721 frs . were contributed for the Lyons workmen , ancl 10 , 157 francs for the sufferers by the inundations in Alsace ancl Switzerland . Many smaller sums wero raised or voted by the Grand Orient towards other funds , while the Maison da Secours—onr Lodgo of

Benevolence—attached to the Grand Orient , has an annual revenue of from 12 , 000 francs to 13 , 000 francs , the distribution of which is entrusted to a special Board , presided over by Bro . Gammas , a member of the Council . We may state further , in the way of news , that on the

21 st April the monument erected at the grave of the late Bro . Massol in Pere Lachaise , was formally inaugurated in the presence of a numerous gathering . Bro . Tajan-Roge delivered an oration suitable to tho occasion , which was received most respectfully by the audience .

Among the losses which the Craft has sustained by death must bo mentioned that of Bro . Armand , Vice-President of the Council , and Viel-Picard of Besancon , whose munificence may bo said to have known no limits , seeing that at different times the gifts he had presented to his native

town towards the relief of the indigent , ancl for useful public works , exceeded 600 , 000 francs . In the course of the year , too , the Grand Orient was complimented by the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , Bro . Z . Mazel , the French representative at the latter , being instructed to present , on its

behalf , to the Grand Orient a medal commemorative of the celebration , in 1876 , of the sixtieth anniversary of Prince Frederick ' s tenure of the Grand Mastership of the Netherlands , together with a volume containing a full account of the auspicious event . If we add that Bro . Caubet , till

lately one of the Secretaries of the Council of the Grand Orient , has been elected a Vice-President in succession to Bro . Armand , ancl that Bro . de Hercdiahas been chosen to fill the Secretaryship thus rendered vacant by the promotion of Bro . Caubet , we think we shall have said all we havo

to say that is likely to interest our readers m respect of French Freemasonry . In taking leave of them now , wo wish them all prosperity ; and , as a first step towards tho attainment of still greater fortune , w e cannot forbear expressing the hope thafc , in order to maintain the integrity

of Freemasonry , the Grand Orient may find , even afc this late hour , some way of restoring its deleted article of faith , ancl so avoiding that state of isolation from almost the whole of the Masonic world , which it seems to us inevitably awaits it , if it resolves on pursuing the course