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Important Notice

The Freemasons' Magazine" having ceased to exchange zvith the " Bauhutte , " / noiv receive THE FREEMASON only , from which I translate all important news for

my paper , and make nse of historical facts and discoveries contained in its pages . My personal Masonic friends in England and Scotland and all Masonic authors will

oblige vie , and at thc same time do a service to the Craft , if they publish all their articles in THE FREEMASON exclusivel y , which is

noiv THE medium for me to become acquainted masonically zvith all that is going on in Great Britain and Ireland .

J . G . FINDEL Leipsig , 21 st December , 1869 .

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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate oi nearly Ualf-a-inilliou per annum , it offers peculiar facilities to all who advertise . It is well known that the Fraternity of Freemasons is a large and constantly increasing body , mainly composed of the influential ancl educated classes of society ; and as The Freemason is now the accepted organ ofthe Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonies and foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium can scarcely be overrated . For terms apply to GEORGE KENNING , 2 , 3 , & 4 , LITTLE BRITAI N , LONDON , E . C . . -

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$ anx ( $ \ x imir ( iC . oIonhr . 1 incuts . —*—AMERICA : Bro . J . FLETCHER BRENNAN , 114 , Mainstreet , Cincinnati , Ohio . ,, Messrs . AYOODRUIT & BLOCKER , Little Rock , Arkansas , U . S . CANADA : Messrs . DEVRIE & SON , Ottawa . CAPE OF GOOD HOPE : Bro . GEORGE BRITTAIN , Cape Town . CEYLON : Messrs . YV . L . SlCEENF . & Co ., Colombo . CONSTANTINOPLE : Br . J . L . IIANI . Y , Lreant Times . EAST INDIES : Allahabad : Messrs . AA ' YMAN BROS . Pyculla : Bro . GEO . BEASE . Central Provinces : Bro . F . J . JORDAN . Kurrachee : Bro . G . C . BRAYSOX . Madras : Mr . CALEII FOSTER . Mhcnv : Bro . COAVASJEE NUSSERAYANJEE . Poena : Bro . AV . AY ELL is . GALATA : IPSICK KUAN , Perche-I ' ajar . LIBERIA : Bro . HENRY D . BROWN , Monrovia . PARIS : M . DECHEVACX-DIMESNIL , Rue de llarlaydu-Palais , 20 , near the Pont Ncuf ; Editor Le Franc-Macon . And all Booksellers and Newsagents in England , Ireland , and Scotland .

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^ u'iljs , ISfemiujcs , anb § cat [) S . ** PIP TIL BOORD . —On the 29 th December , at 1 S 0 , Belsize-road , Kilburn , the wife of Bro . Thos . AV . Boord , iS , Knight ofthe Order of Constantine , of a daughter . DEA TILS . CAZALEY , —On Friday , the 24 th ult ., Bro . James Thomas Cazaley , I . G ., Egyptian Lodge , No . 27 , and Companion ofthe Rose of Denmark Chapter , No . 975 ; deeply and deservedly regretted . MILLER . —On Sunday , the 26 th ult ., at 6 , Augusta-place , Clapham-road , Ann , widow of thc late Bro . Robert Miller , Grand Tyler , aged 75 years . Mrs . Miller had enjoyed a penson of , £ 30 per annum from the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England for upwards of 30 years .

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All communications for THE FREEMASON should be wrilten legibly , on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number must be received not later than io o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . Thc name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY JANUARY I , 1870 . ¦

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THE FREEMASON- is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The price of THE FREEMASON is Twopence per week ; quarterly subscription ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annual Subscription , us . Subscriptions payable in advance . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR , 2 , 3 , and 4 , Liltle Britain , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him , but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

The New Year.

THE NEW YEAR .

THE year which has just closed has not been an uneventful one in the annals of Freemasonry , and the lesson which . it teaches is full of inspiration for the future .

Notwithstanding the wrathful denunciations of a Power whose satellites are spread over the four quarters of the globe , and whose armouries are ever forging weapons

to subdue the brave and free in thought , Freemasonry has advanced , is advancing , and cannot be repelled . Those spiritual thunders which once made Europe tremble

now fail even to arrest the march of our great Fraternity of peace and love . Nay , the very monstrous nature of the accusations laid to our charge by the Papal authorities is itself sufficient to induce reasonable

men to investigate the cause of such a malignant perversion of truth , and the result of such enquiry , is to strengthen our position by rendering pointless the

keenest shafts of thc enemy . We are speaking now of true Freemasonry—of that old and venerable system of morality whose precepts breathe the A'ery essence of all that is divine in human nature—the sum of

everything that can dignify and gladden human existence . Wc arc speaking now of that ancient fabric Avhose foundations were laid by just ,

wise , and virtuous men , in the profound depths of reason and religion—not of thc ephemeral structure reared in these degenerate days by the sons of anarchy and atheism .

Wc look back with pride to the history of thc English Craft . Unstained by rebellion , untainted by infidelity , our forefathers fought the battle of life simply , yet nobly ,

and have bequeathed to us memories that shall never die—names that shall never be forgotten . To use a simile which will bear repetition , English Freemasonry resembles

the far spreading banian-tree , . whose branches cover the soil in every direction and refresh the earth with their cool and pleasing shade . And AVC have ample cause

for rejoicing Avhen AVC contemplate the good that our Institution has achieved , when we reflect upon thc many manifestations of good will to which it has given

birth , and when we remember that it is dowered with thc daily blessings of thc widow and the orphan , over whose sorrow it spreads the hallowed sunshine of

beneficence and charity . Wherever the English language is spoken , there AVC find Freemasons adhering most strictly to thc ancient landmarks—neither meddling with politics nor dogmas of faith in their lodges , but on

The New Year.

the contrary refraining from even the slightest attempt to identify the Order with their own private opinions . Such is also the case , we are informed , in the greater

part of Germany , Holland , SAvitzerland , and the North of Europe , but unhappily , in other countries a different

spirit prevails , against Avhich Ave have protested , and still feel it to be our duty to protest .

However , we speak more in sorroAV than in anger , of those erring brethren , whose mistaken notions of duty Ave are fully

acquainted Avith , and Avhose motives , we are anxious to concede , are usually generous and humane .

But to return to pleasanter themes . We view in the past year , a splendid herald of the future * never have the great charities of the Order in England , been more

liberally supported than in eighteen hundred and sixty-nine , and never have the glorious principles of the Craft been more power , fully exemplified .

"Progress ' is the word that Avill best characterise our career during the last twelve months—Ave have inaugurated our New Hall—Ave have received amongst us as

a "Brother , " not as a "Patron , " the future monarch of the realm—we have added to our already voluminous roll of members

some six or seven thousand brethren Avho , we hope , will prove good men and true , and we have chartered about fifty new lodges throughout our vast jurisdiction .

Death—inexorable death—has not laid low many of our mighty ones the chiefs under whose banners we commenced the year still lead us at its close , but for some

among us , doubtless , the dead months have brought their weight of grief , some hearths are now desolate that lately beamed Avith joy , and some worthy pillars of our temple arc now levelled in the dust of death .

This , however , is the inevitable course of nature , and with so much to cheer our minds Ave must not be saddened by the vicissitudes from which no earthly

institution is free , but rather let us press onward in the hope that when Ave , in our turn , shall depart from this mortal sphere of labour wc may be found to have done our duty by

promoting the happiness of our felloAV-men . This is the great aim of Freemasonry , and it is one which should be kept constantly in view ; it is not by the subversion of

dynasties , or the ruin of organised society , that such an object is to be attained , but by thc patient , far-seeing discharge of our

several duties in every relation of life . It will be the privilege of T HE FREEMASON to enunciate these sentiments in 1870 as it has

hitherto done in 1869 , certain as AVC are , not only of the approval of our own conscience , but of the support of the vast majority of

the Craft . We shall continue to advocate those principles Avhich we were taught to revere at our initiation , and which Ave have since sAvorn to enforce and obey .

No paltry considerations of self-interest shall induce us to betray our trust ; no foolish fears shall cause us to deviate from