Important Notice.

IMPORTANT NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FORBIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in the first number of every month .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India ; otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

Remittances Received.

REMITTANCES RECEIVED .

£ s . d . Austen , A . E ., The Cape ( P . O . O . ) 29 6 Austin , W . W ., Indiana ( P . O . O . ) 117 4 Collins , B ., India ( Cheque ) 100 Davev . H .. San Francisco ( P . O . O . ) 220

Firmin , W . R ., Victoria ( P . O . O . ) 076 Jones , F . New York ( Draft ) 57 6 Peacock , J . R ., California , ( P . O . O . ; 1 4 3 Sly , F ., Victoria ( P . O . O . ) 1 o 0 Smith , D ., Africa ( P . O . O . ) 1 4 o

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / - P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at thc chief office , London .

NEW POSTAL RATES . Owing to a reduction in the Postal Rates , the publisher is now enabled to send the " Freemason" to the following parts abroad for One Year for Twelve Shillings ( payable in advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of Good Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demerara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Ncwfoundand , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , L nited States of America . & c .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS should reach thc Office , 19 S Fleet Street , London , not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday , to insure insertion in the following Saturday ' s number . The Rates for Advertisements may be had on application at the Office .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

In answer to " Cape of Good Hope " we would say : — 1 . On thc right of the W . M ., though there is no fixed rule . l £ G . Lodge the G . Chaplain sits on thc left of the G . M . 2 . -The question has been answered by the G . S . It is a matter for the lodge bye-laws . 3 . We think not . 4 . We doubt the possibility of any such bye-law being enforced . No one can be compelled to vote . P . M . —We know of none of any official authority or

value . The following stand over -. —Reports of lodges 209 , 379 . 4 ^ 5 . 477 . I 0 un > H 96 , 1386 , 1 5 , 1531 , 153 6 , 1597 ; Lodges of Instruction , 579 , Victoria Metropolitan , Leopold . Southwark , Upper Norwood , Carnarvon ( Havant ) ; Chapters 340 , 862 , 446 ; Mark Lodge 109 ; Scotch lodges , o , 3 i > 73 > OS . 'OS . 307 , 317 , . 347 , 371 . Provincial Grand Mark Ledge of Devon . " Admission of Candidates" and Bro . Thomson's letter in our next .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Gd . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

Bill I HS BniTTos . —On the 24 th ult ., at 21 , Wingate-road , Hammersmith , the wife of A . T . Britton , Esq ., of a daughter . DAVIS . —On the 1 st ult ., at Shahjahanpur , India , the wife of Dr . J . N . Davis , of a daughter .

JACKSON . —On the 13 th ult ., at Lancaster , the wife of Bro . T . Jackson , of a son . LEVY . —On the 22 nd ult ., at Commercial-road East , thc wife of L . Levy , of a son . MALDSLAY . —On thc 27 th ult ., at Upton Grove , Tctbury , the wife of H . C . Maudslay , of a son .

MARRIAGES . PAHSONS—CA NIPBELL . —On Sept . 2 7 , atChristchurch , N . Z . Frederick J ames , son of thc late Commander W . Parsons , R . N ., of Parkstone , Dorsetshire , to Elizabeth Helen daughter of the late J . Campbell , Esq .

DEATHS . HAYWOOD . —On the 25 th ult ., George Haywood , of Derby , aged 45 . MELLON . —On the 25 th ult ., Bro . Henry Mellon , after great suffering . MOHIIIEW . —On thc 22 nd ult ., at King-street , Covcnt Garden , Lucinda Ann , wife of Bro . W . T . Morphcw ,

aged 42 . PAOET . —On the 27 th ult ,, at Aldersgate-strcct , Thomas Paget , aged 34 . VA . IU . KY . —On the 21 st ult ., at Aldcrshot , Staff-Veterinary Surgeon William Varlcv , aired 4 ; .

WILLIAMS . —On the 26 th ult , at Wrexham , George Harvey V . 'i ! liams , M . D ., aged 57 . WILLIS . —On thc 28 th ult ., at Chichestcr-tcrrace , Brighton , Henry Willis , Esq ., aged 67 . WVLILV— On the 27 th ult ., Bro . Thomas Wylic , P . P . G . R . West Lancashire , at the Hermitage , Southport .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , DEC . 2 , 1876 " .

Prince Leopold In Wiltshire.

PRINCE LEOPOLD IN WILTSHIRE .

Our brethren will have read with pleasure the account of our Royal brother ' s visit to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire , under its noble and worthy chief , Lord Methuen , and his able and genial address will have gratified the Craft in general as much as it did the brethren of

Wiltshire in particular . It is very agreeable to all loyal Freemasons to note how the members of our Royal Family are " not ashamed " to call us " brethren , " to take part in our assemblies , and , in the words of our old song , do not disdain " our mysteries to put a good grace on . " May

this happy state of things long continue , and be the " decus columenque " of English Freemasonry . We hope our exalted brethren will believe that they do not and cannot give us more pleasure in coming among us , sympathizing with our labours , and sharing in our social

gatherings , than we do in seeing them in the midst of our loyal assemblies . We receive them , and ever shall receive them , with that becoming pride and gratification which are , so to say , innate in the bosom of every faithful Craftsman .

The Emulation Festival.

THE EMULATION FESTIVAL .

The Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , which was held in the Grand Lodge Hall on Friday week , was presided over by the M . W . Pro G . Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , supported by the Earl of Limerick , thc Earl of Donoughmore , forty of the most distinguished

Grand Officers , present and past , and nearly 600 members of the Craft . One of the most interesting features connected with the meeting was the presentation of a silver inkstand to our worthy and distinguished G . Secretary , who has acted as Treasurer of the Emulation Lodge for 30 years .

The admirable remarks of Lord Carnarvon , cheered as they were by thc large assemblage , must have been peculiarly gratifying to Bro . Hervey , and we will add , that there is no brother in our Order who more truly deserves the regard and attachment and respect of all

who know him . The sections were worked by eig ht Past Gnmd Officers , who were in past years active members of the lodge , and it was universally admitted that on no former occasion was the work so correctly and so admirably delivered . The sanction and support thus

g iven to this celebrated lodge of improvement by the Pro Grand Master and other leading members of Grand Lodge undoubtedly places it at the head of all Lodges of Instruction , and goes far to authorize its mode of working as the model which should be universally adopted .

This distinguished lodge nas for some yearsunder the highest patronage—been extending its influence , and we trust it may ultimately be the means of establishing a uniformity of working throughout the Craft . We say all this , not dogmatically , as wc arc quite aware that a good

deal may be said on archrcological grounds for the existence of slight discrepancies of independent rituals , and we by no means forget the services of instructors like our Bro . Muggeridge , who vary a little from the admirable system of

the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . But we feel warranted in asserting that the Emulation working may well be adopted now as the general expression of the ritual and ceremonial of our English Craft .

Freemasonry In Belgium.

FREEMASONRY IN BELGIUM .

In consequence of the statement in the " Unita Cattolica , " that in Belgium all acknowledgment of belief in ihe G . A . O . T . U . has been already officially suppressed and erased from th-j

Constitution , we have taken means to ascertain the facts of the case , as we think the sooner we know the exact state of things the better . We are enabled to state that though it is true that some lodges by majorities have determined to commit

Freemasonry In Belgium.

this act of suicidal folly , all the lodges have not yet made their return , and the Grand Orient of Belgium has not yet , therefore , come to an official decision on the subject .

Another Religious Masonic Persecution.

ANOTHER RELIGIOUS MASONIC PERSECUTION .

" Le Messager d'Athenes" tells us in a recent number that a certain Mr . Arsene Pandis , a priest at Corfu , was about to commence a polemical warfare against the Corriote and Greek Masons , first of all by publishing in the Greek language Mgr . Dupanloup ' s famous "Etude . " The editor does not say whether this tolerant

priest is a member of the Greek or the Roman Church . We presume the former , and if so we shall deeply regret to learn that this rage of fanaticism is extending amongst that otherwise tolerant body , the orthodox Greek Church . Let us hope that Mr . Arsene Pandis will be more happily advised , and prove once again in the history of man that " second thoughts are best . "

The Last Lodge Of Benevolence.

THE LAST LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

At the last meeting of this important organization of our Order , and which was very numerously attended , various grants of £ 75 were confirmed , as will be seen by our special report , and new grants were made to the amount of

^ 554 . There were 32 cases on the list , two of which were dismissed , or rather one was deferred , and the other dismissed . We shall recur to this report in our next , as the subject , for many reasons , is becoming one which deserves the anxious consideration of the Craft .

The London Cabmen.

THE LONDON CABMEN .

A very important portion of our Metropolitan community is that which is represented by the London Cabmen . When we remember the extent of locomotion , and the number of passengers , ministered to by our friend "Cabbie , " we shall all feel , not only how much our comfort as

a community depends on this influential section of our great aggregation , but how important it is for the safety and security of society and property that our licensed cabmen should be alike respectable , sober , and law-observing . Now without saying to-day that no improvement is needed in the cab-life and cab condition of

London , for that would be a mistaken optimism , we think it may be affirmed that matters are gradually improving in all that pertains to the cab system , and that we may hope ere long to see among us still more decided symptoms of permanent amelioration . The Chief Commissioner

of the Metropolitan Police , Col . Henderson , C . B ., addressed a crowded meeting of Cabmen and their wives at the fourth anniversary of the London Cabmen ' s Mission , on Monday , 20 th ult , and we take the following interesting extract from the " Times " of his speech , which we think is alike deserving of note and comment , and is

suggestive , in our humble opinion , of many most welcome and gratifying considerations : " Colonel Henderson , C . B ., speaking on Monday night , at the fourth anniversary of the London Cabmen ' s Mission , to a crowded audience of Cabmen and their wives , said he hoped the change which had lately been made in their licences in order to save them trouble would be

duly appreciated . Six hundred notices of renewal of licences had been up to Ihe present time dispatched to cabmen , and 90 per cent , of those were upon clear licences . With respect to the sobriety of cabmen , he said that , though drunkenness among the body was not on the

increase , still , it was not on thc decrease , as there were 1 . 3 , 000 cases of drunkenness last year ; but he hoped before long to see such a long list greatly diminished , as there was undoubtedly a steady and gradual improvement among the men-With regard to the cabs themselves , he would

just mention what an eminent French engineer said who came over to this country to report upon the comparative merits of the railways or France and England . That gentleman said that the Metropolitan Railway of London was as superior to anything of the ^ same kind in France