The Old Year And The New Year.

£ 21 , 000 for our Masonic Charities , by the zealous and kindly members of our English Craft . True it is , that , under the Marquess of Ripon

English Freemasonry moves on with tranquil unanimity , and under his guiding hand , we have no doubt that our Grand Lodge will still continue worthily to represent the dignity and

wants of our ancient Craft . But no consideration of English Masonry today would be complete , which left out of its calculation and view , Lord Zetland ' s signal

excellence as our Grand Master , his unsullied worth , and his happy rule ; and no New Year ' s greeting would be acceptable among our loyal brotherhood , which did not come tinged with

that feeling of respectful regret , and affectionate veneration which will ever we feel , characterise the utterance of all English Freemasons , when they talk of him who ruled them so truly and

so wisely , for so many and eventful years ! We have had to deplore during 1873 the loss of many other excellent brethren , both at home and abroad .

Among them may be specially noticed , Bro . Labaud Laribiere , Presiding G . M ., of the French Orient ; of Bro . Orr , American Ambassador at St . Petersburg !! , and P . G . M . of South Carolina j

of Bro Cauchois , an able French Masonic writer ; of Bro . Schletter , long editor of the " Freimaurer Zeitung , " and the intellectual editor of the " Allgemeines Handbuch " of Freemasonry ,

of Bro . Otto Franz Obermeir , in Berlin , ayoung physician , who died at the age of 39 , of the cholera , a victim to his professional zeal ; of Bro . Wm . Dunnaway , G . M . of Tennesse , and of

Bro . Carl Wilhelm , celebrated as the composer of the German song , " Die Wacht am Rhein . " Many of us , too , will recall , to day , many worthy brethren and warm-hearted friends , we

never more shall meet either in the lodge assembly , or in the festive circle . We have already alluded to that remarkable proof of Masonic activity and fraternal

benevolence , which 1873 witnessed , namely the largo sum raised for our great Masonic Charities , far exceeding any previous year . But with a new year we feel bound to remind

our brethren , that , with the great increase of our lodges and members , come unavoidably increasing demands upon our charitable resources . What the combined zeal and charity of our

brotherhood , will do in this good cause in 1874 , time alone will fully shew , but wc do not believe for one moment , that , the many warmhearted and benevolent members of our ancient confraternity ,

will either slacken their efforts , or go back from the remarkable point to which they have reached . On the contrary , we believe , that , 1874 will behold as certainly a testimony of our fraternal

goodwill and energy as did 1873 . We have to record in 1873 , the appearance of the new serial , The Masonic Magaxhie amongst us , a new candidate for our patronage under an

old name . When we take up to-day a list of Masonic periodicals injall countries , we must be struck

with their number . One list we have seen , contains the names of forty-four monthly and weekly Masonic papers in all languages , and that list is far from being

The Old Year And The New Year.

complete or correct . Perhaps it is not too much to say , that , at no given epoch of the history of Freemasonry , did there seem to be more earnest efforts made , or more considerable sacrifices for

the advancement of Masonic literature . It is a melancholy fact , however , as regards this apparently bright vision , that as a general rule Masonic literature to use a commercial term ,

" does not pay , " and is with very few exceptions carried on at a loss . Why should this be so ? There is no reason , " a priori , " why , with our

many lodges , and numerous brotherhood , Masonic papers and serials should not be remunerative , but so it is , and we can only hope , that in that " good time coming , " Masonic

" litterateurs" and Masonic publishers may reap some little benefit . „ But what can you do when , in a lodge of fifty

or sixty members , one member takes a copy of The Freemason , price 2 d ., and it is " loaned" to such others of the brethren as care to see it ?

So with this new year , let us hope , that , amid their many sterling qualities of head and heart , our good English brethren will awake to the truth , and acknowledge the fact , that , our

Masonic literature , to be efficient , must be both well supported and self-supporting , and then we may fairly hope , from an increased circulation of a good and wholesome literature amongst us ,

that a greater taste for reading Masonic works will be created , and the intellectual character of English Freemasonry will receive a quickening and a developement .

May our hopes and anticipations be destined to receive a fulfilment in the next twelve months , and we repeat once more to all our readers , and to all Freemasons everywhere , our heartfelt aspirations for a Happy New Year !

Weekly Summary.

WEEKLY SUMMARY .

Her Majesty is still at Osborne , where she has been keeping Christmas Day . H . R . H . Prince Arthur is also at Osborne for Christmas . Their R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales have remained at Sandringham . The home news is not important , the last

week being mostly a holiday . Tlie Christmas Pantomimes have opened , with theirusual amount of scenic effect to delight the young , and startle the old . Long accounts have been received from the

Gold Coast , but there is but little decided to report . The Ashantees are retreating , and by this time that fine brigade which has been sent is probably advancing on Coomassie . As the Irishman said of old , " more power to their

arms . An English company has opened , after twenty mentbs of labour , the new Water Works at

Odessa . Dr . Hayman ' s removal from Rugby , has already led , as we foresaw , to a long correspondence , and threatens to end in legal proceedings .

Abroad we find equally little to note . Poor Marshal Bazaine is gone to the Isle de St . Marguerite , a fact which appears to afford unlimited satisfaction , to some very emotional minds , but which to thinkers , is very sad .

France is peaceful , and we willjhope , will soon regain her material prosperity . In Germany the combat between the Prussian Government , and the Roman Catholic Clergy , is " ii l ' outrancc , " and it is said will culminate

in the deposition of the Archbishop of Posen . The Virginius has been given up to the American Government , but some question has arisen , whether she can legally be considered an American vessel . The report of Commander braiae of the U . S .

Weekly Summary.

Navy , sent to Admiral Scott commanding the American Squadron on the Havannah Waters , is a very clear statement of the utter illegality of the execution of the non-combatant portion of the crew , as well as of its Captain .

We have to announce the death of Chief Baron Pigott , of the Irish Court of Exchequer , of the Earl of Norbury , and of the Rev . James Lupton , minor canon of Westminster , and of St . Pauls .

A sad steamboat accident is reported from Newcastle-on-Tyne , in which eighteen lives of men and boys were sacrificed . After a long search two of the bodies have

been found in Loch Lomond , from the late fatal catastrophe , namely that of Sir James Colquhoun , and a boy named Anderson . The search is still continued , and it was hoped yet to recover the other bodies .

The New Year.

THE NEW YEAR .

Old Seventy-three has past and gone , Young Seventy-four is here ; The old year ' s faded rapidly , Its young hours now appear ,

The rapid sands have soon run out , Of twelve months more to day , Another solemn year of time Has travelled fast away .

And yet , tho' short that span appears , Tho' soon its hours are gone , Tho' noiselessly its seasons Have , followed one by one ;

How many solemn thoughts and memories Belong to what has ceased to be , As now we bid a long adieu To Eighteen Seventy-Three .

And if to us , as year by year , We greet a New Year ' s Day , Old Time seems passing leisurely Upon its onward way .

Let s not forget , that still to us , Each twelvemonth , as it flies , Would teacb us all a goodly lesson , A truth which never dies .

Twelve months are gone : to us , no more On earth they can return ; In twelve months more another ' year Will leave us cold and stern :

For in those passing seasons , And in each fleeting hour , There fades of every mortal life The swiftly closing flower .

For twelve months come and twelve months E ° > To all as they depart Bringing a silent witness ,

In the memories of the heart , As we linger often sadly now By the graves of vanished years , And strew their mounds with the garlands Of dead hopes , and falling tears .

Spurn not the message then to-day , A New Year brings to you , For it has a voice most eloquent , Most tender and most true ,

As it turns away from the hillock , Where its dead are lying still , Shielded from every care and fear From loneliness and ill .

Yes ! from many a humble grave to-day , From the withered hours of time From this sad and weary world of ours , From this sorrow-suff ' rinar clime ,

Faith points in hope ecstatic To heaven ' s roseate ray , And whispers in all of love and trust , Of an eternal New Year ' s Day . A . F . A . W . New Year ' s Day , 1 S 74 .

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