To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price AQ . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , in eluding postage : United America , India , India , China , & c

Kingdom , the Continent , & c . Via Brimlisi . Twelve Months ios . 6 d . 12 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ 5 s . 3 d . 6 s . 6 d . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 s . 8 d . -js . 3 d . 4 s . 6 d . Subscriptions may be paid for in stamp ? , but Post Office Orders or Cheques arc preferred , the former payable to GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON ,

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL REMITTANCES RECEIVED . £ s . d . Abrigo , John A ., Alexandria , Egypt ... ... 1 o o All Nations' Lodge , Victoria o to o Betteley , W . R ., Chili o 12 o Braithwaite , H . W „ Trinidad 1 1 o

Brown , G ., India ... 160 Callaway , H ., Malta o 3 3 Daruty , J . E ., Port Louis 3 5 o District Grand Lodge cf Bombay ... ... o 10 10 Evans , F ., New York ... ... ... ... o 12 o Francis , A ., „ ... ... ... ... 0120 Greymouth Lodge of Instruction , New Zealand 012 o

Griffin , G ., Pcnang 3 12 o Hanison , W ., India ... ... ... ... 140 Johnson , H ., Canada ... ... ... ... o 12 o King , S . P ., „ 0120 Lees , Wm ., Hamilton , Out . ... ... ... o 12 o Mount Gambia Lodge ... ... ... ... 100 Ncwmarch , G . F ., Maniototo 012 o Peake , H . H ., Ballarat o 12 o

Perez , Juan , A ., Madrid ... ... ... 3 80 Revell , W . (! ., Greymouth ... ... ... 100 Rhodocanakis , II . I . H . The Piiiice , Athens , 2 1 8 Robinson , T ., Trinidad ... ... ... ... 012 o Schwabachcr , S ., Kimberley 012 o Scott , W ., The Cape o 12 o Terry , G ., India ... ... ... ... ... o 12 o White , H . I ., Ballarat o 10 o

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

CoiiBisi'iNDENTS are respectfully rcqucstctl to write their communications on one side of the paper only . J . J . MAY ( New Zealand ) . —The bcok was sent you , in the early 1 art of April last . Thc Publisher will be glad to receive a copy of thc Freemason of date Sept . 25 th , 18 G 9 , for which the sum of is . is offered . Letter from "A 33 " in our next , proof shall be

sent ; also " A Warning to the Charitable . " On consideration , as the discussion in each case is now bordering on pure personality , and as our columns are " heavily weighted , " we think it better not to keep up thc controversy , anent the Prov . Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the London Masonic Charily Association . Enough has been said pro . tem . A J UNIOR WAIIDEN . —Must send his name . Anonymous correspondence cannot be inserted .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "Chimney Construction ; " a pamphlet by Bro . R . M . Bancroft . "Australian Freemason ; " "Hull Packet ;" " Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska at its 21 st Annual Communication , June 18 th 1878 ; " "West Lcndon Express j "' " The Citizen ; " " Brief ; " " Broad Arrow * , " "Scottish Freemason ; " " Risorgimento ; " "Dick Radcl ) ffe ' s Floral Guide-, "" Pre-Existence ; " " Attributes and Future

of the Human Soul ; " "Corner Stone ; " "Liberal Freemason ;" " Bundes Presse ; " " An Answer to the Proclamation of Melbourne M . Tait Esq ; " "Proceedings of the Grand Commandery of Nebraska ; " " Westminster Papers ; " " Heroes of Britain in Peace and War , " "Illustrated Leopold Shakes * care ; " " Masonic Record of Western India ; " " Hajnal ;"" Builder ; " "Lords and Commons , a Reprint eif Speeches , & c , " " Masonic Herald . "

Births , Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

BIRTHS . RAYMOND . —On the 27 th ult ., at 3 , Carden-road , Peckhamrye , the wife of Mr . Frank Raymond , of a son . Ton HI NO -TUN . — On the 24 th ult ., thc wife of Captain Torkington , ofa son .

MARRIAGE . COI . I ' MAS—COUTTS . —On the 25 th ult ., at St . Paul's , Covent-gprden , by Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , rcctea of St . Clements Danes , George , eldest sur . viving sou of W . J . Coleman , to Eliza Williamina Lyal ( Minnie ) , si cond daughter of Bro . John Coutts , of Covcntgt-ri ' cii . No cirds .

DEATHS . DvroN . — On thc 29 th ult ., at Church Crotikham , in her 701 h year , Mary Anne , daughter of the late Mr . Jeremiah Dyson . Miu . wuiD . —On the 27 th inst , at Lcingn * r , near Buxton , liro . John Mi Iward , the oldtst Maron in England .

Im lated in thc year 181 I . PATTISSON . — On the full ult ., Uro . W . II . Pattissim , Supeiintende'iit of lhe Burmese police , Ma . ul 111 . 1 in , at 33 , I'laxman-slKc * , l , ou « hl orough June i in , aged 42 . SSOWIIKS . '—On lhe 211 th tilt ., at Essex , Martha , widow of the late Mr . Wi li ; 111 Suowiltp , in her 87 th yiar .

Ar00606

THEFREEMASON, SATURDAY , OCTOBER 3 , 1878 .

A Quid Pro Quo.

A QUID PRO QUO .

A correspondent , signing himself " Business , properly enough called our attention to some official arrangements relative to the publication of our Masonic Calendar , which seemed to be a fair subject for consideration and criticism . The subject for us is both a difficult and a delicate

one , inasmuch as we are loyal members of our Order , and always respectful of the ordinances of Grand Lodge , and also because such remarks on onr part might seem to some to savour of personal interest and private considerations . But we cannot forget on the other hand , that we write for

the Craft at large , not for persons or cliques , and , therefore , we feel assured that in what we are about to say to-day , we shall be credited with those higher motives , and truer principles of thought and action , than might seem to be identified , on any grounds , orno grounds , with personal idiosyn ,-

crasies and special interests . Far be from us , any mere petty questions of commercial dealings , of the competition of business , of the rivalry of trade . We write as we feel , and we feel as we write , and under any circumstances ours are always honest and upright opinions , " de

omnibus rebus et quibusdam alns . We think , therefore , that we cannot be wrong , or do wrong in allowing them to appear in the Freemason , in all deference to Grand Lodge on the one hand , in all regard for the interest of our whole body on the other . We cannot then affect to think

that £ zo is a sufficient amount to be paid for the " privilege " of publishing the Grand Lodge Calendar , just as we are perfectly sure that a much larger sum annually might be obtained by a fair business-like arrangement , for the benefit of our important Masonic Charity Fund . But it

is the nature of all monopolies , that they do good to no one but the monopolist . The public is not advantaged , even the trade suffers . And we agree with " Business '' when he suggests that all matters connected with " Grand Lodge supplies , " should be thrown open to "tender , " and

" free competition . " We are quite sure that Grand Lodge would be materially benefitted in more ways than one . But here we pause . We throw out these friendly " hints , " or " passing notes , " whichever you like to term them , for the consideration of those in

authority , and we leave the matter simply and absolutely , once for all , in their hands . The object of the Freemason , often misunderstood , as often traduced , has always been to advance the best interests of the Order at large , on grounds just to all , in fact " pro bono publico , " and " pro

bono publico " alone . We utterly disclaim any private interests or personal considerations , treating this , as all other matters , from a business point of view alone . We have always advocated a " fair field and no favour" ourselves , and what we ask for ourselves we wish for all competitors .

But equally on the other hand , we feel bound , as honest journalists , to point out in much good feeling and in all deference , what we venture to consider points of defective arrangement in things Masonic by Grand Lodge itself , without any reference whatever to our own special views

or personal position , and most surely without any other motive than that of supporting free trade , and the fairest open market in all concerns of Masonic supply and demand , and equally for all , whose business , like ours , lies in that direction . Indeed we may fairly add ,

that we make these remarks as much for others as for ourselves . But having made our " deliverance , " we also make our bow . We neither wish to be considered intrusive , complaining , exacting , or dictatorial , and we leave in full confidence our manfully avowed but humble views to the appreciation of the loyal , and the

calm consideration of the intelligent of our respectable fraternity . We feel assured that their substantial justice will be admitted , and their undeniable truth conceded by our many correspondents and renders . We also , in conclusion , venture in all due submission , to ask the attention of our rulers to our well-meant suggestions , and fraternal observations .

An Amusing Little Episode .

AN AMUSING LITTLE EPISODE .

We took up an esteemed American contemporary the other day , ( but as we are strong and generous we suppress the name ) , and we read a very glowing eulogy , " In Memoriam " of a deceased American brother . We liked the words , they seemed to run smoothly and " pan

out" crisply , and we were equally pleased with the sentiments and the moral . All of a sudden it flashed across us that we had seen those words before •then it further struck us that they were somehow very familiar to us , and , lastly , we realized , " incontinently , " or otherwise , that they

were our own words—yes , our "ipsissima verba , '' ¦ which we had taken some pains with , and written " In Memoriam " of a lamented English brother in the Freemason . Well here are contemporary fame and Masonic sympathy with a vengeance ! In a spirit of touching and sentimental fraternity , our

worthy confrere had adopted and adapted our words , aud we hardly know which to admire most , the ingenuity of the new colouring , or the kindly and amiable larceny which had thus appreciated and appropriated them . Still we felt that we must not complain too

much . It is something in these days to be read at all , so " more Masonico , " we contented ourselves with the reflection , that the words were good words , kind words , feeling words , true words , or they would not have so commended themselves to the undeniable taste

and the skilful use of our eloquent and able confrere . Yes , we said , it is better to be read in some way than not read at all , and why should wc blame our good friend across the Atlantic , of , by an ingenuity of adaptation almost unequalled , he transfers the words we wrote "in

memoriam of a brother here in England to another in America , far away , and claims credit for what he considers an effective commemoration of the pleasant virtues and enduring associations of a defunct friend and brother . We do not always all of us get the credit we deserve in

this world , but our friendly American contemporary has shown us how pleasant it is to be reminded of our own writing in his prolific and perspicuous pages . After all , as Boatswain Chucks in Midshipman Easy would say , " it will

all be the same 100 years hence , " and so it will . We do not , therefore , begrudge our good contemporary his skilful use of our humble words , if only he pleases his readers and pleases himself . Rather , we may fairly say , after all , " such is life . "

Betting Evils.

BETTING EVILS .

It is impossible to shut our eyes to the great and growing evil of " betting clubs and betting speculations . " Hardly a day passes but the police magistrates warn the public in most forcible and yet feeling terms of this moral cancer , which is eating out the very vitals of society at the present hour . If the authorities at the Mansion House and Scotland Yard were asked " what is the

most predominant evil you have to contend with now ? " they would reply , we feel sure , " betting clubs , and betting speculations . " For these affect all classes of society , and especially young men in positions of trust , such as cashiers and confidential clerks , drawn into the vortex by the

love of hasty and unworked for gains , who too often end by robbing their employers and finding themselves at the bar of justice . We are told of the " Investigator , " of the " East End Spec , " and the "Racing Prophet , " as a peculiar form

of betting lotteries . Mr . Vaughan , at Bow-street , in a recent case , called attention to the fact that such speculations are "very profitable to those who set them on foot , " but " very detrimental to those who have been allured into buying the tickets which are issued . " In a recent race no less than

2- 5 , 000 circulars at is . each , of the " Investigator " were issued . The following is the " modus operandi . " Each copy of the Investigator , for instance , bore a number , which number corresponded with the name of some horse

engaged in the principal race of the current week . Should any person buying the Investigator happen to receive one with a number corresponding to that coupled with the name of the winning horse he would obtain a prize , which would ,