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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate of nearly Half a-iuillion 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 and educated classes of society ; and as The Freemason is now the accepted organ of the 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 BRITAIN , LONDON , E . C .

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. NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is now io .. per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

o >—MIRTH . FINNEY . —On the first anniversary of their wedding-day , ( AVednesday , Dec . 2 Sth ) , at 18 , Bewsey-roarl , AA ' arrington , Jane Walker , wife of Bro . D . AV . Finney , P . M ., etc ., etc ., ( Head Master of Heath Side Schools , AA ' arrington ) , of a daughter .

DEATHS . CALDCLEUGII . —On the 27 th ult ., at 1 , Quecn's-crescent , Haverstock Hill , aged 47 , Bro . Dr . S . Caldcleugii , L . R . C . P ., M . R . C . S ., and L . S . A . TRICKETT , —On New Year ' s Day , al the Terrace , Keyham , aged 26 J . years , Bro . John T . Trickett , R . N ., eldest and last surviving son of Bro . John Trickett , P . M . 1194 , and Prov . G . D . of Cers . Middlesex , Chief Engineer and Inspector of Machinery of her Majesty ' s dockyards at Devonport and Keyham . VANE . —On the 29 th ult ., at Burrington Vicarage , Somerset , Bro . the Rev . John Vane , Past Grand Chaplain , Perpetual Curate of Burrington , Rector of Wrington , and Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen .

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AH communications for THE FREEMASON should be written legibly on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not later than 10 o'c \ ocU a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address of every writer must be scut to us in confidence .

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The Freemason , S ATURDAY , J ANUARY 7 , 1871 . THE FREEMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The price of THB FREEMASON IS Twopence per week ; annual in Inscription , ios . ( payable in advance ) . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR , _ , 3 , and 4 , Little Britain , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to liimbut cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Masonic Orders In England.

MASONIC ORDERS in ENGLAND .

AT the commencement of a new year it may not be amiss to look around us , an d consider for a moment the actual position and future prospects of Freemasonry in

England . There cannot be a doubt that thc Order never was so powerful as it is at present , and wc do not allude to mere numbers , but to the influence which it

exercises over a vast array of intelligent men . We are also inclined to believe that a larger per-centage of really desirable candidates have of late years been added to

the muster-roll of the Craft . We have literary lodges , like the" Urban , " holden at that quaint old hostelry , thc Jerusalem Tavern , St . John ' s Gate ; and we have musical lodges , like that of the " Asaph , " where

Masonic Orders In England.

brethren of eminence in the inspiring art of which St . Cecilia is the tutelary deity , are enabled to conduct the ceremonies of Freemasonry with great aVility and success .

Again , the martial element is represented by the "Fitzroy" and the "Macdonald ;" AA'hile those Avho plough the ocean waves are found in the " Merchant Navy " and other

maritime lodges at the East end . Congenial fellowship—a great desideratum in life—is therefore attainable by men of the most varied habits and pursuits , and it is , AA e are

satisfied , a very Avise and graceful policy to encourage the formation of lodges for all sections of the community , especially for the professional classes , who are in general

animated by a commendable esprit de corps It is estimated that about eight thousand initiates sAvell the ranks of English Masonry every year , and this rate of increase is

likely to continue , provided no calamity , such as Avar , should intervene . Fifty new lodges are also annually added to the Grand Lodge roll , and these , of course , in

due time augment materially thc numerical strength of the Fraternity . Royal Arch Masonry , as we took occasion to remark some time ago , is also in a very flourishing

condition , and its adherents are rapidly increasing , the number of HCAV chapters granted each year averaging fifteen . The

sum total of Craft lodges actually working and in good order is 1250 , and the Royal Arch Chapters number 380 .

We now come to Avhat are termed the unrecognised degrees , and during the past year Ave find that the " Mark " Degree has outstripped all its competitors , and is HOAV

second only to the Craft and Royal Arch Masonry in prestige and importance . This is mainly due to the untiring energy of the Most Worshipful Bro . Portal , A \ 'hose career as Grand Mark Master has been an

uninterrupted series of successes . Not that AVC ignore thc valued services of the distinguished brethren who preceded him in his high office—on the contrary , each and

all have afforded him thc most loyal and cordial support—but thc fact cannot be gainsaid that with thc zeal of an apostle , Bro . Portal combines those rare faculties of

mind which at once attest a mans claim to rule and direct his fellows . Thc Mark Grand Lodge has now about 120 lodges under its jurisdiction , and its constituents

are to be found in nearly all thc foreign and colonial possessions of England . We are also glad to state that , with a wise prevision , it has been arranged that all the allied or

kindred degrees , such as thc Most Excellent Masters and the Royal Ark Mariners , shall be Avorked under thc authority of the

Mark Grand Lodge , and by thc adoption of this course the multiplication of supreme Masonic bodies has been very properly prevented .

The Order of the Temple comes next to the Mark in strength , numbering as it does about no encampments . The Knights

Templar do not , however , increase very rapidly , but as their executive department is extremely Avell managed , we may fairly

Masonic Orders In England.

anticipate that they will hold their OAvn for a long time to come amongst the various branches of the Masonic Brotherhood . The Order of the Red Cross of Constantine ,

although , as a revived body , the youngest of the Masonic organisations in England , has already outstripped the Ancient and Accepted Rite in the number of

subordinate conclaves on its roll , which can now boast of no less than 40 . This result may also , as we stated of the Mark Degree , be

attributed to the great zeal and activity shown by the leading members of the Order , Avho have never Avavered in their determination to set its claims and merits

fairly before the Craft . The Red Cross Order likewise possesses the great advantage of having at its head a young and popular nobleman like Lord Bective , lately

and better knoAvn as Lord Kenlis , aided as he has been by such good Masons as Sir Frederick M . Williams , Colonel Burdett ,

and John Hervey . Under their auspices the Order cannot fail to flourish , and it bids fair to assume a very high position in . the estimation of the Masonic Avorld .

The Rite of Misraim has been recently annexed to the Red Cross Order , chiefly , as we are informed , to prevent its establishment as an independent jurisdiction , an

idea which it seems Avas seriously entertained by aAvell-known metropolitan brother . The last great Masonic power is the Ancient and Accepted Rite , and this . branch of

the evident truth , that if brethren desire to enter those branches of thc mystic art , they will not be deterred by dogmatic assertions of the superiority of Blue Masonry . Even

m republican America they have quite as many Masonic organisations as AVC have at present in England . A Grand Lodge , a

Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masonry , a Council of Royal and Select Masters , a Grand Encampment of Knights Templar ,

Masonry has also made some progress during the past year , the number of Rose Croix Chapters working under the Supreme Council being HOAV 34 . Of the primary

degrees of this Rite AVC have already spoken in THE FREEMASON , and intend continuing our remarks upon thc higher grades at a suitable opportunity . We shall also glance

at the peculiar mode of government which prevails in thc Rite , and compare it with thc systems which obtain in other Masonic bodies .

Having thus hastily surveyed the position of the various Orders which are allied to the English Craft , AVC may next enquire whether thc growth and extension of " fancy "

degrees , as they are sometimes termed , are really matters for congratulation . Many brethren , AVC know , will at once answer in thc negative , and contend that nothing but

Masonry pure and undefiled should be cultivated . It is , however , well to bear in mind that Avithout these degrees many estimable Masons would be entirely lost

to the Order , and if such men take an interest in the ceremonies of the high grades , their opinions upon the subject arc entitled to respect . We cannot ignore