To Our Readers

TO OUR READERS

The FREEMASON is a Weekly News paper , price 2 CU It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , including postage : United America , India , India , China , & c .

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Important Notice.

IMPORTANT NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FOREIGN 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 . J Several P . O . O . ' s are now in hand , but having received no advice we cannot credit them .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

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Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

EBBATA . —In our reports of lodge meetings last week the names of the following brethren were printed in error : — Pownhall for Pownall , Forsythe for Smythe , and in the Reviews W . Semian for P . Soman .

BOOKS & c , RECEIVED . " Sussex Daily News , " " The Liberal Freemason , " " The Hebrew Leader , " " Victoria C . Woodhull ' s Life Sketches , " "The Manchester Guardian , " "The Hull Packet , " "The Civilian , " "The Broad Arrow , " ' ¦ Touchstone , " "The Scottish Freemason , " "Brief , " "The Citizen , " " Thrift , " " Risorgimento , " " Kensington , "

" The Masonic Record of Western India , " " Hajnal , " " Caslon ' s Circular . " " European Mail , " " Public Ledger Almanac , 1879 , " " Proceedings of an Annual Assembly of the Grand Commandcry of Knights Templar of the State of Virginia , " " The Advocate , " " Sunday Times , " Masonic Token , " " On the ventilation of rooms , housedrains , etc ., " by Bro . P . Hinckes-Bird , F . R . C . S ., " Our Home , " " Westminster Papers , " " New York Dispatch . "

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements not exceeding Four Lines under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . OiinEN . —On the 29 II 1 ult ., at Si . Mark's-road , Sydenham , the wife of C . M . Ohrcn , of a daughter . VINCENT . —On Ihe 2 nd inst ., the wife of Thomas Vincent , nf i , Arthur-sl ., East , ICC , of a son . Wioiir . —On the 31 st ult ., at 428 , Livcrpool-ioael , N ., the wife of George Wight , of a son .

DEATHS . GBIFFITIIS . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Fthelbcrt House , Londonroad , Worcester , C . C . Whitney Griffiths , J . P ., 30 . SMITH . —On the 27 th ult ., at Rawul Pinelee , Punjab , Emma Corrie , wile of Major W . Smith , R . eV , in her 31 st year . WAI . IOBD . —On the 1 st inst ., at 2 , Nelson Crescent , Ramseate , Edward Berry Walfoid , of Romford House , Upper Norweiud , aged 66 .

Notice.

NOTICE .

The freemason of next week will consist of twenty pages , and will contain a full report of the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , in addition to the usual matter .

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THEFREEMASONS ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 8 , 1879 .

Our New W.M'S.

OUR NEW W . M'S .

Our lodges have recently been very busy , and still are , and still will be , for a short space , in installing the new Masters for 1879-80 , and we cannot but earnestly express the hope that the choice has been wisely made , and on public grounds alone . Just now an incompetent W . M .

is a sorry sight , a great anomaly , and we wish wc could think that neither private partiality nor unreasoning cliqueism had anything to do with the elevation to the Master ' s chair , and that public running and private worth were the sole claims and conditions of high office . No doubt

in this , as in other matters , the public opinion of the Craft , and the good sense of the brethren are rendering such elections amongst us a test of merit and a proof of duty . Still , as here and there , the old heresy lingers , we feel constrained to "testify , " once more to-day , against

possible abuses and probable laxity in this respect . Now , we admit at once , if even the sterner censor taking the high Masonic moral line disapproves , that lodges have a right , if they so think , to elect a brother whose social position gives a sort

of prestige to the lodge itself , especially in the eyes of the world profane . We can quite understand such a position , and make allowance for it , but then a lodge can only do that once in its existence ; if it repeats the " little game , " it sows broadcast the seeds of its own eventual

disruption and dissolution . But , with this one exception , we contend that the Master should be the most skilled brother attainable , a " bright Mason " technically , morally , and one who is not ashamed to do his own work , who is willing to learn , able to instruct . To nut a mere " parrot "

or an " automaton " into the Master ' s chair is , to use an old simile , as if you planted a birch broom in the ground and ) expected it to blossom and to bloom . And not only must the W . M . be an " expert Mason , " he must be a "fair man , " a just man , a brother in whose decisions

all can confide , to whose , ruling none can properly object . As long as he is W . M . and in the" curule chair , " he must sink his individuality in that of his office , and should never forget that just as he presides over " work , " so is he the interpreter of "law , " and is bound to give a courteous

hearing , and ensure just rights and liberty to all . It is always a pitiable sight when a W . M . hurries over business , slurs over difficult questions , and rules out discussion , simply because " it is late , " or because the complaisant Steward has announced " dinner on the table . " We know of

few more important positions than that of W . M ., in which more good or more evil may be done , and , therefore , we desiderate in all lodges a selection of the W . M . on the true principles of Freemasonry , namely , merit , character , and ability .

The Powers Of A Quarterly Court.

THE POWERS OF A QUARTERLY COURT .

As some misapprehension appears to exist on this subject at the various meetings of the Boys ' and Girls' Schools , it seems well . to point out what arc the exact powers of the Quarterly Courts . In the first place they aiv . the Supreme Courts of the two Institutions , the Supreme Courts of

Appeal and of Legislation . They are completely superior to the General Committee , whose decisions on nearly every subject they can approve or reject , and from their final decision , there is no appeal . They ultimately approve of all the

candidates for the number of vacancies , and , in fact , are supreme in all matters affecting the general interests of the Schools . Tho election of officers , is , however , reserved to the General Committer , except in certain specified cafes ,

The Powers Of A Quarterly Court.

where the House Committee appoints , or the Secretary recommends an assistant . Indeed , there are practically no other limits to the powers of a Quarterl y Court , except such as the laws of the Institution provide , or the common sense regulations of public meetings prescribe . Some one

has been pleased to contend , we believe , that the Quarterl y Court cannot order an inquiry as to the laws , appoint a Committee , orjeceive a report , but that all such arrangements must be left to the General Committee . But we need not point out to our readers that the Quarterly Court can

appoint , from its own inherent authority , and from the necessity of the case , any number of committees , and receive any number of reports , and thatthe General Committee has nothing to do with the matter at all necessarily . Indeed any such view can only be based on an impossibility of

interpreting the objects of the laws on the one hand , or pure inability to understand the Queen ' s English on the other . Any such objection is utterly futile and ridiculous , and can neither could it be seriously made by a sensible person , nor

properly entertained by any competent chairman of a Quarterly Court . True it is that under the former laws a notice was to be given in writing at a General Committee of the intention to move a new or alter an old law . But this is done to

ensure notice being given , so that no Life Governor need be taken by surprise , and is not meant to detract from , as indeed it could not , the legitimate functions and normal duties of the Quarterly Court . We hope we have heard the last of this , " word fencing " and "hair

splitting" e which are a great hindrance to the due discharge of business , and that brethren who are so fond of interrupting the legitimate course of needful " agenda papers , " will kindly remember in future that time is precious to all , and that as Freemasons we should be above needless objections , and frivolous fault finding .

What Is The Present Position Of Our Amended Laws For The Boys' And Girls' Schools.

WHAT IS THE PRESENT POSITION OF OUR AMENDED LAWS FOR THE BOYS' AND GIRLS ' SCHOOLS .

A very curious and interesting discussion arose at the last general meeting of the Girls' Committee , on Thursday last . Two girls came up on petition for admittance who had sisters in the School , and in the first place it was held that they were ineligible by virtue of the new laws , but , subsequently , it was decided to admit these

petitions , as the new laws were not confirmed . As a general rule , as we know , all alterations in laws require confirmation , in some form or other , to prevent mistaken haste or inadvisable impulse , and at the meetings of the special court for the consideration of the amended bye-laws , it was understood , and , in fact , announced , that those laws would be read for confirmation at the next

Quarterly Court . Indeed , it is necessary absolutely to do so , as the boys and girls have now different qualifications as regards subscription to the lodge . By the new laws confirmation is necessary , and , therefore , until confirmed , the new laws do not , as is the general case , take effect . But , curiously enough , though it was assumed that there was a confirmation under the

old laws there is apparently none , and this alone constitutes one proof , if proof were wanting , how defective on many points the old laws really were . It may be doubted whether wc may not now ask , under which law , "Bezonian say , " we are , and the response will be somewhat difficult , perhaps ,

at first sight , as though caution and common sense are on the one side , it is more than doubtful whether the old laws are not really on the other . Hence , being in a '' fix , " to use a modern slang expression , the best thing to do is to try and get out of it as soon as we car ,, and we ,

therefore , are glad to think that until the Quarterly Courts arc held , and the new laws arc confirmed , we shall give poor petitioners the "benefit of the doubt . " There is one point , however , which we think has not been taken into consideration ,

namely , that the minutes of each preceding Quarterly Court must be read for " confirmation " and not merely for " information , " and on confirmation it is within the power of all to move the non-confirmation of any previous resolution , or portion of the minutes . Sub-