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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate of nearly Half-a- ? nillion 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 hody , mainly composed of the influential and educated classes of society ; and as T h e 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 . Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

DEATHS . DALY . —On 27 th ult ., at 44 , Edwardes ' -square , Kensington , Bro . John Daly , P . M . Zetland Lodge , No . 511 , London . HODGSON . —1 st April , at Calais , near Hebden Bridge . Yorkshire , Bro . Joseph Hodgson , after a long illness , for about forty years a subscribing member to the Prince George Lodge , No . 30 S , Stansfield , near Todmorden .

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B . B . —Thanks for your extract , but it is not advisable to reproduce it .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , APRIL 8 , 1871 .

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THB FREEMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for tke early trains . The price of THE FREEMASON is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , ios . ( payable in advance ) . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR , a , 3 , and \ , Little Britain , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him b ut tannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postag * stamps .

Recent Contributions To Masonic Literature.

RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS to MASONIC LITERATURE .

THE labours of Bro . HUGHAN in the field of Masonic literature are so strenuous and successful , his devotion is so untiring , and his ability so Avidely acknoAvledged , as to

leave little room for additional words in his praise . But even amongst those AVIIO gladly hail the results oi his industry and zeal there are some AVIIO do not to the fullest

extent appreciate the actual Avork involved in the elimination of Masonic evidences from the mouldy records of the past . Nothing , Ave feel assured , but a high sense

of duty , and an overflowing love for the ancient Craft , can at once animate and sustain those Avho may be emphatically called the historians of Freemasonry .

We have on a former occasion expressed our vieAVs pretty strongly upon the various theories broached and advocated Avith reference to the antiquity of the Masonic Order ,

and Avhile giving every brother credit for his honest convictions , we then pronounced a deliberate opinion against Avhat is called

the " 17 x 7 '' theory . That the rites of the Masonic Order have undergone many changes and modifications during thc last two hundred years none will deny , and the

Recent Contributions To Masonic Literature.

preponderating speculative element in the fraternity is undoubtedly a creation of modern times ; but there are quite enough links connecting us Avith the mediaeval

sodalities , and Avith their prototypes , the Roman colleges and similar institutions , to warrant the belief that Freemasonry is but part of a great chain of union reaching back

into long-forgotten cycles , yet never broken or corroded by the hand of time . The traditions still preserved in our Order , misty and mythical as they may seem to

many , agree in essentials Avith those communicated to the operative Masons of old . Hiram Abiff , the prince of architects , is to

this day the patron of the handicraft of stone-cutters , Avho render due honour to his memory upon all festive occasions .

It is of course very questionable Avhetlier the exalted moral doctrines noAv explained and inculcated in Masonic lodges Avere really taught in the ancient artisan

fraternities , but there remains the important fact that the grand principle of brotherhood Avas proclaimed ages ago in those fraternities—that century after century it has been

gaining strength , and noAv finds triumphant acceptance in the universality of the Craft . Every incident , therefore , Avhich sheds the faintest glimmer upon the past history and

progress of the royal art must be Avelcomed by the Masonic student . Quaint customs that prevailed amongst our forefathers very frequently bear relation to still older

practices , and it requires an intelligent mind to group and connect such coincidences together so as to form one continuous and harmonious Avhole . The extraordinary

capacity for Avork of this arduous character , already evinced by Bro . HUGHAN , must have prepared our readers in some measure for his masterly " History of Freemasonry

in York , ' Avhich is now republished in a Avork entitled " Masonic Sketches and Reprints . " His diligence in collecting materials is only equalled by the care

Avith Avhich he preserves every item of real value ; and the result is , not only an accurate , but most readable account of the sayings and doings of Freemasons in the

olden times . The second part of these sketches is scarcely less valuable , inasmuch as it embraces unpublished records of the Craft , relating more especially to the

discovery of a missing volume of the minute books appertaining to thc "Ancient Society of Free and Accepted Masons of the Grand

Lodge of AlIJEngland , held at the city of York 27 th December , 1774 , to 31 st July , 1780 . "

It is not possible for us to do more than indicate thc valuable contents of this minute book , but it may be fairly deduced therefrom that the York Masons recognised

but five der : es , namely , the Entered Apprentice , Felly . v Craft , Master Mason , Knight Templar , an 1 P . oyal A " .: ' , ¦> . ; the Knight Templar being also called Knight

of the Tabernacle . Tin ' s seems to settle the assertion that the Rose Croix , Ne Plus Ultra , and other foreign grades Avere ever sanctioned by thc brethren at York .

Recent Contributions To Masonic Literature.

although it is probable that some portions of those degrees , asAvell as of the Red Cross of Constantine , formed part of the ritual of the Templar Order .

These records , hoAvever , throAV very little light upon the so-called Heredom working , and do not support the various theories which have been promulgated as to its

comprehensive character . Be this as it may , the Avarmest thanks of the Fraternity are due to Bro . HUGHAN for his painstaking and laborious efforts in the cause of Masonic

literature , and for the extremely lucid manner in which he invariably marshals and arranges his facts . Nor must his distinguished colleague in the

preparation of " Masonic Sketches and Reprints" be overlooked , and Avhen we mention his name , the Rev . Adolphus

F . A . Woodford , Past Grand Chaplain , it Avill be at once recognised as that of a good Mason and a sound scholar . Bro .

Woodford analyses Avith keen literary acumen the evidences adduced in favour of the antiquity of York Masonry , and arrives at the conclusion that the traditions which

connect the early history of the Craft Avith that city are Avorthy of acceptance and credit . As Ave have already intimated , our space Avill not permit us to give even an

outline of this interesting Masonic Avork but AVC could not alloAV the opportunity to pass Avithout adding our humble Avreath of praise

to the laurels of approbation which such distinguished services to Freemasonry so amply merit at the hands of every lover of the mystic art .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—¦>—THE RITE OF MISRAIM . A disingenuous and disgraceful attempt has been made by the opponents of the above Rite to make capital out of a circular

issued by Grand Lodge some twelve years ago against the Reformed Rite of Memphis . In the first place , the two rites are perfectly distinct—the first having been founded in 1782 , and the other so recently as

1839 . But the essential difference is this : that the Rite of Misraim , as now practised in England , rests upon thc basis of the Craft degrees , and works only a fezv grades peculiar to thc Rite , Avhereas the Grand Lodge of

Philadelphia , or Reformed Rite of Memphis , actually works the Craft degrees , and those only . It Avas for this umvarrantable interference Avith the authority of Grand Lodge that the Memphis lodges in London and its

vicinity were denounced as spurious and illegal by the Board of General Purposes . It Avas because they professed to make , pass , and raise Masons Avithout the sanction of thc Grand Master , that their

proceedings attracted any notice at all , for , had they—being , first of all , regularly initiated — created themselves 33 rds all round , it Avould not have fallen Avithin the

province of Grand Lodge to condemn them . The attempt to establish a parallelism between Memphis and Misraim is therefore simply an imposition . VERITAS .

UNION OF THE MASONIC CLERGY . The proposal of Bro . the Rev . J . Kingston ( page 204 ) is a most valuable suggestion . There already exists an ancient and