To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price ad . 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 , & rc

Kingdom , the Continent , & c . Via Brindrsr . Twelve Months ios . 6 d . t 2 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ 3 s . 3 d . 6 s . 6 d . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 s . 8 d . 3 s . 3 d . 4 s . 6 d . Subscriptions may be paid for in stamps , but Post Office Orders or Cheques arc preferred , the former payable to

GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London and Joint Stock Bank . Advertisements and other business communications should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects and books for review are to be forwarded to the Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied o ^ application to the Publisher , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FREEMASON , may be addressed to the Office , 19 8 , Fleet-street , London .

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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 .

ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion in current week ' s rssue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on "Wednesdays .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The FPEEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can herefore scarcely be overrated .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

Bro . Chirnside s letter in our next . BOOKS Sec , RECEIVED . "European Mail , " "Hull Packet , " "Medical Examiner , " "Broad Arrow , " "Catalogue of Books in the Library ofthe Supreme Council 33 , " ' -The Westminster Papers , " " La Voz de Hiram , " "East Anglian Hand book . " " La Chaine

d'Union , " "Risorgimento , " "The Freemasons Repository , " " Masonic Jewel , " " Keystone , " "Great Industries of Great Britian , " " Sunday Times , " " Proceedings of thc Grand Lodge of Scotland , " " Dcbrett ' s House of Commons , and the Judicial Bench , 18 7 8 , " "The Freemason ' s Kalendar and Directory for the Province of North Wales and Shropshire , 1878 . "

All Serene.

ALL SERENE .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements , not exceeding four lines , under this heading . } BIRTHS . MAIIHIOTT . —On the ist inst ., at Foulden-road , Stoke Newington , thc wife of E . D . Marriott , of a son . Wooi ) . —On the 29 th ult ., at Banff , thc wife of G . Wood , Esq ., of a daughter .

MARRIAGE . BOYD—BROWN . —On the 31 st ult ., at Edinburgh , Robert Mitchell , son of S . Boyd " , Esq ., late of Sydney , N . S . W ., to Eliza Agnes , daughter of the late W . C . Brown , Esq .

DEATHS . CRITIKSIIANK . —On the ist inst ., at 7 . 20 p . m ., at his residence , 263 , Hampstcad-road , N . W ., George Cruikshank , artist , in thc 86 th year of his age , beloved and respected by all who knew him . Friends will please kindly accept this intimation . KELI . Y . —On the 25 th ult ., the Rev . George Fiuroy Kelly ,

M . A ., LL . D ., of Pembroke Dock , South Wales , aged KYNASTON . —On the 31 st ult ., at Ventnor , \\ . Kynaston , of Gresham-street and Russcll-squarc . agcd 51 . LEWIS . —On the 4 th inst ., at 118 , Houndsditch , E . G .,

Abraham Lewis , aged 3 8 years , deeply lamented by his family and numerous friends . American and Continental papers please copy . SnCRY . —On the 27 th ult ., Wm . Shury , of Mylaiid , Colchester , after two years' intense suffering . His whole soul was in Freemasonry up to his last moment .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 9 , 1878 .

Bro. Hubert And French Freemasonry.

BRO . HUBERT AND FRENCH FREEMASONRY .

Bro . Hubert , who is well known as the Editor of the Chaine d'Union , an independent and important French Masonic serial , and which is a credit to French Freemasonry , has , by refusing the unanimous election to the chair of the lodge he has served

so well for years , openly protested against the revolution recently effected by the French Grand Orient . For his refusal is based simply on his unwillingness to follow the majority of the French Grand Orient into the " Caudine Forks" of revolution , and his fears as to the future . This is

a very important step in itself , and one which may have important consequences for French Freemasonry . This announcement serves as a very striking commentary on the somewhat rash declaration of our esteemed Bro . Thevenot , which appeared in our columns the previous week .

Knowing how great a discontent exists in French Freemasonry at the recent most unwise and uncalled for change , though we always prefer to let people speak for themselves , we were perfectly convinced that thc letter of Bro . Thcvenot must have but one result in France . Bro . Hubert voted

against the change , and , like an honest man and true Mason as lie is , finding he cannot any longer conscientiously go with the Grand Orient of France in its downward course , and in the discredit which is coming on French Freemasonry , he very wisely , in our opinion , openly

and manfully says so , and declines the high honour offered to him by . ' lis brethren . If anything can open the eyes of the ruling party in the French Grand Orient to the gulf which is opening out before French Freemasonry this fact ought to do so , but we fear that at this moment ,

elate in the victory they have gained over the "indiiTerentism'' of too many in French Freemasonry , nothing will induce them to pause in their ill-omened career , much less to think where they are , and where they are going to . Bro . Marchal , of the Lodge St . Jean de Jerusalem , Nancy , has

also resigned the chair of the lodge , and the lodge itself only remains in obedience to the Grand Orient on the condition that the ritual of French Freemasonry is not to be interfered with . Everyone will , therefore , feel the greatest anxiety for tho future position of French Freemasonry .

We say all this with much regret , but we feet it to be our duty to say as much and to hold out the hand of brotherhood to the good Bros . Hubert , Marchal , Lechaut , Behr , and the 76 who so gallantly upheld the " good old cause " in the French Grand Orient .

All Serene.

ALL SERENE .

How very remarkable is the present position of English Freemasonry . Those of us who commenced Masonic life in England , say thirty years ago , must be struck with the onward progress , the rapid advance , of our Masonic phalanx . We can recall , many of us , less prosperous days . We can remember slovenly work ,

neglected aesthetics , the prevailing association of a " House of Call , " the difficulty of finding sometimes a " quorum" to carry on the needful necessary work even of that famous old lodge . Now all is happily changed , and for the better . We may have other evils coming upon us , but we cannot comnlain either of the work or attendance

of our brethren . Masonic ceremonial and Masonic ornamentation have latterly received befitting attention , and though much room still exists for further desirable changes in the latter respect , yet we do not despair of seeing ourselves a happy further amelioration of lodge life and

work in many particulars . As it is , week by week the Craft is pushing on , new lodges are formed and forming , and brethren exhibit a vitality , an interest , and a zeal in things Masonic , which makes some of us old-boys Masons

almost say with a sigh , " Ah , mihi prarteritos si referet Jupiter annos . " " Would I were young again to take my part in the good work of my lodge , and to meet pleasant faces , and sympathize with warm hearts as in happy days ofjold . "

All Serene.

But thus it cannot be ; old age is upon some of us , with benumbing powers , and weakened frames , and all we can do is to wish our old Craft " God Speed , " to offer our "hearty good wishes" to the lodge , and to leave the prestige and the personality of

Freemasonry to the "young uns . " May they care as much for the Brotherhood as we really did in our " little day . " Two " points " seem to demand our attention . One is still more attention to the aesthetic adornment and the "locale " of our lodges , the other

is , more economy in our " commissariat" arrangments , and rather larger offerings on the part of lodges to Masonic Charity . We know the difficulties attendant on both these points , and which are neither trifling or unreal , but we think it well to call the attention of our good

brethren to them , as it seems to be a groat pity to have any " spots " in our "feasts of charity , " as it would greatly strengthen lodge life and Masonic prestige , if our balance-sheets couldamply demonstrate more than they often do , that our professions and practice were properly squared ?

Grants To Our Charities

GRANTS TO OUR CHARITIES

All companions will rejoice to note that our esteemed and zealous Bro . Col . Creaton , always gallantly to " the fore " in every good work of Frcemasonrv , has given notice on behalf of the Committee of General Purposes of Grand Chapter of a vote of £ 2000 to our

three great Metropolitan' Chanties . We hig hly commend the idea and the notice , and think that ail will concur in the expediency of such a resolution . We trust that it will be carried unanimousl y , as we feel sure that no

better use can be made of the money , which is not clearly wanted for any ordinary purposes of the Grand Chapter . Since we wiote this the Grand Chapter has , with happy unanimity , voted thus very wise and desirable grant .

The Present Position Of The French Grand Orient.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE FRENCH GRAND ORIENT .

Dear Bro . Kenning , — As I have twice pointed out in the Freemason , the present alarming position of Preerr asonry is as alarming as well it can be . Bro . Thevenot ' s assurance , recently published in your columns , that no French brother is dissatisfied with the decision ol the Grand Orient is entirelv

overthrown by the march of events . Alreaay Bro . Hubert refuses to be re-elected W . M . of one of the leading lodges in Paris , Bro . Marchal leaves the chair at Nancy , and your readers perused Bro . Lechaut ' s letter in your last number . And how , then , about the future' What is the minority

conscientious , intelligent and important , to do ? Curiously enough , the French Grand Orient has furnished the weapons itself for a dissenting minority . Tn its recognition of the coloured Grand Lodge , for instance , itjaid down this axiom , that a lawful charter is a

sufficent qualification . I have always said that such a view is erroneous , as proceeding on two false assumptions—first , that a charter can give any more rights than it professes to grant j and , secondly , that a dormant charter , once dormant , cannot be . revived except by the action

of the original grantor . The grantee cannot revive it except with the approval of the grantor . But the Grand Orient of France has decided differently , and the dissident French Masons can appeal to it as their ground of action . Thus , on this assertion of Masonic law , thev can

revive any charter of a lodge granted by the old Grand Lodge of France , or the Grand Orient itself , before the Union , and it may be a very serious question whether by this grave innovation the concordat of the old Grand Lodge of France and the Grand Orient is not

dissolved . I am simply arguing as a French Freemason now on the " dicta " of the Grand Orient itself—and I leave out of the case "pour le moment , " the heavy blow inflicted by the recent decision of the French Grand Orient on French

Freemasonry , and the legal position ofthe French Grand Orient itself . Under the circumstances of the case , in my humble opinion French Freemasons will have a right to revive dormant charters and to reconstitute the Grand Lodge of France on these two grounds , first , that the French Grand