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TO ADVERTISERS . Ihe FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS should reach the Office , 19 S , Fleetstreet , London , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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

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 .

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FriEEMASON is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / 6 . P . O . O . 's to be made payable at the chief office , London .

NEW POSTAL RATES . Owing to a reduction in thc Postal Rates , thc publisher is now enabled to send thc " Freemason " to thc following parts abroad for One Year for Thirteen Shillings ( payable in

advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of Good Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demerara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfound , land , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , United States of America , < Src .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

The following lodge reports stand over : —Faith , ' 141 : Ivy Lodge , 1441 ; St . David ' s Lodge , 6 79 , Phoinix Lodge , 904 ; Salopian Lodge of Charity , 117 ; Ranelagh Lodge of Instruction , S 34 ; Jersey Red Cross Conclave , 8 ; also

a letter from Magnus Ohren . We shall publish next week the resolutions of Montefiore Lodge , wilh a copy of the petition . Thc length of Grand Lodge report has prevented it appearing this week .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " The Freemasons' Calendar , Oxfordshire . " " Masonic Dircclory of thc City of Lindon , Canada . " "Australian Freemason . "

Births, Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements , not exceeding four lines , under this heading . ]

BIR'I HS . Conn . —On thc , * rd inst ., at Dalby-square , Margate , the wife of A . B . Cobb , of a son . CON DER . —On the 4 th inst ., at Middleton Lodge , Bognor , thc wife of the Rev . A . Conder , M . A ., of a daughter .

GORDON . — -On the 4 U 1 inst ., at Laurel Villa , Shcpperton , the wife of S . M . Gordon , of a son . PHIPPS . —On the 4 U 1 inst ., at Luptons , Brentwood , Essex , the Lady William Phipps , of a daughter . WILSON . —On the 10 th ult ., at Tower-hill , Sierra Leone , the wife of Bro . Capt . H . G . Wilson , of a son .

MARRIAGES . ALLEN—MOM . EII . —On thc ist inst ., at St . Peter's , Hammcrsmith , Edward , son of J . W . Allen , of Ashchurch Villa , Shcpherd ' s-bush , to Matilda Elizabeth , daughter of the Chevalier Johannes Moller .

HEBEEUT—PEMBEIITON . —On the 22 nd ult ., at West Brom - wich , Staffordshire , John Benbow , son of J . B . Hebbert , of Edgbaston , near Birmingham , to Myrrha Devon , daughter of the late G . A . Pemberton .

DEATHS . BOVCE . —On the 3 rd inst ., at 41 , Gray ' s Inn-road , Mr . William Boyce , aged 74 . Australian papers please copy . GLENDININC ; . —On the 28 th ult ., at Lausanne , Sidney Glendining , Esq ., aged 41 . WELLS . —On the 4 th inst ., William Rutter , son of J . Wells , of Manor House , Merlon , in his 13 th year .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , MAR . IO , 1877 .

The Contest In French Freemasonry.

THE CONTEST IN FRENCH FREEMASONRY .

Bro . Hubert tells us in the last number of the Chaine D ' Union , that the proposed erasion of belief in God and the Immortality of the Soul , has raised among the French lodges , " un debat des plus vifs . " Bro . Hubert , who like us , objects to the change , or rather revolution , maintains that ,

as some have stated , this teaching of French Freemasonry only dates from 1849 . He , at page 109 , brings forward evidence , however , that the declarations contained in section No . 8 , of the Constitution ( now sought to be expunged ) have only been as he well puts it , — " l ' enregistrement , " "la manifestation , " ** 'la constatation

pur et simple de la croyance universelle , acceptee , enseignee et exigee par la Francmaconnerie en tous les temps et dans tous les pays , sans aucune exception . " He mentions the well-known work , " Histoire , Obligation , et Statuts de la

Confraternite des Franc Macons , " published by Francois Varrentrapp at Frankfort A . M ., 1742 , which in fact are more or less a translation of the old English Constitutions of 172 , 3 and 1738 , and which simply reproduce necessarily our English

working . The same teaching had been previously put forth in the " Constitutions , Histoire , Lois , Charges , " & c , published at the Hague , translated from the English by T . Kuenen i * * 4 i . In the "Histoire des Francmacons , "

in the two editions cf 1745 , both of which we possess , the same distinct teaching is laid down . In 1785 , in the "Essais sur la Francmaconnerie , " published at " Latomopoiis , '' by t \ ndreon , the author of which is F . B ., we find these

words : " Religion—Le Francmacon croit en Dieu et il agit conformement a cette croyance ; il rend a l'Etre Supreme le double culte de son adoration , le culte interieur et l ' exterieur . Dela les mtxurs pures qui doivent caracteriser le vrai Francmacon . " We will only add that

we are well satisfied that no French brethren , supporting this hurtful innovation , can prove that at any period since 1732 downwards , French Freemasonry has ever officially taught anything but what is in exact conformity with the declarations of our own Grand Lodge as the doctrines of Universal Freemasonry .

The Exclusion Of Hebrews.

THE EXCLUSION OF HEBREWS .

There can be no doubt that this question is widening in extent , just as it is most important in its general and particular bearings on the teachings ' and progress of Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry . It is most needful , however , that no side issues should be raised , and no mistaken

position assumed , by those who are claiming the rig hts of Masonic toleration , and we think it well to issue a warning note on the subject , as in the hands of unwise partizans , or on the assumptions of illogical minds , we may find obstacles where all should be an easy victory , and "breakers

ahead" where all should be plain smooth sailing . If the battle is to be fought on the assumed deistic or theistic teaching of Freemasonry alone , that , we apprehend , is a false issue , a mistaken argument . Freemasonry is , no doubt , theistic , not deistic , in itself . But it is not only so . There has

always been , and there always will be , a Christian school in Masonic symbolism and didactic exposition , and within proper bounds such has a right to be considered . All that Freemasonry proclaims ( without any bye-question ) is , that it receives all proper applicants for its light and

privileges , except atheists and libertines—all , that is , who are good citizens , good men , not breakers of the law of the land , not mixed up with plots or conspiracies , and who accept the fatherhood of God , the brotherhood of man .

Now it is most important to bear this in mind , often forgotten , because Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry , at any rate , goes no further and says no more in its preliminary conditions , its , so to say , public basis of admission . Within the lodges ,

The Exclusion Of Hebrews.

in our well-known ritual , such teaching may be said to be expanded , and beautifully expanded , to this effect , that Freemasonry avows belief in a Personal God , in a future state , in an immortal soul , and in a resurrection of mankind , and in a great , a holy , an Infallible Judge .

It has been contended that the teaching of religion and of Christianity may bo pushed much further , and educed more distinctly , and the Royal Arch Ritual may , perhaps , be advanced in favour of such implied if not authoritative teaching . But this is , after all , more of opinion

than dogma , more of individual teaching than official acknowledgement . To the Hebrew mind , undoubtedly , Freemasonry has very special attractions , but we agree with one of our Hebrew correspondents , that as they concur with the teachings of Freemasonry , and can

come under its conditions , they have as much a right , on the principles of Freemasonry , as any other body of men or religionists to be admitted . We also object to make it any question as between Hebrews and Christians . That is not the point at issue . It is , indeed , true that

the exclusion of Hebrews in Germany seems to be a relic of an older teaching of intolerance , and to be the reflection of a destructive wave of so called limited and Christian exposition , which swept over the shore of Craft Masonry , and brought with it confusion instead of order ,

and discord instead of peace . On the grounds , then , of Masonic toleration , and on the principles of Craft Masonry , the exclusion of the Hebrews is alike unjust , impolitic , and in our opinion untenable , and we trust soon to hear that by wise concessions ' the last remains of intolerance

and exclusiveness have been removed . But in the ardour of our sympathies , and the sense of injur }* , let no inharmonious chord be struck , as otherwise as always happens in controversies in which sectional feelings and mere denominational views crop up , the effect undoubtedly will

be to throw back for some years the satisfactory solution of a most important question , which , we feel sure , may be well left to be settled by the sense of justice , fair plaj * , toleration , and true liberality , which are the characteristics , we fain would hope of all sound Craft Masonry at home and abroad .

Proposed Increase Of The Boys' School.

PROPOSED INCREASE OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

It will be seen by a statement in another column , that the remarks we ventured some time back to make on this most important subject are fully borne out by the report of the House Committee of the Boys' School , presented to the General Committee on Saturday last . We

took exception , in all deference , to the estimate of £ 10 , 000 for 100 boys , as fragmentary and imperfect , and now we note , if we understand the report , that in order to accommodate 120 boys extra at Wood Green about £ 22 , 000 will be required . We would venture to suggest to the authorities that they shall convene a special

General Court of the Boys' School , at which a detailed report , with the architect ' s plans and estimates , should be laid before the meeting , as if the necessity of an increase be proved , and the proposed alterations commend themselves to the views of the | supportersofthe School , and come before them recommended by the Committee , we have no doubt that our liberal Craft will at

once respond to the call , and meet the necessities of the case . But in order to procure unanimity and zealous action , it is necessary , above all things , that all should be , as they say , " ship shape'' and clear and plain before the subscribers ,

The Scottish Freemason.

THE SCOTTISH FREEMASON .

Our zealous publisher has started a new Masonic paper , for the information and on behoof of our Scottish brethren . There can be no doubt that the members of our Order in the " Land of

Cakes " are quite able to support a paper of their own , if only they will . We wish this ne * Masonic venture all the success it deserves . We notice The Scottish Freemason in another page .