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NOTICE . THE HOLIDAYS . —Brethren leaving town for the holidays can have the Freemason forwarded to any new address on communicating with the Publisher . Non-Subscribers can have copies forwarded for two or more weeks on receipt of postage stamps at the rate of 2 id per copy .

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TO OUR READERS . Tne FREEMASJN 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 ubscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / 6 . P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the Chief Office , London .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The F REEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can herefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion in current week ' s issue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FRUKMASON , may be addressed to the Olllcc , 198 , 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 even' 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 .

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

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

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

BRO . POI . ICII ( " Exclusion of the Hebrews . " )—As this discussion has been closed we do not think it well to reopen it . D . D . G . M . ( Trinidad ) . —We think it better not to publish your letter . X . Y . B . in our next .

BOOKS , & c ., RECEIVED . " Freemasonry , A Lecture ; " " History of the Dunmow Flitch of Bacon ; " " New York Dispatch ; " " Broad Arrow ;" "The Blue Coat Boys . "

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Gd . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . HomvooD . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Warley , Essex , the wife of Surgeon-Major E . J . Hopwood , A . M . D ., of a son . MAXWELL . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Holywych , the wife of Captain W . H . Maxwell , R . N ., of a daughter . STEER . —On the 4 th inst ., at Barnack , the wife of the Rev . George Steer , of a son .

MARRIAGES . POWELL—GHEENHEAD . —On the 25 th ult ., at St . Andrew ' s , Watford , Hugh Rice , third son of John Rice Powell , Esq ., of Merton , Surrey , to Sophie , youngest daughter of the late C . Greenhead Esq ., M . D ., Surgeon , R . N ., and late of Reading , Berks .

DEATHS . CODRISGTOX . —On the 4 th inst ., at 112 , Eaton-square ' Admiral of the Fleet , Sir Henry Coddington , K . C . B . ' aged 68 , son of the late Admiral Sir . Henry Codring " ton . MITCHELL . —On the 3 rd inst ., at No . o , ThornhilUsquarf ,

Barnsbury , George Rowland Mitchell , aged 46 . PARKER . —On the 3 rd inst ., at New Steine , Brighton , Edward Parker , youngest son of the late Charles Rowlantl Parker , Esq ., of Greenwich , and Blackhcath , Kent , aged 37 . WILSON . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Wiikswoith , Derbyshire , Daniel Wilson , Esq ., aged 71 .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , AUGUST II , 1877 .

Exaggerated Views Of Freemasonry.

EXAGGERATED VIEWS OF FREEMASONRY .

The Dail y News states that a lodge at Pengeux , or Perigord , has been closed by the French Government , because some of the brethren stated , ( a very rare " pate de Perigord " indeed ) , that " Freemasonry was the most fraternal , rational , and , in its nature , Christian religion in the

world . " We can hardly believe the statement " pur et simple , " and feel sure , that there must be something more in the background . For though we do not agree with " some brethren " of the lodge in such statements , yet we could afford we think , to treat such an expression of

" hyperbole with tranquil indifference . It is quite clear to us that it is a grave error to term Freemasonry at all a Religion . It is not , and never can be , a " Religio , " to any one . Indeed it makes no such profession , and claims no such character . It is simply a religious and

philanthropic sodality , advocating charity , toleration , and brotherly love , whose morality is based on the word of God ! Its platform and its professions are equally broad and sincere , and it wishes to serve as a rallying point among the inevitable controversies and disagreements of men , for

those of contrasted views and differing creeds . But it in no sense declares itself to be a Religion to the world , and any such view is in grave excess both of its tenets and its practice . In this age of exaggeration and cloudy statements , it seems

well to us to be precise in such matters , and to lay down accurately , as far as we can , alike what Freemasonry does teach and what it does not teach , to avoid the errors of some , to anticipate the accusations of others .

Gratuitous Medical Relief.

GRATUITOUS MEDICAL RELIEF .

We alluded in our last to the general assertion that " Gratuitous Medical Relief is hurtful per se , " hurtful , that is , to the hospital , the community , the individual , and the medical profession ; and we propose to consider the subject today a little more in detail . The argument , such

as it is , as must be evident to every Tyro even in logic , is simply an assertion , a " petitio principii , " and above all an arguing from a particular to an universal . An abuse exists in this or that particular hospital , that is to say , persons who can afford to pay for medical advice , avail themselves

improperly of gratuitous attendance and pay nothing , and therefore the whole system of " gratuitous medical relief" is injurious and objectionable . But can any such naked proposition be really brought to a logical conclusion ? We have no hesitation in answering " no . "

Admitted the " abuse "«—and a great abuse no doubt it is—does it therefore affect the use Again we reply emphatically in the negative . For the principle of " gratuitous medical relief" is , we venture to contend , despite the dicta of some , a very good and wholesome principle . For what

is it but simply this ? A manly and beneficent attempt to offer skilled nursing , and scientific treatment , in those many dreadful diseases which unceasingly afflict humanity , to those who for want of personal means or through lack of home accommodation are unable literally to

avail themselves comfortably and satisfactorily of the one or the other . And this endeavour , which is the aim and object of all our great Metropolitan hospitals , is one which commends itself entirely to every sense of philanthropy , and every dictate of religion . It is in fact , in its

measure a humble approximation to the example of thatHoly and Divine Teacher , who " wentabout doing good , " and was ever glad to heal " all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" It is a fact " bene

notanda" on this subject that to Christianity must be conceded the perfection and development of the hospital and the infirmary . If it be true , as probably it is , that the temples of JEsculapius , in the Pagan world , were schools for medical instruction and centres for the cure of

Gratuitous Medical Relief.

disease ; if it be also correct , that the Hebrews had hospitals and refuges for their sick and sufferingyet the present noble infirmary and hospital system is the benign expansion of the benevolentteaching of Christianity . Hospitalsand inRr maries in this country were originally " laza _

houses , " or places of reception and isolation for those who wandered back from the crusades who were afflicted with the mental curse of leprosy , or grave cutaneous disorders . As gradu . ally their need died out they became homes for the sick and infirm , until in the last century the

special infirmary and hospital movement began in the metropolis and provinces , which has culmi . nated in the present remarksble development of those needful and praiseworthy institutions . In particular cases and distinct foundations , the appropriation for the sick is of much earlier date

than the last century , but these are exceptions from the general condition of hospitals , and need not be dwelt upon now , as they are known to all our readers . At this moment the great hosp itals and infirmaries of the metropolis and provinces occupy one of the noblest positions which ever

has been attained , either in the history of medical science , or the progress of benevolent relief . Can it then be fairly contended by any , even b y the most hasty inductionist , that we are bound , because of an admitted abuse , to deprive ourselves of so great and noble a use ? Is not the

proper way of procedure to correct the " abuse " but to uphold the " use ; " It may be quite proper , as we have said before , that self supporting hospitals should be established , if there be a need for them , but why , are we , because of partial " abuse" of a noble system , to

abolish the general " use " which has been an untold blessing to countless thousands of the suffering and less opulent of our fellow citizens , of our fellow creatures male , female , and infant ? And then comes in the further question , what are we to do , how are we to deal with large

endowments left for the absolute object | of " gratuitous medical relief ? " We live in an age of confiscation and large-hearted plunder , and it is just possible that some great authority may discover a ready " Cypres " interpretation of founders' wills , as affecting our great

hospitals . But can such a course be either reasonable or recommended which would practically deprive countless hundreds of the poor and helpless of all curative efforts , and all skilled nursing ? Those of us who know anything of the " Cottage Homes of England" must be well aware

how utterly unfitted they are for the treatment of fever or infectious disorders , of dangerous maladies , necessitating severe surgical operations . Few except those who have stood in ill-ventilated rooms , and badly drained cottages , ( still a disgrace to our

civilization ) , have any idea of the amount of bloodpoisoning which there goes on , or what pesthouses of epidemics they often are to a village or a district . We feel therefore bound to protest to-day , in the great interest of thousands upon thousands of our poorer brethren and sisters of

the dust , against any tampering with the noble and beneficent system of " gratuitous medical relief . ' ' That some abuses exist we do not deny , but they can easily be met , by special legislation of the hospitals themselves . We feel certain that any attempt to turn all our

great hospitals , ( impossible as we deem it to be ) , into paying institutions , if worthy indeed of this calculating age , is alike inconsistent with the object of hospitals themselves , and above all with the views , as we make bold to assert , oi the great majority of a most enlightened and

benevolent profession . We feel assured that so great a change—must we not call it a revolution-—in these honoured ' schools of medical science , these unequalled centres of humanitarian rehetj will not be very readily conceded by that most irn ' portant section of our community which is ever

most conspicuous for its generous self abnegation in the interests of suffering « J ?" manity and the absorbing claim of scientin progress , and which devotes itself wl j such characteristic energy to the alleviation 0

suffering , the extirpation of disease , and thos curative , sanative , saving remedies which rn J arrest the fell inroads of contag ion , and g ' health to a community , life and peace and com fort to our individaal and family life .