Ar00600

NOTICE .

In consequence of the great press of Lodge Reports and other matter "The Freemason " •will consist of four additional pages next week . We have to apologise to many Correspondents for unwillingly keeping back their contributions , but necessity has no law .

Ar00601

IMPO La * A NT " NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FOREIGN S UBSCRIBERS 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 Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemasoti 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 Fleet Street , London , not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday , to insure insertion in the following Saturday ' s number . The Rates for Advertisements may be had on application at the Office .

The "Freemason."

THE " FREEMASON . "

The Christmas number of the " Freemaso will appear on the 33 rd December , and will consist of 32 pages , to subscribers as usual , to non-subscribers 4 d . Orders to prevent disappointment , as the demand will be so targe , should be sent at once to the Publisher 19 8 , Fleet Street , London .

The "Masonic Magazine."

THE "MASONIC MAGAZINE . "

The Christmas number of the Masonic Magazine will be ready on the 22 nd of December , and will be a double number . To subscribers as usual , to non-subscribers is .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

A Member of No . 325—The affair being sub juilice , we cannot will publish his letter . He will be able to make a full statement in Prov . G . Lodge . Staffordshire—We cannot publish reports three weeks old . Had we received the account of the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting in due course , it would have appeared in our columns .

Errata—In our report of Lewes Lodge , 1185 , for " Kildreth " read " HiJdreth , " and for " John Thomas Chase" read "John Francis Chase . " The following stand over : —Reports of Henley Lodge , 1472 ; Brotherly Love , 127 ; Tyndall Lodge , 1363 ;

Pattison Lodge , 1 ) 13 ; St . Asaph , 13 iq ; Royal Commemoration Lodge , 1585 ; Aldershot Camp Lodge ; New Cross Lodge , 1539 ; Lodge of Truth , 145 8 ; Lily Lodge of Instruction " ; Faith Lodge of Instruction , 141 ; Mount Sinai Chapter ; West Lancashire Mark Lodge , 6 5 ; Royal Ark Mariners , 69 , Glasgow ; Lodge Dramatic , 571 , Glasgow .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

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

BIRTHS . CAMERON . —On the 14 th ult ., at Dalkeith House , the Lady Margaret E . Cameron , of a son and heir . DUNCAN . —On the 4 th inst ., at Aberdeen , Mrs . C . Duncan , of a daughter .

FnEBii . ^ -On the 8 th ult ., at Crofton Court , Orpington , Kent , the wife of the Rev . H . L . Freer , of a son . GI . OVN . —On the 4 th inst ., at Tywardreath , Cornwall , the wife of R . F . Gloyn , of a son . KINO . —On the 6 th inst ., at Surbiton-hill , the wife of M'Intosh King , Esq ., of a daughter .

MARRIAGES . Ancnr . n—HOCKI . EY . —On the 2 nd inst ., at St . Mary's , Lewisham , Reuben , son of Mr . Archer , of Forest-hill , to Mary , daughter ol the late J . Hockley , of Catford . PATTON—FUHLONCEH . —On the 1 st inst ., at St Michael ' s ,

Betchworth , Frederick Joseph Patton , B . A ., of Ball , Coll . Oxon ., o Edith , daughter of C . J . Fuilonger , Esq . SCOTT—YOUNG —On the 2 nd inst ., at Ludford , Lincolnshire , Dr . Walter Scott , of St . John ' s-Wood , to Fanny , daughter of R . Young , Esq ., of Ludford .

DEATHS . BARNES . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Tunbridge-wells , Eva Emily , daughter of E . Barnes . BURROUGHS . —On the Oth inst ., at his residence , 27 Bowroad , E ., John Burroughs , aged 52 years .

CALLANDER , —On the 6 th inst ., at Ebury-street , Eatonsquare , Mrs . Callander . Fox . —On the 29 th ult ., at Brislington , near Bristol , Ellen Elizabeth , wife of E . F . Fox , Esq ., aged 43 . MAY . —On the 4 th inst ., Bro . Samuel May , of Bow Street ,

Ar00610

TheFreemason, SATURDAY , Nov . TI , 1876 .

Recent Lodge Consecrations.

RECENT LODGE CONSECRATIONS .

No readers of the " Freemason ' * can fail to be struck with the constant reports of the consecration of new lodges which appear week by week in our crowded columns . VVe confess that we are among those who hail this increase of Freemasonry with some gratification—firstly , as an

evidence of the prosperity of our great Order ; and secondly , as a proof that our principles are both understood and appreciated . Despite the attacks of ignorant adversaries ( ignorant of the principles and practice they so noisily condemn ) , notwithstanding the abuse of the intolerant , and

the puerile opposition of fanatical impertinence , this English Craft is sailing on , as the poet sung , with " a wet sheet and a flowing sea , " and under admirable auspices is not only " holding its own , " but is rapidly " extending its stakes " on every side of us . No doubt some

cautions come in , which we shall all of us do well to attend to . Our distinguished and admirable Grand Secretary alluded to one or two points in his effective address at the opening of the EatI of Carnarvon Lodge , to which we shall all do well to listen . He pointed out the great need of caution in the admission of new

members , and exemplified it ably by that regrettable incident , that a Masonic lodge had sued in the County Court a brother who would not pay his " initiation fees . " The various blunders made by that distinguished lodge are too numerous to mention here ; the more so , as it may be a

matter of serious question whether the public action of the lodge may not have brought it necessarily under the notice of the Board of General Purposes . Every step the lodge has taken is constitutionally wrong and illegal . The lodge had no light not to ask for the initiation fee at

once : and if not paid , ought to have gone to the proposer ; certainly not to the County Court . And if the lodge had ni 2 de a mistake , and the peccant brother could not or would not pay the customary demand , such a matter ought to have been kept in the bosom of the lodge itself , and

not made the subject of public conversation or Masonic scandal . But enough on a most disagreeable subject . Bro . Hervey also alluded to a system of blackballing which is going on in some lodges , in which some one brother has been refused admission , and his friends blackball

perseveringly all other candidates until he is admitted-We have known such instances ourselves , and a sad reflection they arc on Masonry and Masonic princip les . We have no right to import into the ballot of the lodge our private feelings , piques , injuries , animosities . It is

conduct unworthy of every true Mason , and is so detrimental to the honour and interests of Freemasonry , that it must inevitably bring down any lodge eventually in which such conduct is tolerated or permitted . We thank the Grand Secretary for his seasonable and sensible words

of admonition and advice , and we wish to add one more word of humble caution and fraternal admonition on our part . The one weak point in our Masonic system , just now , in our opinion , is the laxity we allow ourselves as regards the admission of members . No doubt it

is a good thing for the Treasurer of a lodge to be able to report that he has a good balance sheet and a comfortable surplus at the end of the year , but , remember , financial well-being and material success may be too dearly purchased . If in order to obtain funds the

character of the lodge is sacrificed , nothing but discomfort and disunion must be the result . We have always felt and said , that the mere fact of a person being able to pay the initiation fees is neither a proper lest of admission , nor a befitting passport to a lodge . The

lodge is a family in itself , and if we introduce into a family or social life one incongruous or heterogeneous element , we know well the unavoidable consequence of such folly , often the saddest of the sad . And equally true is it of our lodge life . No member ought to be admitted

Recent Lodge Consecrations.

into a lodge unless his proposer can vouch for him that he is a suitable member for that particular lodge in all respects , and that he is qualified to do credit to the lodge , and promote the happiness and comfort of his brethren . He ought not to introduce him into the lodge unless

he could do so into his own famil y circle conscientiously . Many a lodge has been and is ruined by the intrusion of some cne brother , utterly unfitted , for various reasons , for that little body of which he has become a corporate part , and we cannot too much deprecate the far too common custom of

admitting members , not for " what they are , " but for what " they have . " We trust sincerely that the kindly notes of warning thus struck will not fall on inattentive ears , and that our brethren who comprise the lodges of our great Masonic brotherhood will take in good part what the reality of fraternal feeling suggests , and the result of masterly experience has pointed out .

Masonic Work.

MASONIC WORK .

Our metropolitan lodges are reopening for work , and some have already commenced a " new campaign . " As we write to-day , the faithful brethren of many good lodges have received their W . Master ' s summons , and will soon rally around their Masonic centres . The recess is over , and labour has recommenced . When

they meet again ,- no doubt some changes even in this short interval , will have taken place in the " personnel " of the lodge . When they are again assembled , some will be missing perchancenay , rather , almost certainly—who weie present at the last pleasant meeting , and in many a lodge those words of the Poet Laureate may well and forcibly recur to many minds : —

' •Oh , for the touch of a vanished hand , And the sound of a voice that ' s still . " But such , after all , is human life , and such is Masonic life , above all . We meet together a goodly band of brothers , we form long friendships , wc interchange kindly sympathies , wo become interested in each other , and gladly feel , that we are " brethren" in something more

than name . And so we move on side by side , happily and confidingly and pleasantly , for many years . We meet in good feeling and good fellowship , we part in love and amity , but we meet and part , to meet and part no more in time in earthly lodge . No more " summonses " for us ,

no more happy re-unions or steady work , or hearty sociality . VVe have had to obey a " summons " higher and more solemn than anything of earth , and our place on earth , and in lodge knows us no more . And when we are gone fit may sometimes occur to us ) , what will thev

say of us ? Will they miss us , and lament us , and speak kindly of us ? Or will they dismiss us with a few cold , careless words > " So poor Bro . Tomkinson is no more . I am very sorry for him . He was a good worker , and a kind fellow , and a true brother . " Nay , some one

may even say , " I lament his loss , but he was a difficult chap to get on with , and he was not as considerate as he should be , and , to say the truth , I don ' t think the lodge will miss him much . " Suppose that we were all able to listen to what people say of us behind our backs , or when we

are " gone , " what a cheery revelation would it afford to us all . Now , we need not indulge in any high-flown hyperbole in respect of the insincerity and treachery of the world . Such as the world has been , such it is , and such it will always be until its " weird is ended , " and

even in our little Masonic world we should be most unwise and unreasonable if we do not remember that despite its high professions , it only after all resembles that of which it forms a part . But the moral is obvious nevertheless , Let us work on while we are able ,

while health and strength , in the good Providence of the Great Architect of the Universe , are given to us , and let us hope , that when the Great Master of us comes in to pay his " workmen , " we may bo found neither unworthy of his

praise , nor with our names wanting on the K-on Call . " With this re-opening session let us regard our lodges , as pleasant retreats of friendly sympathy and fraternal good will , and let us remember that wo are all " brethren " bound together by