To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is . 1 sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price 2 el . It is publi .-dicd every Friday morning , and contains thc most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Ficcmasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in thc Una . J Kingdom , Post free , 10 / -

KKV- POSTAL RATES . Owing to a rcduc' . ion in the Postal Rates , the publisher is now enabled 10 Fend thc * ' Freemason" to thc following parts abroad ft r Cine Year : cr Twelve Shillings ( payable in advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of

Good Hi-pe , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demerara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfoundland , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , United States of America , occ . P . O . O . 's to be made pavablc al the chief office , London .

COLONIAL AND FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received is published in thc first number of every month . NOTict . —It is very r . cc-K-aiy for our friends to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United Slates tf America and India ; otherwise wc cannot tell where to credit them .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

1 he Freemason , has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , ils advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . For terms , position , & c ., apply to GEORGE KENNING , 198 , Fleet-st .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number cf tlie following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning . T . L . and E . J . 44 in our next . The following stand over *—Egyptian Lotlge , No . 27 ;

St . Clement Dane ' s Lodge , 1351 ; Florence Nightingale Lodge , 700 ; Albert Edward Lodge , 1519 ; Washington Lodge , Derby , 108 5 ; Metropolitan Lotlge of Instruction , antl scvvral other lodge reports . Owing to pressure of reports , reviews stand over till next week .

BOOKS RECEIVED . •'Masonic Herald , " "Canadian Masonic News , " "All thc World Over , " Vol . IL , E . Hoiltler .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ Ihe charge is 2 s . Cd . for announcements , not exceeding four lines , under this heading . ] BIRTHS . S-UITIIBIIS . —On the 31 st ult ., at Madras , the * wife of Lieut .-Col . Smithers , of a daughter . DIXON . —Jan . 30 , at K . imle-h , Alexandria , Egypt , the wife of F . Dixon , Esq ., of a cUughtcr .

MARRIAGES . BAKU : —Pition . —On the 29 th ult ., at St . Alban ' s , Holborn , ' TYctlcrick William Jamison , son of thc laic P . Baker , of Mexico , to Kate Lethbridgc , only child of IL L , Prior , of Cambridge . Dn LA lit ii—Srni : D . —On the ist inst ., at St . Andrew ' s , Wclls-st'eet , Thomas Andres , son of Warren dc la Rue , Msq ., of Portland-place , to Emily Maria , daughter of VV .

Speed , Esq . DBNTO . V—Wn . i INC . —On thc 27 II 1 ult ., at St . Stephen ' s Church , Hampstead , Charles Jones , son of C . J . Denton , Esq ., of Sjiring Lodge , Kictimotid , lo Jessie , second surviving daughter of James Willing , Esq . ROPE—Hot ' tAsn . —On thc ist inst ,, at St . George ' s , Hanover-square , John James Rope , son of J . W ' . Hope , of Hyde " ' ark-place , to Emily Joanna , daughter of VV Holland .

DEATHS . WETIIEHILI .. —On thc ist inst ., at IVckham-grou * , Cam bcrwell , George Brudenell VYcthe-rill , Esq . ADAMS . —On thc 7 th ini-t ., at the Western Royal In firman-, Glasgow , Bro . G . Adams , after a brief illness .

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TheFreemason., SATURDAY , FEU . 12 , 1876 .

Our Grand Master In India.

OUR GRAND MASTER IN INDIA .

Since his most successful visit to Scindiah H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales has continued his progress . On the 6 th he visited the Palace of Ambair , the ancient capital of Jeypore . On the ; th he / eft for Agra en route for Bareilly and Nynee Tal , meaning to proceed on a shooting expedition to Kumaon and Nepaul Terai .

Re-Opening Of Parliament.

RE-OPENING OF PARLIAMENT .

As Freemasons , though we have nothing to do with thc mere passing shadows of political complication , we are alike citizens and patriots , and have a right to express our opinions temperately on all mailers affecting our common coun-

Re-Opening Of Parliament.

try , especially from a social point of view , and in respect of the first duty of aU io > at subjects ; for our Queen , our " Mater Pati-iai" is not only thc sovereign of our native land , and , as such , claims our loyal attachment and obedience , on thc great and unchanging principles of

Freemasonry at all times and all circumstances , but she is to us the daughter of a brother of our Order , —the only representative in herself of an old Grand Muster . We therefore , as a brotherhood , always peaceful and submissive to the laws , feel the warmest interest in all that appertains

to her and her children , and her Royal House . Her opening of Parliament on Tuesday last was a subject of sincere rejoicing to all classes in the this vast metropolis , and , despite occasional sleet and a cold east wind , her greeting was as warm as if it had been veritable sunny Queen ' s weather .

H . R . H . the Princess of Wales , the wife of our august Grand Master , was associated by a happy idea in this Royal and triumphant progress through the crowded streets , and the warm welcome of her faithful people will , we feel sure , have deeply gratified and cheered the Queen . Sui rounded by her Royal " kkh and kin , " and

amid the most brilli : ; nt assemblage in the world , she has opened the new session of Parliament . and in the words of that most simple , yet effective speech , we shall hope and pray that the deliberations of our great " Wittenagemot" may lesult , under God ' s blessing , in the happiness and contentment of her pa-pic .

Masonic Mementoes.

MASONIC MEMENTOES .

That life is chequered we are taught in onr lodge symbolism , that it has many mutations and reminders who of ns can venture to deny ? Hardly a week leaves us but old friends dropoff , nnd familiar faces are missing in our lodges , and we look in vain for the " pleasant presence , " the

" stout heart , " or thc unwavering friend . The " Freemason" in its weekly annals of our Order tells us how brethren and companions pass away from time and Masonry , from their duties and theirresponsibiliiies . 1 heir place on earth knows them no more ; even the lodge of which they

were such faithful members , the high ollicc they so ably filled , all have no more interest for them . I'heir race is over , their work is done ! Such thoughts as these , never inappropriate , seem to us specially seasonable just now amid our lodge assemblies and our charitable gatherings . The

g lare of the banquet , the fascinaiion of things material , the sounds of music , the gaiety of the festive scene , all have a tendency to make us often only say , " carpe diem , " often lead us to forget , which we never should do , even ainid the plearant flow of life ' s charms and courtesies , the

" sena mista jocis . When Longfellow sang of old " It is not always May , " he set forth poeticall y a truth which lies deep in the personality of human life . Indeed , it is , so to say , an undying verity of humanity . Clouds and darkness sometimes dim the scene , the bins sky disappears ,

and the smiling hours of prosperity and happiness are exchanged for the gloomy moments of adversity and lvgret . Especially is this true as re gards the almost weekly loss we have to note of old friends and good brethren . Death neither spares Freemasonry nor any other

institution of earth , and often have we to deplore the departure of some well-known and valuable brother , the missing from our active assemblies of the high prestige , of the honourable name of social worth , of Masonic excellence . We have to lament as an Order generally , and our

Lancashire brethren speciall y , the demise of our very zealous and esteemed Bro . Romaine Callender . He was well known in Masonry , and has long stood high in the opinion of those who best knew him , and saw the most of him . He had taken a warm interest in our brotherhood and

our charities , and filled distinguished posts in our Order , and we are hound to notice the loss of one who had so far earned in thc opinion of his fellow-citizens as to represent Manchester in Parliament , and who had gained the regard and

affection of all his brother Masons . His funeral , we are told , was a very striking and a very impressive one , "Jand we feel sure we are echoing the universal feeling of our Order when we say that his premature loss to public life and

Masonic Mementoes.

to Freemasonry is greatly to be lamented on our account , though we would hope , religiously or reverently , not on his own . But such , sooner or later , is ¦ the end of life for us all . We pass from our countinghouses and our c'ubs , our homes and our hospitality , our lodges and our labours , one by one , as the Grand Master of us all calls us hence . When

our work is over , when our earthly lodge is closed , let us trust that there yet remains for us , and for all faithful Craftsmen , a better Grand Lodge above , where the " Great Architect who lives and reigns for ever , " will admit us to its glories , and His own Divine presence .

The Position And Prerogatives Of Provincial Grand Lodges.

THE POSITION AND PREROGATIVES OF PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES .

In a very memorable pamphlet , to which reference was made in our last leader anent the Boys' School and the Province of West Yorkshire ' s so called " Investigation Committee , " the writer takes up this peculiar posiiion in respect of his province , that it is a " corporate body . "

We beg to say , in reply , that no Provincial Grand Lodge is , or can be , in any true sense of the words a " corporate body , " except only as it is an aggregation , pro hac vice of all provincial subscribing and duly qualified Freemasons . Constitutionallv it is only an emanation , so to say ,

from the P . G . M . for the time being , just as the P . G . M is only an emanation from the G . M ., and thc Provincial Grand Lodge only exists " bene placito" the P . G . M . ; it lives with his life and will , it dies with his death and resignation . It" the P . G . M . resigns or dies there is no

provincial authority that can summon together the Provincial Grand Lodge ; and as the powers of the D . P . G . M . have absolutely ceased under such circumstances , it can only be convened and ruled , if convened and ruled at all . in the interregnum , either by the Grand Registrar ,

or by a temporary and special appointment of a P . G . M . b y the Grand Master . As we said before , the powers of the D . P . G . M . actually fall with the death or resignation of his Principal . There being no P . G M . there can be no D . G . M . and there can be no meeting of the P . G .

Lodge , which is thus rendered dormant and becomes defunct for the lime , unless called into life again by a fresh appointment of a P . G . M ., whether temporary or permanent , or by the Grand Registrar , who has received authority from the Grand Master to take charge of thd province in

the interim . That ceit . im districts arc called provinces , and known as such , is true , but that they only can meet and act pieno jine as Provincial Grand Lodges , under a P . G . M . or the Grand Registrar is incontestable . And though under

the rule of the Graud Registrar the work of the province can go on , and the officers be annually elected , yet a province is not complete , neither is a Provincial Grand Lodge in full life , until it has a Provincial Grand Master . 1 bus the P . G . M .

is practically the centre and the source of all provincial Masonic authority , work , and life . The theory , therefore , of the writer of the pamphlet , that a Provincial Grand Lodge is a " corporate body , " is entirely an erroneous one , and destitute of any Masonic reality or constitutional

foundation , Another proposition of the same writer is , that the Provincial Grand Lodgeof West Yerkshire could make a representation tip the Grand Secretary and the Board of General I'mpor . es , in reference to a dispute between it and thc Committee of the Boys' School .

Such a theory is almost really too absurd to deal with , though , as it has been gravely put forth , it requires we think noting and refutation here . The section of the Book of Constitutions referred to in support of such a supposed possibility of procedure is evidently sec . 18 , page 25 ,

though incorrectly given in the Pamphlet , bnt the construction placed on this section is perfectl y puerile . It refers as text and context then to a dispute between bona fide brethren , and can in no possible way be strained so as to refer to a

Provincial Grand Lodge on the one hand , or a body like the Boys' School on the other , whicli is not , we may observe " en passant , " purely-Masonic , Ladies and Lewises beinc ; among its subscribing members . As wc have previousl y pointed out neither a Provincial Grand Lodge