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To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper price zd . 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 J 6 . P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the Chief Office , London ,

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 for Thirteen Shillings ( payable in

advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape ot 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 .

Reports of the following lodges stand over : — United Mariners , 30 ; Metropolitan , 1507 ; New Cross , 1559 ; Union Waterloo Chapter , 13 ; Alpass Encampment , Liverpool .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " Origin and Development of My Inventions for Saving Property and Life at Sea , " by P . P . De La Sala . " New York Dispatch , " " Keystone , " "II Risorgimento . " Proceedings of Special Grand Lodge of Massachusetts

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 . CLARKE . —On the 5 th inst ., at Riverside House , Strand-onthe-Green , Chiswick , the wife of G . H . Claike , of a daughter .

IRWIN . —On the 2 nd inst ., at Newbiggen-by-Sea , Northumberland , the wife of the Rev . A . W . Irwin , of a daughter . MONTAGU . —On the 5 th inst ., the wife ol C . Montagu , Esq ., of Colville-square , Bayswater , of a daughter .

MARRIAGE . NESHAM—PiNDEit . —On the 30 th ult ., at Newcastle-upon-Tyne , Thomas Cargill Nesham , M . D ., to Nellie , daughter of the late J . Pinder , of Linton , Yorkshire .

DEATHS . DEACON . —On the 30 th ult ., Katharine , wife of F . Deacon , of Preston . GuANT .- ' -On the 4 th inst ., at Hillesden House , Gollumpton , William Charles Grant , Esq ., J . P . JuSLAnqi . —On the 5 th inst ., Bro . Richard Josland , of Faleon-street .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , MAY 12 , 1877 .

The Movements Of Our Royal Grand Master.

THE MOVEMENTS OF OUR ROYAL GRAND MASTER .

Our readers will be glad to see and to hear that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has returned to England from his continental trip , and is much benefitted by it . He has as usual been hard at work since his return home , holding a levee the afternoon of his arrival , having

travelled by night from Paris , and presiding on Monday evening at the gathering of an excellent object " The Licensed Victuallers' Benevolent Institution " with his accustomed geniality and eloquence , to which Lord Granville very happily alluded . It may also be added , that the returns of the festival amounted to £ 5000 .

Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The Anniversary Festival of the Girls' School was held on Wednesday evening , under the presidency of Lord Suffield , and we are happy in announcing that the returns amounted to srr ' pSaS -js ., with 22 lists to come in . We shall recur to this subject in our next .

The Struggle In France.

THE STRUGGLE IN FRANCE .

Bro . Hubert in the Chaine d'Union for May reproduces some words of ours at page 276 , to which he is good enough to apply the epithet of " sages paroles . " We thank Bro . Hubert for his friendly and fraternal recognition , alike of the intent of our remarks , and of the spirit by which

they were actuated . They were permeated , as Bro . Hubert has had the rare sagacity to see , with the most friendly feeling to all French Freemasons . We feel sure , with Bro . Hubert , ( as we are happy to note that he and we almost entirely agree ) , that if this untoward

movement has a successful result , if such a " betise " can bt ? " bien vue " by our French brethren , French Freemasonry is preparing for itself a great fall , and a sad future . We beg to say once for all , that we have no interest in the matter , but that of French Freemasonry itself ,

and of Cosmopolitan Freemasonry , as far as we understand the true position of the one or the other . Our worthy opponents , Bros . Caubet and Grimaux and others , think that our " lunettes " are very much obscured just now , and that we see all things in France , " a tort et a travers . "

But we assure them and all who read our humble lucubrations , that we venture to express our honest opinion warmly and clearly , because we feel strongly the importance of the whole question , and because we think we see , and see with deep regret , the undoubted and melancholy

" avenir " which some French Freemasons are preparing for their Order in France . For just let us look on a little , and try to realize what the position of the Grand Orient will be , if this new agitation against the recognition even of belief in God be triumphant , Bro . Caubet and his

cosympathisers may carry . the suppression of Article 2 , et puis ? What then 5 What will be the position of the French Grand Orient as before the world ? It has overthrown one of the universal and abiding landmarks of Freemasonry , profession of belief in God , and how does it

stand in relation to Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry ? to German Freemasonry ? In fact , to the whole Masonic family ? In our humble opinion it unmasons itself , if we may use such an expression . It ceases to be a true Grand Lodge of Freemasons , and it emperils its lawful jurisdiction over Freemasons at home . As regards Freemasons

abroad , it forfeits all international Masonic rights . It , in fact , is no longer a proper , lawful , regular , Masonic body . To use the language of an able friend of ours , " the foundation being cut away , the building falls . " It will be impossible , as Bro . Hervey pointed out in a recent friendl y warning , to maintain any longer , if such a revolution be

The Struggle In France.

carried through , any " entente cordiale , " as between the English and French governing bodies . Nay , we venture to think , as he did , though of course it is only our individual opinion " quantum valet , " as it was his , but speaking unofficially of course , that

in such a portion of affairs the English Grand Lodge will be unable any longer to recognize the Grand Orient of France , to admit the validity of its certificates , or to consent to mutual representation , or , indeed , any international intercourse . And then comes in this further

question : will not the English Masons resident in France and Belgium , ( for the same perversity is apparently there also succeeding ) , have a right to petition our Grand Master , and ask for warrants to enable them to meet in countries in which Freemasons have abjured the very foundation

truth of our Order ? We fancy that they will ; and that in truth , under such circumstances , there can be but one reply to such petitions for relief , and for permission properly to carry on the work and teaching of true Freemasonry . For they cannot clearly enter French and Belgian

Lodges , and are they to be debarred from all Masonic life and work ? According to Bros . Grimaux and Caubet , indeed , ( whose views on international Masonic law appear very queer ) , there would be nothing contrary to Masonic law or order , if English brethren met together

now , in France and Belgium , with or without warrants . For if Bro . Grimaux ' s special pleading , which the Monde Maennnii / ue appears to f pprove , be correct as regards Les Phi / ade / phes , then , according to their principles , there is nothing to prevent English brethren meeting qua

English brethren in lodge whether in France or Belgium , without refetring to or considering those who claim Masonic authority in those two countries ? We do not ourselves , however , go so far as such a very remarkable assertion of Masonic" Communism , " but we do venture to

hold that where there is no proper national Masonic authority , or lawful jurisdiction , any Grand Lodge may issue its warrant for lodges to meet . And , as we said before , this question must supervene : If Ihe Grand Orients of France and Beltr ' mm aclitalhj do airai / with the recognition

nj God will then >'" havefirfeited , b y lite great common law of ' Freemasonry . nil claim lo jurisdiction , aiilhvriti / , and even the name oj lawfully conitituled Gra-d Lodges , ihe power of national and International Masonic jurisdiction ? Our readers will see , as we have been trying to point

out to them , the great seriousness of the whole question , and the important issues involved in these regrettable and revolutionary proceedings of a section of French Freemasons . Let us trust as Bro . Hubert does , that the good sense of our French brethren will yet put an end to the sterile

discussions , and prevent unhappy complications , by the maintenance of the existing constitutions , and the determination " Stare super vias antiquas . "

Peace.

PEACE .

As Freemasons , we must all deplore the advent of war and the loss of peace to Europe and to mankind . For peace represents , let us not forget , tranquil progress and civilizing influences , the development and victory of the arts that embellish , the liberties which uphold social society , and that real agglomeration of humanity which we term the world . War . on the other hand ,

symbolizes all that is most destructive and antagonistic to order , law , true happiness , and national prosperity . We do not mean to say that no war is justifiable , or that no war is ever needed alike for the defence of a country , the honour of a people , the stern and vindicating

requirements of justice , truth , and right . We do not because we are Freemasons belong to the peace-at-any-price party . We freely admit , that there are to-day , as there ever have been in the past annals of nations , as there ever will be m the future of our race , times and seasons when

we must draw the sword in defence of «" that we hold most sacred , of all that we count most dear . But , on the other hand , we must be ever on our guard against the many temptations and tempters to hasty wars , to rash wars , to unjust wars , to uncalled-for wars . Bro . Sala , always an eloquent writer , puts it well in