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N . B . —ALTERATION OF DATE AND PLACE OF FESTIVAL . ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS , WOOD GREEN , LONDON , N . v EIGHTY-SECOND ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL , CRYSTAL PALACE , SYDENHAM , THURSDAY , IST J , 1 SS 0 Thc Right Hon . the EARL OF LATHOM , R . W . Dep . G . M ., Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire in the Chair . ' ¦ .. " , ' Board of Stewards . President—Lt .-Col . N . LEGENDRE , R . W . Provincial Grand , , . . Master of East Lancashire . "Acting Vice-Presidents : Rt . Hon . LORD CREMORNE , NO . 6 . W . Bro . J WORDSWORTH , Trustee , V .-Patronof Inst . ; . P . Pr . G . W ., W . Yorkshire . W : Bro : J . A . RUCKER , P . G . D ., Vice-Patron of Inst . Wi ' Bro . * HORACE BROOKS MARSHALL ( C . C . ) , V .-Patron - > of Inst . . . ' . W . 'BKJ . ' . CL ' ' NTR . N . BESWICKE ROYDS , P . Pr . G . W ., ' EI Lane . ; ' V .-Pres . of Inst . VVVBrp . Lt .-Col . SOMERVILLE BURNEY , G . D ., P . Pr . G . D ., ; " Essex . . ' ' Hon . Treasurer : ¦ ¦ W . Bro . J . G . STEVENS , P . M . and Treas ., No . 554 . ' With 260 other brethren , representing Lodges and Provinces , to which additions are still earnestly solicited . The services of brethren will be gratefully acknowledged . Musical Arrangements : Miss Mary McLean will sing two Songs . Miss Hopekirk will play Pianoforte Solo . Pupils' Choir , with Professional Assistants , under the direction of Mr . VV . H . Holmes , Musical Instructor . Pupil ' s Band , conducted by Mr . VV . Whare , Bandmaster . Tickets—Ladies , 15 s . ; Brethren , 21 s . Dinner on the Table at Five o'clock precisely . Every information may be obtained at the Office of the Institution , 6 , Freemasons' Hall , W . C . FREDERICK BINCKES , V .-Prcs . ( P . G . Steward ) , Secretary . 7 th June , 1 SS 0 . " ' Hon . Sec . Board of Stewards .

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THE ANNUAL PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LINCOLNSHIRE ,-OF ANCIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS , Will be holden ( D . V . ) at Lincoln . in the MASONIC HALL , on THURSDAY , the 24 th J next , on the invitation of the Lodges Witham , No / 297 , and St . Hugh , No . 1386 , at High Twelve punctually , when and where the P ' . G . Officers and Past Officers , 'with the W . 'Masters and Past Masters , " and the acting Wardens in the Province , are hereby convoked . to attend , andat'which all Master Masons areinvited to bepresent . By order of the R . W . P . G . M . FREDERICK D . MARSDEN , Provincial Grand Secretary . Louth , June Sth , 1880 .

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pROVINCE OF KENT . Dear Sir and Brother , The ANNUAL PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE of Kent will be held at the FORESTERS' HALL , Union Crescent , Margate , on Wednesday , June 23 rd , when and where the Provincial Grand Officers and Past O dicers , with the Worshipful Masters , and Wardens of the Lodges in the Province aie hereby convoked to attend . By order of the R . W . P . G . M . VISCOUNT HOLMESDALE . ALFRED SPENCER , Maidstone , May 27 th , 1 SS 0 . Prov . G . Sec . The arrangements of the Committee at Margate for thc Eestival are : LODGE at the Forester ' s Hall 12 . 0 noon SERVICE at St . Paul ' s Church , Cliftonville ... 1 . 30 p . m . BANQUET at the Assembly Rooms , Cecil Square , Tickets ios . 6 d . each , iucluding Wine , Dessert , and Waiters ' 3 . 30 „

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ROYA L MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION- —Bro . JOHN BENNETT begs to return his sincere thanks to the brethren and friends who so kindly assisted him in his candidature for the above ( he being second on the poll ) , not only in the Metropolis and Suburbs , but various parts of England , including Cambridge , Newcastle-on-Tyne , and extending to India and Newfoundland .

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TO ADVERTISERS . 1 THE FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe . In it the official Reports of the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland are published with the special sanction of the respec tiv-e . Grand Masters , and it contains a complete record of Masonic work in this country , our Indian Empire , anil thc Colonics . The vast accession to thc ranks of the Order elnring the past few years , and thc increasing interest manifested in its doings , has given thc Frecmaion a position and influence which few journals can lay claim to , and thc proprietor can assert with conlidciice that announcements appearing in its columns challenge the attention of a very large and influential boely of reaelcrs . Advertisements for the current week ' s issue arc received up to ix o ' clock on Wednesday evening . PttBiiiMiNO OrricEi 198 , FLEET STREET , LONDON , E . C .

To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

Bro . POYNTER ' letter is under consideration . We have received several letters with respect to Truro , for which wc thank our correspondents , but think it better , for many reasons , to close the discussion . We have also received several letters with respect to the Ritual question , but for special reasons that will be patent

to our readers we must drchne to allow them to appear in our columns . The following communications stand over for want of space Reports of Lodge Meetings : —No . 243 ; No . 477 ; and No . 95 S . Lodges of Instruction : —No . 13 S 2 and No . 1623 . Freemasonry in Spain . Freemasonry in Edenderry .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "The Egyptian Gazette , " "The Jewish Chronicle , " "Sunday Times , " "Orient , " "Canadian Craftsman , " " The Freemason " ( Sydney ); " The Voice of Masonry , " "Hull Packet , " "New Zealand Freemason , " " Boletin

Oficial de la Gran Logia Unida de Coloni Isla de Cuba , " Nos . 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ; Boletin Oficial De la Masoneria Simb . de Colon , " "La Chaine D'Union De Paris , " "Broad Arrow , " "Sunday Times , " "Report of Grand Lodge of Ireland" ( by favour of Bro . J . H . Neilson ) .

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THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , JUNE 12 , 18 S 0 . +

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OUR readers will have perused LORD MOUNT EDGCUMBE ' explanatory letter in our last , and we fancy that wc are expressing the feelings of all when we say , that wc think the controversy had better now cease . It is never a good thing'in this world to open out personal grievances , or individual

complaints , especially on a transaction past and gone , and in Masonry above all it is most prejudicial to that forbearance , consideration , and harmony which ought always to exist among Masons .

* * LET . us hope that the Cathedral about to be erected at Truro may prove " perfect in all its

arts , " and "honourable to the builder , " a landmark of architectural beauty and grandeur , and a means of peace , ' hope , . blessing , and salvation to all who shall enter its consecrated walls .

• % WE hear , with some regret , though we hope the report is a " canard , " that there is an idea of reviving in some form the Masonic lotteries for both or one of the Charities . We trust that our

brethren will pause and think before they again countenance any such scheme . Admitted , if you will , that it raises money—money is not the end of everything , and any such scheme introduces at thc same time the most vitiating principles of action

as regards Masonic charity . People do not give for the sake of giving , but practicall y to obtain at a cheap rate thc privilege of a Life Governorship , value £ 10 10 s ., for which they pay one shilling , or any other sum . We can see no

essential difference between this line of action and an illegal lottery , and it is thus that a lower view of what Masonic charity really means is fostered and foisted upon the Craft . We are of those who think that all lodges and

chapters , nay , and all Masons , if they can afford it , should subscribe to our Charities ,-but we object to a system which positively lowers the whole theory of giving , for charity ' s sake , into a mere advertisement , and too often individual notoriety at the expense of others .

* * HAVING said our little say by way of protest against the Boys' School circular , which we conceive to be most unjust to the Freemason in every respect , and utterly unwarranted and uncalled for ,

we are anxious to express our hope and wish that the coming Festival of that Institution may be a signal success . We are well aware of the need and value of the Boys' School , and can gladly testify how , under Bro . Dr .

MORRIS ' direction , it has maintained and developed its prestige , usefulness , and importance . We wish the School all prosperity , and shall truly be rejoiced to chronicle a goodly return from the Stewards in these friendly pages .

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BRO . DAVIS ' letter , which we printed last week , is a very creditable one to a very worthy Mason , and is dul y appreciated , we know , by man * of our readers . It is a most amusing commenttfryis it not?—on statements and counter statements ,

canards and circulars , assertions and declarations , and , above all , on that " discreet silence , " which have marked in succession the proceedings in respect of the recent most unwise attempt to unseat the whole Committee of the Girls' School . Verbum sat .

* * AT the monthly Committee of the Boys' School the whole of the old House Committee , with two new members , Bros . Dr . R AMSAY and S ANDERS , were elected b y large majorities . There was not

quite such a gathering as had taken place the week before at the Girls' School , but a larger number of Life Governors than usual attended . We do not object to see a little " life" thrown into such meetings .

* * BY a pure editorial oversi ght , owing to much thronging matter of various kinds , two reports anent the so-called " Grande Loge Symboliquc , " Paris , have found their way into the columns of

the Freemason . We regret thc occurrence , as wc cannot , and do not , in any way recognize the legality of this schismatic movement , nor thc reality of the position assumed and claimed . Wc

have written to our esteemed correspondent at Paris to say that similar reports cannot be inserted in thc Freemason , though we are always happy to hear of lawful French Freemasonry .

* * THE Craftsman tells us that the " Council of the " Grand Orient of France is said to be preparing " an appeal to the Grand Lodge of England " against the exclusion of its members from thc

" English Masonic Fraternities . The exclusion " rule of the English and Scotch lodges is repre" sented to have been felt b y French Masons in " many parts of the world , thc ruling having ap" plication in almost every English-speaking lodge

" Many complaints have reached the Grand " Orient , accompanied in some instances by ap" plications for charters to start lodges . Unwilling " to widen the breach in thc Masonic circle , the " Grand Orient has hitherto declined those

char" tcrs , but should thc English Grand Lodge con" tinuc to refuse fellowship , the Council of the " Grand Orient will grant those charters . The " English bod y will , of course , refuse to admit " thc validity of a right which excludes thc

recog" nition of the Deity , and we shall then have ' * established in London several lodges under " the jurisdiction of thc Grand Orient . " This is news to us in England . The truth is , that

we do not concern ourselves about it . We have said our say , and there the matter ends . The effect of any such clandestine lodges on Masonry in this " country would be utterly nil , " so that the truest policy is to take no notice of them .

* * MASONIC history and Masonic criticism , like all other human studies , has its fluctu . itions . Just now we have arrived at what the Germans call a " standpunkt , " a standpoint , when wc require to

" collect our scattered thoughts . " It has been assumed for some time that the "Guild theory" was the only true explanation of . Masonic history . , But as all who stud y the question know , it has its difficulties . One of its most earnest propounders in

this country has never concealed this , fact ,, and has from the first pointed'it ' out . '• Such hesitation and uncertainty' are well expressed in " Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia ' , " which our readers who . have it may consult " passim , " and those who have it not , even .

in its cheaper issue , may well at once procure and study . Circumstances which have lately arisen have made several students pause and look back on the way they have gained . It is now quite clear

that the theory of ascribing to RAMSAY all Chivalric and Hermetic Masonry must be abandoned . If , then , Hermetic Masonry existed contemporaneously with thc re-establishment of