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IMPORTANT NOTICE .

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To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason 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 subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / - P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the chief office , London .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . For terms , position , & c , apply to CEOROS K . BNNISO , 198 , Fle-et-st .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , ir tended for insertion in the Nunrbei of the following Satuiday , must reach the Office not later rnsm 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " Within Bohemia ; or , Love in London . " Mistress Haslcwode . 2 vols . From Messrs . Remington & Co . A « review of each will appear in our next . "The Masonic Journal , " Louisville , U . S . ; "The Birmingham Examiner ; " "The WtstminslT Papers . "

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Cd for announcements , not exceed , ing four lines , uneler this heaeling . ]

BIRTHS AKSI . OW . —On thc 26 th ult ., at P . irville , Wellington , Shropshire , the wife of I ! . Anslow , of a son . BARTI . ETT . —On the 4 th inst , at West Ci'tlage , Pyddktrcnthide , Dorset , the wife of Captain II . Harrison Bartlett , 69 th Regiment , of a son . BHANO . —On the 7 th inst ., at 7 , Hill-road , N . W ., the wife

of Ferdinand Brand , Esq ., of a daughter . CIIESVKV . —On the 6 th inst ., at Cooper-hill , the wife of Lieutenant Colonel George Chesney , of a daughter . JENKINS . —On June Sth , at Simla , India , the widow of Lieut . R . E . A . Jenkins , of a daughter . JONES . —On the 30 th ult , at Ladbroke Gardens , Mrs . G .

Jones , of a son . WILSON . —On the 28 th ult ., at Redgrave Hall , Suffolk , the wife of G . H . Wilson , Esq ., of a son . WIIIGIIT . —On the 5 H 1 inst ., at Dunbar , the wife of H . G . Wright , Esq ., of a daughter . "WYNNE . —On the 28 th ult ., at Westwood Cottage , Sydenham , the wife of A . A . Wynne , of a son .

MARRIAGES . Bii . i . iNoiiuitsT—WESBROOM . —On the Sth inst ., at St . Luke ' s Church , Chelsea , by the Rev , G . Blunt , Fanny Billinghurst , of Uxbridge , to Charles Wesbroom , of King ' s-road , Chelsea . KRMUI . E—MAUI . E . —On the 25 th ult ., at Clifton , Bristol , Henry , son of the late Rev . C . Kemble , rector of Bath , to Kathcrinc Clara , daughter of the late J . T . Maule .

KINO—HAI . LETT . —On the 27 th ult ., at St . Giles's , Camberwell , John Charles , son of the lateT . King , of Leighton Buzzard , to Clara Maria , daughter of the late J . Hallett , of Rotherhithe . UiMiAM—SCOTT . —On the 3 rd inst ., at St . James's , Piccadilly , by the Rev . G . \ V . Sicklemore , M . A ., vicar of St . Lawrence , Ramsgate , rural dean , William Arthur , only son of William Upham , Esq ., of Taunton , to Charlotte Scott , of St . Lawrence , Ramsgate .

DEATHS . ANDERSON . —On the 7 th inst ., at Landsdowne-place . Brighton , Elizabeth Jane , wife of J . Anderson , aged 31 , BCHMAN . —On the 22 nd ult ., Mary , widow of Capt . E . Burman , R . E ., aged 84 . KINO . —On the 38 th ult ., at Marquess-road , Canonbury , William King , in his 68 th year .

KNOX . —On the 2 S 1 I 1 ult ., at Shobiooke Rectory , Crediton , the Rev . R . A . Knox , aged 61 . ROBERTS . —On the Cth inst ., at Ryde , I . W ., Peregrine Roberts , Esq ., aged 57 . VINCENT . —On the nth ult ., at Hampton-hill , Bath , Col . Henry Torrens Vincent . WKBSTER . —On the 27 th ult ., drowned whilst bathing at Roker , Philip James , son of C . M . Webster , aged 34 .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , AUGUST II , 1876 .

The Last Papal Encyclical.

THE LAST PAPAL ENCYCLICAL .

We print in another column a portion of a Papal Encyclical , with reference to the " Brazilian difficulty . " We much regret that Bro . Hubert did not give it us " in pltno , " as we always think it best to have the " ipsissima verba " before us of all documents which we

deal with critically or controveisially . Indeed , if any good leader will send us the " Univers " of July 24 th , we shall be happy to reproduce the missing portion , and fill up these regretable " lacunoe" in a public document of some little importance in the controversy before us . But

the portion of the Encyclical now presented to the notice of the public contains quite enough to enlighten and alarm , to edify and astound . In the first place , we must notice the remarkable absence of punctuation , a weakness very Papaline . It has been said that ladies' letters are

sometimes , not strong in punctuation , but without entering into such a delicate discussion , we may be permitted to observe that a more oldwom . inish missive we never perused , In the next place , the theory that the Freemasons have surreptitiously joined Chiistian

confraternities , or insinuated themselves among the pious in Brazil is a barefJced — well never mind—let ns say a " taradiddle , " and too contemptible and p . ierile to notice . The controversy began bv the closing the churches

and denying nil ritts to Freemasons , as Freemasons , in Brazil by those peace-loving and ttue-hearted shepherds of the church , the Bishop of Olinda and the Bishop of Para . In fact , we almost wonder that Monsignore D ' Olinda has not before this been made a Cardinal .

In the next place , we must be struck with the assumption of supreme and universal authority , which the kind-hearted old Pope claims , though , as Mr . Gladstone remark ? , his language is about as acrid and intolerant , as it is possible for the human mind to conceive , or human

langujge to express . It is not only Roman Catholic Freemasons , but all Freemasons , everywhere , in Europe , America , in Africa , in Asia , "le monde t & utentier , " that Pio Nono generally anathematizes . Now we have always felt , and feel still , that this is a great impertinence . What

business has the Pope of Rome to curse us , who are not Roman Catholics at all ? What right has he to say anything at all against those Freemasons who are not of hisown fold ? If he likes to curse Roman Catholic Freemasons , and they like to be cursed , let him do so by all means , that is

another affair ; it is a matter of taste , and it is alone for them to settle and complain of . We have nothing to do with it . But we have a right to protest against our names being mixed up in all this " cursing and swearing , " though practically the thins : itself is not of much

importance . Like Balaam ' s curse of old , such anathemata are rather a compliment and a blessing , as they prove incontestably that the Romish Church finds us in some way opposed to its childish claims of universal sovereignity . Indeed , the most mournful feature of the whole case " selon

nous , " as the French say , is this setting the Church above the law of the land in matters , too , purely within the cognisance of the law , and the law alone . In one sense all religious people , except pure Erastians hold that the spiritual power , in things spiritual , is above the temporal

power , but only in things spiritual . As regards things temporal , human law and social arrangements , the acts of the legislature , the warning still holds good , " Let every soul be subject to the higher powers , for there is no power but of God , the powers that be are

ordained of God . ' We are still to be " subject not only for wrath but conscience sake , " and no true Christian , and no sincere patriot , and no loyal Freemason will ever resist or defy the law of the land in which he resides , or set himself

above the decrees of the supreme national authority . We may not always agree with this or that enactment , of this or that particular legislature , but we are to seek the alteration or removal of it by legal and constitutional means

The Last Papal Encyclical.

but while it is law it can claim from us , and ought to claim from us all , obedience and re . spect . But the Ultramonttne gives to the Pope a superior authority of appeal , alteration , overruling . " Sec volo sec jubeo " is the motto in . scribed on the papal curule chair . Such n

principle is in direct antagonism to all constitutional govsrnment , all systems of judicature , all laws human—nay , we will add all laws divine . It is in fact the old claim of "dispensing power " in its most offensive form . It is mournful to think into what a struggle Ultramontanism has

precipitated the Romish Church . It is simply a struggle now between hjper-spiritualism and legality , between the ridiculous claims of an effete domination and the peaceful onward march of civilization and order , national authority and national law , nay , more , it is

practically " Roma contra mundum , " Rome against the world , and that on an untenable and absurd hypothesis of universal sovereignty , of the hopeless pretensions of the darkest days of interdict and excommunication , of a tyrannical spiritual power , and of a debasing clerical intolerance . In such a contest Rome must fail and fall .

Masons' Marks.

MASONS' MARKS .

A communication in our able contemporary , the " Builder , " which we printed last week , raises many important questions , and suggests several very interesting considerations for all who take an interest in Masonic archaeology . And be it noted , we are now talking of " Masons' Marks "

pur et simple , not of the "Mark Degree , " which , though no doubt a very interesting grade in itself , has , as far as we are aware , no historical status before the end of the last century . If the theory of the " Builder " be correct , that certain members of the old operative lodges were

deputed to " mark" the stones , ( notat all an improbable theory , by the way ) , we have an explanation of the uniformity of marks which has struck all who have studied the subject . To Mr . George Godwin , the well-known architect , must be conceded the merit of havim ? first called attention to

this most important subject , though in justice to the memory of our lamented Bro . E . W . Shaw , ofthe Philanthropic Lodge , Leeds , and the Pentalpha , Bradford , we should never forget that he devoted a " Masonic life time to the acquisition and study of Masons' Marks . " His invaluable

collections , though we believe still extant , are at present unfortunately inaccessible . It is very remarkable that the recent theory of the " Builder" is nearly the same as Bro . Shaw ' s , propounded at Sheffield , that the marks are clearly resolvable into special marks , belonging to

separate grades . There Vere even what he termed " blind marks , " to show that the stone was wrought by members not of the guild . Some of us may remember that Mr . Street , in his account of the churches in Spain , seems to contend that you could trace the stones worked by

different members of one family by special additional distinguishing marks . We believe that when the stones were wrought , the " mark man " marked the stone for the workmen , and that each man would be paid for his passed and marked work . And we will eo further , and say ,

no doubt , in the operative guilds , each member had his mark , and if any used the same mark there was a special distinguishing token or addition , which we sometimes see in the old walls of ecclesiastical and other buildings , not otherwise easv to account for . Unon one noint . and a verv

important one , in the communication of our respected contemporary , we should like a little more information . It is there stated that " many of these lodges " of operative Freemasons " had charters and privileges granted to thera by various kings and emperors . " We have often

seen this and read this , and , though we fully believe it , we wish much that we could light upon such a Masonic charter , it would be worth a great many eloquent dissertations . So far any such charter has eluded all research . The Glasgow Charter , which created and confirmed the

sodality to collect subscriptions and rebuild the Cathedral , is , so far , the only extant one . Bishop Lucy is said to have formed a confraternity at Winchester , by Milner , but we are not aware that the orig inal charter exists . We believe , as indeed Depping ' s invaluable publication seems