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NOTICE . The Subscription lo THK FREEMASON is now io . v . per annum , posl-j ' rec , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in clcth ... ... 4 s . fid . Vol . II ., ditto ; s . ( id . Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . od . Vol . IV ., ditto ... ... i . s . s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . Od . United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any pint of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All communications for'l'lic l- ' ieem ; isnn slmnlil lie \\ ritten Usably fin one side of the pnper only , ; md , it' intended lor insertion in the current number , must he received net later tinui 10 o ' clock nan . , m Thursd .-iys , unle-ss in very special coses . The name andaildrc .-s of every writer must be sent to us in eoulidenee .

Births , Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

JlAKRiAUl-:. SANDERS—FCRS'L' . — -October 2 nd . nt Iianipstcad Church , Bro . Thomas Sanders , suttrcon of . South Molton , S . W . of Lodge 421 , to Lucy , YOUIKSCSI ilatiijl' . ter ui tile late Koheit Fttrsc , Ksq ., sarczeon , of . South . Moltun , and sister to liro . Edwin l- ' urse , P . M . ol Lodt / c > . o . 421 .

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* The Freemason , SATURDAY , OCTOJIKK } i , 1 S 72 . The Freemason is published on Saturday Morning * in lime lor the early tr . iiiw . The price ot" the Freemason is Twopence per v . vek ; annual subscription , to-, ( payable in advance .. All communications , letlcrs , kc , \ t > be n . Jdrci- > e <] lo ibe ] : . iUiov , KjS , Flcet-Micei , K . C . Th = Kditovwill pay careful attention to all MSS . enivu ' -tcd tohini , nut cannot undertake to return them mile .-.-accompanied bv jio .-ia ^ e Mamps .

"Lodge Of Emulation " And Its History.

"LODGE OF EMULATION " AND ITS HISTORY .

B y BKO . BKACKSTOXE BAKER , P . AL , P . G . D l'he earl y history of tlie Lodge of Emulation , No . 21 , is a remarkable one , ant ! in many respects of a much more inter ; si ing character than

the ordinary run of '' Centenary Lodges , " whicli are now rapidl y increasing in number . hs original warrant of Constitution , hcariii " ' date ijth M ; : v , 172 . ; , was lost many vears : !••'<> , but

the fact of its antiquity is duly acknowledged in a warrant of confirmation , issued ,, ( lie 1 -th March , 1 S 10 . We are at a lo .-s to know why tlie members have so long delayed their application

for a " Centenary Jew el , " especially when if i ; evident from the careful History , compiled bv Bro . Baker , that the lodge lias been active lor a century and a half . We should like very much

to transfer tlie whole of this capital sketch ol No . 21 to our columns , but in the absence ol any authority so to do . we must be contented ¦ with a rapid survey of its chief points ol interest .

IheJoOge appears io compose in reality three Loelges , viz " Mourning Hush , " No . iy , of A . D . J 72 , ; ; " Constitution , " No . h ; o . A . D . 1767 : and " Lmulation , " No . . 324 , A . D . 1772 . The latter

however was virtuall y a revival ol ' lite second on the list . l'he Constitution Lodge met for a little more than three vears , and ihruughout tin ' s brief period was not a verv popular , or even a

very harmonious oy . e . Its connection with the present lo : ' ge , ami wilh the Mourning Push was owing to the el forts of Pro . William White , the Grand Secre' . arv . who , with some fivr i . i ' ieis .

rescued it , from oblivion , anil ha \ ir . g altered hs name to Lmulation , the Constitution disappeared from the Roll , and its more fortunate sueees . ia has flourished unto this proem lime .

"Lodge Of Emulation " And Its History.

The first officers of the Emulation No . , 324 were S . Hill , W . M ., William White , S . W . j anel Dowibll , j . W . Grand Secretary White , served the ofiice of Master for 1771-2-4 anel 7 . His

son , Williani Henry White , ( born November 10 , 1777 ) was initiated i . -jth April , 1 799 , and passed the same evening . In December , 1 S 00 , he was elected W M ., and was re-elected 1804 to tSoo .

These two Granel Secretaries , hither anel son , for so many years members e ; f the lodge , and eacli in his time regularly attending its meetings , contributed in no slight degree to its prosperity and

popularity . liro . William Preston , author of the "Illustrations of Masonry , " became a joining member in

A . D . 1772 , the same year in which the first edition of his famous work appeared . James Heseltine , Granel Secretary , also joined the lodge at thc same time . In April , 177 . ; , a Lodge of

Instruction was founded , in connection with tne lodge , in order tei promote a knowledge o ! Masonry among the members , and we suppose

tobacco was freely provided at the meetings for the use of the brethren , as a payment is noticed in the Treasurer ' s accounts , October 20 th , 1777 , for herb tobacco .

The lodge was a contributor to the Freemasons Hall Loan Fund , and subsequently resigned its e'laim to repayment , for which handsome

donation the Grand Lodge passed a vote oi thanks , and presented a medal lolhe lodge , as a mark ol distinction , to be worn ever afterwarels b y the Master for the time beintr .

In 1 7 S 0 the lodge united with the " Mourning Bush , " and it is from this union that the Emulation derives its antiquity , the name of the

younger lodge being continued , but the number 12 was retained , and the place ofthe Mourninj ; Push on tlie roll of lodges was accordingly occupied by the Emulation , lVDi ' cscnting lodges of

\ . D . 1727 , anel 1707 respective' ! v . I l'he rioht of a lotlc'e to return a Grand I . . i Steward is considered to be a icrv valuable

; pri \ iiege . Eighteen exercise that ri ght annually tit the present lime , but prior to the 1 ' nion ol ... A . D . sSi . y , only twelve did . 1 Ins distinction was possessed by ihe Ai . mining Push Lodge , and for 140 vears ( wilh tlie Emulation ) in

nninterre . pfed succession tecs privilege has been retained . Pro . Fotheri y Baker represented the lodge as Grand Stew aril , , " , oth March , 1 7 . 14 , and in 17 . 1 7 was appointed Deputy Grand Master . Another member , Pro . Joint Jesse , Grand Steve tire ! in 1 7 ' /> ' , was Grand Treasurer from

1 7 . 3 8 to 1 7 . 7-1 . Pro . Rowland Perkel y , Grand Steward for the Lodge 1 7 l'io , was elected Grand Treasurer from 1 7 V ; to i yH - . Other Masons ol no ' . e , members ol this ancient lodge , might be nuiitioned , such , a ; ' . Pro . W . P . . \ orris ,

Treasurer , 1 7001 , on tiie death of his father-in-law , Bro . S . Clark , who had held that oliiee from 77 . 1 - ' - ! '' ' I'iohe of Treasurer was held in the

same hiiuily for a period of [ : ; . years . Tlie Grand Seer , tary initialed his brother , Thomas VAv . - . v .-. ] While , in 181 . ; , who sericd ail ihe lodge tidices . a :: d continued a member

unii : nis iit .-nu , in < : > :. , ' ,. I its son , I . m . I iic . iuas P . eyuolds . While , P . G . D . is still a member of the ledge , tis isaoo H ; o . Thomas W . While , the son id the kief named ; some representative of tiie famil y being tin :: ; o : ; the tv : ! of members iron ) 1770 io the pre-cnl time .

"Lodge Of Emulation " And Its History.

Bro . James Deans , who distinguished himself b y the prominent part he took in promoting the Union of the two Grand Lodges , was initiated in the Emulation Lodge , 30 th October , 17815 , was

Grand Steward 111 1 S 01 , W . M . in 181 r anel 18 12 , anel was appointed J . G . W . in 1811 . In November iSi . 'j , he initiated his son into the lodge , who was afterwards Grand Sword Bearer .

Many ofthe minutes quoted by Bro . Bake , are most interesting , and we are sorry the excellent little book has been printed for " private circulation" only , as it has a value far beyond the

limited circle of actual friendship . The minute books of the Mourning Bush commence 24 th December , 1776 ( the earlier records being unfortunatel y lost ) , and those of the

Emulation comprise all the years from the beginning of the Constitution Lodge in 1 / 6 / , its absorption in 1770 , and from then , to its union with the

Mourning Bush , in 1780 . The minute books from 17 80 , to the present , are , we are glad to say , happil y preserved , and long may they be kept as an evidence of the career of one of the most

successful early lodges which yet exist . There are onl y ten loelges older than this lodge , viz ., Nos . 2 , 4 , 6 , S , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 " , iS , anel 20 , the Grand Steward ' s being several years its junior , and the oild numbers from the Grand Masters '

Lodge , No . 1 , to the Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . iy , have till been warranted since A . D . 1750 , by the ancients . Hence , in point of age , it should now stand as No . j r .

\\ e hope lo see more ol such histories oi lodges , as many should , we think , contain much of a valuble and instructive character , illustrative

of the progress of Freemasonry , during the last century , and if every centenary lodge is fortunate to possess so able a writer as No . 2 1 , there is yet much pleasure in store for us all .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

l'he half yearl y election of this Institution took place tit Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday last . Pro . J . Symonds , Y . P ., presided . The following were ihe successful Candidates : ¦—• Durant , Pauline Le Clerc 118 , 3 Broadbent , Lucinda 10 S 9 Gardner , Frances E ioyz Wilson , 1-ah ' th Ann < 6 CJ Ilarryuian , Ellen yo " , Nash , Edith . Mary 898

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft Utosoiui . METROPOLITAN . L : ox AND L \ MU Lontir . ( No . uji ) . —l'he first regular meeting of this lodge was held-at the City Terminus liolel , Cannon-street , on Thursday , the . ; rel inst ., Pre ; . | . Harris , W . M ., in tlie

chair , inlty supported by his oliicers as follows 5 — Pros . F . Trott , S . W . ' ; George Abbott , J . W . j W . Gouelycar , P . M ., Treasurer jJ . G . Marsh , " P . M ., Secretary ; George Newman , S . D . ; Thomas Cohu . j ' . D . ; Charles Arkell , I . G . ; E . J ones ,

D . C . l'he lodge was opened in the first degree , l'he minutes of the last regular meeting , and thai oi the emergency subsequent thereto were read and confirmed . l'he W . M . then opened the lodge in 2 nd and . ; rd degrees . Bro . J . W . \/ l ' . 'll-l , d l"t .- ill ,.,, . "ife-Mi-l Oi t ' l ,,, e-riKli .,-... . ! .,,.-...,.. .. I ' 'it ! iiii i i

, . ¦ .,.. u .-, uieji UN .-. H « ... .,,,. . uiuiiMie ueTiee 111 M . M . Tiie Lodge was then resumed in the ist aud opened in the 2 nd degree , Bros . David MeVicar , A . G . Mank :, and F . Fellows , were duly passed to the elegree of Fellow Craft . The lodge baling been again resumed in the isl :