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NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON 1 * now ios . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., tiiifco is . 6 d . Vols III ., IV ., V . and VI each r 5 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 25 . Cd . Ditto ditto 4 do . ... rs . ( id . United States of America . THE I ' . SEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance . - " - "tie Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for the early trains . The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual subsciip'ien , ios . ( payable in advance . ) All communication ' s , letters , & c ., to be addressed to Ihe Editor , 198 , Fleet-street , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him , but cannot underlake Io return them unless accompanied hypostatic stamps .

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MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION . BAKER STREET . Now added , PORTRAIT MODELS of thc CZAR OF RUSSIA , SIR GARNET WOLSELEY , the Three Judges in the Tichborne Trial , Cockbuin , Mellor , and Lush ; the Shah of Persia , Marshal MacMahon , M . Thiers , and the late Mr . Charles Dickens . Admission j s . Children under ten , Gd . Extra Rooms , 6 d . Open frc * - -t ten a . m . to ten p . m .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , Sec , intended for mseition in the Number of thc following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 6 o ' clock on Wednesday evening . g | All Communications should be sent to 109 , Fleet Street .

ERRATUM . —In Iiro , Galileo ' s letter , page 705 , Nov . 28 th , for " Epphursi niuove , " read " Eppur si niuove . " SYI . VANUS UHIIAN . —The quotation you refer to was , by thc printer's error , wrongly spell . Iiro . Galileo's copy has it " Eppur si muove " ( yet it moves ) . J . C . J . ( MARYSVII . I . 1 ' ) . —The ortier you sent we could only lealise the amount of sevenpence upon , leaving you still in debt one shilling and elevenpence . 33 —Declined with thanks . Subject not suitable [ 01 discussion .

Testmonial to Bro . Rev . M . A . Holden . Reports of Lodges 1460 , llalli ' ord ; 10 , Dalkeith ; 12 , Greenock ; ( iS , Poit Glasgow ; 175 , Greenock ; 216 , Dunfermline ; 351 , Bridge of Allau ; Chapter 31-4 , Southampton ; Mark Lodge ( J ? , Southampton ; Prov . Grand Lodge of Down . *

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , DF . CF . MUGR 12 , 1874 .

The Abuse Of The Masonic Press.

THE ABUSE OF THE MASONIC PRESS .

Great as is the use of the Masonic Press , we do not deny that there may be an abuse of it . Indeed , in things Masonic , publication often becomes a grave question , both of duty and

discretion . In previous times there was practically no Masonic Press ; and , in consequence , little publication . But now , with the Masonic Press open , and abounding in Germany and the

United States , and in England , it is just possible , we think , that we may be publishing a little too much . We confess , for instance , that we always deprecate public discussions of the ritual . Any

discussion on that point should , we venture to think , be confined to the lodge ; and we have often read with pain and misgivings some of the modern disquisitions on the minutiae of our

ritual , which seemed to us sadly out of place in thc public columns of a weekly journal and monthly magazine . We in this country are very much , happily , behind other countries in the freedom with which wc deal with such

subjects , especially our good brethren m Germany . We think that , with the best intentions in the world , they go somewhat too far in their

unlimited liberty tf discussion ; but then we must bear in mind that the ritual in Germany does not bear the same relation to Masonic woik and

The Abuse Of The Masonic Press.

lodge proceedings as it does with us in England . In America , a very great freedom of discussion on all matters Masonic exists ; but we have noted lately several remarks from high Masonic officials in the United States which seem to

denote a little uneasiness , lest they are publishing too much . We think , therefore , that we are consulting the best interests of the English fraternity when we say to-day that , D . V ., in

1 S 75 , we shall be still more guarded in admitting any discussion of ritual matters . There are plenty of other subjects on which Masons can write , and can write well and we feel sure

that , while we are the last persons in the world to yield one iota of the liberty of the Masonic Press , either to prejudice or perversity , we feel bound to respect the scruples of Worthy Masons , and

to remove , if possible , the objections of some who now deprecate deeply such controversies in our Masonic press as pregnant with evil to the Order . Another abuse of the Masonic press is

personality . The FREEMASON has ever been free from such a blot , but it is a matter which requires the greatest supervision and stringency , or otherwise personalities will creep in , do what

we will to keej ) them out . There are some brethren whose whole zeal for Freemasonry seems to consist in attacking some other brother There arc Masonic firebrands as well as

ecclesiastical firebrands , or firebrands , like Mrs . Proudie , of famous memory , there are Masonic Ishmaelites who , like one of old have everybody ' s hand against them , whilst their hand is against

everyone else . Then all who conduct the press know , what difficulties wc have to contend with as regards sensitive brethren , touchy brethren , hasty brethren , hot-headed brethren . Some are

always ready to take offence , some are never tired of incriminating an opponent . And wherever such personality is encouraged or permitted , sooner or later that journal must fall , simply

from its own absurd repudiation of the life-principle of Freemasonry , brotherly forbearance and regard . We say nothing here of the tendency unfortunately existing in some little minds , to

make the Masonic press a medium for personal animosity or for unbrotherly slander . We had a very untoward specimen of this " animus " a short time ago , most unfortunately , and by a

"fortuitous concurrence of atoms" to use Lord Palmerston ' s famous dictum , which has been to us a very salutary warning . We trust that as our worthy publisher has always sought to give

his paper the highest status in Masonic literature , that , when a new year dawns upon us all , the FREEMASON may be as ever distinguished by its careful avoidance of all topics or

correspondence likely to give the slightest pain to any brother , or to bring discredit on the great principles of our Order . We do not think it needful to pursue the subject further to-day . Of the

use of the Masonic press , great and abiding , we feel sure , just as we admit fairly its possible abuse . But of this one thing we are convinced , that while the FREEMASON never seeks to flatter

any one , or to become thc organ of anybody but the entire Craft , its one great principle of action will ever be to prevent , if possible , any abuse of

its happy liberty , and to be foremost in advocating and upholding subordination to Masonic authority , the prerogative of the Grand Master ,

The Abuse Of The Masonic Press.

the privileges of the Grand Lodge , and the rights , the honour , and the well-being of all ranks and conditions of Freemasonry .

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

We congratulate the Order sincerely on the events and results of the last Quarterly Communication . Everything has taken place as the most devoted Craftsman could wish . Our

Royal Brother has been nominated with acclamation as our Grand Master for the next year and most interesting will be the next Quarterly Communication and the Yearly Festival in 1875 .

Every fervent wish of loyalty and goodwill will go with our august Grand Master and the true old Craft he has been called to rule over . We equally felicitate the brotherhood on the appointment and installation of the Pro . Grand

Master . His nomination was received , as it was sure to be , with the hearty assent and sympathy of a crowded Grand Lodge . We wish also to express our admiration at the Pro . Grand

Master ' s excellent and admirable speech—excellent and admirable alike in substance and in tone . We augur much for the thoroughly Masonic discharge of his high duties , not only

from his past career , but from his own most fitting and eloquent statement alike of his true position and his constitutional responsibilities as Pro Grand Master . We can quite enter into

the satisfaction which greeted the Pro Grand Master ' s most truly Masonic address . The appointment of Lord Skelmersdale to the Deputy Grand Mastership will be hailed , not only by our

Lancashire brethren , but by the Craft at large , with the utmost feelings of gratification and rejoicing . No one is more popular as a Mason or more efficient as a Prov . G . M . ; and no one , we

believe , has more thoroughly the interests of the Craft at heart than our distinguished brother , the new Deputy Grand Master . We also are glad , we confess , to note that our excellent and

able Bro . Clabon has withdrawn his motion of appropriation of the surplus of the Fund of Benevolence . No one disputes Bro . Clabon ' s praiseworthy motives ; but conflicting opinions

will arise as to the propriety of such a motion just now . It is , wethink , with many other brethren , as he freely admitted , a little premature , as though our material prosperity be great , the

claims on our funds are many , and we notice that the surplus of 1873 is considerably less than the surplus of 1872 . We think that our Pro Grand Master showed the very greatest tact

and his complete knowledge of the duties of the chair , in stopping the flow of our good Bro . Binckes ' s eloquence . We venture to opine that in such a discussion , from his official position

Bro . Binckes is a little out of place , as many of our brethren would feel that , as Secretary to the Boys' School , he was somewhat of an interested party , in all good faith , in the consideration of

such a motion . What our Bro . Binckes s opinions on the subject are we do not know , and if he likes to favour the Craft with them in our columns we shall be most happy to afford him

the means of doing so . But when the matter is decided , it must be , we venture to think , by the general feeling of Grand Lodge based on the report of so distinguished a brother as Bro . Clabon alone