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TO OUR READERS . The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price ad . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , including postage : United America , India , India , China , & c ^ Kingdom , the- Continent , & c . Via Brindisi .

Twelve Months 10 s . 6 d . 12 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ 5 - 3 d . 6 s . Gd . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 S . Sd . 3 s . 3 d . 4 s . ( id . Subscriptions may be paid for in stamps , but Post Office Orders or Cheques are preferred , the former payable to GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London and Joint Stock Bank .

Advertisements and other business communications should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects and books for review are to be forwarded to the Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied on application to the Publisher , 10 S , Fleet-street , London .

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IMPORTANT NOTICE . COLONIAL and FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in t the first number ot every month .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India j otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FREEMASON , may be addressed to the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

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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 . ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion in current -week ' s issue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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% mtom iff Cftrmpoirtfltf * . W . R . Robinson in our next . BOOKS Sec . RECEIVED . " Freemasons' Repository ; " " Westminster Papers ;" " Canada Craftsman ; " "National Anti-Flaw and Warble League ; " " A Defence of Russia , " by W . Tollemache Sinclair , Bart ., M . P ., ' : vols . ); "El Cincel , " Habana .

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . od . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . BARTON . —On the 4 th inst ., at St . George ' s Vicarage Millom , the wife of the Rev . W . Barton , M . A ., of a son . EDWARDS . —On the 6 th inst ., at Quemeiford , aged 72 years , Elizabeth Edwards , relict of Benjamin Edwards

and daughter of John and Frances Gundry , of Queraerford , near Calne , Wilts . SAII . I . AHB . —On the 1 st inst ., at Russell-square , the wife of P . Saillard , of a son . WIGRAM . —On the 6 th inst ., at The Gables , Wirksworth , Derbyshire , the wife of G . Wigram , of a son .

MARRIAGES . CISTA—TERinai .. —On thc 2 nd inst ., at the parish church , Claines , Worcester , by thc Rev . T . G . Cutler , Vicar of St . Stephens , Augustus T . Dc Cista , of Worcester , to Julia , youngest daughter of the late William T . Tcrrill ,

of Alcester , Warwickshire . Nitci . —ALI . EN . —On the 2 nd inst ., at the Church of the Holy Trinity , St . Mary ' . - ; , Ne-wington , John , son of the late J . Nicol , M . D ., of New-cross , formerly of La Paz , Peru , to Sarah Jane , daughter of W . Allen , of Brentford , and Clapham .

DEATHS . BuoohE . —On the 8 th inst ., at 3 6 , St . Pliilips-road , Dalston , Frances Rend , wife of TiHomas Farncll Brooke , ci 11 and 12 Goldsmith-i . trett , E . C , aged 50 years . HARRIS . —On the 10 th init ., of dropsy , ' li . Harris , for

ma :: y years collector to the Ruyal Masonic Institution fe ; r Boj F . IU'TiiEiii ' oitu . —On the ; th inst ., at Aberdeen , Majot Alexander Maxwell Rutherford , late- » f the Ceylon Rifle Regiment .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , OCTOBER 13 , 1877 .

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IMPORTANT NOTICE . ENLARGEMENT. Of "TheFreemason." The Proprietor has much pleasure in announcing his intention of enlarging the Freemason to 20 pages , during the London Masonic Season . This improvement commences with the present issue . All communications to ensure insertion in the current number should reach the Office , on Wednesdays , by 5 p . m .

The Enlargement Of The "Freemason."

THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE "FREEMASON . "

It will have been noticed in our last impression that our Publisher has made the important announcement that from the 1 . 5 th inst . the Freemason will be enlarged to twenty pages . This addition to the paper , proposed solel y for the convenience of correspondents , whose kind communications weekly , in the " season , " overflow our modest limits , and for the convenience

of the Order generally , will , we think , be greatly appreciated and approved of by a constantly augmenting and most numerous circle of readers . To that Masonic public of ours , alike critical and yet considerate , Publisher and Editor tender their best thanks once again , for that rapidly

increasing patronage , which they believe is unprecedented in the history of Masonic journalism , and beg to assure them that no efforts will be spared in future , as in past and present , to render the Freemason alike worth y of their approbation , their perusal , and their support .

It may be interesting to remember to-day the successive stages through which the Freemason has passed , from the time , when at first , like a person learning to bathe , it entered timidly and shrinkingl y into the great ocean of journalism , until now it boasts of a place in Anglican and

cosmopolitan Masonic literature , which no previous representative of the Masonic jiress has probably ever enjoyed — thanks to the sound judgement of a discerning Craft , and the zeal of friendly subscribers . The

Freemason first began with 8 pages , then it advanced to 12 , then it issued 16 , and now it announces 20 . Each of these episodes in its career marks a step in its progress—honestly arrived at , resolutely attained by much hard work , and careful if toilsome endeavours to merit

and retain public approval ! Indeed , on this basis , —and this basis alone , —the Publisher has built up all his proposals and all his undertakings . He has always felt that the Freemason , like any other ware , could only retain the " market , " if it was both of good material and

sound manufacture , warranted to " wear well , " and he has never appealed to any other court than that of the public opinion of his Order , to obtain support for his efforts to please , to instruct , to improve his brother Freemasons . If the Freemason was worth reading , it would find both an

indulgent and well-disposed circle of readers ; if it was not he felt sure it would meet the proper fate of al ! worthless literary productions . Such has been his unshaken belief , and the result has proved the soundness of his judgment , and the correctness of his anticipations . Never , at any

time in the history of Masonic journalism has so much true and spontaneous support been tendered to any serial production as the Freemason , and emboldened by past and present sympathy , The Publisher looks forward confidently ( D . V . ) to a still more prosperous future . At this moment

the Freemason is read and quoted from all over the world , and it has in Great Britain a numerous and intelligent body of continuous subscribers . But still , curiousl y enough , despite its real and great success , the margin between Freemasons and readers is far too wide and loo si gnificant , not to attract observation and suggest amend-

The Enlargement Of The "Freemason."

ment . In some towns of England , in som « districts , amid our 100 , 000 brethren , the p ^ mason is only taken in by two or three , and the large majority of our brethren seem content with a casual glance at it . in club rooms and lodge libraries , where such proper adjuncts of

Masonic life exist . In order then to increase the usefulness of Masonic literature , and Masonic intellectuality , in order to add a few thousand additional subscribers to our rapidly increasing list , in order to advance , and for the pur _ poses of facilitating further efforts for the

improvement and enlargement of the Freemason , we shall be glad to receive from anv of our numerous and able correspondents , sug . gestions for the possible and probable increase of the circulation of the Freemason , in localities where for some cause or another its issue is

limited , and its subscribers few . For without saying too much in favour of ourselves , we can at any rate assert this much , that by conscientious reports , and carefully edited pages , we set before our Order a psper in . every respect worthy of our ancient brotherhood , and which amid

many obstacles , personal antipathies , and childish oppositions , has succeded in winning the public ear , and maintaining an independent and unprecedented position as a true Masonic journal , before English and Cosmopolitan Freemasonry .

All such friendly advice will be received and acknowledged , we need hardly say , with fraternal thankfulness , and we think that much good may arise from such a friendly interchange of opinions to all concerned .

The Boys' School.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

A very important notice was given at the meeting of the General Committee on Saturday to amend Law XXX ., so as to give the Quarterl y Court the power of accepting or negativing anr recommendation by the General Committee . At present by the wording of Law XXX . the

Quarterly Court is " estopped " from reconsidering any recommendation by the General Committee of a candidate , and must elect , even though the case be technicall y inadmissable , and recommended by the General Committee under error even . As there

is no power of alteration , no possibility of appeal under these circumstances , the amendment seems to be absolutely necessary , to put the Quarterly Court in its proper position , and also for the welfare of the Boys' School itself . One other question was raised , incidentally , on

Saturday , namely that which relates to the children of those d ying in Freemasonry and out of Freemasonry . But as this is a very large question , and requires careful consideration , we do not deal with it to day , further than to promise

to discuss it , subsequently , but we confine ourselves with expressing a hope that the needful and modest amendment may be unanimously agreed to on Monday nest , as a step in the right direction , and a very valuable reform .

Lodge Arrears.

LODGE ARREARS .

Our attention having been called to this matter , we think it well to allude to it to-day . It seems that in some lodges there is a habit of allowing arrears to accumulate for some years , to the great discomfort of the Treasurer , and oblivion of the Lodge Bye-laws . A Treasurer to whom the

lodge is always in debt , is placed in a very difficult position , as in the first place , all charitable action of the lodge is checked , and in the next the whole aspect of lodge life is changed , its labours impeded , and its objects marred , in a manner more easily conceived than expressed .

What , for instance , can be the position of that lodge where the arrears have become so large that they may be counted by hundreds ? And when in consequence , any call that is made ; practically comes out of the pocket of the Treasurer ? We believe that we have only to advert to this topic , to lead to remedial ot

measures , as we feel pretty sure that much this delay of payment of lodge subscri ptions arises more from inadvertence than anything else . We do not wish to seem to lay down too " hard and fast" a line on the subject , much less to dogmatize or venture to denounce . We simply -state an evil , an . l fraternally suggest an