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NOTICE Many complaints having been received of the difficulty experienced in procuring the Freemason in the West-end , the publisher begs to append the following list , being a selected few of the appointed agents : — Black , II . J ., 47 , Great Queen-street .

Jordan , G . W ., 16 9 , Strand . Kirby and Eiulcan , 190 , Oxford-street . Nash and Tcuten , Savile Place , Conduit-street Phillips , D ., 67 , Great Portland-street . Utting , Wm ., 2 , Palsgrave-place , Strand , And at W . II . Smith and Son ' s bookstalls .

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen page weekly newspaper , price 21 I . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / . Brethren in foreign parts , wishing to have this newspaper sent them regularly from Ifcj office of publication , should , in sending their remittances , add te the 2 d . per week the postage on 20 Z .

newspapers . The Freemason may be procured through any newsagent in the United Kingdom by giving ( if needed ) the publisher ' s address , 198 , Flcet-st . All communications , correspondence , reports , & c , must be addressed to the Editor . Advertisements , change in address , complaints of difficulties in procuring- Freemason , Sec , to the Publisher , 198 , Fleet-st ,, London , E . C .

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 , Sec , apply to GEORGE KENNING , 198 , Fleet-st .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning . Careful attention will be paid to all MSS . entrusted to the Editor , but he cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by stamp directed covers . Mortuary Service for Bro . Grcsham , and Dairy Gravitation Water Works in our next .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , AUG . 14 , 187 ? .

Another Ritualistic Attack.

ANOTHER RITUALISTIC ATTACK .

The Ritualists , like the Romanist" ! , seem to be in a state of great exacerbation as regards Freemasons and Freemasonry . It is to them apparently just now like the bit of " red rag " to the stamping bull , and has the same effect apparently both on their tempers and their feelings ! We

deplore the fact exceedingly , but we can do no more , as veracious chroniclers and carpful observers of the way of the world , than note it for the information of all whom it may concern . There is not much in it perhaps one way or the other , but in this hot weather unnecessary

agitation and nervous excitement are equally to be deprecated . The meeting for the consecration of the Alexandra Lodge , and the speeches then deliveied , seen , to have stirred up the bile of a correspondent of our juvenile contemporary , The Church Herald , who rushes into print with a

childish volubility and inexperience which would be amusing were they not somewhat distressing . We wonder that our contemporary admits such a very slip-slop bit of writing in its ornate p 3 ges , but as not so long ago we read a very unworthy

and unfounded attack on our Order in the Church Herald , wc do not wonder when we behold the following weak and silly ebullition which appeared in the issue of August 4 th . We give the letter in extenso for the benefit of our readers .

" MASONIC INFIDELITY . " Sir , —Let me call your attention to a speech recently delivered at the Alexandra Palace by Mr . J . C . Parkinson , a well known authority in Frtemasonry , and one who has done more than

any man living to show how thoroughly hostile are the principles of the Craft to all that Christians and Churchmen hold dear . : — "' I think it is useful , on occasions of this chap ter , to lake a brief survey of the position of

Another Ritualistic Attack.

Freemasonry , and to mark its progress at home and abroad j and this is the more necessary from the impotent antagonism which continues to threaten and denounce all within its pale . The triumphant installation of the Prince of Wales as our Grand Master has been followed by the usual exhibitiens . His Holiness the Pope has

again anathematised what he is pleased to denominate ' the Masonic sect . ' ( A laugh . ) Bishop Dupanloup has honoured us by a bitterly hostile pamphlet ; the organ of Ultramontanism has declared that ' the Protestant religion and Freemasonry are identical and must stand or fall

together '—a proposition it is certainly not worth our while , to dispute ; and an elaborate volume has been published on what is alleged to be the secret warfare of Freemasonry against the Church . The battle ground is not of our seeking ; for we are ready to welcome , and do

welcome as brothers , Roman Catholics if they are worthily recommended , and if tltey can take our alligations and obey our laws . These indispensable conditions being fulfilled , we hail the enli g htened Roman Catholic as a Mason with the same cordiality as we extend to the Jew , the

Mahommedau , or the Parsee . The very first page of our Book of Constitutions states that , ' let a man ' s religion or mode of worship be what it may , he is not excluded from the Order provided he believe in the Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth , and practise the sacred duties of

morality ; ' and it is this broad toleration and true Christian charity which shocks bigotry , and makes priestcraft tremble . ' ( Cheers . ) "Mr . Parkinson next exulted at the official recognition of the Freemasons of Italy by their brethren in this country , and quoted a glowing

letter from the Grand Orient to himself thanking him for his "trench . int public utterances" on this subject . Finally he remarked : — ' Official relations having been established between the Grand Lodge of Italy and that of England , the

best answer Freemasons can make to the embittered railing of those who would , doubtless , put them to the torture if they dared , is Loyalty and Charity—Loyalty to the princi p les and rulers of the Craft ; Charity and toleration to all mankind , including our persecutors and slanderers .

A Roman Catholic poet once wrote in a purely Masonic spirit , ' For modes of faith let graceless zealots light , He can ' t be wrong whose life is in the right . ' Here we have an authoritative definition of Loyalty and Charity—Loyalty to principles

opposed to the Church—but Mr . Parkinson did not end here . As if to defy decency and proclaim the absolute indifference of Freemasonry to the vital truths of Christianity , this arch apostle of Jatitudinarianism ended his speech with this abominable sentence : — 'Freemasonry has

nothing to do with sects or creeds , or with its professors as such . Its motto is Liberty of Conscience . ' And this profession of negation was received , according to the report , with loud and enthusiastic cheering from an assembly which included many of the chief Freemasons

of England . Surely , Sir , after this we shall hear no more of men who profess themselves Christians belonging to this wicked , secret organization . " I see that the name of an English priest , the Rev . R . J . Simpson , the Rector of St . Clement

Danes , was given as present at this orgy of infidelity , but I cannot believe this without corroboration . Is not the reverend gentleman ' s diocesan the proper person to appeal to ? " A CHURCHMAN . " What do our readers think of this very foolish

attack by this anonymous and intolerant" Churchman " on our two worthy Brothers J . C . Parkinson and R . J . Simpson ? The suggestion in the P . S ., that our good brother the Rector of St . Clement Danes has rendered himself amenable to his diocesan by advocating toleration and

friendliness , loyalty and charity , is really almost too delicious , and shews to what lengths the spirit of persecution , whether in Ritualist or Romanist , will lead some people ! We on the contrary fully endorse all that was said by Bro .

Parkinson and Bro . Simpson , and for this controversial sciolist to seek to brand the expression of such philanthropic and kindly addresses as Masonic infidelity , is an insult alike to truth , to religion , and Freemasonry . Can we induce

Another Ritualistic Attack.

such obtuse , though perhaps honest writers , like " A Churchman " to think ? If so , he will per . haps be ready to admit , that because weproclaim an open platform to be the basis of our Order it does not take away from us our individual belief in any degree . Out of the lodge we may be earnest Roman Catholics , members of the

Church of England , or of any denomination , and zealous in our own measure and degree for what we believe conscientiously to answer the query , what is truth > But in the lodge we know nothing of religious disputations , differences , decrees , or dogmas ; we accept all good men

who believe in the Great Architect of the Universe and revere the Revelation which he has given us . This position seems to some inconsistent , but it is not ; it is both very simple and very distinct ! Indeed , it seems to us a waste of time to argue the point , as , after all , the Ritualists in this , as in

other things , have only borrowed the " old clothes " of the Roman Catholic arraigners of Freemasonry . The letter of " A Churchman" is in one respect a simple impertinence , though we may fairly allow something for a very hazy understanding , while in another it is as Jesuitical

a production as we have ever perused . Despite " A Churchman , " ( we doubt such being a fitting appellation for the writer of so much intolerant bombast ) we cordially accept Bro . Parkinson ' s definition of our principles , just as we entirel y assent to what our good Past Grand Chaplain said on that interesting occasion .

Progress Of Freemasonry In Scotland.

PROGRESS OF FREEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND .

We are glad to be able to transcribe from the Edinburgh Cottrant of Friday , July 23 , the following remarks on Scottish Freemasonry , which we have read with pleasure , and which we think our brethren will be glad also to peruse . These words were penned with reference to Rev . Dr .

Loth s recent work , which we have reviewed elsewhere , but they are in themselves both kindly and weighty , and represent , we believe , fairly and truly , what is the actual position of Freemasonry among our warm-hearted fellow-countrymen ,

under the auspices of the Scottish Grand Lodge . We also think well to call attention to them , because they contain some statements and suggestions , which it will do' our Scottish brethren much good to ponder over and follow out .

" FREEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND . " In this country Freemasonry is making gigantic as well as rapid strides in our day . It is in the fashion at present , as every social institution is sure to be at any time when Royalty comes to the front of it , taking a lead in the control

of its affairs . It would be interesting to learn the number of Masons who have been made since the day of that splendid gathering—a durbar of more than Oriental magnificence—on which His Royal Highness the Prince of J Wales was

inaugrated as the Grand Master of English Masons . But nobody knows . It is disappointing when one begins to enquire about the numerical strength of this , the most powerful social organisation , next to the Church , in the country , to find that that there are no reliable statistics

bearing on the question . In Scotland very few lodges could inform the public of the number of their own members . Any of them could give you the names of all who have paid their subscriptions for an indefinite number of years . The minutebook records the names of those who attend the

meetings for labour and recreation . But how about the scores or hundreds connected by Masonic generation with each lodge who never attend and have given over paying their annual tribute ? A man is made in a lodge , and his name

remains on its books j he may discontinue attending its meetings for any of an unrecordable number of reasons : he may get tired of them , may shift his residence in the city , may go to another town , go abroad , or he may die , and all the time his name is on the books . When the

Earl of Rosslyn mounted the Scottish Masonic throne he proposed certain financial reforms , which , if they had been carried , would bye-andbye have helped to supply the item of information here desiderated ; but they were not carried . In England matters are on a slightly better footing . There , when a man leaves a town , he is supposed to take away with him a certificate of member-