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- r % ¦ ,., ¦ 1 ' ¦ ' — " " ¦ — ¦¦¦ The Four Masonic Publications . THE FREEMASON . WEEKLY , TWOPENCE . ANNUALLY , ios . 6 d . THE MASONIC MAGAZINE , MONTHLY , SIXPENCE . ANNUALLY , 7 s . THE ROSICRUCIAN , QUARTERLY , ONE SHILLING . ANNUALLY , 4 s . 4 d . THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC POCKET BOOK , POST FREE , as . ad . ANNUALLY , TWO SHILLINGS . The above Jour Works sent post free to any part of England , Ireland or Scotland for iz Months , for 24 * . Address : PUBLISHER , 198 , Fleet-Street , London .

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TO OUR READERS . Tne FREEMASON is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price id . 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 / 6 . P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the Chief Office , London .

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TO ADVERTISERS . Ihe 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 Oflice , 198 , Fleet-street , hy 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FRI-EMASON , may be add rtssed to th Office , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

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IMPORTANT NOTICE . COLONIAL aad FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received ara published in the first number of every month . It is v :: f necessary for our readers to advise us of ill money orders they remit , more especially cnase from the United States of America and India ; otherwise we cannot tell where to credit tnem .

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^ nsters Cormpnkirts . We have received Bro . David Allan ' s polished and truly M asonic effusion . C . B ., P . M . —Declined with thanks . The following reports stand over : —Joppa Lodge , 188 ; Pattison Lodge , 913 ; Llewellyn Lodge , 1472 ; I-odge ot Israel , 1502 ; United Military Lodge , 1536 ; Abercorn , 1549 ; Dramatic Lodge , 1609 ; Mount Lebanon Chapter , 73 j Mariners' Chapter , 249 ; Era Chapter , 1423 . BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "Bulletin du Grand Orient , " "New York Dispatch , " 1 ' Keystone , " " Bauhutte , " and " Risorgimento . "

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ Che charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements , not exceeding four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRI HS . ALTMAN . —On the 6 th inst ., at Eagle House , Highgate , the wife of Bro . A . J . Altman , of a daughter . Cuoss—On the nth , inst ., the wife of C . J . Cross , of Brentford , of a son . FRASBR . —On the oth inst ., at Melville-street , Edinburgh , thc wife of W . S . Fraser , of twins ( son and daughter ) .

DEATHS . EI . I . IS . —On the 3 rd , inst ., at 43 , Gladstone-road , Liverpool , aged 3 S' Sarah , wife of Bro . John Ellis , S . W . Alliance Lodge , 667 , S . E . Mariners' Chap ., 249 . HAMILTON . —On the 9 th inst ., at Chesham-place , the Right Hon . Robert A . C . Nisbet Hamilton . PATERSON . —On the 18 th inst , at Montgomerie , Tarbolton , Ayrshire , Anne Fowlds , wife of W . Paterson .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , JUNE 16 , 1877 .

The Last Quarterly Communication.

THE LAST QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION .

The proceedings of the last Quarterly Communication will have been perused with the interest they deserve by all our readers and correspondents . Indeed , a more creditable Quarterly Communication , creditable , that is , to the Order and to all who shared in the' debates has never

taken place . Bro . Lord Donoughmore ' s speech will be hailed with genuine satisfaction , not only on account of its straightforward , simple , and manly tone , but also for the promise it holds out of one who is likely to do the State and the Craft much good service . We have never read

any address which has given us more genuine pleasure and satisfaction , and we fancy that many of our brethren will share in our sentiments . The remarks of our distinguished Bro . J . M . Clabon will meet with , as they always merit , respectful attention from us all . We

agree with his view , though it may not be popular , of limiting the Board of Benevolence . Once upon a time we thought otherwise , we freely admit , and feel that the objections to such a change were insuperable . But we have lived to see the " error of our ways , " and we fully concur

with Bro . Clabon , in thinking , as we have ourselves ventured to point out previously , that a permanent Board will give unity and system to charitable administration , which are now , in our humble opinion , sadly wanting . But the change requires to be carefull y considered , as it

will , when completed , be the greatest alteration ever introduced into our Constitution for over one hundred years . We are very glad that Bro . Clabon has drawn attention to the subject of " Exhibitions , " about which there can be but one opinion in the abstract , though there may be

many in respect of the " modus in quo " by which they are to be set up and worked . As regards Grand Lodge giving exhibitions to the schools , our difficulty is * this . The funds to be employed are the funds of the whole Craft , contributed by all our lodges

and brethren . Can you then limit fairly the use of such exhibitions , out of such funds , even to the Masonic Schools ? We hesitate very much in thinking that we properly can . But why not form an " Educational Board or Scholarship Board , " or whatever you like to call it , and grant

exhibitions to all sons and daughters of Masons who pass a requisite examination ? We do not for one moment contend , that Grand Lodge in its munificence cannot grant a sum for exhibibitions for the schools , because it clearly could do so . But if all sons and daughters of Masons ,

educated at the schools or not , could compete for the exhibitions , more justice , we think , would be done to all alike . We need not go into the machinery of such a useful appropriation of our surplus funds , because there is no practical difficulty in the way of the necessary examinations .

But we shall be glad to have the opinion of those in our pages who have considered the subject carefully , only asking them to avoid all needless points and any personal topics , and simply to write " ad rem , " and as those who sincerely desire to advance the good cause of educational progress . *

Freemasons Before The Law Courts.

FREEMASONS BEFORE THE LAW COURTS .

We print in another column an extract from the law courts' report , which must raise very serious thoughts in all our minds as regards the evil tendency , just now , of Freemasons to rush into thc law courts . The observations of Mr . Justice Field will not fail to commend them stives

to the notice ot all our readers , and we trust will have a proper effect upon all law-court loving Masons amongst us . It is clearly a burlesque on our Masonic profession , a proof of the hopeless unreality of much that we descant upon , when , as Freemasons , we unnecessaril y apply to the lasv courts on matters in which Masonic

Freemasons Before The Law Courts.

. * * questions are involved . We do not say that Freemasons are never justified in appealing to the courts of law , because there are undoubtedl y occasions when it is both competent and necessary perhaps , for them to do so , and the Queen ' s courts are open to all her subjects . But we ob

ject to and we do nnd fault withi an apparent readiness to come before the public with Masonic disputes , and on very trivial grounds , and we trust that Mr . Justice Field ' s seasonabl e words may have a good effect upon us all alike . As far as we can make out the subject matter of dispute , it seems to be essentially Masonic , and

we feel sure that if it be brought before the Grand Master , it can at once be disposed of and properly adjudicated . We trust that we have heard the last of these needless Masonic appeals to a court of law , on questions , above all , which might be settled within the Craft , and not come before the public at all . We may probably recur to the subject in our next .

Are Exchanges Wrong In Charity Voting.

ARE EXCHANGES WRONG IN CHARITY VOTING .

By a discussion which has recently been going on in the Freemason , it will be seen that our esteemed Bro . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C , dogmatically declares that all exchanges are wron- * , and cannot be defended on principle , and that

they lead to all sorts of evil , & c , & c . We , on the contrary , as dogmatically declare , in our opinion , that exchanges are right , can be defended on principle , and lead to no particular sort of evil whatever . When doctors differ who shall

agree [? As , however , there is a " rationale " for everything here , we think it well to point out why , as far as we are able to discern the point in dispute , there is nothing wrong in exchanges on any grounds you like to take up , legal , moral ,

reasonable , or even sentimental . If Bro . Simpson ' s argument is good for anything it must go to this extent , that the voter must use his voting paper , because , although Bro . Simpson concedes , ( as how could he do otherwise ) , that a voter

cannot be compelled to vote , he . says , that if he does vote he must vote for a proper case , & c . Here then we see that the two following points in the argument are already conceded , first , that no

one can be compelled to vote at all , and , secondly , that " the most distressing case " theory is given up as no longer tenable . Where then are we now ? Simply in this position : that if a subscriber votes he must vote for one of the cases

on the list , ( a self-evident proposition , as he could not vote for a case on another charity list ) , and that a voter cannot give his votes to another voter . Can he not ? Why not ? What is there

to prevent him , legally or morally ? The whole object of the voting power and privilege being to secure the election of accepted candidates , it follows , as a natural consequence , that all arrange- i ments which tend to the election of a candidate ,

unless forbidden by the laws ofthe Institution , are not only lawful and equitable , but morally proper and right . The whole theory and practice of exchanges proceed on this

assumption , that the case is a proper case , and can thus ; only be rendered successful . There are many j cases put on our lists which come from provinces where the voters are few , and where they are not ; strong enough to carry a candidate . To contend

that there is anything wrong in a province endeavouring , by a friendl y arrangement wit ) 1 another province , to support its candidate this time , so as to carry in its own candidate next time , is , begging our good Past Chaplain ' s pardofli

a sublimation of sentiment , as unreal as it is unpractical . For see what the result must be . One of our smaller provinces has a case on ' » list . It has , so to say , 600 votes after much exertion , while it requires rooo . Is it not lawtu

as an illustration , for East Lancashire to say to West Yorkshire—if you will aid us to elert our candidate this election , we will a ' *** , ¦" "L next election , because if it is not able to do its poor candidate is inevitably left out in '" J '""* mU .. K ., m-m-. m . . W , ... ^ , ,. ~ m . J - . .

cold . This is no imaginary case , but one happens every day , and what the province n * 0 lawfully do the individual brother may do . kindly publisher has lately succeeded in carr ? ° two excellent cases , one for the w ' ^ '| aflr . other for the male annuitants . Was * it not 1 ful for , him to secure the election ot