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pROVINCE OF SURREY . THE R . W . BRO . GENERAL STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , C . B ., PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER . Notice is hereby given that a PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE will be held on SATURDAY , the 24 th day of J , 1 SS 0 , at One o ' clock in the Afternoon punctually , at thc PUBLIC HALL , SUTTON , in the County of Surrey , when the Members of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and the other Brethren of the Province , are requested to attend . By command of the R . W . P . G . Master , CHARLES GREENWOOD , Prov . G . Secretary . 61 , Nelson Square , Blackfriars Road . June 24 th , 1 SS 0 . P . S . —The Banquet will take place at 3 . 30 o ' clock precisely . Tickets for which ( price 15 s . ) may be had of Bro . James Hamer OWENS , P . M ., Sutton , Surrey ; or of the PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY . The R . W . P . G . Master requests tbe attendance of tbe Brethren at Divine Service at the Parish Church at 2 . 15 p . m . A Sen'on will be preached by the VV . Bro . the PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPLAIN . Brethren not to appear in Masonic Costume at Divine Service .

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ANCIENT AND PRIMITIVE RITE OF MASONRY . ROSE OF SHARON ROSE CROIX CHAPTER , No . d . PROVINCE OF MIDDLESEX . CHAPTER HOUSE , 77 I-, BISHOPSGATE STREET . 'The Chapter will be opened as a Lodge of Instruction every Tuesday evening in July , commencing on the dth , when the Degrees of the Chapter—Five and Six— "ill be worked , and to which Royal Arch Masons are invited . On subsequent Tuesdays the remaining Degrees—Seven to Eleven—will be worked , and holders of these or corresponding Degrees under other Rites are admitted on application . Chapter will be opened at 7 . 30 p . m . and close at 9 punctually . Information as to advancement in tbe Degrees of this Rite may be obtained at the Chapter House as above . JAMES HILL , 32 ° , Sec .

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TO ADVERTISERS . THE FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe . In it thc ollicial Reports of the Grand Lodges of Kngland , Ireland , and Scotland arc published with the special sanction of the respective Grand Masters , and it contains a complete record of Masonic work in this country , our Indian Empire , and the Colonies . Thc vast accession to thc ranks of thc Order during the past fewyears , and the increasing interest manifested in its doings , has given thc Freemason a position and influence which few journals can lay claim to , and the proprietor can assert with confidence that announcements appearing in its columns challenge the attention of a very large and influential body of readers . Advertisements for the current week's issue are received up to six o ' clock on Wednesday evening .

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TO OUR READKRS . THE FHEKMASON is published every Friday morning , price $ >\ ., and contains the fullest and latest information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscriptions , including Postage : — United States , , , ,-i - * 4 , ¦ , United Kingdom . ^^^ ^ "te ' w A * ™" 13 s . 15 s . 6 d . 17 s . 6 d . Remittances maybe made in Stamps , but Post Office Orders or ( heijues are prr * e ; red , ( he former payable to GEMKI . K KIWTM ., Chief Ollice , London , thc latter erosscd London Joint Stock I'arik .

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£ 0 GTorrrspontirnts . A . —Received with thanks—under consideration . BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "Sunday 'Times , " "Broad Arrow , " "Keystone , " "City Press , " " Jewish Chronicle , " "Die Baiiliutle , " "Der Long Islacn ' dcr , " "Allen's Indian Mail , " "The Empire , " "Hull Packet , " "Croydon Guardian , " "Report of the Punjaub Masonic Institution for the year 1 S 70 , " "New York Dispatch , " "British Mercantile Gazette , " "The Hebrew Leader . "

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THEFREEMASON. SATURDAY , JULY 17 , iSSo .

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FREEMASONRY is for the present , ns tlic French say , " en sommci ! " in the metropolis . With veryfew exceptions its lodges have adjourned over thc "long vacation , " and will not until October or November recover their activity . If the normal

Masonic season has run its course , with its wonted admixture of work and sociality , if p leasant memories linger and old friendships have been cemented still more closely , and new friends made ,

it is no doubt very well in every way , and good , most good , for us to remain contentedl y faithful alumni and associates of our excellent confraternity . Hut certainly the

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bri g htest feather in our cap , the most cifectivc repl y to your " cui bono" individual , is thc clear but startling fact that thc Masonic Order has contributed more than £ . ( . 0 , 000 for the support of its great metropolitan Charities alone . This is a fact

which outweighs a thousand " abstract resolutions " or " eloquent orations . " We can take it with us to our holiday sojourn , whether in Welsh vales , or Swiss hills , after the grouse , or at thc sea side , to

think over and talk over placidl y and rejoicingly . Happily for us all , for our Brotherhood , and for mankind , the " outcome " of Freemasonry in lingland is one of simple hearted , unostentatious , and humanitarian beneficence . So mote it always be I

WE have seen lately somewhere , though we do not quite remember where , a sort of complaint that Masonry is increasing too rapidly , and that loo many new warrants arc issued . If wc remember

rightly , there was also a statement in a provincial paper , that Bro . HERVEY , our late lamented Grand Secretary , was supposed to have shared the same opinion . Now , wc can safel y assert to-day , from repeated communications with him on thc subject .

that such never was his view of the facts of the case . He did regret , undoubtedly , the facilities which many new lodges gave for thc careless admission of inelig ible candidates , but he always recognized thc equally patent fact , that the Order was

likely , for various reasons , to assume much larger dimensions . All these complaints about too rapid extension of lodges are based , in our opinion , on a complete fallacy . It is inevitable that with a largely increased number of Masons should come the call

whether for a " swarm" from old lodges , or the absolute creation of a new body . In fact , it is the law of growth , dcvclopemcnt , and expansion which pervades all nature , and is a necessary accompaniment of Freemasonry . Wc who think that no

lodge should exceed 100 , and thai , in fact , the lodge which has thc fewer members has more of the true Masonic family and personal life belonging to it , wc must be distinctly favourable , on every ground

of Masonic necessity and well-being , to the proper increase of new lodges amongst us . They are a requirement of the age in which we live , and tend , in our opinion , to ( lie welfare , healthiness , and stability of Freemasonry .

* * THE meeting of the Permanent Committee of llu Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution took placi on Wednesday , the 14 TI 1 inst ., al Freemasons ' Mall , when Bro . | on \ MASON was elected In llu

vacant post of Collector liy a considerable majority . There were no less than forty-six candidates , and llieir testimonials were read to the Commftlcc 1 >\ Bro . TKKRV , and all who wen- present were seen

by the Committee . . Many of the testimonials were o the highest character . The Committee sat lor Iwo hours and a half , with the result above indicated .

WE understand that al the meeting on V \ ednesday a brother asked the Chairman whether the Secretary had been in communication with thc Freemason as to the date given , " Wednesday , July 15 th . " 'i'he Chairman announced , we are

told , that every member of the Permanent Committee had received a " circular" from the Secretary , Bro . TEKRY . We should have thought it needless to point out and repeal , were it not for the bitter hostility unaccountably and recently

exhibited by some to thc Freemason , that it by no means professes lo be an oflicial paper , and that common sense or kindly consideration would have convinced any one that " 15 th " was purely a typograp hical error for " 14 th . "

* * WE rejoiced at a later period to note the responsive cheers with which an appeal to the meeting b y its gallant Chairman to support the dignity ol the chair and of the meeting itself , was greeted

by an immense majority of those present . 1 o those of us who value Freemasonry and are proud of our Charities , the personality and opposition manifested by a " select circle" for some time jiast al the meetings have been most painful . It

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was quite time that all these puerile and pettyfogging objections should be silenced .

* * " WHETHER or no certain marks on the American " Cleopatra ' s Needieare Masonic , hasexcited much " controversy , and according to a letter received " from Mr . IT . H . DAVIS , who is superintending

" its removal from E gypt , thc Masonic emblems " are without doubt genuine . He says -. ' You " will sec thc foundation is composed of three " steps , the mystic number in Masonry , and in" side of these steps was found the square , which

" is of granite , the same as the obelisk , also the " perfect ashlar and thc rough ashlar , they are " both granite , thc lamb-skin is of the whitest of " marble , the square and perfect ashlar are pol" ished , thc trowel is perfect in shape , although

" rather rusty , the steps are limestone that has " evidently been subjected to volcanic action a " some period of the world , as they are very hard " and take a fine polish . Mr . S . A . ZOLA , thc " Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Egypt ,

" says there is no doubt of their being purely " Masonic , and he is considered thc best authority " in Egypt . ' " Thus speaks our contemporary the

Graphic in its last issue but one , but , though we repeat the statement en thc authority of our excellent contemporary , wc do not think it well to rediscuss the " vcxata quiestio . "

WE call attention elsewhere to the thoughtful and appreciative " obituary " of our lamented Bro . J HERVEY , written b y his nephew , Bro . KENNETH R . H . MACKENZIE .

* * Tin : presentation of two valuable testimonials of regard and respect recently to our esteemed Grand

Secretary , Lieut .-Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , was a pleasing incident in itself , and reflects equal credit on the promoters of the movement , as well as on the recipient of so much fraternal goodwill .

* * WE have received a long letter from Bro . J PEREZ , Madrid , complaining of articles entitled " Freemasonry in Spain , " which lately appear ^ in our columns . Wc shall have the letter carefull y

translated , and transmitted to the able brother who sent us the articles thus complained of . The tone of BID . PEREZ ' letter is so tin-Masonic , in that he condescends to menace us with a circular

complaining of the Freemason , that wc might properly , perhaps , lake no notice of it . But we prefer to act Masonically and fraternall y under all circumstances .

:: * . WE regret to note , by the report of our correspondent in Paris elsewhere , thai a movement is beginning in the Rite Eeossais to encourage discussions on political and religious subjects . We

deeply deplore such a " fact , " and , above all , such an tin-Masonic "animus . " Wc trust that the authorities of thc Rile licossais , who have acted with great discretion in very difficult circumstances ,

will calmly but sternl y repress any attempt to invade the peaceful and neutral ground of Freemasonry by those who evidentl y have yet to learn the lirst principles of true Freemasonry .

# * WE are rejoiced to note that the Grand Orient of France has declined very properly to recognize the so-called " Grande I-ogc Symbolique" at Paris .

A 1 EMAI . E teacher in a Board School has been summoned , for amusing herself , according to a police report , by assaulting a child five years old by gagging her with a plaistcr during school hours . Shortly staled , these are the facts of the case ,

for which we are indebted to a contemporary : The infant ' s father stated that the child came home from school crying and complaining of what had been done to her , and that on examining her mouth it appeared lo be blistered . The teacher admitted that she had stuck a piece of sticking-