To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price AQ « 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 , Seec

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Communications on literary subjects and books for review are to be forwarded to thc Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot bc guaranteed . Further information will be supplied on application to the Publisher , 108 , Fleet-street , London .

Important Notice.

IMPORTANT NOTICE .

It is very * necessary for our readers to advisus of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them . Several P . O . O . ' s are now in hand , but having received no advice we cannot credit them .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

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Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

C . A . H . writes to correct an error , but does not give the name of lodge , town , or date , so that we cannot trace it . The following stand over until next week in consequence of pressure on our columns : Lodges 1307 , i 6 in ; if > 37 ; Old MSS . ; Bro . Lamonby ' s History of Cumberland and Westmorland .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " Brief , " " Hull Packet , " " The Citizen , " " New Yorker Bundts Prcssc , " " Alliance News , " " Broad Arrow , " "The Royal Cornwall Gazette , " "Montreal Herald , " " Thc Rhyl Journal , " " Vi . icc of Masonry , " " Canadian

Craftsman , " " Thc Masonic Advocate , " " Hebrew Leader , " " Keystone , " " Le Monde Maconnique , " "Gschichtc Freimaureiischer Systcmc in England , Frunkreichand Deutchland , by C . C . F . A . Vcn Nette'bladt : E . S . Mitzler and Son , Ber'in , " " Thc Masonic Fair . "

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Od . for announcements not exceeding Four Lines under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . DICKENS . —On the 13 th inst ., at Clcveland-terrace-gardens , Kensington , the wife of H . F . Dickens , of a son . THOMPSON . —On the 7 th inst ., at Belmont , Parkstonc , the wife of E . N , Thompson , of a son .

MARRIAGE . Buss—RonieiiTS . —On thc 13 th inst ,, at St . Andrew ' s Holborn Viaduct , by the Rev . Mr . Blunt , Thomas Odempscy Lebert Buss , of 33 Hatton-garden , London , and Gloucestershire , to Ellen Roberts , of Edenbridge , Kent , second daughter ol the late Je hn Ro - berts , of Marylebone .

DEATHS . FARSVIF . I . II . —On the 71 I 1 inst ., Bro . William Farnfield , Clerk lothe Plumstead Beard of Works , aged 47 . Wool ) . —On the nth inst ., at No . 2 , Monument-place , Liverpool , aged 72 years , Ann , the beloved wife of Bro . Joseph Wood , Treasurer , 1004 , 240 , etc .

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THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , OCTOBER 18 , 1879 .

Girls' And Boys' Schools Regent Courts.

GIRLS' AND BOYS' SCHOOLS REGENT COURTS .

The Elections have proceeded with their usual regularity , the large numbers voting showing the increased and increasing value of these admirable Educational Institutions . At the Girls ' School meeting on Saturday Bro . Meggy ' s motion was rejected , to appoint a committee to scrutinize

the Scrutineers , ( Q . usi custodiet ipsos custodes ?) , and the proposal to elect the Secretary by voting papers instead of personal voting , as heretofore , was carried by a large majority . On Monday Bro . Meggy ' s motion was again rejected by an overwhelming majority , and Bro . Matier ' s motion

to strike out the word , " consecutive , " after " " seven" and before "years , " moved for him by Bro . Woodford , was also carried by a large majority . Bro . Birch ' s proposal for voting papers for the election of Secretary was

likewise again carried by a decisive majority What the effect of the change will be time can only show . A good deal may be said , in our opinion , for it and against it , and the subject hardly received the consideration which it deserved at the recent meetings .

The Province Of West Lancashire.

THE PROVINCE OF WEST LANCASHIRE .

This most distinguished province held its gathering last week under most auspicious circumstances and before a most goodly attendance . Indeed , the assembly of 600 Masons is not a matter to be lig htly regarded or hastily ignored . No doubt the popularity of the Prov . G . M . and

the D . P . G . M . and tbe Masonic zeal and fervour of our worthy West Lancashire brethren are sufficient to account for a state of things , if noteworthy in itself , most creditable to the ei ghty lodges which now compose the Province of West Lancashire , and whose members so gladly rally

round the banner of their Prov . G . M ., one of thc chief rulers of our Craft moreover , on all occasions and under all circumstances . We need hardly say that the proceedings of this united and enthusiastic body , when duly convened for the good purpose of our admirable Craft , were

characterized from first to last by-all that warmth of Masonic feeling , and that harmony of intercommunion , and that unity of thought and action so pleasant always to the Masonic mind to contemplate , so congenial with the princi ples we constantly and carefully avow , and so very

prevalent , and happily prevalent , in the Province of West Lancashire . Though we are well aware of the fact , as a fact , we are glad to bo assured on irrefragable authority that the province is in a most healthy and prosperous state , and despite the badness of trade , the trials of agriculture ,

and the fluctuations of commerce , that there is no apparent weakening either of the golden chain of Masonic union or the goodly outcome of Masonic charity . The Province of Lancashire is second to none in its zeal for our great Masonic Institutions , and maintains a very effective and

important educational system of its own . In fact , " all round , " all West Lancashire brethren may feel proud both of the Masonic district to which they belong , and of that wise and c-nergetic rule under which their prestige as a province increases year by year . Surely we have a right

to add that all this auspicious state of things , in general and particular , reflects the highest credit on the distinguished ruler of the province and its hard-working officials , among whom we feel bound to mention the name of that worthy , and energetic , and respected Mason , Bro . Alpass . We congratulate sincerely all in West Lancashire

on this their normal and undoubted state of Masonic efficiency and Masonic work . One point , indeed , we do not , we confess , to understand in the account of these interesting proceedings ; that is , how the Prov . Grand Lodge of West Lancashire can be turned "for thc nonce" into a Board of

The Province Of West Lancashire.

Governors of any other Masonic Institution . If we read the Book of Constitutions correctl y , aruj understand the laws and precedents which govern the provincial organization , the Prov . G . Lodge must open and close as a Prov . G . Lod ge , " and nothing else , and that it has no power under

any circumstances to resolve itself into any other body whatever , neither can such proceedings legally appear on its minutes . We suppose tVuifc there is some explanation of the proceedings possible , some ancient custom which takes the face and form of law . We have thought well

to notice the point , because we do not profess to understand it ourselves , and because in other days we have ourselves objected to what was once not uncommon , the transaction ofthe affairs of a benefit club , of which all the members of the lodge were members , attached to the lod ge ,

in the lodge . But such a proceeding is contrary to the Book of Constitutions , as could easily be shown if it were necessary . We are aware that something may be said as to the force and effect of provincial bye-laws which have been current for years , and at one time may have received the

sanction of competent authority . But provincial bye-laws cannot go bayond , or over , or beside the Book of Constitutions , and as Provincial byelaws require , legally and strictly speaking , reenactment under each Prov . Grand Master , nothing like finality can attach , even to the

most skilfull y framed of them , many of which are a credit to their compilers and to the province . We have said this with no desire of finding fault , ( far be from us any such intention or desire ) , but simply for information , as we confess as we said before , to be in doubt upon the subject , and nothing in our opinion is so bad in

in Freemasonry , in general or in particular , as precedents of questionable validity , especially when by the force of circumstances , or what Lord Palmerston called tho " concatenation of atoms , " they come before us invested wilh all the sanction which high character , Masonic work , and personal merit can give .

The Briton And Freemason Travelling.

THE BRITON AND FREEMASON TRAVELLING .

Though we do not profess to admire the " advice gratis" sort , immortalized by Mr . Samuel Weller , junior , we yet think it well and not unbecoming , in us , as " Amici Curia * " above all , translate it as you will , to tender a little homely advice to many a wandering brother and

sister especially , if a lady will take advice . Wherever our numerous friends , or "fraternities , " now may be , among the Alps or in Venetian gondolas , loitering at Vevay or sojourning at Marienbad , wondering at the Spliigen , or enthusiastic in the Tyrol , amid the sights of Paris , the

art treasures of Dresden , the palaces of Munich , or the agreeabilitios of Vienna , surely to them a little friendly and fraternal advice will not be altogether valueless , especially when tendered with the most sympathetic good will in the genial pages of the Freemason . It has been said by

some one , we forget who , but probably an " anser , " we are inclined to opine , that "nobody should travel who did not understand the language of the country through which , on highways and bye-ways , ( pleasant reminiscences of an old work of Colley Grattan ' s here supervene ) , he

is to wend by noisy tram , by lumbering diligence , or with knapsack on back and alpenstock in hand . " But this mistaken aduge has been proved to be untrue in countless ways and by innumerable voyagers . Some of the best travellers we ever knew were those who practically did not

know one word of any language but their own , and would not learn . In the Duke of Wellington ' s memoirs a good story is told of the well known Sir Colin Campbell , ( not Lord Clyde ) , one of his most trusted and effective officers , and who , as the Duke

himself said , did not "know two wotds of French . " " I have heard him , " said the Duke , " disputing with a French departing guest about an umbrella , and all Colin could do or say was to sei / . e the umbrella and shout out , Cest moine . " Neither do we agree with another facetious and proverbial saying , ( by whomsoever composed ) , " When you go abroad , mind you know the lingo , If you don't , like mc , you'll bc I ' one , by jingo . "