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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON * being now at the rate of nearly Ilalf-a-milliou per annum , it offers peculiar facilities to all who advertise . It is well known that the Fraternity of Freemasons is a large and constantly increasing body , mainly composed of the influential and educated classes of society ; and as The Freemason is now the accepted organ of the Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonics and foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium can scarcely be overrated . For terms apply to GEORGE KENNING , 2 , 3 , & 4 , LITTLE BRITAIN , LONDON , E . C .

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NOTICE . On and after October 1 st , the Subscription to THE FREEMASON xvill be ios . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . IL , ditto 7 s . 6 d . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 3 s . 6 d .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTH . MAY . —On the 14 H 1 instant , at 25 , Herbert-street , Landport , of a son , the wile of Bro . James May , gunner of H . M . late ship Captain .

JVARR I AGES . HISCOCKS—STEVENS . —On the 14 th inst ., at the parish church , St . Ives , Cornwall , 15 . N . lliscocks , Esq ., son of Bro . B . Z . lliscocks , P . M . and'P . Z ., Lodge 429 , Ramsgate , to Matilda , daughter of Captain A . Stevens ,

oi Si . Ives , Cornwall . - WOODMAN—DANIEL . — On the 10 th inst ., al St . George ' s , Ramsgate , Samuel , son ofthe lite W . Woodman , Esq ., of Exeter , lo Caroline Alice , surviving daughter of J . S . Daniel , Esq ., uf High-street , Ramsgate .

DEA rns . DAWSON . —On Nov . 16 , at Alexander-street , Westbourne Park , Bro . Francis Dennis -Massey Dawson , of LodgeS , P . G . S ., aged 67 .

J OAD—On the 22 nd ult ., alter a short illness , the Rev . Bro . George Joad , of Lodge 193 , aged 37 years . TOGHILL . — On the S : h instant , at 47 , Stanlcv-strect , Pimlico , Mr . Frederick Toghill , laic of Richmond , Surrey , aged 70 .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , XOVKMIJEI ? < . <* , 1 S 70 .

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Tint FHKKMASOS is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for the early trains . The price of Tin ! I ' HKI-MASON is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance ) . All communications , letters , He , to be addressed to thc EDITOR 3 , 3 , and 4 , Liule llrilain , K . C . ' Thc Editor will pay careful attention mall MSS . entrusted to liimbut cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied bv posture stamps . ' ' 'h

The Status Of Deputy Prov. Grand Masters.

THE STATUS OF DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTERS .

TlIE great Masonic solemnity which took placc last week at Manchester , upon the occasion of Bro . Legendrc Starkie ' s installation as Provincial Grand Master for East Lancashire , was not only impressive as a

ceremony , but absolutely awe-inspiring as a demonstration . Tlie perfect order and thc evident earnestness which prevailed may truly be considered as indices of the power of Masonry over thc human mind

and wc can but offer our sincere congratulations to tlie Lancashire brethren upon the admirable organisation which enables them to achieve such important results , We confess that a display of mere numbers

The Status Of Deputy Prov. Grand Masters.

would not have impressed us so forcibly , although numerical strength is not to be ignored . It was the visible presence of discipline , the tangible influence of a

restraining power , the mastery of mind , to winch we award the palm of merit * and no greater proof of the thorough manlier in which Masonic affairs are administered in

Lancashire need be adduced . In considering this subject , we are led insensibly to the point of our present observations . It has long been thought , not only an anomaly , but

somewhat of a grievance , that the Deputy Provincial Grand Masters , upon whose shoulders much of our provincial business devolves , should nevertheless be nothing

more than ordinary members of the Grand Lodge of England . It is felt that so highly honourable a post as that of Deputy should be duly recognised in the great Parliament

of the Craft , and we have reason to conclude that there is considerable weight in the plea . It will not be denied that most , if not all , of the Deputy Provincial Grand

Masters are men of high social position , as well as of great Masonic knowledge , and it seems hardly fair that tlie most j ' unior officer of thc Grand Lodge should be

allowed precedence of such an influential and useful body . No doubt several Deputies arc also Grand Officers , but this is . simply a palliative of the alleged grievance ,

and in some instances , even , it may be regarded as an aggravation . Still , the very fact that we have now Past Grand Wardens and Grand Deacons serving as second

officers in their respective provinces is to our minds a strong confirmation of the claims of the other brethren-who hold a similar position to some mark of distinction

at the hands of Grand Lodge . It is obvious that all cannot become Grand Officers , to the exclusion of other worthy members of thc Craft ; but a remedy for thc difficulty

may be found in this way . Thc first objection to thc Deputies having rank , as such , on thc dais of Grand Lodge * is , we confess , a very plausible one . It is urged that , as

these officers are tiic nominees of the Provincial Grand Masters , and as all the Grand Officers , except thc Treasurer , areappointed bv the M . W . Grand Master , it would be

manifestly inconsistent with Masonic usage , to allow brethren over whose selection the M . W . Grand Master has no control to rank as Present or Past Officers of thc

Grand Lodge . Upon close examination , however , this objection will be found more superficial than one would be inclined to suspect , and here it may be well to state ,

that in Scotland and other Masonic Jurisdictions , tlie Provincial Grand Masters even are not appointed by thc Chief Ruler of thc Craft , but arc elected by thc local

bodies . However , so far as England is concerned , the custom is different , but wc contend that tlie Grand -Master lias really

the power of veto 111 tlie appointment of Provincial Deputies , inasmuch as their names have to be returned to the Grand

Lodge for registration , and presumably for approval ; upon which a foe of two guineas is payable by thc brother so registered . It

The Status Of Deputy Prov. Grand Masters.

must also be borne in mind that there are Deputies and Deputies ; some do all the work of the province , the P . G . M . delegating to them all authority , while others are but

the assistants to their superior officers , and although very useful , their services are not absolutely indispensable . Now , we consider it would be but an act of justice to the

first-mentioned class to give them past rank in Grand Lodge , after , say , three years service as Deputies , while the same

privilege might be accorded to the second class after a probation of six ' or seven years . This would not increase the number of

Grand Officers too rapidly—a consummation most devoutly dreaded , we opine , by some wearers of the purple—while at the same time it would be hailed as a boon by

a number of deserving and distinguished Masons , whose zeal and interest in the Order would thus be permanently ensured . The details of the plan may be safely left

to the wisdom of our rulers , although we believe that the rank of Past Grand Deacon has been suggested as the appropriate reward . It would also probably be

considered necessary to make the Provincial Grand Master ' s recommendation an essential pre-requisite in every case , and even then the Grand Master should have the

right of withholding thc distinction , but we do not apprehend that he would have occasion to exercise this power very frequently . Let the principle be affirmed

that thc Deputy Provincial Grand Masters are to be recognised , and very great satisfaction will be experienced by every member of the Craft throughout our numerous

provinces . The subject is one that appeals to our consideration with peculiar force at the present time , when we contemplate the vast expansion of thc Order in the

populous districts of England . Masonic provinces that numbered some twenty lodges only as many years ago , now count three or four times thac number , with a

proportionate increase of members , and as a natural consequence , the work that is thereby entailed upon the local governors must be immensely augmented . In the great centres

of manufacture , in the busy towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire , this is especially remarkable , but many other counties , such as Cheshire , Cornwall , Devonshire ,

Hampshire , Kent and Warwickshire , also show largely increased muster-rolls of Masons . It is therefore hard that a man who reigns almost as king over a branch of the

fraternity numbering thousands of members should be unacknowledged , unnoticed , and almost unknown in the metropolitan assemblies of tlie Craft . At tlie same

tunc , we hold that the mere nomination to the post of Deputy Provincial Grand Master should not entitle a brother to a seat on the dais , but after lie has rendered good

suit and service m lhat j : > osition for a stipulated period the honours of past rank should be freely and gracefully conferred upon him

in recompense . We are informed that a movement is on foot to attain this very desirable object , and knowing as wc do , how acceptable it would be to thc provincial