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NOW READY . VOLUME 8 OF THE " FREEMASON " from January to December , 1875 , bound in cloth , yvith richly embossed device on cover . Price 15 shillings . This volume forms a first class reference and chronology of the leading events in Masonry during the past year . It may be had through any bookseller , or at the office , 198 , Fleet-st ., London .

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NOW READY , Price 9 s . Each . V 0 LST & 2 MASONIC ^ MAGAZINE 198 , FLEET-STREET , LONDON .

Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar.

COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR .

"W . Masters and Secretaries are earnestly requested to forward to the publisher , at the Offices , 198 , Fleet-street , E . G ., particulars of the place , days , and months of meeting of their respective lodges , chapters , and other Masonic bodies , for insertion in the issue of the Calendar for 1877 .

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IMPORTANT NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in the first number of every month .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India j otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen-page weekly neyvspaper , price 2 d . 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 / - P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at ' the chief office , London .

New Postal Rates.

NEW POSTAL RATES .

Owing to a reduction in the Postal Rates , the publisher is now enabled to send the " Freemason " to the following parts abroad for One Year for Tyvelve Shillings ( payable in advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of Good Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demerara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfoundland , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , L ' nited States of America , & c .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts o the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can herefore scarcely be overrated . For terms , position , & c , apply to

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

EKHATA . —In the letter from " Another Freemason ' s Wife , " for lowering demonstration , read " denomination . " Bro . J CONSTABLE . —Declined with thanks . The following reports , & c ., stand over : —Mount Lebanon Lodge , 73 ; High Cross , 754 * . Blair , 815 ; Eclectic , 1 * 01 ; Waldram , 1327 ; Era , 1423 ; Francis Burdett , 1503 , * Jerusalem Chapter , No . 185 .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is as . 6 d for announcements , not exceed , ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . BAKER . —On the 12 th inst ., at Cheltenham , the wife of T . Y . Baker , of a son . KENT . —On the nth inst ., at Trent Villa , Netherwoodroad , West Kensington Park , W ., the wife of John Kent ,

of a son . STUBBS . —On the 13 th inst ., at Kettel Hall , Oxford , the wife of the Rev . W . Stubbs , M . A ., of a son . WILSON . —On the 1 st inst ., at Grove Hall , Knottingley , * ¦ -- « .: ; ,. « f *) uT A Wilc ^ n nf a rlaiicrhter .

MARRIAGES . BECKWITH—WADE . —On the 12 th inst ., at Evercreech , Somerset , H . J . Beckwith , Capt . 53 rd Regt ., to Kathleen , daughter of R . C . Wade , Esq ., of Clonebraney , Co . Meath . WOOD—COLENUTT . —On the s < h inst ., W . Wood , jun ., of

Fishmongers' Hall , to Ruth , eldest surviving daughter of J . Colenutt . WHITE—SMVTHE . —On the 10 th inst ., at All Saints , Maidstone , Alfred Starnes , son of A . White , of Nettlested Court , to Adeline Rimmeliou , daughter of J . Smythe , of Fairview , Maidstone .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , OCT . 11 , 1876 .

Our Royal Grand Master's Visit To Glasgow.

OUR ROYAL GRAND MASTER'S VISIT TO GLASGOW .

The reception which the loyal citizens of Glasgow have accorded to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales our illustrious Head , has been most warm and gratifying in every respect . We have always said , that in no portion of our Order , and under no Constitution , has the Grand Master of

English Masonry Grand Patron of Scottish Masonry more zealous and devoted adherents than in North Britain , and we are rejoiced to know that never has the Prince of Wales and his amiable and charming Consort been more enthusiastically welcome than in

Glasgow . With Baillie Nicol Jarvie , there a re few of us who , having read the accounts of th e public reception and the Masonic demonstration , will not say with that excellent personage , most warmly and sincerely , " Let Glasgow flourish . " It has added to its previous high prestige , by the admirable and remarkable manner in which it has

taken up and carried through all the necessarily complicated arrangements -which go to make up a great public ceremonial of the kind . Nothing seems to have been wanting to the occasion , everything appears to have been in perfect order and harmony , no unseemly hitch of any kind marred the

pleasantness and progress of the day ' s proceedings from first to last ; and we trust , as we believe , that such an " Alba Dies" in the annals of that great and flourishing city will have left an ineftacable souvenir in the warm hearts and friendly memories of thousands .

The Masonic arrangements appear to have been very complete , and reflect great credit on all by whom they were compiled . 8000 Masons are said to have taken part in the procession and gathering , and the loyalty of Scottish Freemasonry has been gallantly shown forth in the

presence of their fellow citizens , nay , we may say , of the world . We congratulate the Grand Lodge of Scotland both for its able programme and goodly muster , just as we warmly felicitate our brethren , in Glasgow especially , on the success which has attended all their zealous

efforts , and the complete and entire harmony of action -which has resulted from their thoroughly Masonic union and sympathies . We give an account of the day and its work elsewhere , and especially a resume of the Masonic demonstration , which , while it is in itself most creditable

to our Scottish brethren , will be warmly appreciated , we know , by all Anglo-Saxon Masons . W e unfeignedly rejoice to note how well and how right Royally our august Chief responds to all the many claims made upon his time and interest , whether in the routine discharge of

the duties of his exalted station , or in his sympathetic appearance in many public assemblies of Her Majesty ' s subjects ; and we trust , as loyal Freemasons , that all of good and happiness may attend on his onward and important career , and on the private and public life of himself and his gracious and gentle Consort .

The Last Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

THE LAST QUARTERLY COURT OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

The results of tbe last Quarterly Court of this interesting and important Institution must have been most satisfactory to all friends of the School . Not only was there a large attendance of Governors , but the tone and temper of the meeting were very encouraging to all who wish ,

by careful and progressive improvements , to keep our great metropolitan institutions up to the level of the age , and in entire harmony with the wishes and feelings of the brethren . Onr old friend and excellent Bro . Muggeridge , to whom we allude in a special article ,

received on his retirement from the onerous duties of Collector a very hearty greeting , and the expression of a very fraternal recognition of his many and meritorious services to the School and to Masonry , and his " Honorarium" forhis lengthened "Collectorship " was cheerfully and unanimously accorded . The

The Last Quarterly Court Of The Girls' School.

main question of interest forthe meeting- was witl respect to Bro . Raynham Stewart ' s motion tli appointment or non-appointment of a " Collet * tor , " on which moot point a great deal doubt , can be said on both sides of the question There seemed to be a general wish to ii . iv * - u . '

subject thoroughly looked into by the General Committee , and , on the motion of Bro . Joseph Smith , a very good committee of nine was appointed to report to a special genera ] meeting of the Institution . We cono-ra . tulate the Subscribers and the Order on this

very judicious resolution , and we feel sure that on the report ofthe committee in due time ' a satisfactory conclusion will be arrived at . One point , which has always been a difficult one to deal with , owing partly to " vested interests , " old arrangements , customary procedure , and , to

say the truth , a little good Masonic " blue tape , " was , yve think , clearly decided b y the meeting , and a very important point it is in our hum ' ble opinion . So complicated has been the system of " poundage , " for instance , that , as Bro . Little stated in answer to a question

of Bro . Joseph Smith , four systems of calculation have been employed , on which the Collector was finally paid . But it is manifestl y absurd and Masonically unfair , that the Collector , living in London , should receive a poundage , be it ever so small , on sums sent direct from any lodce , or

Steward , or province , to the Secretary of the Institution . It has long been quite clear , that if any such poundage was to be allowed at all , it ought to be given to the Prov . Grand Secretaries , who have great trouble , and often great responsibility thrown upon them , or even the Stewards . But

we object to such a system of " poundage " altogether * it is neither business-like not fair , and has long been a standing complaint and pressinogrievance . We do not enter into the question of whether a collector be needed for the metropolitan district or annual subscribers—it may be so ; but

all we wish to contend for is , that he shall onl y be remunerated on what he actuall y himself pays in , and that if the services of a trustworth y Collector cannot be procured on such terms , then / , tliat he must be paid an increased per centage on what he does bring in , together with , if need be a small

regular supplemental salary , to appear as such in the accounts of the Institution . It is a very unsatisfactory method in order to give any collector a good income , and make his post worth having , that a per centage should be paid to him on sums which do not pass through his hands at

all , and about which he knows nothing . We , therefore , are glad to know that the general feeling of the large meeting on Saturday last was against a continuance of such a " makeshift " system , and in favour , whether through a " collector , " or " collecting clerk" in the

Secretary ' s office , of simple "payment for results , " and that an end should be put to the previous objectionable arrangement . As the matter is now before a committee , we do not think it respectful to them to say anything more on the subject , as we feel sure that it is in good hands , and will be carefully considered and full y discussed .

Masonic Archæology.

MASONIC ARCH ? OLOGY .

There is a view of Masonic history which has some adherents , and which we will now consider . Some have said that Freemasonry is only the result of an Hermetic association , and that as we have it , it is really based on Hermeticism . We do not agree with such a view for the

following reasons . That an Hermetic society has existed for many centuries is probably true , that those who practised Hermetic arts , and studied an occult lore , may have formed themselves into a fraternity or brotherhood , we think may be readily conceded . That the " Fratres

Rosese Crucis" were in existence in the 17 th century , is also , we think , incontestable . But the whole question hinges upon this , what had they to do ? had they anything to do with Freemasonry proper ? And this is a query very difficult indeed to answer . Some facts in the

Consideration of this problem crop up which are very curious in themselves , whatever their exact bearing may be on the point at issue . What is called the magical alphabet , for instance , has a very curious resemblance to many of the old Ma-