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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate of nearly Half-a-million 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 colonies 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 . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is nozu IOS . per annum , post-free , payable

in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d .

Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 S . 6 d .

United . States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United Slates for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

—•—DEA TUS . BANK ? . —On the 71 I 1 instant , Bro . George Hanks , J . D . 1326 and of 145 , of the '' Old Red Lion , " Brentford , deeply regretted by all who knew him . HEALING . —On the 10 th instant , at 152 , Boundary-street , Liverpool , Elizabeth Emma , the beloved wife of Bro . Joseph Healing , P . M . of Mariners' Lodge , 249 , and Neptune Lodge , 1264 .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All communication .- ; for 'I ' m : TKUEMASON should be written legibly on one vide of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not later tban 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address of every wiilcr innst be sent to us in confidence .

Wc are compelled to decline inserting a letter from "One who believes in liis O . U , " as it contains gross personalities respecting Bro . Yarker ; ami also one from Jiro . Yarker himself , tlie lone of which is not calculated to promote Masonic harmony . BRO . WHITE . —We do not know what time it took to do 1 lie work ymi refer to , but think that between two and three hours is the usual lime , depending upon the proficiency and fluency of the brethren . Jo'iN J . M . HANOVER , Jamaica . —Send an advertiseiisemc . it , and it shall be inserted in our columns .

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NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS . The Office of'Ym-. FREEMASON" is nozu transferred to 19 S , FLEET STREET ,

E . C . All communications for the Editor or Publisher should therefore be forzoarded to that address .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , J 22 , 1 S 71 .

THK I ' ' . K . MASON * is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The pr . 'je ul Tin : I'jtnrMA ^ t ; . ' is Twopence per week ; annual tn > , . n ; jn . m , ios . ( p . \ y ; iUe in a . lvancc ) . AM conn vmic . Hiuiis , !_ -uers , Kc ., lo be addressed to the EDITOR 3 , 3 , : (; KI . | , Liuic Hiit . iin , K . C . Tiie H . ! itur * vii ! piy can . 'ful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him ul c . innui uaici take lo relui u livem unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Quality, Not Quantity

QUALITY , NOT QUANTITY

THE pluvial deities having- at length condescended to stay th'jjr ovcr-gencrous

hands , doubtless many of our readers are preparing to enjoy the long-hoped-for sunshine and the customary relaxation from the business of daily life . Masonic labour ,

so far as the metropolis is concerned , has almost ceased , and we have now breathing time to look around and note the progress made by the Order during the past Masonic session . TVe have first of all to

record that the numerical increase of lodges and brethren has been fully sustained , but we fear that the quality of the initiates is not always equal to the quantity . A

careful study of the ancient charges of the Fraternity would in many instances deter the members of our lodges from admitting men whose moral character and mental

calibre reflect no credit upon the Order . There are many so-called Masons who are utterly incapable of estimating the real

value of the Craft—nay , there are many who by the coarse interpretation which they give to the idea of sociality , actually mislead and debase the minds of some

from whom we might have reasonably expected something nobler and better . We by no means overlook the patent fact that all Masons cannot be Solomons , but that

is no reason why we should court the society of the long-eared tribe . We know that habits of long standing cannot be laid aside simply by crossing over the threshold

of Masonry , and it therefore behoves us to exercise the utmost caution in the selection of our candidates , and never to propose for reception into the Brotherhood men with

whose antecedents we are imperfectly acquainted . If committees of enquiry were instituted by every English lodge , as we believe is almost universally the case in

America , we should have fewer cases of that practical apostacy from the principles of the Order which is at present so painfullv apparent . It has been well said that

Freemasonry is not a reformatory institution—we do not profess to cleanse the moral lepers of society ; wc do not undertake to purify the corrupt , or to extract

the venom from the serpents tooth . A dishonest man , who unfortunately obtains admission into the Craft , does not necessarily cease to be dishonest : on the

contrary , it too frequently happens that he avails himself of his ill-gotten privileges to prey with greater impunity upon his victims who , deluded by the rascal ' s cry of

" brother , " fall into the snare without the least suspicion of danger . Of this class there are several notable examples , men who flaunt about in Masonic ribbons and

jewellery at the expense of their creditors —in a word , men whose Masonic certificates , disgraced and degraded , hang side by

side with their certificates from the Bankruptcy Courts . The ugliest feature of such cases is , that it is difficult to unmask these traitors to the cause of honour and virtue .

They walk about in our midst with " brazen fronts and eyelids unabashed ;" they assume to be the mentors of worthier men ; with covert sneer and guarded lie they emit the foul breath of calumny upon

Quality, Not Quantity

the reputations of those who eschew the polluted pale of their influence . And , like the rabble of Comus , these satyrs herd together ; the cry of malice uttered by one

is taken up by the whole obscene pack , and the echoes of slander reverberate in dismal peals from one to another . To what extent Freemasonry is injured by the

acts of these , her supposed adherents , will never probably be known , but wc may safely assume that they have done more mischief to the Craft than all the edicts of

all the pontiffs that have denounced the Order . Let us hope that in the numerous additions recently made to our lodges there are no recruits for the ranks of infamy—ho

reinforcements for the moral Thugs who would fain strangle all that is great and good in the precepts and practice of the Craft . Let us hope that our newlyenrolled brethren are men who come

amongst us to be confirmed in the virtuous and honourable courses which they have already pursued rather than men who have hitherto followed a career of villany and

vice . We rejoice to know that such is really the case in an overwhelming majority of instances , but still this should not induce us to forget or to relax those wise

and necessary precautions by which the entrance of black sheep would be rendered almost an impossibility . The importance of this subject both to the present and the

future of English Freemasonry must be our excuse for dwelling so long and so forcibly upon a disagreeable theme . Happily during the past season we can

point to other and pleasanter topics . The various Charity Festivals have been well supported , and the interest felt in our noble institutions seems to be spreading like a

circle in the water . His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , and the other " Prince in Wales , " Sir Watkin Williams Wynn , presided over the festivals of the Girls' and

Boys Schools respectively , and the pecuniary results of both were , very gratifying . At the Festival of the Royal Benevolent Institution , Bro . Colonel Burdett was to

have taken the chair , but was unfortunately prevented attending by a domestic affliction ; his place was , however , ably filled , at a moment ' s notice , by our popular Grand

Treasurer , Bro . Samuel Tomkins , and a goodly collection succeeded his advocacy of the Institution ' s claims . The mission of the Marquis of Ripon to America may also

be regarded as a most interesting event in Masonic history , and we trust that the iratcrnal warmth now so happily kindled may ever characterise our relations with the American people .

The American Knights Templar.

THE AMERICAN KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

WE arc pleased to be able to place on record that the reception of the American Templars by the brethren of Great Britain has been most cordial and fraternal , and we regret that our space will not permit us to give an account in detail of the various