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IMPORTANT NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FOREIGN SUBSURIBEKS 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 ; otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and conains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in thc United . Kingdom , Post free , 10 / - P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the chief office , London .

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

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts of ihe Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . For terms , position , &_ ., apply to GEORGE KENNING , 198 , Fleet-st .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

AU Communications , Advertisements , 4 . C ., intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later thar . 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning . Description of a Masonic jewel kindly sent for inspection by Bro . Lieut . R . H . Armit , R . N ., in our next ; a letter from S . B . Ellis will also appear .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . TKAPPES . —On the 14 th inst ., at Stanley House , Clitheroe , the wife of T . B . Trappes , Esq ., of a son . LUNOLEY . —On the 13 th ult ., at Calcutta , the wife of R .

Lungley , Esq ., of a son . THOMSON . —On the iothinst ., at Lea Park , Grangemouth , N . B ., the wife of J . D . Thomson , Esq ., of a son . Cox . —On the gth inst ., at Brighton , the wife of A . H . Cox , J . P ., of a son .

MARRIAGES . WAKEFIELD—HODGE . —On the 13 th inst ., at St . Michael's , Highgate , William Stephen , son of R . Wakefield , of East Moulsey Lodge , to Olivia Emily , daughter of J . Hodge , of Highgate . NEWTON—COLSON . —On the 4 lh inst ., Bro . Henry E ., eldest

son of Bro . W . E . Newton , of Chancery-lane , to Eliza S ., fourth daughter of the late Mr . J . W . Colson . BROMLEY—COWPEII-BROWN . —On the 12 th inst ., at St . Barnabas , Kensington , Arthur Charles Burgoyne , son of the late Sir R . Bromley , K . C . B ., to Juliette , daughter of the late T . Cowper-Brown , Esq ., of the Inner Temple .

DEATHS . DENWIDDIB . —On June 27 th , at Philadelphia , Bro . Chas A . Denwiddie . K-. vsro'iD . —On July 1 Uh , at 59 , Welbeck-strect , Bro . E Ransford , aged 71 . WALPOLE . —On the 12 th inst ., at The Grove , West Mob

scy , Lieut .-General Sir Robert Walpole , K . C . B ., aged 67 . SWINHOE . —On the 14 th inst , at Cheltenham , Henry Swinhoe , Esq ., late of Calcutta . RAIKES . —On the 17 th inst ., at 63 , Belsize Park , Hampstead , Robert Raikes , Esq ., J . P ., D . L ., late of Welton , Yorkshire , aged 74 .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , JULY 22 , 1876 .

West Yorkshire.

WEST YORKSHIRE .

This distinguished province held its quarterlymeeting at Huddersfield on Wednesday , the 19 th inst ., under the banner of the good Lodge of Harmony of that town . It came to a " most healing " termination of a very unhappy controversy , and we shall allude to it a little more ully next week , in the interests of peace and

West Yorkshire.

conciliation . We are among those who have nev . ir doubted for one moment the practical good sense and true Masonic spirit of our West Yorkshire brethren .

Our Next Merry Meeting.

OUR NEXT MERRY MEETING .

When the Duke of 'Buckingham used to dismiss his boisterous " symposium " in former days , it was , we are told , with some such formula as this , " To our next merry meeting , unless any of us are hanged in the interim . "

Such a " dismissio might suit that eccentric nobleman , but by no means accords with the gravity or respectability of Freemasons . Just now Freemasons are already closing in London their active lodge life for a short recess , for the " long vacation , " and practically the Masonic

spring and summer season , in the metropolis at any rate , is over . Lodges are meeting and closing , and brethren are assembling , and positively for the last time as a lodge for some months to come , and some of us are separating now , perhaps not to meet till November , when the

good Secretary summons the faithful children of " Alma Mater" to rally under her old banner once again . It is this which always lends , it seems to us , such a "touching " sentiment , " alike to the meetings and the separations of Freemasonry . Those of us who have gathered

together the longest round some old Masonic centre of light , and life , and truth , and trust , know well how uncertain are the conditions of earthly existence , how many the mutations of lodge membership . Many here to-day , in full health and strength , are missing to-morrow ; our

roll-call is gradually lessening , and pleasant faces and kind voices are hushed in the mist of years , and wanting in the full strong tide of life , though present ever to the kindly memory , and never forgotten by the true Masonic heart . But we began in a lighter strain , and we will recur to it ,

though it is impossible , we think , when touching upon such a subject , not to speak seriously . Nor is it good or true to put from us those more moving associations , which always accompany Masonic membership here . What a metamorp hosis has come over the active life of the good

Lodge 1800 , affecting the Lodge of Friendship . Its members are many and genial , its officers are painstaking and well posted up . You nowhere see a better system or meet a heartier reception . Its work and its welcome , its charity , and its cuisine , its " morale , " and

its menu , are all equally irreproachable . It mixes the " utile " with the " dulce , " labour with refreshment , sound teaching and cheery gathering with all alike of artistic skill , and of Masonic sympathy . Indeed , we know no better representative of a good working , charitable ,

social , friendly , fraternal lodge , than the one we have just named , but just now , practically " non est . " At its last meeting the worthy W . M . informed an admiring circle that the lodge would close for the recess , and this announcement was repeated at the Summer St . John ' s , later

on in the day , in his usual cheery and effective way . No more for a time for us the summons of the most zealous of Secretaries , or the toast of the most smiling of Tylers . Its members are wending their way , some here , some there , preparing to wing their

flight from the heat , and glare , and close streets of the "little village , " to the country and the sea side , to the yacht and the German Bad , for a trip to Norway , or some shady limes in some happy rural home , as soon , that is , as business permits them to get away , immediately they

can , as they say , "decently do so . " And when we all meet again what changes may have taken place . Who can say ? Bro . Jones , who sings so well his favourite strain , Bro . Potter , always ready with his well known " few humble words , " Bro . Jones , who is always sentimental , and Bro .

Jobson , who is always transcendental ; Judkins , who has a grievance , and Stipkins , who has been " improperly passed over , " will still , no doubt , be to the fore , to enlighten or to bore , to fidget or to edify , the courteous W . M . and their

patient brethren . But shall we all meet again to tell of what we have seen and done in the interim ? The chances are against it . We may probably see that statel y W . M . of ours , and that bold array of intrepid P . M . ' s , the Secretary at his

Our Next Merry Meeting.

desk , the Treasurer with his book . Wardens and Deacons , and Master of Ceremonies , to say n 0 , thing of Stewards , and Inner Guard , and Organist . And let us hope we shall . It would be sad if the inexorable fates had cut in twain that thread of cheerful life which binds so many

a true hearted frater to his old lodge . We should miss much if that were so , the kind smile , and the warm hand , the zealous will , and the sobered mind ; we should look in vain for the grey hairs of Past Master White , and the halcyon locks of Bro . Jinkinson ; we should

sadly note old Bro . Higgm ' s vacant chair , and speak in bated breath of poor dear Bro . Backhouse . But so it is , and say what we will , we are ever in a circle as it were , and we feel as we write to-day , how true it ever is , that we little know here what a day may bring

forth . We have tried to write cheerfully , but we have failed , and for the best of all reasons , that we are not so young as we were , and that each birthday only whispers to us the warning lesson of Freemasonry , " Gnothi seauton . " Weakness and decay , and change and severance

are the lot of us all , men and Masons , and none of us can be insensible to those changes and choppings of the world which often leave us like sea weed on the shore of time , which the recedin g waves have cast np in all their life and vigour . We wish , however , to-day , to all our scattering

and scattered brethren , health and happiness , comfort and enjoyment , wherever they may be sojourning for a season . Some who have their domestic angels to bless them and look after them , will have , as we know , their pleasure doubled and their happiness

increased by all those " agremens' which woman ' s kind heart and gentle presence always ensure to ungrateful man . And our bachelor brethren , let us hope that they will see the "evil of their ways , " and find some dear confiding creature in their pleasant outing to " bless or bore them " during the after hours of their

sublunary career . May November see them in the good old lorlge again , radiant and rejoicing , full of health and appetite , a good digestion and cheerful spirits , the married brethren prouder than ever of the wives of their bosom , the youthful Benedicts " hugging their chains" duly and properly , and all ready for work , and not unfriendly to refreshment .

The Demands On Our Charities.

THE DEMANDS ON OUR CHARITIES .

It must be quite clear to the . most careless readers of our Masonic intelligence that our great charities are increasing in their demands on the zeal and liberality of our Order , and will continue to do so . Take the Boys' School for instance . It has 58 candidates for the October

election , and onl y 11 vacancies . It is quite evident to us that unless something is done to lessen this " dead weight" of unsuccessful applicants at the next April election we shall be perfectly overpowered , and many , fiir too many , will be left out in the cold . We therefore would

press upon the General Committee and Bro . Binckes the advisability of at once determining to raise the number of admissions to 200 . Such an announcement would be received with enthusiasm by the Craft as a fitting response to its recent goodly efforts on behalf of this most

important and valuable institution . Bro . Binckes states that 4 ^ 12 , 500 represents the return of the festival of 1876 , and that before the close of the year he has the promise of other amounts . Never , then , was there a better opportunity for , or a more reasonable and seasonable act than

the permanent increase of the Boys' School to 200 . And in saying this we do not shut our eyes to the probable further necessary increase of the School . Indeed , we feel persuaded that before long the School will have to be raised w 300 to represent the growing demands of our

increasing and prosperous fraternity . And do not let us carp at the fact , or grudge the increased expenditure . - Freemasonry is never so much in its own element as when its members can point in honest exultation and becoming |

pride to its noble works of charity and benefi- K cence , of educational labours , of humanitarian L zeal . Still , as of old , its one unfailing mottctf' I its best answer to gainsayer ajjd libeller , " I quxris , circumspice . " I