Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar For 1878.

COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR FOR 1878 .

W . Masters and Secretaries of Lodges , Chapters , & c , arc respectfully informed that in order to ensure complete accuracy in the above , printed forms have been forwarded to thern for supplying

particulars of time and p lace of meeting . If such have not yet reached their hands , the Publisher requests that they would kindly call at the meeting place of the lodge & c . and fill up and

return the form , in order that the particulars of their meetings may be correctly inserted . All communications in this matter should be addressed at once to the Publisher , 19 8 , Fleetstreet , E . C .

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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 _ redit them .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion in current week's issue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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TO OUR READERS . Tne F REEMASJN- is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , 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 , ro / 6 . P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the Chief Office , London .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the Fitiii ' . MASON , may be addressed to the Office , 19 S , Fleet-street , London .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

The following stand over : — l ' anmurc Lodge , 720 ; Lewis Lodge , S 72 ; Earl Carnarvon Lotlge , 148 9 ; St . Augustine ' s Chapter , 779 . A letter by Maskclync on the recent vote of the . Grand Orient of France will appear in our next .

W . ( Manchester ) . —On Ihe whole wc have thought it better not to publish your letter . Your allusions would be known in your locality , and we know nothing of the matter , which seems to be purely personal . Wc have far too much of personality in Freemasonry just now .

Births, Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

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

BIRTHS . BnoDiK . —On the iGth inst ., at Innerwick , Scotland , the wife of J . II . Brodie , No . 1 , Gloucester-place , Hydepark , of a daughter . HAYTER . —On tlle 13 th inst ., at the Homestead , Belmont

Park , Lee , Kent , the wife of Frank Hayter , of a daughter . W EST . —On the 17 th inst ., at 2 , Gcorge ' s-villas , Foresthill , the wife of C . Spencer West , Esq ., of a son . WINSI . OW . —On the inth inst ., at Bear Canon , Colorado , the wife of James Winslow , Esq ., late 106 th L . I ., of a son .

DEATHS . Doc win . —On the nth inst ., at Colchester , Hannah , the beloved wife of the late William Docwra , of Stanford Rivers , in her 70 th year . MASON . —Or . the i : th inst ., at Kingston Villa ,

Sydenhampark , Alfred S . Mason , aged f > 6 years . T HOMAS . —On the 7 th inst ., at 5 8 , Buckingham Palaceroad , Mr . H . 51 . Tfiomat , agcti 5 8 . YGUNCI . —On the idtli inst ., at 17 , Jenner-road , Stoke Newington , William Thomas Young , the only surviving son of William and Anne Young , in his 23 rd year .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 22 , 1877 .

The Grand Orient Of France

THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE

" Alea jacta est . " Yes , the Rubicon is passed , and the French Freemasons in Grand Orient assembled , have "burnt" their boats and their " bridges " with a vengeance ! By 135 lodges to 7 6 , and by a large majority , the Grand Orient , in a most noisy gathering , has taken out the

" Belief in God " from the Constitutions , and has substituted for it " La Solidarite Humaine , " which may moan anything or nothing , and which to English minds , has a most unpractical meaning . But so it is , and we have now to deal with a " fait accompli . " We have received and

read Bro . Hubert ' s Cliavie d' Union with deep and heartfelt regret , though we are glad to note that Bro . Hubert voted in the minority , and terms the vote " tine grande fante . " We , remembering Talleyrand ' s " mot , " are prepared even to say " tine crime '" —yes , a crime against

Cosmopolitan Freemasonry . Whatever may be the results , and we fancy they will be serious enough , for French Freemasonry , their best friends can only say , " Tu a voulu , Georges Dandin , " though they may be inclined to add , " Diable , qu ' allez vous faire dans cette galere ?"

According to our views , the folly of the act is only equalled by its perversity . In the face of a powerful opposition , in the power of virulent opponents , the Grand Orient has adopted a resolution , by a large majority , which can only be productive to it of present disaster , of

future defeat . For in so acting it leaves its own vantage ground and high position to descend into the stormy arena of present turmoil and political passions . The French Freemasons in promulgating a party cry as their motto , and refusing to acknowledge

the name of T . G . A . O . I . U . in their Constitutions , have assumed a position utterly without precedent in the annals of Freemasonry , and most antagonistic to its great and genial princip les . How can any Anglo-Saxon F ' reemason enter a lodge henceforth , in France or Belgium ,

from which not only the Bible is banished , but the governing laws of which no longer retain the acknowledgment even of a Theistic reverence for the Most High . Thus the great foundation of Freemasonry is undermined , its mighty and universal link is rent in twain . We hardly like ,

to-day , to go into the great questions , and the certain consequences arising inevitably from this , to our view , act of party spirit and suicidal folly , but we will recurto the subject next week . We are anxious not to do injustice to the actual motives of those who have brought about this revolution in French Freemasonry , but we cannot be insensible

to the fact , that under present circumstances the words and actions of French Freemasons , as well as the position of the Grand Orient of France , cease to be defensible b y English brethren , who value aright and love sincerely the great and distinguishing principles of true Cosmopolitan Freemasonry ,

The Claims Of Freemasonry On Freemasons.

THE CLAIMS OF FREEMASONRY ON FREEMASONS .

There is a very mistaken notion afloat just now , amid some careless observers , and some weak brethren , namely that the ties of Freemasonry over-ride the duties and responsibilities which the law determines and social safety demands . Some apparently suppose that because

a man is a Freemason and a brother , he has a claim on another brother , even in situations of questionable proceedings , and under circumstances of hyper-illegal association . We emphatically deny that any such Masonic obligation exists , or , ! Y sucn Masonic teaching can be found or approvetl of in our best authorities , in

the traditions of the Craft , or the written or unwritten laws of Freemasonry . Freemasonry is a legal as well as a loyal Order , and always asserts the predominant authority of the Ordinances of the Realm , of the binding obligations of the supreme legislature and the statute and common law of the land . It is well to note this special teaching of our loyal , patriotic , and

The Claims Of Freemasonry On Freemasons.

benevolent Order , as it is the best and only answer to some fallacies which seem to exist in the public mind at the present moment . In the enquiry into the conduct of certain detective officers , one of the accused is said to have used a Masonic sign for the purpose either of in .

timidation or " squaring . Very properly , such foolish conduct , if truly stated , had no effect and no Freemason is bound , under such circumstances , to recognize the claims of a brother for the purpose of fraud , or any other purpose whatever , in order to evade the law , the claims of

justice , or baffle the efforts of the police , A Freemason is only bound to assist his brother legally , fairly , above board , only those who have a "fair claim" on his aid , in fact , and in no case , under no circumstances , can he properl y , or should he in any degree antagonize the law of

the land , as he is , as a Freemason , bound to obey implicitly those enactments which are devised and upheld for the safety , happiness , and well-being of us all . Just as we carefully provide that all the rulers of our lodges should be law-abiding men , and no

lawbreaker can be a W . M ., so we understand that if Masonic sympathy and legal duty come into contact , we are to remember that we were patriots before we were Freemasons , citizens of our great country before we were enrolled as members of the " Mystic Tie . " This , in fact , applies to

Freemasonry everywhere , as there is no possible claim on any Mason to do , on any ground , what is illegal , or what is contrary to public safety . We quoted in our last' an amusing extract from an American paper , by which it seems a judge in that country , to whom a prisoner

appealed , as a Freemason , increased the fine for social misconduct , because , as he trul y observed , the accused , as a Freemason , ought to have known how to behave himself better . The fact of being a Freemason is no proper plea to obtain the commiseration or obstruct the

discharge of the proper functions of the officers of justice , and we trust that we have heard the last of that mistaken teaching which would imply or proclaim anything contrary to what we now advance . Freemasonry knows nothing of disobedience to law , or of the tricks and chicanery of the astute and law-defying , and it would be

a lasting reproach on our true principles , and a standing discredit to our ancient Craft , if it could really be supposed for one moment by any one that Freemasonry ever seeks to screen the culprit or to throw the aegis of its fraternal sympathy and protection over the rogue , the swindler , the slanderer , the rebel , or the thief .

Collection In Our Lodges For The Indian Famine.

COLLECTION IN OUR LODGES FOR THE INDIAN FAMINE .

We alluded in our last to a proposal suggested in a lodge to make a lodge collection at one shilling a head for the Indian Famine . We also mentioned the willingness of our Publisher to act as Treasurer of the Fund , and to hand over the sums so collected to the Lord

Mayor , if it should so suit the convenience of our good brethren . We offered also to print a special column of such receipts with the name of the lodge sending the amount , as a useful and honourable record of Masonic benevolence .

We venture to think the offers we then made worthy of the attention of our numerous lodges and brethren . It is quite clear that the famine is still assuming most alarming proportions , and every effort should be made to assist the fund now so happily growing , and so

seasonably commenced , under the friendly and distinguished auspices ot the Lord Mayor . We feel sure that no words of ours are needed to point out the greatness of the crisis and the need of succour . Some of our worthy correspondents may indeed say that they are able to send their

contributions direct to the Mansion House , and do not need any intermediary , but it is for the very purpose of encouraging small sums , on the principle that " every mickle makes a muckle , and above all to provide a Masonic Record 01

the efforts of our lodges and brethren , that our publisher , always wishful to advance the cause of Masonry , throws open the otherwise crowded columns of the Freemason , to a weekly list ot lodge collections , or the offerings of individual brethren . For this is a work in which all can