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TO OUR READERS . The FREEMASON is a 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 . Subscription , in eluding ppstage : United America , India , India , China , & c Kingdom , tbe Continent , & c . Via Brindisi . Twelve Months ios . fid . 12 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ ss . 3 d . 6 s . 6 d . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 S . 8 d . 3 s . 3 d . 4 s . 6 d . Subscriptions may be paid for in stamps , but Post Office Orders or Cheques arc preferred , the former payable to GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London Joint Stock Bank . Advertisements and 1 ther business communications should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects anel books for review are to be forwarded to thc Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied on application to the Publisher , iq 8 , Fleet-street , London .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of he Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can hcrcfore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion n current -week ' s issue should reach the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o'clock on 'Wednesdays . SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS . Whole of back page ^ n 12 o Half , ,, 6 10 o Inside pages ... ... ... ... 7 7 ° Half of ditto 400 Quarter itlo ... ... ... ... 2100 Whole column ... ... ... ... ... 2 10 o Half „ 1 10 o Quarter „ ... ... ... ... ,.. 100 Per inch 040 These prices are feir single insertions . A liberal reduction is made for a scries of 13 , 2 ( 1 , ami , ** 2 insertions . Further particulars may be obtained of the Publisher , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

J . W . M . C . — On the whole wc think you are right . The Book of Constitutions does not lay down any law as to the reccjotion of honorary members . A ballot is absolutely necessary for subscribing members . Honorary members , in nur opinion , may be elected by an open vote . T . F . ' scase being under appca , it is impossible to notice it at present in our pages . Bro . Perceval ' s letter in our next . Crowded out . Proof shall be £ ent . ' ! S = J

BOOKS , etc ., RECEIVED . t- " Hornet ; " " Die New Yorker Bundcsjorcsse ; " "Kclct ;" " Orient ; " " Chambers ' s Index to Next of Kin" ( fourth edition ); " Hull Packet ;"" Medical Examiner ; " "Broad Arrow ; " "Scottish Freemason ; " " Citizen ; "

"Risorgimento ; " "West London Exjorcss j " " Corner Stone ; ' " Freemasons' Monthly ; " " Voice of Masonry ; " Wm Cutbush and Son ' s " Autumn Catalogue of Tulips , & c . ; '• • ' Masonic Review ; " " Hebrew Leader ; " "Der Triangtl ;'' ' Keystone ; " "Der Bund ; " " New York News Letter . "

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

BIRTHS . Gi i . iii : iiT . —On the 17 th inst ., at The Laurels , Gipsy-hill , the wife of Dr . Bennett Gilbert , of a daughter . TURNER . —On thc i 8 lh inst ., at 6 , Lincoln-terrace , Tufnellpark , N ., the wife of Alfred VV . Turner , of a son .

MARRIAGE-. ConiE—PERKINS . —On the 13 th inst ., at St . Nicholas ' , Chislehurst , hy the Rev . fc . J . Brewster , vicar of Leyton , Essex , assisted by thc Rev . J 1 h . 11 Hall , vicar of St . Philip's , Battersea , John Goode , barrister-at-laiv , Lincoln's-inn , and Thc Grove , Hendon , to Mary , youngest daughter of thc late Thomas Ptikins , Droitwich , Worcestershire .

IfF . rsoi . vs—C . ivjifi . —On the 13 th inst . . al Btixham , South Devon , William Percy , only son of The mas Reynolds , nf Berkeley Lotlge , Noiwood-road , S . E ., toMelena Glydc , elder daughter ol William Gl ) de Caymc , of Brixham . DEATH . Hiwi . i . TT . —On the 1 21 I 1 inst .. after a short illness , Hemy William Hewlett , Esq ., cf No . 2 , Raymond-buildings , Gray ' s-inn , and Acre-lane , Brixton , aged 82 .

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THE FREEMASON SATURDAY , AUGUST 24 , 1878 .

English Masonry And Atheists.

ENGLISH MASONRY AND ATHEISTS .

It will be seen by a letter from our Editor to Bro . Hubert , which appears in another column , that a statement has apparently been made on this subject , which will be received with astonishment and indignation by all English Masons . It seems , indeed , at the lirst blush of the thing ,

almost impossible that any true distinguished French Masons can have made so very silly , and so very untrue , a statement ; and out of charity to them , we refrain from publishing their names , as forwarded to us , to-day , hoping that there may be possibly some misunderstanding on the

subject . The allegation is—made on the authority of two ofthe leading French Freemasons , as we read our correspondent ' s letter—that '' Atheists can be admitted Masons in England now , easier than in any other country . " Anything more

ridiculous in itself , or more untrue as a statement , we have never in our life perused , and if we could believe that the brethren quoted really used such preposterous words , we should deeply grieve , alike for their ignorance of and their injustice to English Masons and English Masonry .

We venture to say in the Freemason , ( as our Editor says for himself elsewhere ) , that no Atheist can be admitted , as such , in any English lodge , except by mistake or misadventure , and we aro quite sure of this , that the fact of a candidate being a known Atheist would render him

absolutely certain to be blackballed in any English lodge into which he seeks admission . Nay , we go further . Any W . M . allowing an avowed Atheist to be initiated in English Masonry , if it could be proved he knew the fact to be a fact , when acting as W . M ., would , we are certain , be

suspended by Grand Lodge . We cannot , therefore , profess to understand , with the known animus and practice of English Masons on this subject , how any French brethren can have formed such an idea of English Masonry , much less put such an idea , ( so absurd ) , into words . It is

possible that some candidates who were trul y Atheists have been admitted into English lodges , ( though we doubt even this ) , but then it was , if it was so , both by a " suppressio veri " and a " suggestio falsi " on their part . They did not avow their proclivities at the time , rather they

sought carefully to conceal , and carefully succeeded in concealing , their real views * but if they were honest men , English Masonry was , and could be , no home for them , inasmuch as it distinctly and openly , and pointedly from lirst to last , repudiates anything approaching even to

Atheism and Atheists , whether stupid or clever , whether secret or open . English Freemasonry , ( like English Freemasons ) , never hesitates to proclaim its unchanged and unfaltering belief in the true and ever living God , Most High . We are , therefore , tempted to imagine and to hope that

there is some misinterpretation of hasty words , or , perhaps , that the great heat of Paris just now , and the excitement of the Exhibition , ( which we are happy to hear is a success ) , have caused some of our good French brethren to lose somewhat of their habitual moderation of thought and

speech , and their knowledge of men and things . Or , perhaps , after all , the whole affair is only a little joke played oft' by some facetious French brother on a good colonial John Bull . As we said before , if any French brethren of position , education , and authority , either secretly held or put

forward publicly any such opinions of English Masons and Masonry , we shall most deeply deplore the fact , because it suggests to our minds inevitably certain considerations a fleeting the real state of Masonic affairs in France , which are alike painful to realize , and humiliating to accept .

Our American Brethren.

OUR AMERICAN BRETHREN .

Some of our American brethren are already about to cross the "little mill pond , " and we cannot let them dc-pait , even in instalments , without a hearty shake of the hand , and some sincere

Our American Brethren.

expressions of good will and Masonic sympath y . Their visit to England has been as much a p leasure to ourselves as to them , and we beg to assure them , thpt in the hearty welcome of the "International Gathering , " which our publisher so sagaciously planned an d

so successfully achieved , we as English Masons meant what we said , and we hope they believed us , and believe us still . Though we have bidden farewell to them in person , we linger with them still in kindly companionship , and we trust in the providence of T . G . A . O . T . U . that they may have

a safe and prosperous voyage home to their native land . We shall probably not meet again as brother Masons on this " nether scene , " in warm-hearted personality , and the sympathy of a loving friendship can only be preserved in the spirit , but cordial regards and pleasant souvenirs

will abide with us , as we trust with them , for the rest of our Masonic pilgrimage . Among that p leasant band of friendly visitors to our shores perhaps to particularize names may be both somewhat difficult if not invidious . Yet wc feel sure we are echoing the opinion of all our

English brethren present at that famous gathering when we say that amid many genial associates , no truer Masons , no more sincere friends , no better men can be anywhere met with than Charles Meyer and Daniel Sutter , whose pleasant presence and kindly words will long be cherished by the English Masons who learned to know

them and to like them . And so we bid them heartily and Masonically farewell to-day , in all of genuine regard and true Masonic feeling , trusting that if we are not destined , humanly speaking , to meet any more * ' in the flesh , " ours may be mutual memories and mutual associations of friendship and brotherhood , of liking and goodwill !

The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

A very sensible letter in the Glasgow Evening Mail , which appeared in our last impression , so confirms the views we have thought well to express on some recent questions of debate in resjoect of lliis distinguished body , that we make no apology to our readers for recurring to the

subject to-day . Our words last week were words of peace , as our readers will remember , and such they still most surely are . All we have read and heard since convinces ns how prejudicial to Scottish Freemasonry any such continued agitation must be , and how unwise and how

un-masonic any suggestions of a second Grand Lodge , if ever made . The questions at issue can surely be settled by * the mem . bers of the Grand of Scotland , with , out excitement or wrangling , withou ^ acerbity , without personality , and without

above all , appealing to the profane world without , or letting it into the secret of divisions and dissensions within . Let our good friends across the border remember Napoleon the First ' advice , " to wash their own dirty linen at home , and do not let us hear of any more commen

by the non-masonic Scottish press on the personalities and divergencies of Scottish Freemasons in the Scottish Grand Lodge . It is no doubt true that Scottish Freemasonry is just now passing through a crisis in its history , and has the inevitable effect of many years of un-masonic

procedure to contend with . It has also weaknesses peculiar to an unsound and vicious system , in our humble opinion , ' to amend and remove . But all this can be dono calmly , peacefully , Masonically ; and the authorities deserve all consideration aud all support in their arduous and responsible duties . With the administrative

ability of our distinguished Bro . D . Murray Lyon , there can be no doubt but that the Grand Lodge of Scotland will speedil y emerge from its various complications , and we feel sore that we are expressing the unanimous opinion of English Masons when we avow , as we do openly today , for the Grand Lodge of Scotland all Masonic sympathy and all fraternal good will .

The London Masonic Charity Association.

THE LONDON MASONIC CHARITY ASSOCIATION .

It will be seen by a statement in cur last impression , and by a nitre detailed report in