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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate o [ newly Haifa-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 ofthe 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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Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

—?—• MARRIAGE . HARPER—MACNAUGHT . —On the 14 th inst ., at Spiersbridge , Thornliebank , Renfrewshire , by tlie Rev . Andrew Wield , Bro . William Harper , M . M . Lodge Clyde , 40 S , to Agnes Barr , eldest daughter of Bro . Robert Macnaught , M . M . Lodge St . Mary , 117 .

DEA TIL WOLLOWICZ . —On 20 th inst ., at the Royal Victoria Hospital , Netley , Bro . Cyprian Count Wollowicz , of Lodge and Chapter 394 , Southampton , Army Medical Staff , aged 32 .

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All communications for Tni ! FKEEM . \ SO . V should be -miteii Icgrlil } on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not Liter than 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence .

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TheFreemason, S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 25 , rSyr .

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THE FREEMASON is published 011 Saturday Mornings m time for the early trains . The price of THE F KKEMASON is Twopence per week ; annual sulficripiion , tos . ( payable in advance ) . AU communications , letters , & c ., io be addressed to thc EDITOR , » , 4 , and 4 , Little Britain , K . C . The Kd'uor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamp * .

Business To Be Transacted In Grand Lodge.

BUSINESS to be TRANSACTED in GRAND LODGE .

THE agenda paper for the next Quarterly Communication of thc Grand Lodge is uncommonly light , and the subjects to be considered will not , we imagine , lead to any

protracted discussion . lhe first business to which it is necessary to allude , will be the " Election of M . W . Grand Master , " and this derives interest from the fact that

Lord de Grey is at the present time absent from the kingdom , as we intimated last week , and will consequently not be able to witness the hearty unanimity with which

his election as Grand Master for the second time will be carried in Grand Lodge ; but although the exigencies of the public service may occasionally preclude his

Lordship from attending thc duties of Freemasonry , wc arc well assured that the interests of the Fraternity will not suffer , because in Lord Carnarvon thc Grand Master possesses a Deputy who can worthily represent him whenever he may

Business To Be Transacted In Grand Lodge.

be required to preside over the legislative assemblies of the Craft . The next business will be the " election , " or we should say , rather , the " re-election of a Grand

Treasurer , " there being not the faintest scintilla of doubt that the present highly-esteemed Treasurer , Brother Samuel Tomkins , will be re-chosen by acclamation . Upon many

occasions Brother Tomkins has come forward , and with ready generosity advanced large sums , when voted by Grand Lodge , to various charitable funds , without waiting

for the formal confirmation of the votes ; in fact , he always seems to remember the truth and efficacy of the old adage , "Bis dat quicito dat , " in cases of urgent distress and calamity .

A communication by the Grand Secretary will follow , announcing that" The melancholy intelligence has been received fromW . Bro . N . T . W . Smallenburg , Representative

at the G . Lodge of the Netherlands , of the lamented death of Her Royal Highness Princess Louisa Augusta , Consort of His Royal Highness Prince Frederick , Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of

the Netherlands . The Prince Frederick is , we believe , one of the oldest Masons living . He has certainly been Grand Master of the Dutch Grand

Lodge between fifty and sixty years , and we are doubtful whether even the Duke of Leinster , Grand Master of Ireland , long as

His Grace has held that high position , can bear away the palm of seniority from the Grand Master of thc Netherlands .

The deceased Princess was sister to the Emperor of Germany , who , as most of our readers will remember , was profoundly affected by the intelligence of her decease . Another announcement will be

made"That a memorial has been presented to thc M . W . Grand Master by the Lodge of Benevolence praying permission for the meetings of thc Lodge of Benevolence to take place at six instead

of seven o ' clock as heretofore ; his Lordship has been pleased to comply therewith , and has directed that on and after Wednesday , 22 nd day of March next , the meetings of thc Lodge of Benevolence

shall lake place at six o ' clock . " This change will be greatly appreciated by the members of the Lodge of Benevolence , as it has frequently happened under the

present system , owing sometimes to the large number of petitions to be considered , but oftcner to thc diffuse statements of oratorical brethren , that the working

members—those who really desire to do justice to all the cases on thc list—have been detained till past eleven o ' clock , a pleasure scarcely to be desired , especially on a cold

winters night , lhe Report ofthe Lodge of Benevolence , with recommendations for grants to two deserving petitioners , will next be read for approval , and then follows

the report of the Board of General Purposes , which , upon this occasion , is simply a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , which seem to be in a very healthy condition—the balance in the Grand

Treasurer ' s hands amounting to the respectable sum of -63 , 695 12 s . 3 d ., and in thc hands of the Grand Secretary , for petty cash , £ 75 . The Official Auditors' report of receipts and disbursements during the

Business To Be Transacted In Grand Lodge.

past year will also be read , and thus every brother will have an opportunity of ascertaining how carefully and how well the funds of the Order are administered .

" Proposed motions come next . The first is by Bro . Joseph Rankin Stebbing , P . G . D .: "That a subscription of fifty pounds be given towards the fund for

providing a Masonic life-boat . " Now , we have so strenuously advocated the cause which Bro . Stebbing proposes to assist , that it seems almost a work of supererogation to

state that we most cordially support the grant of the extremely moderate sum of £ 50 in aid of so noble an object . The brethren will bear in mind , likewise , that

the proposition no longer emanates from any impecunious individual , but from one of the most talented and respected members of the dais : and they will also remember

that the present Committee of the " Masonic Life Boat Fund " have published in these columns full details of every shilling contributed in support ofthe movement .

We know that there are "two Richmonds in the field , " but both are "honourable men , " and whether the money , which we feel confident will be voted by Grand Lodge ,

be handed over to Bro . Davis or to Bro . Carpenter , we arc equally satisfied that it will eventually find its way into the coffers of the " National Life Boat Society . " The

Craft has given liberally to the " Sick and Wounded" Fund and other benevolent institutions to which the Franco-German war has given birth , and it cannot be

possible that the claims of a charity which almost daily preserves the lives of some of our brethren will be utterly ignored by the Freemasons of England .

Thc second notice of motion is by Bro . John Savage , P . G . D . : — " That at page 10 of thc laws relating to the Fund of Benevolence , inlaw 16 , after the words in the lines

9 , 10 , and 11 , ' shall not be effectual until confirmed at the next or a subsequent meelion of the Lodge of Benevolence , ' be added the words , ' except in cases of recommendations to the Grand Lodge . '"

The object of this addition is to prevent the recurrence of a very serious delay in the relief of petitioners who maybe recommended to Grand Lodge for large sums of

money . At present a man who has rendered eminent services to the Craftalthough those services may be practically recognised by a generous grant at the

Lodge of Benevolence — is nevertheless compelled to wait several months before he can obtain the money , simply because the recommendation for thc amount may have

been made at the monthly meeting immediately preceding the Quarterly Communication , inasmuch as it cannot be submitted to the Grand Lodge until after

confirmation by thc Lodge of Benevolence . Bro . Savage proposes to remedy this defect in the law , which was doubtless overlooked during thc recent revision of the laws

affecting the Fund of Benevolence ; and we anticipate a cheerful acquiescence on the part of Grand Lodge in the amendment which he intends to submit to the meeting .