To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a Weekly Newspaper , price 2 cL It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , including postage : United America , India , India , China , Sec

Kingdom , the Continent , & c . Via Brindist . Twelve Months ios . 6 d . 12 s . od . 17 s . 4 d . Six „ , 5 s . 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 are preferred , the former payable to

GEORGE KENNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London Joint Stock Bank . Advertisements and tther business communications should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects and books for

review are to be forwarded to the Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and thc return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied on application to the Publisher , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

Important Notice.

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 ; otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them . Several P . O . O . ' s are now in hand , but having received no advice we cannot credit them .

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•? NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularly requested that ALL communications for the FREEMASON , may be addressed to the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

To Advertisers.

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 .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

A letter to Bro . Hubert on some further proposed changes in the Constitutions of thc French Grantl Orient will appear in our next . By an error , the name of Bro . F . D . R . Copestick was omitted from the li & t of those present to offer a testimonial to Bro . Muggeridge .

BOOKS , etc ., RECEIVED . " Medical Examiner ; " " Proceedings at the Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lotlge of British Burmah ; " " Hull Packet ; " " Broad Arrow ; " " Risorgimento ; " " Die Bauhutte ; " " Brief ; " " Young Folks " Monthly Part ; " Indent ; " " Pantiles Papers ; "

"Der Bund ; " "Advocate ; " " Le Monde Maconnique ;" "New York Dispatch ; " " Report of the Half Yearly Communication of the District Grand Lotlge of Bombay ; " " Loomis ' s Musical antl Masonic Journal ; " " Magazi nc of Art ; "" Masonic Review ; " "Mayfair ; " " Voice of Masonry . "

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

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

BIRTHS . PENNINGTON . —On the 25 th ult ,, at Tinnevelly Madras Presidency , the wife of J . B . Pennington , of a son . REEVES . —On the 16 th inst ., at Pix Hall , Ifawkhurst , the wife of F . Reeves , Esi | ., of a son . WOLTON . —On thc 17 th inst ., at Arundel Villa , Balham , the wife of E . H . Wolton , of a daughter .

MARRIAGE . Sn . i . irANT—HAMI . YS . —On thc 16 th inst ., at Bridestowe Church , Devon , Francis Synge , son of the late J . Sillifant , Esq ., of Combe , Devon , to Fanny Gertrude , daughter of S . C . Hamlyn , Esq .

DEATHS . BitAsiEii . —On the 16 th inst ., at 37 , High-street , Margate , after two days' illness , from apoplexy , Bro . W . C . Brasicr , P . M . 127 , P . P . G . S . B . Kent , and P . Z . 784 , aged 59 , much respected .

Ciiuiicii . —On thc 22 nd inst ., in the 49 th year of his age , the Rev . William Benjamin Church , for many years Vice-Principal of the Clapham Grammar School . CROSS . —On the 13 th inst ., at Capri , Italy , aged 27 , Maria , wife of the Rev . J . Cross .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , MAY 25 , 1878 .

The Next Quarterly Communication.

THE NEXT QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION .

We hope that among the other business for Grand Lodge will be a vote of congratulation to our illustrious Brother the Emperor of Germany . Our august Bro . H . I . H . the Crown Prince is now in England , and a vote thus

carried in his presence with the enthusiastic loyalty of English Masons , and under the presidency of our Royal Grand Master , would in our opinion be alike impressive and opportune . We feel sure that such an obvious duty in this respect has not been overlooked .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

Our brethren will be pleased , one and all , to hear Bro . Terry ' s lucid and satisfactory account of the flourishing state of this most needed and well managed Institution . There are now 14-5 men receiving £ 40 each , amountingto £ " 58 oo , and 1 . 3 , 5 widows receiving £ 32 each , amounting to

£ 4 . 3-2 , 2 ,. There are also eleven widows receiving half their late husbands' annuities , amounting to £ 220 ; so that the Institution will after this election stand committed to an annual payment of £ io , 3 \ 2 to annuitants . The working expenses will be slightly over ets 2 ooo . There will

therefore have to be raised nearly £ 12 , 500 to maintain the Institution in its present state of usefulness . We are happy to note Bro . Terry ' s assurance that though through the failure of Messrs . Willis , Percival , and Co ., the bankers , there has been a loss of /" ooo ins . rod ., yet

there is every reasonable hope that in the end this loss will be made good . As the account of the two funds are kept separate , we will also follow this convenient arrangement . The receipts of the Male Fund are as follows .-Balance 31 st March , 1877 £ 3521 2 10

Receipts . Donation from Grand Lodge £ 500 o o „ „ Chapter 100 0 o „ Lodges , Chapters , antl

Individuals ... 4908 10 11 Annual Subscriptions ... 1342 16 6 Dividends on Stock in the Government Funds ... 8 57 13 o Rent of Field ( 5 quarters ) ... 12 10 o Interest on Cash at Call ... 35 16 7 Cash withdrawn from Call 2000 o o

9757 1 ° £ 13 , 278 9 io The expenditure is as follows : Annuitants ... ... ... £ 5480 o o Deposited at Call ... ... 2000 o o Purchase of £ 2000 3 per cent Consols antl

Commission . . . . . . . . . 1920 o o Office and Working expenses 491 13 o • 108 91 13 o Balance on this account . £ 2386 16 10 WIDOW ' FUND .

Receipts . Balance 31 st March , 1877 £ S 74 5 (> Donation from Grantl Lodge 300 o o „ Grand Chapter 50 o o „ Lodges ,

Chapters , and Individuals 5123 16 7 Annual Subscriptions ... 1305 4 6 Dividends on Stock in the Government Funds ... 54 6 11 10 Rent of Field and Interest .,. 30 8 3 Cash withdrawn from Call ... 1000 o o 7352 1 2

£ 10 , 930 6 8 EXPENDITURE . Annuitants £ 4 i 01 ° ° Deposited at Call 1000 o o Purchase of £ 112 *; . 3 per cent

Consols & Commission 1080 o o Office and thc Expenses ... 1450 1 2 6631 1 2 Balance on this Account £ 3299 S 1 >

Then we see that there is a Balance on Male account of ... ... 2386 16 10 „ Female 3299 5 6 „ Sustentation 45 15 « Total Balance as per Auditors'Report £ 5732 17 10

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

We also note further that the permanent income of the Institution is as follows : — MALE FUND . Annual Grant from G . Lodge £ * ioo o o

, ; G . Chapter 100 o o Dividends on £ 30 , 870 Stock in the Government Funds 857 13 o _ ' ¦ £ 1457 13 c

WIDOWS' FUND . Annual Grant from G . Lodge £ 300 o o „ G . Chapter , 100 o o Dividends on £ 19 , 530 Stock in thc Government Funds ... ... 546 11 10 - — £ 946 " 10

SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Dividends on £ 1000 Stock in the Government Funds ... £ 30 0 o £ 2434 4 10 This is a most satisfactory return , reflecting

the hi ghest credit oil the management and managers of this excellent Institution , and we feel sure , that in answer to Bro . Terry ' s appeal , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will continue to receive the warm support of our generous and philanthropic Craft .

The Contest For The Secretaryship Of The Girls' School.

THE CONTEST FOR THE SECRETARYSHIP OF THE GIRLS ' SCHOOL .

As it is quite clear from letters which we receive from time to time , that tha position of the Freemason is not understood on the present occasion , we wish to repeat that officially it is neutral altogether in the actual contest , and that while it is favourable to all the candidates it

specially patronizes none . We publish all statements of facts as to meetings in favour of the candidates , and reasonable suggestions emanating from them , but we do not think it needful to print letters in favour of this or that candidate , carefully remembering always Mrs . Malaprop ' s

favouritedictura , that " comparisons are odorous . " We should not even allow laudations of one candidate at the expense of another , though we are willing to advertize as a mere matter of business , all circulars . Our contemporary , the Philadelphia Ket / slone , finds fault with our mode of

procedure in the following words , in its impression of May 4 . " Candidates are already seeking the Secretaryship of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , London , lately vacated through the death of Bro . Little . One candidate publicly advertises himself as such , and promises

to send out a circular , in a few days , soliciting votes in his own behalf ! We are probably not any better or wiser than our English brethren , but we do not manage a matter of that kind precisely in that way . " Ourableand distinguished confrere forgets , that the electors with us are not

a committee , but the whole body of Vice-Patrons , Vice-Presidents , and Life Governors , and that candidates have no other possible course open to them . And we are of opinion Masonically , that it is by far the best course in every respect . It is , so we venture to assert , in the interests of

Masonic fair play , and above all the humbler candidates , that is those who have no connections among the upper ten thousand of Masonry . We do not believe in select committees , knowing the private and personal influences which are brought to bear upon them . It has been said , indeed , and perhaps truly , that men naturally

like a job , and we fear that , owing to an ingrained selfishness jobbery is more or less a normal condition of humanity . The remed y for it is not to be found , in our opinion , in select committees , even of Freemasons , but in public opinion and in enlarged constituencies . In this way the highest and humblest have humanly speaking equal chances .

The Muggeridge Testimonial.

THE MUGGERIDGE TESTIMONIAL .

Few brethren there are who have not heard of ' Old Mug , " fewer still who will not wish all health and happiness to a good old working Mason—a very skilful Preceptor of our old Masonic

lore . In our last impression we gave the faithful report of a very interesting meeting , at which a purse of £ 300 was presented to our good old friend and brother . No one who reads that account but will join in the fervent wish that Bro .