Important Notice.

IMPORTANT NOTICE .

We have great pleasure in announcing that we have decided to publish THE FREEMASON —commencing with Volume III ., January 1 st ,

1870—on toiled paper , and icith old-faced type , similar to that used b y the Pall Mall Gazette and other hi gh-class publications .

The size will also bc permanentl y enlarged to Sixteen Pages , and , icith other improvements contemplated , THE FUEEMASON will then be the leading weekl y organ of the Craft throughout the globe .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTH . SHIELDS . —On the l ( 3 th Nov ., at Lee-road , Blackheath , the wife of Bro . V . \ V . Shields , of a son . MAKI . IAGES . BOLLAERT—MACHADO .- On _ 2 ( ith Sept ., atKosario , Argen' tine Republic , Chas . William , son of Bro . Wm . Boilaert , 31 ° , of Hanover-square , \ V ., to Dona Dolores Muchado , of llosario .

MAC . MUI . DROW— HAIST . —On 10 th ; S ov ., at St . Andrew ' s Presbyterian Church , Douglas , Isle of Man , Bro . Peter Macmuldrow , Neptune Loilge , No . liilii , Liverpool , to Julia Eliza , youngest daughter of Capt . William Hart , of Douglas .

LEESON—SQUAHEY . —On the 0 th Nov ., at Trinity Church Marylebone , by the Hev . W . Cadmaii , M . A .. Henry Beaumont Leeson , M . D ., M . A .. V U . S ., Xc ... and P . M . P . S . Commander 33 ° , of Bonchurch , Isle of Wight , to Maria Jane Squarey , of 13 , Upper Wimpolc street , Loudon .

DKATHS . ADAMS . —Mrs . Sarah Ann , at the Union Tavern , Airstreet , Regent-street , W ., aged 51 , X « v . __ . _> . widow of the late much-esteemed Bro . Jas . Wilder Adams , P . M . and P . Z ., L ' o , and 115 , DOME . —On . Sunday , 21 st . Elizabeth Evelyn , the wife of Bro . Alexander D . ii . ie Prov . G . Master for Surrey , of 4 , Ilydo-park-terraee , Kensington Gore , and Lancaster-place , St . i . ud .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

P-inACEr . su . s . —The Knuli .-li lio _ . ii _ rue . un Fraternity is not , we believe , a proselyli .-ing body , but if you write to Dr . Woodman , Vitton ' n \' il ! a , Stoke Xcwington-road , X ., that very obliging Brother will give you .-very iu . ' . irmation . The I ' ra . crnity has no connection with the Rod Cms Order , although it is true that , many

gentlemen arc luembe . s of bolh societies . ju .- ; t as a mail may be a Freemason and nl-o a Civil Engineer . KUJIA . —Aucordiii :. ' to the strict Idler of the law , the W . M . was right , his . 1 'cision , lli . 'ivf ' . iv . cannot be questioned , aitiiou .-h his demeanour in nnn . iimciu ^ it may be open to objeetion . Some men however , hide under a very im' { . e . I e : ;' c : ior i ( rue and kindl y heart . " Let it slide , " as our Nov Vork cousin siivs .

J . C . — \\ o duly revived the Progr . imine of lhe ( Vrcmonv at Stockton , bnt irrespective „ f rbc lato pei i . id -ne . irlv a month after lhe event— . it which it came to hand , wo really cannot undertake to manipulate reports out of such scanty materials , ll ' brethren desire such reports to appear in Tin : | . ' _ I : M . VSO < we shall at times bo "lad

to give them the benefit of our large circulaiion , free of charge , but if the proper officials neglect to se-. i . l a fair account of the proceeding ., it is impos-ible for tis to supply tlnir . Ulicicncics . Tho \ n » t increase in the circulation of this . louroal now necessitate ! our going to jircss by mid-day < m 'I'lmrsdays .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BROTHER AUGUSTUS UNION TII 1 SLLTON .

The lato Brother Augustus Union Thiselton , ¦ whose death wo recorded last week , wits initiated in the Vitruvian Lodgo , now No . 87 , in the vear 1823 . Ho joined . St . Thomas ' s Lodge , No . " Ml ' on the 21 st June , 1821 , aud continued a member for many years .

Brother Thistclton occupied the past of Secretary to the Lodge , of Antiquity , No . 2 , for a considerable period , his connection with the Lodgo dating from the 2 _> nd November , 1837 . Ho was also a member of tho Lodge of I Tope

and Unity , No . 214 , Romford . Our deceased brother held the position of Secretary of the Boyal Masonic Institution for Boys for more than thirty years , mil retired on a pension of £ 100 per annum about nine years a"o . Another link in ( he chain which binds tho

present generation of Masons to the old worthies of the past is broken b y the death of Augustus Union Thistclton .

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SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 27 , 1869 .

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THE FuuiijrAsoif is published on Saturday Mornings in time for tbe early trains . The price of THE FnEKi . tAsos' is Twopence per week ; quarterly subscription ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annual Subscription , 12 s . Subscriptions payable in advance . AU comnuu-icatious , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR , 3 & •__ , Little Britain , E . O . The Editor will pay careful attention to a . ll MSS . entrusted to him , but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Business To Be Transacted In Grand Lodge.

BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED IN GRAND LODGE .

THE next meeting of Grand Lodge will be in many respects a remarkable one . In the first place , the M . W . Grand Master will confirm personally , the announcement we made last week ,

that his lordship intends to retire from tlie sovereignty of the English Craft . This in itself opens out an unknown vista—for no man can pierce the depths of the future , or predicate the results of time or change .

To the Earl of Zetland we have alread y expresssd our sentiments of fraternal regard and affection , in which every English Freemason who is worthy of the name will most heartily join : but we have now to turn to the rising

sun , and to consider calmly and inpartially the path that spreads itself before ns . One of the first problems to be solved is the term of office ot the Chief of the Craft , and upon this subject no less than four notices of motion stand upon the

agenda paper for the next quarterly Communication , thus clearly evincing the importance which is attached to a limitation of the period in future . These notices range from three to seven years as the limit , and no doubt each view will bo

. supported by p lausible arguments . U c , howover , unhesitatingly declare ourselves in favour of tho shortest term proposed , which is promulgated by Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing , B . G . D ., an

old and esteemed Mason , and we nre satisfied that tlie weight of opinion in Grand Lodge wi . l incline to his side . It is generally conceded that the Grand Mastership . should not bo held for an indefinite period , and tho reasons which

are adduced in favour of restricting the term to a certain number of years all tell in favour of an infusion of new blood as frequently as possible . When the Earl of Zetland was elected Grand Master , there was , certainly , no Brother then

living with greater claims to the distinction , or one more justly fcntilled to the confidence reposed in him . However , with the great increase ot lodges , and Ihe enormous multiplication of the Craft in numbers and influence , it has followed

us a natural result that we have now amongst us many able men—statesmen and senatorsleaders in the social and political world ; men in every respect qualified by their position , ability , and zeal for the hig h station of Grand Master

of England . We will take for cxamp . e the Earl de Grey and Ripon , whose services to Freemasonry as Deputy Grand Muster , have been manifold and brilliant . Is there a member of

Grand Lodge who would gainsay the claim ot such a brother to succeed Lord Zetland in the Oriental chair 1 We anticipate the answer ; but at the same time wo aro bound to maintain that

there are also other noblemen eminently fitted for the post j men who aio sterling Masons , and who rule the provinces over which they preside

with admirable impartiality , intcgrity and success . To all such brethren we would open the door of preferment . We would say , " The Grand Mastership of England is tho legitimate object of your

Business To Be Transacted In Grand Lodge.

ambition—your labours in the ] irovinces are not unnoted by the brethren at large , and the zeal that you have shown to advance the interests of the Order has not been exhibited in vain . "

But if we extend tlie duration of the Grand Master ' s term of office to seven years , we shall be practically excluding distinguished brethren from the post ; because , as a rule , efficient Deputy

Grand Masters may confidently rely upon being elected Grand Masters in their turn , and the prospect of succession to the chair would thus be really closed to all other brethren for fourteen

years . We are satisfied that such experienced Masons as Bros . John Savage , Joseph Smith , and llaynham W . Stewart , who have adopted a

longer period than three years as their peculiar views ofthe desired limitation , will be easily led to reconsider the question , and to support the proposition of Bro . Stebbing . In any case , W e

prognosticate for tho latter motion a complete victory , for in this instance , as in many others , it will be seen , that when a reform , is considered advisable , it will be accomplished thoiouglily

and uir . iristakeabiy . The feeling of the London brethren below the dais is unanimousl y in favour of the period named by Bro . Stebbing , and we cannot imagine that it will be seriously opposed by any considerable section of the Craft .

Let us now turn to the nomination of a successor to our present revered Chief , and in this respect \ vc may safely prophesy tlie name of the future Grand Master of England . The whole

fraternity , wheresoever dispersed throughout the globe , resposts and esteems the Earl de Grey and Kipon . In the Graud Lodge of England , over which he lias often presided in tho

unavoidable absence of Lord Zetland , there is but one opinion as to his merits , and in his own especial Province , West Yorkshire , we are well assured ho . is venerated and beloved . It would

be out of place to expatiate upon his lordship ' s abilities as a statesman , but it is not too much to say that we are all proud to see him holding such au exalted position in the national Councils .

Yes , with one voice and one soul , the Freemasons of England are ready to attest their estimation of Lord de Grey ' s services by electing hi in to preside over them as Most Worshijiful tirand Master .

We may now glance at the other business which will come before Grand Lodge . The report of the Committee on the Fund of Benevolence will bc further considered , and we trust

the various recommendations to extend the powers of the Lodge of Benevolence , and those of the Grand Master , in the award of grants to petitioners , will be carried unanimously . Wo

shall also be glad to find instituted a more ri gid scrutiny into the personal character of each applicant for relief , as we are decidedly of opinion that many undeserving eases are relieved under

the present system . To quote a recent instance we may state that a man who received £ 20 at the October meeting ofthe Lodge of Benevolence

is advertised in the American papers as having absconded with a servant woman , leaving a wife and children to mourn his loss . It is

possible that a stricter investigation of this and other similar cases would havo elicited the truth . Wo may also refer to Bro . Raynham W . Stewart ' s proposal to discontinue tlio issue

of free votes to lodges and chapters in connection with tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , u measure which has our hearty support . There is likewise an important notice of