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NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is now ios . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Vol . s III ., IV ., and V . ... each 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . Ditto ditto ± do . ... is . 6 d .

United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains .

The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance . ) AU communications , letters , & c ., to be addressed to the Editor , 198 , Fleet-street , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to allMSS . entrusted to him , butcannot undertake to return them unless accompanied bypostage stamps .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

M . S . BAHTIIERJEES ( Kurrachee ) . — "The Rosicrucian" is not to be had at present . REMITTANCES RECEIVED . Capt . J . C . Price , Gibraltar ; cheque , 14 s . 2 d .

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NOTICE . All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 6 o ' clock on Wednesday evening .

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REMITTANCES RECEIVED . MASONIC MEETINGS AND LARGE AND SMALL DINNERS , AT The Freemasons' Tavern , Great Q-uecn-strcet , W . C . Apply toC . E . FRANCATELLL

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THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY , FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT DAY . Drawn from the best sources and the most recent investigations . BY J . G . FINDEL , Second Edition , Revised , and Preface written by Bro . D . MURRAY LYON . One vol ., 800 pages 8 vo ., with an Index . Cloth gilt . Price , 1 os . 6 d . " This volume is the history of Masonry par excellence Every interested person may regard it , therefore , as the present text-book on the subject . "—Manchester Guardian " The author seems to have fairly exhausted the subject . "—The Alheuaaim . " Of its value to Freemasons , as a detailed history of their Brotherhood , it is not possible to speak too highly . " — Public Opinion . Bro . GEORGE KENNING , 198 , FLEET STREET , LONDON , E . C .

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Second Edition , Now Ready , 1 / 6 . A MASONIC MUSICAL SERVICE . In the key of C . for A ., T ., T ., B . Opening and Closing Odes . Craft Ceremonies . Royal Arch Ceremony . Consecration Ceremony . Grace before and after Meat . COMPOSED BV DR . J . C . BAKER , NO . 241 . XDON . —Geo . Kenning , 198 , Fleet-street ; and 2 , 3 , and 4 , Little Britain . „ R . Spencer , 26 , Great Queen-street . LIVERPOOL . —Geo . Kenning , 2 , Mor . umcnt-place . MANCHESTER . —E . Henry & Co ., 59 , Deansgate . DUBLIN . —C . Hedgelong , zG , Grafton-strect GLASGOW . —Geo . Kenning , 145 , Argyle-street . EDINBURGH . —Geo . Kenning , 67 , Hanov . r-strect .

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Price 3 / - , post-free }/ t . THE RED CROSS SONG , Words by Bro . R . \ V . Little . Music by Bro . H . Parker . OFFICE : —198 , FLEET-STREET .

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MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION BAKER STREET . Now added , PORTRAIT MODELS of the SHAH of PERSIA , Marshal MacMahon , M . Thiers , and the late Charles Dickens . The ori ginal autograph and testimonial , Written and presented by the Shah to Messrs . Tussaud , July 3 , 187 . 3 , is exhibited . Admission is . Children under ten , 6 d . Extra Rooms , 6 d . Open from ten a . m . till ten p . m .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 27 , 1873 .

The Rights Of Visiting Brethren.

THE RIGHTS OF VISITING BRETHREN .

Some little controversy having arisen lately on this subject , we think it will be well to point out what are the undoubted rights , as regards visiting other lodges , of all members of the Craft .

We apprehend it to be beyond a doubt , that , all subscribing members of lodges have a right to enter any lodge during the hours of " work , " if they can satisfy the brethren of such lodge that

they are bona fide registered members of some Grand Lodge , and are equally undoubted Masons . We are aware , that , in many London lodges a " voucher" from a member of the lodge is also

required , but this , though a very convenient arrangement , is not tenable as an actual test of admission by the Book of Constitutions . For instance , if a brother hears that a

lodgesay , 1500 , the Lodge of Friendship—is holding a meeting , and he presents himself with his Grand Lodge certificate , and offers to submit himself to due examination , we feel convinced that any

W . M ., either declining to admit him , or suggesting another mode of proof or voucher , would , on complaint to the Board of General Purposes , find himself , to use a familiar expression , " in

queer street . " As a general rule , so ready are our lodges to admit strangers , and so hospitable are our brethren , that such a question , happily , seldom arises .

But a recent controversy in our pages shows that such a question may arise , and , therefore , it is most necessary , that the law should be distinctly understood , in order that the rights of

all may be equally guarded and carefully upheld . If the statement of " our Bro . F . Bigg , W . M . 1261 , P . M . 66 , be correct , and of its correctness we

have not the slightest doubt , it is quite clear that , out worthy Bro ., the W . M : of the Middlesex Lodge , acted ultra vires .

If he was not satisfied thnt Bro . F . Bigg was a Mason , if he was of opinion , that , there were some doubts about his rig ht to be present , he should have called upon him to withdraw , until

the lodge had satisfied themselves in the usual way , that he had , as a Master Mason , a right to be present , and that he was , what he professed to be . But if on the other hand , the W . M . of the

Middlesex Lodge knew Bro . Bigg to be actually a W . M . of a regularly warranted lodge under the English Constitution and despite this , insisted on his retiring until his "Voucher" or

"Introducer " came , he clearly , in our opinion , infringed in so doing the inherent right of all actual W . M . ' s , and above all , of all M . M . ' s under the English Constitution , to attend any Lodge under

the English Grand Lodge , in its hours of work . But it may be alleged b y the W . M ., that he did not know Bro . F . Bigg , and that as it happened

none of the brethren present knew him , and that as he said , he therefore acted in accordance with " our rule , " and he bade him retire until his " Introducer " arrived . Even in this case , according to our view , the W . M . is clearly " out of court . "

The Rights Of Visiting Brethren.

He ought to have asked " are you vouched for ? Unless you are vouched for , I must call upon you to submit to the regular examination . " But , instead of a public voucher , so to say

the W . M . asks for a private voucher . We say all thiswithout prejudice to the answer of the W . M . of the Middlesex Lodge , because as Masons we are bound always , " audire alteram

partem , " and though our Bro . F . Bigg ' s merits and position as a Mason are too well known for us to suppose , that , his statement is at all inaccurate in any of its details , yet there may be

some qualifying circumstances which may be alleged by W . Bro . Salmon . For instance , he may allege the lodge bye-law . If any such byelaw exists in the Middlesex Lodge collection , the

sooner it is modified—rather , removed—the better , as we are quite certain that , on the case as stated , and on the grounds as alleged , the W . M . of the Middlesex Lodge had no right to

ask our Bro . Bigg to retire from the lodge , and therefore , in his case , an injustice was committed , deeply to be regretted on every ground . But there is a still more important question

involved : the common right of subscribing members of other lodges , duly registered in the Grand Lodge , who , humbler persons than Bro ,

Bigg , and less known to the Craft , may not have the will or the opportunity of making their complaints known to their brethren in

Freemasonry . It might so happen , that , a visiting brother was known to no one in the lodge . What is he to do ? If he is not " introduced , " he cannot be

admitted , according to the obiter dictum of our worthy brother , the W . M . of the Middlesex Lodge ! Hence , the sooner the question is settled , the better .

In our humble opinion such a custom isagreat innovation , and a most hurtful " gloss" on the standing regulations of Freemasonry ; and we

feel also equally certain , that , such a regulation is opposed to the true principles of Freemasonry , and would be at once quashed on appeal to the Board of General Purposes .

Charity Voting.

CHARITY VOTING .

Our excellent Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C ., has written to us with reference to this

matter , and we have carefully perused his letter . We do not see , that our good Bro . advances very much in favour of the great changes he

advocates , except a somewhat sensational little story , about an exchange which is apparently taken from that interesting publication called " Barter" we believe , or some such euphonious

name . But our Rev . Bro . says , that , it is not to the system that he objects , but to the details of arrangement , and coincides with us both as to the

excellency of the charities themselves , and the hig h character of the managers . But he adheres to his main point that reforms are needed , and then lays down " a canon of

administration , " that "every vote" is a "trust to be " exercised with a sense of responsibility , " " not a mere chattel for indulging patronage , " " making

money , or open to exchange . " We have never so far heard , of much patronage being indulged in by charity voting , much less of " making money , ' but we are all no doubt aware of such