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NOTICE . THE H OLIDAYS . —Brethren leaving town for the holidays can have the Freemason forwarded to new addresses on communicating with the Publisher . Non-Subscribers can have copies forwarded for two or more weeks on receipt of postage stamps at the rate of 2 * d per copy .

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TO ADVERTISERS . Ihe FBEEMASON 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-st . eet , hy 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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

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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 j otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

NEW POSTAL RATES . Owingtoa reduction in the Postal Rates , the publisher is now enabled to send the "Freemason" to the following parts abroad for One Year for Thirteen Shillings ( payable in advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of Goad Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demcrara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfoundland , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , United States of America , & c .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

HESDHY , J . R . —The Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Srotland arc undergoing revision . A copy will be sent you when published . Mu 1111 AY , G ., ( Cape of Good Hope ) . —The books were elespatcheel at the same time as the invoice . D . G ., ( Panama ) . —Has an M . M . who wishes to take the Royal Arch to pass ( or take ) more than that Degree

?—[ He must have been 12 months a Master Master . ] The following stand over : —Masonic Hall at Bournemouth ; Shakespeare and Freemasonry ( G . Somcrs Bellamy ) in our next . Reports of lodges Peace , 327 ; Belgrave , 749 ; Skiddaw , 1002 ; Lebanon , 1326 ; Abercorn , 1549 ; South ; field , 1623 ; Liverpool Red Cross Conclave .

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements , not exceed ins lour lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . ANDERSON . —On thc 20 th inst ., at St . James's-square , Bath , the wife of F . W . Anderson , of a daughter . DUNDAS . —On the 21 st inst ., at Edinburgh , the wife of G . S . Dundas , Esq ., of a daughter . MITCHELL . —On the 20 th inst ., at Broomfield Villa , Enfield , the wife of H . Mitchell , of a son .

DEATHS . KENVON . —On the 20 th inst ., aged 60 , Sarah , relict of the late T . Kenyon , of Doglcy Villa , Huddersfield . LYNE . —On the 22 nd inst ., at Broadstairs , Louisa Genevieve , wife of Francis Lyne , and mother of Father Ignatius ,

after a long and painful illness borne with Christian patience , deeply beloved by her bereaved husband , large f amily , and many friends . WOLLASTON . —On the 22 nd inst ., at Glen Hill , Walmer , Caroline , widow of the Rev , F . H , Wollaston , in her 73 rd year .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , J 28 , 1877 .

Our Great Metropolitan Charities.

OUR GREAT METROPOLITAN CHARITIES .

By a somewhat remarkable coincidence the last Freemason contains reports of all our three great Institutions , and we are glad to be able to congratulate the brethren on their unexampled prosperity . Never" at any time in their history were their position so healthy—their prospects so

good , their need so evident , and their usefulness so marked as to-day . If any doubts had ever existed in the minds of some of us as to their necessity or their blessing to our Order , ihe events of the last few years must have dispelled them for ever , and we think that all will admit

that FreemasoDry has in them the truest exposiion of its tenets , and the most practical commentary on its professions . Time was , when some Freemasons looked rather coldly on these , our great institutions , but prepossessions and prejudices yield mostly here to the onward course of

events , to practical realities and prevailing needs ; and the undeniable usefulness , value , and necessity of our great charities have long been heartily acknowledged and fraternally realized by us all alike . The only objection which ever has been made , and which requires some

consideration , is this , that they tend to make Freemasonry in England " a great benefit society , " and thatthey even offera premium to a condition of " Masonic pauperism . '' But , on careful consideration , we do not find that such assumptions can be brought to a logical conclusion . It is true that , at present ,

the actual benefits of Freemasonry in England are very great , and are becoming greater day by day , but , so far , there is no evidence that we have forgotten the great and essential difference as between Freemasonry and any other benefit order . Neither can it be said , we think , fairly

that the charitable efforts of Freemasonry tend to create a condition of " Masonic pauperism , " because , if such an argument be sound , all eleemosynary institutions must be placed inthesamecategory . We hold , on the contrary , that reasonable and well conducted charitable institutions are the

best antidotes against pauperism , inasmuch as they serve to diminish the always pauperizing tendency of extended parochial relief . But leaving these questions for thetime , let usdevote ourselves to a short view of the actual position and work of our three great Metropolitan Charities . The

first fact connected with them , which strikes us necessarily , and which is one calculated not only to offer a subject of proud congratulation , to us as Freemasons , but materially to impress the world outside Freemasonry , is , namely , that in 1877 we shall have collected close on £ 36 , 000

for our three charities . As regards the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , it is in a state of wonderful financial prosperity , and much practical utility . Never , at any time , were its benefits so marked or so widely extended , and we express the

aspirations of all our brethren when we say that we hope its future may be even still more brilliant , alike in its abounding value and blessedness to many poor brethren and sisters of ours . We are somewhat sorry , we confess , as we said before , that the governing body did not see its way , amid

its unexampled prosperity , to make 1877 an ex " ceptional year , and place all the candidates on its books . Such an act of large-hearted liberality on the part of the Institution would undoubtedly have greatly pleased the subscribers and the Order , and the Committee would have been "

recouped , " we feel sure , for its fraternal munificence by the returns of 1878 . Too much praise cannot be accorded for the admirable manner in which its affairs are carried on , to the proper authorities , and above all to Bro . Terry . As regards the Girls' School , it has before it , in future , as in present and past , a very great career

of usefulness and success . It perhaps is an institution " sui generis , " without an equal in the country , either in respect of the education it imparts and the tone it gives to its pupils , and we always feel what a debt of gratitude we owe to those who so carefully and economic » lly manage its' prosperous revenues . Thanks

Our Great Metropolitan Charities.

to the wise plans of our worthy Bro . Colonel Creaton , the Girls' School is now receiving considerable enlargement , and ere long 20 o orphan daughters of Freemasons will receive there an admirable and befitting education . We trust that all of good will attend the school in

its onward progress , and that our excellent Bro , R . W . Little will regain that activity of health and strength , which will enable him to continue to work for Freemasonry , and for the school , with that zeal and kindness which have rendered him so useful and so respected a member of the

Craft . The Boys' School is equally going on manfully " to the fore . " It can boast in 1877 of having the largest income ever raised for a Masonic Institution . £ 13 , 500 , and there can be little doubt that it is now doing a good work , The Boys' School has been somewhat unluck y

in previous scholastic arrangements , but under Dr . Morris , it seems to be acquiring a character for steady " all round " work , which we venture to hope will long cling to it . We feel strongly that the festival of 1877 is the best reply to hasty allegations and unwise contentions , and we

cordially wish all success to the labours of the governing body and the active efforts of Bro . Binckes . To suppose that the schod can continue at its present number is , we apprehend , out of the question , whether that fact be for good or evil . If owing to its happy return for

1877 the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys is enabled by a slight addition to fill up the School to 200 we fear we cannot hold oat any hope that sr . ch enlargement will last for long , and we are convinced that we must calmly make up our minds to the increase of the School to 300 , and

the eventual erection of a preparatory school for 100 or 200 boys , as near Wood Green as can be . If our brethren will bear in mind , that our Craft is rapidly increasing , and that many lodges are admitting members , in our opinion far too promiscuously , so to say , each year , as it passes

over our heads , will produce new orphans , and new claimants on the Boys' School . We have now before us sixty-three applicants , and nine vacancies in October , what will be the state of the case in April 1878 ? What , moreover , humanly speaking , must be the proportion , as between

received and disappointed candidates then ? It is always better to look difficulties fairly in the face , and we feel that we are exercising a wise discretion in thus stating fully , our clear if humble opinion to the subscribers of the School and our munificent order at large .

The New Masonic Hall At Sheffield.

THE NEW MASONIC HALL AT SHEFFIELD .

A report elsewhere , which will be read with much interest , and for which we thank an ever friendly correspondent , testifies effectively to the zeal and energy of our good brethren in Sheffield . We think that they deserve great " Kudos " for

their most successful undertaking , which is not only a credit to the town and to Yorkshire , and to Masonic Archaeology , but will , we trust , be a great boon as well as an honour to Freemasonry in general .

The Surrey Masonic Hall.

THE SURREY MASONIC HALL .

We call attention to an able letter in another column which deals effectively with this very serious , and , to say the truth , distressing question . We do not now go into the well-known or latent

facts of the case , which will be duly considered , no doubt , at the meeting on the 30 th , but we think it right to express our earnest hope that an attempt will be made by the Order to come to the rescue of the Directors . It would seem

to be a great reproach to Metropolitan Freemasonry if such a bona fide venture should fail > want of Masonic ^ support , and if so important a property , so needful an adjunct to our Masonic lodge life in London should be allowed to p 3 ss

into non-Masonic hands . We have been declaiming for years about the importance and value of Masonic buildings , of Masonic centres , ° existence , work and usefulness , and is the on y bo

result of all we have thus loudly proclaimed , the giving of the cold shoulder to the efforts £ the zealous , and the sacrifices of the enthu- ¦ astic : We do not believe this , and , therefore ,