To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a "Weekl y News paper , price AU . 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 , & c . Kingdom , the Continent , & c . Via Brindisi .

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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 .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

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Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

BOOKS & c , RECEIVED . " Die Bauhutle , " " Irish Daily News , " " Keystone , " " Mayfair , " " The Indent , " " Hull Times , " " New Yorker Bundes Presse , " "Masonic Review , " •' Gardening , " "The Advocate , " "Der Triangel , " "Our Home , " "Time , "

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Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements not excceeling Four Lines under this heading . ] BIRTHS . MAXWELL . —On the 23 rd inst ., at South Kensington , the wife of Brevet-Major Robert James Maxwell , of

a son . YORKE . —On the 23 rd inst ., at the Residence , York , the wife of Mr . Edward Yorke , of Halton Place in Craven , of a son .

MARRIAGE . RL'SDEN—Ji-rrEitY . —On the 22 nd inst ., at Islington Parish Church , William Henry , son of Mr . Henry Rusden , of Falmouth , to Jane Jennings , daughter of Mr . B . J . Jeffery . DEATHS .

ELLISON . —On the nth inst ., at his resilience , 5 , St Mary ' s Crescent , Leamington , James Settle Ellison , aged 62 , P . Dist . S . G . W . Gibraltar . WOOD roil ii . —On the 22111 ! inst ., at Lake View Villa , Keswick , Major-General Sir John Woodfortl , K . C . B .. aged 95 .

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THEFREEMASON. SATURDAY , MARCH 29 , 1879 .

Time's Changes.

TIME'S CHANGES .

Time , that great arbiter of human life and destiny , is ever active and busy amongst us and ours . It accompanies us along our earthly p ilgrimage , beginning with " our cradles , " and ending with our " graves ; " it lig htens up our often arid and discontented present with p leasant

memories of the past , and it throws over the dim and distant horizon of our future hopes the glamour of bri g hter aspirations , and better , because enduring expectations . Not that time itself can ever satisfy the longings or the wants of man . No , being passing and limited in

duration , it does not , and cannot , consort with the innate anxieties and anticipations of even tbis mortal race of ours , but still it is the most important " factor " in the great and lifelong history of humanity , and is replete with the most solemn , the most tender , the most cherished , nay , the

most sacred feelings , we believe , of us all alike . We should not like to believe it otherwise , and so we dismiss the doubt with indignait alacrity . And hence , short though the measure of time be for us all alike , the hig hest and the humblest of human beings , many are its effects , important

its influences on us all . It often leaves us , for instance , when most we desire its presence , when its gifts seem to us the most varied , and its promises the most refreshing . It accompanies us often but a little portion of the normal way , often arrests its footsteps at an early milestone ,

and for us , sometimes when we least expect it , we find ourselves bereft of time , our journey over , our tale told out . For time , be it well understood , is the one limit here , in the good Providence of T . G . A . O . T . U ., of all our hopes and p lans , all our longings and our dreams , our

joys and our sorrows , our labours and our duties . Curious paradox ! Though sometimes most ephemeral , it often goes with us to a green old age , mellowing the memories , and deepening the responsibilities of earth , aud making the decline of life itself venerable and loving to those

who still dare to trust in the reality of old affections , of proved friendship , and of lingering souvenirs . And thus we see , we think , clearly how many and great indeed time ' s changes must be to us all , whether as mortals or as Freemasons . We behold , for instance , in the every day

condition of our common humanity , famil y ties severed , and loving hearts disunited ; we miss the tender voice , the beaming smile , the gracious presence , the bright promise of youth , the comel y associations of old age . For few of us all '' time ' s changes" have no

significance , for many of us they have consequenc & s momentous and enduring . Time was , time is , and yet time is not , alike for us and ours . The friends and hopes of youth are gone ; bright anticipations have yielded to sobered sadness ; the vacant chairs round our board are not filled up :

the empty spaces in our famil y circle are not closed in 3 and amid all assemblies comes the sad and subduing recollection both of the " touch of a vanished hand , and the sound of a voice that is still . " We need hardly add how that this account of time ' s changes squares with that

of our Masonic circle with which many of us are so bound up . Week by week we miss the true and trusty , the old and bold , the kind old friend of long years , the cheery mate , ever smiling , always confiding and as we look back to-day a sigh comes to us

all as we recall the friendly faces which are w-anting among us , the cheery voices which are hushed , the warm hearts which are still . And if time ' s changes then bring to us all those trials and troubles , and careworn hours , and chastening recollections , which are , more or less , the heritage

of us all equally , let us also trust that they may appeal to us , with some elevating emotions , and some better and purer , and we will add eternal anticipations . Time will not be always timeits changes will one day end , its ravages , and havoc , and decay will one day be done away with ,

Time's Changes.

thank God , for ever . For when time has ceased to dominate this lower world and d ying man , it will be exchanged in God ' s own good time for the glad hours , blissful recognition , blessed privileges , and perfect knowledge of eternity .

Cambridge Local Examination At Christmas, 1878.

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATION AT CHRISTMAS , 1878 .

We are glad to note the great success which has attended our Boys' School in this important examination . Fourteen boys went up , and all passed . Nine obtained " honours " in the first class , three in tiie second class , one in the third

class , one in the fourth class . We congratulate the authorities and Bro . Dr . Morris on this auspicious state of things , and it will be a p leasure to our brethren to know that the efficiency of the School is thus so fully maintained .

New Grand Lodges.

NEW GRAND LODGES .

We confess that we look with some apprehension , and no little doubt , on the constant formation of Grand Lodges in our Colonial Dependencies . Too often they are the result of the proceedings of a " caucus" of irresponsible brethren , the product of the exertions of mere

" wire pullers , or party agitators . There are , however , new " Grand Lodges and new Grand Lodges , " and while we do not deny that under certain circumstances the formation of a Colonial Grand Lodge is both allowable and tends to

good , we advise all our colonial brethren to be very cautious in taking part in proceedings which are questionable , and in getting up jurisdictions which are needless . Let them beware of Masonic agitators .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ W't elo not bold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , tlie opinions expressed by our correspondents , bnt we wish in a spirit ol' lair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE . To the Editor if Ihe " Freemason , " Dear Sir anil Brother , — In the letter of 111 . Bro . Graham , the Secretary of the Supicme Council nf New Ze * aland , which was in the Freemason ot the Xth inst ., it appears that , in General

Pike ' s opinion , the Supreme Council ef England and Wales was originally formed in conseejuence of Dr . Crucefix , its founeler , having received the obligation by communication . It is a well-known fact , that thc A . and A . Degrees have been frequently so conferred . The General , however , says that " nothing coulel have been more irregular . Yet it is too late to eiueslion the legitimacy of the

Supreme Council of England . " Such a remark conies with particular bad grace from General Pike , the head of the Supreme Council of Charlestown , U . S ., feir it is a notorious fact that that Council was spuriously formed by one Mitchell , who without theslightcst authority assumed thc 33 rd Degree , conferred it ou one

Dalcho , anti , although one eif the fundamental rules t / f the Order is , that not less than three Sovereign Grand Inspectors General can form Supreme Councils , yet these two individuals formetl General Pike ' s Council , which he now so modestly designates the " Mother Council of the world . " Truly , " Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones . "

Yours fraternally , JOHN THOMAS LOTTY , 33 ° , Member of the Supreme Council of the G . Orient of France .

Cambridge Local Examination. 1878.

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATION . 1878 .

HOVAI . MASON IC INSTITUTION 1011 GIRLS . The Governors' report of the Cambridge Local Examination notifies that thirteen out of the fourteen g irls sent up from this Institution to the examination have

passed . Frances Gardner . has taken second class honours , wi " distinction for religious knowledge and zoology . . Five have taken third class honours , viz . : —D ° ra Bowles , Ellen Catcs , Helene Meaccck , Alice Thornburyi and Letitia Whitley .

Six have satisfied the examiners in all subjects generally , viz . -. —Eliza Beveridge , Katherine Emery , ^ '} Nash , Annie Pattison , Elizabeth Roberts , and Bealrio : Wray . . ., One , Dora Jennings , has satisfied the examiners in a the preliminary subjects , religious knowledge , a " English ,