Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar For 1878.

COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR FOR 1878 .

W . Masters and Secretaries of Lodges , Chapters , & c , are respectfully informed that in order to ensure complete accuracy in the above , printed forms have been forwarded to them for supplying

particulars of time and p lace of meeting . If such have not yet reached their hands , the Publisher requests that they would kindly call at the meeting place of the lodge & c , and fill up and

return the form , in order that the particulars of their meetings may be correctly inserted . All communications in this matter should be addressed at once to the Publisher , 19 8 , Fleetstreet , E . C .

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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 ir . onth .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise tis 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 .

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TO ADVERTISERS . The FREEMASON lias a large circulation in all parts 0 thc 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 , hy 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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TO OUR READERS . Tne- FIII ; I ; MAS ; N is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and con

tains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual Subscription in tire United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / 6 . P . O . O . ' s to Lcir . ade payable al the Chief Office , London ,

NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particularl y requested that ALL communications for ' . lie FKI-. F . MA . SON , may be addressed to the Office , 10 S , Fleet-street , London .

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THE INDIAN FAMINE FUND . One or two subscriptions have beep , received , and we shall de-tl fully with the subje-ct next week .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

We have received a very vulgar and anonymous production , signed by " A P . M . if some years' standing . " Such a communication only deserves one answer , contempt . But one thing is plain ; the writer is not " A P . M . of some yiai ' s standing , " at least if he is , he is utterly ignorant of gentlemanly feeling and Masonic teaching .

1 he following stand over : — Du '; e of Connaught Lodge of Instruction . St . John ' s Kncainpment , Glasgow . BOOKS tec . RECEIVED . " Hebrew Leader , " " Baubiittc , " " Keystone , " " The Connection between the Templars and the Freemasons of York , " " II Ris rrgimento . "

Births , Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

[ The cnarge is 2 s . Gd . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . HOWSE . —On the 23 rd inst ., at Bude House , Ravensdaleroad , Stamford-hill , the wife of Francis Howse , of a son . METHUEN . —On the 24 th ult ., at Clifton , the wife of C . L . Methuen , Esq ., late 79 th Queen ' s Own Cameron Highlanders , of a daughter .

DEATHS . CnAUFurtD . —On the 23 rd inst ., at Colne Lodge , Upper Teddington , Herbert Cyril , infant son of George Moir and Jane Ada Craufurd , aged 27 days . PARKEH . —On the 25 th ult ., at Addiscombe-road , Croydon ,

Surrey , aged 71 years , Lydia , relict of William B , Paiker . Friends will please accept this intimation . YARROW . —On the 19 th inst ., at his residence , No . 67 , Herbert-street , New North-road , Hoxton , N ., John Yarrow , in the 83 rd year of his age .

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The Freemason , S ATURDAY , S EPTEMBER 29 . 1877 .

The Grand Orient Of France.

THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE .

We recur to this subject , according to our promise last week , though we confess somewhat unwillingly . The subject in itself is so very unwelcome , and the facts are , as we regard them , so prejudicial to Freemasonry , that we fear the feeling of our readers with regard to this untoward

event will be akin to that of our own , namely , one of weariness and distaste combined . For the violent party in France has managed to place the Grand Orient in a very false and anomalous position , which may be termed one of Masonic '' Demagogic , " to use a French term . Up to the

present , thongh we had to note and report from time to time , many regrettable words and many foolish acts by French lodges and French brethren , they were individual deliverances and proceedings , which in no way compromised or committed the Grand Orient of France . But now

what are we to say to Monsigneur Dupanloup ? Here is the Grand Orient of France itself fulfilling his prediction , no longer Theistic but Atheistic , positively ashamed of r-wning the name of the Most HirjH , cringing before a combined attack of " Libre penseurs , " Positivistes

. Morales Independcntistes , and taking out mention of God , for fear , forsooth , of wounding , tender consciences and susceptible opinions . Out upon such moral cowardice ! As before the Masonic world , the Grand Orient is now itself committed to this most unwise

proceeding , ancl can neither escape from hostile criticism or Masonic animadversion ! And further than this , there are three serious questions which must press upon us all who have ever studied the laws and history of French Freemasonry . 1 . What is now the position ofthe Grand Orient ?

It has no Grand Master ; is it legally constituted as a Grand Lodge , claiming and exercising jurisdiction ? 2 . It has by its last vote cut away the foundation of Cosmopolitan Freemasonry ; does not the whole building fall ? 3 . Is it in anv sense a comnetent tall ! 3 . Js it in any sense a competent

cr lawful Masonic authority ? Without prejudicing the matter , or writing dogmatically on such difficult points of law , we feel bound to express our honest opinion that the position of the Grand Orient of France , owing to its recent

regrettable act , is a very questionable and dubious one . It has severed itself from the great Masonic family by its irreverent haste to reject belief of God as a needful pre-requisite of admission . It has repudiated the whole teaching of French Freemasonry by this novel exposition of its prin

ciples , and above all , it has weakened its entire position alike to friends and enemies , in that it is now confessed before the world that it bases its principles of teaching and action ona political cry , though professedly non-political , and an antireligious negation , though professedly proclaiming neutrality . With Bro . Hubert we cannot

comprehend how , if the Grand Orient avows morality at all , it can dispense , ( except on pure Atheistic teaching ) , with the only sanction and source of all true morality . But here we stop . The subject is a painful one in itself , and suggesting as it does many evil and dark days for French Freemasonry .

A Vulgar Error

A VULGAR ERROR

Theie is an amusing error , just now somewhat prevalent , which crops up every now and then , that Freemasonry is affected by some recent disclosures at Bow-street , and b y the foolish or hurtful deeds of Freemasons . Now we wish

to point out to-day , that such a theory is a complete fallacy , and is simply a proof of a want of understanding of the province of right reason , of the force of logical argument . To blame any body of men , for the faults of one or several , is always a most objectionable form of proposition ,

as it is an arguing from a particular to an universal , is never sound and never permissible . Black sheep abound in every profession , for we allare mortal , and such may be found amongst ministers of religion and all classes and sections of society , though

A Vulgar Error

it would be wrong to blame the body for the offences of one , for the crimes even of many . Freemasonry is in no way affected either by the "laches" or the actual folly , the ' perversity , or the iniquity of certarn members of its benevolent brotherhood , inasmuch as the

teachings of Freemasonry always protest , openly against illegal acts and immoral lives ! ] f Jobson chooses to get mixed up with a turf fraud , what has Freemasonry to do with it ? Jobson has acted not as the Mason , but as the man . If Jiggins has got into trouble at the Old

Bailey , how is Freemasonry affected 5 He has acted " more suj , " and not according to the sound morals of our Order . If Popper is taken up before Sir R . Garden , and properl y rebuked by that upright magistrate for his very " discreditable behaviour , " how does it concern

Freemasonry ? It concerns Popper very much indeed , but not Popper ' s brethren . If Slimy figures at Bow-street and Sir James Ingham shakes his head at the seriousness of the case how does Slimy ' s slipperiness bear on Masonic laws , always honest and straightforward . If

Mr . Newton properly gives Sniffer a piece of his mind , nothing is said by that intelli gent magistrate which can in any way reflect on Freemasonry ! And therefore , those weak brethren of ours , and those kind critics , who look grave and righteous , and say " how very

odd ! So many prisoners are Freemasons ! " may well remember that Freemasonry cares for none of these things , and certainly has no pity for any such delinquents . As a loyal and patriotic ancl law-abiding body , it never , even by implication , antagonizes the decrees of the imperial

legislature or the laws of the land , and certainly never seeks to interfere with the administration of justice . It has sympathy , no doubt for the innocent and trepanned , it says to all poor mortals , standing at the bar of justice , as of old , " God send you a gocd deliverance . " But if the law

of the land clearly condemns those who arc members of our Order , Freemasonry , under the all-wise Book of Constitutions , sanctions all those proceedings of private lodges , or the Board of General Purposes which tend to exclude those

whom public justice has branded from Freemasonry , as no longer befitting associates of those right-thinking and high-minded men who compose and do honour to our ancient ami kindly and upright Craft .

Specialty Lodges.

SPECIALTY LODGES .

In the great spread of Freemasonry just now , it is obvious that many new ideas and new principles of development spring up which were unknown to the more quiet and plodding days of our Masonic forefathers . But we may b ^ 'gin

by asserting a truism , though many of us have forgotten it , that each age has its peculiarities of thought and work , and that it is not wise or reasonable to act the part of a mere " laudator tempoiis actis , " under all circumstances and

question all alteration and deprecate all change . No doubt , as always happens , some changes are decidedly for the worse , and cannot be defended on any grounds of Masonic principle or common sense . We must

always be on our guard against the love of change for change sake alone , the resort of little minds and empirical teachers . But some change is advisable and good , in the commonwealth , pro bono publico , and he is the wisest of leg islators

who adapts this desire of change , which may become hurtful , into a healthy channel of peaceful progress and salutary reform . . Among our Masonic movements' jast now , there has been growing up for some time a is

desire to form special lodges , that , lodges of special professions or tastes , or affinities , and to this course objection has been raised . It has been contended that in so doing we are setting up tests unknown to the Book 01 Constitutions . But the Book of Constitutions

only lays down what are absolutely necessary pre-requisites for initiation , namely , that a candidate shall be of full age , ( except under dispensation ) , a free man , and at the time of initiation m reputable circumstances . Beyond this it does not go , and this enactment does not prevent a lodge in its bye-laws , limiting the number or point out the class of its members . There is