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NOTICE .

The Subscription to THE F REEMASON is now 10 s . per annum , post-free , payable m advance .

Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s 6 cI Vol . H ., 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 4 do . ... is . Od .

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 . fpayablc in advance . ) All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the Editor , r <) S , Fleet-street , E . C . The Editor wilt pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him , butcannol undettaketo return them unless accompanied bypostage gtamus .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

The following communications stand over : —¦ Reports of Lodges 148 , 130 . 0 , 1441 , E . C ; 27 , 408 , 439 , S . C . ; Chapter 144 , S . C . ; Palestine Hose Croix Chapter .

Births Marriages And Deaths.

Births Marriages and Deaths .

DEATI I . WATES . —At Gravesend , on Wednesday , Nov . 5 , Bro . Edward Wates , D . I'rov . G . M . Kent ( Mayor of Gravesend ) , aged 42 .

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GOOD DINNERS , GOOD WINES , AND MODERATE CHARGES , AT The Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , W . C . Apply to C . E . FRANCATELLI .

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

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NOW READY . Roan , Gilt Edges , Elastic Band , Price 2 s ., Post Free 2 s . it / . THE COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR , DIARY , AND POCKET-BOOK , FOR 1874 , CONTAINING Lists of Lodges , Chapters , Conclaves , Grand Councils and K . T . Preceptories with the names of Ollicers in England and Walts , Scotland Ireland , and abroad . May lx tiaduf all / junA-w / Ars , Ttikn , Janitors , Sentinels , Efjurrrirs , f e , Publishing Office , 198 , Fleet-street , E . C

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Second Edition , Now Ready , 1 / 6 . A MASONIC MUSICAL SERVICE . In the Ley of C . for A ., T ., T ., li . Opening and Closing Odes . Ciiilt Ceremonies . Hoyal Aieh Ceiemony . CoiiJ-ccifilinij Caenvmy . Grace before and after Meal . COMPOSED BY DR . . [ . C . BAKER , NO . 241 . LONDON . —Geo . Krmiing , lyS ' , Fleet-sired ; and 2 , 5 , and 4 , Little litiuin . „ R . Spencer , 2 b , Great Qucen-tlreit . I . ivi ; iu J ooi ..--Gco . Kilining , 2 , Monument-place , MANCIIESTEII . —(• .. Jleniy X Co ., 59 , Dcansg . ite . Dt . 'iii . iN . —C . Iledgelong , 1 C 1 , Grafton-Mrcet Gi . AaCow . —G .- < :. Keiinia ; .. 1 45 , Argylc-stieet . EuisiiuxcH . —Geo . Kenning , 67 , UunuiT-ttrccr .

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THE MASONIC MAGAZINE , A monthly digest of Freemasonry in all its Branches . NOW READY No . 6 , DECEMBER . Price Sixpence , Post free Sevenpence ; Annual subscription , including postage : United Kingdom 7 s ., America 9 s . ( Payable in advance ) . Office , 198 , Fleet Street .

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RE-ISSUE . Now Ready , price 5 s ., post-free 5 s . 4 d

MASONIC GATHERINGS

EDITED BY BHO . GEORGE TAYLOR . Containing- Historical Records of Freemasonry from the earliest to the present time , & c , Sc . May be had at Bro . George Kenning's Masonic depots—London : 198 , Fleet-street , and 2 , 3 , & 4 , Little Britain . Liverpool : 2 , Monument-place . Glasgow : 14 : ; , Argyle-strcct . Edinburgh : 67 , Manovcr-strect . PUBLISHING OFFICE , 19 S , FLEET-STREET .

. ,

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Now Ready . © k Hear gltorfc foriirg $ oari > , . 36111 . by 2 , 3 ' m . Price 42 s . To be had at Bro . Kenning ' s Masonic Depots , Little Britain and Fleet-street , London .

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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 IVednesday evening .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 29 , 1873 .

The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

Some questions having recently arisen , and still pending , as regards changes in that distinguished body , we think it well to call attention to-day to what , in our humble opinion , is the

one great defect in the Scotch system , namely , the absence of annual lodge subscriptions . We admit , indeed , freely at the outset , that , each national Grand Lodge has a right to legislate for

itself , and that , a priori , it is more likely to know what advances its own interests , and conduces to its own welfare , better than its friendly critics .

But in the case of Scotland some very serious drawbacks attend the present system , which affect others besides Scotch Masons , and therefore those outsiders have a right to express their

opinion on a subject , which is , as wc said at first , apparently and entirely alone within Scottish jurisdiction . We have no doubt whatever ourselves , that ,

the whole difficulty about the Grand Lodge system itself has arisen from ' the fact , that , there are not , as with us , annual returns of the lodges , as well as annual subscriptions to each Lodge ,

as a necessary condition for Grand Lodge Mem bership . As a general rule in Scotland , we believe uni versally , at any rate with very few exceptions , no annual subscriptions are paid to lodges .

There is a payment , more or less , made at initiations , and though there may be small payments from time to time , we believe we are not incorrect instating , that , once on the roll of the lodge all claims for payment cease .

There may be , as wc have been told , a small payment for special purposes , or on some special occasion , but there is no regular system of

The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

annual payment , much less of annual subscription . If there be the slightest error in ] this description of the present Masonic system in Scotland

we shall be most glad to be corrected , and will most joyfully admit our error . Such a system works most prejudicially , in every way , to the interests of Scotch Masonry .

At this moment Scotland has no charitable Institution worthy of the Order , which numbers in its ranks many most excellent Masons , and liberal hearted men , and with the exception of

some special lodges , there seems but little effected , beyond routine lodge working , and tho customary " symposia . " But there is another great evil in the present

system . In some Lodges in Scotland—the acceptance fee is so small , that , many persons are admitted often with little previous inquiry , who ought in

fact , never to have been admitted . The lodges in our Northern Counties are not unfamiliar with the advent of wandering Masons , who mostly hail from N . B ., and who seem to think , that , because

they paid some time ago , a very small sum comparatively , for their admittance into Freemasonry in some lodge in Scotland , which they only visited once , and will never visit again , they have an

equitable claim upon the "Pedestal" of all our English Lodges , wherever they are , and wherever they go . We do not think it needful to dilate upon the

subject further to-day , nor do we wish to complain unnecessarily of differences of detail , and organization , but , what we would wish to suggest to-the authorities of the Scotch Grand

Lodge is , that , now some questions of reform have arisen , they should at once , make use of this most favourable opportunity , to fix a minimum fee for admission in all their lodges , which at present is

Badly too low in most cases , and also to insist , that , all Scotch Masons shall pay an annual subscription to their several lodges , be that subscription large or small , and that subscription shall be the condition of membershi p in Grand Lodge .

Until they do this , we feel persuaded , that , the condition of Scotch Freemasons will remain , as at present , unsettled and unsatisfactory still .

We are sorry to perceive that our excellent contemporary the Masonic News , published in Glasgow , terms the surreptitious ritual , —put forth by a soi disaut Bro . Mason , P . M . 30 , — " a

handy and useful work ; '' and that the enterprizing publisher of the Masonic News , Bro . Bassett , advertizes himself an agent of the work for Scotland .

Can any of our readers tell us who Bro . Mason is , and if there is such a brother really in existence ? We need hardly add , that , any claim of any authority for the work , or accept--mice by the Craft—is all muonshine .

We would draw the attention of our many readers to the fact that the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar for 1874 , is now ready , price 2 s . od . post-free 2 s . ad ., [ and may be had at Bro . Kenning ' s Masonic Depots , or through any respectable bookseller or newsagent .