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TO CORRESPONDENTS . Thc largely increased circulation of the Freemason necessitates our going to press at an earlier hour on Thursdays . It is therefore requested that all communications intended to appear in the current number may be sent to our offices not later than 5 p . m . on Wednesdays . Advertisements and short notices of importance received up to 12 o ' clock noon on Thursdays .

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' TO ADVERTISERS . THE FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of thc Globe . In it the official Reports of thc Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland arc published with the special sanction of the respective Grand Masters , and it contains a complete record of Masonic work in this country , onr Indian Empire , and thc Colonies , Thc vast accession to the ranks of the Order during the past few years , and the increasing interest manifested in its doings , has given the Freemason a position and influence which few journals can lay claim to , and the proprietor can assert with confidence that announcements appearing in its columns challenge the attention of a very large and influential body of readers . Advertisements fnr the current week ' s issue arc received up to s \\ o'clock on Wednesday evening .

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TO OUR READERS . THE FREEMASON IS published every Friday morning , price 3 d ., and contains thc fullest and latest information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscriptions , including Postage;—IT . . „ . . r United States , j ,. Q , Australia United Kingdom . Canada , thc Conti- M' 7 M . ' . | c . r nent , & c . rtUV / . caianu , , vc . 13 s . 15 s . 6 cL 17 s . 6 d . Remittances may be made in Stamps , but Tont Office Orders or Cheques are preferred , the former payable to GEOR « E KKNNINC , Chief Office , London , the latter crossed London Joint Stock Hank .

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& o bTomsvonXimts . The kind communications of Bro . G . C . D . and Bro . Collas stand over unavoidably until next week . A PAST AIASTER . —Yes . S . G . D . has omitted to send his name . The following reports stand over : — Southern Cross Lodge , Cape of Good Hope ; Oration by Bro . W . Randcll , P . G . M . Chaplain Warwickshire ; St . Bedc Lodge , No . ing , Jarrow . CORRESPONDENCE : Alasonic Tramps ; C Yurrd . BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "Broad Arrow , " "Sunday Times , " "Hull Packet , " "Croydon Guardian , " "Keystone , " "Jewish Chronicle , " "Australian Freemason , " "The Freemason" ( Sydney ) , "The Guardian , " "Yorkshire Gazette , " "The Empire , " " The New Zealand Freemason , " "The Lake Bay of Plenty , " "Egyptian Gazette , " "The Hebrew Leader , " "The English Universities and John Bunyan . "

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NOTICE . The Cosmopolitan Masonic Diary and Pocket Book for 1 SS 1 is preparing for publication on thc ist of November . To ensure accuracy a form for filling up has been sent to every lodge , and those Secretaries -who have not yet made their returns will greatly oblige thc Publisher by doing so at their earliest possible convenience . The Freemason Office , 19 S , Fleet-street .

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THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , OCT . 30 , 1880 .

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TUK brilliant and festive gathering at the Mansion House on Monday last will not soon be forgotten by any who were privileged to be present . It was a most complete success from first to last . Thc details and accessories were all equally in keeping

with the special characteristics of that remarkable assembly , and reflect great credit on those who brought so kindly and pleasant an idea to so happy and effective a completion . The speeches were all to the point—short , heart )' , kindly , sensible , manly ,

and truly Masonic in views and outcome . Wc congratulate our distinguished brother the LORD MAYOR on this most fraternal and friendly reception of his brethren , and we feel sure that amid the many pleasant memories of office in which he

has so admirably discharged thc duties , municipal and hospitable , of his high position , none will hereafter be more grateful and satisfactory to himself than that which will always associate itself with his kindly entertainment of his brethren in Masonry .

Our ROYAL GRAND MASTBR won , as he always docs win , the " golden opinions " and high encomiums of all , by his personal kindness and urbanity , and ,

above all by the " thorough and hearty tone of his remarks , alike most able in themselves and gratifying to his hearers . H . K . H . the DUKK OF C ON - NAUGHT spoke like a good soldier , clear and true

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to his point . From first to last the gathering was a most happy idea , and a still more happy success , an " alba dies " for all who met their GRAND MASTER by lhe thoughtful and fraternal prevision

of the LORD MAYOR in the Mansion House on Monday last . What can impugners of Masonry say now to that wonderful assembly of English Freemasonry ?

* * THE very interesting and important letter of our correspondent " CHARITY " in our last deserves careful note and consideration . VVe thought so , and , therefore , did not allude to it last week for

fear of not doing justice to the subject . We have always felt , and felt strongly , that the custom of lodges and chapters in allowing brethren and companions to subscribe to the Charities , but doing nothing for the Charities by the " body corporate , "

is not only a grave mistake but an unsound theory of Masonic duty . Thcargumcnt we have often heard , which our correspondent alludes to—that a lodge or chapter is not bound to give anything , qua a lodge or chapter , if any of its members act as Stewards ,

because they thereby " tax themselves doubly , " is , and always has appeared to our minds , both selfish and un-Masonic . For the consequence is , as our correspondent so forcibly puts it , that subscription and initiation fees are all " absorbed " by material

and other expenses , and nothing is left positively for Charity of any kind . This is a very bad state of affairs , and a serious reflection is thus left on our profession and practice as a benevolent and philanthropic Fraternity . We have said over and over again ,

and we repeat it to-day , that all lodges and chapters ought to give some official support to the Charities as lodges and chapters , and not merely rely on being well represented by the liberality and sacrifices of some few warm - hearted members .

This is the very evil in our midst we all complain of . A few brethren comparatively of our 100 , 000 brethren bear the " burden and heat of the day " come up year by year , over and over again ; but the overwhelming majority does not aid in the

good work . The same fact applies to lodges and chapters—a small proportion of both , comparatively speaking , do anything , have done anything , and at the present state of things will do anything . We always make allowance for several points and

facts which others overlook or misrepresent . Despite all that has been said , and all that is believed , our Order is not a very wealthy Order . We have rich men amongst us , but thc great bulk are professional men , " bread winners , " and

lhat they do give many of them , year by year , as liberally as they do , is a matter of just pride and honest satisfaction for us all . But the Secretaries of the three great Institutions would hail the day when they saw a movement beginning

for every lodge and chapter to recognize their pressing and undoubted claims , and to do something as lodges and chapters , as well as an increase of support from the great body of Freemasons . It is perfectly true lhat all lodges and chapters are

not equally well to do ; it is lhe fact , undoubtedly , that young lodges have many expenses to meet at their commencement . But wc confess that wc should think better in every respect of that lodge or chapter whose balance sheet , even in the

first year of ils existence , could show something done for the " Charities , " and not , as too frequently happens , " balance due to thc Treasurer £ 4 . 1 15 s ., " and , alas ! not one item for " Charity , " or our great Metropolitan Institutions . We have , we

hope , spoken clearly , and yet kindly , on a confessedly difficult subject , and we trust that wc may yet hail an extending movement in this respect . Nothing will so help the Secretaries of the Metropolitan Masonic Institutions , -nothing will so Vend

to perpetuate and strengthen that labour of love of Masonic benevolence in our midst , which , in our opinion , does really more for thc true work of Masonry , than the most eloquent speeches , or thc most ; csthelic ceremonies .

* * * As wc sec that Bro . Sir HENRY EDWARDS , Bart ., Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire , is to preside at the

Anniversary Festival of thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Instifution . wedoubtnot that that excellent Institution will have a most successful gathering , and which will have a result most marked and benefi-

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cial for our old men and widows . Whatever W . Yorkshire sets itself to do it does well , and from what wc have heard it will have a very striking return . All our good wishes go with the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and zealous exertions and kindly sacrifices in its favour .

* * WE are amused by reading in the Jewish Herald , of Melbourne , the following complaint of " mixed marriages" between Christians and Hebrews , which it seems are of frequent

occurrence . We say nothing ourselves of the main question at issue , because we are well aware that there are two sides to it . Our Hebrew confrere , in bemoaning what he calls these " mesalliances , " gives the following reasons for them , which , we

think , are somewhat peculiar in themselves , and will cause some of our readers to smile . The " Kosher house , " we may observe , is in fact a place where the meat is prepared according to Hebrew traditions . " The frequent occurrence of

" such intermarriages within the past few years " must give ' food for reflection ' to every right" minded Jew in the colonies . With whom lies " the fault of such a contretemps , and what is " likely to be a good remedy for such a disease ?

" In my opinion the fault lies with the parents , for " the following reasons , which are applicable to " Jews in Victoria as well as in New South Wales , " to those in New Zealand as well as those in " Queensland . Very few parents keep a Kosher

" house , and arc not particular as to what they " eat ; children observe their parents enter a " restaurant , sit down , and eat whatever is placed " in front of them ; they are taken by their " parents to an outing , and are regaled with

" oysters and other forbidden food ; and many " families have oysters and prawns in their very " homes . Jewish children are not sent to Jewish " schools where they are taught their religion , but " are allowed to pick up all kinds of anti-Jewish

" habits at the schools where they are taught ; ' they are allowed to eat at the houses of their " Christian friends , to go to their picnics , & c . " What can possibly result from this but raar

" riage ? " Some of our readers may repeat to themselves after this serious and eloquent statement , CLOUGH ' S memorable words , "They say "' tis ' Juxta Position . ' But what is ' Juxta " Position . ' "

* * OUR readers will have noticed with much regret thc premature death of a distinguished Judge , the LORD J USTICE THESIGER . Though very young still and , humanly speaking , with much good

work before him , he has passed away , after a sudden and serious seizure of illness , leaving a sad void in his family circle , and a host of mourning friends in his own profession to regret thc unforeseen extinction of such high powers and the early end of such a promising career .

* OUR readers will be glad lo hear lhat Bro . the Rev . W . TEBBS , P . P . G . C . for Somersetshire , and a whilom contributor to our columns , has reached

New Zealand m safety , and has taken possession of his important parish , St . Matthews , and 12 , 000 parishioners in Auckland . He was quite well , and promises to write to us before long .

The Toast Of The "Grand Officers," &C.

THE TOAST OF THE "GRAND OFFICERS , " & c .

The question whether Provincial Grand Alasters should respond to the "toast" of the "Grand Officers" was asked by " Bayard " in the Freemason for July 24 th ( also whether a Provincial Grand Alaster is , ipso facto , a Grand

Lodge Officer ) , and was answered in the affirmative by the Editor . Since then a little correspondence on the subject has arisen , but I venture to say nothing like the importance that the subject demands . Those interested in the enquiry will do well to consult the Freemason tor July 24 th , August 7 th , 14 th , 21 st , and 28 th , September 4 th , 1 ith , iSth and 25 th , October 2 nd and 23 rd . The last date

contains an excellent summary of the evidence in favour of the negative view by " Bayard , " with which I fully concur , and consider it well nigh decisive . Aly opinion is that , Provincial Grand Alasters arc members of the Grand Lodge of England , taking rank after Past Deputy Grand Masters but are not officers of the Grand Lodge . They have a position given them in accordance with the rank held , but that they are not Officers OF the Grand Lodge is evident