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NOTICE . With the next number of the Freemason , January ( 5 th , 1877 , will be given a Supplement , containing Title-page and Index for the Volume of 1876 .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can t hcrefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS should reach the Office , 198 Fleetstreet , London , by 12 o ' clock on Wednesdays .

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NOTICE . To prevent delay or miscarriage , it is particu-1 arly requested that ALL communications for the " Freemason , " may be addressed to the Office , 198 , Fleet-street , London .

Important Notice.

IMPORTANT NOTICE .

COLONIAL and FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are nformed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in the first number of every month .

It is very necessary for our readers to advise os 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 .

To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen-page weekly newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / 6 . P . O . O . 's to be made payable at the chief office , London .

NEW POSTAL RATES . Owing to a reduction in thc 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 Good Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Denu-rara , France-, Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfoundland , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , United States of America , & c .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

Father Foy ' s letter received will be attended to . Polish National Lodge unavoidably deferred until next week , which we hope our kind correspondent will excuse . A report of the Montefiore Lodge will appear next week . Bin . Green's little work will bc noticed next week . BewiKS HECF . IVF . II . — "Digest of the F . lementary Education Act ; " " Dick Radclyffe and Co . 's Catalogue ; " " Keystone-, Philaelelphia ; " " Ladies Treasury ; " " La Fenice . "

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 S . 6 d . for announcements , not exceed ing four lines , under this heading . !

BIRI HS . Goi-wEr . —On the 2 jrd inst ., at The Lodge , Herne Bay , Mrs . T . Godfrey , of a daughter . JOHNSON . —On the 23 rd inst ., at Albion-street , Hull , the wife of C . II . Johnson , of a son . TUDOR . —On the 21 st inst ., at Leeswood Hall , Flintshire , the wife of Lieut . O . P . Tudor , R . N ., of a daughter .

MARRIAGES . rendu—SIIAIIP . —On the ldth inst ., by licence , at the parish church cf St . Marylebone , Walter , son of T . Tudor , of Manor-road , Wickham Park , to Florence , daughter of F . W . Sharp , of Blumfield-road ,

Maidahill . WHITELOCK—WHITTLE . —On the 25 th inst ., at St . George's Church , Camberwell , by ihe Rev . Samuel Smith , Frederick Whitrlock , diaper , to Caroline Whittle , both of Castle Cary , Somerset .

DEATHS . DAVIES . —On the 24 th inst ., at Devon-street , Liverpool , aged fid , Bro . Arthur Davies , P . M . 1264 , S . E . Chapter 249 . DIXON . —On the 22 nd inst ., at Green Paik , Bath , Georgina Wilhclmina , daughter of Capt . M . Dixon , H . N . JACKSON . —On the 2 , ? id inst ., at Hucknall Toikard ,

Notts , the Rev . Luke Jackson , in his 90 th year . Pion—On ihe 21 st inst ., at Eistbourne , J . H . Pugh , Esq ., of Offord-road , Barnsbury Park , aged 69 . SIIAIII . ANI ) . —On the 2 ( ith inst ., at Newcastle-on-Tyne , Bessie , the only beloved daughter of James Sharland , formerly of New-cross , aged 15 years . TAYI . IIII . —On the 22111 I inst ., at II ill field , Addlestone , Mary Anne , wife of W . Taylor , aged e , <) .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , DEC . 30 , 1876 .

1876.

1876 .

We propose to give a Masonic Summary for 1876 , though we fear that it will appear somewhat dull and monotonous . After the excitement of the evening is over , it is not always

cheerful to find ourselves amid the " debris" of the banquet of yesterday , and many things which we like much at the time often pall on the taste subsequently . Still , as it has been represented to us that our brethren

desire to have a record for the year , leaving merely politics and profane history out of the question altogether , we confine ourselves to a simple chronological statement of our Freemason record for 1876 . "We do not propose to go

further , or , as they say , to " travel out of the record . " If any then find the reading too heavy for them , or not easy to digest , all we can recommend them to do is not to peruse it at all , and though it has taken us no little time and

trouble to put it together , it perhaps may appear to some too long to journey over , and too uninteresting to wade through . " De gustibus non est disputandum , " and so to all courteous readers , and kindly patrons , we submit this Masonic

record of our little world , as depicted in the passing pages of the Freemason , in all humility , and yet with all goodwill to them , with this last Freemason of 1876 . J ANUARY opened with a complimentary

Masonic banquet to Bro . Samuel Homfray , Newport , who had reached his 80 th year , and had three sons Masons , the eldest the worthv D . P . G . M . for Monmouthshire , and G . D . C . In this month Professer Tyndall called attention to

the absurd claim of the Church of Rome to control and supervise science . The De Grey and Ripon Chapter , 1316 , was consecrated in Liverpool , and the centenary of St . Thomas ' s Lodge , at the Cannon-street Hotel , was

celebrated . From America came the tidings that Bro . Henry C . Fox , of the Covenant Lodge , 45 6 , under the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , had presented to the lodge 5 , 000 dollars , or

£ iooc , as a tribute of his affection to its members , and Freemasonry . The Masonic Magazine for January contained an animated engraving of the Honble . Mrs . Aid worth , the " Lady Freemason . " All Freemasons were much

gratified by tho enthusiastic reception accorded to their Royal Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , in India . We heard frequent accounts in this month of the advance of our Order in Canada , the United States , and Australia , and

we received the report of the consecration of the Emerald Hill lodge , Victoria , before one of the largest gatherings of Australian Freemasons ever known . The Twelfth-night re-union for the girls of our Masonic Institution was a

great success . It was in this month that the Craft heard with great satisfaction of the nomination of H . R . H . Prince Leopold to the Provincial Grand Mastership for Oxfordshire . The Annual Masonic Ball in Liverpool ,

in aid of the Funds of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , was most numerously attended , and was very successful . We were informed in this month also of the consecration cf the Royal Prince of Wales Lodge ,

No . 1555 , at Penang . The brethren at Sheffield gave a most successful ball at the Cutler ' s Hall on the 7 th of January , and shortly after Bro . J . Bathurst Graver Browne , W . M . of the Doric Lodge , also offered a very magnificent

entertainment at Morley Hall to the brethren of his lodge . In this month Monsignore Nardi , in Rome , made an attack on the Order , which he denominated in England a " Goose Club , " and declared the fraternity a focus of revolution and socialism out of England . The Craft

had to deplore in this month the loss of Bro . W . Romaine Callender , a very worthy and distinguished brother , D . P . G . M . for East Lancashire , and M . P . for Manchester . His memory will long remain green and fresh in the affections of his Lancashire brethren and the Order generally . The centenary of the Lodge of Prudent Brethren

1876.

was held at Freemasons' Hall , and the Cestrian Chapter , No . 425 , was consecrated at Chester . In this month the Cro ^ n Prince of Denmark presided at a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Denmark .

FEBRUARY opened with some irregular and regretable proceedings with reference to the Boys School , which had taken place in West Yorkshire , but to which we will not further allude . In East Lancashire , a local educational benevolent institution was formed , and its rules drawn up

and agreed to . The St . James Lodge No . 1579 , was consecrated at Enfield , under our worth y Bro . Col . Burdett , Prov . G . M . of Middlesex . Our distinguished Bro . Sir W . W . Wynne , Bart . P . G . M . for North Wales , and M . P ., was warmly welcomed at Malta by the brethren of St . John and St .

Paul ' s Lodge , 349 , at the Masonic Hall , Valetta . On February 9 th , the anniversary festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held at Freemasons' Hall under our popular and distinguished Bro . Lord Skelmerdale , D . G . M ., when the amount of , £ 9 , 174 ios . 6 d . was announced by its

excellent and energetic Secretary , Bro . J . Terry . The New Cross Lodge , 1 , 559 , was consecrated in this month at New Cross , by Bro . James Terry , and the Dee Lodge , 157 6 , at Park Gate , by Lord De Tabley , P . G . M . for Cheshire . Park Gate is about midway between Chester and

Birkenhead , and there was a very numerous muster of the Cheshire brethren on this occasion to meet their popular Prov . G . M ., and to assist in so good a work . From China there came the news in February of the annual meeting and festival of theTJistrict Grand'Lodge in China ,

and we also heard of the 89 th communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in their noble hall at Philadelphia . The Centenary festival of the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , 23 r , took place at Freemasons' Hall , also in this month . The Fitzroy Lodge , 569 , attached to the Hon .

Artillery Company , gave one of their successful balls at the Armoury House , Finsbury . The St , Dunstan ' s Lodge , 1589 , Anderton ' s Hotel , was also opened by Bro . James Terry , assisted by a distinguished circle of brethren and visitors . The installation meeting of that

wellknown Lodge , the Apollo University Lodge , Oxford , 357 , took place on the 22 nd , when in the presence of one of the most numerous and influential gatherings ever witnessed , H . R . H . Prince Leopold was installed W . M . of that famous lodge . The speeches delivered were

very striking and effective , His Royal Highness , who discharged all his duties admirably , was most enthusiastically received , and the brethren spent a never-to-be-forgotten evening . On the day following , Wednesday , the 23 rd February , His Royal Hig hness Piince Leopold

was also installed , in the Sheldonian Theatre , P . G . M . of Oxfordshire , before a numerous gathering , seldom equalled in our Masonic history , whether in the high rank of many of those present , or their eminent services to Freemasonry . All the proceedings were admirably

carried out , His Royal Highness made a most favourable impression on all , and the memorable assembly closed with a graceful act of recognition of the long services of Bro . R . J . Spiers , D . P . G . M . for Oxfordshire . The installation of His lloyal Highness as Prov . Grand Master will long be remembered by the loyal brethren of the

Province , of Oxfordshire . In this month we had to deplore the demise of our worthy and esteemed Bro . Farnfield , who died on the 27 th . His eminent services to the Craft as A . G . S . are well known to all Freemasons , while his kindly nature and obliging disposition had made him many friends .

MARCH . —Bro . Woodford , who , under the pseudonym of "Masonic Student , " has long devoted himself to the study of Masonic archaeology , succeeded on finding the long missing Wilson MS . Constitution mentioned by Preston , and which was in the collection at Cheltenham of Sir Thomas Phillips . Bro . S . B . Ellis , a rising

young Masonic archaeologist , and Bro . Nixon , ot Sheffield , assisted Bro . Woodford in tracing where the Wilson MSS . were . A curious discussion arose this month as to whether Pio Nono was a Freemason . On the whole , the evidence is unfavourable to such a supposition , though we fancy that it is more than proable that , in his younger days of liberalism