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dfoitittrfs . REEMASONS' MAGAZINE . — Grand Lodge 261 Grand Lodge of Switzerland aud the War 262 Physical Astronomy 264

Our Masonic Charities 267 English Gilds 265 Masonry ancl the War 264 MasonicNotes and Queries 269 Correspondence 269 Masonic Sayings and Doiugs Abroad 273 Reviews 278 MASONIC MIRROR : —

Masonic Alems , 273 CRAUT LODGE AIEETING : — Alefcropoli ' eii 274 Provincial 274 List of Lodges , & c , Aleeting for ensuing week 280

Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 1 , 1870 .

The circumstance of the B . W . Bro . tho Eight Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon having , in the absence of the M . W . Grand Master , presided over the last quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge of England , and since at the Special Grand Lodge , afforded the greatest satisfaction to a large number of the

members of the order , and Avill doubtless mark the commencement of an important epoch in the history of our Grand Lodge . It will have the effect of inducing the attendance of many brethren of talent and social influence who had formerl y

held aloof from attendance at Grand Lodge , feleing , rightly or wrongly , that a certain amount of cliquisrn prevaile in the appointments to important offices , a state of things which certainly should not exist in a society like Freemasonry , Avhose

foundation based upon the broadest principles of universality . Without any desire to disparage the ability and uprightness of conduct of the Past Grand Master , and tho undoubted fitness and popularity of the Grand

Officers appointed from time to time under his rule , we must congratulate the Grand Master and the Craft upon the appointment of the Earl of Carnarvon as Deputy Grand Master , an officer on whom ordinarily devolves no small share of the government of of the Craft .

If any evidence Avere Avanting of the tact and judgement of the Earl de Grey and Eipon , it is fully supplied by the appointment as his deputy of a brother , admittedly so able in every respect , and so popular Avith every section of the great Masonic body .

The following remarks , published in the ¦•' Observer , " referring to the Special Grand Lodge , are so much to the point that we hope they have been

attentively perused by the advisers of the Grand Master . '• ' TUB FIIEE . AIASONS . Earl Carnarvon , in the Grand Lodge of the Masons of England , Avearing the decorations of a Deputy

Grand Master , and loyally listened to by a harmonious band of unanimous brethren , suggests some curious reflections . Earl Carnarvon , proposing that a jiortion of the Grand Lodge funds should be appropriated in a certain way , and carrying his point

Avithout discussion , is equally suggestive ; and his lordship , speaking in the name of an absent Grand Master with the certainty of expressing tho hitter ' s sentiments , can but be regarded as one of the amiable revenges brought about by the Avhiiligigs of time .

It must carry some Ereemasons back a dozen years or so to hear the word ¦*' Carnarvon "in conjunction with Grand Lodge , and may , perhaps , set them thinking on the objects a hot uninfluential section of tho craft had at heart then , on the fiery—Ave beg pardon ,

fraternally animated —< lebates which followed on the establishment in England of a certain branch of Freemasonry called " the Mark , " and on the principles of selection and succession which Avere advocated b y what Avas considered Lord Carnarvon ' s party , as most consonant Avith the best interests of the craft .

Premising that at the Special Grand Lodge , held on Friday evening , his lordship ' s admirable speech fulfilled its object perfectly , and that the Freemasons are to be congratulated on it , and upon their graceful and generous response , we propose to offer a few

remarks upon Grand Lodges generally , and upon tho remarkable ' way in which it fulfills its purposes . " Masouiy is free . Neither nepotism , jobbery , nor favouritism is posssible in its ranks . From the moment of the neophyte entering the order , it rests

Avith himself IIOAV far ho shall progress , and * , vhat honours he shall attain . When a man joins a lodge , in other words—Avhen he is initiated into the craft by a section of it Avhich possesses a charter and is constitutionally organised , he receives a certain grade ,

and is afterwards advanced by regular stages to the dignity of a master mason . In the course of years , by assiduity and attention , he becomes eligible to preside over his lodge , and if elected by his brethren , but not otherwise , is installed into its chair . A Worsliipful

Master , then , is a potentate who reigns by virtue of a democratic vote ; and Freemasonry is thus a republic , guarded by monarchical forms . Grand Lodge is an aggregation of delegates from these private lodges , Avho are either masters , AVIIO have been masters , or Avho have attained a position Avhich makes them eli gible for that rank . The great beauty of Grand