Address To Our Readers.

ADDRESS TO OUR READERS .

THE FREEMASONS'MAGAZINEAND MASONIC MIEEOB ,.

The opportunity afforded us at the close of each volume for addressing a few parting words to our readers is ahvays Avelcomed as a fitting excuse for tendering our best thanks to those friends AVIIO , from year to year , continue to afford us their aid and support , and to those IICAV friends Avho have helped to swell the numbers of our subscribers;—that element upon Avhich all journals , and more particularly class journals , depend for their success .

To our contributors , too , it affords us the opportunity of thanking them for their zealous and kind co-operation and assistance in the conducting of the FEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIBEOB ; and we here take occasion to add that to those Avhose valued contributions to our Magazine have appeared for the first time in the present volume , as well as to those older friends , —we thank them , one and all , for the warm interest they have displayed in . supporting by their contributions the only existing Aveekly Masonic Magazine published in Great Britain , and the only recognised organ of English Freemasonry .

We have a right to congratulate ourselves ancl our readers that Ave have recently been fortunate enough to enrol under our banner several brethren of the highest literary talent , —full of Masonic lore and of high standing in the Craft , —worthy men aud zealous labourers in the good cause ; amongst those brethren whose valuable aid has recently been so kindly afforded to us we number several holding under the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , as also under the several Supreme

Councils and Grand Orients of France , . Belgium , Holland , and Italy ; ancl amongst our Transatlantic brethren Ave are fortunate enough to number not only some amongst those holding under the Canadian Grand Lodge , but also amongst the members of the several Grand and District Grand Loclges of the United States of America .

We have continued to give some attention to the state of Freemasonry abroad , by giving upon every occasion , when space permits , Masonic doings abroad , and by translating from foreign journals Masonic and other news . We do our best to keep our readers informed upon foreign as Avell as home topics ancl Masonic events ancl proceedings throughout theAvorldj ancl the better to enable us to effect this object , we are at all times greatly obliged to brethren residing abroad , or receiving foreign

journals or newspapers , for any scraps of such Masonic intelligence as they may think proper to send , whether as cuttings from papers or the newspapers intact , and they may rest assured that they will be thankfully received and properly applied . It is , of course , upon the most extended support that all journalists rely for success in their efforts to cater Avell for ancl please their reader . ? , ancl in class journalism it is more especially so ; aud , in the conduct of a journal addressed to the " brethren of the

mystic tie , " as the field is more limited , and the sources from which worthy materials are obtainable are narrow , the condition of " mutual dependence " ( so often referred to elsewhere amongst ourselves ) is noAA'here more exhibited than between the conductor of a Masonic magazine ancl his supporters ; ancl whilst Ave think our friends amongst the contributors to Masonic literature , let us beg of them not only to continue their exertions but to redouble their energy , ancl Ave promise them they shall find their pleasure enhanced from their increased exertions in that field of labour .

Before concluding this portion of our duty , the acknoAvlcdgment of our indebtedness to subscribers ancl contributors , Ave wish specially to express our thanks to those Secretaries , Scribes , ancl others who have taken the trouble to bring officially before their Lodge ancl Chapter the circular letter recently addressed to them from the Office of the FEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE , ancl Ave trust that others