Death And Funeral Of Brother P. J. Proudhon.

of its adherents , the last token of esteem ancl affection . " Beloved Brethren and Gentlemen , —The man who rests in this tomb was great in mind . Every one may form for himself an idea , through , his

literary work , of the height of his intellect and the power of his dialectics , Avhich have shattered to pieces many a prejudice . FBAV only , even of those who lived in close proximity to him , are aware how much indulgence for others , ancl real kindness ,

was to be found beneath the rough shell of this labourer ' s son of Franche-Comte . " Originality and firmness of purpose Avere distinctive characteristics of Bro . Proudhon : his mind

never vacillated . Despite many temptations , he abvays remained pure ; and throughout life he earned his daily bread by the sweat of his brow . He Avas born a proletary , he lived a proletary , he died a proletary—that is to say , he Avas abvays

poor ; indeed , so poor was he , that his funeral expenses had to be liquidated by means of voluntary contributions .

The love , of justice Avas thoroughly embodied in him . He was one of those who chiefly contributed towards the building of the noblest Avork of our century—the foundation of moral truth free from superstition .

Those morals and principles which he considered the real guide for future generations were in him strongly exemplified during the whole of his life . No one was more imbued with the feeling of the dignity of man—no one advocated more

forcibly the doctrine of respect for man's life : no one more than he impressed on all minds our holy motto , "Liberty , Equality , Fraternity \" A subscription list has been opened for the benefit of Bro . Proudhon ' s AvicloAv and children ,

who Avere left almost destitute . About 1 , 800 francs have been already subscribed by the Paris lodges , while tho " youth- " of Antwerp subscribed 1 , 000 francs , besides an annuity of 600 francs . We may add . that further donations will be received by Bro . Massol , Member of the Council of the Order .

Freemasonry In China.

FREEMASONRY IN CHINA .

( From the Friend of Ghina , Jan . 3 . J Freemasonry , during the year just ended , has made great strides in the north of China ; ancl there is every likelihood , we hear , —noAv that there is a sufficient number of lodges in Shanghai to Avarrant an application for the boon—of this division being made a separate province . "A separate province ! " we can imagine an uninitiated

Freemasonry In China.

reader saying , "What is that ? How can Freemasons cut up the Empire into provinces without the Emperor ' s permission ; " and will venture , in so far as it is correct to write on Masonic subjects in a public journal , to explain .

And first we may as well say , in regard to what is correct to write of Freemasonry , that anything of it may be written and published which is not calculated to violate obligations , to promote discussion , or leave the outer world to infer that Freemasons are wanting in unity and brotherly

feeling among themselves . Freemasonry , in itself , is a system of religion in Avhich the sole object of adoration is the Grand Architect of the Universe y and it is one of the peculiar beauties of the practice of this religion that Jew and Greek , Romanist and Protestant , Parsee and Mahometan

maybeing freeborn and of honest report—all kneel at the same altar , and take joint and several obligations on one volume of Sacred LaAV—the Bible !

In days of old—centuries back—when to expose too suddenly the results of exploration in the hidden mysteries of nature and science was to create anxiety in the public mind , ancl place the explorer in jeopardy of his life , the Masonic lodge was his ark of refuge—the brethren his ' protectors . The

protection so excited , extended itself to the families of the brethren , and so originated thepractice of that benevolence for which Freemasons are remarkable . As regards the secresy of their meetings , in no pages of the Avorld's history do Ave find that Freemasons have ever used it to

indulge in plots against established governments . So far are they from this , that Ave have in newspapers from home by the last mail a pointed illustration of the fact that , when kings are in want of reliable assistance , they may appeal to no body of men Avith such certainty of success as to their

brethren the Freemasons . Not that , in our idea ,, our royal brother the King of Prussia was right in letting it be known out of his Grand Lodge that he requested all brethren of the mystic tie to rally round him , as their Grand Master , and support him through the difficulties of Ins government , present and prospective .

Freemasonry , then , the general reader will see from this short preamble , is a system of religion in which all who worship one Supreme Being- may join as brethren ; and in order to its more efficient Avorking , every country where Freemasonry is practised has its Grand Master , with officers

around him practising functions as important as those pertaining to the government of some of the smaller European principalities . Prior to the past year the Grand Lodge of England alone was knoAvn in China—the first lodge working under its warrant being the Zetlandat Hong

Konges-, , tablished a little over twenty years ago . The next lodge Avas the Sussex , at Canton , ancl after that the Northern Lodge of China , in Shanghai . It having been determined by a few of the shining *