To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The FREEMASON is a Weekly News paper , price A ( X . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Subscription , including postage :

United America , India , India , China , £ c Kingdom , the Continent , & c . Via Brindisi . Twelve Months ios . 6 d . 12 s . od . 17 s . 41 ! . Six •„ 5 s . 3 d . 6 s . 6 d . 8 s . 8 d . Three „ 2 s . 8 d . 3 s . 3 d . 4 s . 6 d . Subscriptions may he paid for in stamps , hut Post

or are , to GEORGE KiONNING , CHIEF OFFICE , LONDON , the latter crossed London Joint Stock Bank . Advertisements and other business communications

should be addressed to the Publisher . Communications on literary subjects and books for review are to be forwarded to the Editor . Anonymous correspondence will be wholly disregarded , and the return of rejected MSS . cannot be guaranteed . Further information will be supplied 01 application to

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

'I he FREEMASON has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . ADVERTISEMENTS to ensure insertion

- s Office , 198 , Fleet-street , by 12 o ' clock on "Wednesdays .

MENTS . Whole of backpage £ 12 12 o Half , „ ... ... ... ... 6 10 o Inside

pages ... ... ... ... 7 7 o Half of ditto ... ... ... ... ... 400 Quarter filto ... ... ... ... 2 10 o Whole column ... ... ... 2 10 o

,, 1 10 o Quarter „ ... ... ... 100 Per inch 030 These prices are for single insertions . A liberal reduction is made for a series of 13 , 26 , and 32 insertions . Further particulars may be obtained of the Publisher , Fleetstreet

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

ERRATA . —In the Freemason of last week Bro . Viscount

Westminster instead of the Duke of Manchester . Bro . R . Owen , P . M . St . David's Lodge , No . 3 84 , Bangor , would deem it a favour if any brother will give him the address of the brother of the Barnard Lodge , whose grant of £ 50 was confirmee ! at the Grand Lodge on Werini sday .

BOOKS & c , RECEIVED . "The Freemasons' Calendar for Leicestershire and Rjtland , 1879 , " "Biief , " " Hull Packet , " "Touchstone , " " Citizen , " " Broad Arrow , " " Scottish Freemason , " " The Alliance News . " "Jersey Express , " "Masonic Record of Western India" "The Stockton Herald" "The West-

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

, , " Voice of Masonry , " " Kelet-orceut , " " La Chaine d ' Union" " Keystone" "The Banner of Israel" " Leicester

Advertiser , " "The Paper Consumers' Circular , " "Night and Day , " " Freemasons' Calendar for Leicestershire and Rutland . Birthsfflarrinrrrjsnnrj Dratljs

, , [ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements not exceeding Four Lints uneler this heading . ] BIRTHS . FOSTER . —On the 2 nd March , at Truro , the wife of Mr . Clement Le Neve Foster , of a daughter . —On the 3 rd Marchat BailgatcLincolthe

JOHNSTONE , , , n , wife of Major George Johnstone , of a daughter . MARRIAGE . SiiMMiiiRU—SiiAKtsPEAR . —On the 1 st March , at St . Jude's , Southsea , by the Rev . Wyndham A . Shakespear , uncle of the biidc , assisted by the Rev . J . Blake , Vicar of the parish , Capt . T . V . Shepherd , son of the late Mr . Alexander Shepherd , to Grace Alice , daughter ef General

Major- G . B . Shakespear . DEATHS . 000 F . TT . —On the 3 rd inst ., at Paragon-street , Hull , Mary Beatrice , infant daughter of Bro . Richard Boggilt , aged ( i months . Bieowsv .. —On the 27 th Feb ., at his resilience , Cpper Tooting , Sumy , suddenly , Henry Browse , Esq ., in his 73 th year . IIIER —On the 23 th ult ., at the Freemasons' Hall , OsbornestreetHull Crier 66

- , , . , . ' ciiNiifLi .. — On the 2 MI 1 Feb ,, at 6 , Lyplatt-terrace , Cheltenham , the Rev . Jeseph Corbctt Turntull , M . A ., in his sixtjsixth jeai

Ar00608

THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , MARCH 8 , 1879 .

The Course Of Sound Masonic Literature.

THE COURSE OF SOUND MASONIC LITERATURE .

its present and sole proprietor , and appeared for the first time . March 13 th , 1 S 69 . In its address it spoke in the following modest terms of its origin , its aims , its plan , and its hopes . It threw itself fraternally on the " indulgence of its readersto " excuse imperfections" and appealed

, , also " confidently" to their " sympathies" for "support" in this " attempt to establish a journal which we hope will become a worthy organ of the great Masonic Fraternity . " Without repeating here to-day many of the sensible and effective passages of its first address , we may well remind

ourselves , ( after this lapse of time especially ") , ' ^ one of the concluding paragraphs of the Introduction Io page 1 of the Freemason for Marcli 13 th , 1869 , for they are still as true and pertinent as when originally printed , though , perhaps , the skilful hand and active brain which first

planned and penned them are now at rest in the grave . " It will be our constant aim to sustain the reputation and enhance the renown of our Institution , which has been so long 'To fame immortally allied , And crowned with glory . "

And once more let us note the key note of the original address , which was to dominate the entire harmony of the Freemason , '' working under the aigis of lawfully constituted authority , and paying due deference to the ordinances of ruline ; powers , we shall ever remember that we are ' Free-Masons , ' and vindicate our position as

such , by maintaining a just independence , as the organ of a great and free Fraternity . " And now kindly readers , as a dispassionate jury , what is your verdict after this onward passage of years ? Has tho Freemason made good its promise ' pursued the even Masonic mean of its honourable

progress ? We believe that there will be but one reply , alike from courteous critic and impartial censor . If ever a paper has sought manfully to carry out its professed aims and object , we think we may claim that characteristic emphatically for the Freemason . Founded and published by

one publisher " ab origine , it has had no shareholders ( teal or mythic ) to back it up , it has sought for no subsidies , and asked for no patronage —merely as patronage . A " fair field and no favour " have been its motto , and it has manfully striven to hold its own and win its way in the

great open mart of Masonic opinion and public approval . It has ottered its wares to all , in the confidence that if good they would be appreciated , if bad , rejected , as they deserved to be . It has not wished to palm off a " sham imitation " on unsuspecting bystanders , but has offered the "real

and genuine production , " openly and honestly , of the best quality , and at a very cheap rate . What else could it have done ? It has made merit and value its one test of success and support . To claim for the Freemason perfection in all its endeavours would be futile ; to assert that

it has always avoided error would be absurd . In all human undertakings imperfection crops up , and no enterprise of man is free from the " breakage " of machinery , the " wear and tear " of stock , the stupidity of employes , or the mistaken animus even of friends and supporters . Probablthe stern and censorious mi hit

y ght upon some little blots , be they typographical or be they editorial ; blunders which ought not to have occurred , errata for which there is no excuse ; the appearance of matter which ought not to have been put forth at all , but after all , how very few indeed at the tand what

they are , mos , organ of our daily , weekly , and monthly literature is free from them ? But this we may say , fairl y and confidently . The Freemason has never deviated consciously from the narrow pathway of true it has turned to the

Freemasonry ; never " right hand or the left ; " it has moved on like " Excelsior , " with the banner of Masonry aloft , neither checked nor intimidated ; neither awed by the threats of childish persecution , nor embarrassed by the psetido criticism of open assailants above allutterldefiant of the

The Course Of Sound Masonic Literature.

ble mutteringsof the surreptitious andanonymous libeller . From the first hour of its appearance until to-day it has sought to take a high position , and reach unto a goodly goal . Though it has discouraged personality , the bane of the Masonic press , it has advocated free discussion and fair for all

play . It has not desired to open its pages to the petty complaints of each '' Peter Grievous , " nor has it wished to serve as a medium of idle attacks on authority , but has simply , within certain definite limits , endeavoured to enable any real grievances to be ventilatedand opportunity afforded for

, honest difference of opinion , manly controversy , and the Masonic interchange of thought aud feeling . To the great Masonic archaeological and literary movement of the last ten years it has given earnest support , and has led the way in which the fame of such writers

many on as Hughan , D . Murray Lyon , C . P . McCalla , Masonic Student , Mackey , and many more is built up . And one remark we feel bound to make . the Freemason has been conspicuous for the completeness and fidelity of its reports of all Masonic proceedings It isindeeda

. , , very wonderful portion of contemporary Masonic life and work , which is to be found in the weekl y pages , the goodly volumes of the Freemason . But , above all , the Freemason has been fervent in advocating the support of our great Masonic Charities , and the lists of each festival will shew that its publisher while others have talked has

acted , and in season aud out of season the friendly columns of the paper have been open to the communications of the Secretaries , and the records of the proceedings of their admirable Institutions . They have no truer or better friends than the Freemason and its publisher . During last eventful ten of lish Masonic

Ignorance And Intolerance.

IGNORANCE AND INTOLERANCE .

, of the Freemason . They , in fact , constitute a store-house of Masonic facts , of items relating to Masonic history , archasology , jurisprudence , lodge life , as well as general Masonic teaching and practice , which are simply invaluable to the collectorto the readerto the

, , Masonic antiquary and historian amongst us . And this is , no doubt , the simple secret of its cosmopolitan success and support . " All the world over , " just now , the Freemason is read , the Freemason is criticized , the Freemason is reproducedthe Freemason is valuedand week b

, , y week we receive the most gratifying testimonies to the zeal of its friends , the good opinion of its readers , and , above all , the kind and flattering appreciation of its matter , whether by those who speak of it in terms of eulogium , or by those —not happil—who see in an honestl

many , y y conducted Masonic enterprize a fit subject for un-Masonic sneers , for puerile personality , or petty slander . Its publisher , looking back today , may fairly flatter himself that he has truly carried out his original '' programme " in the great mainand has earnedas he has donethe

, , , confidence and support of a large and kindly , and increasing audience . He , therefore , once more begs to tender to all who have supported with such genial liberality , and honest good will , his legitimate and literary enterprize , founded and carried on with great attachment to our excellent Orderhis heartfelt thanksas well as his

A Recantation.

A RECANTATION .

and alike to advance the progress of Masonic literature , the prestige of the Order , and the thorough efficiency , reality , and vitality of the Freemason .

THE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION . Though the last meeting of our Masonic Parliament was of short duration , it was fully attended , and transacted business of much imacclamation

portance in its way . Having by passed a very proper and seasonable vote 01 condolence with Pier Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , on the loss of her lamented daug hter , the Princess Alice , Grand Duchess of Hesse-Darmstadt , and having as unanimously re-elected Grand Master the Prince of Wales