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TO OUR READERS .

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Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning . The following stand over : — Letters from " A Provincial P . M . " Bro . Tudor Trevor , Bro . Kenneth , R . H . Mackenzie .

Reports of Hartington Lodge , 1085 , Derby ; Albert Edward Lodge , 1560 , Leicester ; Scientific Lodge , 88 , Cambridge ; Lodge of Honour , 379 , Bath ; Ellesmere Lodge , 75 8 , Runcorn ; Social Lodge , 93 , Norwich ; St . James ' s Union Lodge , 180 , London ; Unanimity Lodge , 102 , Walsham ; Enoch Lodge , 11 , London ; Lodge of Hengisr , Bournemouth ; Henley Lodge , 1472 . North Woolwich ;

Lodge Fortitude , 105 , Plymouth ; Benevolent Lodge , 303 , Teignmouth ; Perseverance Lodge , 164 , Sidmouth ; Wentworth Lodge , 1239 , Sheffield ; Rowley Lodge , 1051 , Lancaster ; Duke of Lancaster Lodge , 1353 , Morecambe ; Earl Ellesmere Lodge , 678 , Kersley ; Alfred Lodge , 344 , Oxford . The Installation of Bro . E . Hodgson ; The Masonic career of the Earl of Shrewsbury ; Masonic Ball in Sheffield .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , J . 15 , 1876 .

Our Royal Grand Master's Visit To India.

OUR ROYAL GRAND MASTER'S VISIT TO INDIA .

The Prince of Wales since he left Calcutta has visited Luckuow , Cawnpore , and Delhi . He has been over the ground of the great mutiny , and has been reminded everywhere of the heroism of the Feringhee . Many noble soldiers are lying in their humble graves along his

route , whose blood has " spilt like water " for the name of the Queen , and in devotion to old England . We can quite understand that the Prince will have been deeply impressed : it could not well be otherwise . All honour to " John Beetlecrusher , " and " peaceful resting places and

quiet graves " for those who fought so gloriously and died so well . One very touching sight at Lucknow was the review of those surviving natives who adhere so loyalty to the English " Rag , " and shared no nobly the privations and

dangers of these white-faced comrades . They were all presented to the Prince of Wales . The telegraphic account in the " Times " is most interesting up to the 1 ith , and we subjoin it : — There is every reason to be satisfied with the favourable impression produced on the

Talookdars and the people by the Prince s visit to Lucknow . At noon , on the 10 th , His Royal Highness presented colours to the 1 st Battalion of the 14 th Regiment of the Line . After the "eremony , Lieuts . Le Grice and Taylor ' s Bat--eries , with the 65 th , 14 th , 6 th , and 41 st Native

Infantry , marched past . The march past of the 6 th was much admired . At 2 . 30 on the 10 th the Prince bade good-bye . The special train to Cawnpore arrived at 4 . The Prince thanked Sir George Couper for the reception at Oude . He drove to the Memorial Church with a Guard of

Honour of the Buffs and a cavalry escort . There was an Artillery salute . Mr . Prinsep , Colonel Maude , the civil and military authorities , and multitudes of natives were present . The Prince spent some time examining the church and

reading the mural inscriptions . Then they proceeded to the fatal Well and the Enclosure , which stand in a fair park , with flower beds . The Prince remained inside a quarter of an hour , and walked to the Cemetery , close at hand . It is beautifully

Our Royal Grand Master's Visit To India.

kept , and forms a strong contrast to the Crimean graveyard . From the Cemetery the Prince proceeded to Mr . Prinsep ' s . He dined there , leaving at 9 . 30 by special train to Delhi . Cawnpore is very quiet . Thousands were sitting by the road sides to see the Prince . The Prince of Wales

entered Delhi at 9 a . m . on the nth . Lord Napier of Magdala was present , and the Generals and an immense mounted stafFrode with the suite through the lines of Artillery , Cavalry , and Infantry from the station through the city out by the Lahore Gate over the ridge for four miles to the camp , where the Prince held a levee of

European and Native officers , lasting two hours . The Prince dined with Lord Napier , who is not yet able to tide . Crowds of natives are lining the route . Extraordinary triumphal arches have been erected with inscriptions . The general attitude of the population is very respectful and courteous . The Prince received an address from

the Delhi Municipality . His Royal Highness was much interested in passing the memorable sites , surrounded as he was by many who had boine a share in the great siege .

H.R.H. Prince Leopold.

H . R . H . PRINCE LEOPOLD .

We feel sure that the entire Craft will rejoice to hear of the nomination of H . R . H . Prince Leopold by his Royal brother our Royal Grand Master , to be Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire . The close connection of the Royal family with our Order has always been a subject of heartfelt

satisfaction to every loyal Freemason , and we feel convinced that on the present occasion that satisfaction will be largely augmented , and universally expressed . H . R . H . Piince Leopold is well known to have many attributes of personal tastes and feelings , greatl y in unison with that of

our peace-loving and philanthropic sodality . He is a patron of the fine arts , a fiiend to education in its widest sense , " simpatico " with all those pursuits and tendencies which serve to improve , to adorn , to elevate the human race ; most anxious to g ive his countenance to all that may conduce

to the social advancement and sesthetical culture of his fellow citizens ; no mean proficient himself , if report be true , in those studies which enlighten , antl those branches of learning which civilize , the great family of mortal man . He is a soldier of peace , a pioneer , like his great father ,

of national advance , of cosmopolitan unity and welfare . And therefore to-day it is that a discerning brotherhood hails its newest ruler with genuine welcome and heartfelt pleasure . May that distinguished province over which he is so fitl y called to rule soon demonstrate the benefit of his genial sway , and may it in the

future , as in the past , ever maintain its high character for true Masonic principles , for sound Masonic teaching , and for the practice and development of those Masonic virtues and graces without which our highest dignities and our most venerated symbols are but as " sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal . "

A Munificent Masonic Gift.

A MUNIFICENT MASONIC GIFT .

Our pages last week record a most munificent donation by Bro . H . C . Fox , of Philadelphia , to his lodge , the Covenant Lodge , 456 , Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , of 5 , 000 dollars , or £ i , oco . Bro . W . J . Hughan has kindly called our attention to the circumstance , and we agree with him in his estimation of the act as a

remarkable one , and deserving both of record and remembrance . Nay , we may go a little further and say—yes—imitation . For , to say the truth , we have often thought ourselves how much local Masonic charity might be aided in the ever increasing demands on our funds , private and

general , by the voluntary offerings to our lodges of some benevolent and well-to-do brethren . As a general rule our lodges are not rich and have but small investments ; but we feel sure of this , that much good would accrue to our Order , if lodges had good Benevolence Funds of their own ,

and if , as a general rule , individual liberality came in to supplement the formal amount of the annual lodge subscription . Many brethren think when they have paid their annual subscription to their lodge that they have done their duty by the Order . We have always held thisjto be a mis-

A Munificent Masonic Gift.

take , and we are glad to see our worth y Bro Fox , of Philadelphia , U . S ., so to say , "breaking " the ice" and setting an example of lodge donations . We must nut shut our eyes to one fact , that though Freemasonry is very prosperous just now it has inevitably its dav of trial in store ,

for the large present admission of members must result ere long in increased demands on all its institutions and all its resources . Now then is the time , while we are sailing before a prosperous wind , to make provision for future possible ' dirty weather ; " and the only way in which we

can do this is by largely increasing our funds of lodge benevolence , and , if possible , making lodges themselves dispense local and immediate aid to deserving applicants . Just as the poor laws , it is most fully and generally admitted , require to be supplemented and

aided by individual effort , if ever we are to break down the dreadful " incubus " on honest industry of habitual pauperism , so , if our general funds are to be preserved and relieved , in the pressure which is assuredly coming tipou them by anything , it can only be done by the increase

of our lodge funds , and the development of lodge relief , judiciously given and carefully supervised . There is a tendency in lodges to throw relief on to the Provincial and the ' Grand Lodge funds , forgetting , that if our professions are worth anything , if our principles are true , such needful and

beneficial work of true Masonic charity , should begin with the lodge in which the reci pient first saw the light or received the teaching of Freemasonry . There is another tendency at the present day , equally unsound in practice , to make the aggregate do , what the unit should effect in the

first instance . As we hold , that all true work is individual and not general in the world , and that great results are achieved by the unit-worker , not by " . the aggregate , by the person , not the coin muuity , so if Masonic charity is to become properly organised and thoroughly efficient , and

sound alike in its theory and practice , it must begin with our lodges , and the Provincial and Grand Lodge Funds should not be appealed to until the actual exigencies of the case required it , or until in justice to others local relief had reached its furthest possible . limit . Having said this , we

greatly commend and admire Bro . H . C . Fox ' s munificent gift to the lodge in itself , and call the attention of many large-hearted and liberalminded brethren in this country , to this seasonable and striking display of American Masonic sympathy and active good will .

The Girls' School.

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

The scheme for the enlargement of the Girls School is still a thing of the future . At the Quarterly Court on Saturday Bro . Kenyon withdrew his resolution , wisely in our opinion , and the whole matter is now practicall y before the Committee again . We shall await its report with

interest , and we trust that when it appears it may be characterized b y clearness of scope , and largeness of vision , and that it may deal efficiently and effectively with the undoubted necessities of the Order . We may add that 2 r new candidates were accepted on Saturday .

Masonic Impostors In Ireland.

MASONIC IMPOSTORS IN IRELAND .

We have been requested from Ireland to caution the brethren against some " false brethren , " who are now seeking to " loot" the Masonic " Treasury " in that country , and who may perhaps ere long pay us in England , and our brethren across the borders , a fraternal visit .

They profess to be American Freemasons , shipwrecked somewhere , but are deliberate Masonic swindlers and vagrants . They are probably some of those worthies who , named in the American Masonic prints , have found the United States too hot for them , and are now

seeking to prey on confiding brethren in the old country . We recommend for them an " interview " with the police . We may observe , that one gentleman of this interesting fraternity is now expiating his vagabond raids by a prolonged

term of seclusion , little food , and much work , in one of the American penitentiaries . We call attention to an extract elsewhere , taken from the " Keystone , " which may assist our good Irish brethren in the matter .