To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

Bro . BROUGIITON . —Many thanks . In our next . The following communications and reports stand over : — Great City Lodge , No . 1426 . Lodge of Hospitality , No . 16 97 . Elias de Derham Lodge , No . 586 . Arboretum Lodge , No . 731 .

Excelsior Lodge , No . 226 . Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 75 . St . John ' s Mark Lodge , T . I . Howton Mark Lodgr , No . 100 . K . T . Precep . Royal Naval , No . 2 . Truro Cathedral . —Correspondence . The City Masonic Benevolent Association .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . " The Masonic Advocate , " " The Hebrew Leader , " "The Western Daily Mercury . " " The Masonic Newspaper , " "Bye-Laws of the St . George ' s Lodge , No . 1723 , Bolton , " " Minutes of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 221 , Bolton , by G . V . Brockbank , " " Jewish Chronicle , " " Keystone , " " Memorandum of the Rite Ecossais Ancien Accepte , "

"The Freemason , " Sydney . " Citizen , " "Broad Arrow , " "Alliance News , " '' New York Sunday News , " " Chemist and Druggist , " " Dr . Hayman : Bible Wines and the Temperance Bihle Commentary , " " Extracts from the Proceedings of Grand Lodges anent the Invasion of tbe Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , by the Grand Lodge of Scotland . "

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements not exceeding Four Lines under this heading . ] BIRTHS . DIXON . —On the 13 th inst ., at Darlington , Mrs . Henry Ernest Dixon , of a daughter . SCOTT . —On the 13 th inst ., at Penge , Surrey , the wife of Mr . Walter Scott , of a daughter .

MARRIAGE . HoLI . —GIBBS . —On the nth inst ., at St . John ' s , Hampstcad , Edgar , son of Mr . Francis Holl , to Ellen Sara , daughter of the late Mr . Duddtidge Gibbs .

DEATHS . BEACH . —On the nth inst ., at Cernc Abbas , Dorset , Mr . Wm . Beach , in his 76 th year . PICKARU . —On the ist inst ., at Cannes , Bro . Lieut .-Col . Arthur F . Pickard , C . B ., V . C ., H . A ., aged 39 years .

Permanent Enlargement Of The "Freemason."

PERMANENT ENLARGEMENT OF THE " FREEMASON . "

Owing to constant pressure on the columns of the Freemason , and to the urgent necessity of " supplements , " whether of four or even eight pages , the Publisher has determined on and afte April 3 rd permanently to enlarge it to Twenty

Pages , except during the period of the Masonic recess , when Sixteen pages will probably suffice for the current hebdomadal news and reports . In addition to this change , the Publisher intends

to print the Freemason , on and after April 3 rd , with entirely New Type , to use Better Paper , and to give a Coloured Wrapper , like the one recently made use of , which has been much appreciated by his numerous readers .

Under these circumstances , the Publisher has also necessarily determined to increase the price of the Freemason to Threepence , but to deliver it post-free to subscribers , and feels convinced , from

the experience of the past and present , that he may rely in the future on the same cheerful patronage and the same unflinching support , which have cheered his earnest efforts to place in the hands and before the minds of his readers a

readable , an intelligent , a respectable Masonic paper , a true reflection in its " outcome " of the real principles and right practice of Freemasonry . All present subscribers will receive to the close of the time of their paid subscription the

Freemason at the present price . All subscribers from the 3 rd of April can have the Freemason posted to them post-free at the

following rates : — „ .,,,.. , r Unite- States lndia . Chlna , Austra-United Kingdom . Cana . la ^ th ^ Conti . lia > Ne ' . _|„ -d > & c , 13 s . 15 s . ' 6 d . 17 s . 6 d .

Kenning's Masonic Cyclopædia.

KENNING'S MASONIC CYCLOP ? DIA .

It having been forcibly represented to Bro . George Kenning that the present price of his "Masonic Cyclopa : dia " has acted as a " deterrent" to many of the Craft , and that a lower amount might induce many brethren to purchase so compendious and complete a work of Masonic reference , he has determined , in order to meet these representations and extend the study of Masonic Literature

to make a considerable sacrifice as well as a liberal offer to the Cosmopolitan Craft . If he can receive the names of 2000 brethren at 5 s . 6 d . each , he will issue , early in May , the " Masonic Cyclopa : dia , " in a plain cloth binding , and post free to all such subscribers . The subscription list will remain open until May ist .

As this is a bona fide offer it will not be repeated , for the advantage to the subscribers is so great as not to require f uther remarks . Bro . Kenning has still copies of the 10 s . 6 d . issue on hand in the original binding . A circular will , in proper course , be sent to all the lodges , and names may be transmitted forthwith to Bro . W . Lake , 198 , Fleet-street , London ,

E . C . If the applications for thc new issue should render it necessary , the book may be delivered even before May .

The Freemason.

THE FREEMASON .

SATURDAY , MAR . 20 , 1880 ,

AFTER the meeting on Thursday week , and the remarks of the D . G . M . and Bro . Lord Rosslyn , we confess that , in our opinion , as regards this new association , call it by what name you will , " Othello ' s occupation ' s gone . " We have always

seen the difficulty of a fourth Masonic Charity , and have realized the danger of these enlarged beneficiary schemes as making our Order a great benefit society . We cannot be insensible to the fears and objections of so many leading brethren

and old Masons , and must , therefore , be understood as withdrawing all that we have said in favour of a scheme which has so outrun its originally modest dimensions , and its avowed object . We cannot now profess or propose to support it .

* * THE observations of the D . G . M . and Lord Rosslyn , and the communication of the Pro G . M . at the recent meeting for the proposed Pupils' Assistance Fund at Freemasons' Hall

deserve very serious consideration . The enlarged basis of the so-called " Pupils' Assistance Fund " is , in our opinion , a very great mistake . To grant subsidies to all unsuccessful candidates is an incentive to an increased number of cases ,

and the difficulty that both looms in the distance and confronts us even more closely day by day is the great evil of Freemasonry becoming an enormous benefit society . Against such deteriorating influences we ought all carefully be on

our guard . We think that the scheme must soon fall through , and had better be given up . Having said what it seems our bounden duty to say , we cannot pass over Bro , Dick RadcliflVs

exertion without a word of praise . He deserves much sympathy for his zeal and efforts , and though the " verdict" of the Craft is undeniably adverse to his scheme , of his good intentions no one doubts .

IT will be remembered that we originally supported the scheme of the Royal Masonic Pupils ' Assistance Fund , on the only , in our view , defensible ground , that of scholarships and

exhibitions to deserving candidates , but we cannot approve of a scheme now which , as we see it , must weaken the other Institutions , and tend to " pauperize" our candidate , and seriously to affect thewhole system of Masonic Charitv .

* * THE facts recorded in this paper relative to the Masonic emblems on the base of Cleopatra ' s

Needle , as mentioned by Lieut . Gorringe , and kindly forwarded to us by Bro . Joshua Nunn , deserve to be carefully conned over and considered by all Masonic students .

* * IN the "Masonic Magazine" for April will appear an interesting paper relative to Masons ' Marks 1 China .

The Freemason.

As regards Masonic Halls , we have for 10 „ years advocated their erection , and we congtat u late the Canterbury Freemasons on the fact

We think , however , that the proposed accotj ' modation is too limited , as there should alway ^ be provision for a ball or lecture room , so as t 0 retain tho lodge room as dedicated to the service of Masonry , for Masonry alone .

* * OUR readers will peruse elsewhere with much pleasure the eloquent oration of Bro . Rev . Dr Mangan at the laying of the foundation-stone Q | the new Masonic Hall at Canterbury .

* IT is amusing to note how perseveringly errors in our Masonic history are perpetuated " , and even with the best intentions in the world . Bro , Mangan states that Henry VI . was initiated ina

lodge at Canterbury in 1447 . Unless the reve . rend doctor is in possession of documentary evi . dence of which we are ignorant , no historical proof is available of such a statement . Thete was a " Loge Latomorum " attached to Chris

Church , Canterbury , as appears by the regisler of Wm . Molash , in the Tanner MSS . J Bodleian Library , Oxford , and we know tfe names of the Master , Wardens , and the mem . bers . —See " Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia . " The stor ; 1 of Sir Thomas Sackyille is undoubtedly a myth , \

* OUR readers will note with pleasure that Hti Majesty has graciously signified her intention i conferring the honour of knighthood on ot distinguished brother , the President of tk Board of General Purposes .

* * THE prompt action of our excellent Gran : Treasurer in taking upon himself the payraeit of £ 500 voted by Grand Lodge to the Duches of Marlborough ' s Fund deserves to be noted t

the Freemason , and realized by those many to thren who hailed his fitting re-election to It * high and honourable office he holds , and whitj we hope he may be spared so worthily to fill ! many years . I

* * # I

WE have thought it well to publish elsewhere communication signed " S . M . M . C . O ., " frot an esteemed brother , in relation to the " Quaffi cations of a Grand Treasurer , " because we wet unwilling to seem to stifle free discussk

in the Freemason , though not insensible to & inconveniences of a correspondence which , U at it as you will , verges very closely on the " p » sonal . " It is but right and fair to remark , tha : " S . M . M . CO . " is hardly correct in terminc &

brethren alluded to " servants of the Craft . " 'Ihei are , no doubt , paid Secretaries of Masonic Insft tutions , but as members of Grand Lodge , b > virtue of their Masonic qualification , have eqm

rights as to speaking and making motions «* all other members . No doubt , in this spec * instance , something might be said on the - M * of " good taste . "

* * AT the Boys' School election , April 1 _ . h , tin * are twenty vacancies and seventy-nine can * dates . These are the sons , —and the contrast most strikingand we beg our readers to note *

, —of one clerk in holy orders , one com man * in the merchant service , three surgeons , thi * solicitors , seven master mariners , two chenn- ' - four contractors and builders , one planter , thi * commercial travellersone superintendent

, police , five licensed victuallers , one roan , engineer , one ecclesiastical glazier , two W keepers , one schoolmaster , one tallow chand ;' four merchants and agents , one inspector of P

and stationer , two pilots , one auctioneer , ° farmer , two house decorators , one fly roaS ' one confidential clerk , one ironmonger , one '' missionaire , one draper , one grocer , one asslS r . clerk , one gas engineer , two millers , one J ? .

sor and teacher of music , one pieservero £ ^ one chief carpenter ' s mate , one jewell e' ' i _ coal agent , one ship ' s upholsterer , ooe ' ^ one ship broker , one engineer , one ° . ' ^ tea dealer one mariner one provision ae 3 ' '