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NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS . The Office of Tim FREEMASON is now transferred to 198 , FLEET STREET , E . C . All communications for the Editor or Publisher should therefore be forwarded to that address .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

—»—DEATH . TlNNEY . —On the 15 th instant , the Mother of Bro . \ V . A . Tinney , I . G . Lodge of Asaph , No . 1319 , aged 52 years .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

— - « . All communications for TUB F REEMASON should be written legiHy On one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number ,- must be received not Liter than 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence . IS " . —Although wc agree with your strictures upon the conduct of the individual referred to , we think it advisable not to publish your letter . As lo the satellite , wc do not break hullerlles upon the wheel , and therefore prefer letting liim remain in the obscurity which he is best litted to adorn .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , DI-XKMRKK 23 , 1871 . Tim FHKKMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for he early trains . The price THE FRKHMASON is Twopence per week ; annua subscription , TOS . ( payable in advance ) . All communications letters , & c , to ke addressed to the EDITOR 198 , Fleet-street , Ji . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him t cannot undertake o return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Tolerance.

TOLERANCE .

IN again welcoming the approach of Christmas , we cannot help contrasting , with a feeling of thankfulness , the concluding days of the year 1 S 71 with the gloomy close of its

predecessor , 1870 . Then , unhappy Prance was locked in a deadly struggle with her mightier adversary , and the thoughts of all were concentrated upon the wretched

condition of the beleaguered French capital . Now , we rejoice to say , the war clouds have passed away , and Europe once more enjoys the blessings of profound repose . Our

outlook for the future is therefore bright and cheerful ; nor arc we slow to remember that Freemasonry flourishes under the sheltering wings of peace , because it unquestionably

extends its influence through the medium of those progressive tendencies which arc obscured , if not obliterated , by warfare . It wov'd bo too pych to cj'P' . 'ct that the

Tolerance.

voice of strife is for ever hushed , but every day of peace is a day gained ; and let us hope that , as the work of civilisation

advances , men ' s minds will become enlightened to their true interests , and we shall then hear no more of fighting for a frontier , or of devastating for an idea .

In our remarks last year we claimed for Freemasonry a high place in the world ' s regard , not only as the representative of peace , but because within the circle of

genuine fraternity war cannot exist . The spread of Freemasonry must , in time , abolish bloodshed , and , hence , every lover

of humanity should note its progress with pleasure . Yet , strange to say , the leaders of the Roman communion denounce

out-Order , under the delusion that it is anti-Christian and revolutionary in its designs . There never was a greater mistake , so far as genuine Freemasonry is concerned . It is true that the Masonic Institution is

tolerant , and does not attempt to define the creed of any of its members . With " universality " inscribed on its banners , the Order is ready to receive the good and

worthy of every religious system ; but Atheists , or scoffers , are rigidly excluded . A bond of union has thus been created which would never otherwise have existed

between men of different opinions ; but the union is for honest purposes , and the influence wielded is exerted for the common good . To students of Masonic history , the

present hostility of the leaders of the Roman Church to Freemasonry is somewhat astonishing , when it is remembered how closely the builders of the middle ages

were associated with the ecclesiastics in the erection of those magnificent structures which remain to tin ' s day as monuments of wisdom , strength , and beaut } -.

Considerable prominence has been given to this subject , in consequence of the recent publication of certain old manuscripts , which prove that our mediiuval brethren swore

allegiance to " God and to holy Church ;" and the whole question has been exhaustively treated in the report of a Committee appointed by the Grand Lodge of

Massachusetts to investigate the origin of certain allusions in the ritual of Freemasonry which were deemed sectarian by a number of Hebrew brethren . The Committee found

that the " allusions referred to evidently were of a Christian character , and their investigations established the fact that Christian symbols had been used in Masonic

lodges from time immemorial , upon this the Committee very justly remark : — " It will be conceded , that at no modern time has Freemasonry been practised in this country ,

or in England , without a ritual of a religious character , reverential to the Grand Architect of the Universe . To adhere to it as we received it is to keep our faith with the fathers , and

maintain the landmarks . The petitioners formally ask only this , but a considerably body of French and other writers insist that all references to Christianity should be excluded , whether they

are ancient or not . The field of argument includes both positions . The evidence that Freemasonry , after 1717 , did continue many Christian symbols and usages , is very strong ; and n . 'thi'i ' . r offered , to vour committee h :: 5

Tolerance.

weakened the faith due to our traditions . We shall return to this again . Conceding , then , ; that some Christian usages are found among our Craft in our traditions , ought we to stamp them as unmasonic , and expel them ? It has been

distinctly put to us by an acute and learned Israelite brother , that as they are offensive to him as an Israelite , we ought to exclude them . If that is a sufficient reason , what will become of our society ? A Christian may ask that allusion

to King Solomon shall be expunged , because he was a Jew . Another may ask all allusions to Hiram to be effaced , because he was a Pagan . The Trinitarian may ask that the Grand Architect of the Universe shall only be addressed in

His triune of the character . The resurrection from the dead stands no better . Every particle of our religious ritual and symbols must fall under the same axe , and the Masonry we have received be extinguished . "

We need scarcely add that we quite agree with our American brethren in their conclusions , for , really , the principle of elimination can be pushed to an absurd point . So long as religious or political discussions

are excluded from the lodge , no man need take offence at an allusion or symbol which may possibly bear an interpretation not quite in accordance with his own theological

convictions ; and we cannot see that the real " universality " of the Craft is endangered by the retention of phrases bearing upon either the Jewish or the Christian faith .

It is , at least , singular to find that , while the advocates of free ' thought in our Body desire to abolish those references to Chris , tianity , the dignitaries of the Roman Catholic Church denounce the Society as

anti-Christian — the fact being , that the words used in our ceremonies have been handed down from an age when the priests themselves bore sway in the lodges , and used the very language of which they now

profess to complain . Both sides have something to learn , and the lessons wc would especially enjoin arc peculiarly applicable at this happy season of the

yearwhether to Christians or to non-Christians —let us all endeavour to enforce the practice of tolerance , and the exercise of a more comprehensive spirit of charity towards our fellow-men .

H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales.

H . R . H . the PRINCE of WALES .

WE are happy to state that the progress of our Royal Past Grand Master towards convalescence continues uninterrupted , and wc trust his Royal Highness will speedily be restored to vigorous health .

BRO . W . J . HUGIIAN , of Truro , Cornwall , will be very glad to hear from any brethren who possess , or know of , minutes of lodges , or copies of MS . Constitutions , of an older date 'than A . n . 1720 . Our well-known and

highly-esteemed Brother is now engaged in preparing another work for the press , which we believe will pay especial attention to the MS . Constitutions of the Freemasons , and has in his possession several copies of these

ancient and valuable documents , which he will publish for the first time . He is particularly anxious to have every information obtainable with respect to these manuscripts in the possession of lodges and brethren , as soon as possible .