Address To Our Readers.

ADDRESS TO OUR READERS .

THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE

AND MASONIC MIBBOE .

WITH onr present number another volume is closed , and we trust it will be regarded by onr subscribers as containing a fairreflex of tbe proceedings of tbe Craft during tbe past six months—a period in which Freemasonry bas made considerable progress , find during which nothing has occurred to disturb the harmony of

the Craft . With the close of the lirst half of the year Ave to some extent take leave of onr London brethren for three or four months , whilst our Provincial brethren will lie brought more immediately before the Craft through the

medium of their Provincial Grand Lodges , the meetings of which have jus ' c commenced , The most gratifying feature of the half year , and one upon which wc most sincerely congratulate the brethren , is the great and unparalleled success of the Masonic Festivals—the three Charities having been

benefited to the extent of nearly seven thousand pounds , through the exertions of the Stewards and the l iberality of the brethren . Such a , result is the more gratifying because the country brethren are now fairly taking their place at the labouring oar , and some of the heaviest lists of subscriptions have come from the Provinces , where the universality and value of our benevolent institutions—alike for the old and the

youngarc becoming better understood and appreciated . We believe we may without undue vanity take some part of the credit , of this to ourselves ; for one of the chief missions of the Free-masons'' Magazine , under its present management , lias been to extend a knowledge of the advantages of these Institutions , and by making them better known , to add to the support which wc were aware they were at all times sure to receive from Freemasons ' if their claims to support wero properly brought before them , Indeed we are convinced that until within the