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To ADATERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate o { nearly Balf-a-million per annum , it offers peculiar facilities to all who advertise . It is well known that the Fraternity of Freemasons is a large and constantly increasing body , mainly composed of the influential and educated classes of society ; and as T he Freemason is now the accepted organ of the Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonies And foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium can scarcely be overrated . For terms apply to GEORGE KENNING , 2 , 3 , & 4 , LITTLE BRITAIN , LONDON , E . C .

Foreign And Colonial Agents.

Foreign and Colonial Agents .

—«~—AMERICA : Bro . J . FLETCHERBRENNAN , 114 , Mainstreet , Cincinnati , Ohio . „ Messrs . AVOODRUFF & BLOCKER , Little Rock , Arkansas , U . S .

CANADA : Messrs . DEVRIE & So . v , Ottawa . CAPE OF GOOD HOPE : Bro . GEORGE BRIM TAIN , Cape Town . CEYLON : Messrs . AV . L . SKEENE & Co ., Colombo . CONSTANTINOPLE : Br . J . L . HANLY , Levant Times .

EAST INDIES : Allahabad : Messrs . AVYMAN BROS . Bombay : Bro . M . B . COHEN . Byculla : Bro . GEO . BEASE . Central Provinces : Bro . F . J . JORDAN . Kurrachee : Bro . G . C . BRAYSON . Madras : Mr . CALEB FOSTER .

Mhow : Bro . COWASJEE NUSSERWANJEE . Poona : Bro . AA \ AA ' ELLIS . GALATA : IPSICK KHAN , Perche-Bajar . LIBERIA : Bro . HENRY D . BROWN , Monrovia . PARIS : M . DECIIEVAUX -DUMESNIL , Rue de Harlaydu-Palais , 20 , near the Pont Neuf ; Editor Le

Franc-Macon . WEST INDIES : yamaica : Bro . J A . D . SOUZA , Falmouth . Trinidad : Bros . S . CARTER and J . LEWIS , 3 , Abercrombie-strect , Port of Spain ; and Bro . AV . A . KERNAHAN , San Fernando . And all Booksellers and Newsagents in England , Ireland , and Scotland .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTH . FLUNKET . —On the 1 st inst ., at the Old Connaught House , Bray , Ireland , the wife of the Hon . and Rev . AVm . C . Plunket , Grand Chaplain of G . L . of Ireland , of a son .

MARRIAGE . DUNDAS—AVOOD . —On the 2 nd inst ., at S . Paul's church Knightsbridge , by the Hon . and Rev . Charles Leslie Courtnay , Canon of AA'indsor and Vicar of Bovey Tracey , Bro . John Charles Dundas , nephew and heir presumptive of the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , P . G . Master of England , to Alice Louisa , second daughter of Viscount Halifax-.

DEATH . TAYLOR . —On the 3 rd inst ., at Cockermouth , aged 64 , Dorothy , relict of the late Mr . John Taylor , and mother of Bro . W . Taylor , S . W . Skiddaw Lodge , No . 1002 .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All communications for THE FREEMASON should be written legibly , on one side of the paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number must be received not later 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 .

M . —The creditor of a lodge cannot set off his subscription against the amount due to him by the lodge , unless there was an understanding to that effect at the time the debt was contracted ; bin surely no body of men would disfranchise a member to whom they were wn . ler pectir . ary obligations , upon such technical grounds .

BKO . ANTHONY . — We will obtain copies of the rules of the Masonic Charities in England , and send them to your address . BRO . W . K . S . MIIII . —Any Present or Past AVardcn , who has served for twelve months , is eligible for election to the Master ' s chair .

The War.

THE WAR .

General Mellintt , Ex-Grand Master of France , has offered his services lo the French Minister of AA ' ar . The Duke of Manchester , Prov . Grand Master for Norths an . l Hunts , left London on Monday night for the head-quarters of the Pmasian army . On the Committee of the International Association for the relief of lhe sick and wounded soldiers in the present war , we observe the names of several brethren and amongst them the Rev . G . R . Portal , G . Master of the Mark Lodge , and Lord Elliot , P . S . G . AVardcn of England .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , AUGUST 13 , 1870 .

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THE FREEMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The price of THE FREEMASON is Twopence per week ; quarterly subscription ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annual Subscription , 12 s . Subscriptions payable in advance . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR 2 , 3 , and 4 , Little Britain , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

"L'Union Fait La Force."

"L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE . "

WE believe that few will be found to dissent from the obvious truth of the saying at the head of this article . It is a motto which all can appreciate and commend ,

but how seldom do we find it assuming its rightful place as a guiding principle in the affairs of life . It is true that at a great crisis the magnificent power of " unity "

is occasionally recognised , as , for instance , when we see nations rise as one man to repel aggression , all minor differences being merged in the one sublime impulse of

patriotism . But on the other hand , history records the melancholy fact , that intestine tumults and internecine broils have

sometimes prevailed in states , even when they hovered on the brink of ruin through the attacks of foreign foes .

Now , the vast Fraternity of Freemasons —a federation of men from the north , east , southandwest—presents a splendid illustration of the maxim that union is strength .

By a community of feeling and a reciprocity of sentiment , the Fraternity are joined together in one unbroken chain of harmony . The heart of a true Mason in Europe vibrates

in accord with the heart of every worthy brother on the face of the globe . By ties that are stronger than those of kindred , he is linked in an " indissoluble bond" of

brotherhood to the Free and Accepted Mason of every country and clime ; and it is the universality of this friendship and

alliance which constitutesone of the greatest charms of Freemasonry , in addition to its being the primary source of her influence and power . The laws of the ancient Craft are based

upon the advantages of association for the attainment of worthy objects . They demonstrate the supreme utility of union to effect those objects , and they deprecate in

a corresponding ratio , all attempts to sow dissension or discord between the brethren . It should , therefore , be the constant aim of every Freemason to foster and sustain the

spirit of harmony , and , to quote the impressive language addressed to Royal Arch Principals , it becomes his duty to " promote a good understanding and

permanent union amongst all Orders or degrees of Freemasonry . " With these precepts strongly impressed upon our mind , wc have advocated the establishment of

amicable relations between the various Masonic Jurisdictions at present existing in England , and the wisdom of adopting such

a course of procedure has never been seriously questioned . Wc arc now happily in a position to report that the first step has been taken to accomplish this desidera-

"L'Union Fait La Force."

tum , and we have equal pleasure in recording that to the Rev . Bro . G . R . PORTAL , Grand Master of the Mark Grand Lodge , the credit is mainly due for initiating the movement .

A treaty of mutual recognition and support , which in no sense whatever compromises the principles , or interferes with the freedom of either jurisdiction , has just been

arranged between the Grand Council of the Red Cross Order and the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons ; the slight opposition which it encountered in the latter body

being evidently founded upon a misconception of its scope and design . There are many brethren in this country and in other lands , who although neither Mark

Masons nor Red Cross Knights , will yet be disposed to hail this treaty as an omen of union between the scattered Rites or Grades of Freemasonry . There are many who will

regard it as a hopeful sign of progress , and as a tribute to that growing intelligence which proclaims that co-operation means success , and that disunion is the forerunner

of innumerable evils , both in families and in nations . It is true that the unrecognised degrees in England are not numerically

powerful , but it is equally certain that they embrace within their fold a very large proportion of the intellectual men who are found in the ranks of Masonry .

We have no desire to debate the question as to the relative merits or antiquity of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , the Mark Degree , or the Orders of the Temple or Red

Cross , but there cannot be a doubt that all have been practised in England with more or less success for many years , and that all at the present moment are in a highly

prosperous position . The distinguished brethren who preside over these unrecognised grades are men of honour and tried Masons , and two at least—Bros . WILLIAM

STUART and Lord KENLIS—are Provincial Grand Masters in the Craft . Moreover , the principles by which these Orders are governed are tolerably well known , with

perhaps , the exception of the Red Cross Order , which is not so generally disseminated , although its revival has been attended with unparalleled success . We are now ,

however , enabled to gather from a document written by the late Bro . Waller Rodwell Wright , the Grand Master of the Order in 1806 , that the objects of the Red

Cross arc these , and all will agree that they are highly commendable : " To draw closer the bond of Masonic union , purify thesystem of Masonic science , expand its limits , and

increase its influence by combining such of its professors as arc best qualified by character and principle , respectability and influence , genius and talent , to effectuate

this great purpose . " " To combat infidelity and treason under whatever form existing , and promote by every human means the social happiness and eternal welfare of our

fellow-creatures . " The above are verbatim extracts from the original document , which has been confided to us for publication , and they will go far to prove that within the