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Important Notice . The " Freemasons' Magazine" having ceased to exchange with the " Bauhutte , " I now receive THE FREEMASON only , from which I translate all important news for my paper , and make use of historical facts and discoveries contained in its pages . My personal Masonic friends in England and Scotland and all Masonic authors will oblige me , and at the same time do a service to the Craft , if they publish all their articles in THE FREEMASON exclusively , which is now THE medium for me to become acquainted masonically with all that is going on in Great Britain and Ireland . J . G . FINDEL . Leipsig , 21 st December , 1869 .

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To ADVERTISERS . '"T'HE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being - *¦ now at the rate of nearly Ilalf-c . -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 The Freemason is now the accepted organ ofthe Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonics and foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium ean 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 . FLETCHER BRENNAN , 114 , Mainstreet , Cincinnati , Ohio . 1 , Messrs . WOODRUFF & BLOCIIKR , Little

Rock , Arkansas , U . S . CANADA : Messrs . DEVRIE & Sox , Ottawa . CAPE OF GOOD HOPE : Bro . GEORGE BRITTAIN , Cape Town . CEYLON * . Messrs . \ V . L . SKEESV . & Co ., Colombo . CONSTANTINOPLE : Br . J . L . HANLY , Lmant Times .

EAST INDIES : Allahabad : Messrs . WvMAN BROS . Jiyatlla : Bro . GEO . BEASE . Central Provinces : Bro . F . J . JORDAN . Kurraehee : Bro . ( j . C . BRAYSO . N . Madras : Mr . CALEB FOSTER . Mlroiu : Bro . COWASJKK NUSSERWANJEE .

Poona : Bro . W . WEI . LIS . GALATA : IPSICK KUAN . Perche-Bajar . LIBERIA : Bro . HENRY D . BROWN , Monrovia . PARIS : M . DKCHEVAUX-DUMESNII ., Rue de llarlaydu-Palais , 20 , near the Pont Neuf ; Editor Le Franc-Macon . And all Booksellers and Newsagents in England , Ireland , and Scotland .

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| Urtljs , Utarrtirges , mxit § tnfyn .. nmrir . DvKK .--January 10 th , at Alexandra-villa , Fairfield , thc . Wife of Bro . G . Dyke , S . W ., Temple Lodge , 1094 , Liverpool , of a son .

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 mu » t be received not later than 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . Thc name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence . COCKER - MOUTH . —Yes ; unless he forfeits his rank by mis-conducl during his vear of office .

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Full reports of lhe interesting proceedings ou the reopening of St . Mary ' s Church , Ruflbrd ; the presentation to thc Grand Chaplain of England ; lhe Masonic Hall at Liverpool ; and accounts of meetings of the following lodges and chapters , next week : Lion and Lamb , 102 ,

London ; Union , 127 , Margate ; St . John ' s , 279 , Leicester ; Sincerity , 292 , Liverpool ; Harmony , 298 , Rochdale ; llibeniia , 597 , Holyhead ; Gilbert Grcenall , 1250 , Warrington j Rock Ferry , 12 S 9 , Cheshire ; Caveac Chaptei 176 , London ; King Edwin Chapter , 660 , Malton ; Kc .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , J ANUARY 15 , 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 . Thc Editor will pay careful attention to all JISS . entrusted to h ! m , but cannot undertake to return tbem unless accompanied by postage stamps .

A Plea For The Aged.

A PLEA FOR THE AGED .

A REVERENCE for old age is one ofthe most beautiful feelings of our nature , and it is one which at once commends itself to every right thinking mind . In ancient times , as

every schoolboy knows , the highest honours in many states , were reserved exclusively for those who had grown grey in years and wisdom . No man could be elected a senator

in Sparta until he had attained his sixtieth year , and no citizen under the age of thirty was allowed a vote in its legislative assemblies . We believe that in no society

existing at the present day is so much true respect paid to age and experience as in the Masonic Fraternity , and nothing more delights the hearts of the brethren generally ,

than to see labouring in their midst those patriarchs of thc Craft who have worked well and wisely in the past , and who still continue in the decline of life to guide and

assist their lodges in the pursuit of knowledge and virtue . But for some , unfortunately , old age signifies poverty , affliction and sorrow ; for some the approach of life ' s

wintry days wears a terrible aspect , when the strong hand and the eagle eye , the stalwart form and the active brain , arc alike weakened and dulled beneath thc strokes of time and care .

For thc aged poor , existence can have no charm ; for them all is gloom , unbrightcned by a single ray of comfort , ungladdened by a single spark of hope .

Can anything more saddening than such a prospect be imagined ? or can any spectacle more heart-rending appeal tothesympathics of the human breast ? Heaven be praised

it is not all darkness . There are many kind hearts in the world , and many willing hands to " raise up them that fall , " and to cherish those who are bowed down by want and

infirmities . In this great country , notwithstanding its prosperity and wealth , wc have a vast number of helpless poor , many of

whom have waged a grim warfare with poverty and disease during their whole lives , while there are others who at no remote

period , enjoyed thc comforts of affluence that are now grovelling in the lowest depths of desolation and despair . To alleviate this unutterable woe—to

remove thc intolerable burden of want so far as our poor old brethren are concern—edsuchare the objects of thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , which has

already accomplished an incalculable amount of good in this direction , and is destined , we trust , to achieve much more in the future . But the advantages of this admirable

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institution are not confined solely to aged Masons themselves . The widows of deserving brethren are also provided for—thus clearly evincing , that if the fair sex are

excluded from the labours of the Craft , they are not debarred from participating in its more tangible benefits . It may not be amiss to give a slight sketch of the origin of this beneficent institution .

Bro . Robert Crncefix , Past Grand Deacon , a most zealous Mason , was the first to suggest the propriety of founding an asylum for the reception of brethren in their old age . The

project was , however , opposed by some who fancied it would operate to the disadvantage of the Masonic Schools , and by others on the plea that it tended to make

Freemasonry a benefit society . But the humanity and justice of the scheme were so apparent , that it eventually commended itself to the support of the Craft , and it is

pleasing to record that even those who disapproved of the asylum on technical grounds , established concurrently the system of granting annuities to aged and distressed

Freemasons . His late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , was the chief promoter of the latter institution , which he suggested

in 1842 , and in May , 1843 , the first election took place , when fifteen brethren were elected annuitants on thc fund . Since that

period , owing to the munificent subscriptions received , no less than two hundred and ninetyeight poor brethren have been succoured in their hour of penury and distress through the medium of this excellent charity .

In 1850 , the amalgamation of the Asylum and Annuity Funds was effected under the auspices of the present Most Worshipful Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , who has ,

happily , been spared to witness the entire success of the united institutions . In 1849 , under the same noble sanction , a branch for granting annuities to the widows of

deserving Masons was also added , ancl in May , 1851 , the first election was held , when five were chosen as the first recipients of the annual grants . The progress of this branch

is indicated by the fact that no less than one hundred and nineteen widows have experienced its benefits , of which number sixty-nine were living at the last election in

May , 1869 , there being also seven widows receiving half the amount of their deceased husbands' pensions for three years , in accordance with one ofthe laws of the Institution .

During thc eight-and-twenty years of its existence this great Masonic Charity has had the advantage of Bro . William Farnficld ' s services as Secretary , and thc utmost

credit is due to him and to the Committee of Management for thc care with which they have husbanded the resources at their disposal . In Bro . James Terry , who is

otherwise favourably known forhis Masonic acquirements , thc Institution has likewise an efficient and zealous officer ; and in every sense of thc word the " Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution deserves the warmest support of the Craft . Forty-three thousand and fifty-four pounds paid away to our indigent and aged brethren , and to