Address To Our Readers.

ADDRESS TO OUR READERS .

5THE . EBEEMASONS MAGAZINE

AND MASONIC MIRROR .

Notwithstanding the Allocution hm-led against it by the Pope ; Freemasonry still " rolls its ceaseless course . " Each volume that we send forth bears evidence in its pages of the growing interest felt by the uninitiated , as well as by the brethren themselves , in our ancient and noble Order . From every attack made upon it , it has emerged purer and brighter ; nay , the very enmity of its antagonists has been turned into a blessing , for , able champions have thereby been drawn forth to testify on its behalf

that it is indeed what it professes to be—the handmaid and friend of religion ; morality , and charity ; in short , of everything noble and loveable .

Among the Masonic works that have appeared since the issue of our last half-yearly volume , we may mention " Papal Teachings in Freemasonry , " by our reverend and learned Bro . Dr . Oliver , and Bro . Finder ' s " History of Freemasonry "—the latter a work which has been reviewed at length in our columns . We may , perhaps , be allowed to sum up here what we have thought of it . Although it is , in many respects , a very meritorious publication , we have felt ourselves compelled to take exception

to the theory which it propounds as to the origin of Freemasonry . We have also been obliged to find fault with the manner in which its translation into English has been rendered , the style being unidiomatic , and the mistakes being neither few nor unimportant . We trust , however , that , in this respect , improvements will be effected in a future edition .

We may mention here that it is our intention to render the department of the MAGAZINE devoted to Reviews as interesting as possible . Every new work , whether Masonic or non-Masonic , that may be forwarded to us , we shall notice with fairness and strict impartiality . We shall also endeavour to keep our brethren an courant with the literature , science , and art of the day . It is but right to state that we shall Avage unceasing war against every attempt to eliminate the

true Christian element from the Craft , as we believe that , in so doing , we are only acting in accordance with the genius of English Freemasonry . Our Charities continue to flourish , and the Craft is , on the whole , in a most satisfactory condition . As regards our magazine , we be ^ to express our best thanks to our subscribers and contributors for

the support which they have given us . We assure them that no effort will be wanting on our part , to make the organ of the Craft in this country worthy of their continued and extended . patronage , and of the position which it happily occupies , as the medium of intercourse between the members of one of the most powerful and influential bodies in the kingdom , we may say , in the world . And here