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THE HERCULES , LEADENHALL STREET . J . F . NEADE , Proprietor , WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT , 119 Leadenhall Street , London , E . C . Excellent accommodation for Lodges of Instruction . The Confidence Lodge , No . 193 , meets at this establishment every Wednesday , at 7 o ' clock .

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G . /? . BO L LR N D , Wine and Spirit Merchant , " THE BLACK HORSE , " 19 Tottenham Court Road , London , W . WINES and SPIRITS of FINEST QUALITY . CIGARS of the CHOICEST BRRNDS .

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^ WILLIAM WILLSHIRE , $£ WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT , THE BRITANNIA , BERWICK STREET , OXFORD STREET , LONDON . Accommodation for Instruction Lodges and Good Clubs .

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H . T . STEVENS , High class Family Butcher , 19 High Street , Oxford Street , London , W . C . ( FACING TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD ) . Special Quotations given for Hotels , Restaurants and Clubs . Families waited on dally . Best EnsrMsh Meat .

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The Freemason ' s Chronicle . A Weekly Record of Masonic I-telligence . Published eyery Saturday , price 3 d . 18 s 6 d per annum , post free . — : o : — Scale of Charges for Advertisements . Back page ..... JE 10 10 0 Inside page - -- - - - - 880 General Advertisements , Trade Announcements , & c . ( narrow column ) - - - - - - 5 s per inch News column Advertiiements - ... . . i » por line Births , Marriages and Deaths - Is per line . ?' . Special terms for a series of insertions or particular positions .

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SATURDAY , 1 ST JUNE 1901 . w — — —

Masonic Conversazione.

MASONIC CONVERSAZIONE .

BRETHREN of the Devon Lodge , No . 1138 , Newton Abbot , lately held a most enjoyable conversazione . in the Masonic Hall . It was under the patronage of the Acting Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire Bro . Major G . C . Davie P . G . D . Eng ., Bro . the Right Hon . Earl of Halsbury ,

Lord Chancellor , P . G . Warden Eng ., and the best known West-country Masons . The arrangements were in every way admirable , as they always are at Newton Abbot , and the programme was carried through with much spirit . There was a large attendance of Brethren and lady friends from the

town and district . The proceeds were to go to the provision of curtains for the W . M . ' s chair , the surplus to be applied to the Devon Aged Widow Fund . Proceedings commenced as early as 6 . 30 , with a lecture ^ on the "Old Charges" of the Cathedral builders in relation to the Free h and Accepted

Masons of Great Britain and Ireland from 1300 to 1900 . It was delivered by Bro . W . J . Hughan , of Torquay , P . S . G . D . of England P . S . G . W . of Egypt P . Prov . G . Secretary and P . P . S . G . W . of Cornwall . The lecture had special reference to the continuity of Freemasonry during the last five centuries ,

and was illustrated by a number of facsimilies of old charges dating from the fourteenth century . Some of these were in book form , while others were in rolls , as originally used by the building Fraternity . Bro . Hughan stated that when he

began the study of these curious MSS ., nearly forty years ago , there were only about a dozen copies known to be in existence . Since then , with the aid of other diligent students , he had traced something like seventy of them . All of them

Masonic Conversazione.

had been reproduced , and more than half he had copied . The oldest minutes known were dated 1599 . From that date to the present time there was abundant evidence of the activity of Lodges , either under Grand Lodges or working separately . The Grand Lodge of England , which was the

oldest , largest , and most charitable under the sun , had been in existence nearly 200 years . Until recently it was presided over by his Majesty the King , who , since his accession to the throne , had graciously consented to become Protector . His Majesty had been succeeded by his brother , the Duke

of Connaught , who was to be installed in the third week in July in the Royal Albert Hall , London . Brother Hughan mentioned that that morning he received information that his Majesty had accepted a copy of the latest reproduction of one of the old charges recently discovered . In an

anteroom there was an interesting exhibition of Masonic curios , lent by Bro . F . J . W . Crowe , of Torquay . The exhibits included a collection of jewels , aprons , and diplomas . Some of the aprons were extremely elaborate and curious , having

been collected from all parts of the world . The collection of diplomas was also very fine , this branch of research being one in which Bro . Crowe holds a unique position , no other collection in the world being so complete . A concert followed the lecture , and dancing succeeded .

Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

A SPECIAL Masonic Service was held on the 12 th ult ., in Clontarf Parish Church , and was largely attended b y members of the various local Lodges . Full regalia was worn .

. The preacher was the Lord Bishop of Down and Connor , who founded his sermon on some verses from the 133 rd Psalm , commencing " Behold , how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity . ' At the end of an impressive sermon His Grace said he was addressing that

evening a body of men who might be- described by the very words of the text . They knew each other as Brothers . They were bound together in bonds of amity and love . The Confraternity exercised great gifts of charity . But it did not recommend itself so much to him on that account as that

it took away prejudice ; it took away the barriers which rose between man and man ; it brought men together . The teaching of the Confraternity was that all mankind was one . It taught its members to do good in the world . Such a body was greatly to oe admired and encouraged . Its members

were not taught to cast aside any convictions that they held in their hearts as regarded religion or anything else . But they were all to be ready to hold forth a helping hand to a Brother , to assist him in his necessity , and at all times show him their goodwill and affection .

What he wished specially to refer to was the assistance given to distressed Brother Masons and to Widows and Orphans . In the year that our late beloved Queen celebrated the Jubilee of her reign , the Victoria Jubilee Fund was founded as a memorial of that happy circumstance , and it

had been increasing in success year by year , till at present he believed its income was £ 750 . There were twenty-seven annuitants on the roll , half being Brothers and the other half being Widows of deceased Brothers . He very earnestly appealed to the congregation to give their help on such an

occasion . He prayed that the spirit of heavenly love might descend upon every heart , that everyone might exhibit that which was so precious and beautiful in the sight of God , that there might be amongst them all that Brotherly unity for which we were created by the Almighty hand of God .

I he collection was taken up in aid of the fund mentioned by the preacher , his appeal being most generously ' responded to by those present .

****************** " M . A . P ., " referring to the proposed nomination of Bro . F . G . Ivey for the position of Grand Treasurer of the Mark Degree , says that Brother is well-known in mercantile circles as a recognised authority on all matters connected with the

coffee industry—a branch of commerce with which he has " been associated for upwards of thirty years . He will be remembered as having rendered a most important service to

British importers some few years since by a visit of inspection to the chief coffee-growing centres of the world , a visit fraught with the most valuable results alike to buyers and consumers of " the aromatic berry , " as reporters would say ,