West Lancashire Charities.

John J . Dunn , Preston , Irwin , Lancaster , and L . Challoner , St . Helens . Bro . E . H . Leake I . P . M . 1547 was re-elected Honorary Solictor , as were also Brothers Isaac Turner , W . E . Coxon , and J . Pittaway Auditors . The usual votes to the Chairman and the Officers were

passed . The same evening a meeting of Brethren interested in the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution was held for the purpose of making arrangements for the annual Festival and Ball in aid of the funds . The chair was taken by Brother Dr . B . P . Philpot W . M . 241 , the

vice-chair by Bro . T . Salter P . P . G . D ., and there was a large attendance . Bro . W . Simpson P . P . G . W . was elected Chairman of the ball committee , Bros . John Edwards P . M . 1182

Vice-chairman , W . Eawsthorue P . M .. 1132 Treasurer , and A . E . Povey S . W . 241 Secretary . It was resolved that the ball should be held at the Town Hall , Liverpool , on the second Tuesday in January , subject to the Lord

Mayor ' s convenience . A deputation was appointed to wait upon his lordship , and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman . — " Liverpool Mercury . "

Devon Educational Fund.

DEVON EDUCATIONAL FUND .

AT a special meeting of the subscribers to this fund at the Plymouth Freemasons' Hall , on Monday ,

Eobert Morris Colwill , aged nine , son of the late Bro . Frederick Colwill of Lodge 1135 ( Ilfracombe ) , and Alfred Betram Hearn , son of the late Bro . Alfred John Hearu of Lodge Metham 1205 ( Stonehouse ) were elected out of five candidates .

A Smart Lesson.

A SMART LESSON .

WE remember a case where a wearer of the purple was sent by the P . G . M . to visit and report upon a Lodge whose dinners were more famous than its Masonry . Hearing of this and suspecting no great

friendliness on the part of the visitor , arrangements were made accordingly . He turned up and was greeted effusively by the W . M ., but on attempting to enter the Lodge Boom was politely asked who was his sponsor . A letter from the P . G . M . was produced , but the W . M .

said that his obligation prevented him from allowing any visitor to enter not properly vouched for , & c , & c , & c . Bros . Smith , Jones and Eobinson were successively mentioned by the visitor as having sat in Lodge with him , but unfortunately none of these Brethren were

present . The W . M . then suggested that he should work his way in , and the P . G . Officer , smothering his indignation , was passed into a small room where a P . M . came to him , who began by causing him to swear that he had not been expelled , & c . This over , his G . L . certificate

was called for , and signatures compared , after which the examination began , and after about a quarter of an hour the P . M . informed the W . M . that the visiting Brother had certainly proved himself an E . A ., but did not seem to know much more . The W . M . at once proceeded to

open the Lodge in the second degree , and regrets were sent outside to the visiting Brother that , & c , and Bro . Sec . was at once instructed to inform the P . G . M . that a Brother styling himself a P . G . Officer and arrayed as such , and who was possessed of a G . L . certificate but

who was only an E . A ., had attempted to visit the Lodge under these false pretences . The moral of which little story is obvious . — " Indian Masonic Eeview . "

Masonic Degrees.

MASONIC DEGREES .

THEEE is a young Brother much exercised about what he calls the higher degrees . He wants to

attain Masonic eminence and is not sure in what Masonic eminence consists . It can scarcely be , he thinks , in the amount of jewellery with which he may deck his person , because he knows Bro . Brown , who was only initiated a short time ago , has already had to have

a special appendage made to his coat to carry the gold and silver with which he is bedecked . It cannot be the number of degrees , for Brother Jones , who was only a Master Mason some six weeks ago , and who ten weeks ago was in a s ... of d ... which was only dispelled by a

Masonic Degrees.

free use of dispensations , is already a Companion of the E . A . Chapter , a Secret Monitor , a M . M . M ., a Eoyal Ark Mariner , and next week will be balloted for admission to the Cryptic degrees , and our young friend , who is only a

M . M ., believes himself to be every whit as good a Mason as Bro . Jones , besides which it is a matter of common notoriety that Bro . Jones , in the course of his progress through these various degrees , was never able to prove himself a M . M . by signs .

I & it rank in Lodge ? If so , how does it happen that Wor . Bro . Eobinson became W . M . of his Lodge within fifty-four weeks of seeing the light , and only attended Lodge four times during the whole of that

period ? Is it Provincial Grand Eank ? Well , he has found by this time that promotion , whether from the E ., W ., or S ., is like the wind , which bloweth where it listeth . Our young Brother is pessimistic , and we beg to

assure him first of all that these cases are somewhat exceptional , and second , we will assist him to choose in what path he will seek eminence by discussing them all . — " Indian Masonic Eeview . "

A special Masonic service was held on Sunday afternoon in St . John ' s Church , Higher Broughton , says the " Manchester Guardian . " The sermon was preached by the Eev . E . Bigoe Bagot , rector of the Bishop Lee

Memorial Church , P . M . P . Z . Past Provincial Grand Chaplain of Lancashire and Cheshire , from Gal . v . 1 . and Eph . i . 8 . He said that the Catholic Church of Christ had throughout the world for 1 , 800 years received wonderful support from the independent witness of the Masonic Craft . The precious doctrines of the Faith ,

the existence of a Supreme Being , the reality of a future state , the authenticity of the sacred Scriptures , and the truth of the Incarnation were now questioned or denied . These were all symbolised in the principles and ritual of Freemasonry . In an age when morality was depreciated

and the public prints contained the unsavoury records of vice , impurity , sensuality , and crime , it was not a time to disband or weaken or discourage a great Society like Freemasonry , which put the law of God and the moral teachings of the Divine Word in the forefront of her ceremonies and rites . o o o

It is expected that Worthing will be honoured by a visit from H . E . H . the Duke of Connaught , as the Prov . Grand Master of Sussex , on Saturday , 17 th November , on the occasion of the Annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge at the Assembly Booms . It is believed

that this is the first occasion of a visit to Worthing by the Provincial Grand Lodge , says the " Sussex Daily News , " and the function will be rendered additionally

memorable by the anticipated visit of Eoyalty to that town . The meeting will be preceded by a luncheon , and it is expected that there will be a large attendance of members of the Craft .

We have a letter from a Brother who claims our sympathy in what he calls a case of oppression ( suppression seems more nearly to hit the mark ) . The Brother

had allowed his dues to accumulate for four months during which he had been absent , and on his return omitted to square matters . On a question being put to the vote about some matter of local interest , the Brother in question voted with the majority and the question was

carried by one vote . The W . M . proceeded to disallow our friend's vote , and the numbers then being equal , gave his casting vote the other way . Sharp practice possibly , and our lack of sympathy with the Brother must not be construed into admiration of the Master . — " Indian Masonic Eeview . "

o o o Our contemporary , " The Mallet , " records a recent answer to the question , " Are you a free man ? " as

causing general astonishment to the Brethren assembled ; the candidate replying , " No ! I ' m a married man . " Happily , dignity prevailed , says our contemporary , and the reputation of the Lodge was maintained . The

Brother knows better now , it is added , though still as proud as ever of not being a " free man . "