West Lancashire Institution.

Institution ; and Brother G . Broadbent was presented with a Life Governorship , the Chairman bearing testimony to the zeal and assiduity which had distinguished his work as Honorary Secretary . The ballot for eleven Life Governorships out of the list of 125

Stewards was then taken , the successful Brethren being as follows : Brothers E . Acton 241 , O . Schriener 594 , J . H . Eichards 1713 , E . Capper 241 , L . Winslow 32 , Smythe 1182 , W . E . Parry 1547 , J . J . Brown 1505 , G . Eyton 2215 , A . Pemberton 1264 , and Dr . Philpot 241 . There were further twenty-two Life Governors to

be elected from the 111 Patrons , and the ballot resulted in favour of Brothers J . Lyons , Dr . Bickerton , W . Watt , G . Broadbridge , B . Lipson , E . H . Leake , E . G . Bradley , John

Christie , H . Brooks , J . Duncan , Eev . C . C . Blewett , W . H . C . Trense , J . F . Beaufort , Dr . E . F . Hall , W . W . Rutherford , Hinton Spalding , E . Pierpoint , E . Sherwood , 0 . Birchall , W Allison , G . B . Lockett , and S . Howard .

A cordial vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman and the executive Officers for their services in connection with the ball , and , after this compliment had been acknowledged in eloquent terms by Brother Dr . Crawford , the proceedings terminated . — " Liverpool Mercury . "

The annual report of the West Lancashire Educational Institution , which will be issued in the course of a few days , shows , says the " Preston Herald , " that the charity continues to secure the hearty support of the Brethren throughout the Province , and that by its instrumentality much good work is being accomplished .

Subjoined is the text of the report prepared by the Committee : — " We have once more the pleasure of submitting to you the statement of accounts for the past year , and also of congratulating you , and all interested , on the very satisfactory position which the Institution continues to maintain . The donations and

subscriptions from Lodges , Chapters , Brethren , & c , during the past year , amounted to £ 1 , 070 16 s lOd ; interest on investments , £ 774 12 s 6 d ; legacy , £ 25 ; and also the sum of £ 42 13 s 4 d from friends and relatives of children formerly on the foundation , making a total of £ 1 , 913 2 s 8 d from these sources . The annual

ball , held at the Liverpool Town Hall , in January 1895 , realised the very satisfactory surplus of £ 306 2 s lOd , showing a great improvement on the three preceding ones . The total income for the year therefore is £ 2 , 219 5 s 6 d . Several of our dock and other bonds having expired , we have to re-invest the amounts in lower

rates of interest , which , we regret , will somewhat reduce our permanent income . The number of children now on the foundation is 231 , of whom 156 are on the educational fund , 46 on the combined fund , and 29 on the advancement fund , showing a large increase upon that of the previous year . The total

expenditure under these headings is £ 1 , 473 9 s 9 d ; but to which must be added the yearly proportion of eight presentations in the hands of the Institution , £ 181 5 s , making a total of £ 1 , 654 14 s 9 d . We regret to note the fact that no fewer than 38 Lodges omit to make any return whatever , amongst them having 18 children on

the foundation , at a cost of £ 97 12 s 8 d . We continue to receive from the relatives and friends of the children expressions of the greatest gratitude and satisfaction . And in the knowledge that so vast an amount of good is being done by keeping this large

number of recipients in a respectable position—free from any appearance of charity—we trust the Brethren will long continue to enable us to carry on this good work , which is yearly increasing , and will need all our efforts to keep the Institution in front of all Masonic Institutions in the country . "

Exeter Charities Association.

EXETER CHARITIES ASSOCIATION .

THE Exeter Masonic Chanties Association , in the report for 1895-6 , states that although unable to report any great amount of progress during the past year , four additional shares have been taken , which brings the total number to sixty-four . The proprietors of these shares represent eleven distinct Lodges or Chapters , the shares being held in some cases by the Lodge

or Chapter itself . The Association has been found to be a practical and convenient method of obtaining a permanent interest in the various charities , and it is wholly without any element of risk , the only uncertainty being the precise time when the appropriation is secured . During the year six appropriations

of five guineas each have been made . The contributions through this Association to the various Charities now amount to £ 120 15 s —Benevolent Institution twenty guineas , Boys Institution forty guineas , Girls Institution thirty-five guineas , Devon Educational Fund five guineas , Fortescue Annuity Fund fifteen guineas .

For the benefit of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , a Cinderella will be given at the King ' s Hall of the Holborn Restaurant , on Friday , 24 th inst . Tickets may be had of Bro . H . Kemp , 7 and 8 Thavies Inn , Holborn Circus .

Acts, Not Words.

ACTS , NOT WORDS .

AEE all of our distressed worthy Brothers properly provided for ? Are the sobs of the widow and the wails of hungry orphans soothed with peace and plenty ? Are the secrets of a Brother securely guarded in faithful breasts ? is the fallen raised gently , and are those sweet words of counsel whispered in his

ear ? Is the welfare of a Brother remembered in our invocations to God ? Do we join in promoting each other ' s welfare and rejoicing in each other ' s prosperity , and do we practice out of the Lodge those great moral duties which are inculcated in it ?

These questions may appropriately be asked of one another , that all may see the designs upon the trestleboard whereby we . may pursue our labours . Acts , not words , count in this battle of life . " If you love your friend , let him know it while living . " How often may we see some poor , simple , unfortunate friend or

Brother struggling along the pathway of life , uncheered by sympathy or love , until at last he falls by the wayside , worn out and wasted . Then we see the poor cast-off casket of mortality tenderly cared for and laid to rest with all the pomp and .

observance of a beautiful ritual . An eloquent Brother has truly said : " I would not pluck one laurel from the brow of the worthy dead , or shorten one sentence in the glowing eulogy to their memory ; but I had rather give with loving hands a bunch of violets to my loving friend , than cover his grave with a garden of

roses . How much beautiful instruction we receive in Masonry that in itself should animate us with a desire to perform well our

parts ! Let us then take up our Lodge work with a will , and re-kindle the fires of enthusiasm wherever they may be extinguished , and let us by the exercise of companionship and Brotherly love prove

that" We meet upon the level , though from every station come . The king from out his palace , and the poor man from his home ; For the one must leave his diadem outside the Mason ' s door , And the other finds his true respect upon the chequered floor . " By a faithful adherence to the lessons taught us in the

Lodge , by a firm reliance upon our Supreme Grand Master , and by a strict obedience to the injunctions contained in that great light upon our altar , we may confidently expect that our excellent

institution will escape a repetition of those disasters of old , and that Freemasonry will go down into futurity as a glorious vehicle for dispensing light throughout the length and breadth of the world . —C . C . Stevenson , in " Voice of Masonry . "

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GAIETY RESTAURANT , STZEo-A-ZtsTID . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and COLD)—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTATJBANT ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GRILL ROOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at If- per head ; served from 4 till 6 in RESTAURANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5-30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) and a la Carte . In this room the Viennese Band performs from 6 till 8 . Smoking after 7-45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12-30 . PK 1 TATE DINING- K 00 MS FOE LARGE AND SMALL PAKTTES . SPIERS AND POND , Ltd ., Proprietors .