Multiple Membership And Lodge Dues.

Before we all meet again in District Grand Lodge in March next , I trust I shall have visited so many other Lodges , and havo seen so . many of our Punjab Brethren , that I shall then , when it becomes my duty to fill the appointments for the ensuing year , have but few names before me whoso merits I shall have to take upon trust . It is thus , Brethren , that I hope to verify the assurance given to you on the occasion of my installation .

I will now briefly refer to a few points which , in my opinion , are flaws in our community . Some of theso , I regret to say , are not restricted to our immediate District , but obtained in others in which I have worked both at home and abroad . The first is what I will characterise as an unwise expenditure of money iu becoming subscribing members of several Lodges . I know from personal experience that many of us who indulge in this popular outlay ate really unjustified in doing so , by reason of the precarious nature of our

positions and the utter absence of private means , or other income than that accruing from our trade or calling . As I speak these words , a sad instance of such folly will , I am sure , present itself to the minds of all tho members of this District Grand Lodge , whereby the wife and children of a well-known and popular member of several of our Lodges have been thrown upon our charity by the unfortunate Brother being suddenly deprived of his employment . I find that this Brother was a subscribing member of no less than three Craft Lodges , five Boyal Arch Chapters , four Mark Lodges , and four Boyal Ark Mariner Lodges .

Brethren , let this deplorable case be a warning to us all . I earnestly entreat you all to give this matter your careful attention . Let us all unite , and by practice , as well as precept , do our utmost to prevent such Ilasonic scandals re-oecurring in our District . Instead of encouraging , or in any way inducing , Brethren to enrol themselves as subscribing members of more Lodges than one , let us impress upon all married Brethren that their first and imperative duty is to ensure ,

for their wives and children , a permanent provision in the event of death , or other accident depriving them of their present income . And in regard to the celebates of our Fraternity , let us never fail to urge upon them how much kinder , more thoughtful , and infinitely more Masonic and unselfish it will be for them to give our Punjab Masonio Institution , which feeds , clothes , and educates tho children of our deceased and destitute Brethren , the money , I regret to say , so often now spent in this unfruitful , and to my mind objectless craze of subscribing to several Lodges .

Brethren , I am not now asking you to do what I have not seen wrong in myself without amending . I have already tendered my resignation to all the Lodges I belonged to , except tbat ot St . John the Evangelist , which meets at Mian Mir , where I permanently reside ; and the money I thus save shall be devoted to our local Charitable Institution .

There is yet another aspect of this question to which I must briefly refer , and that is the unbusiness-like nature of it . It would materially falsify our census at home if all those lucky rich people of Great Britian who , besides their houses in town , have two or more seats in the country , were counted in our census , as tho individual resident of each , yet this is practically what we are now doing Masonically in this District .

For instance , instead of my being counted as one Mason residing in our District , and subscribing to a Lodge therein , I am quadrupled by being returned by four different Lodges in the District ; so that I am not one but four . This needs no comment .

The next point to which I desire to draw attention is tho non-observance of our Constitutions and Bye-Laws , in allowing Brethren to run into arrears of dues . I wish it to be clearly understood that I shall hold Masters and Wardens of Lodges personally responsible in future , that this irregularity is not permitted . Our Constitutions rule that " the member who proposes a candidate is responsible to the Lodge for all the fees payable on account of the initiation , " and the Bye-Laws of most of our Lodges prescribe that all fees for affiliation , initiation , & c , shall be paid in advance .

Bulers of Lodges must enforce their Bye-Laws , and insist upon all members paying their subscriptions regularly every month or quarter . Laxity in this respect produces another result , namely , that Brethren , who would have no difficulty in paying the usual subscriptions to a Lodge , sometimes find it inconvenient to do so when the arrears accumulate , and represent a large sum of money . Again , members should recollect that the Lodge to which Ihey belong is maintained by subscriptions , and when they fail to pay these regularly their Lodge is being kept up on their behalf by others .

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

THE Midland Eailway Company announce that a general excursion will be run from St . Pancras on Saturday next , llth inst ., to the principal towns terved by their trains , the tickets being available for return the following Monday or Thursday . The weekly excursions for a fortnight in Ireland will bo continued each Frldav up to tho 24 fch inst ., while on the 10 th and 24 th trips are arranged to Belfast and the north of Ireland , and each Saturday , up to and including tho 25 th , to Londonderry . There are also other Irish trips open to thc traveller , and a tine service to the north of England , the English Lake district , and Scotland , fuller particulars of which will be found elsewhere in this issue .

Parkhurst . —On Monday next Mr . Oscar Barrett ' s company appear here in tbe " Kangaroo Girl , " a most successful musical version of "Dr . Bill . " The play is interpreted by a powerful company , and includes Miss Nellie Ganthony , Miss Florrie Harmon , Miss Pattie Bell , Mr . 3 . B . Crawford , Mr . George Baiemond , Mr . Edward Morehen , and Mr . Francis Hawley . Miss Nellie Ganthony opens the bill with a clever and amusing musical sketch .

THERE is some very interesting reading in the September part of " Cassell's Family Magazine , " which well sustains its reputation as a thoroughly good all round companion , many of its articles giving most useful information , often presented in the guise of an exciting story or embellished with the touch of romance usually associated with mere fiction . Some very funny pictures are presented in connection with an article " Costume and

Character , " where the fact that " fine feathers make fine birds " is argued side by side witli tho adage that " the man ' s the man for a' that" ( in the way of dress ) . For the purpose of illustrating the article , we have Sir Francis Drake in the attire of a modern naval officer , King Charles the First as a modern cyclist , Mr . Gladstone as Achilles , and other quaint combinations . Much of the other contents of the number is tragic and exciting .

Holiday Arrangements.

Sometimes fche prosperity of a Lodge is seriously interfered with aud the comfort of its members disturbed by a mischief making Brother who was admitted before his real character was discovered . Such an one can do much harm by repeating parts of careless conversations whicb he may have heard , colouring the

remarks a little to suit his own malicious purposes . By fche garbled words he repeats , and by his insinuations of base motives , he manages to alienate friendships , to set one brother against another , and to foment numerous disputes . He is a disturber of the peace of any Lodge with which he may be connected . He is

a stumbling block in the way of its plrogress . Heroic measures may be justified when other means fail , in dealing wifch a member whose tongue is constantly making trouble in fche Lodge as he exercises his evil genius in promoting disputes among Brethren . — " Eeposifcory . "

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

" A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

BEO . WILLIAM EDWAED WILLBY P . M . of La Tolerance Lodge , No . 538 , died on the 25 th July , and was interred at Norwood Cemetery , on Wednesday , the 28 th . Bro . Willby joined the La Tolerance in January 1886 , and was elected as its

W . M . in December 1892 . He had a very successful year of office , and was a most zealous ancl energetic member of the Lodge . He was also a prominent member of the Vane Chapter , No . 538 , and had only recently vacated the third Principal ' s chair . The members of La Tolerance Lodge of Instruction will greatly miss

Bro . Willby , as he was a mosfc energetic worker amongst them , and by his efforts brought the Lodge to its present state of prosperity ; he undertook the duties of Secretary , which were carried out in a manner highly creditable fco him . He spared neither time nor trouble , and his kind and genial presence will be

missed by very many Brethren . Brother Willby was only fortythree years of age , and leaves a widow and daughter to lament his decease . On his daughter he spared no expense in educating her as a musician and vocalist , and she promises to become a talented artiste . At the funeral there were upwards of a

hundred sorrowing friends , and among them many members of the Craft , who were anxions to pay their last sad tribute of respect to one who was so well beloved , aud who was cut off in the prime of his life . The Lodge of our deceased Brother was represented by the W . M . ancl his Officers , while many other Brethren attended from other Lodges .

THE funeral took place on Saturday , 21 st ulfc ., of Bro . W . E . Felton , a member o £ the Eoyal Union Lodge , No . 246 , Cheltenham , who was in business in thafc town , but who died at Weston-super-Mare , the previous Tuesday . The first portion of the service was conducted in the parish church , the clergy

officiating being Bro . the Eev . Dr . Childe and the Eevs . C . G . Ledger and P . Nash . The obsequies were attended by the Mayor ( Alderman Colonel Rogers ) , the Baron de Ferrieres , fche W . M . of the Eoyal Union Lodge ( Bro . C . Williams ) , and several other Brethren—including Bros . Williams , Alderman Norman ,

Alderman Lawrence , J . Williams , J . C . Cooper , G . Dimner , J . T . Darby , T . A . Huband , J . Eyland , & c . —each wearing a sprig of acacia as a button . hole . Among the wreaths were one from the

Prov . Grand Master , Officers and Brethren of Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire , one from the Preceptor and members of the Cotswold Preceptory of Knighfcs Templar , and one from the Eoyal Union Lodge .

IT is with much regret the death is announced of Bro . George Harry Piper , which occurred on Thursday , 26 th ult ., at his residence , Ledbury . The deceased had been a very prominent figure in Ledbury for more than half a century , and so recently as the 13 th ult . occupied his accustomed place as Eegistrar at

the County Court , held on that day . Although his health had for some time been visibly failing , ifc was nofc until a few days before his death that fears were entertained that fche illness from which he was suffering would have a fatal termination . For

many years Bro . Piper was closely and prominently associated wifch Freemasonry in Herefordshire and the adjoining counties , and in addition to being W . M . of'Eastnor Lodge , No . 751 , had filled the position of D . P G . M . of the county of Hereford . A large number of members of the Craft attended the funeral .

MANY Brethren will learn with regret of the sudden death of Bro . Thomas Webb Whitmarsh P . G . P ., one of the most energetic friends of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls . He was , with Sir John Monkfcon , one of fche earliest members of the Buckingham and Chandos Lodge , and was a familiar

figure at all great Masonic gatherings . He died after a few days ' illness , and was buried ab Shooter ' s Hill Cemetery , on Saturday . nnHE funeral of the late Bro . F . G . W ; Eeed , the accountant

JL of the Camborne Gas Company , took place on Thursday , 19 th ult ., and was largely attended , several representatives of the Craft being present , while the bearers were members of the Lodge of which deceased had been a subscriber .