The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.

Freemasonry which entitle him to the respect and esteem of his follow countrymen . Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., M . A ., J . P ., was initiated into tho mysteries of Freemasonry in the year 1865 , in the

Royal Edward Lodge , No . 892 , Leominster ; was one of the founders and third Worshipful Master of the St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 1097 , Tenbnry , and after serving as Provincial Grand Registrar and Provincial Grand Senior

Warden , became Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Worcestershire , an office he now holds . He was exalted into Royal Arch Masonry in St . Wnlstan ' s Chapter , No .

280 , Worcester , in 1867 , and after fillino' the three chairs therein was , in 1884 , appointed to the office of Provincial Grand H . Honourable as are those Craft distinctions it

is to another branch or section of Freemasonry we have to look for Bro . Godson ' s principal achievements , those which shonld win for him the regard of brethren unacquainted with tho Province of Worcestershire—with which

he is more intimately connected , and wherein he is justly honoured . We allude to the subject of Charity , in the dispensation of which Bro . Godson shows an especial interest , as is evidenced by the pains he takes to make

his position as a member of the House Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys of advantage to that Institution and its supporters . That he practises what he preaches in this respect may be gathered from the fact

thas he is a Patron of the Boys' School , and has served five Stewardships on its behalf ; a Vice President of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , for which he has acted as Steward on four occasions ; and a Vice President of the

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , for which Charity he has likewise served four Stewardships ; moreover , he has endowed several of the offices he has filled in the Craft as Subscribers or Life Governors to one or other of the

Institutions . He acted as chairman on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the new buildings of the Boys' Institution , by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts in 1885 ,

and last year undertook a similar office on behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund , in connection with its Annual Festival .

Beyond the strict limits of Graft Masonry Bro . Godson has also achieved honours . He was advanced to the Mark

Degree in 1867 , and soon became Worshipful Master of Lodge No . 40 . He filled the office of Registrar of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire and Staffordshire ; was first Deputy Provincial Grand Master of

Warwickshire ( in 1883 ); and became the first Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree in the county of Worcestershire the following year . In the A . and A . Rite we find him a member of the St . Wnlstan ' s Chapter of

Rose Croix , Worcester , which he joined in 1866 . He has risen to the dignity of M . W . S . in the Shakespeare Chapter , Warwick ; and the Oxford and Cambridge University Chapter , London ; and has been admitted a member of the 18 th

30 th , 81 st and 32 nd degrees . He was installed K . T . in 1870 , E . P . Holyrood Preceptory , Warwick , in 1884 ; Sub Prior of Worcestershire in 1884 , and Provincial Prior of

the same county in 1886 . He is also a member of the Royal Order of Scotland , Knights of Malta , Ark Mariners , & c , and is D . G . M . of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters .

Outside Freemasonry Brother Godson has eminentl y distinguished himself , and has done sufficient to entitle him to the highest regard . He is Member for Kidderminster in the present Parliament , and his actions as

representative of that town , in time of great distress , have proved him worthy of the confidence reposed in him by its inhabitants . He is a Barrister of the Inner Temple ; a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Loriners , as also of the Worshipful Company of Patten Makers . We think we have now said enoncrh to convince our

readers that Bro . Godson is in every way fitted for the Masonic honour to which he aspires , and we can but express the hope that ho may receive such support from the members of Grand Lodge as will secure him the position .

When we find such men as he come forward as candidates for the post , we almost regret that another brother should be nominated to oppose him ; it seems cruel to offer even the semblance of a slight to actions so worthy of

recognition as those which have been performed dnring the Masonic career of Bro . Godson ; but , as we have admitted the necessity for a plurality of candidates , and as on this occasion two have been nominated for the one appointment , there is no option but to proceed to an election , and for that election every Master , Past Master , and Warden has

The Approaching Election Of Grand Treasurer.

a vote , which vote we trust he will poll as he thinks best at the next Communication of Grand Lodge , on Wednesday , the 2 nd March . Whatever honour has been done to the office of Grand Treasurer in the past will we are sure be maintained , even if not enhanced , by the election of Bro . Godson to the post , should it prove the pleasure of the Craft to give him a majority of their votes .

Wanted, Fifteen Thousand Pounds.

WANTED , FIFTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS .

EOLLOWING up the remarks which we ventured to utter a fortnight since , on the subject of the Royal Jubilee , and the opportunity afforded of commemorating the auspicious event by some special and substantial aid to

our Masonic Charities , we are encouraged in the belief that the suggestion has met with considerable and unanimous approval in many parts of the country in which the FEEMASON ' CHKONICLE circulates . We said at the outset

we had no desire to intrude in any way whatever upon the proposals that have been made in reference to the cultivation by English Freemasons of the eventful period which will engross public attention everywhere during the next five months . It was but meet and right that a "feeler" should have been sent out from headquarters

in order to ascertain the views of the brethren as to the most befitting manner in which the Jubilee should be

commemorated ; and , although there is reason to fear that the circular issued by our Pro Grand Master has scarcely met with so cordial or unanimous a reception as could have been hoped for , nevertheless it is quite evident that Masons

generally are in favour of some special demonstration of their loyalty to the august Lady whose name is so intimately associated with the Craft , and of affection for the illustrious Prince who rules so ably over the affairs of

Grand Lodge of which he is the Most Worshipful Grand Master . Odes will be written and pceans sung by every loyal pen and lip , from the Laureate downwards , whereever the English tongue is spoken , and upon no

heartstring will the chord of loyal acclaim vibrate more forcibly than on those of the true and faithful body of Masons who are proud to be associated with the Ancient and Honourable Institution .

It is , however , an object of our especial solicitude just now to see developed some kind of scheme such as we ventured to suggest a fortnight since in these columns ; and , judging from the correspondence that has

reached us from many quarters , the proposal is regarded as not only practicable , but exceedingly easy of achievement . The bare facts relating to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution are now before the

brethren , and it is almost superfluous to remind them that at the coming Festival—only three weeks from this date —the Committee of Management will be confronted by one hundred and thirty deserving applicants for

participation in the benefits of the " Old People ' s " Institution . To meet these there are only at present two vacancies on the side of the widows , so that the crucial question comes , —How can this great gulf be bridged over ? It is

impossible , with the existing agencies at work , that more can be done for the Institution which—together with our Boys' and Girls' Schools—is the admiration of the world , both in and outside the pale of our Order . It is therefore

palpable that some extraneous and special effort must be made if we would strengthen the hands of the executive so as to enable them to carry out their hearts' desire , and to receive the whole body of deserving poor people whose

urgent cases are before them . As we have said , the Anniversary Festival takes place on the 22 nd of this month , and in the meantime , if anything is to be done , the watchword must be , " Short , sharp , and decisive . " It is an

accepted maxim that if anything is to be done well it shonld be done quickly ; and to " strike the iron while it is hot" is invariably the best way of accomplishing any desirable object . The object immediately under

consideration , then , is the raising of £ 15 , 000—rather a formidable sum in the aggregate , but when spread over the entire ranks of the Craft , as we have already pointed out , the

obstacles in the way are reduced to insignificance . There are over two thousand Lodges on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England , and it is a very modest computation indeed to say that each Lodge has an average of forty