New Masonic Club.

NEW MASONIC CLUB .

IT will interest members of the Craft to learn that a Freemasons Club for the neighbourhood . of Richmond ( Surrey ) is now in course of formation . Several Provincial towns have such Clubs , and one has long been talked of in Richmond , but hitherto the difficulty has been to obtain suitable rooms . This has been overcome by the spirited

action of Mr . Plampton in erecting the excellent premises now almost completed in Sheen Road . Here it is intended to establish what will be essentially a " welcome club " for the many Masonic visitors and residents in Richmond , and indeed in the Thames Valley .

Acting under legal advice , it has been found necessary to form a limited liability Company , with a capital of £ " 2 , 000 in £ 1 shares , to carry out all that is intended , but the commercial garb thus necessarily assumed to comply with the Act of Parliament , by no means represents the social and

Fraternal feeling which the promoters have at heart . In proof of this , it may be mentioned that there is an Honorary Secretary and Honorary Solicitor , and the Directors intend to accept no fees or other remuneration for their services . On the other hand , it is hoped that the Club will be able to

assist the Masonic Charities . The Directors are Brethren well known in Richmond and the locality . Councillor Aldin ( whose success as one of the founders and Chairman of the Committee of the Richmond Horse Show is a guarantee of fitness ) is the Chairman , and he is joined by Major-General

Guyon , Alderman Blasby , J . P ., Mr . S . Abell , Mr . Breadmore , Mr . Hornby , Mr . Metzner , and Mr . F . R . Robinson , with Alderman Skewes-Cox ( M . P . no longer , but probably to resume that distinction next week ) as Honorary Solicitor , and Mr . Axten as Honorary Secretary .

The membership of the Club will be confined to Masons , whether subscribers to Lodges at the present time or otherwise , and the subscription , so as to suit all Masonic pockets , is fixed at a guinea a year . The entrance fee , until 15 th October , when the share list closes , will be represented by the

taking up of one or more of the £ 1 shares , but after that date the entrance fee will probably be increased . Already more than two hundred of the Brethren have promised to become members , and to take up over £ 1 , 200 of the capital . The money will , of course , be used in furnishing and fitting

up the Club rooms , which will be rented from Mr . Plampton , and which promise to be very comfortable and attractiveforming , in fact , a sort of Masonic home not only for local residents , but for the many Brethren who visit Richmond for boating , cricket , football , golf , and other purposes .

Ample provision is being made for social and Masonic requirements . There is a Lodge room , 40 ft . by 26 ft , and an ante-room , 31 ft . by 12 ft , with the necessary cloakrooms , kitchens , and lavatories . The banquetting hall is 63 ft . by 26 ft , and is provided with platform , retiring rooms , vestibule

& c . It is satisfactory to learn that this will be available for public purposes , for a room of this description is much needed in Richmond , and many of our philanthropic , religious , and other societies will gladly avail themselves of it as a place in which to hold their meetings . There is a billiard room

37 ft . by 26 ft , a library 26 ft . by 21 ft , and various other Club rooms , besides offices , for letting off separately . The project is one which commends itself to local Freemasons , and we have no doubt they will give it their hearty support — "Richmond Times . "

Crumlin Masonic Hal.

CRUMLIN MASONIC HAL .

A BAZAAR of two days duration , held in connection with this Flail , in one of the principal rooms of the building , was opened on the 21 st inst , by Mrs . W . Ellison Macartney . Although the Hall has , been in existence fully seven years or so , the total cost of erecting it , a sum of about £ 1 , 000 , has not yet been completelpaidand the

y , object of the sale is to raise £ 250 to free the building of debt . The Hall is a commodious and fine-looking building , and every assistance ought to be extended to the members in their laudable efforts to establish the Masonic Order on a firmer basis in the district , about sixty members at

present compnsinp- the total strength of the Lodge says the Belfast " Northern Whig . " The bazaar arrangements were carried out by a Ladies' Committee , who entered into the undertaking with an enthusiasm which was highly praiseworthy , and the tasteful appearance of the room in

Crumlin Masonic Hal.

which the sale was held indicated how gracefully and successfully they had accomplished the tasK assigned to them . JBro . John Laird , who was called to the chair , on the motion ot Bro . J ohn Bolton , seconded by ± Jro . U .

M'Clenaghan , said he thanked those present lor asking him to take tne chair on the auspicious occasion , i hey must aamit on looking round the Hall that the Masonic body m Crumlm was in a thriving way , and that they had a large number ot friends . The appearance of the riail was creditaDie to

the Ladies' Committee in connection with the bazaar , and , now that their work was finished , they asked their assistance to free the building of debt . They had present with them that day Mrs . Macartney , who had kindly consented to open the bazaar . Mrs . Macartney was the wife

of their well-known member for the South Parliamentary Division •of Antrim . He had been their member—their popular member—for a great many years , and , he hoped , would be their member ror a great many years to come . He had to apologise for Mr . Macartney ' s absence . Owing

to official duty which called him to London he could not possibly attend the bazaar , as he would have liked to , but they had a very good representative in Mrs . Macartney , who had been residing amongst them for the last two months , and who , as they knew , had made herself very

popular indeed . Some people thought there could be nothing good or great done outside Belfast or other large cities , but that day they saw a fair sample of what the ladies of Crumlin could do and the ladies of Glenavy . He hoped they would all be very willing to help to clear off

the debt on that fine Hall , and that not only those interested in the Masonic body would assist , but that the Orangemen would also lend them support . He had great pleasure in asking Mrs . Marcartney to open the bazaar on that occasion , and he was sure she would be received as she deserved .

Mrs . Macartney was received with applause on rising to declare the sale open . She said it was a great pleasure to her to come that day to open the bazaar , as she had been asked to do some long time ago . She observed so many charming articles on the stalls that she was just longing to

go round and see what they -were like , so , without detaining them longer , she would pronounce the bazaar to be open , and she hoped it would be a great success . Dr . J . H . Carson ' s little daughter—Meta J . G . Carson—gracefully handed Mrs . Macartney a bouquet of delicate flowers .

Dr . ] . H . Carson proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs . Macartney , and was pleased to have the opportunity of doing so on account of her own popularity since she had come amongst them , and her husband ' s popularity of long standing . Mrs . Macartney came there , he believed , at

personal inconvenience , having put aside a number of engagements to be present , and therefore they felt particularly pleased . He was very warmly interested in Masonic affairs , and would , he was sure with all other Masons , consider it a disgrace that that debt should rest on a prosperous Masonic body .

The Coming Season.

THE COMING SEASON .

AFTER the vacation , the Masonic Lodges , Chapters , and Mark Lodges of the metropolis will commence the new season next week . The " Calendar , " published " under the authority of the United Grand Lodge of England , and by command of the M . W . Grand Master , " of course contains

the list of those Lodges and Chapters only which were warranted prior to the publication of the book last November , and to the number of meetings in October , November and December next will have to be added the

regular meetings of several of the new Lodges , besides " Lodges of emergency , " which the pressure of business , caused in many instances by the large number of candidates seeking to enter the Order , necessitates . But apart from

this , what are called " regular meetings , " or those meetings which are specified in each Lodge ' s Warrant , and which occur before the middle of December , will be sufficient to make a very good show in each day ' s list of gatherings . The season opens with a good prospect of success ,

and among the pre-Christmas meetings will be several for the annual installation of the new Worshipful Masters . As the principal business of Parliament is Supply , so the chief end and object of Freemasonry is charity , and as most new Worshipful Masters take up a Stewardshi p for one or other