Qualifications For Lodge Officers.

Bes'dcp , this information is required in tho West and East , as tho J . W . advances through tho chairs . Tlio importance , therefore , that tho J . W . should make efforts to learn tbe correct ritual at the outset of his official action is manifest . The J . W . should devote timo

to get from ono aulhmsed to teach the full explanation of tho philosophy that lies in tho relation of the active thought nnd work to tho foundation of Freemasonry . Without a study of theso relations and their comprehension , the qualifications of Lodgo Officers aro incomplete . Tho Lodge

suffers , the Craft suffers , if Lodge Officers rely on memory , and not on mind , for their fitness for all thafc is required of them . They , too , become P . M . 's in time . Thon they arc regarded as conservators of Masonio law , landmarks and teachings .

So thafc from the installation of a J . W ., till ho shall have long served as P . M ., and therefore regarded as an authority , he owes to the Graft tho timo and labour necessary to acquire the knowledge that constitute tho qualification due bv him to his Brethren .

It will bo observed from these suggestions , and tho reasons on which they rest , that the Lodge , the Graft , the integrity of Masonic teachings , are claimants for the very best efforts thafc can bo made by Lodge Officers to acquire

those qualifications which are demanded aud should possess in the performance of tho work that attaches to their stations . It ought to be the pride of Lodge Officers to acquire , to learn , to comprehend the "Light" thoy aro chosen to diffuse among their brethren . —Keystone .

The Grafton For Company, Limited.

THE GRAFTON FOR COMPANY , LIMITED .

ONE of the finest exhibitions of furs we ever remember seeing are now on view at the promises of the Grafton Fur Company , Limited , 1 G 4 New Bond Street , W . This firm has only just been registered , and the directors havo done well in seenritig- the services of Messrc H . Callaway and G . A . Nicholas as -managers . These gentlemen are so well known in the fur trade fcbofc it ia hardly

necessary to say anything in thoir praise , bnfc we may say that , with over 50 years' experience , Mr . Callaway is justly considered one of the finest judges of furs in London . Ifc is the intention of theso gentlemen to do all in their power fco please their customers , and we think from the stock of skins the Grafton Fur Company have it will not be a very hard task . Judging from all accounts a good time is

in store for purchasers of these articles , for the managers trust that a very appreciable redaction in the prices will be noticeable this year . Disputes between Canada and the United States , and between Canada and Russia , with respect to sealing in the Behring Sea , are matters of notoriety , and that these controversies cause the market to be flooded with inferior skins is also well known . Restrictions

have been placed upon parties connected with this line of business , but the South Sea sealing industry gives ns an excellent example of what happens when there is no l-estriction . Tho skins from the South Sea Islands are the finest and handsomest that can be obtained , as may be seen by the specimens shown by the Grafton Company , Limited ; but whereas in former years the nnmber annually

bronght to London was abont 15 , 000 , now ifc is not above 200 . Other specimens of skins shown by this Company are from the Cape of Good Hope , from Patagonia and Tierra del Fnego , and from the Lobos Inlands respectively . The seals in these localities are not so numerous , nor are their coats of so fine a quality , as their cousins of fche Behring Sea . In addition to these interesting exhibits , the

Company , which has been specially started to supply choice quality furs at reasonable prices , is showing a large number of other peltries . There are choice sea otters from Kamscbafcka , the Imperial Russian sable of matchless colour and quality from Yakutsk , silver fox , blue fox , white fox , red fox , from the vast territories of the Hudson ' s Bay Company j beaver and otter from Labrador ; the ermine , white

as snow , from Siberia ; the dainty littlo chinchilla from Chili , a fur which will again be a favourite for tbe coming season ; the Thibet and Mouflon of the most delicate and charming tints , and many other varieties too numerous to mention . In fact , there is no parfc of the habitable globe where the Company has not got agents , BO thafc they are able , as it were , to place the purchaser in almost direct

communication with the trapper and the sealer . We can only add that judging from tbe specimens shown ns , these furs are of the best quality , and should satisfy the most scrupulous . Those of onr readers who are in search of a thoroughly good article can hardly do better than pay the Grafton Fur Company a ' visit , for in searching their large stock we feel sure that they will find something that will suit them .

Hottowit ' s OIHMEHT AKD Pins . —Weak Stomach . —The wisest cannot enumerate one quarter of tho distressing symptoms arising from imperfect or disordered digestions ; all of which can be relieved by these admirable Pills . They remove cankery taste from tho mouth , flatulency and constipation . Holioway ' s Pills rouse the stomach , liver , and every other organ , thereby bringing digestion to that healthy tone which fully enables it to

convert oil we eat an < 1 drink to the nourishment of our bodies . Honco these Pills aro the surest strengthened and tho safest restoratives in nervousness , wasting and chronic debility . Hollowny ' s Pills are infallible for impaired appetite , eructations , and a multitude of other disagreeable symptoms ,, which render the lives of thousands miserable indeed . These Pills are approved of l > y all claaees .

St. Andrew's Schools. Eccles.

ST . ANDREW'S SCHOOLS . ECCLES .

ON Saturday , the 24 th nit ., the foundation-stone of St . Andrew ' s Schools , Eccles , was laid with Masonio ceremony by the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom Pro Grand Master and Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire . Early in the afternoon a special service was held at St . Andrew ' s Church , where a sermon was preached b y the Ven . Archcloacon Wilson . In the course of his sermon the Archdeacon said the welfare of this nation and of the children rising up

all around demanded that full and nnadnlterated religious education should bo given in our elementary schools . It was their duty as members of the Church of England to maintain entiro continuity in religions education . It was a matter of grave significance , especiall y ut this moment , when somo were hoping and others were fearing that the clays of voluntary schools were numbered . But the efforts

nf a representative parish like that , whose united actions and gifts spoke more forcibly than words , gave the lie to such hopes and fears . It was not tho action , happily , of a fow men who might bo discredited as fanatic Churchmen , bufc it was the action of the whole people He knew from returns made lately throughout the diocese how thoroughly resolved wore tho public in tho county of Lancashire that the

Church of England schools shonld be maintained in their efficiency j and he was convinced thafc the final solution of the question of elementary religious education had not yet been seen . Afc the close of the service a procession , consisting of clergy , choir , and Sunday scholars , was formed , and , headed by a hand , marched to tho site of the new schools in Barton Lane .

In the meantime the members of the Masonio fraternity had assembled in the Conservative Club , Ecoles , where a special Prov . incial Grand Lodge was opened by the Earl of Lathom , Bro . R . Wylie P . G . D . England and P . P . G . S . W . West Lancashire acting as Deputy Grand Master . The two Lodges afc Eccles—the Bridgewater , No . 1213 , and the Victoria , No . 1345—were largely represented , and there was

a full attendance of Visitors . Subsequently a procession waa formed outside the Conservative Club , headed by the band of the Duke of Lancaster ' s Yeomanry Cavalry , under Bandmaster Bro . G . Batley . The progress of tho Freemasons , who were attired in the full regalia of their respective rank , to the site of the new schools was watched with ranch interest by considerable crowds along the line of rente .

A hymn having been sung , the Rev . Canon Heywood , in the absence of the incumbent , requested the Earl of Lathom to lay the foundationstone , and His Lordship having expressed regret afc the cause whioh prevented the Rev . Mr . Armstrong from being present , proceeded to do so . First , however , he briefly addressed the assembly iu the quaint form prescribed by Masonio custom , and then called upon

the Provincial Grand Chaplain , the Rev . W . H . Baynes , who offered prayer . Some verses of Scripture were chanted , and the Provincial Grand Secretary ( Bro . W . Goodacre ) having read alond the inscription upon the commemorative plate , the Provincial Grand Treasurer ( Bro . W . Piatt ) placed in a cavity in the stone a phial con . taining coins and documents . The Provincial Grand Master placed

the stone m position with a trowel and mallet presented to him for the purpose , the latter being composed of bog oak , dug out of tbe Ship Canal cutting , and proved that ifc was " well and truly laid " with plumb . rule , level , and square . He then ponred upon ifc corn , as tbo emblem of plenty and abundance of God ' s best gifts ; wine , symbolical of strength and gladness ; and oil , emblematic of peace and

harmony . After the " Old Hundredth " had been sang and prayer offered by the Provincial Grand Chaplain , the architect ( Bro . H . Lord P . M . ) presented the plans to the Provincial Grand Master , who inspected and returned them , expressing the desire that the work should be proceeded with without loss of time . The ceremony was shortly afterwards completed , and the Freemasons returned to the Conservative Club , where the Provincial Grand Lodge was closed .

A church parade of the Devonport Masonic Lodges will be held on Sunday , the 16 th instant , for the benefit of the funds of the Royal Albert Hospital . The brethren will meet in the afternoon at the Masonic Hall , Granby Street , and thence proceed to St . Paul ' s Church , of which

Bro . Rev . A . J . Hamlyn is vicar . The sermon will be preached by the Rev . Dr . Lemon P . G . Chaplain of Devon-• hire . The arrangements will be nnder the direction of Bro . J . R . Lord P . G . D . C . The brethren of the Plymouth and Stonehouse Lodges , and all other brethren present in the Three Towns , are cordially invited to attend .

Bro . Charles Baxter Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and general manager of fche recent grand Masonic bazaar , recently had an audience of Hia Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway , Grand Master

of Sweden , at the Royal Palace , Stockholm . Bro . Baxter presented to His Majesty fche thanks of fche Grand Lodgo of Scotland for the great assistance and encouragement extended to the Scottish Freemasons at the time of the grand Masonic Bazaar in December 1890 .

The Langton Lodge of Instruction will resume work on Thursday , the 13 th inst ., afc 5 * 30 p . m ., at the White Hart Tavern , Abchurch Lane , E . G ., when the election of the permanent Officers for the coming year will take p lace . The ceremony for rehearsal will be that of passing .