Freemasonry As A Social Force.

FREEMASONRY AS A SOCIAL FORCE .

BRO . Joseph McKim , M . A ., of Wilmslow , the new W . M . of the Egerton Lod"o of Freemasons , Stockport , delivered an admirable speech at the Festival of St . John , in response to the toast of his health . Addressing tht > Immediate Pi ' . st Master , Bro . Preston , ho said : I am sincerely thankful to yon for proposing my health , and to you , brethreu all , for so cordially responding on an occasion so eventful

in my life as that of being installed Worshipfnl Master of this my mother Lodge . I may remn-k iln ^ . ' » y H oiirioui coincidence , this day is also the anniversary i . f my birr hday , and I shall never now , like Job , curse tho day of my birth , since it has brought about such a pleasant anniversary as this . I have had a legitimate ambiiirtn gratified to-day , and , brethren , I think it ought to be the ambition of

eaoh young Mason tn reach tho chair , ancl in his mother Lodge if possible . For if , as one of onr ceremonies states , nature has implanted in our breasts a sacred and indissoluble attachment to that land from whence we first derived our birth and infant nurture , so with regard to Freemasonry , the Lodge in whioh we were Masonioally born , and in whioh we received the infant nurture in the first degree ,

should ever afterwards be firmly tooted in onr affections . And , brethren , I am proud of being to-day installed Master of a Lodge , because I honour Freemasonry , am jealous of its fame , and proud of the position it has attained in the land . Occasionally , brethren ftho have not dipped deep into the science may be heard to say that they do nofc see muoh in Freemasonry , and the same remark may be applied

to religion , to politics , and to the various phases of thought which agitate human society and determine human action . But , brethreu , man should not be like a jelly fish on tho shore waiting for the tide to come and move him . Man is a responsible being , and whatever system he takes np , whether of morals , religion , or polities , he is bound to put himself to some inconvenience , and to take a

considerable amount of trouble to find ont the good in that system , to leave or pass over what is worthless , and to work what is left to the best possible advantage . Whoever will do that with Freemasonry will inevitably find thafc there is a great deal in it , for of ifc we may say , with the poet—A little knowledge is a dangerous thing ,

Drink deep or taste nofc the Pierian spring , I consider Freemasonry an excellent system of morals based on suro foundations , tbe principles of which if a man not onl y follows , but attempts to follow , they cannot fail to elevate him in the scale of humanity . They exhort each man not to bury the talents wherewith God has blessed him , but to use them for the benefit of humanity ,

and consequently for the glory of God . How wide , how deep , how all-embracing are its precepts ! It is no narrow system like some I could mention , restricted to one particular sect or branch of society . Beneath the free banner of Masonry the Jew and the Christian can sit amicably side by side , while the Mahommedan and the Red Indian can smoke the pipe of pence together . Again , look at Freemasonry

as a great social force . Where else , I ask you , could tho brethren who sit around this board to-night , wifch their diverse views on matters religions , social , and political—where else could thoy meet in such harmony and have such an opportunity of knowing each other as under fche banner of Freemasonry ? Here , instead of engaging in argument and contention , we smile at each other , sing our best songs

to each other , and really get to enjoy each others' company , and , before we part , find out that there are worse ways of spending one ' s titne than in helping to smooth the rough road of life for eaoh other . Now think of this effect in a greater or lesser degree multi - plied by ten thousand , for we have thousands of Lodges meeting eight or nine times a year each , and we shall have some idea of the social

force of Freemasonry . Then think of what a training ground our social board may become , for whoever wishes here may try his powers as a singer , a reciter , or an instrumentalist , and before a very tolerant audience , too ; failing these , or in addition to them , he may endeavour to gain that most useful accomplishment , facility in speaking . . These are some of the reasons , brethren , why I am proud of Freemasonry , proud of it as a great moral force , proud of it

as a great bond of brotherhood throughout the world , and proud of it as a social force . These also are reasons why I value the position in which I am placed to-night so highly , and with experienced Past Masters to advise me , energetic officers to assist me , and other kind brethren to make allowances for me , I sincerely hope that I shall be able to hand on the torch of Freemasonry , now alight in this Lodge , to my successor , burning with a steady light , and glowing with undiminished fervour . —Macclesfield Advertiser .

Royalty At Seaham Harbour.

ROYALTY AT SEAHAM HARBOUR .

fpHE visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales , on Saturday last , to - *• Seaham Harbour , may be regarded as , in its way , of a unique character . Other places , with foundation stones to lay of important public buildings , or with costly public works , the formal opening of which needed gracing with an imposing ceremonial , have been of late forced to be content wifch the assistance of members of the Roval

famil y of less prominence than the Heir Apparent and his popular consort . Seaham Harbour , nevertheless , has been privileged to enjoy that which has been courted in vain by several busy and prosperous commercial and industrial centres . Yet tbe Durham port had but little in what may be termed an official sense to iustifv a Roval visit

of a ceremonious kind . The proceedings on Saturday illustrate prett y clearl y this observation . The Prince and Princess drove into oeaham , and inspected fche harbour and signed their names in the visiting book afc the Londonderry offices . His Royal Highness next

us Urand Master of the Freemasons , repaired to the Masonic Lodge , and inscribed his name in another book . Later in the day he donned the uniform of a Field-Marshal , and , mounted on a black charger , reviewed some eight hundred of the 2 nd Durham Artillery Volunteers and having accomplished this with his customary gracionsness ,

Royalty At Seaham Harbour.

departed in peace . The whole affair , as seen , does not amount to a great deal . The Prince of Wales ' s visit to Seaham Harbour was , however , brought about by reasons different from those whioh usually influence him iu the discharge of tho social functions which , as her Majesty's representative , he so actively performs . A trip to Seaham Harbour was au undertaking ho had pledged himself to during a

previous stay at Wynyard , Lord Londonderry a seat ; and was , in part , au acknowledgment of fche friendship and respect subsisting between the Marquis and his Royal guest . Seaham Harbour is a creation of the Londonderry family . They have made the place ; they have been its moving spirit ; and ifc was practically to see wifch his eyes this Londonderry production that the Prince of Wales

repaired to the spot on Saturday . Whatever fcho cause , there is no denying thafc fche visit of his Royal Hig hness was heartily welcome , and that no reception could have been of a more cordial nature . Seaham Harbour rose with spirit to the occasion . Elsewhere we give a detailed account of the decora , tions which gave a festive appearance to the town ; and from that

description it may be gathered that tlie inhabitants of Seaham Harbour spared no trouble , expense , or ingenuity , to show the Heir Apparent their appreciation of fche honour he had bestowed upon them . The streets aud houses of the little town were a sight to see . The inhabitants had worked together , and with a will ; and the result was a most charming display , suoh as would have done credit to any

large city in England . The whole proceedings were moreover conducted with the most admirable method ; and though thousands of loyal subjects were attracted to tho spot , there was not the faintest disorder or confusion . The finest of weather— " Royal" weather , as everybody was agreed in calling it—was also a fortunate characteristic of the day ; and altogether it is to be said without hesitation thafc nothing was wanting to secure for the occasion the most brilliant of

successes . Wo will venture to think thafc the inspection of our neighbouring little Durham port , could nofc have failed to inspire the Royal visitors and their party with interest . Among those who took part in the expedition were , for instance , M . de Falbe , lately Danish Embassador in London , and Count Herbert Bismarck , the son of the great

ex-Ohancellur . A glimpse of a Northern port suoh as Seaham Harbour , sat in the heart of a great raining district , and wifch characteristics altogether different from the average run of maritime places , must have been altogether new to these gentlemen , and interesting , if only for fche sake of its novelty . To a man like Count Herbert Bismarck , accustomed to military reviews on the most extensive scale , the

volunteer review on the parade ground may have been possibly too insignificant to merit notice . The survey of the town and of the dense mass of people gathered to give their Prince a British welcome ought , nevertheless , to have excited his curiosity and quick powers of observation . In taking stock of the Artillery Volunteers , hia attention , too , was no doubt called to the fact that the force was

largely composed of miners , or in other words of men pursuing a dreary and dangerous calling , and doing their soldiering in such intervals of leisure as were afc their command . With the knowledge of this condition before them , the Prince and his party mnst surely have witnessed with respect the smart turn oufc of the men ; and the

very creditable way in which they went through their various manoeuvres . A satisfactory feature of the day was fche smoothness with which every thing passed off , thus connecting the memorable occasion with no stinging regrets , and nothing bufc fche most pleasant recollections . —Newcastle Daily Chronicle .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Avenue . —A homely , healthy play , refreshingly pure , uncon . ventionally simple , interpreted with exquisite delicacy by its exponents—suoh is Mr . R . C . Carton ' s Sunlight and Shadow . To tell the story of it in detail would be to spoil ifc . The reader would inevitably say , " We have heard all this kind of thing before . " All we will do is to advise the reader to go and see it ; and he will be

case-hardened indeed who watches the unfolding of the story of the hnnch . back choirmaster—who , brought up afc the village doctor ' s home , eats his very heart oufc for love of the doctor ' s elder daughter , and , who on the point of realisation of his dearest hopes , sacrifices himself , and remains brother and not husband—and is not deeply touched and morally refreshed . We congratulate Mr . Carton

on his play , we congratulate Mr . Alexander on his company . Mr . Alexander ' s assumption of fche r 61 e of the hunoh-back choir master , George Addis , is fche best piece of acting we have seen him do . Miss Marion Terry , as Helen the elder of the Doctor ' s daughters , is a perfect realisation of the quiet , self sacrificing , uncomplaining life whioh is to be seen in many more village homes where poverty haa

to keep np the appearance of gentility than some people realise . Miss Maude Millett , as fche younger daughter , loveable in her way , bnfc selfish and thoughtless , waa excellent . Mr . Nutcombe Gould ' s Dr . Latimer , and Mr . Ben Webster ' s Mr . Bamfield , were both alike good . Mr . Yorke Stephens in his Mark Denzil lost that jerkiness of

manner which has marred some of his previous efforts . The most thankless and , to a certain extent fche most difficult part , was that of Janet Felton , undertaken by Miss Ada Neilson . Janet Felton supplies the shadow that flecks the sunlight . Miss Ada Neilson ployed the part with just the necessary restraint , and avoided what would have been fatal , thongh natural , viz . exaggeration .

The doors of Terry ' s Theatre now open at 7 30 p . m ., and the performance commences at 7 ' 45 p . m . with an original play , in one act , by Messrs . Goldsworthy and Norman , entitled " My Friend Jarlet . " Afc 8 " 30 p . m . "Sweet Lavender " is still continued . On Wednesday next , 12 th November , Mr . Terry proposes inaugurating a series of Wednesday Matinees , for the purpose of trying several new plays , and reviving some old favourites from his repertoire .