Devon Educational Fund.

DEVON EDUCATIONAL FUND .

A MEETING of the Committee of the Devon Masonic Educational Fund was held on Monday afternoon , at the Freemasons' Hall , Princess Square , Plymouth , to arrange for the annual meeting and election to be held on Wednesday ,

6 th April , to decide on the number of candidates to be elected on the Fund , and to appoint a Committee to examine petitions and place candidates on the list . Bro . S . Jones , of Exeter , presided over a large attendance , including Bros . J . B . Gover Hon . Sec , J . R . Lord Hon . Treas ., and others .

The Hon . Treasurer reported that the subscriptions for 18 97 amounted to £ 539 8 s qd , against £ 435 13 s 3 d in 1896 . It was unanimously decided to elect three children at the meeting in April , and , on the invitation of Bro . Renwick , it was resolved to hold the meeting at Torquay . Attention

was again called to the fact that there were many Lodges in the Province that gave no assistance to the Institution , says the "Western Morning News , " and a hope was expressed that these Lodges might be induced to come forward and help the Fund , so that its usefulness might be still further increased .

Church Services.

CHURCH SERVICES .

WE learn that a Masonic Service , in aid of the Funds of the Chest Hospital , City Road , London , is being arranged by permission of the Rector ( the Rev . G . H . Perry , M . A . ) , to be held shortly in the parish church of St . Luke ' s , Old Street . The Committee at present includes Bros . H . C .

Richards , M . P ., the Rev . J . H . Lewthwaite , Enos Howes , J . P ., Arthur Millward , J . P ., George Eade , Harry O . Hill , A . H . Maddocks , William Howes , and the Hon . Sec . Bro . R . M . H . Griffith , 258 Goswell Road , to whom all letters should he addressed .

THE annual Masonic Service under the auspices of the three local Lodges was held on the 6 th inst ., in the Parish Church , Arbroath . Brother the Rev . James Tompson Chaplain of Lodge St . Thomas conducted the service , and in the course of his remarks alluded to the recent immense growth of Masonry , and to the wide-spread ramifications of

the Craft all over the world . As an institution founded on the highest and purest principles of morality , Freemasonry was capable of being made an instrument of incalculable benefit alike to the individual Brother Mason , and to the world at large .

On Tuesday , ist inst ., at the Salutation , Newgate Street , the members of the Egyptian , Finsbury Park , and Highgate Lodges of Instruction made a presentation to Bro . Hill P . M . Preceptor . Bro . Fallot W . M . Egyptian Lodge , No . 27 , acted as the spokesman of the subscribers on the

occasion , says the " City Press . " Bro . Grimwade proposed a vote of thanks to Bro . Shirley Cropper Secretary of the Egyptian Lodge , and the members of the Committee , for their exertions in the collection of the subscriptions , and the vote having been carried Bro . Cropper suitably replied .

The number of subscribers was said to be between 120 and 130 . After the presentation a concert was held , Bros . Svckelmore . Grimwade . Chaoman . Richardson f . mnnpr

Bolton , and Kemp contributing to the harmony of the evening . Bro . Sycklemore kindly officiated at the piano . A vote of thanks to Bro . Fallot for presiding closed a very pleasant evening . . 000 The meetings of the Strand Lodge , No . 1977 , will in future be held at the Hotel Cecil , Strand .

Alfred Newton Lodge.

ALFRED NEWTON LODGE .

OUR worthy Grand Secretary Bro . Edward Letchworth has had a busy time lately in Consecrating most of the new Lodges recently sanctioned by the Grand Master , and his zeal for the Craft and his courteous amiability in placing his- services at the disposal of the Brethren cannot leave him

much spare time for his private and domestic avocations . Last week he was called upon to consecrate two Lodges , one on Monday—the Saint Michael le Querne—of which an account appeared in our previous issue , and the other , that now under consideration , on Saturday .

The Alfred Newton Lodge is named after Alderman Alfred James Newton , Chairman of Harrod ' s Stores , Limited , and the members of the Lodge will be principally connected with that important commercial undertaking . The Founders are : —Alderman Alfred J . Newton , J . P .,

D . L ., P . M . 2347 , James Bailey , M . P ., P . M . 1974 , Herbert Bennett 1261 , F . H . Harvey-Samuel 2108 , Alphonsus J . Naughton 2581 , David F . Norrington 1891 , Ernest J . Eix 1891 , Arthur Strutt 1891 , J . G . Heighiugton 228 , William B . Abbott P . M . 59 , A . E . Catchpole 2310 , H . J . Thwaites 1891 , J . P . Naughtonl 58 fi ,

W . H . Eardley 1310 , J . W . Jupe 1585 , Carlyle Forrester 103 ( I . C . ) , A , G . Howell 2581 , G . 0 . B . Gelardi 1891 , M . J . Jessop P . M . 1261 and 2265 , Benjamin Bobinson P . M . 564 P . P . G . P . Worcester , Charles Garton W . M . 192 , Captain T . W . Heath P . M . 1768 and 1642 , Eichard T . Pearse P . M . 1194 , J . J . Thomas P . G . Std . Bearer P . P . G . Tr . Bucks , & c , John Brock P . M . 299 P . P . S . G . D . Kent .

Visitors * . —In addition to those already mentioned there were present Bros . Sir Joseph Dimsdale P . G . T ., Alderman Vaughan Morgan Grand Treasurer , Sir Eobert H . Bogers P . M . 2499 , W . Vincent G . Std . B ., Dr . G . Weldon P . M . 4 P . G . S ., Alderman S .

Green , Colonel Boyd , C . B ., John Adams P . M . 1194 P . P . G . D . C . Middlesex , F . W . Buxton P . M . 1891 P . G . S . W ., H . S . Glutton W . M . 46 P . G . S ., G . Ellard P . G . D . C . Norths and Hunts , W . J . Mason Vice-President Board General Purposes , W . Eamsay P . M .

1745 P . P . G . D . Middx ., J .. Ed . Allen 382 , J . L . Apsey P . M . 534

H . C . Arthur P . M . 2243 , A . E . Bocock 1681 , W . F . Bates P . M . 1507 , James Boyton S . D . 1426 , J . Chomette 2060 , Henry Massey P . M . 619 and 1928 , Dr . Maitland Coffin S . W . 2501 , W . Cummings W . M . 2454 , J . H . Dimsdale W . M . 2581 , W . W . Lee P . M . 2381 , Dr . A . Godwin 4 , H . T . Green 1196 , G . Honour 1559 , A . E .

Hipwell 192 , J . Humphrey P . M ., J . James 254 , T . Kynoch P . M ., T . Kington P . M . 193 , H . Lazarus 185 , J . Lewis P . M . 1681 , E . H . Moseley P . M . 2163 , J . Biehmond P . M . 22 , E . Sandland I . G . 2398 , W . Skelton 2581 , Fredk . Skinner 1891 , Eev . C . J . Smith

M . A ., E . Smith 2182 , W . A . Smith 228 , W . H . Smith 2244 , W . J . Stratton P . M . 1425 , Philip Trauffler 2060 , F . J . Walton 2163 , L . Westwood W . M . 2246 , William Whiting P . M . 22 , L . Wolff 1839 , B . D . Warner 1602 , G . Nelson Watts P . M . 194 , Orlton Cooper P . M . 211 .

0 Although the place of meeting named in the Warrant is to be the Queen ' s Gate Hall , S . W ., the large number attending the Consecration ceremony necessitated the engagement of other premises , and the Chelsea Town Hall was therefore requisitioned for the purpose of the pleasing function .

Bro . Letchworth entered the hall punctually at five o ' clock , and appointed the following Brethren to assist him : Sir John B . Monckton P . G . W . as S . W ., Sir Reginald

Hanson , Bart ., P . G . W . as J . W ., Thomas Fenn P . J . G . W . as Chaplain , Frank Richardson P . G . D . as D . C , and James Stephens D . G . D . C . as I . G . The Lodge was then opened in the three degrees .

The opening hymn being sung , Brother Letchworth addressed the assembly on the motive of the meeting , saying "It is unnecessary for me to occupy your time for many moments with any words of my own . You are all aware