Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

ST . ANDREW LODGE , No . 34 . A REGULAR meeting was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Tuesday , 16 th ult ., Bro . James Minshull Veal Prov . G . S . D . W . M . After the reading and confirmation of minutes , and the presentation of the Treasurer ' s account , and Auditors' report , a successful ballot was taken for Bro . Arthur Richard Albert , Yarborough Lodge , No . 633 , who was afterwards

regularly advanced into Mark Masonry . This was followed by the installation into the principal chair of Bro . John Walker S . W ., the ceremony being performed by Bro . Joseph T . Richardson P . M . P . P . G . I . W . G . S . B . ( Eng ) ., who had the assistance of other Past Masters of the Lodge . The investiture of Officers also took place .

A very excellent banquet succeeded , when Loyal and other toasts were proposed and duly responded to , the same being very pleasantly relieved by songs , recitations , & c , contributed by Bros . E . A . Locke Org ., G . Hargreaves , C . J . Hall , and Ed . Roberts . Besides those mentioned above we noticed the presence of Bros . J . Laurisch J . W ., S . Searle M . O ., J . Lawrenson S . O ., O . E . Towell Secretary , G . A . Myers , Col . Hy . L . Rocca P . M . P . P . G . M . O ., M . B . Salt , and others .

HUMPHREY CHETHAM CHAPTER ROSE CROIX , No . 134 . A CONVOCATION of members was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Monday , 22 nd ult . In the absence of Bro . Arthur H . Jefferis M . W . S . 30 ° tbe ceremony of perfecting Bro . Samuel Moore ( St . Thomas , 992 ) , was performed by Bro . J . D . Murray P . S . 31 ° , Bro . John Marshall P . S . 30 ° assisting in the capacity of Prelate . The ceremony of

installing Bro . J . E . Lees 18 ° into the principal chair as M . W . S . was then performed , Bro . Lees afterwards investing those of the undermentioned Officers for the year who were present , viz .: —W . B . Akerman Prelate , Thos . Plumpton 1 st General , Wm . Brookes 2 nd General , Wm . A . Boyer Treas ., A . C . K . Smith Recorder , Buckley Carr Marshal , Fletcher Armstrong Raphael , J . S . Derbyshire Director of Ceremonies , Thos . Griffiths , Saml . Moore , J . M . H . Blarney Heralds .

An excellent banquet had been provided , to which the members and visitors sat down , Loyal and other toasts being enlivened by the musical efforts of Bros . Armstrong , Carr , Derbyshire , Thompson , and others . During these proceedings , Bro . Jefferis , who had recently returned from Jerusalem , entered the room , and received quite an ovation , the toast of his health being subsequently proposed by Bro . Plumpton . Among other visitors we noticed Captain C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds 33 ° .

ORDER OF THE TEMPLE . THE William Stuart Preceptory , No . 76 , one of the three Preceptories in the Province of Hampshire , held the first of its meetings for the present year at the Imperial Hotel , Aldershoi , on Monday . Owing probably to the fact that the majority of its members are business men , and , consequently , liable to sudden calls on their time , the gathering was restricted principally to those holding office , who , of course , felt compelled to attend , there being an installation on the agenda , says the " Aldershot News . "

The Preceptory was opened by the E . Preceptor G . H . Maeey , and the ceremony was proceeded with , there being reason to believe that the candidate , who has already had some considerable experience of the Graft , was charmed with the beauties of the degree . A further satisfactory feature is that almost all the offices are now held locally . This , together with the proposed influx , will render it unnecessary to depend , as has sometimes been the case , on Gravesend , Southampton , or out-lying parts of the Province . It

must be a source of satisfaction to many of its senior members to witness its growth , and the E . P . is to be congratulated on the interest and energy he has devoted to the welfare of the Order ; we are sure he will be rewarded when , adds our contemporary , at the termination of his year of office , he gives over to his successor a more numerous and financially stronger Preceptory than could be expected , considering the qualifications of membership .

Individual Efforts.

INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS .

WE read and hear often that the world is moved to great events by patriotism , by religious fervour—the uprising of the masses . This is true as far as it all goes , but the real fact is the world is moved to great events by individual efforts—by the ambition and by the work of the individual . It was the personal ambition of the Cjesars that made Rome the empire of the world ; it was the personal ambition of Napoleon that changed

the map of Europe , and it was again the personal effort of Bismark that brought about the unification of his country . And so it was the personal greed and grasp for power of a Gregory , a Sixtus and of Leo X that consolidated and strengthened the Romish Church . And so it will be at all times —the individual effort brings about the greatest result . Whatever may be

the motive—pure or not , patriotic or not , selfish in a measure , yet for the general good—it is the work of the individual that tells upon the work in hand . There is no desire or thought to detract from the purity of the motive

or the disinterested work done for the good of the whole—country , church , or organisation of any kind—and the purer this motive , the more elevated the thought , the stronger will be the power for good and the better will be the result .

This holds good in Masonry as well as in all else . It is the individual efforts of the single Brother that' accomplish the most good for the Lodge and for the Fraternity . A Lodge may lag and vegetate for years , although

be still a good Lodge , but a Lodge without vim , without " snap , " until some individual member rises and infuses new life and renewed zeal into its movements . Has he a personal ambition to become Master , and to be the Master of a live Lodge , so much the better ; his personal efforts will help

Individual Efforts.

along his ambition , and will help along his Lodge . Has the Fraternity any great scheme or any new plan on hand for the benefit of the whole , some individual Brother will lay his strong hands upon the rudder and guide the craft to its desired goal , though possibly because of his personal ambition , but the whole will be benefitted by his efforts . Look at the payment of the

debt on the hall . It was the individual effort of a Lawrence , aided by the personal work of his many lieutenants , who brought to the aid of the scheme all lukewarm Brethren , all doubters , and even forced fierce opposition to bow and come to the rescue and help along the good cause , until every vestige of the debt was wiped out , and the Fraternity emerged from the bondage of mortgage and debt free and clear .

" Behold the Temple is completed . " The Home is finished and occupied and additional buildings are in the course of erection . The Trustees announce that , beginning on 1 st January 1897 , ample room will be furnished for all comers , and none will be turned away . So far so good , but can we stand still now ; is there no more work for the Craft in this great State ? No organisation can grow and prosper without an aim and object , a definite plan .

We have work on hand of great importance , and a work as necessary and as noble as the Home at Utica . It is the erection of a temporary shelter for the stranger within our gates . The Fraternity is engaged upon one of the gratest and noblest charities ever undertaken in any State or jurisdiction . We want a temporary shelter for distressed and worthy Masons who are strangers among us ; we want to found a temporary shelter to house them

and feed them for a short period . Who will be the Lawrence of this great charity , or of this noble work 1 Where is the individual who will put forth his best efforts and push this to a successful end " . Where is the Lawrence of the Shelter Fund ? Where are John R . Pope , Thomas Moore , Herman Cantor , " Willie " Denham and the other members of the Board of Relief ?

Where are the three hundred and odd delegates who are pledged to this noble work ? Where are all these good Brethren who are ever ready to help " aid and assist , " and always ready to follow when some good brother leads in a good cause ? How long are you going to wait to put this charity into shape in a practical form 1 To-day , " now , " is the time . Wait no longer . Start at once . Who answers , Ready ?— " New York Tribune . "

The Great Northern Railway Company have issued their annual list of the principal Agricultural Shows to be held throughout the country during the year 1897 , and copies may be had free on application to the Company ' s agents , or to Mr . L . Brightman , King's Cross Station , London , N . Representatives of the Company will as usual attend on the show grounds , and be prepared to give full particulars of rates , times of transit , & o .

Ad00503

GAIETY RESTAURANT , ST tt-A . 1 ST ZD . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and COLD )—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GEILL EOOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lid , at 1 / - per head ; served from 4 till 6 in EESTAUEANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5-30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) and a la Carte . In this room the Viennese Band performs from 6 till 8 , Smoking after 7-45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12-30 . PRIVATE DINING E 00 MS FOE LAEGE AND SMALL PARTIES . SPIERS AlfD POND , Ltd ., Proprietors .