Past Masters.

PAST MASTERS .

A USEFUL Past Master is one who is diligent in his attendance at the Lodge , one who did not go through the chairs merely pro forma , but was in truth as well as in name a Master . His growth as a Mason

continues until the day of his death . He is a teacher who is always a learner . His education as a Mason he feels is never completed . He watches , with the closest interest , all the proceedings of the Lodge , speaks whenever he can

impart wisdom , and is silent when he has nothing to say . He aids the Master in the skilful government of the Lodge . He temporarily takes the chair for him when requested , and is always able to perform the work . Such a Past Master is both useful and ornamental .

The purely ornamental Past Master is one who loses not his interest in the Lodge sufficiently to be induced to remain absent from it—but who , when present , is satisfied to sit in the army of his confreres of like grade , be

perfectly quiet when business is under discussion , and exceedingly noisy while work is in progress . Such a one may be a " good , fellow , " but he is only an ornamental

Past Master . He occupies his place , but he does not fill it . He visits his Lodge for his own amusement , not for the welfare of the Fraternity . He wears his jewel and wears his title , but he never wears himself .

The Past Master that is neither useful nor ornamental is one whose name graces the Lodge rolls as one of the Past Masters , but who is never present at a Lodge meeting . He , likely , never should have been Master , and the result is that practically he is not a Past Master—he is never seen in the " noble army" to which he belongs . The

fewer the Craft has of these the better for its welfare and reputation . —McCalla , in tlie Keystone .

Masonry Lives.

MASONRY LIVES .

TIME glides away , leaving every heart dissatisfied by the remembrance of opportunities unimproved , or of

possibilities unaccomplished . As we grow older we turn our faces backward ; our hearts are stirred by the memories of the past . With what longing we turn toward that which can be recalled never more ! Since

we last assembled how brief the days seem to have been How swiftly have they flown ! And each one has been but one more step trodden in that journey which ends at the grave .

But while we cannot create time , we can make it serve our best interests by exchanging it for something tangible , permanent , real ; something we can appreciate—something that does not evade our grasp .

Freemasonry is an institution founded upon , and growing out of , the necessities of men as social , as intellectual , and as religious beings . It has demonstrated its capacity for adapting itself to these wants in all ages of human

experience . Amid the rivalries and antagonisms of active life there is a longing of the soul for union and brotherly love and for such relations as will satisfy the necessities of our social nature .

It is upon this principle that our Order is founded . Hence it cannot fail to exist . It must grow and prosper , necessarily , with the growth and development of man ' s better sentiments . It is not aggressive . It is not

obtrusive . It makes no issues . It sets up no rivalries with other institutions of the day . But , gathering np the ages , it recognises the inner cravings of the soul , and the

universal brotherhood of man , forgetting all else in its devotion to his higher and better needs . —Neio York Dispatch .

The Provincial Grand Chapter of Middlesex will meet under the banner of the Stanmore Chapter , at the Abercorn Hotel , Stanmore , on Saturday , 14 th May .

HO - IOWAT ' S PILLS . —Changes of temperature and weather frequently upset Persons who are most careful of their health , and par icular in their diet . -These corrective , purifying , and penile aperient Pills are tho best remcdv for all defective action of the digestive organ * . They anemone the appetite , strengthen the stomach , correci biliousness , and carry off . ill that is noxious n t > - w _ --.... , --....-- .... _ .. _ ... _ .... _ . _ , ..... . -, „ .. j . _ , _ j .... uudw JO _ 1 - — . 1 UU . -

Tom the system . Holloway ' s Pill ' s are composed of rare balsams , unmixed With baser matter , and on that account are peculiarly well adapted for the young , delicate , and aged . As this peerless medicine has gained fame in the pagt , so will it preserve it in the future , by its renovating and invigorating qualities , and the impossibility of its doing harm .

Masonry Lives.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held at Freemasons ' Hall , on Wednesday . Bro . Charles Belton presided , and there was a large attendance of the supporters of the

Institution . The minutes of the previous meeting having been verified , the Secretary reported the death of one female annuitant , one widow receiving half of her late husband's annuity , and two approved candidates ( one

male and one female ); also the withdrawal of one male candidate ' s name from the list for the May election . The Warden ' s report for the past month , with that of the Finance Committee , was received , adopted , and ordered to

be entered on the minutes . Bros . J . A . Farnfiold , John Newton , and Charles Lacey were appointed a Committee to draw up the annual report . It was arranged that the

Stewards of the late Festival be invited to pay the customary visit to the Institution at Croydon early in the month of June . Bro . Edgar Bowyer ' s motion , of which due notice had been given , to the

effect" That the sum of one hundred guineas be presented to the Secretary , Bro . James Terry , from the funds of the Institution , iu acknowledgment of the zeal ho has shown during the past 12 months , whereby tho sum of over £ 19 , 000 was realised at the recent Fosti . al , "

was carried by acclamation . Bro . Terry , who during the consideration of this motion , had withdrawn , re-entered the room , and returned his sincere thanks for the handsome compliment paid him . A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings .

The Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will be held on Monday , 18 th inst ., at Freemasons' Tavern , when several motions , of which notice has been given , will come under discussion . These will be found fully set forth in our advertising columns . Twenty-five—or if a motion by Brother

Roebuck be adopted , twenty-seven—boys will bo elected from an approved list of forty-five candidates .

We learn from the Oity Press that Bro . Charles Greenwood , Provincial Grand Secretary of Surrey , who three or four years since was elected to the office of Vestry Clerk of St . Saviour ' s , Southwark , out of 28 selected candidates , has intimated his intention to resign this

appointment . It appears Brother Greenwood has attended over one hundred parochial meetings during the past year , and , by the assiduous attention he has paid to his duties , has given general satisfaction . Still he finds these

duties more onerous than he can perform , having regard to his legal practice as a member of the firm of Messrs . Nye , Greenwood and Moreton , of Serjeants' Inn , Temple , combined with the calls made on his time by other

important appointments which he has held for some years . At a Yestry meeting , on Easter Tuesday , a vote of thanks was passed to Brother Greenwood , and he was requested to continue his duties as Vestry Clerk , & c ., pending the

appointment of a successor . A vacancy has therefore occurred in a public appointment which it will be well for our brethren to keep in mind , especially in view of the fact that those who are not solicitors are eligible . We may

add that the duties involve the management of the Wardens' Estates , the collection of rents and dividends ( amounting to some £ 10 , 000 per annum ) , the management of the Charitable Institutions , and also the conduct of the business devolving upon the Overseers of the Parish .

Eboraoum Chapter , _ N o . 1611 . —A meeting of this Chapter was held on Tuesday , the 5 th instant , afc Freemasons' Hall , St . Saviourgate , York , there being present Comps . M . Millington Z ., J . Blenkin H ., W . Brown J ., J . Kay S . B ., W . Storry as S . N ., G . Chapman P . S ., W . Lackenby and P . Pearson Assistants , T . B .

Whytehead P . Z . as Organist , J . T . Seller P . Z ., G . Simpson P . Z ., R . Ware , S . J . Dalton , W . Sharp , E . Thackray , and others . Yisitor Comp . G . C . Lee 236 . Successful ballots were taken for three candidates , after which Bros . W . N . Cheesman W . M . 566 , W , T . Nance

1611 , and J . H . Shonksmith 1611 , were exalted by the M . E . Z ., Comp . W . Brown giving the historical , and Comp . T . B . Whytehead tho mystical lecture . After the close of the Chapter the Companions met at supper , and spent a harmonious and social evening .

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The Revised Book of Constitutions ; Critically Considered and Compared with the Old Edition . . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co . 4 Stationers' Hall Court , E . C . Sent on receipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W W . Morgan Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville .

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£ 20 « —TOBACCONISTS CoitiiBs-cwo . —An illustrated guide , re ^ d . ( 136 pp ) . "How to Open Respectably from £ 20 to - . 200-. " 3 Stamps . H . MYERS & Co ., Cigar and Tobacco Merchants , 107 to 111 Euston Road , London . Wholesale only , Telephone No , 76- 1 , General Shopfitters . Estimates free .