Furnishes Valuable Aid.

and the practice of the Christian virtues , it makes no claim to take the place of religion or in any way to interfere with religious belief . It requires of every membera belief in God , and thafc he should practise morality , bufc leaves his

private speculative opinions to his Creator and himself . Ifc is a co-worker wifch religion of every denomination , and teaches man to be just and true according to the dictates

of his own conscience . It does not seek to direct the particular path he shall pursue , bufc furnishes him valuable aid in his search for Divine truth .

Upon the general conduct and character of its members , as exhibited in their daily walks , will depend the impressions which Masonry makes upon the public mind . If it ia the misfortune of some to fall short of leading an exemplary life , their failure must be attributed to the

innate frailty of human nature , and should be covered with

the broad mantle of charity . Let not the Institution suffer from the failure of a few , but let it be judged by the many who are faithful to its precepts and endeavour to follow out its principles in their search for knowledge and Divine truth . —Voice of Masonry .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BROTHER JOSEPH S . LAVIES , M . D .

Is tho death of this well-known member of the Craffc tho Province of Surrey may be said to have lost one of its most genial representatives . Brother Lavies was a member of many Lodges , and was always greeted with a hearty

welcome . His funeral took place at Norwood Cemetery , on the 6 th instanfc , the first part of the service being held in the Church of St . Gabriel , Warwick-square , in the presence of a crowded congregation . Among those present afc the mournful ceremony wore Bros . N . H . Turner ,

Professor Rose , R . A . M ., George Cooper P . G . D ., Beckett , and many other of our deceased brother ' s numerous friends and brethren in Masonry . BRO . WILLIAM JAMES .

WE havo this week to record the death of Bro . William James , of Kirkby Lonsdale , who after a comparatively short illness , died on Monday , the 29 th ult . Bro . James was a

man who was highly respected by all classes . The funeral took place on Wednesday , at the Parish Church . The

coffin , which was made of oak and richly mounted , was borne from the deceased's home by members of the Oddfellows' Society ( of which he was a member ) to the

church , followed by sorrowing relatives and friends . The service was fully choral , and was conducted by the Rev Canon Ware . Bro . James was the oldest member of the

Underly Lodge , of which he was a P . M . At the timo of his death he was Treasurer , which office he had held for a number of years . A large number of his Brother Masons

attended the funeral , and at the close of the service each member cast in the grave a sprig of acacia .

West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

WEST LANCASHIRE MASONIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION .

THE aunual festival aud ball iu aid of the above will be held in Liverpool on the third Tuesday in January 1889 . The W . M . 's of Lodges , Firsfc Principals of Chapters , E . C . ' s of K . T . Encampments , the W . M . ' s of Lodges of Mark Masons , Sovereigns of the Eed Cross of Constantine and the Kose Croix , meeting in the Province of West Lancashire , with fche members of the General Committee , will constitute the Ball Committee , with power to add to their nnmber .

BEECHAM , the well-known proprietor of " Beecham s Pills , " ia issuing this year a Christmas Annual which promises to be one of the mosfc extraordinary penny publications ever issued . Tales by first class authors like " Ouida , " Jessie Fothergill , George R . Sims , B . E . Francillon , R . M . Ballantyne , G . Manville Penn , & c . & c . will

appear , and the magazine will be copiously illustrated . It will also contain the last tale written by the late Hugh Conway , and a new Quadrille , arranged on popular lines , which will add greatly to the valne of the work in our musical friends' eyes , most of whom no

doubt are aware what " Beecham s Music Portfolio " is like ; if not , they should make themselves familiar with the capital selection . Messrs . F . J . Lambert and Co ., of 18 Bonverie-street , London , are the publishers .

A CARD . —AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY is announced in the " Paris Figaro , " of a valuable remedy for nervous debility , physical exhaustion , and kindred complaints . This discovery was made by a missionary in Old Mexico ; it saved him from a miserable existence ,

snd premature decay . The Rev . Joseph Holmes , Bloomsbury Mansions , Bloomsbury Square , London , W . C , will send the prescription , free of charge , on receipt of a self-addressed stamped envelope . Mention this paper .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of tho Writer , not necessarily for ptiblication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

FREEMASONRY IN LEICESTER .

To the Editor of ihe FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Permit mo to correct a few inaccn . raoies into which the member of your staff has fallen iu hia otherwise gratifying and complimentary report of a recent visit to thu John of Gaunt Lodge , No . 523 ( p 297 ) , and his description of tho

Masonio Hall at Leicester . Let me set out by assuring him , as the first Master of the Lodge — forty-two years ago—that it has always been a plo . isuro ( and also to those of the other local Lodges ) to welcome a visitor nnd to show him

any attention in their power . Ihen as to the inaccuracies . SirF . G . Fowke was not D . P . G . M . only . He held that , oftlco ( and did all the work ) under Lord Ranclift ' o from 1833 to 1851 , whmi Insucceeded as Provincial Grand Master , and died as such iu 1 S 5 G . I served under him as his Depnty .

Lord Howe ' s portrait was not " presented by a brother , " as stated , but by a subscription amongst the brethren of the Province . Al ' tor serving as Lord Howe ' s Deputy for fourteen years I succeeded him on his resignation in January 1870 ( not in 1884 , as st * ite * l ) , nnd I resigned the office throe years later owing to ill-health . Next ,

with reference to Louis Jean , the French prisoner of war , he did not marry a Leicester but an Ashby-de-la-Zonch lady , where ho was a prisoner on parole . His daughter is now an inmate nf Trinity Hospital , Leicester , owing to the kindness of Bro . Israel Hart when Mayor of Leicester . Yonr reporter has been wrongly informed aa to

the trumpeter's banner over tho Master ' s chair—it was not presented by Cornet Packe on leaving for the battle of Waterloo in 1815 , bnt by the officers generally of the Royal Horse Guards Bin ? , several of wbom , including the then Cornet Packe , were initiated iu St . John'n Lodge on 15 th July 1801 , and who presented the banner on leaving

Leicester for the Peninsular War . The gallant Major Packe did certainly fall at Waterloo , hence probably the mistake . ThR " B * o . Hammett , " referred to as a former W . M . of one of tbe Leicester Lodges , should be Bro . Mammatt ( doubtless a printer ' s error ) of tho Lodge at Ashby-de-la-Zouoh . The father of tbe Rev . Dr . Oliver was initiated in and was a

member of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 279 , and in the library is the original MS . of thirteen Masonic songs written by him and inscribed to the Brethren of the Lodge , Yours fraternally , WILLIAM KELLY . Leicester , 12 th November 1888 .

The monthly meeting of the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday afternoon , Bro . W . M . Bywater , P . Gr . S . B ., Vice-President , occupied the chair ,

and there were present Bros . James Brett , Tattershall , Kempton , Daniell , Berry , Smith , Belchamber , West , Stenn , Driver , Adams , Cottebrune , Gordon Robbins , Hogard , Cubitt , Perceval , Murlis , Case , Webb , Cotter , Lacey ,

Hilton , Hobbs , Fraser , Pigott , Dr . Jabez Hogg , Newton , Forsyth , Dawson , Blasby , Larkin , and James Terry ( Secretary ) . Tho minutes of the previous meeting having been read and verified , the Secretary reported tho death of

eight annuitants ( five males and three widows ) . The Warden's report for the pasfc month was then read . Sundry reports were read , including one as to the receipt of £ 200 , being part of the residue of the estate of the late

Miss Louise McKellar , and that of Brother Raynham W . Stewart on land at Croydon , and the transfer of the building to new Trustees . The application of the widows of three recently deceased annuitants for half of their lato

husbands' annuities were granted . The Committee then considered the petitions of 11 applicants ( five men and six widows ) , and accepted those of four men and six widows ,

the names to be placed on the lists of candidates for the election in May 1889 . The remaining male applicant was refused . A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

HOMO - ' PHIS . —NO Mystery . —Whenever the blood is impure or tho general health is impaired tbe human body is predisposed to attacks of any prevailing epidemic . The first indications of iauity action , tho first sensations of deranged or diminished power , should bo rectified by these purifying Pills , which will cleanse all corrupt and reduce all erring functions to order . These

Pills counteract the subtle poisons in decaying animal or vegetable matter , and remove all tendency to bowel complaints , bLiousness , and a host of annoying symptoms arising from fiml stomachs . The fruit season is especially prone to produce irritation of the bowels and disorders of the digestive organs '; both of which dangerous conditions can be completely removed by Hoi ' oway ' s corrective medicines .