The Old Masonians.

Presidents during the past season : —Mrs . G . Allison , Bro . R . D . Cummings P . M . and Sec . 2168 ( member of Board of Management and Vice-President of Institution ) , Bro . J . Percy Fitzgerald P . M . 2168 ( member of Board of Management ) , Bro . Robert Manual P . M . and D . O . 1196 , Bro . Alfred J . Thomas P . M . 227 , & c ( Patron of Institution ) .

The thanks of the members are very cordially given to V . W . Bro . Harry Manfield , our President for the year , for so kindly interesting himself in the Association . Bro . Manfield has nominated as his successor , and the position has been accepted by , our very good friend , W . Bro . R . Vassar-Smith , J . P . ( P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . Gloucester , Patron of Institution ) , whose name is well known to the members of the Association as a supporter for many years .

Two " Gazettes " were issued this year , and , from the letters received , have been much appreciated . The Committee will endeavour to continue these issues . The Cup presented by Bro . Sholto Hare for swimming , was won by G . Cox . It will be competed for again next season . Meetings were arranged in Manchester by Mr . A . 0 . Crompton , who has increased his local membership from six to fourteen . A limited number of meetings will be ananged for next season , and the Committee trust that all Lancashire members will heartily support Mr . Crompton .

The O . M . prize , as in previous years , was awarded for English Composition , and was won by H . W . Roberts . Altogether the Committee consider the past season satisfactory , and feel encouraged for the future . The financial position appearing on the Treasurer's statement is good , and exceptionally strong . 28 th April 1900 .

Labour-Refreshment.

LABOUR - REFRESHMENT .

IN no matter was the wisdom of the founders of our Fraternity better displayed than by their inclusion of Kefreshment and Labour in the regular curriculum of the Craft . We must have had Labour , but we might not have had Refreshment . It might have been supposed that sufficient social enjoyment could be obtained in the Lodge

between the intervals of Labour ; but we know it could not . During Labour no proper opportunity is afforded for this enjoyment , the intervals referred to being too fragmentary to allow fit occasion for its exercise . The customary law

of the Craft , in this regard , is simply perfect . It was so at the beginning , and it has been so maintained in its integrity to the present day . 1 he conservative power of Freemasonry is wonderful : what has been is , and will be .

Bowmen bend their bows when they wish to shoot , and unbrace them when the shooting is oyer . Were they kept always bent they would break , and fail the archer in time of need . So it is with men . If they give themselves to serious work , and never indulge a while in pastime or sport ,

they lose their serises , and become mad or moody . Imagine a Freemasonry without Refreshment ( for you will have to imagine it , since it has never existed in fact ) , and you will have a work-a-day Fraternity , which would wear out as certainly as a human body , or a wagon . The

globe we inhabit could not endure , were it not for the fact that the several seasons regularly succeed and supplement each other . Winter is the period of the earth ' s rest and recreation , while summer is its time for labour . Man can never go astray in following the example of nature . What

is the best for nature is best for man . Did it ever occur to you how very human nature is ? Ordinarily it is regular and commendable in its processes—sunshine and shadow , heat and cold , rain and snow following each other in the best possible order .

But , occasionally , there comes a super-heated term , or a drowning rainfall , or a blinding , wounding , killing blizzard , and then we look upon nature with awe . But these 'are extraordinary proceedings . In human phrase , we should say , nature is then beside herself with passion , or forgetting

of her training , or regardless of the feelings of her neighbour •—man . We do not wonder that certain ancient philosophers asserted that there is a soul in nature , that it is a sentient entity , that it fell from its high estate , as did man , but will rise again and become regenerate in the future .

But we are not left to conjecture as to what Freemasonry is—it is before us— " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever . " It is better than the globe we inhabit , or man that inhabits it . It does not appear to contain the seeds of its

own destruction . Certainly the nobility of its principles and the beauty and propriety of its customary everyday life , are calculated to maintain it in perpetual existence . With Refreshment after Labour as the law of its being , it is destined to hold its place in the affections of all of its initiates .

It is very well to say that philosophers and moralists could exist without refreshment , but we doubt it . Philosophers and moralists have hearts as well as minds , stomachs as well as craniums , affections as well as wills , and can enjoy amusement and partake of a banquet in a manner that is truly unaffected . Freemasons are all-round men . Besides , there

Labour-Refreshment.

is room in the Fraternity for all of us . Whether we be devotees to religion , morality , charity , philosophy , the gospel of common sense , or the enjoyment of those creature-comforts which tickle the palate , gratify the ear , and please the eye , we find them all in Freemasonry . If we choose , we may

select for our personal enjoyment any one of the manysided features of the Craft , but the most of us choose to enjoy all . We would not only not dispense with either Labour or Refreshment , but we would not have either of them deprived of any marked characteristic . We have no

amendment to propose to " Refreshment after Labour , " as we have none to the Landmarks of Freemasonry—nothing to add , nothing to subtract . We have only to desire that the spirit of Fraternity shall continue to permeate the Brotherhood , and bind jt together with a power more lasting than hooks of steel . — " Keystone . "

Labour-Refreshment.

LABOUR - REFRESHMENT .

Fuller particulars as to place of meeting of the undermentioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( pxiblished by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 77 Freedom , Giavesend 236 Y . ork , York 248 True Love & Unity , Brixhani 312 Lion , Whitby 359 Peace & Harmony , Soutli'pton 424 Borough , Gateshead

872 Lewis , Whitehaven 900 St . George , Tewkesbury 949 Williamson , Monkwearinouth 1146 De Moulham , Swanage 1199 Ariculture , button 1238 Gooch , Twickenham

1255 Dundas , Plymouth 1443 Salem , Dawlish 1631 St . Andrew , Gorleston 1814 Worsley , Worsley 1833 St . Keyna , Keynsham 2069 Prudence . Leeds

2074 St . Clare , Landport 2208 Horsa , Bournemouth 2327 St . Oswin , North Shields 2425 Ecclesburne , JUuineld 2557 Temperance , Newcastle-on-T . 2669 Victoria , Bradford

Tuesday . Board of General Purposes , Freemasons , Hall , at 5 . 1339 Stockwell , Camberwell 1695 New Finsbury Park , Via . H'tl .

223 Charity , Plymouth 418 Menturia , Hanley 663 Wiltshire of Fidelity , Devizes 667 Alliance , Li . irpool 830 Endeavour , Dukinfield

958 St . Aubin , Jersey 1006 Tregullow , St . Day 1028 Royal Alfred , Alfreton 1225 Hindpool , Barrow-in-Furness 1570 Prince Arthur , Liverpool 2747 St . Michael , Newquay .

Labour-Refreshment.

Wednesday . General Committee Grand Lodge , and Board of Benevolence , 5 220 Harmony , Garston 724 Derby , Liverpool 1756 Kirkdale , Liverpool 1760 Leopold , Scarborough

1967 Beacon Court , New Broinpton 2019 Crook , Crook 2149 Gordon , Hanley 2320 St . Martin , Castleton 2330 St . Lawrence , Pudsey 2444 Noel , Kingston-on-Thames

2448 Bradstow , Broadstairs Thursday . House Committee , G-rls School , 4 . 30 202 Friendship , Devonnort

346 United Brethren , Blackburn 594 Downshire , Liverpool 787 Beaureper , Belper 1971 Ald ' shot , Army & Navy , A ' shot . 2184 Royal Vict . Jubilee , Rainham 2214 JosiahWedgewood , Etrurla 2263 St . Leonards , Sheffield

2335 Cycling and Athletic , Liverpool 2375 Hilbre , Hoylake 2415 Tristram , Shildon 2462 Clarence , West Hartlepool 2474 Hatherton , Walsall

Friday . Board of Management , Boys' School at 4 1296 Vale of Brislington , Brislington 2679 Hope , Patricroft

Saturday . 1541 Alexandra Palace , Holborn 2767 Lord Kitchener , Greenwich 1284 Brent , Topsham 1462 Wharncliffe , Penistone 1871 Gostling Murray , Hounslow

The Theatres, &C.

The Theatres , & c .

Avenue . —8 , His Wife ' s Picture . 8-45 , A Message from Mars . Matinee , Wednesday , 3 . Criterion . — 830 , Lady Huntworth ' s Experiment , except Saturdays .

Matinee , Wednesday , 2-30 . Daly ' s . —815 , San Toy . Matinee , Saturday , 2-30 . Gt . Queen Street . —8 . 15 , A Boer Meisje . 9 , The Private Secretary .

Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 3 . Prince of Wales . —Tuesday , 21 st August , 8-30 , English Nell . SaVOV . —8-15 . The OutDOSt . 8-4 S . Thn Piroioa nf P » n *( . r > n « M < , ti «< Sa

Saturday , 2-30 . Shaftesbury . —8 , The Casino Girl . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . Alexandra . —Next week , 8 , The two Orphans .

Opera House , Crouch End . — Next week , rf , His Excellency the Governor . Surrey . —Next week , 745 , Dangerous Women . Standard . —Next week , 7-45 , The Absent-minded Bnetmr .

Crystal Palace . —Varied attractions daily . Thursday and Saturday , Fireworks , & c . " Earl's Court . —Woman ' s Exhibition . Maii

tgyptian .-a and 8 , Mr . J . N . Maskelyne ' s entertainment . London Hippodrome . —2 and 8 , Varied attractions . Madame Tussaud ' s ( Baker Street Station ) . —Open daily . Portrait

models of modern celebrities , & o . Agricultural Hall . —8 , Mohawk Minstrels , Alhambra . —7-45 , Variety Entertainment , & c .

Aquarium . —The World ' s great Show . Varied performances , daily . Empire . —7-45 , Variety Entertainment . Round the Town Again , & o , Oxford , —7 ' 30 , Variety Entertainment , Saturday , 3-25 also ,