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~~ - - ~ " - ' ¦ - ¦¦ - ¦¦ ¦ - — . _ .- _ . _ -,.. .. „—— „ ,..-..- ., — .-, ,... —^^——— Royal Masonic Benevolent F Institution AGED MEMASONS ANDWIDOWS OF FREEMASONS . Offices—4 FREEMASONS' HALL , GREAT QUEEN STREET ,-LONDON , W . C . Grand Patron and President—H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , K . G ., & c , M . W . G . M . Treasurer—JOHN A . FARN FIELD , ESQ . Bankers—LONDON & WESTMINSTER BANK , LTD . ( BLOOMSBURY BRANCH ) , HIGH HOLBORN , W . C . Upwards of 1672 Annuitants haite received the benefits of the Institution since its foundation . 210 Men and 250 Widovtfs are Annuitants at the present time ; 28 Widottfs are receiving half their late husband ' s annuity in addition . AMOUNT PAID IN ANNUITIES £ 17 , 016 . The 59 th Anniversary Festival will be held in February 1901 , under the very distinguished Presidency of THE RIGHT HON . THE EARL OF WARWICK , Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master * of England , R . W . PROV . CM . OF ESSEX . Brethren are earnestly solicited to accept the Stewardship upon " this most important occasion and to kindly forward their names , as soon as possible , with full particulars to JAMES TERRY , PATRON , P . G . S . B ., Secretary , 4 FREEMASONS' HALL , LONDON , W . C .

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Si ^ " ^^^^ " ^" ' ^^ SATURDAY , 18 TH AUGUST 1900 .

Visit Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge To Gloucestershire.

VISIT OF THE QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE TO GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

E / vRLY last month the Gloucestershire Province enjoyed a privilege that is unique in its annals—that of entertaining the members of an outside Lodge . The Quatuor Coronati , No . 2076 , London , the Lodge in question , has for its raison d ' etre , as Masons are aware , the study of Masonic history and the diffusion of knowledge of the archaeology

and aesthetics of the Craft among the Brotherhood at large . The establishment of the Lodge was due to nine Brethren , students of Masonic lore , who petitioned Grand Lodge for a Warrant to form a Lodge for the better prosecution of their studies . It is an interesting fact that the name of an Old

Cheltonian , Sir Charles Warren , headed the Petition , and he became the first Master . The Warrant was issued in 1884 , but owing to the absence of Sir Charles on a diplomatic , and military command in Bechuanaland , the Consecration was put off till his return the next year . The other Petitioners were

Bros . W . H . Rylands , R . F . Gould ( author of the History of Freemasonry ) , the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , Walter Besant , J . P . Rvlands , S . C . Pratt , W . J . Hughan ( author of " Masonic

Records " and many other similar works ) , and G . W . Speth . The title of the Lodge was derived from the legendary martyrs who met death under the Roman Empire rather than renounce the principles of their Order .

The membership was limited to forty enrolled members . In 1887 it Was decided , in the interests of the Lodge and of the literature of the Craft , to establish an outer circle of students , to whom all publications issued by the Lodge should be transmitted , and who should be allowed to attend the meetings of the Lodge and take part in the discussions there , Since the institution of this " correspondence circle "

Visit Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge To Gloucestershire.

( of which Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith and the Mayor of Cheltenham were among the first members ) the influence ; of the Lodge has rapidly widened , until at the present time some 2 , 800 Brethren in all parts of the world have become affiliated and share' the benefit of the valuable publications issued from

time to time . In pursuance of its object , the Quatuor Coronati annually visit some quarter of the kingdom which oners opportunity for archaeological research . The refreshment of mind thus attainable has not prevented the

participation of material refreshment , and the interchange of Fraternal courtesies between the visitors and local Masons has been of mutual advantage in stimulating zeal in the Craft .

The late Brother E . Hulbert , of Stroud , the local Secretary for the Quatuor Coronati in the Province , had long looked forward to the time when the Lodge should be entertained by the Gloucestershire Brethren , and some of the last work he was able to do on behalf of the Craft was the

arrangement of the visit which has now been paid . His regrettable decease prevented him from seeing the fulfilment of his hopes , and the duty of filling in the details of the programme for the Lodge ' s summer outing was handed on to others . The invitation had been proffered in the names of

Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith P . G . D . Dep . Prov . G . M . of Gloucestershire ; Bro . G . Norman , Mayor of Cheltenham , P . P . S . G . W . ; and Lodges Royal Lebanon , No . 493 , Royal Gloucestershire , No . £ . 39 , Zetland , No . 1005 , of Gloucester ; Foundation , No . 82 , Royal Union , No . 246 , of Cheltenham ; and Cotteswold

No . 592 , of Cirencester . On Wednesday , 4 th ult ., about forty members of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge travelled down oy special train from Paddington to Gloucester , and took up their quarters at the Bell Hotel , The local arrangements were in the hands of a Committee of Brethren , of

whom Bro . J . . 0 .. Swithin undertook the duties of Hon . Sec . The following day the Deputy Prov . G . M . of Gloucestershire ( Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith ) , the Mayor of Cheltenham ( the Mayor of Gloucester being in attendance on a

Parliamentary Committee ) , and several Gloucester Brethren met the visitors in the Price Memorial Hall , in Gloucester , and offered them a Fraternal welcome , whilst Bro . John Bellows gave one of his interesting discourses , charming in the simplicity of its language and the felicity of its illustration , on the advent of the Romans to Britain and the part which Gloucester played in the subjugation of the island , Appre .