St. John's Lodge, Philadelphia.

Librarian ) was exhibited in the Masonic Temple , Philadelphia , on Thursday evening , 28 th February 1884 , by its discoverer , Bro . Clifford P . MacCalla Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of

Pennsylvania , in the course of his lecture delivered before Lodge No . 51 , on " A Remarkable Masonic Life" —that of Benjamin Franklin ; when it excited the greatest interest , and was pronounced the most ancient and valuable Masonic record yet discovered in America .

His Royal Highness The Prince Of Wales And Lifeboat Work.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES AND LIFEBOAT WORK .

THE Annual General Meeting of the friends and supporters of the Eoyal National Lifeboat Institution was held on Saturday , the 15 th inst ., at Willis ' s Booms , St . James's , His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., in the Chair . The Annnnl Eeport was read by the Secretary Mr . Charles Dibdin . It stated that the committee , in submitting their Sixtieth Annnal Report to their supporters and

sympathisers , thankfully acknowledge the very valuable and important monetary assistance which they have received during the past year . In no previous year , perhaps , had the necessity for the exist . once of such a Society been more plainly demonstrated than in that lately completed . Happily the strenuous efforts mado by the Institution had been instrumental in mitigating to a very considerable

extent the dire evils entailed by the terrible disasters at sea which had been so frequently brought into notice in the public press . Daring the past year four new Lifeboat stations were established at different places , and seven now Lifeboats were also dispatched to the English coast to replace old ones . In addition to this , twelve new stations are in the course of formation , and nine new boats will

shortly be provided for places in need of them . The number of Life , boats under the management of the Institution last year was 274 , which were launched on service 283 time between the 1 st of January and the 31 st of December , and saved no less that 725 lives and 30 vessels . Besides this , 230 lives were saved from shipwreck by shoreboats and other means , all of which services were rewarded by the

Institution , making np a grand total of 955 lives rescued during the year , for which 14 Silver Medals and Clasps , 25 Votes of Thanks on vellum , and £ 5397 were granted by the committee , including grants to widows and orphans of Lifoboatmen killed on dnty . Altogether from its foundation the Institution had voted 97 Gold Medals , 964 Silver Medals , and £ 77 , 984 in cash , for saving 30 , 563 lives from ship .

wrecks on our coasts . The financial statement , which was produced at the meeting , had been audited and signed by Mr . Lovelock , Chartered Accountant ; it furnished full details of the items of receipt and expenditure . The subscriptions , donations , dividends , & c , amounted during the past year to £ 40 , 250 which sum included £ 3767 in special gifts for expenses connected with seven Lifeboats , and

£ 2000 for the endowments of two Lifeboats . Several legacies were also received . The total expenditure for the past year was £ 45 , 817 . In conclusion , the Committee , in view of the splendid services which had been rendered by the Lifeboats , and the efficiency which had been maintained in the service , strongly appealed once more to the public for help and sustained support , feeling confident that such an

appeal made in the interests of humanity , would not pass unheeded , but would meet with a prompt and ready response . After the Eeport had been read , his Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales said Ladies and Gentlemen , —Before calling on the noble Duke who is to move the first Eesolntion , I wish to say a few words . You have all heard with the deepest interest the report which has just been read

and we shall be unanimous in thinking it highly satisfactory . This Institution , having been founded in 1824 , has now reached its sixtieth anniversary , and you will agree with me that there is no Institution in the country which is of greater importance , or which more demands our sympathy and assistance . From our geographical position as a sea-girt isle , and from the vast colonies we have

acquired , the mass of ships that travel to and from our ports is almost too vast even to count , but they encounter many shipwrecks , the result of which is , in many cases , great loss of life . The risks , too , that our fishermen run must be known to all of you . It was specially to save their lives—and to save the lives of all who travel on the sea , and may be shipwrecked on our coast—that this noble Institution

was founded . It must be patent to all of you that a Society of this kind is an absolute necessity . Since its existence , nearly 31 , 000 lives have been saved , and already this year more than 300 have been rescued by the Lifeboats . The Society has no fewer than 274 Lifeboats , and while I need say nothing of the ability and courage displayed by the crews , there is one thing of which I must remind you

though we all admit that this is a national institution , it is entirely supported by voluntary contributions . Therefore I must urgently ask you to ponder well this fact and to remember that the annual cost of maintaining a Lifeboat Station is about £ 70 a year . The Eeport has told you that the Princess of Wales has become a

Patroness of the Institution . I need hardly tell you she shares with me the views I hold on this important matter , and it was a great gratification to her quite recently to present medals to two most deserving coxswains who had distinguished themselves in saving life . On the motion of His Grace the Duke of Argyll , the Eeport was adopted , and ordered to be printed and circulated .

The Prince of Wales , after the lecture on Ensilage , on tho 17 th inst ., at the Institute of Agriculture , South Kensington Museum , at which His Eoyal Highness presided , afforded Messrs . F . W . Eeynolds and Co ., of Acorn Works , Edward-street , Blackfriars , a private interview , for the purpose of explaining to him and his suite the advantages possessed by their patent method of mechanically compressing En . silage , as compared with dead weights . A working model was shown , and great interest was manifested .

The Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution.

THE CHESHIRE EDUCATIONAL MASONIC INSTITUTION .

THE twenty-first annual meeting of the General Committee of the Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution was held at the Masonic Chambers , Hamilton-street , on Monday afternoon , for the purpose of determining the amounts to be recommended to be voted at the next Court of Governors , which will be held at Crewe , on Wednesday , the 26 th instant , for the education of the children on the books of tho Institution , and to hear applications from the friends of

new candidates . Tho Eev . R . Hodgson P . G . Chaplain presided , and ' amongst those present were Bros . J . P . Piatt P . M . 537 and P . P . G . J . W . Treasurer , F . K . Stevenson P . M . 537 Hon . Sec , Peter Wadsworth P . G . T . and P . M . 295 , James Salmon P . M . 425 , Eobert Sykes P . M . 325 and 461 , A . Houghton W . M . 1168 , W . Hongh W . M . ail , J . Lambert P . M . 537 , T . C . Thorburn W . M . 477 , John Clayton P . M .

89 , J . Boardman W . M . 336 , W . Kenworthy P . M . 89 , W . Barker W . M . 461 , J . A . Hodkinson J . W . 461 , Edward Marwood W . M . 728 , Henry Woodall W . M . 1126 , S . Brooks P . M . 361 , W . Hughes J . W . 721 , Charles J . Clover W . M . 537 , J . W . Newall Banner P . P . C . and P . M . 321 , J . E . Steward P . M . 336 P . G . J . D ., Richard Jones 1276 Secretary , W . Mollor P . M . 758 , and Joseph Turner P . M . 320 , & o .

The Treasurer ' s accounts were submitted by Bro . Piatt , showing money invested £ 3 , 715 6 s 3 d , together with £ 800 in a Dock Bond . The annnal subscriptions amounted to £ 306 13 s 6 d , and interest from investments £ 196 6 s 7 d . The expenses of management had been £ 38 , and the outlay for education £ 182 4 s 3 d . On the proposition of Bro . Salmon , seconded by Bro . Wood , tho accounts were passed .

The hon . Secretary ' s accounts were submitted by Bro . F . K . Stevenson , from which it appeared that tho work of the Institution is progrossing favourably . Twenty-five children are being educated , of whom four go off the books this year , and five candidates are applying . Bros . J . W . Latham P . G . D . Eng ., and F . A . Dickson P . P . J . W ., had been added to the Board of Governors to fill up vacancies caused by

death . On tho motion of Bro . Thorburn , seconded by Bro . Houghton , the Secretary ' s report was adopted . The Committee then considered the following applications : —Catherine Graham , agod eleven years , daughter of the late Bro . Joseph S . Graham , of Unanimity Lodge , No . 89 , Dukinfiold ; James Stanley , aged twelve years , and Sarah , aged eight years , children of the lato Bro . James Shepley , of

Fortitnde Lodge , No . 461 , Newton Moor ; Thomas H . O . Jones , aged ten years , son of the late Bro . Jones P . M ., of Independence Lodge , No . 721 , Chester ; Frances Jane Hill , aged eleven years , daughter of the late Bro . Edwin Hill , of the Stamford Lodge , No . 1046 , Altrinoham . It was agreed to grant £ 5 for tho education of T . H . O . Jones for the half-year ending March 1885 ;

£ 10 to Catherine Graham ; £ 15 to James Stanley Shepley and Sarah Shepley ; and £ 6 6 s to Frances Jane Hill . In the case of John E . Flloyd , of Manchester , now fifteen years of age , it was agreed to grant a sum of £ 20 for the purpose of apprenticing him to Messrs . Hattersley and Co ., machinists , Manchester . Bros . Marwood and Mellor , of the Ellesmere Lodge , No . 758 , Runcorn , brought forward

the ease of the family of the late Bro . Thomas Horsfall , for several years Secretary of that Lodge , and who died three or four weeks ago , leaving four children , and on the motion of Bro . Clayton it was agreed to vote £ 5 for the education of the youngest child , a daughter ten years of age . Bro . Barker W . M . 1061 said that the grants made on the present occasion would have the effect of inducing a larger

number of Masons in the Staleybridge portion of the county to be . come subscribers to the funds of the Institution . Bro . Banner also remarked that these grants would be a stimulus to other Lodges to increase their support of so valuable an Institution . A vote of thanks to the Chairman , Hon . Secretary and Treasurer was passed , and the meeting broke up .

We have been favoured with copy of a photograph of our worthy Bro . Pearcy P . M ., the well-known and obliging Preceptor . To say that it is life-like is only to say that a photo is what it is , and would-be no credit to the artist . But in this case the tone and pose of the portrait are as

admirable as the likeness is accurate . It is the production of Bro . H . Cecil Turner , of the Angel Studio , 14 Pentonville Road , N ., and considering how well

situated and admirably arranged are Bro . Turner's premises , how studious he is of his patrons' wishes , and how painstaking in all he does , we can strongly recommend his establishment to our friends . We are sure

they will be pleased if they give it a trial , and we know they will have no complaint to make on the score of high charges , Bro . Turner ' s terms being extremely moderate .

At the London Cottage Mission Hall , 67 Salmon's-row , Limehonse , on Wednesday of last week , at the close of the dinner , of which several hundred children partook , Mr . Walter Austin in a few short sentences explained to the youngsters that , on future occasions , they must not bring their plates and spoons with them , in fact , they must not expect—unless some kind friend steps in and provides the cost—another

dinner j ust yet . On the little ones this news had a very depressing influence . We are pleased , however , to be able to state that Mr . Austin ' s appeal for further assistance was not disregarded ; further , that on Wednesday about nine hundred of these hunger , pinched waifs and strays had their " one meal a week , " as did also

nearly a hundred old folks and others out of work . One had only to see them thus engaged to form an idea of what a real calamity " no dinner" would be to them all . We trust some kind friends will send to 44 Finsbury-pavement a small faggot of relief , and keep up for the next few weeks that fire of Christian Charity contained in the words " Feed my lambs . "