Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

While we do not approve of all day meetings , we yet think longer time should be allowed for the after proceedings of Provincial meetings in partionlar . They often afford the only means of a general reunion of the Officers of past years , and the latter part of the proceedings , if looked upon from that point of view , are really the most interesting to a large nnmber of those present . Had the

service at the church been before , instead of after , the meeting of Grand Lodge , this drawback would have been prevented , a fact we commend to brethren who may have the arrangement of future i > atheriugs . We do not wish this to be considered as applying particularly to the arrangements of the Sandwich brethren—which were first-rate in every respect—but to the Craffc generally .

Mark Benevolent Fund.

MARK BENEVOLENT FUND .

THE Annual Festival in behalf of the Mark Benevolrfnfc Fund was held afc the Crystal Palace , on Wednesday , under the presidency of the Earl of Kintore D . G . M . M . M . A numerous company were present , including , as usual , many of the fair sex , and Bros . Bertram and Roberts are to be congratulated on the excellent manner in which they provided for the wants of the inner man . In fact , the Festival of 1882 was , in all respects , a great success . It Was compact and

harmonious as regards those present—so much as this goes , almost without saying—while the result may be said to have fully realised the general expectation ; only on one previous occasion has it , if we remember rightly , been exceeded , and even the excess of that Festival over this is slight . Banquet over , the more serious , and at the same time , the more

jovial part of the proceedings was entered upon , the Right Honourable Brother in the chair inaugurating the combined business and chief pleasure of the meeting by proposing the customary Loyal and Mark Masonic toasts . In presenting that of Lord Henniker Grand Mark Master Mason , Lord Kintore spoke in terms of well-deserved encomium of his Lordship ' s interest in whatever was likely to

prove of interest to the Degree . His absence , he remarked , was undoubtedly a loss to tbe company , though to him ( Lord Kintore ) personally , it was a gain , for otherwise he would nofc have been able to occupy the position of chairman . The enthusiasm evoked by these remarks having subsided , Bro . Barcn de Ferrieres , M . P ., gave the toast of the Past Grand Masters , and congratulated those present on having had the services in that capacity of so many distinguished

Craftsmen . As a matter of course , reference was made to the accession to their number of Prince Leopold Duke of Albany , and also to tbe fact that a fund was in course of being raised in order to present His Royal Highness with some mark of tbeir esteem and respect on the occasion of his recent marriage . A kindly reference to Bro . Bev . G . Raymond Portal M . W . P . G . M . M . M ., who had lately returned home from his late tour , in restored health , brought the Baron ' s remarks to a conclusion .

On Bro . C . F . Matier devoted the agreeable duty of proposing the Chairman ' s health . We had known his Lordship , he said , for a long time , and had watched his Masonic career with the greatest interest ard satisfaction . There had been a time when the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , of which his Lordship was one of the Principals , and the Grand Mark Lodge , of which he was now the Deputy Grand

Master , had not been on the best of terms . Iu those days his Lord , ship had demeaned himself most kindly and courteously , and had used his best efforts to bring about happier relations between the two bodies . Thafc his Lordship ' s efforts had not proved futile was shown by the fact of his being , afc the present time , Second Principal of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland and D . G . M . of the Mark Grand

Lodge . That his Lordship might occupy still higher positions was his ( Bro . Matier ' s ) sincere wish . Lord Kintore , in reply , acknowledged with much satisfaction nofc only the kindly terms in which his health had been proposed by Bro . Matier , whom he had known for many years , but also the exceedingly handsome manner in which it had been received by the company present . He acquiesced in the

correctness of Bro . Matier ' s statement as to the differences formerly existing between the Grand Chapter Scotland and the Mark Grand Lod ge England , and was fully prepared and delighted to admit that the twofold position he at present occupied , as Second Principal ' of the former and Depnty G . Master of the latter , was evidence that peace , a strong peace , and peace with honour , prevailed between the two bodies .

The toast of the " Past and Present Grand Officers " having been proposed in appropriate terms by Bro . R . P . Spice , and most geniall y acknowledged by Bro . Rev . R . P . Bent Grand Chaplain , the Chairman rose and gave the toast of the evening , " Prosperity to the Mark Benevolent Fund . " In doing so , he said he felt no anxiety as to the result . He did not mean to say thafc his powers of

oratory were likely to affect materially the fortunes of the Fnnd , bnt he had noticed his worthy friend opposite to him , Bro . Dewar , with a satisfactory roll of paper of considerable length in his hands , and he considered ifc great advantage thafc the work he was commending to tbeir notice had already been to a great extent accomplished . As to the Fnnd itself , in the fourteen years that had elapsed since

its establishment , in 1868 , no less a sum than £ 3 , 180 had been £ 7 nn ' ° Wh , ch £ 1 - 500 had been invested in the Fund itsflf , and * ' 00 in the Education Fund , while grants amounting to £ 750 have een made to sundry necessitous and worthy Mark Masons . At tho P esenfc time seven boys were being educated , afc an annnal expense of ° ? ^ * ° £ T ® > while the total cost of management , collection , a distribution had not exceeded the latter sum . This ho

consireel to be in the highest degree creditable to the Executive ; the l regarda the Funcl ifcse , f > he conId nofc s P eak to ° high , y of not Va i ° ^ ^ 8 °° d work ifc was doing , and consequently could of HF i to ° strongly in commending ib to fche notice and support B ~ and brethren present . which ii \ CkeS ' ' n an eloa > nent speech , expressed the obligations the h rk Masons were under to his lordship for having taken fclse t ii , ° *' 'K ^ 588 ' 011 , He conld have wished that some one ad been chosen to respond , as ifc was hardly possible for him to

Mark Benevolent Fund.

speak in terms that were otherwise thon stereotyped . He pointed out , however , the great interest whioh members of the Mark Degree took in the great Masonic Institutions , and also that the Mark Grand Lodge had not inaugurated a new degree , but had merely been conserving the old . The Mark Degree was as authentic as any other , and was equally , with others , stimulated by the

principle of Charity . Hence the Fund , which subsidised , as it were , what was being done by the Craft . As to the Festival , it was the Fifteenth Anniversary , and he thanked the brethren for having tendered their services on the occasion . He also alluded to the dif . ferences that formerly existed , whioh had been the subject of com . ment by Bro . Matier , and concluded by expressing his heartiest good wishes in behalf of the Degree in England , Scotland , and

Wales , and wherever else established . Bro . Dewar then read out the following list of Stewards' con . tributions , amounting to £ 528 lis 6 d , namely : — £ s d The Chairman , the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Kintore - . 25 0 0

P A Homfray ( Monmouthshire ) 64 5 0 A L Emanuel ( Hants and the Isle of Wight ) - - 15 15 0 R J Emmerson ( Kent ) 21 10 6 J S Cumberland ( N and E Yorkshire ) - - - . 15 15 0 George Cooper ( Bon Accord ) 12 17 0 Henry Venn ( Old Kent } 38 17 0

R P Spice No . 3 5 5 0 James Inglis 7 13 13 0 Dr E Sohiemann . .... 8 GJCosburn 27 9 5 6 F A Huefc 32 10 10 0 J Arenberg 34 6 10 0

a . B uoason 4 U 1 U 1 UU Thos J Pulley - 54 10 10 0 M Mildred . . 104 23 2 0 0 W Hudson 164 CH Driver 173 15 15 0 J T Thorp 194 21 9 0

H J Lardner 223 17 6 0 J T Moreland 225 10 10 0 H Lovegrove 234 10 10 0 W H Glasspool 235 26 5 0 J Hobbs 236

ueorge R Ousey 239 16 2 0 J J Hughes 247 9 7 0 C F Goodenough 255 15 15 0 H H Hodges 257 5 5 0 Henry George 265 26 5 0 Richard White 266 5 5 0 T L Lewis 371 26 0 O

W J Meek 284 10 10 0 Rev RP Bent 5 5 0 Robert Berridge 13 7 6 John Mainwaring 5 5 0 John Ramsey ... . .. 550

The . toast of " the Stewards was responded to by Bro . H . Venn , while Bro . Binckes gave thafc of " the Ladies , " which was gracefully acknowledged by Bro . Godson . The party shortly after separated . Be it added , that Bro . W . Ganz , P . G . Organist , had under his direc tion the musical arrangements , which gave the utmost satisfaction , and in whioh he was assisted by Bros . Collins , Thompson , Kift , and Egbert Roberts .

SUMMER BANQUET OF PROSPERITY LODGE , No . 65 .

THIS event was celebrated at fche Star and Garter Hotel , Rich , mond , on Wednesday , and passed off with the same success as in former years . Tbe weather was delightful , and a muster of one hundred ladies and brethren seems almost small under the circumstances , especially if we keep in mind the great and well deserved popularity of the Lodge . However , leaving the mere numbers out of the question , beautiful scenery , bright sunshine , and a popular

Master , were conditions favourable to the day s enjoyment , and , thanks to the kind and fraternal offices of Bros . Roberts W . M ., and G . T . Brown Secretary , with their aids , there was not even a single moment's break in the day's enjoyment . As a matter , of course the W . M . presided at the banquet , and—especially as a matter of course —he was supported by his Wardens , Bros . Sohadler and Rich . Little need be said of the menu , beyond the fact that ifc was in all respects

worthy of the proprietors of this famous hostelry , and was appreciated by the guests . When justice bad been done to the good things provided , sundry toasts were honoured , the most prominent among them being those of the Master , the Past Masters , the Visitors , and the Ladies . Each of these in turn elicited hearty shouts of approval . Dancing , later in the evening , bronght the festive gathering to a close , and the brethren and their friends returned to town , after having spent a most agreeable day .

ALEXANDRA PALACE .

AN unusual large number of persons attended the Palace last Wednesday evening , to witness the first representation of Mr . Pain ' s latest novelty , the Bombardment of Alexandria . The Egyptian Forts are first seen ; the ships of England are then discovered , and a fierce cannonading ensues , accompanied by a perpetual rattle from the Gattling Guns . The Forts and Batteries are soon

reduced , and a tremendous explosion of Magazines forms a very effective and appropriate termination . Previons to the engagement , an extensive display of fireworks , and illumination of the Park , with variegated lights and Magnesium Balloons , attracted general

admiration , and comprised flights of Rockets with floating lights forming Aerial Bouquets , Great Golden Clouds , Girandoles , Tonrbillions , and flights of Shells , See . including the latest introduction of Pyrotechny , the Rayour jd'Or rockets .