Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association.

In another column will be found a record of tho death of the wife of Bro . Charles Greenwood , which sad event took place on Friday , the 16 th instant , after a very brief illness . The loss of a partner who has for many years

shared one ' s joys and troubles is at all times hard to bear ; but in the case of Bro . Greenwood , who has been most devoted to his wife , and who himself is in very bad health at the present time , the bereavement is particularly severe .

In offering him and the members of his family our sincere sympathy , we are but echoing a sentiment which will be felt by all who are acquainted with our beloved brother . A Mason more respected than Bro . Charles Greenwood it

would be difficult to find . We trust strength may bo given him in this his hour of affliction , and that he may find that solace which alone can sustain him . The members of

his family , with whom he is surrounded , will , we are sure , do their best to comfort him , and we trust he may live for many years to enjoy the company and guide the steps of his sons and daughters .

The annual Festival of Grand Lodge and investiture of Grand Officers will take place on Wednesday next , at Freemasons' Hall , London , under the presidency of the

Right Honourable the Earl of Lathom , Deputy Grand Master . The usual dinner will be served in the Freemasons' Tavern , at six o ' clock , tickets for which may be obtained of the Grand Stewards at any time before 4 p . m . on Tuesday , the 27 th inst .

The perusal of a specimen page of Bro . Lane s forthcoming work , "Masonic Records 1717-1886 , " enables us to express our hearty approval of the task on which he is engaged . His proposal is to give a list of all the Lodges at home or

abroad warranted by the four Grand Lodges and the United Grand Lodge of England , with their dates of constitution , places of meeting , alterations in numbers , & c , exhibiting all the Lodges on the English Register for 1886 , together with those previously on the roll , specially arranged in a

tabular form , to shew at one view all the numbers taken by each Lodge during the successive enumerations to the present date ; also particulars of all Lodges having special privileges , Centenary Jewel Warrants , & c . The tabular

method of supplying this information adopted by Bro . Lane is at once distinct and complete , and should recommend his volume to all who take an interest in the history of the Lodges at present on the Register of the Grand Lodge of

England , or which have been erased or lapsed in years gone by . The work has been some years in preparation , and is expected to be ready during the summer of this year . It will contain about 300 pages of closely printed matter , and

a reduced fac-simile of Pine ' s engraved list of Lodges , A . D . 1725 ( as a frontispiece ) . As only a limited number will be printed , intending subscribers will oblige by sending their orders , without delay , to the author , or to Bro . W . J . Hughan , at Torquay .

Bro . Hy . Baldwin P . P . G . Standard Bearer Middlesex , W . M . of tho Stuart Lodge , No . 1632 , asks us to notify that , notwithstanding the first regular meeting falling on Monday next ( Bank Holiday ) , the Lodge will meet at the

Bridge House Hotel , Southwark , at 6 p . m ., as heretofore —for the purpose of raising a candidate ( on behalf of the Lebanon Lodge ) , and for other routine business . There will not be a banquet on this occasion .

Easter Entertainments.

EASTER ENTERTAINMENTS .

THE holiday pnblio will have no reason to complain of want of variety in the amusements which will be provided for them during Eastertide , for their name is legion . Probably the greatest difficulty will be to choose from among the plethora of good things set before them that which ensures the be-c value for the money

expended . Cousiderable interest is bi-. inu manifested in the re-pro . doction this eveuing ( Saturday ) of " Unman Nature / ' at Drnry ¦ Lane Theatre , in which Mr . Augustus Harris shares the composition with Mr . Henry Pettitt . The " national" theatre has been redecorated since the withdrawal of th ^ p intimimo , which proved one

of the most successful on record ; and we have little doubt , that the piece to be re-produced will ei > joy another lonr and triumphant run . At tbo Lyceum , '' Faust" will draw crowded honses rlurina the week , and " The Lord Harry " is certain to do the same nnder Mr . Wilson Barrett ' s auspices at the Princess ' s . There will be no

change at the Haymarket while " Jim the Penman " draws such goodly audiences ; whilst "The Harbour Lights" at the Arlelphi , and '' My Sweetheart , " at the Strand , are sure to attract good hoaaes . At the Globe , " The Pickpocket" will be accompanied by " The Sing of the Father ; " while " The Mikado " and " The

Easter Entertainments.

Carp" will continue to hold their own at the Savoy . "Cupid " will " camp " at tho Criterion , in oompany with " The Man with the Threo Wives ; " and the Princo ' s will still combat with its " Enemies . " " Fedora " will occupy the boards at Her Majesty ' s , and the inimitable Toole , in " Going it , " will play " Faust aud

Loose . " At the Opera Comique , " On 'Change " will be continued , and " Sophia " will reign at the Vaudeville . The Gaiety will appear in "Borrowed Plumes , " with "Jack Sheppard" as the great attraction , and visitors will find at St . James ' s the play of " Antoinette Rigaud . " The story of " Lnrline " will be enacted at the Avenue , and " Oliver "

will " Grumble ' amidst the redolence of " Wet Paint" at the Novelty ; whilst " Hard Hearts " will be commenced on Monday at the Grand . The " Silver King" at the Surrey will vie with the " Silver Wedding " at the Standard , and the " Schoolmistress " will play her pretty pranks at the Conrt ; and you may go " Round the

World at the Empire in Leicester-sqaare . "East Lynne " is to be continued at the Imperial , and " Hoodman Blind " at the Britannia . Of the miscellaneous entertainments , of whioh there appear to be an endless variety , the Indian and Japanese Villages are sure to come in for a large share of attention ; whilst of course thousands

will be allured by the special programmes at the Crystal Palace , the Albert Palace , the Aquarium , the Alhambra , the Oxford , Canterbury , Royal , South London , and the minor music halls ; the Moore and Burgess and Mohawk Minstrels , Madame Tussand ' s , and others—as the auctioneers say—too ( numerous to mention . Thenjthere are trips

by water to Rosherville Garden ? and other places at whioh to "; spend a happy clay , " and very naturally onr open spaces at Epping Fore 3 t , Hampstead Heath , Peckham Rye , Blackheath , Greenwich Park , Kew , Riohmond Park , & c , will eaoh receive their quota of the holiday crowd who revel in the glories of " St . Lubbock ' s" Day .

It is impossible to reckon np half the inducements whioh are offered by the railway Companies to various points of interest , bat unquestionably the greatest strain upon their resouroes will be in connection with the great volunteer reviews at Dover , Portsmouth , and elsewhere , whilst great freights may be anticipated to the

various seaside resorts and fashionable watering-places within easy hail of town . The only hope is that the millions who will tarn oat to enjoy themselves , according to their respective tastes , may be

favoured with genial weather , so essential to all outdoor festivities , and that no meteorological inflaence will tend to mar the enjoyments of one of those days which are set apart especially for the delectation of the working and industrial classes of the country .

Crystal Palace . —The directors of the Crystal Palace Company , of which Bro . Major A . G . Dickson , the popular M . P . for Dover , is Chairman , have just issued their programme for the thirty-third season ; and , from a perusal of its pages , we are content to accept their assurance that " no effort will be spared on the part of the

management to utilise the experience of the past and the resources of the present and future , to make the coming year worthy of the best traditions of its predecessors . " In spite of the many attractions that have sprung up since the big glass house at Sydenham wa 3 erected , and in spite of the competitive spirit that has been mani .

fested in catering for the entertainment of the masses , the Crystal Palace abandantly maintains its hold upon the popular taste , the entertainments there presenting an extent and variety unsurpassed by any resort of its kind , either in London or out of it . Every conceivablo means of enjoyable recreation , of a refined description , is

here to be found , whether we take the colossal nmsioal performances , of which the Handel Festivals have been examples of world , wide renown , the other high . olass concerts which take place from time to time during the season , the illumiuated oat-door fetes and great firework displays , fruit , flower , and other shows , dramatic per .

formances , great popular fetes , archery , cycling , and other sports , & c , thousand and one exhibitions of art , science , literature , music , practical engineering , and landscape gardening—all these afford scope for the instruction , edification , and amusement of the huudreds of thousands who visit the Palace daring the season . This

year ' s programme is not only equal to , but far in advance of , any of its predecessors , the opening of the summer season being celebrated by a performance , on the largest scale , of Gounod ' s oratorio , " The Redemption , " which will be produced on Saturday , 1 st May , with Madame Albani , Miss Annie Marriott , Madame Patey , Mr . Edward

Lloyd , Mr . F . King , and Mr . Santley as soloists , a chorus of over 3 , 000 voices , and an orchestral baud comprising several hundreds of instruments . The performance will be under the couductorship of Mr . August Manns . This will be followed by a series of high-class concerts , in which the most eminent of our artists will be engaged ,

and the pyrotechnic displays which allure snch enormous crowds to the Palace grounds promise to be even of greater maguitui" thin heretofore , if such be possible , under tho management of Messrs . C . T . Brock und Co . Au entir ly new feature in the outdoor arrangements this year will be ttie Volunteer te e , the great army

of our citizen yoliliers never yet having devoted a day at the Palace to a gathering on behalf of its own bo t interests . The forthcoming leio will be in aid of the Volunteer Forces Benevolent Association , and will take place on Saturday , 2 sJth May . Tnen there are the annual Police , Temp ranee , Catholic Tot il Abstitieuee

Fosters ' , Colonial ami Indian , aud osher fetes ( the Lis . 'iauitd being especially to welcome the Indian and Colonial visitoi-n WHO are expected to he present at the forthcoming Exhibition at S . h Kensington ) , an infinite variety of concerts and histtionic representa - lions , sports aud pastimes of every variety , balloon ascents , and

miscellaneous entertainments , presenting a charm aud variety enough to satiate even the most fastidious testes . Of course , there will be nil the surroundings of cricket , archery , lawu-teunis , and otner outdoor pahtimes so freely indulged in' during the summer

months ; aud we advise all those who are interested iu these , as veil as the other departments of this brilliant and judioiou .-lyarranged programme , to lose no time iu securing copies of the neat little handbook , from the Secretary of the Crystal Paiaoe Company , Sydenham .