Working Men Masons.

WORKING MEN MASONS .

THE following letter appeared in Sunday ' s " Weekly Times and Echo . " It almost seems as though tbe correspondent is not quite so ignorant a 3 he pretends . He is evidently having a " sly cut" at somone : SIR , Reading your interesting " Correspondence " Column on Friendly Society business of late , will you allow me to ask through your columns what

are the advantages derived by a working man becoming a Freemason ? Benefits they say there are none , but surely there are advantages gained by those who have not left a stone unturned to join a Lodge , even a distant one , at any cost . Also , how is it working men , particularly railway men , are not admitted to old-established , wealthy Lodges in our large towns , yet can and do join Lodges in the rural distriots after having tried to join the former ? the at lace

If social standing did not permit him to join Masons one p , why should they admit him at another 1 There must be also something wonderfully secret and enchanting about it that if two or more railway men who are Masons meet , the talk is seldom above a whisper , or they adjourn to a corner . Lastly , -will railway men ' s wages permit Freemasonry to be kept up as it should be without impoverishing their homes and families of what is necessary to their comfort , & c . ? A RAILWAY SERVANT . '

AID FOR THE MASONIC CHARITIES . A THEATRICAL performance in aid of the Masonic Charities was given at the Theatre Royal , Manchester , on Saturday , the 3 rd inst ., " to commemorate Her Most Gracious Majesty ' s long and glorious reign . " The performance was under very distinguished patronage , which included such names as the Earl of Lathom , G . C . B ., M . W . Pro Grand Master of England

Prov . G . M . West Lane , Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie Prov . G . M . East Lane , the Earl of Derby , G . C . B ., P . Dep . Prov . G . M . West Lane , Lord Egerton of Tatton Prov . G . M . Cheshire , Lord Stanley , M . P ., P . P . S . G . W . East Lane , Capt . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds D . Prov . G . M . East Lane , R . Wylie D . Prov . G . M . West Lane , and many others .

The programme was an exceptionally long one , and selections were given as follows : —Special Masonic Overture , composed by Bro . H . Round , Liverpool , played by brother professional musicians ; the Carl Rosa , and D'Oyly Carte ' s opera companies ; selections from the musical play , " Monte Carlo " : Miss Florence Burns and James Danvers , in their operatic

burlesque pianoforte sketch ; Miss Edith Leyland , operatic vocalist and reciter ; Bro . John Tiller ' s eight champions in characteristic song and dance ; Mdlle . May Plotzker , the baby premiere danseuse ; Bro . Lindon Wyatt , and other distinguished artistes ; also the comedietta , " My neighbour ' s wife , " in which our popular Bros . J . Pitt Hardacre , E . V . Campbell , and H . Rogerson appeared , supported by leading lady actresses .

The Executive Committee consisted of Past Masters T . H . Birch , Thos . Black , F . R . Cooper , Thos . Cavannah , ' Jos . T . Richardson , M . B . Salt , Chas . Swinn , and Clare Edgar Towell ; Bros . G . F . Black , lately playing with such success at the Queen ' s Theatre , in " Anthony and Cleopatra , " E . V . Campbell , J . M . Hardie , J . H . Greenwood J . D . ( conductor ) , J . M . Hardie jun ., R . Redford , W . O . Rowlands , and P . Watson . The function was a successful one , and the Charities will no doubt be benefitted in a substantial manner .

We are exceedingly glad to see our veteran Bro . John Cavannah , of " Lottery Ticket " fame , still to the fore . Our knowledge of him dates back several decades , when we met him on the boards of the patent theatre .

A ROYAL MEMORIAL VOLUME . HIT HERTO the public have been almost entirely excluded from the Royal Mausoleums at Frogmore ; and some other places in which there are memorials of the royal illustrious dead are not at all times easy of public access . The Mausoleum at Frogmore for instance , can only be seen by special order of Her Majesty the Queen , and is only open for two hours once a year—after the anniversary service for the Prince Consort . Even during this short time admission is restricted to the inhabitants of Windsor

and district and their friends . It will thus be seen that only a very limited knowledge of these magnificient memorials , which contain the best work of some of the greatest modern artists , can be obtained . Even the orignal plans and drawings of the artists engaged on the work have been kept strictly private . Printed descriptions have of course appeared from time to time , tut these give not the slightest idea of the costly , artistic , and beautiful character of the memorials . The announcement will therefore be received

with considerable interest that Her Majesty has at last been pleased to allow the publication of a graphic memorial of these artistic and magnificent abodes of the dead , and that special permission has been granted to Mr . J . S . Murray Fisher to complete and publish a work , the title of which is " The Monuments and Statuary in St 7 George ' s Chapel , Windsor ; The Royal Mausoleums , Frogmore ; The Albert Chapel , Windsor ; and the Battenberg Memorial Chapel , Whippingham . " In a work of this class the illustrations

are of oourse the principal feature , and these will consist of between seventy and eighty full-page reproductions in photogravure , and a number of other special full-page illustrations in colours , among the latter being the memorial to the late Duke of Clarence and Avondale in the Albert Memorial Chapel , Windsor ( now nearly completed ) , from a special drawing by the sculptor , Alfred Gilbert , Esq ., R . A . ( by special permission of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ) and four illustrations of the interior of the Mausoleum itself . The

interior of the Duchess of Kent ' s Mausoleum at Frogmore will also be in colour , as well as the Battenberg Memorial at Whippingham . Her Majesty has given special authority and permission to the author , and other members of the Royal Family have heartily co-operated in giving assistance to make the work as complete and successful as possible . The author is well-known to Windsor , and has been engaged on the work for some years , while his intimate knowledge of the subject specially fits him for doing justice to the

work he has undertaken . The book will be printed from now type , on paper specially made for the purpose , and in a binding which ( as , indeed , has almost every detail of the work ) has been submitted to and approved of by Her Majesty , to whom it is , by special permission , respectfully dedicated . Ihe work will be issued in a limited edition " de luxe , " in two volumes , imperial quarto , handsomely bound in solid . morocco , at a subscription price of twelve guineas net , and the price will be raised to fifteen guineas directly ter publication .

Working Men Masons.

Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer upon Mr . Murray Fisher , through the Very Rev . P . T . Eliot , the Dean of Windsor , the privilege to inspect and take extracts from the interesting old Registers of St . George ' s Chapel , especially those relating to royalty , dating back some hundreds of years . There will also be included facsimile reproductions of the original entries in the-register of the marriage of The Prince and Princess of

Wales , together with their signatures ; also of the marriage of other members of the royal family that have been solemnized in this sacred and historic building , together with the signatures of Her Majesty at all these important functions ; also of the other illustrious crowned heads of Europe , and other royal personages and statesmen of this and other countries who were present

and who witnessed these solemn rites . Additional photogravure illustrations will also be given of the beautiful commemoration trees planted by royalty of this and other countries in the grounds of Frogmore , with full descriptions , and the dates , & e , as given upon the tablets attached . These interesting additions to these important volumes have been conceded to the author for exclusive use in these publications .

THE Queen has been pleased to accept the Diamond Jubilee Ode , written by Mr . Edgar Lee , whose Ode in 1887 was placed , by Her Majesty ' s command , so conspicuously among the Jubilee presents at St . James ' s Palace . The Ode is written in blank verse , and is now being engrossed and illuminated by Mr . Albert Warren , who was associated with the late Owen Jones in the compilation of that colossal national work , " The Grammar of Ornament . "

Mr . Warren was instructor in illuminating to the Duke of Coburg , the Princess Christian , and the lamented Princess Alice , in their younger days . He is the son of the first President of the Royal Institute of Painters , and illuminated the address presented by that body to Her Majesty on the occasion of the birth of the Prince of Wales . The illustrated framework of the design around the Ode has been entrusted to Mr . Arthur Frederics , who

is well known in connection with artistic ecclesiastical work . Mr . Edgar Lee , who has just resigned the editorship of the Court Circular , has , it is stated , sold the right of re-publishing the Ode to a well-known illustrated weekly . Curiously enough , Mr . Arthur Frederics , who has just returned to England after a lengthy sojourn in the colonies , designed the border of the Jubilee Ode ten years ago .

MESSRS . Karslake and Co . ( 61 Charing Cross Road , London , W . C . ) announce the publication of a series of twenty-five early portraits of Queen Victoria , from paintings and drawings made from life between 1820 and 1 . 855 . They embrace the chief pictorial representations of Her Majesty during the happiest period of her existence , from the time when she appears

as an infant in the arms of her mother down to the State performance at the Grand Opera at Paris , during her visit to Napoleon III . The portraits are being admirably reproduced by the Photophane Company in a manner which leaves absolutely nothing to be desired in the matter of effect and execution and which has called forth the encomiums of judges of the highest repute The size of the plates will be 15 inches by 11 .

Ad01102

THE " SAFE" PURSEPATENTED BY THE HON . MRS . PERV . jWf $ S ^ % PREVENTS all danger of losing JH ^^ HP ^; . * \ money while carrying it about . " ^ "HHB L . J *^ a ^ . Cannot be snatched from the hand . BWm »^ i ' j > i .. ' . ^ Adjusted to size , leaving fingers and ** " **^ Br » V jfc * ~ "~ " v ^ thumb free for other purposes . Safe ^ fe ^ * i » "'* 'w T 8 and convenient for frequent use . No ^ Ual ^^ * 4 J ^»» B * scrambling for pockets , no time lost in opening ^ fif ^ vj . ___ = 3 I | bags or other receptacle . To be had at all ' ^^^^^^ *^ Hf Fancy Goods Warehouses . Wholesale at the lBBNlllltkf Depot , where sample purses can be obtained EPtlRDiiHP ^ by enclosing 3 d extra in stamps , at prices flHlMiplIn ° DEPOT : SAFE PURSE SYNDICATE , LTD ., iflllli 7 WOOD ST ., LONDON , E . C . W Q %

Ad01103

THE CHEAP WINE HOUSE . Per doz . Per doz . Bottles . Half Bottles . PORT- Fine , full-bodied , 1 year in bottle 22 / 6 13 / 6 SHERRY Light , dry , Amontillado style 16 / - 10 / - CLARET Nice Luncheon Wine ... 10 / - — CLARET Pontet Canet , 1890 vintage ... 24 / - — CALIFORNIAN BURGUNDY Smooth , beautiful Wine , 3 years in bottle ... 18 / - 11 / - CHAMPAGNE Light , dry , excellent wine 48 / - 26 / - SCOTCH or IRISH WHISKY In Gallon and Half-gallon Jars 5 years old . ¦ 17 / - per gallon ( jars extra ) . 7 „ 20 / - Pure matured Spirits , not to be equalled at the price . SEND FOR MY PRICE LIST : A . MOSTYN ADAMS , WINE MERCHANT , St . Margaret ' s Offices , 55 Victoria Street , Westminster , London , S . W .

Ad01104

W . & J . BALLS , Bookbinders in all Branches , Metropolitan Bookbinding Works , 362 Grays Inn Road , Kings Gross . BOOKS BOUND TO ANY PATTERN Old Bindings and Libraries Repaired and Decorated .