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H ^^^ ffW ^^ a SATURDAY , 24 TH NOVEMBER 1900 :

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

f jj "tHE November meeting of the Board of Benevolence was _ L held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall , when the three chairs were , taken by Bro . James Henry Matthews President , Bro . David Dixon Mercer Senior Vice-President , and Bro . Henry Garrod Junior Vice-President . The Grand

Secretary ' s department was represented by Bro . Edward . Letchworth Grand Secretary , Bro . William Lake Assistant Grand Secretary , Bro . William Dodd , Bro . G . S . Recknell ,

and Bro . Henry Sadler Grand Tyler . Among the Brethren present was the new Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., Past Grand Warden .

The Board of Masters was first held , and the agenda paper for next Grand Lodge was submitted to the Brethren . At the opening of the Board of Benevolence Bro . D . D . Mercer S . V . P . moved a vote of thanks to the President for the able , kind , and courteous manner in which he had

discharged the duties of his office during- the past twelve months . Bro . Henry Garrod J . V . P . cordially seconded the motion , and it was carried unanimously , amidst cheers . Bro . Matthews thanked the Brethren for their vote , and for the assistance they had given him .

The Brethren then confirmed , to the extent of £ 530 , gifts which the Grand Master had approved of , referred to him at the October meeting . The new list contained the names of twenty-nine petitioners . In the course of the sitting twenty-six of these were relieved to the amount of

£ 720 , one petition was dismissed , and two were deferred . One petitioner was recommended to Grand Lodge for £ 75 , and three were recommended for £ 50 each . The Grand Master was asked to approve of £ 40 being given in tour

cases , and £ 30 m four more cases ; and immediate grants were made in eight cases of £ 20 each , £ 10 in five cases , and £ 5 in one . Bro . Mercer said that in the twelve months of last year £ 7 , 718 had been awarded by the Board , whereas in the twelve months of this year the amount was £ 8 , 540 .

One of the most notable features of London life in the closing year of the century is the marked incren .-e ir the number of Masonic Lodges , due , no doubt , in a great measure to the deep interest the Prince of Wales and other prominent personages take in this benevolent Brotherhood .

The newest of these Lodges promises to be one of the most popular . It is the Devonian Lodge , the idea of founding which occurred to Mr . W . Wellsman S . W ., and was taken up so cordially by Lord Halsbury , a Past Grand Warden of England , that no difficulty was found in instituting it . It

would be impossible to perform the impressive ceremony of consecration more impressively than Bro . Letchworth , the urbane Grand Secretary , recited the solemn ritual last Thursday in the Lodge Room at the Hoiborn Viaduct Hotel , ably assisted as he was by the Rev . Canon Brownrigg and

by that enthusiastic Grand Officer , Sir John Monckton ; and Mr . Frank Richardson , the practised M . C . That harmony should prevail in the Devonian Lodge is incontrovertible , seeing that it boasts in Dr . W . H . Cummings , accomplished Principal of the Guildhall School of Music , a well-qualified

Organist ; a mellifluous Secretary in Bro . J . Cockram Taylor ; a beaming Treasurer in Bro . W . Radford ; and a Worshipful Master incomparable for eloquent and earnest advocacy of

the virtues of Freemasonry in Lord Halsbury , whom we were all delighted to take " the time from . " May the Devonian Lodge flourish with Devonshire cream and junket !—"' Sketch . "

• * Bro . William John Crump , Mayor of Islington , and J . P . for Middlesex , is fifty years of age , and has been an active Mason for over twenty-five years . He has taken a great interest in open spaces in North London for the recreation

Board Of Benevolence.

of the people . He was one of the founders and a director of the Crouch End playing-fields . He took an active part in the acquisition for the people of the Queen ' s Wood ,

tiighgate , and more recently rouna , conj wuu uvc other gentlemen , the £ 5 , 000 necessary to obtain the option to purchase the Alexandra Palace and Park for the use of the public . — " Citizen . "

* * * The members of the Royal Brunswick Lodge , No . 732 , Brighton , held a successful " At Home " at the Royal Pavilion on Wednesday of last week . The company , numbering upwards of a hundred , and including a fair sprinkling or

ladies , were formally received in the South Drawing Room early in the evening by the W . M . Bro . Harry Manwanng ; and his sister , Mrs . West . A supper was afterwards held in the Masonic Room , and a short toast list was submitted ' .

The loving cup , presented by Bro . J . Bradford P . M . was passed round . The company subsequently adjourned to . the Banquetting Room , where a pleasing programme of music and recitations was sustained .

? * The member who has the distinction of being the youngest representative returned to the new Parliament is Bro . Richard Rigg jun ., the new member for Appleby , North Westmorland , who is but twenty-three years of age . In a

letter addressed to the " Golden Penny " Bro . Rigg describes himself as an enthusiastic Freemason , among other matters . We wish him long life to become beter acquainted with the Craft ; and to enjoy the public honours thus early thrust upon him . *

In the course of the proceedings following the installation meeting of the Hamer Lodge , No . 1393 , Liverpool , on the 15 th inst , Bro . Bawden I . P . M . was the recipient of a Past Master ' s jewel and a gold chronometer watch as evidence

of the esteem in which he is held by the " Hamerites , ' and these gifts were supplemented by a valuable diamond brooch for his wife , who has taken a great interest in the . special social functions of the Lodge during the year .

• * Bro . Phillips , a Past Master of the Papyrus Lodge , No . 2562 , responding to the toast of the Past Masters , at the recent installation meeting , alluded to the fact that the

reelected President of the United States is a member of the Craft , and stated that President McKinley had received a deputation of the paper trade , of which Bro . Phillips was one , first as Masons , and afterwards in their trade capacity .

• • • The first " At Home " of the Portsmouth Freemasons ' Club was held on Tuesday evening , 13 th inst , and proved a

gratifying success , everything passing off most pleasantly the arrangements were ably carried out by Brothers W E . Duck President , R . Payne Vice President , and W . R Fowler Secretary .

* * * The accounts of the Asaph Lodge , No . 1319 , show an investment of over £ 1 , 200 on account of the Lodge Benevolent Fund . Bravo !

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

''A SPRIG OF ACACIA . ''

THE funeral of Bro . Robert Dottie , whose death was caused by misadventure , took place at the Southern Cemetery , Manchester , on the 20 th inst . The deceased was a Past Master and one of the oldest members of the De Grey and Ripon Lodge , No . 1161 , which was represented at the graveside by Worshipful Master Bro . W . Cockerham

and Councillors J . R . Wilson , S . Dixon , Joseph Schofield , C . Norbury , and others . Several other Lodges were also represented . The chief mourners were the deceased ' s four sons , and two nephews . There were also present a deputation from the Arts Club , of which deceased was a member .

T HERE has passed away at Guisbro' Bro . T . Byers , for many years Tyler and caretaker of the Masonic Hall in connection with the Zetland Lodge . He was about sixtyone years of aee , and some four years ago he had a stroke

which incapacitated him from active employment . On Wednesday , 14 th inst , he evidently had another stroke , and was found in a prostrate condition at the Masonic Hall . He was conveyed home , where he has since died .