Bogus Masonry.

BOGUS MASONRY .

THE extracts we give elsewhere , from some of our American contemporaries , in regard to the actions of a man who is accused of practising bogus Masonry , and defrauding wouldbe initiates of fees , & c , comes as a complete change from the

dry matter of fact records we are usually called upon to publish , and affords the opportunity of indulging in a hearty laugh when we read of the gullibility of the victims ; but we may pause for a moment and ask , how many are there among

our own circle of acquaintances who would not avail themselves of the opportunity of being equal with their Masonic friends if a specially cheap and ready means of joining were held out to them by a plausible speaker ? It must be borne in mind that

the majority of our members are not only averse to anything which approaches soliciting outsiders to join the ranks of the Craft , but more often than not seem to convey to enquirers the impression that Masonry is of little benefit to them . How different the result would be if members were anxious to influence outsiders to join can be imagined from such exposures as that we now refer to .

Two more Lord Mayors ! Such is the latest news from the Antipodes . Sir William J . Clarke , the millionaire Australian baronet , and Grand Master of the Freemasons in that section of Greater Britain , has publicly declared that it is the intention of her Majesty in the next birthday " Gazette , " on or about 24 th May , to confer the title of Lord Mayor on the chief magistrates for Melbourne and Sydney . Well , there is no particular

objection ; but the Queen will hardly like having her intentions promulgated six months in advance , and , as a result of the premature publicity , their worships of Sydney and Melbourne may have to wait a little longer before they can be legitimately addressed as " My Lord . " The Prince of Wales and Sir William Clarke are known to correspond on Masonic matters , and it is assumed that a hint to the foregoing effect was dropped in a recent letter from the Prinse . — " St . James ' s Gazette . "

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

r ~ | "lHE Board of Benevolence held its monthly meeting on J _ Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , the Brethren attending being Brothers Eobert Grey President , D . D . Mercer Senior Vice-President , C . A . Cottebrune Junior Vice-President , E . Letchworth G . S ., W . Lake Assistant G . S ., W . Dodd , W . H . Lee , J . H . Matthews , Henry Garrod , T . W . Whitmarsh , Charles

Dairy , George B . Chapman , W . Fisher , James Bunker , George Read , Charles J . B . Tijou , William Vincent , George B . Langley , W . Kipps , Dr . Balph Gooding , Charles E . Keyser , S . H . Goldschmidt , Bobert A . Gowan , Walter Martin , A . E . Hubert , Henry A . Tobias , Haveloek Collins , Frederick H . King , Joseph

Mansfield , A . H . Lilley , Felix Kite , John Dorton , Charles G . Marcus , George Brown , H . Hooper , W . J . Stahlschmidt , W . B . Fendick , H . Massey , A . E . Beade , Richard A . Gedny , W . Harris , James George Thomas , J . Joseph Hall , Henry Salter , Thomas

Tully , J . Gibson , W . C . Thomas , Frederick A . Lewis , J . Hands , Thomas R . Cass , Hiram Davis , William E . Wigwood , C . H . Webb , A . Watts , S . G . Bonner , E . W . Nightingale , W . J . Christian , G . Booker , and Henry Sadler Grand Tyler , The President said : Brethren , I feel sure you would wish as members of this Board , this being perhaps the first Masonic

Board Of Benevolence.

body that has met since the sad news ( the death of Prince Henry of Battenberg ) reached this country , that we should express our heartfelt sympathy in their sorrow with Her Majesty the Queen , our Patroness , with our Grand Master the Prince of Wales , and above all with the widow of the Prince who has just sacrificed

his life for this country . I feel that you would wish that some notice should be taken of this , and that it should be recorded that we , loyal Masons , sympathise with our Queen and our Grand Master in their troubles , as we rejoice with them in their joys . I am sure that this Board will endorse what I have said .

These remarks of the President were fully endorsed by all present . The Brethren then confirmed recommendations to the amount of £ 320 , recommended at the previous meeting . The new cases with which they had to deal were forty-three in

number , and in the course of a four hours' sitting they voted or recommended a total of £ 892 to thirty-eight of these , recommending Grand Lodge to grant £ 50 in one case , recommending the Grand Master to grant £ 40 to each of six cases , and £ 30 each to seven others . Sixteen grants were made of £ 20 each , one of £ 15 , five of £ 10 each , one of £ 5 , and one of £ 2 .

New Hall At Penzance.

NEW HALL AT PENZANCE .

THE new premises recently fitted up for Mount Sinai Lodge , No . 121 , at what was formerly Penzance Billiard Club in Prince ' s Street , and known as the Prince ' s Hall , have now been opened . The interior has been entirely re-modelled . On the ground floor there is a fine room , suitable for the social functions of the fraternity , or for an ante-room . The Lodge Room , which

is forty-two feet by twenty-six feet , and nineteen feet high , has been very tastefully decorated . There is a freize filled in with watchwords and emblems of Masonry , that over the Worshipful Master ' s throne being " Wisdom , "; the Senior Warden ' s " Strength "; the Junior Warden ' s " Beauty "; and on the

north wall " Benevolence . " The ceiling is a representation of the constellations , and over the Worshipful Master ' s seat are the sun , moon , and stars , with the motto . i" Sit lux et lux tuit . " The walls are divided into large panels , filled with lincrusta walton . Light is obtained from three windows , in which there is

handsome stained glass . The Worshipful Master ' s throne is very fine , the canopy being supported by massive granite pillars , and the whole beautifully decorated . On the floor above is the Chapter Room of the Arch Masons . The masonry and carpentering have

been carried out by Mr . R . Walters , the decorations by Messrs . Colenso and Sons , and the furnishing by Messrs . I . and A . J . Fuzzey . On the occasion of the opening , the W . M . Bro . P . T . Ghirgwin presided over a large attendance of Brethren , and congratulatory speeches were made . — " Western Mercury . "

Proposed Hall At Bedlington.

PROPOSED HALL AT BEDLINGTON .

THE members of St . Cuthbert Lodge , Bedlington , have for some time held their Lodge meetings in the Mechanics ' Institute . The committee of the Institute has , however , decided to extend the usefulness of the Institution , and the rooms occupied by the Freemasons are now required for other purposes . At a meeting of the Lodge the subject was brought up , and it

was agreed that the finance committee take the matter in hand . At a subsequent meeting it was resolved that a company be formed for the purpose of building a hall for the use of the Craft . A suitable site has been picked out , and it is stated that £ 300

worth of shares were taken up at the meeting referred to . Bro . A . E . Burdon P . M . P . P . G . S . W . is interesting himself in the matter . The idea is to build a large hall , which could also be let for public entertainments at the place . — "Newcastle Dail y Journal . "