East Lancashire Masonic Charities.

EAST LANCASHIRE MASONIC CHARITIES .

ON Friday afternoon , the 19 th instant , a meeting of the Charity Committee of tlie Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Bast Lancashire was held in the Freemason ' s Hall , Cooper-street , Manchester . Bro . R . G . Harwood P . P . G . J . W ., Chairman of fche Committee , presided over a good attendance of ex-offieio members aud representatives of Lodges . Bro . J . Chadwick Secretary read the

minutes of the last meeting , held in March , and afterwards tho brethren considered a petit l-u on behalf of a boy , sovon years of ago , the son of a deceased brother , furmeily a Manchester merchant , who , after a long period of ill health , had succumbed to pneumonia , leaving a wife and three children in necessitous circumstances . Ifc was resolved that the Province should support the boy ' s case in the

October election of candidates to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . At the close of fche foregoing business , a meeting was held of the General Committee of the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution , Bro . Harwood again presiding . Reports were received from the Etfnnnfcion Board , tho Visiting Subcommittee , and the Relief Board . Tho Visiting Sub-committee had

considered the subject of bringing tho claims of the Institution jnore definitely before the Lodges , and suggested the appointment of a number of brethren of experience to assist fche Provincial Grand Officers in visiting Lodges , and addressing the members npon tho work of tho Institution , and the desirableness of an increase of its funds and an extension of its operations . They had also drawn up a form of circular to issue to Secretaries of Lodgea , informing them of

intended visits under fche scheme . Fonr petitions were received , praying for educational grants for four boys and ono girl , the children of deceased Masons of the Province , and for a boy and a girl , the children of a brother who has suffered reverses of fortune . Each case was voted to be worthy of support , and was referred to the Edacetion Board to fix the amount of grant . Tho usual vote of thanks to the proprietors for the gratuitous nso of the hall closed tho proceedings .

We frequently come across , in the daily press , such announcements as the following : — " Colonel Harding P . A . G . D . C . ia back in town , thoroughly renovated by a course of the tonio Waters of Spa , and a sojourn in the Ardennes . "

We are of a Conservative turn of mind , and are apt to regret our own Spas and Mineral Springs are nofc moro Bought after . Those who are in the " know" in these matters tell us that Continental waters aro nob to be

compared as regards curative powers with the mineral springs of " Welsh Wales , " but then so few know of their virtues . We have long thought our knowledge of these things might be increased if a little more was written on the subject .

A correspondent in the Glasgow Evening News writes as follows : — " Masonicus " has forestalled me . It is rather disappointing , after the publication of snch Masonio histories ns Murray-Lyon and Gould ' s , to have the Roslyn fable resuscitated . The latter , in

noticing Sir David Brewster ' s statement in Lawrie a " History of Freemasonry " ( so-called ) anent the Roslyn hereditary Grand Mastership , says : — " We look in vain for any corroboration of this assertion , for it is simply untrue . " The former , in his " History of Freemasonry , " says : — " We regard this statement as altogether apocryphal , " and in

Chapter VIII . gives the remarks of Mr . Maidmeut , the " learned editor " of the " Genealogie of the Saint Claires of Roslyn , " & c , on the subject , viz .: — " The high antiquity assigned to the ' alleged heritable' conveyance of the office of Grand Master in favonr of the ancestor of the last Roslyn appears somewhat questionable , aud

there is certainly nothing like ' legal' or even ' moral' evidence to warrant a belief that any grant ever was conferred by King James II . " Again : — " Bnt this is not all . The last Roslyn , who , as before noticed , resigned his office of patron , was entirely ignorant of

the existence of any Crown grant in favour of his ancestor , the Earl of Orkney . " "Indeed , had there been even probable grounds for believing in the existence of snch a Crown grant , the character of the last patron affords pretty strong proof that it wonld not havo been overlooked . " Mnch more to the same effect conld bo adduced .

A DOUBLE WEDDIKG . —On Wednesday , the 17 th inst ., Bro . Hillier , of 82 Elgin Avenue , Harrow Road , celebrated the double event of his daughter ' s marriage to Mr . F . Tuffley , and his own silver wedding , and entertained at his residence a large number of friends of both families . Nearly all present were superintendents and agents for the Prudential Life Assurance Co . and their wives . Tho ceremony was performed , at Westbourne-grove Chapel , bv the Rev . John

Tuckwell , in an impressive manner . The Chapel was more than half filled by friends of the young couple , both of whom have taken great interest in the schools and various improvement societies and Evangelical work , carried on for many years . At the banqueting table , the health and prosperity of the newly married couple , and that of the tooat and his wife was received in an enthusiastic manner . During the evening an illuminated address was presented to Bro . Hillier , congratulating him and Mrs . Hillier on their silver wedding .

Monday , the 6 fch October , has been appointed for the reception of works of art intended for the Autumn Exhibition ( tbe Twenty-second ) oi the 19 th Century Art Society , at the Conduit Street Galleries .

Obituary.

Obituary .

EGBERT BRADLEY .

nHHE lato Brother Bradley passed away , after a comparatively J ~ brief , but most painful illness , at his residence , in Western Elma Avenue , Reading , on Monday , 15 th inst ., shortly before midnight . Bro . Bradley began to ail some three months since , but it was not until six weeks had passed , when failing strength compelled ifc , that he gave up active work . The cause of death was cancer of tho liver , accelerated by dropsy . Singular enough , the deceased , all through

hia private career , had been remarkably free from ailment of even the most trivial character ; and yet even this fact , combined with his great energy and activity , may in a large measure account for his speedy collapse when illness did come . The very large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances left by the deceased is alone a tribute to the sterling quality of hia character , while the confidence

whioh was reposed in him by the public generally is proved by the number of official appointments which he filled—and filled with ability and uprightness . To begin with , ho had been Borough Accountant for the past forty years ; he filled the office of Secretary to the Reading Gas Company for about thirty years 5 both of whioh offices are now vacant by his death ;

whilst ho also held a number of minor appointments—Secretary to the Reading and Connty Permanent Benefit Building Society , Treasnrer to the Reading General Charities , Auditor to tho Reading Savings Bank , and ho was also ono of the committee of the Reading Philharmonic Society , of which he was one of tho earliest members . Amongst Freemasons , too , his name was always held in the greatest

respect and esteem , he being at tho time of his death Provincial Grand Secretary of tho Province . Tho obsequies of tho deceased took place on the 19 th instant , and wero attended by a large gathering of sympathising relatives and friends . Tho solemn cortdge left tho deceased ' s residence shortly after one o ' clock , and slowly wended its way to All Saints' Church , where fche first part of the Burial Service was rendered .

As a mark of respect to the deceased tho Freemasons took part in the proceedings , the following Officials of the Order acting as pallbearers . —Bros . E . Margrett P . G . S . W ., J . W . Hounslow P . M ., J . T . Dodd W . M . ( Union ) , W . Hickie W . M . ( Greyfriars ) , B . W . Bennett W . M . ( Kendrick ) , F . J . Ferguson P . G . S . W ., S . Wheeler ( representing the Union Chapter ) , and J . W . Martin . The service was

conducted by the Rev . Canon Garry , assisted by the Revs . D . M . Gardner and F . Cnhusac . Hymn— "Now the labourer's task is o ' er , " was first sung , following which the lesson was read by tho Rev . D . M . Gardner . After the opening sentences , tho hymn , " 0 Rest in the Lord , " was played , and the " Dead March " in Sanl terminated tho

service in tho chnroh , as tho procession passed out . Afc tho Cemetery , whore a large number of tho sympathising public , in additioufco those given above , wore present , the remainder of the service was read by the Revs . Canon Garry and F . H . Cahusao . About seventy representatives of tho local Lodges of Freemasons wore present , and joined tho procession on its arrival afc the Cemetery .

The Late Lieut.-Col. Macleod Moore.

THE LATE LIEUT .-COL . MACLEOD MOORE .

THE remains of the late Lieut .-Col . W . J . B . Maoleod Moore , Supreme Grand Master of the Order of Knights Templar of - Canada , whose death afc Prescofct was recently announced , were brought to Montreal for interment in Mount Royal Cemetery . The body , whioh was enclosed in a casket draped with black covered with floral wreaths , and the breast plate of whioh bore tho inscription ,

" William J . B . Maoleod Moore , Lieut .-Col . H . M . 69 th G . C . T .: born 1810 , died 1890 , " and which had been accompanied from Prescott by the widow , daughter , son , and Mr . Galway , grandson of the deceased , as well as Mr . G . F . Graham , a Masonio brother , was met

at Bonavenfcnre depot by the following Freemasons ;—Bros . Stearns , Cooper , Martin , Isaacson , Dr . Lovejoy , Adams , H . Dunn , J . Guest , Scott , W . Hill , Smillie , Weldon , & o . The body waa conveyed to the Masonic Chambers , Notre Dame Street , from whioh placo the funeral took place .

Bro . Augustus Harris takes up the office of Sheriff of London next week . His co-Sheriff has beon presented with a gold chain and badge of office by his friends aud neighbours in Cripplegato Ward . Bro . Harris is to be tho subject of a similar presentation at fche hands of the Freemasons .

The annual installation ceremony in connection with the South Saxon Chapter , No . 311 , took place on the 24 th inst ., the new M . E . Z . being Companion Geerge Holman . The usual banquet was afterwards held , afc fcho Bear Hotel , nearly 30 being present .

It has just transpired that Mr . Arthur Goddard intends calling the much talked of work thafc he has for some time been engaged upon respecting the contemporary stage , aud which is about to be published by Messrs . Dean and Son , " Players of the Period . " Ifc will include anecdotal , biographical , and critical monograms of Messrs .

Irving , Wilson Barrett , Beerbohm Tree , Bancroft , Willard , and fifteen more actors of the day . The work will contain photographs of the subjects , and numerous character portraits by Messrs . F . Barnard , J . Bernard Partridge , Townsend , Pilotel , and other wellknown artists .