Masonic Portraits. (No. 43.)

which the to him memorable event took place being tho 15 th January 1846 . In 1848 he filled tho office of Senior Warden , and in 1849 that of Master , while in the latter year ho was appointed one of the Grand Stewards of tho Province of East Lancashire , and holds tho rank of

Past Prov . G . S . D . He has held the important post of Secretary for no less than eleven years , and has served the office of Treasui'er , which he occupies at the present time , for nearly as long . So highly indeed havo the members of his Mother Lodgo appreciated the

immense services he has rendered , that , in 1863 , they presented to him a valuable gilt time-piece , together with a diamond ring for his wife , as a slight token of tho regard they felt for him . Nor is this the sum of their kindness , for in 1871 , they voted him a solid gold Past Master ' s

jewel , for the further service he had rondored . In 1870 , he joined the Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 37 , and has acted either as Treasurer or Secretary ever since . He holds , indeed , the former office now , and is momentarily fulfilling the dnties of the latter . He was exalted in St . John ' s

Chapter , No . 221 , in 1847 , has been twice Z ., and Treasurer for about twenty years . He has since joined the Chapter of Concord , No . 37 , and is now occupying , for the second time , the First Principal ' s chair , having likewise served the offices of Treasurer and Scribe E . These

services to capitular Masonry were duly recognised in 1872-3 , when our gallant companion was adjudged worthy of the appointment of Provincial Grand Treasurer . In Mark Masonry , he has achieved even higher distinction . ¦ He was advanced in 1846 , and continued to work the

degree at intervals till the year 1856 . But , as our readers are very well aware , our Craft Grand Lodge has never recognised the Mark degree as an integral part of pure and ancient Masonry , and therefore it was resolved to apply to the Grand Chapter of Scotland for a Warrant . The

application was granted , and our brother was appointed the first W . M ., the Lodge over which he presided being denominated the St . John ' s Lodge and ranking No . 2 on the Scottish Roll . Many distinguished brethren have since been advanced in this Lodge , not the least distinguished among them being

the late Bro . W . Romaine Callender , M . P ., Deputy Prov . G . Master ( Craft ) of Lancashire East , and Prov . G . Master of Lancashire ( Mark ) . From this Lodge , the date of whose charter is 4 th March 1847 , sprang many others , and in a short time the degree became so popular that it was resolved

to establish a Provincial Grand Lodge , and our brother was appointed Provincial Senior G . Warden . When , it was determined , on the part of the Mark Lodges holding under the Scottish Grand Chapter , to effect a union between the two jurisdictions , so that all the Mark Lodges

in England and Wales mi ght be under one Grand Lodge , he received the Honorary rank of P . G . J . Warden of England , and at the same time was invested with the Charity Jewel of this Degree . In order to commemorate this auspicious conjunction of the two bodies , our worthy

brother took steps to found the Rose and Thistle Lodge . He was installed its first Master , and on vacating the chair at the end of his term of office , was presented with a Past Master ' s jewel . It is worth while

mentioning that having some years taken the degree of " Ark , Mark , and Link , " he , in due time , took part in founding the Ark Mariner ' s Lodge , of which he was the first N . In the Royal and Select Masters he is founder and first Master

nominate of the St . John ' s Council . He is Past Deputy Grand Master and Grand Recorder of the Order of St . Lawrence . In the Order of the Temple , in which he was installed close on twenty years since , he has been an E . Commander , for three years Prov . Gr . Chancellor ,

Lancashire , 1 st Grand Captain of England , and is now Treasurer of his Preceptory . He received the 18 ° ( Rose Croix ) in 1856 , in Palatine Chapter , Manchester , and has since had conferred upon him both the 30 ° and 31 ° . Moreover , he was founder of St . Peter ' s Chapter , Bolton , and on retirement

from the office of M . W . S . was presented with a jewel in recognition of his services . He also belongs to the order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine , is founder of the St . George ' s Conclave , No . 42 , and an Intendant General unattached . In the Royal Order of

Scotland he is a Past S . G . W . of the Province of Lancashire and Cheshire , and has ably discharged the duties of the office . He ranks as 7 ° in the Rosicrncian

Society , and is celebrant of the Manchester College and Provincial Grand Secretary General . Such are some of the distinctions which our brother has earned in the different Masonic bodies . We have by no means

Masonic Portraits. (No. 43.)

enumerated them all—indeed , a friend jokingly warned ug that if wo contemplated so formidable an undertaking , it would be necessary for us to enlarge tho CIIROXICLE . But worthy as aro theso numerous distinctions , evidence as

they aro of the illimitable energy and desire for knowledge of our brother , they are , in our humble opinion , a far less valuable testimony to the sterling character of the man than the services he has rendered on behalf of our Institutions .

Theso will certainly occupy less time to describo , and then * appearance is less formidable , but they are as the kernel to the shell . That so enthusiastic a Mason should practise the duties of Charity will not be wondered at , and our

readers will hear with pleasure , but without any feeling of surprise , that ho is a Vice President of tho Boys' and Girls ' Schools , and has nearly won the same rank in connection with the Male Fund of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . He is also a Life Governor of both the West

and East Lancashire Masonic Educational Institutions , and is a member of the board of management in the case of the latter . He has , further , served no less than sixteen

stewardships to our principal Charities , and in his Mother Lodge has been tho direct means whereby twelvo Charity Jewels have been presented to as many of his fellow members . So fair a record of services in the causa

of Benevolence will rarely bo found throughout the wholo of Masonry . Indeed , it is invidious at any time to institute comparisons in such a matter . It is sufficient that he has done his duty admirably , and more than that can be said of no one .

But the portrait is now complete . We are sensible there are many deficiencies in the work , but these have arisen from the excess rather than , as too frequently happens , from any defect of material . However , we trust our readers , as well as the hero of our story , will graciously

accord us pardon for our many shortcomings . We have endeavoured to present him in his true character . Wo know that , as a man , and in the immediate circle of his friends , he is beloved and esteemed of all . We have shown that , in his business avocations , he is one of those giant

workers whom no amount or variety of labour terrifies . On the contrary , his spirit rises with each fresh accession of toil ; while , as a Craftsman , he has worked unremittingly . He has filled the highest as well as the most onerous offices in Lodge and Chapter , in Conclave and Preceptory . Ho

has had many and well-merited distinctions conferred upon him in every branch of Masonry with which he has been connected . And , as in the past , so in the future . He will , we feel assured , be ever the same—assiduous in his duties , of what nature soever they may be , earnest in the promotion

of what is good , and kind and considerate towards all men . His is no changeful nature , and we are not erring in excess of praise in putting into his mouth tho words of an illustrious

poet" No ! Time , thou shalfc not boast that I do change : Thy pyramids bnilfc np with nower might To me are nothing novel , nothing strange ; They are but dressings of a former sight . 4 & -Vi a

" Thy registers and theo I both defy , Not wondering at the present , nor the past ; For thy records and what we see do lie , Made more or less by thy continual haste ; This I do vow , and this shall ever be , I will be true , despite thy scytho and thee . "

We learn from Le Monde Maconnique that , according to the recently published Calendar of the Grand Orient of France for the current year , there are 307 bodies which owe allegiance to the Grand Orient , namely—258 Lodges , 33 Chapters , 14 Councils , 1 Consistory , and 1 Grand Lodge

of Rites . These are distributed m manner following-: —In Paris , 46 Lodges , 5 Chapters , 2 Councils , and the Grand College of Rites : in the Department of the Seine , 8 Lodges ; in the other Departments , 164 Lodges , 16 Chapters ,

7 Councils ; in Algeria , 10 Lodges , 2 Chapters , 1 Council ; in the French Colonies , 8 Lodges , 3 Chapters , 1 Council ; in foreign countries , 22 Lodges , 7 Chapters , 3 ^ Councils , and 1 Consistory . These differ but sli ghtly from the returns issued in 1875 .

We gather from the same journal that the recent lottery organised by the Lodge La Parfaite Amitie , and held at Albi in aid of the Lyons workmen out of employ , produced

a sum of Three Thousand Francs . We are also informed that the Lodges Les Amis de la Parfaite Union , Orient of Perpignan , and I'Rumanite , Orient of Nevers , have jjbeen closed by the civil authorities .