New Hall At Bedlington.

NEW HALL AT BEDLINGTON .

nriHE Masonic Hall recently built at the West End , I Bedlington , by the members of the St . Cuthbert's Lodge , IQ 02 , has been formally opened by Brother A . E .

Burdon , J . P ., P . M . P . P . G . S . W ., who said he was glad they had now a home of their own , and trusted it would be the means of adding to the membership of the St . Cuthbert's Lodge .

The installation of Bro . S . Hare S . W . followed , and Bro . Hare having been installed by Bro . T . W . Barker I . P . M . invested his Officers .

The annual festival was afterwards held at Bro . R . Metcalf ' s , Turk ' s Head Hotel . A number of visitors from Ridley Lodge , Biyth , and Ogle Lodge , Morpeth , and Newcastle were present .

A New Home For Masonry.

A NEW HOME FOR MASONRY .

PROBABLY there is no quarter of the metropolis that has undergone a greater change during the last few years than the part just north of Finsbury Park . One need not go back very many years to remember the district an unbroken prospect of green- fields , with the New River meandering through them , and making a really pretty picture . To-day there is also an almost unbroken prospect—but it is houses and busy thoroughfares that take

the place of the fields ; and what was then an almost uninhabited district is now one of the most populous of the suburbs of our great city . Harringay , Stroud Green , Crouch End , and Hornsey have each in turn sprung into popularity and importance , and , as is but natural , Freemasonry has progressed with the district , until we find a considerable number of local Lodges in active working , among the latest to be established being the Crouch End , No . 2580 , and the Harringay , No . 2763 .

This latter Lodge , which was consecrated a few weeks back ( by dispensation ) at Freemasons' Hall , London , will hold its regular meetings at the new Salisbury Hotel , Green Lanes , Harringay , and will occupy one of the finest Masonic homes around London , It would bo unwise to say that the Harringay Lodge was formed for the purpose of being attached to this new establishment , but no doubt the provision of suitable accommodation in the neighbourhood had no little weight with the Founders , and the authorities of

Grand Lodge when the question of granting the Warrant came on for consideration ; and it would be equally wrong to say that the new Hotel was built for the purpose of accommodating this new Masonic Lodge ; but it is very certain the two blend most harmoniously , and we hope the one will be associated with the other , to their mutual advantage , for many years to come . The Hotel is one of the most handsome and luxuriousl y fitted establishments in the northern suburbs , and should secure a large amount of

patronage as a Commercial and Family Hotel , being situate close to the Harringay Station of the Great Northern , and the Harringay Park Station of the Midland and Great Eastern Railways . It possesses private Sitting and Coffee Rooms , Smoking Room , Billiard Room , Grill Room , and ample other accommodation , the whole being supervised by Mr . J . C . Hill , the Proprietor ,

with Mr . Richard Anderson as Manager of the Hotel , and Mr . W . A . Oathles as General Manager . Wo hope to have the opportunity of recording some of tbe doings of the new Lodge , and look for the establishment of a Lodge of Instruction at no very distant date . There are a large number of Masons in the immediate neighbourhood with , at present , little provision for practice or instruction in the ritual and work of the Craft .

The Cable-Tow.

THE CABLE-TOW .

DID you ever think of the meaning of this word ? Not the definition as laid down by standard authors on Masonry , but rather the application of this important bit of Masonic teaching . No two' words have a greater meaning or are susceptible of a wider range of action . Every Mason has a " cabletow , " the length of which is governed entirely by his conception

ot duty—duty which he owes to God , his neighbour and himself , and must be regulated by his conscience . Some who are charitably disposed stretch their " cable-tow " until it encompasses their duty as a good citizen and their obligation as a Mason . To all such its teachings have not been lost . Others who do not

properly comprehend its meaning , and have no inclination to cultivate it to a finish , satisfy themselves with disengaging the knots of but one or two strands , while others , whose consciences

are so dwarfed by selfishness and self-esteem as to be satisfied by an occasional visit to the Lodge , never even unwind their " cable-tow . " For all such we have a profound sympathysympathy akin to that " charity which suffereth long and is kind . "

_ As a citizen , did you never " pass by on the other side " to avoid some organ-grinding object of charity on the corner whom you chanced to see while you were headed saloonward ? Or did you rush into the first cigar stand you could find and spend the nickel which your conscience told you to drop in the tin-cup of

the sightless one who asked your alms ? As a Mason , did you forego the pleasure of a drink and the happy effect of a smoke and contribute the price thereof to the relief of said object of charity , thereby extending your " cable-tow " to the one whom God has bound you tc by nature ? If you have done this , you

have done well , and the sacrifice made thereby will be placed as a credit to your account when you " go hence . " As a citizen , did you ever try to satisfy your conscience for failing to do alms with the though that you may be assisting impostors ? As a Mason , your " cable-tow" will not permit you " to judge , bub

The Cable-Tow.

teaches you to relieve ninety and nine impostors rather than let one worthy person suffer . As a citizen , do you herald your charities to the world by kindly mention in the public press and by receiving the congratulations of your fellow-man ? As a Mason , you are taught to " let not your right hand know what your left hand doeth , " being satisfied to await your reward hereafter . So much for alms-giving . As a citizen you cannot separate yourself from your duty aa a Mason .

My Brother , did you ever keep your seat in the Lodge when the Master called for volunteers to watch with a sick Brother ? Did you ever turn your head or find it convenient to visit the water cooler while the hat was being passed for the " evening

offering ? " Did you ever absent yourself from the funeral of a Brother when you might have attended with the slightest sacrifice to yourself ? Did you ever fail to exert yourself to assist your Brother to find emplovment ? Did you ever take him by the arm

and by the " cable-tow " that binds you , declined to have it loosed until you attained the end desired ? Did you ever fail to cover his faults with the " broad mantle of charity " while you whispered in his ear a tale of reformation ? Did you ever through personal spito lend your aid toward affecting his business relations ? Did

you ever repeat a whispered scandal in the ear of another , the circulation of which would in time blast the reputation of your Brother or his family ? Did you ever do any of these things ? If so , then , indeed , is your " cable-tow " being rapidly frayed out , and the quicker you have it epaired the better it will be for you , both here and hereafter . —Bro . Bun . F . Price , in " American Tyler . "

Not many Lodges can boast of the possession of £ 2 , 360 on fixed deposit , as can Lodge Australia , No . 3 , N . S . W ., whose balance-sheet was presented to its members at its last meeting . There are therein some few items that deserve special mention—£ 71 was received from interest , and £ 73 disbursed in charity—so

that the savings of previous years provide that Lodge with an income available for the relief of its poor and distressed Brethren . The prosperous condition of the Lodge enables it to pay £ 66 in salaries , and yet have £ 62 to its credit at the bank , as against £ 42 brought forward from the previous year . — " Masonry . "

It would appear from the following extract , which we take from " Masonry , " that New Zealand is not the only country where the office of Grand Steward is not held in very high repute : — " It was most amusing to watch how the much despised office of Grand Steward went a begging in a leading Melbourne

Lodge . All the P . Ms , held it altogether below their dignity to hold that office , evidently forgetting that by reason of it being elective it is more honourable than Grand Lodge honours obtained by appointment , and which not rarely fall to those least fit and deserving to hold even such honours . "

The Theatres, &C.

The Theatres , & c .

Adelphi . —7 - 45 , With flying colours . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . Avenue . —8-15 , An old Admirer . 9 , An interrupted Honeymoon .: Criterion . —8-30 , My Daughter-in-Law . Matinee , Saturday , 3 . Drury Lane . —7-30 , Hearts are Trumps . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 1-30 . Duke of York ' s . —8 , An American Citizen . Gaiety . —8-15 , A Runaway Girl . Matinee , Saturday , 2 .

Globe . —8 , The Gay Lord Quex . Matinee , Saturday , 2 . Haymarket . —8-30 , The Degenerates . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2-30 . Her Majesty ' s . —8-15 , King John . Matinee , Wednesday , 2-15 . Lyceum . —Saturday , 7 fch October , Man and his makers . Lyric—S-30 , El Capitan . Matinee , Thursday , 2-30 . New Olympic . —8-15 , A trip to Midget town . Matinee , Wednesday and

Saturday , 2 . 30 . Prince of Wales's . —8-15 , The Moonlight Blossom . Matinee , Saturday . Princess ' s . —Alone in London Savoy . —8-30 , H . M . S . Pinafore . Trial by Jury . Matinee , Saturday , 2-30 . Shaftesbury . —8 , The Belle of New York . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 . Strand . —Thursday , 5 th October , The Prince of Borneo .

Vaudeville . —8-15 , Hook and Eye . 9 , The Elixir of Youth . Matinee , Wednesday , 3 . Alexandra . —Next week , 7-45 , An American Citizen . Grand . —Next week , 7-30 , How London lives . Queen ' s Opera House , Crouch End . —Next week , The White Heather . Standard . —Next week , Two Little Vagabonds . Surrey . —Next week , Drink .

Alhambra . —8-15 , Variety Entertainment . A Day Off , Napoli , & c . Aquarium . —Tho world ' s great Show . The Great Fight . Varied Performances , daily . Empire . —8-15 , Variety Entertainment . Round the Town again , & c . London Pavilion . —8 , Variety Entertainment . Oxford . —7-30 , Variety Entertainment , Talma , & c . Saturday , 2 \ 15 also .

Palace . —7-40 , Variety Entertainment . New American Biograph , & o . Saturday , 2 also . Royal . —7 - 30 , Variety Company . A duel in the snow . Saturday , 2-30 also . Tivoli . —7-30 , Variety Entertainment . Vanity Fair , & c . Saturday , 2-15 also , Crystal Palace . —Varied attractions daily . Agricultural Hall . —Mohawk Minstrels .