Masonic And General Tidings

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS

The General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will hold its regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall to-morrow ( Saturday ) afternoon , at 4 p . m . The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday next , when , no doubt , a considerable number of petitions will be presented .

The usual Christmas entertainments to the patients , past and present , and the nurses of the Royal Free Hospital , Gray's Inn-road , and University College Hospital , were given on New Year ' s Eve , an admirable programme of entertainments and suitable refreshments being in each case provided . Bro . Sir John Pender has agreed to accept the

nomination as a candidate for the seat rendered vacant for the Govan Division of Glasgow by the lamented death of Bro . Sir William Pearce , Bart . Bro . VV . H . Symons , Manager of the new Masonic Club in Princess-square , Plymouth , was on Monday evening the 24 th Dec , the recipient of an illuminated address on vellum , subscribed for by a large number of the

members . Bro . Symons has held the post since the formation of the club , but will shortly resign the office . The address , which was presented by Bro . R . G . Bird , was in recognition of the excellent manner in which the duties have been carried out . A gold bracelet was presented to Miss Symons , on behalf of the members , by Bro . Cornish , who announced that a purse of money was being subscribed

and would be shortly presented to Miss Symons . The next annual Ball of the Albion Lodge , No . 9 , will be held at Freemasons' Tavern , on the 17 th inst . The following brethren of the lodge form the Committee : Bros . S . Valentine , P . M . ; H . Friend , P . M . ; W . Willey , P . M . ; W . Scott , P . M . ; L . W . Harvey , P . M . ; A . Endean , P . M . ; S . Thompson , P . M . ; W . Holroyd , P . M . ; E . Bradley , P . M . ; S . Holroyd , I . P . M . ; G , Bickerton . W . M . ; W . Poupart , S . W . ; E . Waller , J . W . ; E . Hamlyn , S . D . ; T . Cranswick , I . G . ; and VV . Jones . The Hon . Secretary is Bro . Ernest Augustus Hamlyn , 153 , Cheapside . The new Masonic Buildings , Princess-square , Plymouth , were consecrated on Wednesday , 2 nd inst ., Viscount Ebrington , M . P ., Prov . G . M ., having ordered a

special Provincial Grand Lodge for the purpose . The interesting event attracted to Plymouth a considerable number of brethren from all parts of the province , as well as from Cornwall . The consecration was fol ' owed by a banquet in the refectory , and in the evening a ball was held in the spacious and handsome provincial room , which was tastefully decorated . The brethren wore Masonic clothing at the ball .

On the las ' , meeting , at the Sun Hotel , Chatham , Bro . T . Clibbon , S . W . of the Royal Kent Lodge of Antiquity , No . 20 , was duly elected W . M . for the ensuing year . The Albion ( No . q ) Lodge of Instruction meets

every Friday evening , at seven o ' clock precisely , at Bro . Drew ' s , the Mitre , Chancery-lane . We have received the " Drapers' Diary for 1 SS 9 " ( W . H . and L . Collingridge , Aldersgate-street)—a most useful and concise book , containing valuable information and digests of laws which are most useful to all business men . We regret to hear that the Earl of Warwick , father to Bro . Lord Brooke , M . P ., P . G . M . of Essex , who has been seriously ill for some time past , but had been going on favourably , had a relapse on Monday , and that his condition is causing a considerable amount of anxiety .

The Exhibition ot the Royal House of Stuart at the New Gallery , Regent-street , was opened to the public on Monday , and contains portraits and persoral 1111 morials of members of the family , and of some of its most distinguished adherents , and is likely to prove a very great attraction . Her Majesty has graciously lent a number of articles and pictures of Mary Oueen of Scots and others .

Bro . James Pain , of pyrotechnical fame , is a candidate for the County Council for the district of Walworth . If , as we believe , energetic and successful men of business should form a good proportion of the members of the new County Council , Bro . Pain should certainly have a place . Bro . Pain ' s Masonic career is a creditable one , and we wish him success .

Among those on whom the Queen has been pleased to confer hjnours in connection with New Year ' s day may be mentioned Bro . Baron Henry de Worms , M . P ., who has been appointed a member of the Privy Council ; Bro . Sir H . Drummond Wolff , promoted from K . C . B . to G . C . FS . ; and Bro . Henry J . Whymper , author of the " Religion of Freemasonry , " who , for services in India , has been made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire .

Her Majesty s annual gifts to the poor of Windsor , Holy Trinity , and Clewer were distributed in the Riding School of Windsor Castle on Tuesday , the gifts , which consisted of beef and coals , representing in value about £ 200 , in addition to which her Majesty was pleased to contribute £ 100 to the Royal Clothing Fund . Bro . Major Cooper delivered a very interesting

address in connection with the Church Emigration Society at the Schoolhouse , Lieston , on Wednesday evening , Dec . 26 th , the Rev . G . Watson occupying the chair . The lecture was given in response to the invitation of Lady Rose , who desired Bro . Cooper to come and speak on Emigration to Suffolk men and women . The lecturer was

well received , and his address , which was accompanied by a splendid series of lantern views , was most entertaining and instructive . We regret that the pressure on our space is so great that we have no room even for a summary . At the close a cordial vote of thanks was acorded Bro . Cooper by acclamation .

Masonic And General Tidings

\ The annual festival held by the members of the City Police Force took place at the Cannon-street Hotel on Wednesday evening , and proved a great success , there being a large attendance of constables with their wives and families . We are glad to hear that the Duncan memorial scheme is making way . The proposed memorial is . a

School of Ambulance at Woolwich . Bro . Col . Duncan was , as is generally known , the heart and soul of the ambulance movement—the story of which is a sort of gleam of light in the black page of war . Bro . Major-General Sir Evelyn Wood , V . C .,

K . C . B ., took over the command of the troops , at Aldershot , on Tuesday , in succession to Lieut-General Sir A . Alison , G . C . B . Prince Albert Victor of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge will arrive at Didlina'ton Hall , Norfolk , on Monday next , on a visit to Bro . W . A . Tyssen-Amherst ,

M . P . The Empress Frederick of Germany and her daughters are expected to arrive at Buckingham Palace towards the close of next week , en route for Sandringham Hall , where they will remain for some time as the guests of the Prince and Princess of Wales . At the last annual meeting of the Grand Lodge

of Ohio held in Memorial Hall , Toledo , on the 23 rd and 24 th October last , Bro . S . Stacker Williams declined reelection as Grand Master , and Bro . Leander Burdick was elected in his stead . The Marquis of Dufferin , who has just returned from India , on the conclusion of his Vice-Royalty , has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of Italy .

The Queen has caused a letter to be addressed to Prince ~ Albert Victor of Wales , as Patron of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society , informing his Royal Highness that s-he has been pleased to contribute a donation of £ 50 to its funds . The Prince of Wales , President of the Royal Colonial Institute , will preside at a banquet which will be

held at the Hotel Metropole on Wednesday , the 13 th March next , to commemorate the 21 st anniversary of the foundation of the Society . At the evening meeting , which will be on the premises of the Institute , Whitehall , on the 15 th inst ., Bro . Lord Btassey , K . C . B ., will preside , and a paper will be read on " British West Africa and the Trade of the Interior . "

Bro . Mclntyre , Q . C , P . G . W , of England , has been appointed Judge of the Halifax County Court in place of Judge Snagge , who has been transferred to Oxfordshire . "The Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , Diary , and Pocket Book" is intended for Freemasons , and gives full particulars of every Grand Masonic body throughout

the world . As this is the nineteenth year of publication , most Masons will be familiar with this comprehensive little book of reference . It is published by Mr . George Kenning , Great Queen-street , Lincoln's Inn Fields , and in Liverpool , Manchester , and Glasgow . —Morning Post . The Freemason has its Christmas number , and the Masonic brotherhood will regard it as a treasure worth

keeping . There are many interesting papers in it , and our ever active friend , Bro . W . J . Hughan ; of Torquay , who is sure to be found while he can wield his pen , has one of his historical articles on the " Thomas VV . lew MS . " of "Old Charges , " and a certified transcript of the old Charges themselves . With the text is given a fine print , accompanied with a fine description , of the Reception of

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales in Grand Lodge as Prov . G . Master , December 1 st , 1 S 69 . The portraits are admirable , and many old Masters of the Craft will be able to recognise friends whom they have known , and of whom too many ; alas ! have passed away . —Western Daily Mercury . Our worthy Bro . Clifford P . MacCalla , who is so well known among us as the popular editor of the

Philadelphia " Keystone , " was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at its regular Quarterly Communication on the 5 th December last . Bro . MacCalla has already won golden opinions from the brethren as Deputy Grand Master and in the offices of Grand Lod ge which he has filled , and we heartily congratulate him on his appointment and the Grand Lodge on having so able a

ruler to preside over them . Bro . MacCalla ' s installation in office would have taken place on St . John ' s Day , the 27 th December last , the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania being very particular in its observance of the old regulations and arrangements . On Saturday , the 22 nd Dec . ( the anniversary of the opening of the Empire as a theatre of varieties ) , Bro .

H . J . Hitchins , the popular manager , was presented by Mr . E . J . Conlon , the Secretary of the Company , on behalf of the different departments connected with the establishment , with a very handsome silver tea and coffee service , style Louis XIV ., accompanied by a beautifully illuminated vellum , engrossed by Bro . T . Beaufort , as follows : —"' To Harry J . Hitchens , E ; q . We , the

undersigned , representing the different departments of the Empire Palace Theatre , are desirous of recording the expression of our admiration of your qualifications as Manager and our high appreciation of your kindness and general good feling towards us , and , as some evidence of our affection and esteem , beg your acceptance of this testimonial , every subscriber to which echoes the heartfelt wish that your career may continue ever prosperous and

happy . Edwd . Jerrold Conlon , C . R . Brighten , L . Herve , Katti Lanner , John Tressidder , Fred . Woolley , Geo . Rayner , K . Fisher , J . Macaulay ( President ) , A . Perrin ( Secretary and Treasurer ) . " The presentation was made on the stage in the presence of all connected with the theatre ; the proceedings were of the most cordial character , Bro . Hitchins being very enthusiastically cheered on rising to return thanks .

The Electric Light in its vast superiority to gas and all other forms of artificial light , is an apt illustration of the position which '' Grant ' s Morella Cherry Brandy " maintains in comparison with all other Liqueurs , in its perfection of rich fruity h ivour . Comforting in cold weather . Sold everywhere . Be sure and ask for Grant ' s . T . Grant and Sons , Maidstone . Makers also of the nonalcoholic wine " Morella , " and of the delicious " Morella Marmalade . " Sold by Grocers .

Masonic And General Tidings

We hear that the Grand Lodge of Connecticut will celebrate the centenary anniversary of its constitution on the Sth July , 1 SS 9 . There was a satisfactory and appreciable diminution in the number of fires which occurred in London during iSSS as compared with the preceding year , the number being 1 SS 4 last year as compared with 236 3 in 1 SS 7 . On the other hand , many of the outbreaks were disastrous in their effects to life and limb , and a large number of lives have lost .

The note of depression usually struck by Masonic editors when speaking of their prospects is not shared by the genial editor of the Keystone , who , like ourselves , finds encouragement in an increased subscription list . He thus addresses his readers : "The Keystone has been finding increased favour with the members of the Masonic Fraternity during the past six monthsin which period our

, subscription list has been constantly increasing . Even when a subscriber occasionally stops his paper , a month later he usually writes us , that he finds he ' can't do without it / and renews his subscri ption . We will thank our subscribers to continue kindly to remember and commend

the Keystone to their friends in the Craft . " Lord Rothschild presided over an interesting gathering which was held at the Jews' Free School , Spitalfields , on Wednesday evening , when a testimonial was presented to Mr . Moses Angel , the head master , on the occasion of his entering upon the fiftieth year of his service . The Liverpool Arts Committee on Wednesday decided not to take any steps for holding an exhibition this year , in consequence of the refusal of the Town Council to putchase Sir Frederick Leighton's "Captive Andromache . "

Sir Richard Webster , the Attorney-General , having been asked by certain interested members of the London Chamber of Commerce for an opinion as to the bearing of the Merchandise Marks Act on certain practices of the cigar trade , has replied that the governing question as to whether a false trade description has been applied must be determined in each particular case ; but he is

clearly of opinion that to mark gojds so as to make it appear they are of Spanish origin would be a breach of the Act . It seemed to him immaterial whether cigars and boxes are made in England or some non-Spanish-speaking country , inasmuch as , if the description were false , it would certainly be by imputing to the goods a Spanish origin .

Mr . John M . Cook , managing partner to the well-known tourist firm of Thos . Cook and Son , has recently purchased the entire Vesuvius Railway , which he is now having thoroughly repaired , so as to ensure perfect regularity in working . It is expected the railway will be open for traffic on the 1 st February . Trains will start at various intervals , according to the number of visitors ,

from 10 a . m . to 5 p . m . At the railway station there will be a good restaurant . The railway runs to within 100 yards of the mouth of the crater . It is staled in Burton that the business of Truman , Hanbury , and Buxton , the eminent brewers of London and Burtonon-Trent , is to be sold to a limited liability company . The capital is not known , but the

prospectus is expected to be issued in a day or two . On New Year ' s Day the Lord Mayor received a phonographic message from the Mayor of New York , in which the latter gave his lordship greeting , and expressed the hope that the commercial relations which had so long and prosperously existed between the two cities shall never be forgotten . The Lord Mayor sent the following

phonographic reply : "The Lord Mayor of London has received with pleasure the phonographic message of goodwill from the Mayor of New York , and most heartily reciprocates the friendly feelings therein expressed . He earnestly trusts that the friendship which has so long existed between the two great English-speaking communities may last for all time , and that the only rivalry between them may be the

development of education , art , science , and manufactures , with the common object of increasing the well-being and the happiness of the vast populations of the United States and the British Empire . The Lord Mayor spent a few days in New York about seven years ago , and he has not for- ' gotten the evidences of prosperity and wealth which that great city then exhibited , and which he hears have gone on increasing to a marvellous extent . "

THE GRESHAM LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY . The Report _ which the Directors of the Gresham Life Assurance Society submitted at the ordinary general meeting of the Shareholders held on Friday , the 2 Sth Dec , must have been received with the utmost satisfaction . The operations it dealt with belonged to the 40 th financial year of the Society , and it was of greater importance than

the usual annual report from the fact of its containing the triennial valuation of the Company ' s affairs . As regards the year , which terminated on the 30 th June , 18 SS , the proposals for assurance were 5932 in number , and the amount to be insured £ 2 , 038 , 846 ; while the policies issued numbered 5317 , and represented an aggregate of J C ' , 759 . 75 1 - lhe immediate annuities granted were for

the yearly payment of £ 10 , 654 95 . 2 d . The year's revenue from premiums , interest , and rent amounted to £ 7 66 , 451 19 s ., or more than that of the year ended 30 th June , 1 SS 7 , by £ 19 , 316 4 s . 6 d . The new premiums amounted to £ 63 , 849 13 s . 4 d . The admitted claims on life policies amounted to £ 339 , 158 iSs . 6 d ., of which a small poi tion had been re-assured . The admitted claims

on matured endowments reached £ S 3 , 2 So os . 7 d ., and sums amounting to £ 45 , 559 Ss . id . had been paid on the surrender of policies . As a general result of the year's business , £ 169 , 74 6 is . id . was added to the funds of the Society . Ihe estimated realisable values of the various assets set forth in the balance amount to £ 4 , 113 , 848 18 s ., and it is clear from the foregoing figures that the Society

is doing a high class of business , and working on steady and sound principles . HOLLOWAY ' S PILLS were invented iin accordance with modem knowledge , modem wants , and scientific progress ; their beneficial influence is restricted to neither race nor country , and is available by all who lovingly look to their health . Any abrupt change in the weather much disordered action in the human

always causes body . It is a matter of primary importance to rectify every irregularity without delay , which it is in the power of everyone to do , by taking Holloway's Pills . These Pills are the best preventative of indigestion and the mildest aperients ever prescribed . They purif y and cool the blood , and equalise the circulation through the system , even to theminutcstvessels of the skin . —ADVT ,