Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

At a recent dinner of the Bakers' Company , the Toast of "The Corporation" was responded to by Air . Bedford , CC . Alluding to the Royal Commission now sitting on the City companies , Air . Bedford thought not much more would be done than was when the last Commission sat . He related that when Lord Brabourne—then Mr . Knatchbull-Hugesscn—was chairman of the Commission

he said , "You see , Air . Bedford , I have just paid gd . for my lunch , and we pay for all we have ; you in the City don't I " " True , " he replied , "but , remember , we get no remuneration whatever for our services to the Corporation . In the House of Commons there are many Alembers in the receipt of large salaries ; there are many in the receipt of pensions ; and there arc still more in the hope

of receiving large salaries ; therefore , no wonder they pay for what they have . " Air . Knatehbull-Hugessen did not cross-examine this gentleman any further . Lady Monckton , wife of Bro . Sir John B . Aloncktcn , P . B . G . P ., Mrs . Langtry , and Sir Charles Young , played last week at Windsor for the benefit of a hospital . It is said theirs is the finest acting ever seen by

amateurs . Bro . Byron ' s "She Stoops to Conquer" will be played at an afternoon performance on Wednesday next , under the patronage of Bro . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , in aid of the Koyal General Theatrical Fund . Bro . Bancroft has kindly lent the Haymarket theatre for the occasion . Mrs . Langtry will appear then as Miss Hardcastle .

Bro . Professor Erasmus Wilson had the honour of knighthood conferred on him by the Queen at Windsor on Wednesday . CLACTON-ON - -SEA LIFEBOAT CREW ' S FUND . — Lady Johnson , of St . Osylh's Priory , has most kindly consented to give away the rewards to the crew on the 2 Gth

instant , and has also presented £ 5 5 s . to the fund . Bro . Sir John J . Johnson has intimated his intention of also giving a handsome sum for future contingencies . The brethren of the Trinity lodge , of Coventry have sent £ 1 to the fund , and we should like to hear of other lodges sending some small recognition of the brave services rendered by the crew of this Freemasons' boat .

A most useful innovation of the period is the stylograph . VVe are acquainted with thc Alackinnon and Scott pens , of which Messs . Mappin Bros , are the agents , and invaluable we find them both . VVe should recommend brethren , especially Secretaries of Lodges , who have a good deal of writing to do at odd times , to equip themselves with one of these . We know many public men ' who have

them . The Bishop of Winchester always carries one , and writes letters on his journey in the railway carriage . VVe have seen his brother of St . Albans , whilst waiting at a station , take out his writiing materials and indite a letter . In the assault for which Air . Bradlaugh prosecuted the police , we believe it was his stylo' , more than himself , which was damaged . They require nn ink bottle ; when

filled will last for days ; the writing dries directly , without blotting paper , and no blots can be made , nor can the fingers get stained . With a stylograph and a little writing paper in our pockets one can always use a spare minute . Alessrs . Alappin have them in different sizes and points , even to the broad J . pen . They give no trouble , and soon repay the first outlay . ' .

The installation meeting of the St . Leonard Lodge , No . 17 G 6 . will be held at the Town Hall , Shoreditch , on Wednesday , the 14 th inst ., when Bro . Elias Benjamin will be installed into the chair of K . S . Bro . Lord Richard . Grosvenor , M . P ., and Mr . John Roberts , ALP ., addressed their constituents at Overton , Flintshire , on Alonday last .-

CLO . SE OF THE LIVERPOOL AUTUMN EXHIBITION . —Tlie Corporation Art Exhibition in the Walker Art Gallery , Liverpool , came to a close last Saturday evening . Appended is a return compiled by the cuiator ( Alr . Charles Dyall ) of the admissions to and sales at the exhibition for the eighty days during which it has been open : 28 , 695 admissions at is . ( morning ) , /' 143415 s . ; 11 , 56 9

admissions at Gd . ( evening ) , £ 289 4 s . Gd . ; 30 , 298 admissions at 3 d . ( evening ) , £ 37 6 4 s . Gd . ; 2557 season tickets , £ 475 14 s . ; 21 , 640 catalogues , , ( , 408 19 s . 3 d . ; and 258 pictures have been sold , realising £ Sjs 2 ' 0 s-Bro . Lieut .-Col . Lord Arthur Hill , M . P ., the

commanding officer , presided , in the absence of the Lord Alayor , who was unavoidably prevented from being present , at thc annual distribution of prizes to the members of the 2 nd Aliddlesex Artillery ( Customs House ) Volunteers on Saturday last , at the Guildhall . Lady FMI presented the prizes .

Bro . Alderman Ellis ( Lord Mayor ) dined with the Haberdashers' Corporation , on Thursday , the ist inst ., and made a strong appeal for the retention of the Corporation of thc City of London and the Guilds , ljoth of whom he holds are doing , and will do , a great work throughout the country . Bro . Henry Irving , it is said , during the great frost last winter , wfien the Prince of Wales was driving a sledge on the Thames Embankment , on hearing the bells

on the horses' collars , shrugged up his shoulders , unceremoniously put his hand to his head , and took the same strides he does when playing the murderer in " The Bells . " At the meeting of the Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar Lodge , at Portsmouth , on Wednesday night , Bros . Townsend and Emanuel were presented respectively with a silver loving cup , and a silver goblet , and silver collar for their services in connection with the formation ol this lodge . VVe shall give a full report of the proceedings in our next .

Bro . J . M . Martin was installed Provincial Grand Alaster of Dumbartonshire on the 28 th ult . A full report of the proceedings stands over for want of space . Bro . Captain Bedford Pirn , RN ., J . P ., has presented to the Royal Naval School , New Cross , of which he was a former pupil , several interesting engravings , including "The Death of Nelson" and "The Loss of the

Kevenge . " fw ro . £$ 00 . —TOBACCONISTS COMMENCING . —A pam . Phlctj how to open respectably from £ 20 , post free . Address H Myers and Co ., IOJL , liuston-road , London j and at Bimiinjjarr ., "tablished 1855 . Wholesale only

Masonic And General Tidings.

Bro . Sir Thomas Brassey has been appointed , with Sir R . Cross , Mr . T . Hughes , Air . Gcchen , and others , on the Committee for raising a memorial at Rugby to the late Dean Stanley . . Bro . Edward Terry concluded his provincial tour on Saturday at the Theatre Royal , Plymouth , and during this month reappears at the Gaiety Theatre .

Bros , the Hon . T . C Agar-Robartes , M . P ., and Borlase , M . P ., were present at an agricultural . dinner at Bodmin on Alonday . We ' mct at a dinner in the city of London last week a man who had made a nice fortune at the Australian gold mines in their palmy days . He was telling us of the extravagance of the emigrants , and on one occasion he saw

a man put a £ 100 note between two slices of bread and butter and eat it . That is the value some persons put upon money quickly earned . Wc have received the following from a correspondent : Bra . Sir Christopher Wren ' s life has just been written by Miss Lucy Phillimore , daughter of the Right Hon . Sir Robert Phillimore , judge of the Might Court of

Justice Admiralty I'ivision , and on whom the Queen last "week conferred the dignity of a baronet . The book is published by Regon , Paul , and Co . With respect to Sir Christopher Wren's Masonic career we are aware there is doubt in some people's mind , and we do not wish to set our judgment against theirs , though we hold , as we have always done , that Sir Christopher Wren was a brother , and

we think the few relics and statistics handed down all go to prove our surmise as the truth . There seems nothing to prove the" " contrary . With respect to this portion of the book , Aliss Phillimore has received assistance from Bro . B . Gibus Baum , F . S . A ., Past Alaster of the Armour and Brazier ' s Company , and Secretary of the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 , and in which it is said Sir Christopher

Wren" was . Master , and from Bro . Henry Wright , 1 S 27 , Hon . Sec . City Church and Churchyard Protection Society , who has been presanted with an author's copy . In the preface , Miss Phillimore says , " Little is known of Wren in his Alasonic capacity . He is said to have been a member and a Alaster of the ' Old Lodge ol St . Paul , ' now known as the ' Lodge of Antiquity . ' All

the records of the lodge of that time have , unfortunately , been lost , so that they cannot be consulted with reference to this matter . The question has been raised whether Wren was a Freemason 01 not . On this point the ' parentalia ' makes no implicit statement , though it appears to imply Wren ' s connection with the Order " . The Duke of Sussex caused a plate to he engraved in 1 S 27 , and affixed to the mallet which Sir Christopher Wren is said to have

presented to thelodge , with this inscription , 'A . L . 5 S 31 , A . n . 1 S 27 . To commemorate that this being the same mallet with which His Alajesty King Chailes II . levelled the foundation-stone of St . Paul ' s Cathedral . A . L . 5 G 77 , A . n . 1 G 73 . Was presented to thc old Lodgeof S . Paul , now the Lodge of Antiquity , acting by Immemorial Constitution , by Bro . Sir Christopher Wren , R . W . D . G . M ., Worshipful Alaster of this lodge and architect of the edifice . ' "

At the laying of the corner-stone of thc monument at V ' orktown with Alasonic honours , the chair occupied by the Grand Alaster was occupied by George Washington when Alaster of the Virginia Alasons ; the sash and apron worn by the Grand Alaster were worked by Mrs . Lafayette and presented , to Washington in 17 S 4 ; the gavel

was made from a portion ol the quarter-deck of the United States frigate Lawrence , Commodore Perry ' s flagship at the Battle of Lake Erie , Sept . 10 th , 1 S 13 . Bro . Emanuel ( Messrs . E . and E . Emanuel ) , silversmith and jeweller , of Portsea , has obtained an order for a perpetual injunction restraining Alessrs . Alellhuish and Parkin from using the name of their firm .

The Fifteen Sections will be worked by the members of the Strong Man Lodge of Instruction , No . 45 , at the Corinthian Lodge of Instruction , No . 13 ^ 2 , held at the George Hotel , Glengall-road , Cubitt Town , Poplar , on Tuesday , the 20 th inst ., commencing at G . 30 p . m . Bros . CI . Fox , S . D . 201 , W . AL ; R . P . Tate , I . P . M . SG 2 , S . VV . ; and VV . H . Alarston , P . AI . 55 and 1599 , J . VV .

1 ' IRST LECTURE . ist Section Bro . Alorris , \ a \ . 2 nd „ „ Collinson . 'j . D . 862 . 3 rd „ „ Gates , J . VV . 1599 . 4 th ] „ ... ' ... „ Abell , P . AL 1590-5 th „ , „ Pelikan , I . G . 1 G 02 . 6 th „ „ Larchin , VV . AI . 1541 ; 7 th „ ... ... „ Tate , I . P . AI . SG 2 .

SECOXD LECTURE . 1 st Section Bro . Vizzard , 1472 . 2 nd „ „ Alarston , P . AL 55 and 1599 . 3 rd „ ... . ... ,, Johnson , 1541 . 4 th „ „ " Brown , VV . AI . SG 2 . 5 th „ „ Pate , S . D . 1599 .

THIRD LECTURE . ist Section Bro . Pardon , 1541 . 2 nd „ „ Wing , P . AI . 45-3 rd „ , Hyde , 1341 . Bro . H . G . Gush , J . VV . 1541 , is the Preceptor , and Bro . C . J . Fox , S . D . 201 , thc Hon . Sec .

The annual tripe supper of the Stability Lod ge of Instruction took place on the evening of the gth inst . The Duke of Edinburgh has presented a parcel of books to the Bethnal Green Free Library ( which is supported entirel y hy voluntary contributions ) " as a token of His Royal Highness ' s sympathy with thfc committee's efforts to raise the number of books to 10 , 000 volumes . "

I his is the fifth present that the Institution has received from members of the Royal Family . Increased reading accommodation having been provided for male and female readers , the new rooms will be opened on the 22 nd inst . by a public meeting , to be presided over by Bro . the Right Hon . the Lord Alayor . Bro . Sir W . Williams-Wynn , M . P ., presented the

annuahprizes at the Grammar School , Ruabon , on Tuesday . The examiner this year was the Rev . Edward Rawson , of St . John's College , ( ji & mbridgc , whose report spoke highly of the condition of the school . Bro . Sir Watkin spoke in reference to the commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the intermediate education in Wales , and regretted that they had been unable to visit the Ruabon Grammar School . Bro . Paul Storr , clerk of Billingsgate Market , has resigned through ill health .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Bro . his Grace the Duke of Manchester will preside at the evening meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute , to be held on Tuesday next , the 13 th inst ., when a paper will be read on "Sierra Leone ; its Past , Present , and Future , " by the Hon . 1 " . Risley Griffith , Colonial Secretary of Sierra Leone .

A report of the interesting proceedings at the meeting of . the Creaton Lodge , No . 1791 , which was held on Thursday last , will appear in our next . A Sportsman Exhibition will be held at the Agricultural Hall , London , on February gth to iSth , 1 SS 2 , comprising every requisite in connection with coaching , driving , hunting , shooting , racing , coursing , yachting ,

fishing , fencing , cricket , bicycling , billiards , & c . Among the numerous patrons appear the names of the following brethren : the Marquis of Hartington , P . G . M . Derbyshire ; the Alarquis of Londonderry , P . G . AL Durham ; the Earl of Roseberry ; the Earl of Zetland , P . G . AL Yorks , N . & E . Riding ; Viscount Holmesdale , P . G . AL Kent the Earl of Londesborougn ; Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn , Bart , M . P .,

P . G . AL North Wales and Shropshire ; Sir Thomas Brassey , K . C . B ., ALP . ; The Earl of Jersey , P . G . Alark M . Berks , and Oxon ; the Earl of Rosslyn , P . G . M . of Scotland ; the Earl of Lathom , D . G . M . ; Lord Carrington ; Lord Suffield ,. P . G . AL Norfolk ; the Earl of Huntingdon , P . G . AL Alidland Counties ( Ireland ); and the Earl of Haddington , P . G . AL Berwick and Roxburghshire .

1 he Royal Arch Freemasons of Oxfordshire have not hitherto been erected into a province , although Oxfordshire is a province in the Craft Degree . The county is now to be a province of the Royal Arch , and Comp . His Royal Highness Prince Leopold , Duke of Albany , who is the Grand Master of the Craft province , has accepted the office of Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch province , and will appoint an early day for his installation at Oxford .

The Prince and Princess of Wales , attended b y the Countess of Alacclesfield and the Hon . H . Tyrwhitt-Wilson , weie present at the marriage of Aliss Mirabel . Knollys , daughter of Bro . Sir William Knollys , with Capt . Grey , R . A ., at St . Alargarct ' s Church , Westminster , on Tuesday . The will of Bro . Charles Woolloton , J . P ., D . L .,

ex-sheriff of London and Aliddlesex , late of ' Elstree , Nutfield , Surrey , who died on September 7 th last , was proved on the 21 st ult . by Airs . Clarissa Woolloton , the widow , Mr . E . B . I'Anson , and Mr . J . W . Burton , thc executors , the personal estate , cxceeding in value £ 98 , 000 . The testator leaves all his freehold property at Nuffield to his wife for life or widowhood , and on her death or second marriage

he settles it on his nephew , Arthur Wells Gardner , but conditionally on his taking the name of Woolloton after his present name Gardner ; £ 200 to the British Orphan Asylum , Slough , of which lie was Chairman ; and legacies to friends . The residue of his real and personal estate he gives to his wife absolutely . Bro . George Buckland , assisted b y Miss Blanche Paige , gave a musical entertainment at the Commercial Travellers' Schools , Pinner , entitled " Aly Musical Budget "

, on Tuesday last . " Bro . De Keyser and Mrs . De Keyser had a narrow escape a few days ago whilst travelling on the Northern Railway of France , for near Chauny Station the train dashed violently into three luggage trucks which were standing on the line . The truck ' s were smashed " , the engine of the passenger train ran off the lines and turned

over , and many of thc carriages were much damaged . Fortunately , no lives were lost , and no serious injuries were sustained by the passengers . —City Press . Bro , H-. R . H . the Duke of Albany , K . G ., was installed as Past Grand Alaster of the Alark Degree in Freemasonry at the half-yearly communication of Grand Mark Lodge , whicli was held at the Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , on Tuesday . Bro . Lord Henniker , Grand Alaster of the

Order , presided . Bro Sir George Elliot , M . P ., states the Manchester Guardian , has made an arrangement with the Government by which the monopoly of the revenue from salt in the island of Cyprus passes into his hands . Bro . the Earl of- Breadalbanc has announced that he will grant a reduction of 10 per cent , on the current half-year ' s rent to his tenants both in Perthshire and Argyllshire .

The marriage of Bro . H . R . H . Prince Leopold will , it is understood , take place at St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor , in Alarch next . Bro . Sir Thomas Brassey , M . P ., will preside at the festival of the Printers' Pension , Almshouse , and Orphan Asylum Corporation for 1 SS 2 .

Mr . T . F . Blackwell of ( the firm of Messrs . Crosse and Blackwell ) will take the chair at " the Commercial Travellers' Schools Festival , to be held at the Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the 22 nd inst ., supported by Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Hanson and Bro . Sheriff Ogg , on the occasion of the annual festival .

The following anecdote was overheard by a friend of ours in passing a church in the east of London , between two sons of toil . — " What ' s up here to-night , all these people coming out of Church . "' " Why , they've got a service on , and the Bishop of Suffrejan is preaching " "Suffrejan , where ' s that , Bill i" " Don't know , except it s some foreign part . " The preacher was the Bishop of Bedford , Suffragan Bishop of East London .

At a meeting of Old Blues , which was held at Christ's Hospital , on Alonday , aSth November ( Air . G . R . L . Alarriott , late Captain C . U . R . V , in the chair ) to discuss the question of forming a budy of O . B . Volunteers , the proposal met with such support that the following were appointed a Provisional Committee to tafce further steps in the matter : Alessrs . G . R . L . AlarriottFountain

, ft ?" ; ;* T , l _ E . C ., II . Winder , 5 . Lombard Street , E . C , W . H . Cross , 32 , Tornngton Square , W . C , C P . G . Hill , Bank of England , and G . J . Beer ( Hon . Sec . ) Bro . E . J . B . Bumstead , P . M ., will be presented with a testimonial at the meetinir of the Wellington LOHO-P

No . 54 S , of which Bro . S . P . Catterson is "the efficient VV . M ., at the White Swan Hotel , High-street , Deptford , on Tuesday next . « J \ , ^ " SHAND & Co ., Wine Merchants ( Expertsand VMuers \ Well fermented Old Wines and matured Spirits . 2 , Albert Alan , sions , Victoria Street , London , S . W .