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PHCENIX FIRE OFFICE , ig , LOMBARD ST ., & 57 , CHARING CROSS , LONDON . —Established 1782 . LUWIST Current Rates I Assured free of all Liability Liberal and Prompt Settlements | Electric Lighting Rules supplied VV . C . MACDONALD . f Joint V . B . MACUONALD , X Secretaries .

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fe ^^ l ^^^^ SATURDAY , DECEMBER II , 1897 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

We have received several communications from brethren who experienced great inconvenience , and even no small amount of personal discomfort , from brethren who attended the grand " Masonic Service , " as it has been called , on Thursday , the 2 nd instant , as

well as from others who started from home with the intention of being present , but found themselves unable to gain admission . The writers of these various letters complain greatly of the trouble and annoyance they were put to , and , we imagine , must have som idea floating in their minds that the airing of their grievances in our columns will be solace to them in

Masonic Notes.

the hour of their affliction . We do not question the justice of this view , but , with all due deference to them , we take the liberty of pointing out that their grievances are past redemption , and in the meantime our Rev . Bro . W . M . Sinclair , D . D ., the Venerable the Archdeacon of London , upon whom , as Chairman

or President of the Chapter Committee of Arrangement , the main responsibility for what happened must necessarily have devolved , has addressed to the general public , through the medium of the daily papers , a most courteous and ample apology for the shortcomings which occurred in connection with the admission and seating of the brethren .

* * * This being so , we fail to see why even the most seriously aggrieved brother should hesitate about accepting an apology , which , as we have said , is ample , courteous , and considerate , in the same kindly spirit in which it has been offered . Those who prolong their

grievance after an apology has been made are to a certain extent guilty of churlishness , and hence , we have thought it desirable in the interests of Masonic and general courtesy , to refuse the necessary space for the publication of the letters we have received about

last Thursday ' s shortcomings . We feel sure that when they consider the matter entirely , they will realise that we have acted justly in declining to publish in our correspondence columns their several letters of com - plaint . #

* * While on the subject of thisgathering of the brethren in St . Paul ' s Cathedral on the 2 nd inst ., we take the opportunity of pointing out that for what happened

in the way of inconvenience and disappointment to individual brethren , neither the Craft itself nor the officials of the Craft are responsible and that those will be guilty of a very serious injustice who insist on fastening upon them the responsibility .

* » * The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held on Wednesday , the 8 th inst . There was a full attendance of members , and the chair was occupied by Bro . J . A . Farnfield , P . A . G . D . C , Treasurer of the Institution .

The business transacted was of the ordinary character , there being as many as 15 petitions submitted for consideration , of which six were for the Male Fund and nine for the Widows' Fund . These were all accepted , and the names ordered to be placed on the lists of

candidates for the election of May , 1898 . We will add that the widows of three recently-deceased male annuitants made application to be allowed each the half of her late husband ' s annuity , and that in each case the Committee acceded to the request . # * *

The Lecture on "Canada" which we announced last week would be delivered before the pupils of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , on Tuesday , the 7 th instant , by Bro . J . Woodall , Past G . Treasurer , proved most interesting . The lecture had the great

advantage of being illustrated , and Bro . WoodaU had the satisfaction of riveting the attention of his youthful audience throughout the whole of his lecture , well meriting the very hearty applause bestowed upon him at the conclusion of his paper . * *

We have very great pleasure in announcing that the Albert Edward Lifeboat which is stationed at Clactonon-Sea , and which is one of the two boats presented to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 18 7 6 , in commemoration of the safe return of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales from his visit to India , has had the

good fortune to render valuable service in connection with the gales which have recently prevailed along our coasts . On Thursday , the 2 nd instant , the boat was launched in a heavy sea in response to signals of distress and was the means of rescuing 10 persons from the barque Thyra , of Frederickstadt , which had

stranded on the Burrows Sand and was breaking up . The Albert Edward returned at 7 p . m ., and an hour later was launched in obedience to further signals . No vessel , however , was found in need of any assistance and she returned to Clacton at 4 a . m . on the following day .

» A change in the government of the Craft in Ja maica took place on Thursday , the 18 th ult ., when a special Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Jamaica was held in Kingston under the presidency of

Bro . R . S . Haughton , Dep . Dist . G . Master in charge , and his Excellency Bro . Sir Henry Blake , G . C . M . G ., the Governor of the Colony , was installed in office as District G . Master in succession to Bro . Major J . C . Macglashan , who has resigned the position . The

Masonic Notes.

ceremony was performed by the Dep . Dist . G . Master in the presence of a large gathering of the brethren , among the visitors being Bro . S . C . Burke , Dist . G . Master of the Scottish Constitutions , and his District Grand Officers . Wc congratulate our brethren in Jamaica on having the representative of her Majesty the Queen as their new chief . * * *

It does not frequently happen in Freemasonry that a father has the opportunity of initiating his two sons into Freemasonry . However , this is just what hap pened at the regular meeting of the Kent Lodge , No . 15 , on Wednesday , the Sth inst . The lodge met under the presidency of Bro . R . W . Bowers , W . M ., but after the early business of the meeting had been transacted ,

Bro . Bowers vacated the chair in favour of our respected Bro . Stimson , P . M ., Treasurer , that he might have the pleasure of initiating his sons into the mysteries and privileges of Freemasonry . The cerewas most ably and affectingly carried out , and the lodge may feel proud of so unusual—or , possibly , the unpredented—a sight having been witnessed within its portals .

* The Alleyn Chapter of Rose Croix , No . 139 , on the roll of chapters of that Degree under the Supremo Council 33 ° Ancient and Accepted Rite , was consecrated at the Masonic Hall , Golden - square , on Wednesday , the Sth instant , by Bro . Captain N . G .

Philips , 33 , Lieut . G . Commander , assisted by Bros . Frank Richardson , 33 ° ; the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , 33 j J . H . Matthews , 33 ; R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C ., 33 ; and others . At the conclusion of the ceremony Bro . W . J . Songhurst was installed in office as

first M . W . S ., and appointed and invested his officers for the year . The musical arrangements were in charge of Bro . John Read , 30 ° , and everything passed off most satisfactorily , the Alleyn Chapter entering upon its career under the most encouraging circumstances .

Guy's Hospital Re-Endowment Fund.

GUY'S HOSPITAL RE-ENDOWMENT FUND .

The following subscriptions have come in towards the endowment of the Freemason ' s bed since the last list published in the Freemason of October 16 th . Cheques for ^ 242 10 s . and ^ 105 have been paid over to the Treasurer of Guy ' s Hospital , making up a sum , 61050 contributed by the Craft , and one of the 114 beds , which had been closed for want of funds , has now been

again brought into use and permanently endowed . Donations from those lodges which have not yet subscribed will be still thankfully received and duly forwarded io the Treasurer of the hospital . The following lodges have contributed £ 1 is . each : Nos . 9 , 18 , 19 , 22 , 25 , 30 , ss , 59 , 79 , 87 , 157 , 174 , 186 , 190 , 198 , 211 , 238 , 256 , 263 , 435 , 507 , 538 , 554 ,

574 , 754 . 7 > 780 , 813 , 898 , 907 , 933 , 1196 , 122 7 , 1269 , 127 S , 1321 , 1328 , 1364 , 1445 , 1507 . 1571 , 1584 . ' 599 . 1607 , 1608 , 16 73 , 1677 , 1704 , 173 1 , 1743 , 1803 , 1804 , i 8 i 8 , 'i 9 , 1969 , 2012 , 2033 , 2076 , 2108 , 21 9 , 21 9 , 2233 , 2243 , 2308 , 2323 , 2397 , 2409 , 2455 , 2456 , 2488 , 2589 , and 2615 . A second donation from Lodge 2306 .

Corrections from former lists—Per Bro . C . J . Rowe , should be Lodge 1185 ; Lodge 141 should be Lodge 142 . One guinea each from—Lodge of Instruction 2012 ; Chapters 73 and i < 5 oi ; Mark Lodge , Bon Accord ( T . I . ); and Grand Council of the Order of the Secret Monitor .

Donation from Bro . Charles E . Keyser , P . G . D ., of £ 1051 and Bro . James Terry , P . G . S . B ., of £ 1 . J OSEPH C . DIMSDALF , ) Joint CHARLES E . KEYSER j Treasurers .

Railway Facilities At Christmas.

RAILWAY FACILITIES AT CHRISTMAS .

The Great Western Railway Company issue tickets at their principal City and West End offices , and this arrangement cannot fail to be a boon to those travellers who desire to avoid the trouble of obtaining tickets at a crowded railway station , particularly at holiday times , and the booking office at Paddington Station will be open all day for the issue of tickets on December 20 ' . h , 21 st , 22 nd , 23 rd , and 24 th . Ordinary tickets obtained in London between

December 20 th and 24 th will be available for use on any day between and including those days . Cheap third-class tickets at reduced fares will be issued at Paddington , Kensington ( Addisan-roid ) , Victoria ( L . C & D . ) , Hammersmith , & c , to Bath , Bristol , Taunton , Barnstaple , Ilfracombe , Exeter , Torquay , Plymouth , Falmouth , Penzance , Yeovil , Dorchester , Weymouth , Guernsey , Jersey , & c ; similar tickets will also be issued

from these districts to London ( except the Channel Islands ) . In order to meet the extraordinary demands upon the Company ' s resources occasioned by the enormous parcel traffic despatched both from and to London at Christmas time , special fast trains carrying parcels only , and calling at the principal intermediate stations will run between London and Plymouth , Birkenhead , Worcester , and New Milford .