Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE HOSPITAL SHIP Orcana has sailed from Durban for England with 200 wounded officers and men . BRO . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE have arrived at Lismore Castle , County Waterford , from Dublin . LORD WINDSOR and the Executive of the Imperial South African Association will entertain the Australian delegates to dinner at the Criterion on Wednesday , May gth .

BRO . EMRA HOLMES ' poem . "The Call to Arms , " which recently appeared in our columns , has just been published in the Cape Argus , the Hamilton Times , Canada , and other papers . BRO . A LDERMAN SIR J OSEPH C . DIMSDALE will preside at the annual General Com t and spring election of the Asylum for Idiots on Thursday , the 26 th instant , at the Cannon-street Hotel , E . C .

THE 52 prisoners captured bv Bro . Lord Methuen near Boshof , have ar rived at Kimberley . There are only three Dutchmen amongst them , the remainder being Frenchmen , Germans , and Russians . BRO . SIR ) . BLUNDHLI . MAPLE , M . P ., has accepted the presidency of the committee organising a monster torchlight procession in St . Pancras in aid of the widows and orphans on the Queen ' s birthday .

ARRANGEMENTS have been- concluded for the shipment of nearly 20 , 000 horses and ctbs from Australia , Buenos Ayres , and New Orleans , conveyed by no fewer than 23 stesmtrs , all due to arrive at Cape Town before the end of May . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS or ? C ONNAUGHT have given their patronage to a day and evening entertainment to be given at Leatherhead on the 19 th instant , in aid of the fund for widows and families of officers who have fallen in the war .

A LODGE of English-speaking Fieemasons has been opened in Pans , but is in no way connected with the Grand Orient of France . Information concerning it may be obtained fiom the Sccittary of the Anglo-Saxon Lodge , 42 , rue Rochechouart , Paris . AMONG THOSE who will be present at the annual dinner of the Hardwicke Society at the Trocadero Restaurant on 25 th inst . are the Speaker , Lord Rathmore , Lord Robertson , Lord Justice Collins , Bro . Justice Bigham , Sir R . Webster , Bro . Sir E . Clarke , and Mr . Lawson Walton .

ART IN THE CITV . —Free Exhibition at the Guildhall—Oa Monday , Bro . the Lord Mayor opened the exhibition of pictures by living British artists at the Guildhall , in the presence of a large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen . He was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress , Bros . Sheriffs Treloar and Bevan , and the Corporation officials .

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased to confer on W . Bro . Major R . H . Murdoch , D . G . S . B ., a reward for distinguished and meritorious service in the Royal Artillery , on occasion of his retirement from the Army . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., has also nominated Bro . Major Murdoch to be D . G . S . B . for the ensuing year . BRO . TREE will present a tinted souvenir of his production of "A Midsummer Night ' s Dream" to every member of the audience present at Her Majesty's on the evening of Saturday , the 28 th inst . This date marks the third anni versary of the opening of the theatre and the 120 th consecutive performance of Shakespeare ' s comedythe longest run of the play on record .

AT A MEETING of the Board of Delegates of the Hospital Saturday Fund , the Lord Mayor of London ( Bro . Sir Alfied Newton ) was unanimously elected as President for the ensuing year . The report of the finance committee , which was presented by the secretary , and adopted , snowed that the receipts from the workshops , & c , fiom January oth to March 17 th , had amounted to £ 2189 is . 4 d . The date of the Hospital Saturday for the present year was fixed for October 13 th . ON TUESDAY EVENING the result of the recent week of self-denial in connection with trie Salvation Army , which closed on the 24 th ult ., was announced as £ 42 , 520 ,

which is £ Gooo more than in 1 S 99 , and does not include the amounts received at headquaiters or in connection with the Darkest England scheme . London heads the list with , £ 10 , 004 , whilst the Eastern Counties contribute £ 1790 : the Midlands , £ 2948 ; Northern Counties , £ 2732 ; North-East , £ 4025 ; North-West , £ 3892 ; Southern , £ 2 / 67 ; South Midlands , £ 3391 ; Scotland , £ 0154 ; Wales , £ 1895 ; and Ireland , £ 101 , 0 . Portions of the total will be given to the Army's South African War Fund and the Indian Famine Fund . The result is an agreeable surprise , as the chiefs believed there would be a decrease this year owing to the many claims on the public .

£ 6 , 000 , 000 FOR CHARITY . —Charitable persons send £ 6 , 000 , 000 every year to the secretaries of charities and missions in London . Of this sum , Rev . Charles Herbert tells us in The Puritan , £ 1 , 280 , 000 goes to foieign missions , and £ 405 , 000 to home missions . Ihe sum of £ 930 , 000 goes to orphanages and children ' s homes ; hospitals receive £ S 6 g , oco ; lo aid ministers , support their widows and educate their children

£ 449 , 000 is spent ; £ 220 , 000 goes to the aged poor ; £ 184 , 506 is spent in the interests of sailors and their families ; £ 119 , 000 goes in attempting to relieve and convert Jews ; £ m , coo is invested in tiaining candidates for the ministiy ; £ 110 , 000 is spent in issuing religious literature ; £ 106 , 000 is devoted to relieving general distress ; £ 109 , 000 gots to the lifeboat service . These are some of the larger figures given .

AMONGST the members of the Australian Bushmans' Contingent , who left Sydney , N . S . W ., by the troopship Atlantian on the 28 th February last for the Transvaal , was Mr . Beresford F . Campbell , son of Bro . Beresford Geo . Campbell , J . P ., I . P . M . of Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . t $ 6 ( E . C ) , and Depute Grand Superintendent Royal Arch Masonry in New South Wales under Scotland . Bro . Campbell may fairly claim a military record , inasmuch as his grandfather served in the Peninsular War , and took part in the Battle of Waterloo ; his father saw a great deal of active service in India , and was killed at Delhi , Indian Mutiny , his mother being one of the

victims of Nana Sahib at Cawnpore , 1 S 57 . He , himself , served under the lite Sir Robert Napier and General Wolesley ( Sir Garnet ); in fact , was brought up in the H . E . I . C . S . and H . M . Service , and now he has the satisfaction of seeing his son follow in his footsteps by going to South Africa . In all , since 1854 ( including the Crimea ) , no less than 11 members of his family have been killed in action or died from the effect of wounds received in defence of Queen and country . Bro . Campbell was untiring in his tftoits in the cause of English Masonry in respect to the now celeb-ated Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . G 56 ( E . G . ) , Sydney , N . S . W .

THE REEDHAM O RPHANAGE ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL . —The annual dinner of this charity was held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole on the 3 rd inst ., Bro . John Aird , M . P ., presiding . The institution at Purley maintains and educates more than 300 fatherless children , at an annual expenditure averaging £ S DOO . For the income the Board mainly rely upon public donations , the yearly receipts that can be depended upon being less than £ 2300 . During its 5 6 years'existence the orphanage has received more than 2000 children . The usual loyal toasts having been duly choir of and

honoured , " A Song of the Vikings " was given by a boys girls from the orphanage with good effect . The Chairman toasted "The Reedham Orphanage , " stating that the authorities were able to receive infants from three months of age , and in after years to give them a good start in life . They had now 3 G 0 boy . - , 90 girls , and 30 or 40 infants in theii charge , the cost of each child being about £ 6 per annum . He was glad to say that educationally the boys had been pronounced excellent in typewriting and shorthand , and the girls had distinguished themselves in several subjects , including geography , ln conclusion , he paid a high tribute to the officials of the

orphanage , making special mention of the Master , Mrs . Rawlings , ancl Miss Hopson , and earnestly pleaded for a generous subscription list . Mr . H . Cosmo O . Bonsor , M . P ,, the Treasurer , announced that a sum of £ 1974 7 s . 1 id . had been already promised towards the funds ; whereupon the Chairman made up the amount to £ 2 ooo . Mr . C . W . Link proposed " The Corporation and Livery Compares of the City of London , " emphasising the special interest taken by its members in the fatherless and widows , Mr . Frank Jolly responded . The toast of " The Treasurer , the Board of Management , Honorary Officers , Stewards , and Medical Staff" was proposed by Mr . T . H Pavidson , and acknowledged by Mr . F . J . Marnham .

Masonic And General Tidings.

CHRIST ' S HOSPITAL . —The last public supper of the present season of Lent was held on Thursday afternoon . Bro . Alderman Vaughan Morgan , treasurer , presided . BRO . SIR MATTHEW WHITE-RIDLEY arrived in London on Tuesday from Dublin . BRO . THE EARL AND COUNTESS OK J ERSEY left Middleton Park , Bicester , on Tuesday for Dublin . BRO . LORD BRASSEY has arrived at Simon ' s Town on buarJ his yacht , the Sunbeam , en his way home from Australia .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES has received 13 C 0 telegrams from all parts of the world congratulating him on his escape from assassination . According to present arrangements the Prince and Princess will leave Copenhagen next week . HER MAJESTY has made the following appointments to the Royal Victorian Order : To be Honorary Knights Grand Cross—Gustavus Ernest , Count of Erbach-SchOnberg , K . C . V . O ., and Freiherr August von Woellwarth-Lauterberg , Oberhofmarschall to his Majesty the King of Wurtemberg .

THE ROYAL EYE HOSPITAL . —The festival dinner , of this institution , which was founded in 1 S 57 , was h £ 'd at ' ^ Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole on the 5 th inst ., Bro . Lord Llangattock presiding . The secretary announced subscriptions amounting to £ 1050 , which included a gift of £ 100 from Bro . Lord Llangattock . The chairman ' s list totalled £ 450 , that of Mr . McHardy £ 350 , and that of the Ladies £ 150

THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND and Countes s Cadogan have been entertaining the following party this week at the Castle , Dublin : Bro . the Earl and Countess of Arran , the Earl and Countess of Erne and Lady Mabel Crichton , the Earl and Countess of Carysfort , the Countess of Limerick , Viscount Chelsea , M . P ., Bro . Lord and Lady Clonbrook , Lord and Lady Rossmore , Bro . A . H . Smith-Barry , M . P ., and Mrs . Smith-Barry .

THE LADY MAYORESS opened on Wednesday the bazaar held at Enfield for the purpose of raising a fund to liquidate' the debt on the local Wesleyan Church . Bro . the Loid Mayor was unable to be present , but the Lady Mayoress was accompanied by Bro . Sheriff Sir Alfred Bevan and Miss Bevan . A verv fine bouquet was presented to the Lady Mayoress by Miss Nella Williams . The effort was so successful that the entire sum needed was raised .

THE LONDON GENERAL PORTERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . —A numerous company of commercial men assembled at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole on Friday evening last to celebrate the 33 rd anniversary dinner in aid of the funds of this association . Bro . Richard Burridge , of Hirrod ' s Stores , Limited , presided , and was supported by Bro . the Lord Mayor . A record list of donations amounting to £ 6054 was announced , the Chairman ' s own list accounting for by far the major portion of this sum .

THE QUEEN made known to the citizens of Dublin on theioth inst . the delightwhich their second public reception gave her . The Duchess of Connaught , Princess Henry of Battenberg , Prince Leopold , and the Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg visited the Children's Hospital , Dublin , which is under the care of the Sisters of Charity . The young Prince and Princess were enrolled numbers of the Boy Bell Children ' s Guild , in St . Agnes ' s Female Surgical Ward . The Superioress conveyed the thanks of the community to the Royal visitors .

A COPY of Coverdale s edition of the Bible , 1555 , came up for sale on Monday at Messrs . Christie ' s , and was secured by Messrs . Pearson for £ 300 . This book is of the greatest rarity , and no perfect copy has vet been recorded ; the example sold was at one time in the splendid library of Sir William Tite , and at his sale at Sotheby ' s , in 1 S 74 , it realised £ 150 . It has the title , the first two leaves of the dedication to Henry VIII ., the contents of Genesis , folio ii ., map . and the last three leaves in facsimile , and in one or two other points it is not perfect , but , apart from these defects , it is a fine and sound copy , the leaves being pleasantly crisp and clean .

GOOD PROGRESS has been made with the work of replacing the statues of the Apostles who , for the last 200 years , have calmly watched from the roof of St . Paul ' s Cathedral the growth of London all around . St . Philip , St . Andrew , and St . Bartholomew , on the south pediment , are the first three to rec eive attention , for the disintegrating elements of the City ' s atmosphere have so eaten into certain portions of their anatomy that they have become positively dangerous , while for years their features have been altogether unrecognisable . Their successors havebeen modelled exactly on the lines of the existing statues , the only difference b : ing that they hive been built in three sections instead of five .

THE EAGLE SOARS HIGH . —Insurance companies are pretty persistent in placing their various advantages before would-be insurers , but there is one point which up till now they seem to have missed , viz ., the inestimable opportunities they can offer young people who have had the forethought to insure , and can thus borrow money on their policies for trading purposes . How many enterprising would-be tradesmen are still serving behind

counters working for employers , who had they but insured at the beginning of their careers might by this means have to-day been employers themselves . From the figures appearing in the balance-sheet it is evident that the " Eagle , " whose new head-quarters in Manchester are just about to be erected in Cross-street and King-street , has by no means neglected this class of business , and has thereby , no doubt , secured valuable business on young lives .

THE UNITED WARDS CLUB . —Bro . A . B . Hudson , C . C , the President , occupied the chair at the Cannon-street Hotel on Wednesday , the 4 th instant , at the fortnightly meeting of the club . The business on the agenda paper was adjourned owing to the absence of the Secretary . Mr . Mark Fawcett read a paper on " The Reorganisation of the Army , " and suggested the for-uation of a National Defence Committee to sit regulaily , and the passing of a new Army Act to make military service compulsory . He advocated the three years' system of compulsory service , and that every youth should be

required to join on reaching iS years of age . The training , he suggested , should be done in the evenings and on Saturdays , so that men would not be drawn from their work . The training , in his opinion , should largely consist of athletics . The men should be compelled to provide their own uniforms , and should not be allowed to marry , Examinations of non-commissioned officers should be held annually with a view to commissioning those who were capable . Mr . A . E . Jarrett passed an adverse criticism

on the paper , Mr . Val . Hunter supported a mild form of conscription , and Captain Hale ( 21 st Middlesex ) contended that the volunteer forces only required an improved method of handling to meet all that was necessary . The club then adjourned . In the course of the meeting the news was brought in of the attempted assassination of H . R . H . the Prince of VVales . His Royal Highness ' s health was drunk , and , the members upstanding , sang a verse of "God Bless the Prince of Wales , " Mr . Val Hunter leading .

Epithalamium.

EPITHALAMIUM .

TO H . R . H . THE PRINCESS STEPHANIE . Married to Count Kleiner l . onijay , 22 nd Mnrrli , 10011 . Hail to thee , Princess ! Happy be thy lite ! We have a saying that " Love is lord of all ;" Thou hast known the meaning of sorrow and of strife—¦ God's benediction on thee ever fall !

"Happy is the bride that tho sun shines on ; " May the sun of happiness shine on thee ! The shadows of the past troubles all are gone , The clouds of suffering now have ceased to be . As to thy future , I would bid thee hope .

The marriage of affection cannot ever fail ; We who have tasted it may with sorrow cope , But we are victorious , therefore say I—Hail 1 EMRA HOLMES , Author of " At the Oakgnholt , " Valarian Varo , " & c .