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To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

E . JONES . —The coin or token you describe is by no means rare , there being some 15 or 20 specimens of it in the Grand Lodge Mussum at Freemasons' Hall . There was at the time a scarcity of copper coinage , and these and similar tokens were issued accordingly .

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^^^^^sS SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 17 , 1900 4

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

The recent annual meeting of ( he Derbyshire Mark Master Masons in thu Masonic Hall , Derby , appears to have been an exceptionally successful gathering . I'liL're was , to begin with , a vcry strong muster of Provincial Grand Ofiicers , as well-as of the representatives and members uf all the lodges under the

presidency of their respected chief , Bro . A . Woodiwiss , while , in addition , the Provincial Grand Lodge was honoured wilh the presence of the Earl of Euston , M . W . Pro Grand Master , who was accompanied by several of his Grand Officers , among them being Bros . Sir Thomas Roe , J . G . W . ; C . F . Matier , Past G . W ., Grand Secretary ; Col . Clifford Probyn and

Masonic Notes.

Percy Wallis , Past Grand Treasurers ; the Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , and others . Congratulations and thanks were exchanged between the Provincial Grand Master and the Pro Grand Master , the former thanking his lordship for his kindness in

attending , and the Pro Grand Master congratulating Bro . Woodiwiss on having so earnest and energetic a Province to preside over , and the Province on being under the government of so able and genial a Prov . Grand Master .

Naturally the occasion was not allowed to pass without pointed reference being made to the approiching Festival in behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund , which will be held about the usual date in the summer and at whicii Lord Euston has kindly consented to

preside a ? Chairman , nor doubt we that our Mark brethren in Deibyshire will , when the appointed time comes , be found rally ing to the support of his lordship as loyally as they are in the habit of doing , whenever a good cause is in need ci support . * # #

We . have received the new list of Donors and Subscribers to the Mark Benevolent Fund , corrected to the 31 st December , 1 S 99 . As usual , it leaves nothing to be desired either in the printing or in the correctness and arrangement of its information .

Particulars are also given which show how well the several branches of the Fund are fulfilling the purpose for which they were established ; lists being furnished as to the grants made during the year , the children

that are being educated , and the aged brethren and widows who are in receipt of annuities . It is , in short , a useful annual , the compilation of which reflects credit on the G . Secretary and his staff .

The regular monthly meeting of the Committee ol Management of the R . M . Benevolent Institution was held at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday last , under the presidency of Bro . J . T . C . Winkfield , P . A G . D . C , there being a fair attendance of members . The lists of

candidates and thc number of vacancies to be balloted for on the two Funds were , settled , the candidates on the Male Fund being 46 and on the Widows' Fund 59 , or together 105 ; while the numbers to be elected at thc annual meeting in May wen > declared to be 18 ( 15

immediate and three deferred ) on the Male Fund , and 23 ( 20 immediate and Ihree deferred ) on the Widows ' Fund , or together 41 . This is a somewhat better outlook than usual for the candidates , especially as

between now and the day of the annual meeting it is not unlikely that other vacancies will occur . Still , under the most favourable circumstances , there will certainly be between 60 and 70 old brethren and widows for whom no provision can be made .

* * * In connection with these arrangements of Wednesday it is particulnrly gratifying to find that since last week there has been a considerable accession of members to the Board of Stewards for the Festival

on Tuesday , the 27 th instant . Already on Monday thc total number ( 483 ) of ladies and brethren who gave their services in support of Lord Llangattock ' s Chairmanship last year was exceeded , while since then several additional names have been

received , so that the Board already musters upwards of 500 members . But our readers must not allow themselves to be too sanguine of a very big result . A very large proportion of those who have joined the Board recently are Unattached Stewards ,

whose lists will , for the most part , be limited to their own personal donations . Still there is a fair representation of the lodges and chapters , both in town and country , and for this reason we trust the total will be a tolerably good one , notwithstanding thc many calls

that are being made upon the brethren ' s purses . Of t his we may all rest assured , that it will not be the fault of the Chairman and his Stewards if the Returns are below the average . They may certai nl y be relied

upon to do their utmost to compile a large total , and we are glad to hear that the Chairman ' s Province of Buckinghamshire is bestirring itself , and will spare no effort , as far as they can influence it , to make the result worthy of their respected chief .

* * » Wednesday , the 6 th December , 18 99 , will be memorable in the annals of Queensland Freemasonry . On that day , previous to thc opining of Distiict Grand

Lodge , a meeting was held at Freemasons' Hall , Brisbane , at which the Present ition Portrait of thc District Grand Secretary—Bro . John Fenwick , Past A . G . D . C . England—was unveiled by R . W . Bro . the Hon . Augustus C . Gregory , C . M . G ., District Grand Masier .

Masonic Notes.

Bro . Robert H . Mills , Past D . G . W ., President of the District Board of General Purposes and Hon . Treasurer of the Testimonial Fund , liaving explained that on Bro . Fenwick ' s appointment in 1897 to the brevet rank of Past A . G . D . C . England , it was considered an

appropriate occasion for presenting a testimonial to one whom the brethren so highly respected and that a presentation portrait had been preferred as an enduring memorial to the presentation of Grand Lodge regalia as first proposed , called upon the District Grand

Master to unveil the portrait ; and Bro . F . W . Smith , P . D . G . D ., tbe Hon . Secretary , liaving said a few words in support of Bro . Mills ' s request , the District Granel Master at once complied with the invitation , and in so doing expressed his gratitude to Bro . Fenwick "for

Ihe great services I 13 had rendered in the cause of Freemasorry in Queensland , " adding , " for -my own part it would hive been difficult to carry on the business of the District Grand Lodge if it had not been for the untiring zeal and energy of our Worshi pful Brolher in the conduct of Masonic Affai s . "

* * * The covering having been withdrawn , there was disclosed to the view of the brethren a full length lifesize portrait of the District Grand Secretary , in which the artist—Bro . Oscar Fistrom—had succeeded in

producing a life-like presentment of that distinguished bro'her . Bro . Fenwick briefly returned thanks for the honour done him , laying particular stress on the fact that through this portrait he would be 'practically coupled in Art with the most illustrious ani biloved

Freemason in Queensland "—Bro . Gregory . He further remarked that during the whole of his ollicial career of upwards of 30 years as District Grand Secretary , he could not call to mind having ever had a single word of censure from the District Grand Master ,

and that the English Craft in the Colony would never hive such another brother to preside over them . The proceedings then terminated , and the District Grand Lodge was opened , and the business set down on the agenda was disposed of .

? * ? It is worthy of remark that Bro . G-egory heads the roll of our District Grand Masters , having been appointed to ofiice on the formation of Queenslani as

a District under United Grand Lodge , on the 3 rd September , 1862 , the next in order of seniority being Bro . C . J . Egai , M . D ., District Grand Master of the Eastern Division of South Africa , whose appointment dates from the 23 rd July , 1875 .

* » From the repot we publish in another column the Masonic Service in St . Giles ' s Cathedral , Edinburgh , on tbe 4 th instant , in aid of the War Relief Funds , appears to have b ; en a great success . As

many as 35 lodges were represented , the number of brethren present falling not far short of 700 , there being also in the place of honour , the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., Grand Master Mason of Scotland , with several of his Grand Officers . The military , headed

by General Chapman , commanding the forces in Scotland , and the civic authorities with the Lord Provost at their head , also attended , the whole congregation baing estimated at between 300 J and 4000 . The offertory together with the sum raised for

tickets , but exclusive of special donations , amounted to . £ 5 8 5 , ami will prove an important addition to the Lord Provost's fund . An admirable sermon was preached by Bro . thc Rev . Dr . Campbell , G . Chaplain , while the great feature of the musical portion of the service was the splendid singing o' Madame Ella

Russell , to whom in the course of the evening the Grand Master presented thc th inks accompanied by an elegantly-bound volume containing the programme of the service and an address signed by himself and the Lord Provost , in recognition of her exceeding kindness in taking part in the service .

* ? * We beg to call the attention of our readers to the very important letter from R . W . Bro . Geo . Richards , District Grand Master of the Transvaal , which appears in our C / rrcsyondencc column . From this they will

be able to form some idea of t ' ' . e deplorable state in which our English brethren and their families , who have been driven from their homes in the Transvaal , are placed by thc struggle now raging in South Africa . We sincerely hope the picture presented in Bro .

Richards's letter will have the effect of stimulating them and the English brethren generally to a more generous support of the Fund which' Bro . Richards h is opened for these "poor and distressed Masons , " whom it is our bounden duty to help to the best of our ability .