Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The monthly meeting of the Committee of this Institution was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . A . H . Tattershall in the chair . There were also present Bros . Raynham W . Stewart , Charles Fredk . Hogard , Charles Lacey , Thos . Cubitt , C . A . Cottebrune , W . J .

Murlis , James Brett , C . H . Webb , T . Mount Humphries , Alex . Forsyth , Charles Dairy , Edgar Bowyer , Dr . Jabez Hogg , and James Terry ( Secretary ) . After the reading of the minutes the Secretary reported the death of one male and one female annuitants . The Warden's report was read , as was also the report of the Finance Committee . From the latter it appeared that the

Male Fund was overdrawn £ 561 us . id . There was a credit to the Widows' Fund of £ 2458 3 s . gd ., and to the Sustentation Fund £ 112 17 s . 7 d . There was a total balance at the bankers and in the Secretary's hands of £ 2010 10 s . 3 d . This report was then adopted , and the Chairman was authorised to sign cheques for various

certified sums . The brethren afterwards passed the petitions of four aged and infirm brethren , and five widows . One case , a West Yorkshire case from Halifax , was deferred for further information as to a supposed imperfect return . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .

Provincial Masonic Directories.

PROVINCIAL MASONIC DIRECTORIES .

Bv BRO . W . J . HUGHAN . So far as I am aware there are iS Provincial Directories published for 1 SS 5 . If there are others I shall be glad to hear of them , and to receive copies . Next year we hope to welcome several new faces . Since my last notice of Directories for Provincial Grand Lodges ( Freemason ,

June 16 th , 1 SS 3 ) , Sussex apparently has dropped out , and Essex and Suffolk have "fallen into line . " Both have made excellent starts , and it is pleasant to note that with 23 and 21 lodges they possess for the "Central Masonic Charities " 2116 and 13 S 0 votes respectively . There are also Calendars for lodges and towns ( Lancaster , Hull , Exeter , & c . ) ; but these will fit better into an article

by themselves . Several of the Directories on the following list are published officially by the Provincial Grand Lodges , sometimes the Provincial Grand Secretaries being the editors ; others are private ventures , resulting in a small financial loss , and the last noted for nine years was edited , published , and circulated at the editor ' s expense . No . PROVINCES . EDITORS .

1 . Cambridge VV . P . Spalding , Cambridge . 2 . Cornwall W . J . Hughan , Torquay . 3 . Derbyshire W . Naylor , Derby . 4 . Dorset J . A . Sherren , Weymouth . 5 . Durham J . Hudson , Tynemouth . 6 . East Lancashire J . Chadwick , Manchester . 7 . Essex E . Shedd and H . E . Dehane

8 . Gloucester R . V Vassar-Smith , Gloucester 9 . Hants and Isle of Wight E . Goble , Fareham . 10 . Hertfordshire G . E . Lake , Watford . 11 . Kent T . S . Warne , Rochester . 12 . Leicester and Rutland ... 3 . S . Partridge , Leicester . 13 . Oxfordshire W . R . Bowden , Oxford . 14 . Somerset C . L . Fry-Edwards . Wrington .

15 . Suffolk N . Tracy , Ipswich . , 6 . Warwick and Stafford { fc ^ L ^ StoO 17 . Wilts W . Nott , Devizes . 18 . Yorkshire T . B . Whytehead , York . I notice that some of the Directories are incomplete as respects statistics . My advice is , that editors should base their information mainly on the " annual returns" sent by

the lodges to the Provincial Grand Secretaries . I find this plan saves a lot of time and trouble , and is the surest evidence of lodge life obtainable . Had the particulars been given for each province , 1 had intended striking theaverages for lodge membership , votes for the Charities , & c , but these must be deferred to 1 SS 6 , all being well . The Directories for 1 SS 5 are a most valuable series , and many possess special features which all editors would do well to emulate .

Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 21.

EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT , No . 21 .

The annual festival of this excellent lodge of improvement will be held on Friday , February 26 th , 1 SS 6 , it having been considered more convenient to have it on the last Friday of February instead of November , as hitherto , consequently , it will not be held on the 27 th of next

November . At the festival in February the Second Lecture will be worked . Excepting on Good Friday and Christmas Day , when it falls on Friday , which is the case this year , the lodge meets every Friday in the year at seven o'clock . A card of the work appointed for the current year , from Oct . 2 nd , 1 S 85 , to the 24 th Sept ., 1 SS 6 , is now to be had of the Secretary , Bro . F . R . Spaull , PM . Nos . 17 C 8 and

1124 , Prov . G . Reg . N . Wales and Salop . A perusal of the programme is very instructive , showing that the whole of the ceremonies of the Craft Degree , from the initiation to the installation , including the charges , tracing boards , and lectures , are to be acquired by an attendance at the lodge . It may not be generally known that all the funds of the lodge , which are derived entirely

from the membership fee of half-a-crown on election , and sixpence for every night a member attends , are devoted to the Masonic Institutions , only such insignificant deduction being made as is required for the expenses of the lodge . The lodge works under the sanction of the Lodge of Unions , No . 256 , a very celebrated lodge , which will hold its centenary festival at Freemasons' Hall on

Monday , November 2 nd . Each of these lodges is justly proud of its connection with the other , both maintaining the first place—the one as a regular lodge , and the other as a lodge of improvement . Any Mason desiring to be perfect in his work will find the best of instruction at the

Emulation , the Committee of which consists of Bros . f . Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes ; A . A . Richards , P . G . Stwd ., P . M . S , P . P . G . W . Middx . ; W . A . Dawson , P . M . and Sec . 176 S , & c . ; R . C . Sudlow , VV . M . 263 , P . M . 196 5 ; and F . R . Spaull , above named Secretary .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . THOMAS COUCH STEPHENS . We regret to announce the death , on the 7 th inst ., of Bro . Thomas Couch Stephens , of Tywardreath , Cornwall , P . M . 1151 , St . Andrew ' s , P . Z . Unity Chapter , Tywardreath , P . P . G . J . W . Cornwall , P . Pre . and Prior of Restormel Preceptory , and Registrar of the Prov . Grand Priory . Bro . Stephens was universally beloved and respected by the brethren , who looked to him in all cases of difficulty and doubt for instruction and advice , his

knowledge and love of the Craft being such that when tendered by him it was instinctively followed , as it was known it was given not only with the humility and love of a Master of the Craft , but also with a knowledge and firmness , that admitted of no tampering with its grand principles . He was one of those men whom to know was to respect , and as a Craftsman to love and revere . The brethren of Tywardreath Lodge have met with a severe loss in the death of Bro . Stephens , and it will be a long time before they can replace him .

BRO . JOHN MESSENT , P . G . S . B . We briefly noted last week the great loss sustained b y the Craft generally through the death of one of its ablest and most respected members—Bro . John Messent , Past Grand Sword Bearer of England . The funeral took place at St . Thomas ' s , Portman-square , and Kensal Green Cemetery , on Friday , the gth inst ., and it is needless to say there was a numerous gathering of relatives and friends

assembled at the grave in order to show their respect to one who , in all the relations of life , had striven earnestly to fulfil his appointed duty . Bro . Messent had won distinction in his professional career , the circle of his acquaintance was an increasing one , and , what is more to our present purpose , his whole conduct during a 30 years' connection with Freemasonry stamped him as one of its ablest , brightest , and most respected members . He had secured to himself

the admiration of many , but the envy of none ; the enduring friendship of our foremost brethren , the indifference or hostility of none . He was deservedly a favourite with everyone , and the sorrow for his premature loss will every where be most poignant . Bro . Messent , as we have said , had been a member of our Society for 30 years , his initiation having taken place in the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 231 —then No . 2 S 1—in 1 S 55 . In 1 S 57 he rose to be Junior

Warden ; in 1 S 5 S was promoted to be Senior Warden , and the year following was unanimously elected W . Master . In 1 S 6 4 he was entrusted with the post of Treasurer of his lodge , and in 1873 was invited to compile and deliver the address commemorating its hundreth anniversary . The same year he became a joining member of the Maybury Lodge , No . 9 6 9 , a lodge with which he had previously established such terms of intimacy as to have

been requested for nine succesive years to instal its newly chosen W . M . For a long time Bro . Messent appears to have confined his attention to Craft Masonry , but in 1 S 71 he was exalted to the Royal Arch Degree in the British Chapter , No . 8 . Three years later he was appointed P . S ., and in 1 S 79 was installed in the First Principal ' s Chair . The culminating point in his career was reached in 18 S 2 , when the Grand Master conferred upon him the

office of G . S . Bearer of the United Grand Lodge , and a fortnight later he received a similar honour in Supreme Grand Chapter , the position asssigned to him being that of 3 rd Grand Standard Bearer . He was also a Vice-President of the Girls' School and Benevolent Institution , and a Life Governor of the Boys' School , and had served the office of Festival Steward for each Institution . Such in outline was our deceased brother's Masonic career , but the

mere enumeration of the honours conferred upon him and the positions he had filled will convey a very imperfect idea of the value of his services . Even the mention of the handsome testimonials which from time to time had been presented to him would only serve to enlarge the idea of that value , but without defining it in any way precisely . What he did was writ clearly in the hearts of his fellow members , the complimentary

language of lodge records being only a faint reflex of the love that was borne him generally . Yet in February , 1 SS 4 , when Bro . Messent , after a twenty years' tenure of the office , vacated the Treasurership of St . Andrew's , and a beautifully illuminated address of thanks in testimony of his worth was presented to him , Bro . Bayley Mason , W . M ., in handing him the scroll , very felicitously justified the form the testimonial had taken , on the ground that

"Thanks to men of noble minds is honourable meed . " In this we find the key to the character of our late brother . As the services which called forth that testimonial had been always unaffected , unshowy , but real and substantial withal , so their fittest reward was held to be a record of heartfelt thanks , beautiful in its simplicity , and also real in

its truth . In closing these remarks we offer our respectful sympathy to the relatives and friends of our late brother , and in an especial manner to the brethren of the St . Andrew's Lodge , who in their late Treasurer of 20 years ' and Installing Master of 25 years' experience , have sustained a loss which , if not perhaps irreparable , it will be long ere they are able to make good .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTHS . FIELD . —On the 10 th inst ., at Belmont , Bath , the wife of E . Field , M . D ., of a son . SALOMONS . —On the 13 th inst ., at Broomhill , Lady Salomons , of a son . TUBBS . —On the 3 rd inst ., at Thornhill-crescent , Barnsbury , the wife of C . T . Tubbs , of a son .

MARRIAGE . DRAYSON—GUEFKOY . —On the 10 th inst ., at St . Mary-ofthe - Angels , Bayswater , Berners H . E . Drayson , retired Assistant - Paymaster , R . N ., to Eugenie , only daughter of Victor Guffroy .

DEATHS . NOAKES . —On the nth inst ., at 71 , Stroud Green-road , Kate Harriet , the beloved wife of William Noakes , aged 36 years . WILLES . —On the 10 th inst ., William Willes , of Newbold Comyn , Warwickshire , aged fe .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

" The Casting Vote , or an Electioneering Squib in one Bang , " at whose first night we assisted at the Prince ' s , is an amusing , though not a brilliant first piece . Either its author—Mr . Walter Helmore—or the Lord Chamberlain , has made its political allusions very modest . Excepting the make up of its two chief characters to certain leaders of the two great patties in the State , it has little in it which may be termed political . M . Marius is

made to resemble Lord Randolph Churchill , though not very successfully , but turns the tables , for in this burletta he is the Raclical candidate ; whilst Mr . Bowlands represents Mr . Chamberlain , as a Conservative candidate . His figure and make up are nearly the exact copy of the Birmingham chief . Set to music by Mr . Walter Slaughter , this "ElectioneeringSquib" servestoamusetheaudienceas an introductory piece to " The Great Pink Pearl , " which

follows . Whatever side of politics one may belong to , no one need fear having his opinions outraged by seeing " The Casting Vote . " It is void of offence , for it does not allude to the events of the day , so is quite harmless . The plot , if it may be called by that name , is merely that a certain viscount has a daughter whom he wishes to wed to the Conservative candidate , who is a lord by courtesy , therefore the son of a duke or marquis , but this young lady is in

love with the people's advocate ; the constitutional champion , on the other hand , being in love with a poor governess in a young ladies ' ^ academy . The scenery is rather pretty , with its village * street , its polling booth , its two country inns , the head quarters of the two candidates , from whose balconies the rivals address the motley crowd of village folk . A song and dance of school girls who endeavour to win the vote of the working men is very

pretty , and received a deserved encore , as did the clever dance of Miss Clara Jecks , who represents the proprietress of the school , who having got a letter belonging to the peer's daughter , imagines it is for her , becomes electrified on reading its contents—that the Radical proposes for her hand—and forthwith bursts out into a dance , which she

repeats on the demand of her audience . The little squib is entertaining for an hour , and withal delightfully droll . Messrs . Carton and Raleigh's " Great Pink Pearl" has now an additional interest in the fact that Mr . Edgar Bruce—the lessee of the theatre—plays the part of Anthony Sheen in his usual spirited and earnest manner . There is not likely to be any need of a change here for some time to come .

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WILLING'S SELECTED THEATRICAL PROGRAMME . DRURY LANE THEATRE . Every Evening at 7 . 30 , HUMAN NATURE . COVENT GARDEN THEATRE . Every Evening at S . o , GRAND PROMENADE CONCERT . HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE . Every Evening at 9 . 30 , EXCELSIOR ; at S . o , SECRET S ERVICE •¦•¦*¦~—¦» ADELPHI THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . 0 , ARRAH-NA-POGUE ; Farce at 7 . 15 . STRAND THEATRE .. Every Evening at 7 . 45 , THE MARRIED RAKE ; at S . 15 , AN EPISODIC SKETCH ON NICHOLAS NICKLEBY ; at 9 . 15 , COUSIN J OHNNY . VAUDEVILLE THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . 0 , NEARLY SEVERED ; at 9 . 0 , LOOSE TILES . GLOBE THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . 0 , A BAD PENNY ; at 9 . 0 , THE PRIVATE SECRETARY . SAVOY THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . 15 , THE MIKADO ; or , THE TOWN OF TITIPU . TOOLE'S THEATRE . Every Evening at S . 15 , ON CHANGE ; at 7 . 40 , Comedietta . COURT THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . 45 , THE MAGISTRATE ; preceded by TWENTY MINUTES UNDER AN UMBRELLA . ROYALTY THEATRE . Every Evening at 8 . L'ETINCELLE , followed by LE TESTAMENT DE CESAR GIRODOT . NOVELTY THEATRE . Every Evening at 7 . 45 , YEOMAN ' S SERVICE ; at S . i " , THE J . GRAND THEATRE . Every Evening at 7 . 30 , NOT ALONE . STANDARD THEATRE . Every Evening at 7 . 30 , THE RULING PASSION . SURREY THEATRE . Every Evening at 7 . 30 , DEVIL ' S LUCK . SANGER'S AMPHITHEATRE . Every Evening , at 7 . 30 , THE GREEN BUSHES . ROYAL AQUARIUM . Open , 12 . 0 ; close , 11 . 30 . Constant Round of Amusement . Two Variety Performances Daily . INTERNATIONAL INVENTIONS EXHIBITION . Open , 10 . 0 till 10 . 0 . Division I ., Inventions ; Division II ., Music . Military and other Bands Daily . ALHAMBRA THEATRE OF VARIETIES . Every Evening at 8 . 0 , Variety Entertainment , Two Grand Ballets , & c . CANTERBURY THEATRE OF VARIETIES . Every Evening at 7 . 35 , Grand Musical and Variety Entertainments , & c . - PARAGON THEATRE OF VARIETIES . Every Evening at 7 . 35 , Comic Ballet , Variety Entertainment , & c , & c .