Lodges And Chapters Of Instruction.

Ashworth , Connor , Lindop , Roberts , Sleigh , Battersby , Peel , Cuthbert , and Shorrocks . The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , the ceremony of initiation was rehearsed . It had been expected that a passing would also have been taken , but the latter ceremony was not attempted on account of the election of officers for the ensuing yar , and

arrangements for the Festival of St . John . At the next meeting it is possible that the omitted ceremony , as also a raising will be performed . The whole of the officers were re-elected : Bros . H . H . Warburton , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., as Preceptor ; A . Hebden , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., as Secretary ; and G . T . Lenard , as Treasurer . A pleasing feature of the evening's work was the balloting for eight joining members , four of whom were in attendance at the meeting .

ANDREW CHAPTER ( No . S 34 ) . —A meeting of this chapter was held at the Bush Hotel , Shepherd's Bush , W ., on Wednesday , the 7 th inst ., when there were present Comps . Speigel , M . E . Z . ; John Cruttenden , W . ; H . P . Gilbert , J . ; James Sims , P . Z ., Treas . ; John Davies , M . E . Z ., S . N . ; Y . Craggs , S . E . ; E . Austiri , P . S . ; J . J . Cantle , P . Z . ; John Brown , Edward Fox , W . Hillier , A .

Williams , and F . R . Martin . The chapter was declared open , and the minutes of three previous meetings were read and confirmed . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed , Comp . Cantle acting as exaltee . Comps . Williams and Martin were elected joining members . Comp . Gilbert gave notice of motion " That the officers of the chapter be elected on Wednesday , the 21 st inst . " The convocation was then closed .

HORNSEY CHAPTER ( No . 890 ) . —A meeting of this chapter was held on Friday , the 9 th inst ., at the Prince of Wales Hotel , corner of Eastbourne-terrace and Bishop'sroad , Paddington , W ., when there were present Comps . J . C . Tilt , S . N . 862 , M . E . Z . ; W . Hillier , 834 , H . ; J . Cruttenden , 779 , J . ; J . Davies , 733 , Treas . ; H . Dehane , P . Z . 890 , S . E . ; John Davies , M . E . Z . 733 , S . N . ; G . Gregory , P . S . S 62 , P . S . ; G . March , P . Z . 733 ; and

Jos . Bailey , M . E . Z . 1602 . The chapter was opened , and the minutes of the last convocation were read and confirmed . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed , Comp . Bailey being the candidate . The Committee presented their annual statement of accounts , which were considered highly satisfactory , and ordered to be entered on the minutes , and a vote of thanks passed to them , also to Comp . Dehane , who expressed his

thanks , and stated that during the few years the chapter had been established , there had been no less than 2413 attendances and a considerable increase this year . The officers were elected for the ensuing two weeks . Comp . Hillier , M . E . Z ., read communications from Comps . VV . H . Dean , Woodbridge , Biggs , and T . C . Edmonds . After the usuaUisings , and "Hearty good wishes" were accorded , and the chapter was closed .

STAR CHAPTER ( No . 1275 ) . —The usual weekly meeting was held at the Stirling Castle Hotel , Church-street , Camberwell , on Friday , the 9 th inst ., when there were present Comps . Phillips , M . E . Z . -, F . Hilton , P . Z ., Preceptor , H . ; C . H . Stone , S . E ., J . ; Salmon , S . N . ; Dawson , P . S . ; G . Thompson , Hayes , Rice , Bate , Towers , and Dr . Smith .

The minutes of the last convocation were read and confirmed . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed , Comp . F . Bate personating the candidate . The M . E . Z . rose the usual number or times . Comps . F . Bate , 72 , and C I . Hayes , 1215 , were elected joining members . Comp . F . Hill . P . Z ., Preceptor , was elected M . E . Z . for the next meeting , when the ceremony of installation will be rehearsed .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of Management held their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday . Bro . R . Turtle Pigott , P . G . A . D . C , presided , and there were present Bros . H . J . Strong , A . G . D . C ; James Brett , P . G . P . ; T . B . Daniel !; C . A . Cottebrune , PG . P . ; Robert D . Cummings , Charles Lacey , C . H . Webb , S . Cochrane , S . C . Haslip , H . Y . Thompson ,

Hugh Cotter , J . Newton , the Rev . J . N . Palmer , P . G . Chap . ; R . Greggs , J . Barnett , Charles Kempton , W . J . Murlis , A . Durrant , J . Harrison , [ . Boulton , W . Helchamber , E . Terry , P . G . Treas . ; W . H . Hubbert , R . P . Stevens ; and James Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and verified , the Secretary reported the deaths of

' our male and one widow annuitants and one approved widow candidate . The Warden ' s Report for the past month was read . Letters were read from Bro . Cama , I ' . G . Treas ., enclosing cheque for 60 guineas , to be divided between the two highest unsuccessful candidates at the next election as a Christmas gift , and from Kro . J . L . Mather , P . A . G . D . C , saying he had sent six

brace of pheasants for the residents at Croydon . The illuminated address on vellum , very handsomely bound 'n album form , which had been voted to Bro . Dr . Strong , A . G . D . C , in recognition of his services as Hon . Surgeon to the inmates of the Asylum at Croydon , and on his appointment as Hon . Consulting Physician , was presented by the Chairman in a brief complimentary speech , and suitably acknowledged by the recipient .

The Committee then took into their consideration the petitions of 10 men and four widows , with the n'sult that all were accepted , with the exception of ° ne male deferred and one male rejected , The names 01 the approved candidates were accordingly ordered 'o be placed on the lists for the election in May , 18 93 , and the Committee adjourned , with the usual compliment to the Chairman .

I be Duke and Duchess of Teck , accompanied by the 1 nncess Victoria and Prince Adolphus of Teck , has been j " a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Westminster at Eaton ' ill . There has been some good covert shooting , and the 'Juke and his guests have taken part in sundry public '" nctions in the neighbourhood .

Christmas 'And New Year Holiday Arrangements.

CHRISTMAS 'AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY . The Great Western Railway Company issue tickets of all classes at the following City and West-end offices : ig 3 and 407 , Oxford-street ; 23 , New Oxford-street ; Holbirn Circus ; 29 , Charing Cross ; 17 , Brompton-road ; 5 , Arthur-street East , London Bridge ; S 2 , Queen

Victoriastreet ; 269 , Strand ; 43 and 44 , Crutched Friars ; 26 , Regent-street ; 67 , Gresham-street ; 4 , Cheapside ; and the L . B . and S . C . Company's Booking Office ( under Grand Hotel ) , Trafalgar-square . This arrangement cannot fail to be a boon to those travellers who desire to avtid the trouble of obtaining a ticket at a crowded railway station . The Booking Office at the Paddington Station will also be open for the issue of tickets the whole of each day

during the week preceding Christmas Day . Ordinary tickets obtained in London between December 19 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 from London to the Yeovil and Weymouth districts , to stations in the West of England , and to GUERNSEY and J ERSBY . Similar tickets will also be issued from those districts to London ( except the

Channel Islands ) . In order to meet the extraordinary demands upon the Company ' s resources occasioned by the enormous parcels traffic , despatched both from and to London at Christmas , special fast trains , carrying parcels only , and calling at the principal intermediate stations , will run between London and Plymouth , Birkenhead , Worcester , and New Milford . On Saturday , December 24 th the 1 . 15 and 5 . 0 p . m . trains from

Paddington to Plymouth will be extended to Falmouth and Penzance ; and the 6 . 20 p . m . train from Paddington to Bristol will run to Exeter . A special train will leave Paddington at 10 . 0 p . m . for New Milford , and will call at the same stations as the g . 15 p . m . ordinary train , and a special express to the West of England will depart at 11 . 50

( Midnight ) . The usual Sunday service of trains will be run on Christmas Day , but for the convenience of persons who are unable to leave town before the morning of Christmas Day , the 5 . 30 a . m . train from Paddington will run as on week days to Oxford , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , Worcester , Banbury , Leamington , Birmingham , Dudley , and Wolverhampton .

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY . The London and North-Western Railway Company announce that the ticket offices at Euston , Broad-street , Kensington , and Willesden Junction will be open throughout the day , from Monday , December 19 th , to Saturday , December 24 th ( Sunday excepted ) , so that passengers wishing to obtain tickets for any destination on the London and North-Western Railway can do so at any time of the

day prior to the starting of the trains . The tickets will be dated to suit the convenience of passengers . Tickets for all the principal stations on the London and North-Western system and its connections can be obtained at any time ( Sundays and Bank Holidays excepted ) at the following Town Receiving Offices of the Company : 15 , Queenstreet , E . C . ; Spread Eagle , 3 , Whittington Avenue , Leadenhall Market , E . C ; Swan-with-Two-Necks , 65 ,

Gresham-street , E . C ; 13 , Eastcheap ; Cross Keys , 1 , Wood-street , Cheapside , E . C . ; 22 , Aldersgate-street , E . C ; 65 , Aldgate , E . ; 30 , West Smithfield , E . C ; S and 9 , Clerkenwell Green , E . C ; Bolt-in-Tun , 64 , Fleet-street , E . C . ; 116 , Holborn , E . C . ; George and Blue Boar , 2 S 5 , High Holborn , W . C . ; 43 , New Oxfordstreet , W . C . ; Universal Office , Spread Eagle , Piccadilly Circus , W . ; 34 Parliament - street , Westminster ;

, Golden Cross , Charing Cross , W . C ; Hotel Windsor , Victoria-street , S . W . ; 231 , Edgware-road , W . ; Atlas Office , 167 , Tottenham Court-road , W . C . ; 70 , St . Martin ' s-lane , W . C ; 3 , James-street , Covent Garden , W . C ; Lion , 10 S , New Bond-street , W . ; 49 6 , Oxford-street , W . ; Griffin ' s Green Man and Still , 241 , Oxford-street , W . ; 33 , Hereford-road , Bayswater , W . ; Knightsbridge , 34 , Albert Gate , S . W . ; Kensington , 33 High-streetW . ;

, , 117 , High-stieet , Borough , S . E . ; 233 and 234 , Blackfriarsroad , S . E . ; Surrey Railway Office , 13 S , Newington-Causeway , S . E . ; 194 , Westminster Bridge-road , S . E . ; Islington , " Angel , " 5 , Pentonville-road , N . ; London Brighton and South Coast Company ' s Office , 8 , Grand Hotel Buildings , Charing Cross ; at Nlessrs Gaze and Son ' s Offices , 142 , Strand , W . C . ; 4 , Northumberland-avenue , j ai 10 esioourne at and

v » . m , w -grove , vv . ; ana me Army Navy Co-operative Society's Stores , 105 , Victoria-street , Westminster , S . W . The ordinary service of express and mail trains will be supplemented by additional express trains as named below . On Christmas Eve , Saturday , December 24 th , a special train will leave Willesden Junction at 2 . 45 p . m . for Bletchley , Wolverton , Northampton , Rugby , principal stations on the Trent Valley Line , and

Stafford , in advance of the 2 . 45 p . m . ordinary train from London ( Euston ) . The 4 . 30 p . m ., Euston to Birmingham , will be divided , the first portion , which will run express to Coventry ar . d Birmingham , will leave Euston at 4 . 25 p . m . ; the second portion of the train will leave Euston at 4 . 30 p . m . as u ? ual , and convey passengers for Northampton , Market Harboro' , Wellingboro' , Rugby , Coventry , Birmingham , Walsall , Dudley , and Wolverhampton . The 7 . 0 fusion

p . m ., co mrmingnam , will be divided , the lirst portion , which will run express to Coventry and Birmingham , will leave Euston at 6 . 55 p . m . ; the second portion of the train will leave Euston at 7 . 0 p . m ., and convey passengers for Bletchley , Northampton , Rugby , Coventry , Birmingham , Dudley , Wolverhampton , and Walsall . The night Irish mail , due to leave Euston 8 . 20 p . m ., will not leave until 9 . 5 p . m . Passengers for

BirminghamLiver-, pool , and Manchester , for Holyhead and Inland , will leave at the usual hours , and will be taken forward to Holyhead in advance of the London train . The mail packet for Kingston will not leave Holyhead until the passengers from London are on board . 'The 12 . 0 night train from London ( Euston ) , due at Warrington at 5 . 15 a . m . on Christmas Day , will be extended from Warrington to Carlisle , as on

week days and will , by special arrangement , take passengers for Kendal and Winderm- re . On Christmas Day the usual Sunday -services of trains will be run . On Bank Holiday , Monday , December 26 th , the express trains leaving London ( Euston ) at 12 . 0 noon and 4 . 0 p . m . will not be run , passengers will be conveyed by the 12 . 10 p . m . and 4 . 10 p . m . trains respectively . The 4 . 30 p . m . London ( Euston ) to

Christmas 'And New Year Holiday Arrangements.

Birmingham and Wolverhampton will also be discontinued , and passengers will be conveyed by the 5 . 0 p . m . train , except those for Market Harboro ' , Melton Mowbray , Nottingham , the G . N . Line , Wellingboro ' , Thrapston , & c , who will travel by the 3 . 15 p . m . train from Euston .

Numerous residential trains will not run , particulars of which can be ascertained on reference to the company's local notices . The up and down dining saloons between London , Liverpool , and Manchester will not be run on Bank Holiday , but those between London and Glasgow will be run as usual .

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY . The Great Northern Railway Company announce that on Fridays , December 23 rd and 30 th , cheap excursions will leave London ( Victoria , L . C . and D ., Moorgate , King ' s Cross , & c ) , for Newcastle , Berwick , Edinburgh , Glasgow , Stirling , Perth , Dundee , Montrose , Aberdeen , and other stations in Scotland . Passengers by the excursion on 23 rd

return on Monday , 26 th , or Saturday , 31 st December , and those by the excursion on 30 th December return on Wednesday , 4 th , or on Friday , 6 th January . Tickets atasingle fare for the double journey will also be issued by these excursions to places named , available for return on any day within eight days , including days of issue and return . December 24 th , additional trains will be run to meet the

requirements of traffic . The 8 . 0 and 10 . 43 p . m . expresses from King ' s Cross will be run to York , Newcastle , Edinburgh , and other places as advertised in November time tables . The 8 . 0 p . m . express will be due in Edinburgh at 4 . 25 a . m ., and the 10 . 40 p . m . express at 10 . 15 a -m- on December 25 th . A special express will leave London ( King ' s Cross ) at 12 . 0 midnight on December 24 th for

Welwyn , Stevenage , Hitchin , Biggleswade , Sandy , St . Neots , Huntingdon , Peterboro ' , Spalding , Boston , Grimsby , Grantham , Lincoln , Nottingham , Newark , Retford , Doncaster , Wakefield , Leeds , Bradlord , Halifax , Selby , York , Darlington , Newcastle , and Berwick . Christmas Day the trains will run as on Sundays . A special express , conveying parcels only , will leave London

( King s Cross ) at 9 . 55 p . m . on December 21 st , 22 nd , and 23 rd , for Lynn , Norwich , Yarmouth , Nottingham , Melton Mowbray , Leicester , Derby , Burton , Lincoln , Sheffield , Manchester , Liverpool , W ' akefield , Leeds , ! Bradford , Keighley , Halifax , York , Hull , Newcastle , and all places in the North of England and Scotland . To prevent inconvenience from crowding at the Company's principal

terminal station , King s Cross , tickets , dated in advance , will be issued at King's Cross ( G . N . R . ) , Victoria ( L . C . and D . R . ) , . Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , and Finsbury Park Stations , and at the following ticket offices : 90 , Tottenham Court-road ; 2 S 5 , Oxfordstreet ; "Star" Office , 138 , Victoria-street , Pimlico , S . W . ; 139 and 141 , Brompton-road , S . W . ; Albert Gate

Office , 1 , William-street , Lowndes Square , VV . ; 169 , Edgware-road j Royal Oak Office , 6 , Porchester-road , Westbourne Grove ; Cambridge Circus , Shaftesbury Avenue ; 32 S , Strand ; "Bee Hive , " Whitecross-street ; 43 and 44 , Crutched Friars ; 80 , Bishopsgate-street Without ; Charles-street , Farringdon-street ; 230 , Essexroad , Islington ; 264 , High Holborn ; 16 , Fish-street Hill ; 95 , High-street , Boro '; 190 A , Westminster

Bridgeroad ; 44 , Bread-street , Cannon-street ; 1 , Whittington Avenue , Leadenhall-street ; 3 , King Edward-street , Newgate-street ; 22 , Wood-street ; 217 , Old-street ; 7 , Beresford Square , South Woolwich ; Royal Victoria and Albert Docks ( G . N . Co . 's Offices ); at the Offices of Messrs . Swan and Leach , 3 , Charing Cross , and 32 , Piccadilly Circus ; at the Army and Navy Stores , 105 , Victoriastreet , S . W . ; and of William Whiteley , 151 , Queen ' sroad , Bayswater . ~

MIDLAND RAILWAY COMPANY . The Midland Railway Company advertise that , toprevent inconvenience and crowding , the booking offices at St . Pancras and Moorgate-street Stations will be open for the issue of tickets all day on Thursday , Friday , and Saturday , December 22 nd , 23 rd , and 24 th , and tickets to all principal stations on the Midland Railway can be obtained beforehand

at their offices , 455 , West Strand ; 267 , Strand ; 189 , Victoria-street ; 5 , Charing Cross ( corner of Northumberavenue ); 10 A , New Bond-street ; 1 , Shaftesbury-avenue , Piccadilly Circus ; 3 S , Cranbourne-street ; 101 , High Holborn ; 13 , Park-side , Knightsbridge ; Gloucester Office , 495 , Oxford-street ; 272 , Regent's Circus , Oxfordstreet ; 170 , Queen's-road , Bayswater ; 109 , Tottenham

Court-road ; 9 , Sloane-square ; 33 , Cannon-street ; 13 , Aldersgate-street ; 10 , Commercial-road ; Four Swans , 36 , Camomile-street ; 122 , Mare-street , Hackney ; Cook ' s Tourist Offices : Ludgate Circus ; 90 , Gracechurch-street ; 33 , Piccadilly ; S 2 , Oxford-street ; at L . B . and S . Co . 's Offices , 2 S , Regent ' s Circus , Piccadilly , and 8 , Grand Hotel Buildings , Trafalgar-square ; and at "Red Cap , "

6 , Camden-road ; '' Empire" Office , 30 , Silver-street , Notting Hill Gate ; and Myer ' s Office , IA , Pentonville-road . The tickets obtained at these offices will be available from St . Pancras Station , and will be issued at the same fares as charged at that station , and dated to suit the convenience ot passengers . Cheap excursion trains will be run from London ( at . Pancras ) to Carlisle ,

Edinburgh , clasgow , Dundee , Aberdeen , & c , and from principal provincial stations to Carlisle , Edinburgh , ol . sgow , & c , on December 23 rd , for three or eight days , and on December 30 th for five or seven days , by which return tickets will be issued at a single fare for the double journey . The single fare tickets issued on December 23 rd will be available for returning on any day up to and

including December 31 st , and single fare tickets taken on December 30 th , will be available for returning any day up to and including January 6 th , 1 S 93 . Cheap excursion tickets will be issued from London ( St . Pancras ) , and principal provincial stations on Friday , December 23 rd , to

Belfast , Londonderry , and Portrush , via Barrow , available for 16 days , and on Saturday , December 24 th , to Londonderry , via Morecambe . aval able for returning December 29 th , or January 2 nd or 5 th . On Christmas Eve the pressure of traffic will be relieved by the running of duplicate trains from St . Pancras as circumstances may require .

The Marquis of Salisbury has granted to all his Stafford shire agricultural tenants a remission of 20 percent , on the half-year's rent .