An Oration.

ever revealing to us the blessings we derive through the natural atmospheresuch blessings as modulated light , nurturing heat , and varying seasons , yea , the very existence of life itself—so as we continue to live in the Masonic atmosphere of true Charity are we realising in ourselves and proving to the world the happy and beneficial effects of our ancient Institution , conveying to us the heavenly rays of lig ht and understanding and preparing us for a happy existence in the Grand Lodge above , in the dazzling light of our Divine Creator and Architect and in

the full enjoyment of light , bliss , and glory evermore . Just permit me a word or two in reference to the title so happily chosen for this new lodge . It is my privilege to offer to the brethren of Preston the hearty congratulations of the brethren throughout the province on the consecration of the Stanley Lodge of Preston . Prestonians are naturally proud of being associated with the name of Stanley for so many generations , and as they call to remembrance the deeds that have made the family so illustrious , they feel so inspired with enthusiasm that finds fitting and delightful expression in the words of the song dear to all

Prestonians— " Stanley for ever . " The lodge starts to-day under the happiest auspices , having the Earl of Derby as its first Worshi pful Master and the most experienced and enthusiastic Masons appointed and invested as his officers , each animated by a fixed resolve to co-operate with their W . M . to make the lodge a great success , realising to the full the high honour he has done them and all the brethren by his acceptance of such an important trust . May our genuine princip les be transmitted pure and unpolluted through this lodge from generation to generation !

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . D ., President of the Board , presided . Bro . D . D . Mercer , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President , and Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., Junior Vice-President , occupied their usual places . Bros . E . Letchworth , G . Sec ; W . Lake , A . G . Sec . ; VV . Dodd , G . S . Recknell , and Henry Sadler , Grand Tyler , represented the

Grand Secretary s department . The other brethren present were Bros . J . H . Matthews , Major-General F . Gadsden , George R . Langley , Charles J . R . Tijou , Henry Garrod , T . W . Whitmarsh , S . F . Abraham , VV . Fisher , S . H . Goldschmidt , James Boulton , George Graveley , Henry Landon Diprose , J . A . Duff , Capt . F . Mills , J . V . Vesey Fitzgerald , H . Massey , Alfred Charles Dowding , S . R . Baskttt , W . J . Coplestone , William Darlington , J . W . Burgess , Charles Woods , and William Robert Barr .

The brethren first confirmed recommendations to the Grand Master made at the May assembly to the amount of ^ 270 . There were 30 cases on the new list , only four of which were qualified through London lodges . The remainder were qualified through lodges at Reigate , Aston , Durham , New York , Southend , Maryport , Stockton-on-Tees , Bangor , Thame , Hanley , Liverpool ( four ) , Taunton , Norwich , 1 st Battalion East Surrey Regiment , Guildford , Ipswich , Aldershot , Margate , Ilminster , DevonportTorpoint ,

, Radcliffe , and Hull . The Board sat for three hours , and in ithe course of that period dismissed five of these petitions , and deferred two . The total of io 75 was granted to the remainder . Three grams of £ " 50 each were recommended for the approval of Grand Lodge in September ; the Grand Master was recommended to approve of two grants of £ 40 each , six of ^ 30 each , and one of £ 25 ; and immediate grants were made of £ 20 each in four instances , ^ 10 each in five , and £ z in two .

During the latter half of the sitting , as Bro . Robert Grey had to leave to fulfil another engagement , the chairs were filled b y Bros . Mercer , Cottebrune , and C . J . R . Tijou .

The Annual Athletic Sports Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE ANNUAL ATHLETIC SPORTS OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

By the kind invitation of Bro . George Everett , P . G . Treasurer and Vice-Patron of the Institution , the annual athletic meeting of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held at Kempton Park on Saturday last . There was a very large attendance of friends and visitors and thanks to the splendid weather , and the general excellence of the arrangements made by the Sports' Committee , another and not the least successful of red-letter days has to be recorded in the annals of the Institution . The programme was a large one , containing as many

as 21 events , and the performances did credit not only to the boys themselves , but also to those who had coached them .

The following are the results of the several competitions : HIGH J ( OPEN ) . —First prize , tankard ; second prize , fives gloves , presented by Mrs . F . S . Guy . Five entered and Marston clearing four feet four inches was placed 1 ; Truine , 2 . HUNDRED YARDS ( under 13 ) . First prize , photographic album , presented by Bro . H . Pritchard ; second prize , cricket pads . 23 entries . Chadwick , 1 ; Tanner , 2 . 440 YARCS ( i . PEN ) HANDICAP . First prize , handbag ; second prize , cricket ball , presented by the Logic Club . 22 entries . Marston ( scratch ) , 1 ; L . Greenwood ( 36 yards ) , 2 .

300 YARDS ( OPEN ) . First prize , cricket bat ; second prize , batting gloves presented by Bro . F . S . Guy . 24 entered . ManUn , 1 ; Bedford , 2 . T HIGH J ( PREPARATORV ) . Prize , Military hair brushes , presented by Bro . ' nos . Morris . Seven entered ; the contest resulting in a tie between Frost and Malby . 200 YARDS ( UNDER 13 ) HANDICAP—First prize , cricket bat ; second prize , pair of "rushes , presented by Bro . F . Orchard . 23 entries . Chadwick ( 3 yards ) , 1 ; Curtis US yards ) , 2 .

c \ , THROWING THE CRICKET BALL—First prize , Gladstone bag , presented by Gavel Wub ; second prize , the ball . Truine threw 75 yards , 1 ; Kent , 2 . 100 YARDS ( OPEN)—First prize , presented by Bro . Eve ; second prize , racquet bat . —20 entered—Marston , 1 ; Bedford , 2 . o L 4 ? , YARUS ( UNDER 13 ) HANDICAP—Pn ' zs , 200 foreign stamps ( valued ) , pre-* , j . by Bro - Gi E - Fairchild . 14 entered . Chadwick ( 6 yards ) , 1 ; Owen ( 22 yards ) , 2 .

1 HREE -LEGGED RACE . —First prizes , cricket bats , oresented by Committee Dinner Han S rf ° " d prlzes ' cricKet halls ; 15 entries . —Kennedy and Lowenthall , 1 ; Spain and

-em fi ** ( PREPARATORY ) ITANDICAP .-First prize , silver watch and chain , pre-Inlll A y S " ' ToPPine ; second prize , ciicket bat , presented by Bro . R . Clowes ; iC second he ' ( sCratch ) ' ' ' Tajl , r { l 6 > ards ) and A > W > Swan ( s"atch ) tieing for sentP S | k £ ms y HANDICAP . —First prize , 300 foreign slamps ( value £ 5 ) ,

preyatds ^ ; . iw-ii OT Fairchild . ' second prize , cricket bit ; 29 entries . Campbell ( SS 1 , 1 ; mills ( GS yards ) , 2 . Iohn 'S YAKUS ( PHHPA ' RATOUV ) . —First prize , writing case , presented by Mrs . Hir ' ! er ? J sccond P rize , fives skives ; 19 entered—Frost , 1 ; A . VV . Evans . 2 . Tooni ™ J - J 1 . ( UNUEK 13 ) - —Prize , silver watch and chain , presented by Bro . R . ' 20 V V S lntr , es ; Brock > ' Campbell and Seabrook (; eg ) , 2 . Schools rV ? 7 RANGERS' RACE . —Open by invitation to Boys under iG from Public •—1 itst prize , value £ 1 is . ; second prize , value 10 =. Gd . ( ta the first under

The Annual Athletic Sports Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

14 years ) . Stranger ( St . Olave's School ) , 1 ; Vanderbrook ( Tottenham Grammar School ) , 2 . 220 YARDS ( OPEN ) HANDICAP . —First prize , Gladstone bag , presentel by the Derby Allcroft Ledge . Second prize , cricket bat ; 23 entries . —Owen ( 24 yards ) , 1 ; Marston ( scratch ) , 2 . THE OLD MASONIANS' RACE ( 220 yards ) . —Prize , presented by Bro . James Willing , jun . No race unless six starters—won by Churchill .

OBSTACLE RACE . —First prize , handbag ; second prize , handbag , presented by Bro . Jas . Stephens ; third prize , tennis racquet ; 47 entries . —Spain , 1 ; Bedford , 2 ; Dodds , 3 . TUG OF WAR . —Prizes , 12 silver oencil cases , presented by Bro . W . Manfield—Whitehall , Metcalf , Barker , Binks , Marston , Chines , Kent , Bedford , Longbottom , Hayward , E . J . Brown , and Davey ( Capt . ) , 1 ; Leeming , Rangeley , Clarke , Foote , Martin , Midgley , Dickenson , Robinson , Brewis , Cooper , Troop , and Groombridge ( Capt . ) , o . C"NSOLATION SACK RACE . First prize , tennis racquet ; second prize , handbag , presented by the Hampden Ledge . Austin , 1 ; Garraway , 2 .

VICTOR LUDORUM . Over 13 -. silver watch and chain , presented by Brn . George Everett—Marston -, under 13 -. tankard , presented liy the Assistant Masters—Chadwick . Winners of cpen events only were eligible : a first place counting 3 ; a second , 2 ; and a third , 1 .

VICTOR LUDORUM—MASTER MARSTON . There was also a gymnastic display on the parallel bars , pyramid , high vaulting horse , under the direction of Instructor Sergeant Willmott ( Rifle Brigade ) , in which the following boys took part , viz .: Groombridge , Leeming , Whitehall , Binks , Robinson , Coates , Fitzwater , Foster , Spain , Truine , L . O . Roberts , and Bedford .

After tea had been served to the boys in the tent , the prizes were distributed by Miss Delia Everett , to whom a cordial vote of thanks was passed by acclamation for so kindly undertaking that agreeable duty . Ample provision in the shape of luncheons , dinners , and light refreshment had been prepared by the caterers , Messrs . Bertram , and at 6 . 30 p . m . there was dancing in the Pavilion to the strains of the band of the T Division of the Metropolitan Police , whose performance of a choice selection of music at intervals during the day greatly enhanced the pleasures of the meeting .

The Sports Committee , to the excellence of whose arrangements we have already borne testimony , consisted of Bros . George Everett ( Treasurer ) , R . D . Cummings , Richard Eve , G . E . Fairchild , J . P . Fitzgerald , John Glass , Rev . H . Hebb , C . W . Hudson , J . M . McLeod , H . Manfield , H . Pritchard , James Stephens , J . J . Thomas , and James Willing jun . The School Committee were A . E . Davey , N . C . D . Foote , W . Binks , J . C . Longbottom , B . Moore , and G . Marston .

The starters were Mr . G . A . Roberts and Sergeant Willmott , and the judges Bros . W . I . Jones , J . P . Fitzgerald , Rev . H . Hebb , R . Topping , and H . Pritchard , and Mr . H . V . Crane .

Royal Arch.

Royal Arch .

Lewis Chapter , No . 1185 . A convocation of emergency of the above chapter was held at the King's Arms Hotel , Wood Green , on Saturday , the 13 th inst ., for the purpose of exalting Bros . Frank W . Rose , P . M . 1 G 07 ; Edmund J . Morgan , P . M . and Sec . 1571 ; and Arthur Watts , P . M . 1571 . The visitors included Comps . Henry Garrod , P . A . G . D . C . ; J . T . Davies

M . E . Z . 134 S ; J . Halle , S 20 ; and James R . Large , 174 . The ceremony was very ably performed by Comps . W . F . Darnell , Z . ; Hewett , H . ; Hildreth . P . Z . ( acting J . ); R . S . Gushing , P . Z . ( actin ? N . ) j G . Cunnington , S . N . ( acting P . S . ); W . Wood andC . H . Halford , Assistants . The chapter was also attended by Past Principals Osterstock , Powell , G . J . Row , and H . T . Thompson , with Comps . Stiffen and Webb .

Royal Ark Mariners.

Royal Ark Mariners .

Matier Lodge , No . 400 . A meeting was held at Mark Masons' Hall , on April 24 th . Present : Bros , Raymond Tucker , W . C . N . ; George E . Lake , Japhet ; Charles li . Keyser , Shem ; Belgrave Ninnis , P . M ., Treasurer ; Charles Mcore Jessop , P . M ., Scribe ; Henry Wright , J . D . ; Wm . Westcott , Guardian ; IT . W . Kiallrnark , P . N . ; G . Danford Thomas , G . P . Parker , and Wm . Vincent , A . G . D . C , Hon . Member .

The lodge having been opened , the minutes ofthe meeting in October were read and confirmed . The Treasurer , whose accounts had been duly audited , announced that he had a good balance in hand . Bro . Belgrave Ninnis presented Bro . G . E . Lake , P . M . 241 , to the Installing Officer , Bro . Raymond Tucker , who , assisted by Bro . Vincent , A . G . D . C , impressively enthroned Bro . Lake as W . C . N . The following officers were

appointed and invested : Bros . Charles E . Keyser , Japhet ; James H . Bradshaw , Shem ; Belgrave Ninnis , Treasurer ; Charles Moore jessop , Scribe ; H . Wright , S . D .: Wm . Westcott , J . D . ; G . P . Parker , Guardian ; and E . j . Mills , Warden . Bro . Phineas Abrahams , 469 , was proposed by Bro . Raymond Tucker , and seconded by Bro . Kiallrnark , as a member . T he lodge was clcscd , and the brethren dined together afterwards at Freemasons ' Tavern .