Re Grand Chapter Of Quebec.

Craft and R . A . Degrees . This G . L . has acknowledged them as regular , by granting them what is practically a warrant of confirmation . It ' has created for them no new status . They were legal bodies before . Some of the principal Members of the G . C . of Canada received the Mark Degree in one of these T . I . lodges . " These lodges could not , in our view of Masonic law and tradition , be lawfully compelled' to apply for warrants

of confirmation to the G . C of Quebec for two reasonsist , that they had no desire to join that new organization ; and 2 nd , that they are advised by the highest legal authority , that the said organization is illegal according to the civil law of the State , and that its members can only meet under risk of criminal prosecution . This view is confirmed by the fact that the G . C . of Quebec , in the last Session of the Dominion Parliament , attempted to obtain a legal

status , but failed to do so . " 3 . At the present moment , therefore , the Mark lodges meeting under the Warrants of Confirmation of this G . L . are the only legal assemblies of Mark Masters in the Province of Quebec . ( See Hon . Judge Badgeley ' s letter to M . W . G . M . M . M ., at p . Gi of proceedings of G . L . of M . M . M ., June , 1 SS 4 . )

' * 4 . I cannot but express my surprise that the G . C . ' s of the U . S . should have so far overlooked one of the fundamental landmarks of Masonry as to attempt to oblige English Mark Masters to join a so-called Masonic body meeting in defiance of the laws of the State in which it finds itself . " 5 . Whenever a legal body working the Mark Degree is

established in the Province of Quebec , it will be open to it to make advances for union to the three T . I . lodges holding warrants of confirmation from this G . L ., and to this course we shall offer no objection whatever ; but , on the contrary , we should be exceedingly glad to see such a union voluntarily effected , and would promote it by any legitimate means in our

power . " Meanwhile , in order to meet as far as possible the views of the U . S ., and in the hope that a satisfactory arrangement may be made between the three T . I . English Mark Lodges in Quebec and a lawful G . C , we have restricted the action of the English Mark Lodges in Quebec to English Master Masons . We shall exceedingly regret it if we are

driven from this conciliatory position by the hostile action of the G . C . 's o f the U . S . " G . These facts we beg to commend to the fraternal consideration of your G . C . " FREDERICK BINCKES , P . G . J . W ., " Grand Secretary . "To the M . E . Grand H . P ., G . R . A . Chapter of . "

Obituary.

Obituary .

THE LATE BRO . F . J . STIMSON . We regret to have to announce the death of Bro . F . J . Stimson , a member of the Liverpool Dramatic Lodge , No . 1609 , with which he had been connected for several years . The young comedian , only 27 years of age , had made a great provincial reputation , and was especially well known in Yorkshire and Lancashire . Bro . Stimson was born in London on the 2 Sth of September , 1857 . His father being

connected with the law , it was originally intended that he should be brought up to that profession , and accordingly he was placed in a lawyer ' s office . Legal studies , however , were not congenial to him , and he drifted into journalism , being at one time connected with several London weekly journals . But his early bent was towards the stage , and after some semi-private trials in London , he made his first aDoearance on the reeular stage in 1 S 74 as Luke Marks in

a dramatic verson of" Lady Audley ' s Secret . " His success in this part was immediate , and was the indirect means of his introduction to a London audience , before which he made his first bow as an actor at the Charing-cross Theatre early in 1 S 75 , and while yet in his seventeenth year . From this time forward his success was assured . At the Charingcross he remained three years , and established himself as a favourite , essavinrr numerous parts , and improving by

assiduous study his talents for the burlesque . Soon after we find him at Leeds , the central figure of Frank Green ' s pantomime of " Jack the Giant Killer . " Leeds playgoers remember to this day Bro . Stimson ' s clever personation ofthe troubadour Flutterosa , and the prolonged run which the pantomime had that season was generally ascribed to Bro . Stimson ' s mirth-provoking acting . After this success his services were in great demand , especially for the pantomime season ,

and as Granny Brown , in Mr . R . Younge ' s pantomime of " Little Boy Blue , " at the Theatre Royal , Sheffield ; as Crokerina , in " Goody Two Shoes , " at the Prince of Wales ' s , Liverpool ; and as Sarah , in " Dick Whittington , " at the Theatre Royal , Manchester , he added considerably to his reputation . He was engaged by Miss Jennie Lee for the part of Dick Swiveller , in her new production , " Nell . " at Liverpool , and also appeared with great success

at the Royal , Manchester , in the comic opera " The King s Dragoons . " For two or three years past the popular young comedian has been on tour through the provinces with his own company in the farcical piece " Flinjand Steel , " and the burlesque " Mary Mignon . " He had many friends in Leeds , Sheffield , and other Yorkshire towns . Bro . Stimson was never robust , and the hard work he underwent told severely

upon him . He was attacked by consumption in its worst form , and about two months ago he was compelled to retire from the stage , and cancel the dates for his autumn tour . After staying at Ventnor and Brighton he went down to the village of Mere , in Wiltshire , where he died on the 3 rd inst ., deeply lamented by an unusually wide circle of friends . The funeral took place on Wednesday , the 10 th inst ., at Brora pton Cemetery .

Birth, Marriage, And Death.

Birth , Marriage , and Death .

BIRTH . J ONES . —On the 31 st July , at Panulcillo , Chili , the wife of R . J . Jones , of a daughter . MARRIAGE . EASTMAN—PHILLIPS . —On the aSth ult ., Edward J ., youngest son of Mr . H . T . Eastman , to Ada S ., eldest daughter of Bro . G . Phillips , of Beckenham .

DEATH . MARSH . —On the nth inst ., at Woodbridge-road , Ipswich , John Marsh , M . R . C . S ., aged 68 .

Masonic And General Tidings

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS

The Grand Lodge of Durham will be held at the Lecture Hall , Palace Green , Durham , under the presidency of the Marquis of Londonderry , on Tuesday , October 2 nd . All the lodges in the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight have gone into mourning , as a mark of respect for the late VV . Bro . Hickman , Deputy Prov . Grand Master of that province .

Bro . John Taylor , jun ., of the Essex Weekly A ' ras , was installed VV . M . of St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 1 S 17 , at Shoeburyness on Thursday ' ast . Bro . H . Church , the retiring VV . M ., was presented with a Past Master's jewel . Bro . Edwin Storr , S . W . of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1 G 7 , was , on Tuesday , the 9 th inst ., elected W . M . of the

above lodge . Bro . Storr is also the indefatigable Hon . Sec . of that popular lodge of instruction , the Metropolitan , No . 1507 . Ex . Comp . Frederick Thurston has been elected M . E . Z . of the Royal Jubilee Chapter , No . 72 , and , by the unanimous wish of the members , Ex . Comp . H . Lovegrove , P . Z ., has accepted the office of Scribe E ., vacant through

the death of Ex . Comp . J . Nunn . In our report of the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge we wrongly described W . Bro . R . J . Finnemore , District Grand Master Natal , as Rev . J . Finnimore . The name of W . Bro . H . D . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master Bengal , was also omitted from the list of those present .

Bro . the Earl of Kintore , Grand Mark Master , is about to issue warrants for adding two more Mark lodges to the roll . One is for England and the other one for Cape Town , South Africa . The English lodge , which will be No . 344 , is to be called the St . Alban ' s Lodge , and is to meet at Nottingham ; and the Cape Town lodge is to be called the British Lodge , and is to be numbered 345 .

THE LATE BRO . H . S . ALPASS , J . . —At a meeting of the House Committee of the Masonic Hall , Hope-street , Liverpool , held last Friday evening , under the presidency of Bro . T . Salter , P . P . G . D ., a resolution was unanimously adopted conveying the sincere sympathy of the members with Mrs . H . S . Alpass in connection with the sudden death of her husband , and their feeling of appreciation of the valuable services he had rendered to the Order .

The R . W . Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . W ., installed Bro . Charles Trevithick , as W . M . of the Fortitude Mark Lodge , No . 78 , Truro , on Tuesday last , in the presence of a goodly number of the members , the board consisting of Past Masters Bros . VV . J . Johns , P . G . Sec ; VV . D . Rogers , P . G . M . O . ; William Middleton , P . P . G . D . ; Richard Lean , P . P . G . D . ; and J . C . R . Crewes , P . P . G .

S . of VV ., the respected Secretary . A report received at St . John ' s Gate states that at the recent visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to South Shields to open the Coble Dene Dock , the St . John Ambulance Corps connected with the local Volunteer Life Brigade were stationed at convenient places with appliances for rendering "first aid " in the event of

accidents , owing to the great crush of people . Fortunately their services were not required , except in a few cases of fainting , but the workmanlike appearance of the corps attracted the attention of their Royal Highnesses and the Mayor of Gateshead , and other leading officials expressed their satisfaction at its evident readiness for any emergency . It is much to be regretted that every large town does not

follow so excellent an example . We have heard with a great deal of pleasure that Bro . Geo . Lambert , P . G . Swd . Br ., is about to be presented shortly with a testimonial and that the friends who are thus about to recognise thus worthily the great liberality and kindness of our respected brother , have arranged to entertain him at dinner , at the Holborn Restaurant , on Friday , the 21 st November , when the chair will be taken

by Bro . Aldermon Savory . A Committee has been formed for the purpose of making the necessary arrangements , Mr . F . H . Thomas , of Bond-street , Past Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company , being the chairman , and Mr . E . N .. Cutler , of Cavendish-place , the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer . We are satisfied that Bro . Lambert's numerous Masonic friends will join us in congratulating him on the great compliment of which , in so short a time , he will be the recipient .

We hear every now and then of a brother who is reported to be the "oldest" Mason in this or that country . The death of such a one—Bro . Waterman Clapp —is recorded in the "Freemasons' Repository" for last month , the said brother being in his 97 th year , and having been initiated in Mount Vernon Lodge , Providence , R . I ., in 1813 . Our worthy Bro . Norris , Warden of the R . M . B . I ., though not so old in point of years as the deceased brother ,

is an older Mason , having been initiated in our Sincerity Lodge , No . 174 , on the 10 th March , 1 S 12 , or about 72 J years since . We believe Sir Moses Montefiore's name is enrolled in the Moira Lodge , No . 93 , before 1 S 13 , and there are still happily surviving two brethren who were initiated in the Apollo University Lodge , in 1819—the year of its constitution—namely , Bro . Rev . Sir John Warren Hayes , Bart ., G . Chaplain in 1844 , and the Earl of Shaftesbury , K . G .

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marked success . A course of this admirable medicine clears the blood from all impurities , and improves its quality . The whole system is thus benefited through the usual channels without reduction of strength , shock to the nerves , or any inconveniences . The weakest woman and tke most delicate child may fearlessly resort to this cooling , corrective , and withal strengthening medicine , which works the most beneficial change where health seemed helplessly lost , —[ AD VT . ]

Masonic And General Tidings

The annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Cheshire was held yesterday ( Thursday ) , at the Literary Institution , Altrincham , under the presidency of Lord Egerton of Tatton , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , in place of Lord de Tabley . We hope to give a report next : week .

There are few of the visitors to the International Health Exhibition who have not made their way almost intuitively to that part of the South or Food Gallery which is devoted to the Dairy Exhibits , one of the neatest and best appointed of which is that of Messrs . Welford and Sons , of the Home Farm , Willesden , Maida Vale , South Kensington , & c Messrs . Welford , of whom Bro . John Welford , a respected P . M . of the Westbourne Lodge , No .

733 > if one , have spared no pains to make their display aseffective as possible and worthy in all respects of their long established reputation as purveyors of dairy produce . In the first place , their dairy is an exact reproduction as regards style of the homestead at Willesden , and accords well , therefore , —architecturally—with the old London Street which is located only a stone ' s throw off . Then everything is so neat and clean , from the people engaged in the

dairy operations to the smallest and most insignificant off the vessels required in the manufacture or sale of the produce . Then only the best and most approved apparatus is used , and , from the known excellence of what is sold to the public , we may be sure that nothing but the most skilled labour is employed . There is also a laboratory , where the quality of the milk' and butter is tested scientifically ; and , to crown all , to the rear of the dairy proper is a cowshed

, which is perfectly sweet and clean and well ventilated , in which are to be seen some half dozen lovely darling , cowsas the feminine visitors are wont to call them . Here , too , are several goats—for the Messrs . Welford have great faith in the nutritive properties of goats' milk , considering it . far superior to the very best of the condensed milks , which find so ready a market both in London and the country—¦

and some Zulu sheep , which like their neighbours , the cows , appear to thrive wonderfully in their temporary , yet comfortable , quarters at the Healtheries . In fine , the Exhibition , as all the world knows , is well worth visiting , while , of the many attractions it contains which are really conducive to Health , we have no hesitation in saying that Messrs . Welford ' s Dairy Exhibit is one of the worthiest and most conspicuous .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Mrs . Langtry has taken the Prince ' s Theatre for six months from January next , and will run it under the direction of Mr . Abbey . * » # The Court re-opened on Thursday with "New Men and Old Acres , " Messrs . Arthur Cecil , John Clayton , and Anson , and Mrs . John Wood and Miss Marion Terry playing the principal parts . # #

* The Vaudeville , at last , shortly changes its programme , after a run of over a year " with "Confusion , " which no one ever expected could have commanded so muchsupport . Mr . Henry Jones ' s new play , "Saints and

Sinners , " is a domestic drama of modern life , and in it Mr . Thomas Thorne will make his re-appearance on the stage , the cast being completed b y Mr . Fred Thorne , Mr . H . Bi Conway and his wife ( Miss Kate Phillips ) , Mr . Henry-Neville , Miss Amy Roselle , Bro . Lestocq , Messrs . Mackintosh and Grove , Miss Giffard , and Miss Lizzie Graham .

» * * It would be impossible to praise too hi ghly the burlesque of " The Babes ; or , Whines from the Wood , " now being performed at Toole's , which theatre has been taken for a season by Bro . Lionel Brough and Mr . Willie-Edouin , who hails from across " the pond , " and who are the two Ichief actors , and with Miss Alice Atherton ( Mrs . Edouin ) and Miss Grace Huntley , who happily add good

taste to a good appearance , produce all the fun of the evening . The burlesque is by Mr . Harry Paulton and Mr . VV . C . Levey , and in it we have a tendency to go back to the old genuine form of burlesque as distinguished from a stringof music-hall songs and clever dances . The whole ismounted in the best taste , and the young ladies who form the chorus are not only splendidly dressed , but are the possessors of pretty faces and know how to sinir in tune .

The story is the old one of the Babes in the Wood , and author , actors , and managers must be complimented , as indeed they are by everyone , upon the great success which has followed their undertaking . It is a curious coincidence that Bro . Lionel Brough and Mr . Willie Edouin exactly ten years ago , took this theatre , and then it was that the latter made his debut on the English stage . In their burlesque there is a spirit of brightness which never has a

cloud over it , and variety in action which , carried on by an exceptionally strong company , proves sufficient to keep their audience rivetted on all they say and do . We could almost sympathise with an old lady who we heard say to her companion on coming away that she felt almost ashamed of herself , for she had never laughed so much in her life . Miss Atherton and Mr . Edouin are the two babes , the former - appearing in the juvenile costume of little girls , short

frocks , bare legs , short socks , and shoes . In the school scene they carry on the most frantic nonsense . In their characters of Dolly and Tessie every playgoer ought to see them romp . Miss Grace Huntley , a young lady whom we hope will not be long absent from the London stage in future , makes a captivating Ralph Reckless , and sings a charming duet with Miss Atherton and and with Bro . Brough , which are always encored . Bro . Brough has apart as

the villain , which , though a somewhat feeble one in itself , he contrives to _ make a hit of . He has introduced a catch phrase in his dialogue , which will probably be a popular one everywhere . Mr . C . E . Stevens , Miss Edith Vane , and Miss Esden go to make up the fun , and all seem to do their very best to make this new burlesque a big " go . "

the Babes" is preceded by a farce by Mr . Pemberton , in which Bro . Brough , as a policeman , has a pathetic part , which he plays with a deal of earnestness . Their acting manager is the genial Mr . Gilbert Tate , whose name is a household world in theatrical circles , and whose chief object . seems to please his natrons .