Masonic And General Tidings

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS

BRO . HENRY LOVEGROVE has been successful in winning the first prize and medals of both the Leghorn Clubs with his fine specimens of Italian poultry . THIS ( FRIDAY ) EVENING , III . Bro . Charles E . Keyser , 30 , vvill be installed M . W . S . of the Invicta Chapter , Rose Croix , at 33 , Golden-square , and then brethren will be

perfected . THE REGULAR MEETING of the St . Andrew ' s Mark Lodge , No . 34 , T . I .. was held on Tuesday , the nth inst ., at the Freemasons'llall , Cooper-street , Manchester , Bro . G . A . Myers , W . M ., P . G . Std . Br „ in the chair , when Bro A . K . Boothroyd , S . W ., P . G . S ., was unanimously elected to the chair for the ensuing year .

The long-delayed consecration of the new lodge , Balfour Melville , No . Sog ( S . C ) , at Methil , was solemnised on the ist inst ., by Bro . J . II . Balfour Melville , yr ., of Strathkiness , Prov . G . Master for Fifeshire . Bro . Melville afterwards installed the officers for the ensuing year . Bro . Thomas M'Kee being continued in the office of R . W . M , ihe provincial deputation and visitors were at the close of the ceremonial duties entertained at a cake and wine banquet .

THE DIRECTORS OK SPIERS AND POND ( Limited ) , announce that the Debenture Stock Transfer Books vvill be closed from the 17 th to the 31 st inst ., both inclusive , for the purpose of preparing the Interest Warrants for the halfyear ending 31 st December , 1 S 94 , on the Five Per Cent . First Mortgage Debentures , the Five Per Cent . Debenture Stock , the "A" Mortgage Debenture Stock , the "B " Mortgage Debenture Stock , and the "C" First Mortgage Debenture Stock of the company .

ON SATURDAY , the Sth inst ., a large number of brethren of the Coleridge Lodge , Clevedon , paid a fraternal visit to the Eldon Lodge , Portishead . Bro . Rice , VV . M ., presided . Bro . W . T . Shapland , P . M . and Secretary , vvas presented with a Past Master ' s jewel , on which vvas engraved , " Presented to Wor . Bro . Shapland , P . M . and Secretary , by the brethren of the Eldon Lodge , 1755 , as a mark of affection and esteem . " Alter business the brethren dined together

at the Royal Hotel . AT THE REGUIAR MEETING of the Arboretum Lodge of Instruction , No . 731 , Derby , held on the . 'Sth ultimo , after the ordinary working , the brethren presented a very handsome tea service to Bio . Thos . Day , who had acted as Secretary and Treasurer for a number of years . 1 he presentation was made in a few well-chosen words by the Preceptor , Bro . J . Bland , P . M ., supported by Bros . Edgar

P . M ., and J . O . Manton , P . M . 10 S 5 . Bro . Day most feelingly responded , alluding to the many happy hours he had spent with the brethren in ordinary lodge and at the instruction meetings . A mest pleasant evening was spent . BRO . FRANK WILLIAMS , P . M . and P . Z . of the Temple Lodge and Chapter , No . 101 , and Z . of the Rose Chapter , No . 1 C 22 , vvas last Thursday evening installed into the President ' s chair of the L . 13 Club . The Christmas supper was held in the Duke's Salon , Holborn Restaurant ,

and was attended by a number of influential members and their fiiends . Bio . W . H . Blanche installed bis successor , and a very happy evening was spent . The musical arrangements under the direction of Bro . Choveaux ( Organist of the Rose Lodge and Chapter ) were highly appreciated , the artistes including Madame Bulow , Madame Raymond , Miss Maud Lankester , and Messrs . Fred . Stephens , H . Trotere , and Tom Lynes . We mayalso mention that Bro . Frank Williams is President this year of the popular Chough Musical Society , meeting at Cannon-street Hotel .

THE " 1 * REEMASON CALENDAR AND POCKET BOOK " for 1 S 95 , published for the Grand Lodge of England by Bro . George Kenning , London , is now in circulation . The 1895 issue has nothing to distinguish it from those of the last two or three years . It is filled to repletion vvith every kind of useful information , including a list of all the regular lodges and Royal Arch chapters , home and abroad , with

their respective places and times of meeting ; all information regarding the United Grand Lod ge rf England , its Institutions , & c , and the Supreme Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons in England . There is also a list of the lodges chartered by the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland , and a list of the principal officers in these Grand bodies . Besides this , and much more of Masonic information , the book contains matter usually found in other pocket books .

IHE " COSMOPOLITAN MASONIC CALENDAR " for 1 S 95 ( the 25 th year oi publication ) is also to hand from Hro . George Kenning ' s establishment . As its name implies , the information given in the 200 pages embraces the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and foreign jurisdictions , the Ancient and Accepted Rite , & r . It is an indispensable companion to any brother who travels about the country , and is published at 1 ; . — " Mallet , " in

Glasgow Evening News . CYCLING AS A PURSUIT . —Frank Shorland , the famous long-distance rider , has commenced in the " Windsor Magazine " a valuable series of articles on " Cycling as a Pursuit . " Incidentally he states : " Cycling as a pleasurable pursuit ceases to be enjoyable when it becomes sheer hard work . In nothing is it so easy to make a toil of a pleasure , and therefore , strange and contradictory as it may

seem for me to say so , my strongest advice to everyone indulging in the pastime is to take it easy , and not to overdo it . This is , of course , a personal matter entirely . One man ' s pottering pace is another man ' s high-pressure effort . and I have often noticed how inferior riders will utterly ruin their enjoyment of a run by dreading to acknowledge that they cannot keep up as high a rate of speed as other men with whom they may happen to fall in duiing a spin upon

a frequented road . Club runs are often spoiled this way by weaker members not caring to ask for the pace to be moderated , and so enduiing discomfort rather than be shown up . Pace is all very well at times , but there are plenty of other ways of enjoying cycling besides the calculation of miles per hour . Numbers of our fastest men specially avoid travelling at excessive speed except when occasion calls . They have enough of that at the right time , 3 nd love to potter and crawl , ai well a-, to hurry . "

Masonic And General Tidings

SIR DOUGLAS . STRAIGHT will preside on Wednesday , the 3 rd April next , at the 39 th annual banquet of the Dramatic and Musical Benevolent Fund , at the Hotel Metropole . THE STATE APARTMENTS of Windsor Ca stle vvill be open to the public on Monday next , the 24 th inst ., and on Wednesday , the 26 th inst ., and afterwards on every weekday , Wednesdays excepted , under the usual regulations , until further orders .

THE COUNTESS OF ELGIN * recently laid the foundation stone of a Dufferin Hospital at Karachi . The cost of the building , which is estimated at 50 , 000 rupees , is the generous gift of a wealthy Parsee . The Dufferin Fund has an assured income for the maintenance of the hospital when completed , as well as sufficient money for furnishing and equipping it .

THE DEMAND FOR SKATS for " The Derby Winner" at the Princess ' s Theatre being so great , Bro . Sir Augustus Harris has decided to commence the run of the Drury Lane drama in Oxford-street to-morrow ( Saturday ) night , instead of the 2 Cth . On Boxing Night he vvill inaugurate , at Covent Garden , a brief season of variety entertainment on a large scale .

BRO . looi . i-rs RETURN to town after his annual tour in the provinces , vvhich on this occasion has proved more successful than ever , is always hailed vvith pleasure by his multitude of friends and admirers . I Ie re-opens his own theatre on Boxing Night , but , though he produces nothing new , he gives the public something almost as good as a novelty , namely , two wholesome English plays , the best in his repertoire , " Walker , London , " and "Paul Pry , " in both of vvhich he has parts after his own heart . These pieces will be revived for a very limited number of nights .

ROYAL ACADEMY OF Music—The competition for the Robert Cocks and Co . prize took place on Monday . The examiners were Mrs . Gertrude Roskell and Mr . Gustav Ernest ( in the chair ) . The prize vvas awarded to Gertrude Peppercorn , and the examiners highly commended Alicia Adelaide Needham . The Hine Exhibition vvas also decided . The examiners vvere Messrs . Ernest Ford , Myles B . Foster , and Edward German , and the prize vvas awarded to R . Neville Flux . The examiners highly commended Joseph Charles Holbrook .

HONOUR AND GENEROSITY LODGE , NO . 165 .-11 has been decided by the members of this old-established and well-known lodge to present Bro . Robt . Collier Driver , P . M ., P . G . D ., at the next regular meeting , to be held at the Inns of Court Hotel on the 28 th February , vvith an illuminated address on his resignation of the Secretaryship , a post which he has filled with infinite advantage to the lodge for the last 38 years . During this period , Bro . Driver , who is

a Past Master and father of the lodge , has earned the affection and esteem of its members , all of whom deeply feel and regret his resignation , which is caused by ill-health . Bro . G . E . Wainwright , vvho has twice passed through the chair of this lodge , has been appointed by the W . M . to succeed Bro . Driver as the Secretary . BRO . WILLIAM MORRISON , S . VV ., of No . 4 , S . C , last year , has succeeded Bro . Larter in the chair of R . W . M .

Bro . 1 . liters reign during the last two years in supreme command of No . 4 has been pleasant and satisfactory . The last duty he performed before assuming past rank , on Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., was to present , in the name of the members , a gold jewel , of Past Master ' s design , to Bro . C . C Thomson , who efficiently filled the chair in 1891 , and

has rendered valuable service to the lodge during the last 22 years , ln his acknowledgment of the jewel , vvhich was accompanied by a handtome gift to Mrs . Thomson , Bro . Thompson referred to the many acts of kindness and consideration shown him while occupying the various offices he had tilled in the lodge , especially while serving that of R . W . M .

THE GROSVENOR Ci . iiu gave their linal ladies' night for the year on Tuesday evening , and the large drawing room vvas crowded . Mrs . Trust was at her best , and so was Mdlle . Landi , vvho gave " Oh ! Jeunes Filles , " from Tchaikowsky ' s " La Dame de Pique . " The grand scena from "I Pagliacci" by Mdlle . Elba and Mr . Templar Saxe was well received . Miss Christian Brumleu performed on the violin , and Miss Alice Douglas , vvho made her dc-but

as a solo dancer , gave a charming rendering of D'Auban ' s new version of the Cachucha . Owing to a contretemps with the machinery the representation of the living pictures vvas abandoned , but Mr . Charles Bertram , with his ingenious card tricks , and Madame Baldacsy , from the Alhambra , proved good substitutes . Not the least attractive portion of the programme was the playing of a genuine Hungaiian Band ( the Royal ) , a recent importation from Budapest .

THE MUSICAL WORLD has been looking forward with a very considerable amount of interest to the exhibition of matters connected with the ait that " soothes the savage breast , " which opened at the Royal Aquarium on the 1 > th inst . The main hall has been devoted entirely to trade exhibits , whilst the loan collection is placed in the spacious galleries . It is this latter which will doubtless excite the greater attention amongst musicians , for it hm been so

arranged that it is possible to trace the evolution of our modern musical instruments at a glance , the vatious exhibits being classified and arranged in chronological order and according to their varieties ; foi example , from the primitive dulcimer to the piano of the early part of the present centuiy , almost all the intervening links may be seen . Again , the ophicleide , tuba , or euphonium are shewn to be descendants of the zinck , which more resembles the leg of a chair than anything else . Harps may be seen

going back almost as far as their remote ancestor the bowstring . ' The catalogue is admirable , for it contains an enormous amount ol information written in an agreeable style . Altogether the exhibition is already an artistic success , and will , it is hoped , very materially advance the interests ol music and the allied trades . Visitors to the Musical Exhibition should not omit seeing the marvellous great central stage performances now taking place at the Koyal Aquarium , for which there is no extra charge , the small admission money of one shilling admitting to all .

. VIA \\ IM . HAIIII-in .. V . ' e ha * ,- it , „ , Sl , ; ik .-f | i < -: in- " ^ : iUI I i 11 lhat Hit : whiiiT M-iiul is noi n- unkind than mini ' s iiu-ratiiin ! ,-In many rases this is iintorliitiatelv onl y im , true , linn- arr lilllL-S , hu \ VL' \ LT , Wllfll llll" Itelletlt le . eived is sO ^ rcil ll | . | l ingratitude he ,. Hues impossihle . VV'li .-n lil ,- is rendered a linrden si

In us l , y ,. | . i , t . < ss , and someone umu-s and reslores us tu health we should l , c- l . asi- indeed i-l ungrateful . Thu-, millions _ , _ , lu-ila . gial .-l . il lo Hnllnwav ' s I'ills and I liniment , wlikli leu , 1 ured them "I all vlon . a . h and la .-i Iruul . le- , banished hea . la . he Hamlen , y , indigestion , and low -. pints , and . leared tii . ii -item oi BL . UI , ihcilinatiilii , -. t-atii : i , and all . iriitl . ir ailments . '

Masonic And General Tidings

MR . A . W . WEIISTI-K , the Organising Secretary of the Hospital Saturday Fund , has been appointed the Secretary of the City Branch of the Royal National Life Boat Institution . THE ROYAL HOLLOWAY COLLEGE . —Twelve entrance scholarships , ranging in value from ^ . 50 to £ 75 , and tenable for three years , vvill be offered for competition in July next . Full information may be obtained on application being made to the Secretary , at the College , Egham .

BRO . F . W . DRIVER , M . A ., P . M ., P . Z ., & c , author of " The Noble Soul , " " The Submerged City , " " Toujours Perdrix" ( poems ) , "A Novel Vengeance , " and " The Four Henries" ( prose ) , recites his original productions at musical entertainments , smoking concerts , Xc . For terms , address C 12 , Lancaster-road , Notting Hill , VV .

INFLUENZA FLOURISHES best on cold and damp weather . The Registrar-General's return states that 17 deaths were directly attributable to that scoursfe during last week—the highest figure reached this season . Throughout the Metropolis the general health of the community keeps a hi gh standard , the fatal effects of nearly all maladies being below the average . The death-rate was iS * G ; Brighton ' s wasiSv . ; Croydon ' s , 13 * 5 ; anil West Ham ' s , n * S—the last-mentioned being the lowest among the 33 great towns of England .

RAIN MAKING AND SUNSHINE . —Bro . John Collinson . P . M . S 62 and 1 SC 9 . writes from Brading , Isle of Wight , a ' follows : "Dear Sir , —With reference to my book on ' Rain Making and Sunshine , ' recently published by Messrs . Swan , Sonnenschein and Co ., I beg to inform you that , at the request of several gentlemen , 1 have undertaker , to give an illustration , or rather an exhibition , of skill , and , by means of odytic force , to arrange that the

present wet weather shall be superseded on or about the lyth instant , and fine weather secured , to last till the 27 th instant . This is for the benefit of the poor , in the first instance , and , after , for holiday-makers and all vvho like to spend their leisure , more or less , out of doors . I trust it vvill prove to te a boon to Freemasons generally , as a reward for the due and punctual fulfilment of their Craft

engagements . It vvill be so much better than the present windy , showery kind of weather . I should be glad if you and your readers would take note of this very important experiment in the new meteorology . " —VVe can only hope that , whether by " odytic , " or any other force or persuasion , the Clerk of the Weather may be induced on this occasion to gladden Christmas vvith a brighter atmosphere than has afflicted us for so long .

CHRISTMAS PRESENIS . —Amongst the many firms that have laid themselves out specially for the suppy of useful and attractive articles for presentation at this festive season , Messrs . Partridge and Cooper , the stationers , ot Fleet-street and Chancery-lane , take a prominent place . Novelties of every tlescription in connection with their business are on view , and they all appear to ha e the double advantage of combining the useful with the beautiful

and artistic . In laying themselves out for seasonable specialities , this old-established lirm has in no degree slackened its efforts with regard to the other departments of their business , and their show of diaries and the various requirements of the professional and hii'iness men are as complete as ever . RAILWAY FACILITIES AT CHRISTMAS . —The Great Western Railway Company issue tickets of all classes at

the following City and West End offices : 193 and 407 , Oxford-street ; 23 , New Oxford-street ; 4 , Holborncirrus ; 20 , Charing i ' ross ; 17 , Brompton-road ; 5 , Arthur-street East , London Bridge ; S 2 , Queen Victoriastreet ; 2 fi _ j , Strand ; Minories ( opposite Goodman '? Yard ) ; 137 , Borough High-street , Nag ' s Head Yard ; 26 , Regent-street ; Cj , Gresham-street ; 4 , Cheapside ; iS 1 , Tottenham Con rt-road : Cambiidge-circu ? ,

Shaftesbury Avenue ; The Piazzi , Covent Garden Market ; 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 avoid the trouble of obtaining tickets at a crowded railway station . The booking ollire at the Paddington Station will 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 iSth and 24 th will lie available for use on any day between and including those days . Cheap third class tickets at reduced fares vvill be issued from London to the V ' eovil and Weymouth districts , to stations in the West of England and to Guernsey and Jersey ; similar tickets will also be issued from those districts to London ( except theChannel Islandsl . On Saturday night , December 22 nd , cheap excursions will

be run from Paddington at 1 i . m p . m . fur Bath and Bristol ; at 11 40 p . m . for Oxfon ' , Worcester , Malvern , Hereford , Banbury , Leamington , Warwick , Birmingham , Wolverhampton , Shrewsbury , Aberystwith , Osw stry , Barmouth , Chester , Birkenhead , Liverpoil , etc ., and at 12 . 4 . 1 a . m . ( Sunday morning ) for Gloucester , Cheltenham , Neivport , Cardiff , New Milford , Arc In order to meet the extraordinary demands upon the Company ' s resources occasioned

by the enormous parcel traffic despatched both from and tn Londi'ii at Chiistmas time , special fast trains carr * , ing parcels only , anil calling at the principal intermediate stations , vvill run between London and Plymouth , Birkenhead , Worcester , and New Milford . On Saturday , December 22 nd , and Monday , December 24 th , the 5 . 0 p . m . and 12 . 1 s ; midnight trains from Paddington to Plymouth will be extended to Falmouth and

Penzance ; and the 0 . 20 p . m . train from Paddington to Bristol will be run to Exeter . On Monday , December 24 th , a special train will leave Paddington at 10 p . m . I , r New Miiford , and will call at the same stations as the 9 . IT p . m . ordinary train . A sauial express to Reading , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea , etc ., will depart at 11 50 p . m . The 12 . 15 Midnight ( Christmas Morning ) fast train from Paddington to

Oxford , will be extended to Wolverhampton , and convey passengers to Banbury , Leamington , Warwick , Birming ham , eic . The usual Sunday service of trains will be run on Christmas Day , but for the convenience of persons vvlw 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 , Woicester , lirnbiiry , Leamington , Birmingham , Dudley anil Wolverhampton . The trains will connect at Bathampton with the S . 47 a . m . train , thence to Frome , Yeovil , Dor Chester , Weymouth , & c . The 1 . M 5 Midnight fast tram from Paddington to Uxford and Plymouth will be ru . n at the usual times .