Masonic Notes.

At the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , on the 13 th inst , the Secretary announced the deaths of two annuitants—one male and one widow . The application of the widow of a recently deceased annuitant for half her husband ' s

annuity was granted , while 15 petitions—9 male and 6 widows—were considered , with the result that 14 of them were approved , and the names ordered to be p laced on the lists for the May election . The petition of one of the male candidates was deferred for further information .

Bro . J . Ross Robertson , M . W . G . M . of the Grand Lodge of Canada ( Province of Ontario ) , has again been demonstrating his kindly feelings towards the poor people of Toronto by entertaining their children at a substantial tea in the Richmond Hall every Sunday

evening during the current winter . The first of these Sunday tea entertainments was held on the Sth of December , and they have continued regularly , and will be so continued till the winter is over . This is indeed a good work , which reflects honour on our respected brother .

* * * Bro . William Watson is again to the fore , and has just published , on behalf ofthe West Yorkshire Masonic Library , a second edition of the " Thomas W . Tew MS ., " with an Introduction b y Bro . William James Hughan , P . S . G . D . England , & c . The frontispiece is

a welcome addition to this brochure , as it is an excellent reduced facsimile of a portion of that valuable roll photographed by Woods , of Leeds . The part selected is the first seven of "The Charges , " and , considering the dullness of the original , the reproduction is as near perfection as possible . As with the first issue , Bro .

Hughan fraternally dedicates the little gem to the Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , after whom it is named , and having again compared his transcript with the scroll , and re-written a portion of the Introduction , we presume the pamphlet has now received its final polish . The following encomium is , indeed , well deserved .

* * * "The R . W . Brother T . W . Tew , J . P ., is a veteran Craftsman , having first seen the ' Light' so long ago as 1856 , in No . 68 i , and was Founder ( 1862 ) , and three times W . M . of No . 910 , Pontefract His precious time , sound advice , and abundant means have

for many years been placed at the service of the Fraternity in general , and his own Province in particular , the Library and Museum being practically one of the many instances of his generosity and devotion to the Craft That the R . W . Brother

may long be spared as the beloved Ruler of the Province is the prayers of thousands upon thousands of his friends and brethren . '" We most sincerely unite with Bro . Hughan in wishing a speedy return to health of this able and " veteran Craftsman . "

» * » Bro . D . G . Macleod was installed District Grand Mark Master of Burmah at a special communication of the District Grand Mark Lodge held at Freemasons ' Hall , Maulmain , on Friday , the 23 rd October last . The ceremony was performed by Bro . the Rev . J .

Fairclough , Past District Grand Mark Master , and on its completion Bro . Macleod received the warm congratulations of the brethren and an address from the Mark Lod ge of Philanthropy , of which he is a Past Master . New District Grand Officers were not appointed , those in ofiice being continued until the usual date for holding the annual communication .

# # # We have received , and read with a great deal of pleasure , the sixth annual report of the proceedings of he Masonic Veterans' Association of Illinois . The annua ] meeting took place at "Smith ' s Inn , " as the residence of the chief , Bro . Gen . J . C . Smith , P . G . M .,

> s called—65 , Sibley-road , Chicago , on the 28 th October last . There were present some 275 brethren , lames , and other guests present , the visitors all receiving a most hearty welcome from Bro . and Dame -smith , the former of whom delivered his customary address , referring more especially to those who had

eceived honours , and those who had passed away during the preceding 12 months . A long array of ettcrs of apology for non-attendance from brethren and dames who had been invited was read , among them being letters from Bro . W . J . Hughan and Bro .

" sPeth . Refreshment followed , and the gathering ° venerables broke up at a seasonable hour , after having enjoyed the generous hospitality of their host and hostess . The ¦ ' Proceedings" are very fully reported , and are further embellished by sundry Photographs , which greatly enhance their value .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

f VVe do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE APPROACHING JUBILEE OF THE R . M . B . I . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , 1 am glad to see the goodly number of Stewards up to date for the Benevolent Institution . I make a point of visiting every lodge in my province

at least once a year . I have not got quite round yet , but I have got 37 Stewards now , and at a special meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge on Thursday , I was enabled to announce my list was 1030 guineas . I hope to get 45 Stewards and about , £ 1100 , and this , after working up 52 Stewards and 1000 guineas for the Boys' last year , is a great improvement on our little province . —Yours faithfully ,

RICHARD NEWHOUSE , P . G . Sec . Cheshire . Bowdon , January 9 th .

A LODGE LIBRARY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A Masonic library has just been established at my suggestion in connection with the Pattison Lodge .

No . 913 , of which I have the honour to be Chaplain . May I ask any brethren who have duplicate or spare copies of any of the 6000 books said to have been published in English concerning Masonry to send them to me ?—I am , yours fraternally , J . W . HORSLEY . Holy Trinity Vicarage , Woolwich .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

9 6 9 ] PICART'S "CEREMONIES , " & c . Bro . T . W . Embleton , "The Cedars , " Methley , Leeds , has had an excellent reproduction made of the valuable plate of " Les Free-Massons , " exhibiting the signs of the houses at which the lodges met in 1735 belonging to the Grand Lodge of England , being in reality an artistic arrangement of the pages of the

engraved list by Bro . John Pine , of that year . The facsimile is the size of the original folio published in 1736 ( Volume IV . ) at Amsterdam . In the premier edition the numbers run from left to right ( 1 to 129 ) , just as this beautiful reproduction does , but in several later issues they are reversed , as also the figures , Ac , and when placed side by side with the original , the

younger plate has a very strange appearance . In several of the later editions the orthography is frequently altered or modernised ; e . g ., 46 , " Hannover Square "; $ o , " Marid " ; 88 , " Woolverhampton " ; 92 , " Threednedle " ; 95 , " Dorcett Street , " & c , are all changed , as noted . Bro . J . S . Cumberland ( Grand Treasurer nominated ) had a very good photograph taken of one of these modernised plates , and they are

certainly more familiar to Masonic readers than those of the regular kind . Possibly he has some spare copies . Bro . Embleton presented the grand work by Picart ( or Picard ) to the West York Masonic Library , and has had sufficient copies struck of the valuable plate of the lodges , A . D . 1 735 , to supply to Masonic students at five shillings each , any profits to be devoted to Masonic Charity . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft firmsonrp .

METROPOLITAN MEETINGS . Albion Lodge ( No . 9 ) . —The installation meeting of this old lodge was held at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , on Tuesday , the 5 th inst ., when Bro . A . G . Pritchard—better known to the outer world as Mr . George Pritchard , the entertainer-was installed W . M . tor the ensuing 12 months . As there was a considerable amount of

business on the agenda paper , the lodge was opened at an early hour by the W . M ., Bro . E . A . Hamlyn , assisted by his officers : Bros . A . G . Pritchard , S . VV . ; C . Sucker , J . W . ; H . S . Friend , P . M ., Treas . ; L . W . Harvey , P . M ., Sec ; H . Kettle , S . D . ; W . Drew , J . D . ; and A . Izard , Org . ; and supported by Bros . W . H . Holroyd , P . M . ; W . Poupart , P . M . ; E . H . Bradley , P . M . ; S .

Vallentino , P . M ., G . Purst . ; H . A . Kelly , E . S . Gernsh , W . Dennis , S . H . Meyers , W . Kettle , G . Cronin , George Tennant , and other members of the lodge . After the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting , several items of business relating to the working of the lodge were discussed and disposed of , the chief matter having an outside interest being a proposal by Bro .

Harvey , P . M ., P . / .., Sec . — "That the lodge should contribute a sum of 50 guineas to the funds of the R . M . B . l . on the occasion of the Jubilee Festival of that Institution , " the same being placed on the list of Bro . Vallentine , the father of the lodge , who it is proposed shall represent the Albion on that occasion . The proposal having been duly seconded , was carried unanimously . Bro . F . B . Smith , 1743 , was , on ballot , elected a joining member . According

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

to a time-honoured custom in the lodge , the installation ceremony is always performed by Bro . Vallentine , the father of the lodge , who is looked upon by the members as their Installing Master and their grand old man . It is touching to observe the love and honour with which this patriarch is regarded by all the members of the lodge , especially by the elders who , of course , know him best ; but these feelings are not to be wondered

at when we learn that Bro . Vallentine was initiated in the Albion as long ago as the year 1 S 4 S , and that during the 44 years he has been a member of it he has not bcei absent from more than 12 ordinary meetings , and not from a single installation meeting ; that he is moreover an exemplary Mason , and has at length attained to Grand Office . According to custom , therefore , when Bro . Hamlyn had disposed of the first section of the lodge work , the chair

was taken by Bro . Vallentine , and Bro . Pritchard was presented to him for the benefits of installation , and was obligated as W . M . elect . A Board of Installed Masters was then formed , in presence of which Bro . Vallentine installed Bro . Pritchard into the chair of K . S . in the fashion in which the ceremony used to be performed some 50 years ago , when it was not always easy to find a Past Master able to work it . The new W . M . then invested Bro . Hamlyn

with the collar of I . P . M ., and the rest of his officers as follows : Bros . Sucker , S . W . ; Herbert Kettle , J . W . ; Friend , P . M ., Treasurer ; Harvey , P . M ., P . Z ., Secretary ; Drew , S . D . ; Beardmore , J . D . ; Holroyd , P . M ., D . C ; Izard , Organist ; Cronin , I . G . ; Willey , P . M ., Steward ; and Jas . Rawles , Tyler . The ceremony was then brought to a conclusion by Bro . Vallentine reciting the addresses to the Worshipful Master , the Wardens ,

and the general body of members , which he did in a way to call forth general marks of approbation . The quality of the new Master and his officers was then tested , Bro . Tennant being a candidate to be raised to the Third Degree . Throughout the ceremony of installation , Bro . Pritchard , whose ordinary business it is to make his audience laugh , had appeared particularl y impressed with the gravity of the proceedings , and on being placed in the

chair had at once become clothed with an unassuming dignity of authority which was very becoming , and as soon as he opened his mouth it was evident that he was quite alive to the solemn responsibilities he had undertaken . It is not too much to say that the ceremony of raising was never worked better , there was not a shadow of affectation about it ; it was unassuming , clear , impressed with propersoletnnity , and absolutely perfect and fluent as to the words . Our

words of praise must not be restricted to the Master , because all engaged in the ceremony were perfect in their parts , and worked in the same spirit as Bro . Pritchard . Bro . Vallentine , P . M ., G . Purst ., then rose , and referring to the lamented death of the late Grand Secretary , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , said that he thought they ought not to close the lodge without placing on record their feelings of sorrow for the loss which the Craft had sustained in the

death of that intrepid soldier and gallant Freemason , who , as a soldier had succeeded in carrying his flag up the heights of Alma , and who had spread the banner of Freemasonry in the four quarters of the globe . Bro . Vallentine proposed that a letter of condolence should be sent in the name of the lodge to the relatives of the late Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke . The proposal being seconded by the S . W ., was put by the W . M ., and carried unanimously .

The business having been thus satisfactorily concluded , the lodge was closed , and the brethren with their numerous guests afterwards dined together in the adjoining building . When this sumptuous repast had been disposed of , the customary toast list occupied attention . The toasts of "The Oueen and the Craft , " "The M . W . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " and "The Health of the Pro Grand Master , the Karl of

Lathom ; the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " were briefly disposed of , but the name of Bro . Vallentine , G . P ., was associated with the last , and Bro . Vallentine returned thanks on their behalf . The Shakespearean motto placed against this toast by Bro . Harvey was " That what we have we prize not to the worth , whiles we enjoy it , " from " Much Ado about Nothing , " and Bro .

Vallentine remarking that it was singularly appropriate , again referred to the death of the Grand Secretary , who he said had left a bright and good example behind him , and that the Grand Oliicers as a body must be the better for that example . Bro . Hamlyn , I . P . M ., said it was his privilege to rise to propose for the first time the most important toast of the evening , namely , "The Health of the Worshipful Master . "

Twelve months ago he was himself very proud to occupy the position of VV . M ., but after seeing the way in which tlieir present Master had that evening worked the Third Degree , he left the chair to augment the noble army of Past Masters without the least misgiving , rejoicing in fact in relinquishing his duties : n favour of so worthy a successor . It was a great advantage to Bro . Tennant , and it must have been a peculiar satisfaction to the father of the

candidate to see his son raised by so able a Master . Bro . Pritchard had worked hard both in the lodge and in the banquet room ; he occupied the post of Organist for two years before the other offices which led him up to the chair , and all his work had been good . He was also a founder of their chapter , and was looking forward to occupy next year one of the Three Principals' chairs in it , and as they all knew in the banauet room he who was now their W . M . had given

them a great deal of amusement with his recitals . He asked the brethren to join in drinking his health , and wishing a happy and prosperous year of office . Ihe VV . AI . briefly returned thanks , remarking that he had not thought that he was so popular as he appeared to be —a statement which was received with shouts of derision ; but , on the Master again assuring them of the fact , as he resumed his seat , the brethren did their best to re-assure him

by singing "For he ' s a jolly good fellow" till the very candlesticks on the tables vibrated . The W . M . then proposed " l'he Health of the I . P . M ., " who had done all in his power to make the brethren happy during his year of office , l'he brethren , in appreciation of Bro . Hamlyn's conduct in the chair , had voted him a handsome Past Master's jewel , with which he ( the W . M . ) had

now much pleasure to invest him , trusting that he would be spared to wear it for many years amongst the ornaments with which he was already adorned . Bro . Hamlyn having returned thanks , Bro . Harvey , P . M ., Sec , rose and said that the next toast had been entrusted to him ; it was "The Health of heir dear old father , the Installing Master . " If asked