Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS— PAGE The Compliments of the Season ... ... ¦•• •¦ 651 Mark Masonry in Bengal ... ... ... ¦•• ••• 651 KNIGHTS TEMPLARGreat Priory ... ... ... ... •• - 651 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... G 53

Art and the Drama ... ... ... ... ... 654 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Surrey ... ... ... ... 654 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Berks and Oxon ... ... ... 655 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 655 MASONIC NOTESNext Festival of Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ... ... 657

Board of Stewards for Benevolent Institution Festival ... ... G 57 Freemasons Serving in the War ... ... ... ... 657 Dorset Freemasonry ... ... ... ... ... 657 Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... 65 S Board of Benevolence ... ... ... ... ... ... 65 S

POETRYHomage to Christmas ... ... ... ... ... G 58 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 65 S Royal Arch , . ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 G 1 Allied Masonic Degrees ... ... ... ... ... GGi Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... — ... 664 Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 G 4

The Compliments Of The Season.

THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON .

Present circumstances arc not greatly calculated to promote the usual enthusiasm for Christmas . For more than two months the country has been engaged in a big war , and in the various engagements that have taken place has sustained some heavy

losses , and more than one serious check . Hence , in families innumerable where Old Father Christmas would have received the heartiest of welcomes , there is either grief for the loss of the loved ones who have fallen in battle or anxiety for their

safety . But though in so many households sorrow has occupied the place ordinarily occupied by joy , there is no reason why the claims of Christmas to its usual honourable treatment should be lost sight of . The sympathies of the entire nation arc with the

sufferers by the war , and sympathy and Christmas have ever been found hand in hand together . In view of what is passing in South Africa , our "hearty good wishes" may be uttered in a more subdued tone , but none the less do we consider it our

duty to utter them . So to our readers in all sincerity we tender the usual "Compliments of the Season . " May those who are suffering , and those who have fortunately escaped suffering ,

derive comfort and consolation from that kindliness of spirit by which we are all actuated towards each other at this period of the year !

Mark Masonry In Bengal.

MARK MASONRY IN BENGAL .

From the report contained in the Indian Masonic Review for last month of the proceedings at the recent half-yearly meeting at Mecrut of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal , it is very evident that the Mark Degree in this presidency is in a

fair condition of prosperity . The acting District Grand Master , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . the Hon . Mr . Justice BllRKITT , District Grand Master , reviewed the work of the previous six months , and in doine- so expressed his belief that the slight

decrease of membership from 3 8 3 to 379 , was due rather to accident than to any real falling off in the interest taken in the Mark , and he justified this opinion by thc fact that there had been 3 6 advancements against 33 in the previous half-year , and

24 joinings as compared with eight . On the other hand , there had been as many as 64 withdrawals as against 12 , but he accounted for this by remarking , " this is a contingency we are always liable to in a district like this where so many of our brethren are ' men under authority' liable to be transferred to the other end

Mark Masonry In Bengal.

of India , or to the ends of all the earth at a moment ' s notice . " With the view of counteracting this liability , the acting District Grand Master urged upon the brethren that they should not neglect any opportunity of promoting the spread of Mark Masonry .

It was not permitted to them to use any solicitation to induce outsiders to become Masons , but there was no reason , as far as he knew , why members of the Mark Degree " should not take upon themselves to point out to their Craft brethren that we

have it 111 our power to afford them valuable assistance in increasing and consolidating their Masonic knowledge . " As regards the Royal Ark Mariner Degree , there was , as in the case of the Mark , a slight decrease in numbers ; but this he

accounted for as being due to the same cause . As to the actual figures , thc returns showed 16 Mark lodges , with an aggregate membership of 379 , and seven Royal Ark Mariner lodges , with one of 116 . The accounts , too , were of a satisfactory character

as shown by the District Grand Treasurer s statement , so that in essentials thc Mark , if it is not a very numerous body , is a flourishing one , and , as additional lodges in the case of both Mark and thc Royal Ark have been sanctioned , there are fair grounds

for hoping that the District Grand Mark Lodge of Bengal will be in a position to hold its own , notwithstanding thc difficulties caused b y withdrawals , to which , in common with all other Masonic bodies in India , it is peculiarly liable .

Knights Templar.

Knights Templar .

GREAT PRIORY .

A Great Priory of the United Religious and Military Orders of the Temple , and of St . John of Jerusalem , Palestine , Rhodes , and Malta , in England and Wales and the Dependencies thereof , was held at Marie Masons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C , on Friday , the Sth instant , A . L . 5903 , A . D . 1 S 90 , A . O . 781 , at five o ' clock . Present :

The M . E . and Supreme G . M ., the Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , G . C . T ., on the throne ; V . E . Prov . Priors : V . E . Knights Captain N . G . Philips , G . C . T . East Anglia ; and J . Woodall Woodall , K . C . T ., N . and E . Yorks ; Great OHicers : V . E . Knights the Rev . A . W . Oxford , G . Prelate ; R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C ., G . C . T ., G . Chancellor ; C . L . Mason , as ist G . Cons . ; Richard Clowes , 2 nd G . Cons . ; Ralph Clutton , G . C . T ., G . Treas . ; Frank Richardson , G . C . T ., G . Reg . ; C . F . Matier , K . C . T ., G . Vice-Chancellor ; and Charles . Belton , K . C . T ., G .

Marshal ; E . Knights Col . G . Walton Walker , G . Herald ; Philip Colville Smith , G . Std . ISr . ( Beauceant ); A . F . Church , G . Std . Br . ( Vexillum Belli ) ; A . Conyers Haycraft , Grand Master ' s B . B . ; Capt . H . G . Giles , R . N ., G . S . B . ; Hubert S . Clutton , G . Aidc-de-Camp ; Walter J . Ehbetts and A . H . Hebbert , G . Capt . of Guards ; and H . J . Edwards , Mus . Doc , G . Org . Past G . Ollicers : V . E . Knights Rev . H . G . Morse and Rev . C . E . L . Wright , G . Prelates ; and

Ralph Gooding , M . D ., K . C . T ., G . Herald ; E . Knights H . Harvey George and J . C . FitzRoy Tower , G . Std . Brs . ; H . E . Cousans , Grand Master ' s B . B . ; Col . Clifford Probyn , Major T . W . Richardson , and R . A . B . Preston , G . S . Bs . ; Major J . R . Pearson , F . B . Westlake , and E . Armitage , G . Aide-de-Camps ; A . Woodiwiss , G . Chamberlain ; T . P . Dorman , G . Capt . of Guards ; and H . R . Rose , G . Org . ; and V . E . Knight Major C . W . Carroll , K . C . T .

there were also present : ( London ) : Sir Knights Harold Burke , ist Constable , Herbert Wright , Reg ., F . A . Powell , and Gerald Maxwell , of Bard of Avon ; J . H . Whadcoat , P . P ., C . Imre Kiralfy , and Charles Wells , of Faith and Fidelity ; Rev . W . Russell Finlay , E . P ., and H . Thomson Lyon , P . P ., of Holy Palestine ; J . A . Sherrin and Walter G . Crombie , ot Mount Calvary ; R . Percy F . W . Simpson , P . P . New Temple ; E . Nash , Marshal , Capt . G . Berthon Preston , and F . Gordon Watson .

of Oxford and Cambridge ; Gordon G . P . Hills , Shadwell Cierke ; Fredk . jL . Bevan , Studholme ; and Rev . C . E . Roberts , United Kemcys Tynte and Temple Crossing ; ( in the Province of Cheshire ) : Charles S . Brewer , E . P . Geoffrey de Bouillon ; ( in the Province of Devon ) : Rev . R . W . J . Smart , E . P . Trinity in Unity ; ( in the Province of East Anglia ) : C . Winlove Smith , Cabbell ; Astley Terry , E . P ., and R . Haliburton Adie , P . P ., of Prudence ; R . P . F . W . Simpson , Marshal , John Briggs , and W . J . Armitage , of Tancred ;

( in the Province of Kent and Surrey ) John Dimsdale , P . Preceptor , Black Prince ; William Briant , E . Preceptor , Frank W . Williams , P . Preceptor , C . Vincent Cotterell , P . Preceptor , Philip Monson , ist Cons ., and A . V . Marshall , Lulling . stone ; ( in the Province of Somerset ) A . E . Fuller , P . Preceptor , and Rev . E . A . Purvis , P . Preceptor , Bladud ; ( in the Province cf Staffordshire , Warwickshire , and Leicestershire ) Sir Thomas Roe , P . Preceptor , Peveril ; ( in the Province of Sussex ) G . M . Buckham , Sussex ; and H . C . Heard , P . Preceptor , and Millner Jutsum , Stuart .