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SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 24 , 1- 900 . *

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

Tre Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement will be held in the Grand Lodge Room , Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , the 2 nd prox ., when R . W . Bro . lhe Earl of Warwick , Dep . Grand Master , Prov . Grand Master for Essex , has kindly consented to presido . Lodge will be oper . ed precisely at 6 p . m . The work selected for the edification of the brethren prcssnt will be the Second Lecture , the Sections of i

Masonic Notes.

which will be worked as follows : 1 st Section by Bro . J , H . Jenks ; 2 nd , by Bro . W . R . Bennett ; 3 rd , by Bro . R . S . L . Badham ; 4 th , by Bro . Chas . Lewis ; Sth , by Bro . T . W . Allsopp .

There is no doubt a great treat in store for those who may be able to attend , whether they be brethren to whom " Emulation Working " is familiar , or those to whom it is but slightly known or only by repute . We have no official'School of Instruction , but this is the nearest

approach to one we are likely to have lor many and many a year . It has had no rival since the Stability Lodge of Instruction ceased to exercise its former influence . It commands the enthusiastic support of

the most eminent exponents of our ritual . Several lodges of instruction have latterly been formed at which "Emulation Working" is carried out most strictly , and as this becomes better known , the more generally it will be appreciated and adopted .

* * * When the work of the lodge is over , and those who have contributed to the evening ' s instruction have received their due meed of praise and thanks , an adjournment will be made , as usual , to the adjoining

hall , where the brethren will partake of supper , under the presidency of the R . W . the Deputy Grand Master ; tickets 5 s . each , inclusive of lodge dues , but exclusive of wine , to be had of the Stewards , or from Bro . J . Russell , Secretary , 27 and 28 , Milk-street ,

E . C . Here , again , a treat will await those who may be able to stay for refreshment in the shape of a far higher order of after-dinner orator \ than is commonly heard in the Masonic banqueting-room . We have no doubt that in the ordinary course of things it will be

our privilege to report that next Friday's Festival in honour of Emulation working has proved , as it has done for many years past , a signal success in the three essential elements of labour , refreshment , and oratory .

# # * We reiterate the regret to which we gave expression in one of our " Notes" last week at the extremely moderate amount of support thus far accorded to the Transvaal Masonic Relief Fund , and we trust that the

appeal of Bro . Richards , District Grand Master , for the further and more generous aid which is so urgently needed , will be responded to . It was in the month oi December last that Bro . Richards addressed us his first letter , setting forth the position of our Transvaal

brethren . The list was opened in the Freemason of the 13 th January , Bro . Richards himself heading the contributions with a personal donation of £ 100 . Yet the total received as published last week was only a little over £ -2 . $ o , or not very much more than the

brethren in the single District of Natal have given . The Masons in Natal now have to make provision for the support of their own suffering brethren , so that the Masonic Refugees from the Transvaal must look elsewhere for the help that is needed for themselves and their families .

# ? » In our earliest remarks on the subject , tve stated , on the authority of Bro . Richards , that about four-fifths of the members of the lodges in the Transvaalsay , in all about a thousand—were of En ? lish

nationality and had been compelled to leave their homes , and that the majority of these were at the time , and still are , in the direst distress . From the slatement made by Bro . Richards last week , it appears that he is in receipt of advices from his District Grand

Secretary of the 20 th January to the effect that at that date " the hinds raised there "—at Durban—" at the commencement of the war for the relief of our distressed brethren are now nearly exhausted , although every possible care has been exercised in the

distribution , and the Local Relief Committee fear that unless aid is speedily forthcoming operations will have to be suspended , and thus many a loyal and deserving brother will be deprived of the aid which is sorely needed at the present moment . "

* * * It must be remembered that these brethren are only about one out of many thousands of people who are placed in the same position , but their particular claims to the sympathy and help of the English Craft rest on

the fact that they , too , are Masons under the English Constitution . Our lodges and brethren throughout the whole of England have nobly responded to the calls made upon them for contributions to the different

War and general Refugee Funds , and donations of two or three guineas each from a few hundred lodges would not be missed , while the total of such gifts would materially help the poor and distressed Transvaal brethren to tide over their present difficulties .

Masonic Notes.

It is given to few married couples to celebrate their golden wedding , and to fewer still to receive such marks of the esteem and affection in which they are universally held as were exhibited to our respected Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., Past Grand

Chaplain , Deputy Prov . Grand Master of Durham and Provincial Grand Mark Master of Northumberland and Durham , and Mrs . Tristram , early during the present month on the 50 th anniversary of their marriage . The very full report which appears

in another column mentions in particular that among the gifts which were received by Bro . and Mrs . Tristram were an antique silver-gilt loving cup , with a pair of antique silver-gilt fruit bowls , and a diamond brooch for Mrs . Tristram , which were presented by the

brethren of the Mark Province of Northumberland and Durham ; and a massive silver tray , with a shield pattern tea and coffee service to match , and a gold bracelet for Mrs . Tristram , presented by the members of the Craft Province of Durham ; while a gold vase

was given by Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., Prov . G . Master—who , through unavoidable circumstances , was denied the pleasure of being present—and Bro . Victor A . Williamson , Past G . W . Suitable inscriptions , commemorative of the circumstance in which the gifts were presented , engraved on the

principal articles , while the speeches that were made show how deep and affectionate are the relations that exist between the Canon and the brethren in the Craft and Mark Provinces in which he has figured prominently for so many years . It will be remarked with interest that four generations of the Tristram family were represented at both presentations .

* * There appears to be much sound sense in the remarks of " Ex-Secretary , P . M ., " in his letter as published this week on the prices charged for banquet tickets at the different Provincial Grand Lodge and

Chapter meetings held in different parts of the country . Why in some Provinces the price should be fixed at 5 s . —exclusive , of course , of wine—and in other Provinces at one guinea , it is out of our power to explain . We imagine there must be a reason for it , and if any of our readers are able to enlighten us upon

the subject , we shall willingly find space for any communications they may be pleased to send . We think " Ex-Secretary , P . M ., " is quite right in calling attention to the matter , nor can the slightest exception be taken to the manner in which he has done so . * # #

The Forward Lodge , No . 1180 , Birmingham , would seem to have been particularly fortunate in its installation meeting on the 5 th instant , not only in respect of the function itself , which was admirably carried out , and the attendance of members and visitors , which

was very numerous , but also because Bro . G . Beech , Dep . P . G . M ., took advantage of the opportunity which presented itselt of referring at some length to the Festival it is proposed to hold this year in aid of the Warwickshire Benevolent and Pupils' Assistance Fund .

From his remarks it appears that the meeting is likel y to take place during the first week in July and that Lord Leigh , the Provincial Grand Master , has not only placed the Stoneleigh Abbey grounds at the

service of the Committee in charge of the arrangements , but in the event of his health permitting , will himself preside on the occasion . Under these circumstances there can be very little doubt as to the success of the Festival . *

As regards a remark of Bro . Tolladay ' s suggestion made later during the after-dinner proceedings—that the Festival in aid of the above Warwickshire Fund should be held triennially , and that they should do more

for their own Charity , we take leave to point out that the ' ¦ London Charities " —so called because they are located in or near London—are as much at the service of the Craft in the Provinces as in the Metropolis .

••» Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , will hold a stated meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , the 2 nd prox , Considerable interest attaches to the proceedings , which will include a paper by Bro . Hughan in memoriam of

his intimate and respected friend , the late Bro . John Lane , P . A . G . D . C , and the eighth in order of Bro . R . F . Gould's " Musonic Celebrities , " the subject chosen being " The Chevalier Burnes . " We are also glad to see that a motion for a grant of 10 guineas

from the lodge funds to the " Transvaal Masonic Relief Fund" will be brought forward by Bro . G . W . Speth , P . A . G . D . C . Lodge will be opened at five p . m . precisely , and the brethren will afterwards dine together as usual in the Gordon Room of the Holborn Restaurant .