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Article ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Page 1 of 1 Article "FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES. Page 1 of 1 Article "FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES. Page 1 of 1 Article SKETCHES OF MASONIC CHARACTER. No. I. Page 1 of 1
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Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .
A . Special General Court of the Governors and Sub-^ . ersi of this Institution was held on Monday , at Free-SCf ons' Hall , for the purpose of considering the recomma dation of the General Committee that the report of the S en se Committee on " extension of accommodation , " as General Committeebe and
hmitted to the , approved contained and that in accordance therewith the building at Wood Green be enlarged for the reception of 32 additional h vs at the estimated expenditure of £ 3000 . The chair "" , ' occup ied by Bro . John Symonds , Vice-Patron , and w n _ other brethren present were Bros . Col . Creaton , T vce Murray , R . B- Webster , John Dennison , S . Rawson , uLf Pullen , Rev . Dr . Morris , ( Head Master ) , H . Massey , u 1 . ixri
ny * - . V , ^ »» -.: A T- » c u : T „ r . „ ( freemason ) , C . F . Matier , A . Durrant , S . B . Wilson , John Healey , John Dence , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . The Chairman said he supposed the Institution had sufficient money to carry out the object proposed without trenching on the invested funds . Bro . Binckes said they had . Bro the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford thought there were
some other points which should be brought before the attention of the brethren besides the simple increase of accommodation . If the brethren were going to decide to make an extension of the building , it would be fair to the school to look a little further . It would be advisable that the brethren should see the plans of the proposed new buildings in order that they mig ht clearly understand that
if at a future time a greater extension was necessary , there would be room at Wood Green to erect the necessary buildings . Bro . Binckes said that the present scheme did not interfere with any future scheme . Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford said that if two or three years hence the brethren should decide on a further
increase in the number of boys to be admitted to the school , they should now understand that it would be possible to add to the building so as t" admit altogether 300 boys . Bro . Binckes observed that the scheme now before the Court would not interfere in any way with such a proposition .
Bro . S . Rawson thought the most serious part of the proposal now before the Court was that it would interfere with the playground . Bro . Binckes said it was only fifty feet , and it was proposed to give additional playground room from the kitchen garden from the back ; and this kitchen garden had always been intended for a playground . Col . Creaton said that in that case there would be a
quid pro quo . The Chairman asked whether there was space sufficient to give the boys a swimming bath . Bro . Binckes said there was already a large plunj-c bath . The Chairman said that with 180 boys in the school it was necessary there should be a large swimming bath .
Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford thought the brethren should really know what they were going to do , and not legislate in tlie dark . This was a special court to select the plans , and the brethren had not yet seen them and knew nothing of them . Bro . Binckes thereupon left the room and shortly afterwards returned with Bro . S . B . Wilson and the plans . These having been submitted to and examined by the
brethren were explained by Bro . Binckes . In answer to Bro . Webster , the Rev . Dr . Morris said that there were 170 boys already returned to the school , but there were eight who had not yet come back . The motion before the Court was then proposed by Bro . H . Browse , seconded by Bro . R . B . Webster , and carried unanimously , Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford said that before the
meeting separated he thought it should go forth , as he knew a great many brethren were anxious about it up and down the country , that if it should be necessary to increase the school , there was plenty of room for an additional wing , which would admit of another 100 boys being placed in the School . The Chairman ventured to hope that the House Committee would not lose sight of his suggestion , to endeavour
to provide swimming baths for the boys . Bro . Joyce Murray said this was a very important point . A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings . Bro . Binckes requested the press to take notice that the candidature of William James Parker had been withdrawn .
Experiments have been made with the electric "gnt apparatus on board the Temeraire , at Chatham . '"" apparatus worked well , the whole of the Dockyard , e J ? " •' and t ' surrounding country being illumin ated for ' a considerable distance , so that it would have . . — ~ winmtidutc uibiciiicc , 50 uicii 11 wuum nave
. '""" Possible for any hostile vessel to have approached "tun a mile or two without being seen . the " ° RIAL BEAKltiGS . —In the year ended re . 5 „ ° f March last , armorial bearings yielded
p ost f ° * Edges , elastic band or tucK , price , Dia 2 S ' 2 i - The Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar Lodti nt . Pocket Book for l 8 77 * U contat * "s lists o Coun M . P ' ers Encampments , Conclaves and Grand Ireland W " h the names Officers in England , Scotland , by I- ? . ' and a 11 Parts of the World . Single copies ordered one to K may " *'* paid for hy stamps ; orders for more than Chief nffi aCC ompanied by Post ffice 0 rder payable at the L ° ndon ( Ad i nd n -dress p uWisher- « 98 , Fleet Street ,
"Freemasonry In The United States.
"FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES .
GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER . The triennial convocation of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States , was to be held in Buffalo on the 21 st of August . The triennial assembly of the General Grand Council of Royal and
Select Masters was to be held in that city at the same time . The members of the four Chapters and two Councils in Buffalo were making preparations to give their distinguished guests a hearty welcome . The reception will include a procession of the Royal Arch Masons of the city , escorted by the two Commanderies . The public reception was to take place at , St . James's Hall , and it was understood that the Hon . George W . Clinton has been invited to deliver
the address of welcome . The session will continue three or four days , and the arrangements for entertaining the visitors include a grand banquet and an excursion to Niagara Falls . About two hundred prominent R . A . Masons of the country were expected to be present . These representatives are eminent in the councils of the fraternity , and will be called upon to deliberate upon several important subjects of more than ordinary interest .
THE NEW J ERSEY CONSISTORY . This body begun its quarterly session on Monday , July 30 , at 3 p . m . A large amount of business was transacted , occupying several hours . In the evening , after a long and spirited balloting , 111 . Marcus Higginbotham , 33 ° , was elected First Lieutenant , the vacancy caused by 111 . J . W . Cosad , •33 ° , succeeding , by vi'tue of the Constitution of the rite , to the position of Commander-in-Chief , on the death of 111 . Daniel W . Wymari , 33 ° .
The illustrious brother who thus takes the second office in this Consistory was greatly surprised at his election , he not having been a candidate . Neither party , after many shifts and ballots , being able to maintain a majority , his name was brought forward and obtained it . His acceptance was urged by those who stood from the beginning to thc end solid for 111 . Bro . M . M . Drohan , 32 ° ,
and by 111 . Bro . Drohan himself . The selection gives universal satisfaction , and means a compliance with the late amendments to the Constitution , in respect to the number of degrees to be worked before advancement to the 32 ° , that is , in plain language , that the material for work in this body enlarges , and that half a dozen new men are ready to step forward , to share the
honours of the increased labours of the body . The Thirtieth Grade was conferred on four initiates in the same unrivalled manner and spirit with which 111 . Bros . John H . Ackerman , 32 ; John G . Watkins , 32 ° ; C . D . V . Gibson , 32 * Peter Dobbs , 32 ; and their fellow workers have done it before . The attendance was good for so warm a day . A
splendid banquet , under the charge of III . Bro . Hardford Lindsley , 32 ° , was had at 6-- . 30 , and those who felt tired , or arrived later , kept the waiter ? moving till n p . m . Visitors were present from Elizabeth , New Brunswick and this city . In the important business of the afternoon , 111 . Bro . George 80011 , 33 ° ; Jerome B . Borden , 32 ; Perry
Seymour , and Mcllhaney , participated . The Grand Sentinel of this body is William Grice , 32 ° . His labours ate arduous , and his method merits aU commendation . 111 . Bro . J . W . Cosad , 33 , Commander-in-Chief , though in very delicate health , was at his place from the
beginning to the end of this long session . He will find in his new Lieutenant a safe and tried counsellor and a skilled officer , who has no ambition to gratify , so far as rank goes , and whose ambition will be , we trust , the calming of waters disturbed , and the harmony and continued progress of the body in the power it wields .
GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK . The Rochester Sunday Herald has the following , which is of interest in this latitude : Through the courtesy of R . W . Jacob G . Maurer , D . D . G . M ., Twenty-second District , we have before us a
copy of the proceedings of the recent annual communication of the Grand Lodge . There are a few facts which will be of interest to the fraternity . There are thirty-three lodges in this district , with an aggregate membership of nearly 4000 . We give the number of the five lodges in this city , as returned to the Grand Lodge :
Members . Valley , No . 109 , 418 Yonnondio , No . 163 302 Gennessee Falls , No . 507 ... , 337 Rochester , No . 660 320 Germania , No . 722 128 While this district is large both in territory and
membership , there are several others that exceed it in numbers . The smallest district is the Fifty-seventh—taking in only the lodges on Staten Island or Richmond county—and embraces just five , with an aggregate membership of 400 . The District Deputy has comparatively light work in contrast with the like official of tlie Fifteenth District , who has three counties ( St . Lawrence , Franklin , and Clinton ) , and
34 lodges , aggregating 2800 members . In the report of D . D . G . M . La Rue , of Dansville , to Grand Master Hustod , we find this just statement of facts : " The Masonic Temple at Rochester reflects great credit upon its founders for their spirit of enterprise and liberality , and is commensurate in its magnitude and convenience with the growth and prosperity of one of the most
flourishing cities of the Empire State—a city in which our fraternity embraces among its members shining lights in the professions , men of the highest order of talent , and who are themselves living illustrations of the morality they teach . " R . W . Bro . La Rue tells us " that at the last annual election throughout the district a remarkable change occurred in the selection of nflWrs v hereby in upwards of
"Freemasonry In The United States.
three-fourths of the lodges new men were placed in the East , and others advanced to stations of responsibility . " From actual observation and correspondence he feels warranted in saying that the lodges have not suffered by the change , and are officered by brethren of intelligence and good moral character , well skilled in the standard work of the jurisdiction , and " whose skill and fidelity to the interests of the Craft are above question . "
After a careful examination of the statistical tables , we have discovered only one lodge in the State which reports a larger membership than Valley Lodge , No . 109—namely , Commonwealth , No . 409 , in Brooklyn . The latter reports 465 , and the former 418—the only two returning over 400 members . The total number of Master Masons in the State is 78 , 913 , holding membership in 718 lodges .
Sketches Of Masonic Character. No. I.
SKETCHES OF MASONIC CHARACTER . No . I .
BRO . JENKINSON AT THE SEA-SIDE . Our worthy and esteemed friend and brother , Jenkinson , P . M . of the well-known Lodge of Amiability , No . 2244 , is now happily at the seaside , with the wife of his bosom and the little Jenkinsons , male and female . He is supremely happy doing nothing , and in this bis agreeable family kindly and conscientiously help him .
Jenkinson , in a straw hat , and a light blue pea coat , and white trousers , and white shoes , looks very well indeed , and one of the Coast Guardsmen is said to have touched his cap to him , taking him for a naval officer in "mufti . " Sister Jenkinson is also supremely flourishing and radiant , of course , and intent on making everything
pleasant ; though she says the quantity that everybody eats is simply extraordinary , and that even baby is quite voracious since she has been at the sea-side . If you meet Jenkinson , you find him cheery and elate , smoking a mild cigar , and looking carefully through a pair of Callaghan's opera glasses at the distant shi pping , and must we confess , a party bathing . One only drawback
affects his manly bosom , only one affliction lies heavy on his waking thoughts and nightly dreams , and it is this , that when he reached the South Eastern Station , he found , that in addition to the family party , " all a mort " as thc old writers have it , and very lively indeed , he saw that his excellent mother-in-law had come , with four bonnet boxes , a French poodle , andan elderly maid . Bro . Jenkinson ,
is a good fellow , but J « nes says , though we do not believe hirr ., that our worthy friend and Bro . made some rather startling remarks , of course sotto voce , to his smiling and affectionate wife . Br J . Jenkinson's kindness is proverbial , but as he says to his friend and Bro . the W . M ., who is also at Spylleby with a pleas int wife and a blooming daughter , ' •now I did not bargain for this . "
She is a first-rate old gal , when at home and b y herself , but she will interfere with everybody and everything when she comes to the sea-side , and my wife hardl y knows what to do , for she is , as you know , so considerate for everybody . "The old gal , "hecontinues ( we think Bro . Jenkinson mi ght speak a little more respectfully of a lady , and so near a relative ) , •' means well 1 know , but she worries
every , body—she worries the children , and she worries the servants , and they are always catching it . She is a good one for talking and blowing up . " Still , as Bro . Jenkinson says , " Freemasonry teaches us to be philosophical , and we cannot expect the sweets of life without the bitters , therefore we must do as well as we can , " though we confess that like many other of our friends , we , as well as Jenkinson ,
havrtosuffer somewhat from "Mother-in-lawon the brain . " Thus even our distinguished Bro . P . M . Jenkinson , who lays down the law " ore rotundo" at his lodge , has to succumb , we note , at home , to his determined " Mother-inlaw . " Such is the fate of mortals . Well , this life of ours is made up of sweets ' and bitters , and , as Bro . Jenkinson himself observes , Freemasonry teaches us to be patient
and enduring . Yes , says sister Jenkinson , with a little touch of feminine sarcasm , though very pleasantly , it is always the part of a true brother " to suffer and be strong . " If Bro . Jenkinson ' s cup is somewhat mixed just now , if there is a little " fennel " floating at the top , so to say , making the draught somewhat bitter , let us hope that he will be none the worse for it .
We have no doubt that he will survive his heavy trial , the more so , as like many other mothers-in-law , the " bark " of the good lady is probably worse than thc " bite . " We feel bound to compliment Bro . Jenkinson for his expression of patience and assurance , by pointing out that mothers-in-law , like everybody else , except editors , must have a holiday , and that they naturally go where they are
likely to be best done by , and we also think it right to point out that that well abused and persecuted section of thc community has its merits , as well as its defects . If it is a little talkative and imperious , fond of management , yes , and meddling , it is very affectionate and very confiding , very tender-hearted and very kindly disposed . We have found many agreeable and , we , deem it only proper to add ,
good looking mothers-in-law . Sam Weller saw some excuse for mothers-in-law under such circumstances , and so should we . Very often they are not by a long way so bad as they are described , and we recommend our brethren now rejoicing in " rus , " though we are still perforce , in " urbe , " and who may be dreading the advent , or growling at the presence of a too " exigeant " and
interfenng mother-in-law , to remember that the chances are , if they are agreeable to their " mothers-inlaw" they will find , as many a " fellah " has found before them , that there ate worse things in this world than a mother-in-law ; and . that at any rate in the truest spirit of Masonic wisdom " the least said the soonest mended ;" " what ean't be cured , must be endured . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .
A . Special General Court of the Governors and Sub-^ . ersi of this Institution was held on Monday , at Free-SCf ons' Hall , for the purpose of considering the recomma dation of the General Committee that the report of the S en se Committee on " extension of accommodation , " as General Committeebe and
hmitted to the , approved contained and that in accordance therewith the building at Wood Green be enlarged for the reception of 32 additional h vs at the estimated expenditure of £ 3000 . The chair "" , ' occup ied by Bro . John Symonds , Vice-Patron , and w n _ other brethren present were Bros . Col . Creaton , T vce Murray , R . B- Webster , John Dennison , S . Rawson , uLf Pullen , Rev . Dr . Morris , ( Head Master ) , H . Massey , u 1 . ixri
ny * - . V , ^ »» -.: A T- » c u : T „ r . „ ( freemason ) , C . F . Matier , A . Durrant , S . B . Wilson , John Healey , John Dence , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . The Chairman said he supposed the Institution had sufficient money to carry out the object proposed without trenching on the invested funds . Bro . Binckes said they had . Bro the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford thought there were
some other points which should be brought before the attention of the brethren besides the simple increase of accommodation . If the brethren were going to decide to make an extension of the building , it would be fair to the school to look a little further . It would be advisable that the brethren should see the plans of the proposed new buildings in order that they mig ht clearly understand that
if at a future time a greater extension was necessary , there would be room at Wood Green to erect the necessary buildings . Bro . Binckes said that the present scheme did not interfere with any future scheme . Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford said that if two or three years hence the brethren should decide on a further
increase in the number of boys to be admitted to the school , they should now understand that it would be possible to add to the building so as t" admit altogether 300 boys . Bro . Binckes observed that the scheme now before the Court would not interfere in any way with such a proposition .
Bro . S . Rawson thought the most serious part of the proposal now before the Court was that it would interfere with the playground . Bro . Binckes said it was only fifty feet , and it was proposed to give additional playground room from the kitchen garden from the back ; and this kitchen garden had always been intended for a playground . Col . Creaton said that in that case there would be a
quid pro quo . The Chairman asked whether there was space sufficient to give the boys a swimming bath . Bro . Binckes said there was already a large plunj-c bath . The Chairman said that with 180 boys in the school it was necessary there should be a large swimming bath .
Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford thought the brethren should really know what they were going to do , and not legislate in tlie dark . This was a special court to select the plans , and the brethren had not yet seen them and knew nothing of them . Bro . Binckes thereupon left the room and shortly afterwards returned with Bro . S . B . Wilson and the plans . These having been submitted to and examined by the
brethren were explained by Bro . Binckes . In answer to Bro . Webster , the Rev . Dr . Morris said that there were 170 boys already returned to the school , but there were eight who had not yet come back . The motion before the Court was then proposed by Bro . H . Browse , seconded by Bro . R . B . Webster , and carried unanimously , Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford said that before the
meeting separated he thought it should go forth , as he knew a great many brethren were anxious about it up and down the country , that if it should be necessary to increase the school , there was plenty of room for an additional wing , which would admit of another 100 boys being placed in the School . The Chairman ventured to hope that the House Committee would not lose sight of his suggestion , to endeavour
to provide swimming baths for the boys . Bro . Joyce Murray said this was a very important point . A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings . Bro . Binckes requested the press to take notice that the candidature of William James Parker had been withdrawn .
Experiments have been made with the electric "gnt apparatus on board the Temeraire , at Chatham . '"" apparatus worked well , the whole of the Dockyard , e J ? " •' and t ' surrounding country being illumin ated for ' a considerable distance , so that it would have . . — ~ winmtidutc uibiciiicc , 50 uicii 11 wuum nave
. '""" Possible for any hostile vessel to have approached "tun a mile or two without being seen . the " ° RIAL BEAKltiGS . —In the year ended re . 5 „ ° f March last , armorial bearings yielded
p ost f ° * Edges , elastic band or tucK , price , Dia 2 S ' 2 i - The Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar Lodti nt . Pocket Book for l 8 77 * U contat * "s lists o Coun M . P ' ers Encampments , Conclaves and Grand Ireland W " h the names Officers in England , Scotland , by I- ? . ' and a 11 Parts of the World . Single copies ordered one to K may " *'* paid for hy stamps ; orders for more than Chief nffi aCC ompanied by Post ffice 0 rder payable at the L ° ndon ( Ad i nd n -dress p uWisher- « 98 , Fleet Street ,
"Freemasonry In The United States.
"FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES .
GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER . The triennial convocation of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States , was to be held in Buffalo on the 21 st of August . The triennial assembly of the General Grand Council of Royal and
Select Masters was to be held in that city at the same time . The members of the four Chapters and two Councils in Buffalo were making preparations to give their distinguished guests a hearty welcome . The reception will include a procession of the Royal Arch Masons of the city , escorted by the two Commanderies . The public reception was to take place at , St . James's Hall , and it was understood that the Hon . George W . Clinton has been invited to deliver
the address of welcome . The session will continue three or four days , and the arrangements for entertaining the visitors include a grand banquet and an excursion to Niagara Falls . About two hundred prominent R . A . Masons of the country were expected to be present . These representatives are eminent in the councils of the fraternity , and will be called upon to deliberate upon several important subjects of more than ordinary interest .
THE NEW J ERSEY CONSISTORY . This body begun its quarterly session on Monday , July 30 , at 3 p . m . A large amount of business was transacted , occupying several hours . In the evening , after a long and spirited balloting , 111 . Marcus Higginbotham , 33 ° , was elected First Lieutenant , the vacancy caused by 111 . J . W . Cosad , •33 ° , succeeding , by vi'tue of the Constitution of the rite , to the position of Commander-in-Chief , on the death of 111 . Daniel W . Wymari , 33 ° .
The illustrious brother who thus takes the second office in this Consistory was greatly surprised at his election , he not having been a candidate . Neither party , after many shifts and ballots , being able to maintain a majority , his name was brought forward and obtained it . His acceptance was urged by those who stood from the beginning to thc end solid for 111 . Bro . M . M . Drohan , 32 ° ,
and by 111 . Bro . Drohan himself . The selection gives universal satisfaction , and means a compliance with the late amendments to the Constitution , in respect to the number of degrees to be worked before advancement to the 32 ° , that is , in plain language , that the material for work in this body enlarges , and that half a dozen new men are ready to step forward , to share the
honours of the increased labours of the body . The Thirtieth Grade was conferred on four initiates in the same unrivalled manner and spirit with which 111 . Bros . John H . Ackerman , 32 ; John G . Watkins , 32 ° ; C . D . V . Gibson , 32 * Peter Dobbs , 32 ; and their fellow workers have done it before . The attendance was good for so warm a day . A
splendid banquet , under the charge of III . Bro . Hardford Lindsley , 32 ° , was had at 6-- . 30 , and those who felt tired , or arrived later , kept the waiter ? moving till n p . m . Visitors were present from Elizabeth , New Brunswick and this city . In the important business of the afternoon , 111 . Bro . George 80011 , 33 ° ; Jerome B . Borden , 32 ; Perry
Seymour , and Mcllhaney , participated . The Grand Sentinel of this body is William Grice , 32 ° . His labours ate arduous , and his method merits aU commendation . 111 . Bro . J . W . Cosad , 33 , Commander-in-Chief , though in very delicate health , was at his place from the
beginning to the end of this long session . He will find in his new Lieutenant a safe and tried counsellor and a skilled officer , who has no ambition to gratify , so far as rank goes , and whose ambition will be , we trust , the calming of waters disturbed , and the harmony and continued progress of the body in the power it wields .
GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK . The Rochester Sunday Herald has the following , which is of interest in this latitude : Through the courtesy of R . W . Jacob G . Maurer , D . D . G . M ., Twenty-second District , we have before us a
copy of the proceedings of the recent annual communication of the Grand Lodge . There are a few facts which will be of interest to the fraternity . There are thirty-three lodges in this district , with an aggregate membership of nearly 4000 . We give the number of the five lodges in this city , as returned to the Grand Lodge :
Members . Valley , No . 109 , 418 Yonnondio , No . 163 302 Gennessee Falls , No . 507 ... , 337 Rochester , No . 660 320 Germania , No . 722 128 While this district is large both in territory and
membership , there are several others that exceed it in numbers . The smallest district is the Fifty-seventh—taking in only the lodges on Staten Island or Richmond county—and embraces just five , with an aggregate membership of 400 . The District Deputy has comparatively light work in contrast with the like official of tlie Fifteenth District , who has three counties ( St . Lawrence , Franklin , and Clinton ) , and
34 lodges , aggregating 2800 members . In the report of D . D . G . M . La Rue , of Dansville , to Grand Master Hustod , we find this just statement of facts : " The Masonic Temple at Rochester reflects great credit upon its founders for their spirit of enterprise and liberality , and is commensurate in its magnitude and convenience with the growth and prosperity of one of the most
flourishing cities of the Empire State—a city in which our fraternity embraces among its members shining lights in the professions , men of the highest order of talent , and who are themselves living illustrations of the morality they teach . " R . W . Bro . La Rue tells us " that at the last annual election throughout the district a remarkable change occurred in the selection of nflWrs v hereby in upwards of
"Freemasonry In The United States.
three-fourths of the lodges new men were placed in the East , and others advanced to stations of responsibility . " From actual observation and correspondence he feels warranted in saying that the lodges have not suffered by the change , and are officered by brethren of intelligence and good moral character , well skilled in the standard work of the jurisdiction , and " whose skill and fidelity to the interests of the Craft are above question . "
After a careful examination of the statistical tables , we have discovered only one lodge in the State which reports a larger membership than Valley Lodge , No . 109—namely , Commonwealth , No . 409 , in Brooklyn . The latter reports 465 , and the former 418—the only two returning over 400 members . The total number of Master Masons in the State is 78 , 913 , holding membership in 718 lodges .
Sketches Of Masonic Character. No. I.
SKETCHES OF MASONIC CHARACTER . No . I .
BRO . JENKINSON AT THE SEA-SIDE . Our worthy and esteemed friend and brother , Jenkinson , P . M . of the well-known Lodge of Amiability , No . 2244 , is now happily at the seaside , with the wife of his bosom and the little Jenkinsons , male and female . He is supremely happy doing nothing , and in this bis agreeable family kindly and conscientiously help him .
Jenkinson , in a straw hat , and a light blue pea coat , and white trousers , and white shoes , looks very well indeed , and one of the Coast Guardsmen is said to have touched his cap to him , taking him for a naval officer in "mufti . " Sister Jenkinson is also supremely flourishing and radiant , of course , and intent on making everything
pleasant ; though she says the quantity that everybody eats is simply extraordinary , and that even baby is quite voracious since she has been at the sea-side . If you meet Jenkinson , you find him cheery and elate , smoking a mild cigar , and looking carefully through a pair of Callaghan's opera glasses at the distant shi pping , and must we confess , a party bathing . One only drawback
affects his manly bosom , only one affliction lies heavy on his waking thoughts and nightly dreams , and it is this , that when he reached the South Eastern Station , he found , that in addition to the family party , " all a mort " as thc old writers have it , and very lively indeed , he saw that his excellent mother-in-law had come , with four bonnet boxes , a French poodle , andan elderly maid . Bro . Jenkinson ,
is a good fellow , but J « nes says , though we do not believe hirr ., that our worthy friend and Bro . made some rather startling remarks , of course sotto voce , to his smiling and affectionate wife . Br J . Jenkinson's kindness is proverbial , but as he says to his friend and Bro . the W . M ., who is also at Spylleby with a pleas int wife and a blooming daughter , ' •now I did not bargain for this . "
She is a first-rate old gal , when at home and b y herself , but she will interfere with everybody and everything when she comes to the sea-side , and my wife hardl y knows what to do , for she is , as you know , so considerate for everybody . "The old gal , "hecontinues ( we think Bro . Jenkinson mi ght speak a little more respectfully of a lady , and so near a relative ) , •' means well 1 know , but she worries
every , body—she worries the children , and she worries the servants , and they are always catching it . She is a good one for talking and blowing up . " Still , as Bro . Jenkinson says , " Freemasonry teaches us to be philosophical , and we cannot expect the sweets of life without the bitters , therefore we must do as well as we can , " though we confess that like many other of our friends , we , as well as Jenkinson ,
havrtosuffer somewhat from "Mother-in-lawon the brain . " Thus even our distinguished Bro . P . M . Jenkinson , who lays down the law " ore rotundo" at his lodge , has to succumb , we note , at home , to his determined " Mother-inlaw . " Such is the fate of mortals . Well , this life of ours is made up of sweets ' and bitters , and , as Bro . Jenkinson himself observes , Freemasonry teaches us to be patient
and enduring . Yes , says sister Jenkinson , with a little touch of feminine sarcasm , though very pleasantly , it is always the part of a true brother " to suffer and be strong . " If Bro . Jenkinson ' s cup is somewhat mixed just now , if there is a little " fennel " floating at the top , so to say , making the draught somewhat bitter , let us hope that he will be none the worse for it .
We have no doubt that he will survive his heavy trial , the more so , as like many other mothers-in-law , the " bark " of the good lady is probably worse than thc " bite . " We feel bound to compliment Bro . Jenkinson for his expression of patience and assurance , by pointing out that mothers-in-law , like everybody else , except editors , must have a holiday , and that they naturally go where they are
likely to be best done by , and we also think it right to point out that that well abused and persecuted section of thc community has its merits , as well as its defects . If it is a little talkative and imperious , fond of management , yes , and meddling , it is very affectionate and very confiding , very tender-hearted and very kindly disposed . We have found many agreeable and , we , deem it only proper to add ,
good looking mothers-in-law . Sam Weller saw some excuse for mothers-in-law under such circumstances , and so should we . Very often they are not by a long way so bad as they are described , and we recommend our brethren now rejoicing in " rus , " though we are still perforce , in " urbe , " and who may be dreading the advent , or growling at the presence of a too " exigeant " and
interfenng mother-in-law , to remember that the chances are , if they are agreeable to their " mothers-inlaw" they will find , as many a " fellah " has found before them , that there ate worse things in this world than a mother-in-law ; and . that at any rate in the truest spirit of Masonic wisdom " the least said the soonest mended ;" " what ean't be cured , must be endured . "