Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

• The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolencethe last meeting for the year—was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall ; Bro . Robert Grey , P : G . D ., President , in the chair . Bro . James Brett , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President , and Bro . C A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., Junior Vice-President , were in their respective chairs . Bros . Col . Shadwell H . ClerkeG . Sec . ; A . A . Pendlebury , W . Lee ,

, W . Dodd , and H . Sadler , G . Tyler ; likewise attended . There were also present a large number of brethren . On taking his seat for the first time since his appointment as President of the Board of Benevolence by the Grand Master , Bro . GREY was loudly cheered . He thereupon rose and said that he felt highly honoured by having the appointment conferred upon him by the Prince of Wales . It was ,

indeed , a very exalted position to be placed in , and he should endeavour to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of his Royal Highness and the brethren . He hoped that the Board would work with the same harmony and unanimity as heretofore . The total amount granted , was not known till a late hour—after we had j- *< : - * e to press . It will be given next week . .

Knights Templar.

Knights Templar .

YORK . —Ancient Ebor Preceptory ( No . 101 ) . —The . annual . session for the election of E . P . took place on Tuesday , the . 14 th inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , St . Saviourgate . ' In the absence of the E . P ., Fra . Christopher Palliser , the throne was occupied by Fra . T . B . Whytehead , P ., and there were also present Fras . Wm . Brown , Constable ; . W . H . Cowper , Marshal ; J . T . Seller , Sub-Marshal ; Major McGachen , Herald ; W . B . Dyson ,

V . B . j W . Watson , C . of G . ; and others . ; A number of apologies were read from absent knights , after which a successful ballot was taken for a candidate . The ceremony of installation was rehearsed for the * benefit of the officers , and a scroll was then taken for E . P ., resulting in the election of Fra . W . H . _ Cowper , Fra . Brown having expressed a wish to delay his own' progress for a year . Fra . T . B . Whytehead was elected Treasurer for the tenth time , and Fras . Brown and Dyson were elected ¦ V

Auditors-. , * *" , Y Fra . Whytehead announced that he was in correspondence with some of the leaders of the Order of the Temple in the United States , and trusted to be able to make arrangements for a grand Templar gathering in York next summer to celebrate the Jubilee of the Queen , the Patroness of the Order . A baton for the use of the E . P . —the gift of E . Fra . C . Palliser—was presented , and a vote of thanks for the same was passed , and , alter the alms bag had been passed round , the preceptory was closed . '

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

The successful comedy , " A Night Off , " b y Mr . Augustin Daly , will berevived at the Opera'Comique on Boxing Night , with a powerful cast . The play will'be produced under the . direction of Air . William Terris . It will be remembered that "A Night OffV ' was-the principal piece in the repertoire of Mr . Augustin Daly ' s company , and was played with great success , at the Strand- Theatre last July . The company have been playing to good houses

in the provincial towns . Mr . Dove Keighley is the * acting manager .,., ; . ¦ ¦ ¦ , * -, . *• . . ; - - •* , ' . '¦ ¦ - : .-.- ¦¦ : ~' .. -7 -- - ## , # .. . V ^ ... - ¦! I - " '* " 1 «* . ,.- - ¦' . .... The event of Boxine night is ,, of course , Bro . Augustus Harris ' s pantomime , "The Forty Thieves , " in which the Queen ' s Jubilee is to play an important part . Besides that , the Olympia opens at Kennsington with the Paris Hipprodrome ; the Surrey and Grand Theatres with

pantomime , and the Covent Garden Theatre with a circus . The Alhambra , besides the hew ballet , " Dresdiria , " will produce another , entitled the "Seasons , " and , what with '" Alice in Wonderland , " at the Prince of Wales ' s , in the afternoons by children ; " Monte Christo , " given at the Gaiety ; " and "Robinson Crusoe " atjtheAvenue , there is plenty to be seen by both critics and public this Christmas , and , in addition to all these , the other theatres have very attractive , though not new , programmes . '"

» # " Dorothy , " transferred from the Gaiety to the Prince of Wales Theatre , seems destined to maintain the folden opinions it won at the former house , where it has een playing for the last three months . The song , of Mr . Haydn Coffin , "Queen of my . heart , " is an additional attraction , whilst he is not only one of our best tenor singers , but is withal a good actor and a handsome man .

Miss Marion Hood is still as charming in her repertoire , and , with Miss Edith Chester lately introduced into the cast , Miss Carr Shaw , Mr . Redfern Hollins , and Bro . Arthur Williams , the beautiful ! part songs and duets are as fresh as ever . " Dorothy" has an easy and sensible plot , and , the music is some of the prettiest we have beard for a ' ong time on the stage , whilst the mounting is done in the style which might be expected at Mr . George Edwardes * hands , from his long experience as manager to Mr . D'Oyley

Carte at the Savoy . Mr . George Edwardes was to bring out last night ( 23 rd ) a new burlesque at the Gaiety , in which Miss Farren and Mr . Fred Leslie will play , supported by a goodly company ; the whole to be produced by Mr . Chas . Harris . We ought to add that every one should go in time at the Prince of Wales' for the first piece , "A Happy Day ; " Bro . Williams will give them an amusing sketch of a London mechanic's life , out . of which he creates a lot of fun .

* * * * * - No change is announced , nor needed yet , at the Haymarket , though we believe a play of Mr . H . A . Jones has been accepted , and is in rehearsal , to be produced when the interest of the public begins to wane at the present comedy-drama of Sir Charles Young . We liked " Jim the Penman " better on a second visit than even at first . Mr . n

The Theatres.

Willard , with no disrespect to Mr . Arthur Dacre , plays the title r 61 e with much more eclat than . its former delineant . He understands the character differently , and makes it much more interesting to the audience . -Mr . Garthorne , a brother of Bro . Kendal , and like him in voice and appearance , has joined the company somewhat recently . and gives the detective as well as did Mr . Brookfield . Lady Monckton has improved immensely , her acting we may say is faultless , and her dresses are the very admiration of the ladies in the

audience . What a pity it . is that we cannot have more of such excellent plays written by our ov » ri countrymen , and without an - unhealthy odour prevailing through them as is top often the case when translated from . the French . We noticed the other evening that one of tiie characters—Lord Drelincourt—used a copy *! the Freemason art the stage when he had-to take up a newspaper . We hope Messrs . Russell and Bashford will goon prospering now they have struck oil .

. »»•» . * We paid a visit after " The Churchwarden " had been running-a few nights , to see that very popular comedian , Bro . Edward Terry , at the Olympic , and found the house , though the night was dreadfully cold' quite full . Amongst the audience were the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom , and . his Countess . The , Earl had during the afternoon been acting in a function at Windsor in his

capacity' of Lord . Chamberlain . Bro . Edward Terry is , known to all playgoers , and specially to those of our . readers for is he not a P . G . Stwd ., and a member of the exalted 30 th' Degree ? therefore , he requires from us no introduction . Aftermany years engagements at the Strand and theGaiety , interspersed with provincial tours on his own'account , * Bro . Terry has T-etumed to London , . not forgotten , but much missed , has taken a theatre for himself . We shall now see

whether bad luck necessarily reigns at certain houses . No one has for many years made money at the once popular Olympic , but ' we have always held the opinion if a good play and * an .. efficient cast are fdurid ,-St matters : nottwhat the house may be , so long as it . . is . central .. * We trust the - members" of the Craft . will : rally round this ever green and popular / comedian , but we do not ask them to " support Bro . ; Terry ; merely as brother Masons , 'But ' on

account of his professional merits . * . They will not be disappointed in Bro ^ Terry's first venture at running a theatre of his own . The . 'f Churchwarden" was produced a short time ago at Ngwcastle-on-Tyne , ' if our memory serves us rightly , andtmet with so much success " there * and in other provincial towns , that Bro . rTeriy'dete-rmjheditb ' ^ Jet the London public make acquaintance with" Mr . " Ch ' uffy , * . ' . We have done so , and confess we spent a delightfully , amusing

evening , in ?! The Churchwarden's' ? . company by laughing at the entanglements he gets himself into ; ¦ Our * space does pot permit- us , to . . enter , fully-into the plot ; nor , " indeed , is it necessary . " , ' - ' It ; is somewhat . thin ; and certainly not natural . But this does not occur to one at the time . It is a play which must be taken at boiling heat then one cannot help laughing at ther terrible' results of Mr . Chuffy's visit to London , and his meeting a young lady

who has lost her way from Exeter Hall , and whom he takes to supper . One does not want to bother about situations and plot when one is anxious to see Bro . Terry get himself into difficulties , and emerge from them all scathless . It is a play full of "business , " as it is termed in the profession . Bro . Terry has a marvellous way of altering his voice and the expression of his face which few can do , whilst none can excell him . He is ably

supported b y Bros . Alfred Bishop and J .. G . Taylor , both of the Asaph Lodge ...: Bro . Bishop ought to be commended for . the care he takes in his make up as an elderly , gentleman . Miss Maria . Jones , an old favourite , is a member of the company , the rest * do riot calL for any particular remarks . . It might be thought that Bro . Terry . is somewhat libelling the ' sedate ' office of a churchwarden , but if so it affects himself , for we believe , he hasbeen ' warden of

Barnes , inwhich suburb he resides , and where heis one of the most ; respected inhabitants . ' At Christmas he has for manyyears given a dinner . and , entertainment to a number of poor children in the village ' . "We ; ; wish ~ . Bro . Terry V ali the success he ' deserves , and look forward to * the ' opening of Terry ' s Theatre in the Strand . His acting manager is also a member of the Craft , Bro . Bricknell , having been initiated in the . Isca Lodge , Newport , ' arid raised in the Liverpool and Dramatic Lodge .

1 ' ' ¦ : . # * * Bro . Arthur Cecil has resumed his part of the Hon : . Vere ' Queckett in " The Schoolmistress , " and the cast is now as it originally stood . This charming play of Mr . Pinero's goes along as pierrily as ever . On renewing our acquaintance * ; with the-piece-the other evening we were glad to see * a well-filled , house evidently highly amused at the furi-whjch'is * derived from the author ' s work , well brought out by such a splendid cast . An additional interest

has been added * by f * The Milliner ' s Bill" being played after the chief piece by Mrs . John Wood arid Bro . Cecil . This is one of their best character sketches ; we have seen , them give it on several occasions , but shall make a point of going * to laugh at it again .- -The provincial company , has just returned to town for a short rest .: We hope it will not be a long *; while before 'Miss Edith Kenward / thfe chief member of the touring company , finds an engagement in London . It is no injustice to Miss iNofreys ; the original 'Peggy / to say that Miss Keriward plays the part equally well . - ;

; ¦ - , . » ,- ,- . ¦ , ; ' , ' j v . * , '¦ ¦' -.: ' " - 1 , ' - . ' ' - _ - . Those who have for many-years taken an interest in matters dramatic must have seen "David Garrick 'I time after time , yet we venture t o think they . wilt , agree that never has this popular play been better staged or better acted than is now the case at the Criterion , under Bro . C . W _ yn ' dhara ' s management . 'Some'thought the piece not suitable to the lessee ; and others that it is too well known

to draw . We think all are now agreed that Bro . ' Wyndham did well when "he ventured" ; to go a , little out of his usual course of screching farcical ' -comedy to try ; a * more pathetic part . We are sure the bill will hot be changed for ' some time at the Criterion . " We have never enjoyed the play of " David Garrick " so much , and we have seen it played bv

many companies . The story is well known , so we shall be content by only saying that Bro . Wyndham has won for himself a greater name by his splendid . and feeling * rendering of the character of the great actor of Drtiry Lane , He is abl y supported by , Mr , Blakeley , Mr . George ; Giddens , and Miss Mary Moore—who , " we understand , is , Mrs . Albery—who is possessed of most beautiful -features and expression .

Masonic And General Tidings.

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS .

Bro . Walter Parratt , Grand Organist , had the honour of presiding at the organ on . the occasion of the christening , in St . George's Chapel , Windsor , of the infant son of Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg . ; * - - Bro . JE . J . Mclntyre , Q . C , P . G . W ., h ^ s been appointed a Royal Commissioner on the North Wales Circuit at the approaching winter assizes , in place of Mr . Justice Stephen , who will he detained in town by his duties as Chairman of the Ordnance Stores Commission .

We are sorry to be under the . necessity . of announcing the death of Bro . Jack , the well-known publisher of Edinburgh and London , whose name has recently become so familiar amongst Craftsmen , by his publication of Bro . R . F . Gould's elaborate and able "History of Freemasonry . " _ Bro . James Plummer was on Thursday , i 6 th inst ; , installed Worshipful Master of the Brownrigg Lodge of

Unity , 1424 , for the ensuing year . The customary banquet afterwards took place at Mr . Cabburn's King ' s Arms Hotel , Brompton . The installation meeting of the Anglesea Lodge , No . ii 13 , was held on the 13 th inst ., at Llangefni , when Bro . Dr . Hugh Prytherch , Menai Bridge , was installed W . M ., Bro . R . H . Hughes , Holyhead , LP . M ., being * . the installing master , assisted by Bro . Smith-,. The -banquet was served in the Bull Hotel , r " 77 . _'*•* . "' - ' ¦'" . \

* . * The members of the Punheyed'iLbdge , No . r 789 , Launceston , held their annual meeting for tha election of officers at the Masonic Hair-KcenQ ' ^ ' ^ Bro ^ -Tt ' - 'JSfieiitQlb , J . W ., was elected W . M , forth ' e ' ensuirig year . * -Broi'HiM . ' Harvey , P . P . J . G . D . ^^ was " re-elected Treas . / anrl * * Brp ,, J . Fidler ,-Tyler . \ ' 7 ^ 77 ' " 77-7 ' ¦ 7 '' -7 ' . 7- ' : 7 y-: l 7 ya :: : Among ' the more recent contributors' to tiie ^ dil y Telegraph Lifeboat Fund for the relief of the widows . and

families of the crews lately wrecked off . Southport areihe Manchester Lodge , No . ' ' 179 , " which has \ serifs p * M ffioT ^ j Hbptkirkj ' jC * - * * j ' . the . Sandpwn'i Lodgei ' -per Bro , '* Jobfi * Bunt , T . M ., £ 1 i 5 s . 'i-and the . Milita ^ . ^ ark " " L ' 6 dge , " * Nq . ' s 4 , Aldershot , per BroZJis . Taylorj ;? , ' # * j . ?> 7 j *» . I « :,. irSkVil ;•" - > The Prince of Wales ,-inVreDlv . r to a suere * estion

by * a' Birmingham artizan , that relief measures should * bis adopted as a mode * of celebrating the [ Queen's Jubilee , ' express ' es his deep sympathy with '; ' those i now .- int diUtreft through want of . employment . and trusts that means may be devised for giving work to the thousands anxious to obtain it . ' - ' - ' * r * "¦ - ' : 7 " 7 ; - '¦ - *; , *;* * i . * i-j ; r * ... .- -. - .- ¦ ij-A .-p , ' * . ^ ' 7 _ tii :

In a letter addressed to the brethren in West Lancashire , Bro . W . Goodacre , the Prov . Grand Sec , says , " By command of the R . W . P . G . Master , I ask your aid and that of your lodge in support of a fund now being ;

raised for the widows and orphans of the men who lost their lives in the recent lifeboat disasters at St . Anne ' s-onthe-Sea and Southport . The treasurers of the fund are Bro . R . Foote , P . P . G . Treas ., and Bro . J . T . Callow , P . P . G . Treas ., and contributions may be sent to them , or to me , or to any member of the committee . " ;>> i 7 :,

V . -The ; annual * dinner of the , City Masonic Club of Instruction took place on Monday , the 13 th inst ., 'at- the -Whife ; Hart , Abchurch-lane , Bro ^ AJH . Lilley , 'the ; JPresideritji- ^ occupyingithei chair ,-and Bfo . ' rJf ^ B ' r 6 ckett *? Siirrell , the . ; . Secreta ** 7 , ffte ' j : vice-chair : ^^ Masonic , teas tswere given , aridi there * weresomeexcellent recitations and songs by vBrogWi ; Darkiri ^ CCif arid ' other brethren .- ; The dinner- ' was . 'capitallv ; served ' - under ; . the

' diie & 6 h : oiKBi 6 . "Gi : ABdet-6 mmr ^^ y : * im 0 mi ^^ pictorial ; , * threepenny *; - niaga ' zirie ^ ' ^ HiulffralionSj ^ pnyJiS January "' . . number * ( which ^' . wJll ^ b-Bi ^^ publishe ^ jfby . vMessreJ W ; Kent * and * Co ^ bt Patef nos t % row ) twilr "iriHude ; an article : by Mr ^ Heath , ' entitled . . ' . Tlje . Cha * ™ 1 6 f £ Fefri Cul-Ut ttlUWO ilUUUIIK

• " -W : .. -+-- . HIUOHOWU pWU , .. ,, UIC ,., UtHECU Deer . 'J . ^ by ; Mr ; Walter WinansX * ^ Rdund-fabbut * St ^ Malo , ' / by . Miss . Margaret-Thorq ^ , . th ' e . sculptress ; and " Some Famous AutographsV'Jncludihg' those of Lofd Salisbury , Lord Randolph Churchill , ' and the author , of "Lorna Doone » ¦ - ' \~ fc . ^; v ^^ - A CHRISTMAS MARKET . —There-is one

marketin London available for thrifty house-holders ) which * Is ^ no means so well-known as it ought to be . That is the Chriit ** mas market of Messrs . S p iers and Pond , in'Water Lane ; close to Ludgate Hill Station , which is , in fact , ' the central depdt from which they draw ' their own supplies , 'while it is also open to the public . Here we have a vast butcher's shop , the walls of which are completely hidden by prime joints of meat , while near it is a gigantic fish and poultry

store , equally well stocked . These shops supply the innumerable establishments of Messrs . Spiers and Pond ; but all can deal there , and those-who desire good arid cheap meat ;* fish , and poultry , should pay fheftfa visit , and they will * be . astonished 'at the prices . The reason , of course / that « the'firm can successfully compete with co-operative stores and other similar establishments is that ifbUys ' oh such a vast scale ; that it can offer meat , Sic . ' , cheaper than

most ordinary retailers . One curious thirig . will strike the visitor in the fish and poultry shop . He can ^ buy no game , the reason being that , as licensed' victuallers , - * ' Messrs . S p iers and Pond are not allowed to selljgamej ' a' restriction originally imposed , no doubt , in dayswheh the village inn was probably the poacher's best market ? The ' cUridus thing is that the firm can offer the . public ' any am" 6 i ? pt of ' gaime after it has been cooked ; an ' anomaly which should lead to

an amendment of the law on the matter . , = - * --, - ¦ HOII . OWAV * 8 PiLts . —The Sufferer's Frjend . ^ AU ca ^ e-f of , indl- ' gestlon produce weariness , low spirits ; palpltatlbn /' ahdfeverlshnejs , and are accompanied by „ flatulence , ' irregularity , of- the * bowels , ' nausea , water pangs , ana other annpy | ng symptoms ., - These Pills ' dispel the cause of dyspepsia , they produce a specific efirect ' on the PCUCblUHB

UJa « U , UIC OKKJUMmU , ( CgUiaiG UIC KOlfUlb , CXpCl UIC accumulations . of flatus ,. and * soothe , Irritability- ^ of'Jts muscular * lining . Procuring at a small cost ; and in every iown iff the' k ! ngJ dam , they are within ' the reach of ali ; and . tBousarids ' ofsufferer * , ' who casually commenced ' a course , o £ . JJoUoway / . s , *; RlllBihavo ;' eyerj afterwards never , failed . . to use , them , themselves , and ^ ave / confi-j dently recommended ; them to similar siiffersri . Jcnowlng . their , ytry , greatvalue ,- [ ADvf , l - " < , - ' -. ¦*•*• *¦ . -. ¦ •« -. - ' - ¦*¦