First Annual Supper Of The Blackheath Lodge Of Instruction, No. 1320.

guineas , and in the course of another year will have sent up 170 guineas . The chief sentiment of their hearts was to assist the Charities to the fullest extent . He would couple with that toast the names of their worthy Preceptor , Bro . F . Hilton , P . M ., and Bro . J . Hooper , Deputy Preceptor , of whom no words of praise were more required than to see the splendid results the lodge

of instruction had achieved . In reply , Bro . HOOPER stated the pride he felt in being Deputy Preceptor of such a lodge . During his year of office , by the kindness of the brethren , he had been enabled to take up to the Girls' Institution £ 64 , ivhich delighted him . The lodge of instruction had been really a great success , and he trusted the brethren

would still rally round and support it to the best of their ability . Bro . HILTON , P . M ., replied , thanking them most heartily for the proposition which had been so cordially responded to . He attended there that evening under a deep sense of responsibility to the Blackheath Lodge , which had during the Deputy Preceptor's year of office

granted the warrant . Fortunately , he had associated with him such an excellent staff of officers—the Treasurer , Secretary , and Assistant Secretary , who had worked so unitedly together in one indissoluble bond in order to make it a great success , and to show that the warrant had not been abused , and that that lodge of instruction had been most useful in every sense of

the word , in exercising those Masonic virtues , brotherly love , relief , and truth , to their fullest extent . Brethren who do not attend lodges of instruction cannot fully understand the term brotherly love , until time for calling off from labour , and then be enabled to hold that friendly and brotherly intercourse . Another great advantage was that we might become more cultivated

in our language , and what was most important , the perfection of the working . And the virtue of Charity was fully exemplified by the founding of the Charitable Association , through which means the Masonic Charities were so largely supported , and without which they must fall to the ground . That he considered was a bright record , and fully carrying out the

trust reposed in them , which he hoped would continue for many years to come . The toast of " The Visitors " was heartily given and received . Bros . WALTER DAVIES , P . M ., and FRUEN , P . M ., very ably responded , and expressed great pleasure in being present .

In presenting the toast of " The Treasurer , Secretary , and Assistant Secretary , " the PRESIDENT remarked that it would be accepted with acclamation , for they could not have better officers . They had thrown themselves most heartily into the work , and had

most ably supported the Preceptor . In reply , Bro . CASS , Treas ., said it was not without fear and trembling that he rose to respond after such flattering remarks , but he would assure the brethren it was a labour of love , and , above all , to enjoy the esteem and confidence of the brethren was to him a

source of great gratification . The funds were not large ; he hoped they would become larger as time went on . He thought they had achieved wonders in so short a time as 12 months . He could not add more , but so long as the brethren entrusted him with the funds he would administer them faithfully . Bro . STONE , Sec , thanked the brethren for such a

kind reception , and highly appreciated the honour of being again elected to that office . He paid a high tribute of praise to Bro . Rice , Assistant Secretary , who was most faithful and assiduous in any duties that devolved upon him . The Secretary then gave a short summary of the y ear as follows : There had been 50 meetings , with attendances of ion , which gave an

average of 20 , which he considered highly creditable ; 151 members had been enrolled in the year , and the Sections woiked twice , at the rehearsing of which several young brethren had highly acquitted themselves . A Charitable Association had been formed , with 33 members , and in nine months 50 guineas had been paid ' 0 the Institutions — a most creditable performance .

Bro . RICE , Asst . Sec , followed with a few appropriate remarks by saying that he had done his very best , as it was his pet idea , and must confess had resulted most satisfactorily . He assured the brethren that no effort on his part should be spared to make the lodge go on and prosper , and under such an able Preceptor it would never fail .

The evening was enlivened by some excellent songs , flute solos , and recitations by Bros . Derham ( flautist ) , Hilton ( reciter ) , Stunt , Broadway , Ballard , Hobley , lulling , Hawkins , and Stone . The musical arrangements were under the able direction of Bro . Choveaux ,

" Our Boys."

" OUR BOYS . "

On Friday , the 18 th inst ., the Old Masonians opened " * e winter season at Anderton ' s Hotel by giving a •joncert , to which ladies were invited . The President , Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . Treas ., Patron , Trustee of the R . M . I . B . ied the chairsupported by Bros . J .

, occup , »••McLeod ., Sec . R . M . I . B . ; W . M . Stiles , and others , p early 300 ladies and gentlemen honoured the performance with their presence . At the commencement of the evening Bro . RICHARD tv e made a most appropriate speech , saying how

Phased he was to be amongst the Old Masonians . He spoke of the excellent Institution at Wood Grecn and je good derived there being perpetuated by the Old masonians . He sincerely wished the Old Boys all P ^ sperit y .

" Our Boys."

The first part of the programme was successfully carried out by Messrs . M . Edenborough , H . J . Grasse , and A . B . Whiteley , the remainder of the evening being given up to a musical entertainment by the "Clapham Blackbirds . " Twelve songs—sentimental and humorous—were capitally rendered , interspersed by " quips and cranks , " keeping the audience in roars

of laughter . In the interval between the first and second parts the CHAIRMAN announced that the next event would be a " Cinderella" dance on Friday , Dec . 22 nd , commencing at 7 . 30 . Tickets—double , 5 s . ; single , 3 s . ( including light refreshment)—could be obtained on application to the Secretaries . He trusted all ladies

present would avail themselves of the opportunity of a dance with the Old Masonians . The National Anthem brought to a close an enjoyable evening . We have to state that a change in the officers of the Association took place at the last general meeting of members . Mr . E . H . Ehvins . who has held the position

of Hon . Treasurer since the formation of the Association , resigned on account of inability to give the necessary time to the affairs of the Association . Mr . R . S . Chandler , who has served office as Hon . Asst . Secretary ( 1889-90 ) and Hon . Secretary ( 1891 . 92 ) , has been elected Hon . Treasurer , and Messrs . W . J . Packer and E . A . B . Gough the joint Hon . Secretaries for the ensuing year .

Our Portrait Gallery Of Worshiful Masters.

Our Portrait Gallery of Worshiful Masters .

BRO . FRANK RICHARDSON , VV . M . 1220 , Prov . Grand Registrar Cumberland and Westmorland , is the first W . M . of the newly-formed Solway Lodge , No . 1220 , at Aspatria , on the banks of the Solway , of which he was virtually the founder , having obtained a transfer of the charter from Silloth , where the members had dwindled down to two , and

where it was impossible to carry it on . The lodge is now in a prosperous condition . He was initiated in the Scarsdale Lodge , No . 681 , on the 29 th day of April , 1885 , and afterwards became a joining member of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 327 , where he filled the various offices up to and including S . W . He was rewarded with provincial honours on the 21 st of October last .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons ' Hall . Bro . Robert Grey , President of the Board , P . G . D ., occupied the President ' s chair ; Bros . James Brett , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President ; and C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., Junior Vice-President , were also in their respective places ; Edward Letchworth , Grand Secretary

and Alfred A . Pendlebury , Assistant Grand Secretary ; W . Dodd , andW . H ., Lee represented Grand Secretary ' s office . The other brethren present were Bros . S . Vallentine , David D . Mercer , Charles Dairy , Henry Garrod , George Read , George Kelly , S . V . Abraham , George Chapman , E . C . Mulvey , Lord Ampthill , William

Vincent , S . H . Goldschmidt , J . H . Matthews , William Whittley , George R . Langley , W . P . Brown , John Sedgwick , Charles J , R . Tijou , Charles Frederick Hogard , Dr . H . ) . Strong , W . C . Treadwell , Walter Hopekirk , William Fisher , James Bunker , Alderman Frank Green , Sir J . B . Monckton , F . A . Philbrick ,

G . Adamson , Frederick H . Gooch , J . C . Radford , H . J . Smith , R . J . Campbell , George A . Read , J . H . Watts , Robert H . Gowan , W . F . Lamonby , G . M . Campbell , J . Newton , F . W . Row , C . H . Webb , Joseph Cundick , R . B . Harding , James Wilson , E . Coleman , C . Coleman , H . Chapman , R . J . Tucker ,

Board Of Benevolence.

J . Cockram Taylor , F . Duan , H . Hooper , Henry F . Williams , R . A . Hargrove , W . D . T . Turnpenny , James Dennis , T . S . Taylor , E . M . Coombe , Geo . Goodes , F . J . Hannan , M . D ., J . W . Folkard , Lewis Doerr , Jas . C . Hayes , George J . Reed , W . T . Buck , R . W . Bilbv , A . G . Duck , G . H . Lindley-Renton , Geo . E . Grimes , R . E . Joyce , George Gregory , W . J . Bishop , H . Jenkins , F . Voller , John S . Kingston , G . H . Bebner , E . E .

Gefiowski , H . Collings , E . Wills , W . Cleghorn , W . O . Surridge , J . B . Cohen , E . Y . Jolliffe , T . Minstrel ! , W . H . Kempster , M . D ., T . J . Dibley , J . Holland , J . Duncan , Edwin Hill , George D . Skeggs , Alf . Harvey , C . W . Peters , H . Massey , and H . Sadler , Grand Tyler . The Board of Masters was first held , at which the agenda for the next Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of December 7 th was laid before the brethren .

Bro . J AMES BRETT , Senior Vice-President , at the close of the business of the Board of Masters , rose to propose a vote of thanks to Bro . Robert Grey , the President of the Board of Benevolence . He said that this particular meeting reminded the brethren that they had come to the close of another year . Looking at each other in the face , that was not what he rose to speak

upon . His object in rising was to propose to the brethren that a hearty and cordial vote of thanks be given to Bro . Robert Grey , their President , for the able and courteous manner in which he had presided over them for the past 12 months . He remembered some few years ago back , when Bro . Robert Grey first occupied the chair of President , that he came among

the brethren , comparatively speaking , a stranger , and that they had to wait to see what sort of President he would make . It was not long before Bro . Grey convinced every member of the Board that he was a most excellent President , but that when it was necessary to refer to the laws of the Board , he had them at his finger ' s ends , and not only did he apply them with wisdom and

firmness , but also with courtesy and kindness . He ventured to say that there had been no brother who had come to the Board—and there were many of them who had attended it—whether as a petitioner or otherwise , who had not always received at the hands of the President , attention , kindness , assistance , and forbearance . He had much pleasure in proposing this motion ,

and more so this year than last year ; and why ? Because Bro . Grey was the same Bro . Grey now as he was when he first came among them—" the same yesterday , to-day , and for ever . " In fact they all knew he was a gentleman . He would only say in conclusion that he was expressing the feelings of the brethren that he hoped that for many years it would be their advantage , and Bro . Grey ' s privilege and pleasure , that

Bro . Grey should preside over the Board of Benevolence . He also hoped that for many years he or his successors would have the pleasure as he had now in proposing this vote of thanks to Bro . Grey . Bro . C . A . COTTEORUNE , Junior Vice-President , in seconding the motion , said he could not add anything to the expressions of Bro . Brett . What Bro . Brett had said really conveyed the feelings of every member of the Board .

The motion was put , and unanimously carried . Bro . RODENT GREY , in acknowledging the vote , said that this Board of Benevolence , they knew , was a Board at which they worked , and did not talk . What they had to listen to there was what was uttered by those who came before them , and that was quite a different matter . Therefore , without wasting

their time in saying over and over again what must be summed up in a word—he sincerely thanked the brethren , as he had done before . He had renewed pleasure on this occasion in assuring them that he could not fill the chair of President of the Board of Benevolence with the same amount of pleasure as he did if he had not the assistance of every member who

came there . He was pleased to say that many members regularly attended this most important Board . Again he thanked them . The Board of Benevolence was then opened , and the brethren confirmed recommendations to the Grand Master at the October meeting to the amount of ^ 280 . The new list contained the names of 49 petitioners ,

who were qualified through lodges in the London District , and at Malta , North Walsham , Stockton-on-Tees , Hong Kong , Geelong ( Victoria ) , Havant , Nottingham , Plymouth , Stonehouse , Sunderland , Spalding , Boston , Colchester , King Williamstown , Dover , Halliford , Penrith , Stockport , Oxford , Moss Side , Kirkdale , Lowestoft , Constantinople , Buenos

Ayres , Clare , Walton-on-the-Naze , and Great Stanmore . One of these petitions was dismissed , and four were deferred for further information . The remainder of the petitioners were either recommended for grants , or had grants made to them , to the amount of £ 1040 . Two were recommended to Grand Lodge tor £ 100 each , and one for £ 75 . The latter , however , was deferred till

after next Grand Lodge . Four were recommended to Grand Lodge for £$ 0 each . Three were recommended to the Grand Master for . £ 40 each , three for £ 30 each , and one for ^ 25 . Twelve grants of , 620 each were made ; one for ^ 15 ; 13 for ^ ' 10 each ; and three for £ 5 each . The Board sat five hours .

Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Athole and the Ladies Murray , the Duke of Norfolk and the Ladies Howard , Bro . Viscount and Viscountess Sturmont , and Bro . Lord and Lady Saltoun have been staying at Beaufort Cast ! - ' during the festivities held in honour of the coming of age of Lord Levat . A county ball was given on Wednesday , as well as a dinner to the tenantry , and another ball will be given this ( FridayLnight .