Masonic Centenary Celebration At Portsmouth.

iS 54 . —Francis Cunninghame Scott , also an ensign in the Black Watch , afterwards Colonel and a C . B . He was mentioned in the despatches for signal bravery at Alma , Balaclava , Sebastopol , and in the Indian Mutiny . iS 54 . —Lieut . Charles Henry Spencer ( son of the Duke of Marlborough ) , Sir William Fielder , Bart ., and Lord Francis Conyngham . 1 S 54 . —In this year there was a remarkable influx of

military officers into the lodge . The 4 th Royal Middlesex and the 1 st Lancashire Regiments were stationed in Portsmouth , and the whole of the officers of the two regiments were either initiated or admitted'as joining members , including Col . William Assheton Cross , Major Sir VV . Fielden , Bart ., the Hon . Richard Charles Reynolds Moreton , and the Hon . Frederick William VVemyss Charteris . Lord Francis Nathaniel Conyngham ( who served in the Baltic

and Black Seas , and afterwards went into Parliament ) was also initiated at the same time . 1 S 59 . —General Sir Arthur Augustus Thurlow Cunninghame Thuriow , K . C . B ., who was initiated in the lodge in this year , was a very distinguished officer , and afterwards Governor of Cape Colony . 1 S 59 . —Col . Sir Francis Festing , C . B ., K . C . M . G ., A . D . C ., an officer well known in Portsmouth , was initiated in the

lodge in this year . Among the later members of the lodge were Lieut . VV . Graham , R . N ., now Admiral Graham , C . B ., Controller of the Navy and Lord of the Admiralty ; Arthur Garrington , Moore Miller , E . Parson ( members of the medical profession ) , Col . Gait , a Magistrate of Portsmouth , and Mayor of the Borough in 1 SGS , and Grand Senior Deacon of the province in 1 S 50 ; Rear - Admiral Thomas Hutchinson

Mangles Martin ( first W . M . of the Clausentum Lodge , No . 1461 ) , Albert Besant , Owen Low ( members of the legal profession ) , j . B . Goldsmith ( the present Grand Junior Warden of the province ) , Col . Meehan ( twice W . M . of the lodge—in 1 SG 4 and 1 S 66—second W . M . of the United Brothers' Lodge , No . 10 G 9 , and Grand Senior Warden of the province in 1 S 65 ) , C . B . Longcroft ( County Coroner , and father of the head of a well-known firm of local

solicitors ) , Alfred Heather ( W . M . in 1 S 55 , who lield the office of Prov . Grand Treasurer for 10 years ) , and many others . The brethren subsequently joined in a thanksgiving service , conducted by the Rev . T . Fitzhardinge Moiton , R . N ., Chaplain of the lodge . The R . W . the Deputy Grand Master of England then presented a jewel to Bro . Mackay , of London , the oldest

member of the lodge , after which Colonel Crease , in a graceful and appropriate little speech , tendered the honorary membership of the Phcenix Lodge to the Deputy Grand Master , his lordship having been unanimously elected , Lord LATHOII cordially accepted the compliment , and acknowledged his sense of his obligation to the members . Votes of thanks were then given to the Grand and

Provincial Grand Officers for their attendance , and the lodge was closed in due form . The day ' s proceedings concluded with a banquet , which taxed to its utmost the resources of the George Hotel , the guests being accommodated in the various large rooms of theie $ rablishment . The to Ms were as follows : — " The Oueen and the Craft , " ' I . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., and

the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , " " The R . W . the Earl of Lathom , Deputy Grand Master , " " The Officers of Grand Lodge , Present and Past , " "The R . W . Prov . G . Master , VV . W . B . Beach , M . P ., " " TheOfficers of Prov . G . Lodge , Present and Past , " "The W . M ., Col . Crease , and the Officers , and continued success to the Lodge , " " The Worshipful Masters of Lodges in the Province , " "The Visitors , " "The Past Masters , " and the

Tyler's toast . The toasts were most cordially given , and drunk with enthusiasm , and most happily responded to by the several brethren . The W . M . added a toast to the usual list before the Tyler ' s was given , and in doing so , said he felt sure it would be very warmly received . He proposed "The Health of W . Bro . G . F . Lancaster , P . M ., P . P . G . Deacon , " who had assisted them so much in arranging the programme , and

had kindly acted as Director of Ceremonies for the day . The toast was received with great cheering , and Bro . LANCASTER , in response , thanked the W . M . and brethren in a few words for the honour they had done him , and then diverged to the subject of the Masonic Charities , and especially urged the claims of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution . Lord LATHOM took occasion to congratulate Bro . Lancaster , as the Secretary of the local Charity , upon the

progressitwas making , and said he entirely agreed with these Provincial Institutions . His lordship described , at some length , the objects and aims of the West Lancashire Charitable Institution , and mentioned the great results achieved by it . The Tyler's toast was then given . An interesting programme of music was performed by the band of the Royal Marine Artillery during and after the banquet .

Grand Evening Concert At Shanklin, Isle Of Wight.

GRAND EVENING CONCERT AT SHANKLIN , ISLE OF WIGHT .

On Thursday evening , the 19 th inst ., a grand concert was given at the Institute , through the kindness of Mr . Charlton Speer , ; in behalf of the Building Funds of the Chine Lodge . The room , we regret to say , was not well filled , the back

part containing many empty rows , though the reserved seats had been all taken by the residents and visitors , who seemed to appreciate thecapital programme provided . The performers , who generously gave their services , were all eminent artists , belonging cither to the Royal Academy or to the Royal College of Music , and thus guaranteed a complete success in the way of the musical performance . The concert was opened with a pianoforte

duet by the Messrs . Hoyte and Charlton Speer , and was rendered with great precision and brilliancy . Mr . Seymour Kelly followed with Pinsuti ' s beautiful " Bedouin Love Song , " which he sang with immense taste and effect , and received an enthusiastic encore , to which he responded by a simple acknowledgment . This gentleman is always a favourite with Shanklin audiences , and is well known for his singing in our choral festivals ; his fine bass voice is carefully cultivated , and he was also heard to great ad-

Grand Evening Concert At Shanklin, Isle Of Wight.

vantage in his second song , " Father O'Flynn . " Mr . fbyte , the talented organist of All Saints ' , Margaretstreet , gave a rare treat in his harmonium solos , " Contemplation " ( Lamothe ) , and " Meditation " ( Wely ); his playing is full of feeling and exquisite delicacy , and called forth loud plaudits . His pianoforte playing was even more beautiful , when he gave Scharwenka ' s " Polish Dance" and a Nocturne by Barnett , with Guilmant ' s

" Scherzo , " duet for the pianoforte and harmonium , in which he was joined by Mr . Speer , this being , perhaps , one of the gems of the evening , and it was listened to throughout with the warmest appreciation . Miss Hallett chose Milton Welling ' s popular song , "Golden Love , " and earned "golden " opinions by the freshness of her pretty high soprano voice , her cultured and refined style , and the general charm of her manner . Her upper

notes were remarkably clear , and she sang with expression and feeling , being enthusiastically encored in both songs , her selection in the second part including two by Mr . C . Speer— "Remember" and "Gossip "—both very taking compositions . Mr . Page gave " Fond hearts , farewell , " and the old favourite , " Tom Bowling , " the latter encored . He has a tuneful tenor , and sang with taste . Miss Stephenson has a very good mezzo soprano voice , and although her

first song , "Only for one , " ( Randegger ) , was hardly so taking as many others , she was immensely successful with Caldicott ' s pretty ballad , " Turning the tables , " to which she gave full effect and was loudly recalled ; she also joined Miss Hallett in Mendelssohn ' s lovely duet , " I would that my love , " the voices of the two ladies blending in- much harmony . Mr . Speer is no stranger to Shanklin , and his wonderful execution

and brilliant playing were given full scope in a Mazurka of Goddard's and a Tarantella b y Macfarren , although many may have preferred Chopin ' s Ballade , which was most beautifully played . The youthful violinist , Master Skipsey , did his part with great skill for so young a performer , and bids fair to make his mark in the days to come ; he played a Dans ; Espagnole , and a Sonata of Schubert's , the latter particularly well , and was

accompanied on the piano by Mrs . Bishop , who throughout rendered immense help by her artistic accompaniments , oneof the most important parts in any concert . In conclusion we would add that the concert reflects great credit upon all concerned , and we trust the Masonic funds may be much benefited thereby ; it was originated by Mr . Charlton Speer as a personal compliment to the Worshipful Master

of the lodge , Bro . Alfred Greenham , who , ever warmly interested in all Masonic matters , is at present engaged in forwarding the welfare of the coming grand Masonic Fete , which promises to be of such wide-spread interest , and is an assured success . We must heartily congratulate this gentleman upon his spirited endeavours , as well as upon the success of Thursday evening ' s concert .

Freemasonry In Hants And The Isle Of Wight.

FREEMASONRY IN HANTS AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT .

" By their fruits ye shall know them . " We believe the Freemasons , as a rule , so far from courting , rather discourage publicity of their proceedings , whether charitable or otherwise . But since a section of the public profess to believe , and seem to take a pleasure in proclaiming , the

Masons as a body to be nothing more or less than Gargantuans , Thursday ' s proceedings at Southampton of the Provincial Grand Lodge , having supervision of Masonry in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , may fairly be pointed to as proving that Freemasonry does not consist chiefly in eating and drinking . Besides the assistance given by private lodges and individual Masons to the Craft and

private Chanties , it was shown that , by provincial aid , one aged brother had been secured a place on the Benevolent Fund , and education in the Masonic Schools for four boys and three girls of brethren attached to the province . The grant by Provincial Grand Lodge to these three Institutions last year of 25 guineas each was increased by 10 guineas each , making a total vote of 105 guineas ; the Provincial

Charity Association was permanently placed on the list for an annual donation of 25 guineas , 50 guineas having been voted and paid last year to assist in starting ^ the Association ; and in addition to sums of £ 15 and £ 10 appearing in the accounts as voted and paid to the widows of Masons , ^ 20 was on Thursday voted to the widow of a deceased brother in the island . Bro . Le Feuvre , the Deputy Prov .

Grand Master , handed over to the Secretary of the Provincial Charity Association ; £ so of the sum subscribed for , and tendered to , him as the balance of a testimonial for many year ; . ' gratuitous services as Prov . Grand Secretary ; and the Secretary also reported the receipt of another cheque for £ 50 from one of the Portsmouth lodges , being the

moiety of a sum they had voted to the Charities . We think these practical exemplifications of what Masonry really is of sufficient interest thus to direct attention to them , simply adding that the need might not have arisen but for impressions which grievously wrong large numbers of Masons , and certainly misrepresent one chief aim of the Craft . —Hampshire Independent .

Who Cares ?

WHO CARES ?

Who cares whether Masonry originated in the Garden of Eden , or before the flood , or at the building of King Solomon's Temple ? What does it matter to us whether Xoah was Master of his lodge or not ? or whether or not Moses was a Mason , because he was versed in Egyptian mysteries ? What good would the knowledge of the fact

do us , living so many centuries after these worthy men were " gathered to their fathers ? " The question for us , as individuable members of the Order is , " Am I a Mason ?" Do I practice the purity taught by Masonic lessons ? When I entered the lodge for the first time I was taught to reverence the Creator of the world . I was told that my trust shoidd be in Him . ' Do I reverence the Great Architect of

the Universe ? Do I put my trust in Him ? Is my life in accordance with the truths He would teach me ? 1 had hardly passed the threshold of Masonry before f was told that these were four cardinal virtues , and I was admonished to practice them at all times . Do I heed this wise

admonition : Am I "temperate in all my acts , in my thoughts , in my judgment of my fellows ? Does prudence characterise my life ? Uo I show to the profane , as well as the Mason , that 1 possess fortitude sufficient to resist temptation , to defend the right , to espouse the cause of the downtrodden and oppressed ? Is justice a virtue that I

Who Cares ?

practice in all my dealings with the world ? I was told to ever walk as an upright man and Mason . Am I thus walking ? These are questions more Important to us as Masons than the question of antediluvian origin . We revere age , and we know enough of the antiquity of the Order to know that it is very ancient , and should be respected for its glorious past history . But that is enough to

know of its claim to antiquity . Let us expend our energies in endeavouring to learn the beautiful lessons taught in the several Degrees , and to live those blessed truths in our daily intercourse with the world . We need every safeguard we can get while passing through this world of care and sin , and let us shield ourselves behind the tried bulwarks of our Order . Let us preserve inviolate the tenets of our

profession , and hand down to the generations to come an unimpaired Brotherhood , made up of those who practice every day the lessons the lodge room taught them . Let us study our own lives , our own times , and in the brief span of life allotted to us do good to our fellow-men , and not lose the diamond crown while searching the dusty pages of the * ' ages before the flood " for something that in the end will profit us nothing . —N . Y . Dispatch .

The Masonic Exhibition At Shanklin.

THE MASONIC EXHIBITION AT SHANKLIN .

We are gratified at being able to announce that visitors to the above exhibition may obtain at any station on the London and South Western Railway , return day tickets to Shanklin at single fares , on stating the object of their journey . This generous concession on the part ol the

Railway Authorities should be the means of drawing a large number of visitors to this charming watering place , and so benefit the Chine Lodge , whose W . M . has so pluckily entered into this undertaking . The 7 a . m . train from Waterloo arrives at Shanklin at 11 a . m ., and the return journey need not be commenced till 5 . 40 , thus giving visitors a long day .

Bro. Henry Irving As The Host In America.

BRO . HENRY IRVING AS THE HOST IN AMERICA .

HIS BANQUET TO HIS YANKEE FRIENDS . The Nero York World gives the following account of this festivity : When Henry Irving is at home he dines in the room where Nell Gwynne made English history . The most brilliant men in Great Britain have laughed and fought

around the table on which he takes his supper . George III . and his anti-civil service reform successor have gone to sleep upon the edge of that ancient piece of furniture . The famous actor sat at Delmonico ' s board with his warmest American friends about him . In the afternoon he went to the Grand Central Depot to see Miss Ellen Terry and her daughter off for Narragansett Pier with Mrs .

Benoni Lockwood . The conversation on the train was so interesting that Mr . Irving was carried to Bridgeport before he knew it . Upon his return he found Mr . J . C . Parkinson , the English writer , who had waited three hours for him to come back . Under the gorgeous , milky bulbs of electric light there gathered a brilliant and jovial company . British and

American flags were grouped upon the walls ; British and American hearts were linked around three tables , Bro . Irving sat at the head of the guests' table , presiding over the feast . When little blue wreaths of smoke began to float upwards from the tables , Mr . Irving expressed his delight at being among Americans again .

So far as the chat about my building a theatre here or coming over to act again is concerned , " he said , "Imay say that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak . Nothing would give me greater delight , but , alas , I know that it is impossible . I didn ' t expect to see so many here to-night , for I was told that New York was very hot just now . It reminded me of the man who was dying . The clergyman

told him that he was going to a better land , the New Jerusalem , in fact . ' Ah , well , ' said he , ' Old England ' s good enough for my money . ' And I say to-nigh , New York is good enough for my money . " Here Mr . Irving announced that he had kindly cablegrams from Henry Ward Beecher , Oliver Wendell Holmes , Marshall P . Wilder , and other Americans abroad . He

also read a cable message from Bram Stoker and Stage Manager Loveday , ending with " Hail , Columbia ! God Save the Queen !" " I must express great regret , " he said , " that a very dear friend is not with us to-night . When I say that it is Ellen Terry you will know that I speak of one whose name is a household word for all that is good and charming in art . "

Some one proposed Miss Terry ' s health , and it was poured down with cheers . " She told me a day or two ago to give you all her love , " said Mr . Irving . " To-day she telegraphs that she sends her love to some of us . I suppose we will each think the same thing . A good deal has been said as to why I came here this year . Some said it was to act . Others said it

was to build a theatre . 1 will confess . The real reason is that I wanted to get canvasback duck and to let my friend Parkinson taste it . If I had known that canvasback was out of season I would have deferred my trip a month or two . Another reason for my coming is that 1 want to write a nautical drama , and Mr . Buck is to take me on a yachting cruise in order that I may collect proper material . But

the reason which comes from my heart is that I wanted to grip by the hand those friends who were kind to me when I was here before , and to bid them God speed . Next year you will be all in London at the great American exhibition , which will be a great success . I am informed that the population of the United States will then be 62 , 000 , 000 , and I'll put an extra row or two of seats in the Lyceum Theatre , if it is necessary , to get them all in . "

Mr . living was loudly applauded , and then the Napoleonic visage of General Horace Porter peered over the wildnerness of good things . He said that the real reason of Mr . Irving ' s visit was shrouded in mystery . " He is sent here by his Government , " he said , on a delicate mission—in fact , to settle the Canadian fisheries dispute . The yachting cruise got up by Mr . Buck is simply a pretext for taking him to the field of his new diplomatic labours . I have been recently in Canada myself . I was one of the only Americans who found it safe to return .