Obituary.

( Continued from page 631 . ) Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , to the office of Grand Sword Bearer . No doubt many worthy brethren had held office in Grand Lodge , and rightly deserved the honour they obtained , and it gave great pleasure to all the brethren to know that Bro . Bywater met with that reward which his position deserved . A great many of them were gathered together on the occasion of Her Majesty's Jubilee a few months later , and a great sight it was when they were collected in the Royal

Albert Hall . It was a sight never to be forgotten how their brother distinguished himself in his position , he bore the sword before the Grand Master with dignity and self-possession , nerve , and confidence ; he desired to do wlat was right in the Craft , as he always had done in Masonry . Then the brethren thought that on the present occasion they ought to do something very special in consideration of such services and such a special event . They decided that they could not do better than present him with

his portrait , and that it would be the most acceptable if it could be painted by his daughter Katherine . They were quite sure it would be painted in a way that would meet with the approval of the whole of the brethren . He was sure the brethren would say it could not have been done so well by any one else . Looking at it the brethren would say there was life thrown into the picture in addition to skill . He asked Bro . Bywater , in the name of the lodge , to accept of this portrait ,

and he hoped he might be spared many years to the brethren and his daughters and son . In the whole course of Bro . Bywater's career there had been no jar in the lodge , and as long as God preserved the Royal Athelstan Lodge he hoped there never would be . It had been the result of that kindly feeling which always existed in the ledge . ( The portrait was then uncovered , and met with general approbation . )

After the portrait had been unveiled , Bro . Dix said the brethren must all feel that they owed a debt of gratitude to the artist as well as their kind fraternal regards to Bro . Bywater . The toast was then enthusiastically drunk . Bro . W . M . BYWATER , P . M ., P . G . S . B ., who , on rising to respond , was received with loud cheers , said : W . M ., ladies , my brother visitors , and brethren of No . 19 , f am quite sure that at this moment you will sympathise with meand acknowledge that I stand in a most difficult position in my attempts to thank you , as I

have to do , for this grand manifestation of your goodwill towards me . It has been my happiness to be associated , as you have just b » en told , so many years with this lodge , and it has been a continual feast of love—of brotherly love ; and as years go by my affections towards the lodge become stronger and stronger , You know , brethren , 50 years are a long time to look back to . We have had her Majesty's jubilee , and there is a discussion as to the manner of celebrating her 60 th year . Therefore I need not offer any remarks about the great progress

that has been made in art , or literature , or science during that time . But I think I may reasonably allude to the wonderful progress that has been manifested in the Masonic circle . I find that when I was initiated 50 years ago we had only about £ 00 , certainly not more than 600 lodges . We have now , I believe , over 2600 . That is a grand advancement , and it must be hoped that amidst the thousands that have been brought within the sway of the square and compasses there have not been many black sheep . Brethren , our Charities demand also a word . We have

our Girls' School and our Boys School , and the Annuities and the Asylum for the Old Folks . Well , the Girls' School in 1846 was located in St . George ' s Fields and had about—I say " about , " because I am not definite with regard to the numberabout 40 pupils . The pupils are now housed in the vicinity of Wandsworth to the number of 270 . ( Applause ) . Take our Boys , they were about the same number at the period I speak of . They were educated at private schools in the vicinity of their own homes . Now they are lodged in a most excellent house at Wood Green

to the number of girls in the Girls' School , about 270 . ( Renewed applause . ) As for the Old Folks—the old men and old women—they were relieved to a considerable extent at the time I refer to ; but now there are something like between 400 and 500 annuitants taking between them something like ^ 15 , 000 a year to keep them . That is a grand advance . ( Cheers . ) In 1846 the united festivals of the three Charities produced nearly £ 3000 . In the present year the united festivals have produced something like ^ 54 , 000 . And , brethren ,

this is cheering to a well-disciplined Mason . It shows something like " Excelsior " —forward , upward—and it is due , no doubt in a large measure , to the prestige of the M . W . G . M . and the great influence he has brought to bear upon Freemasonry . But we must not speak of the Grand Master only , loyal as I am to him . We have a Pro Grand Master and other Grand Officers—Lord Lathom in particularand , considering the high position in which he stands , and the demands upon his time , he seldom fails to appear at any festivals of Freemasons or any function of

theirs at which he feels they would benefit by his attendance . ( Applause . ) I remember very well the home of the Athelstan Lodge , where I was initiated—the George and Blue Boar in Holborn—the site of which is now occupied by the Inns of Court Hotel , from which the Leeds coaches went , and a great many mails started from that hostelry . I was made at a time when at that place there was not the odour of sanctity , but the odour of the stables , and there we had many good old Masons—Stephen Barton Wilson , and William Honey , and John Savage

—whose portrait the lodge possessed—and many other notable men in their day and generation . They have all passed away and gone . But here I stand , by the providence of God , as their representative on this occasion . But , brethren , think not that I am quite alone . I have some other Past Masters coming on close on my heels , and all I can say is if you will admit such hale and hearty young fellows you must expect at last they will become a burden to you . ( Laughter . ) The absence of one distinguished Grand Officer I regret , but in his kind letter he hopes

to sit at my centenary , and I am sure our Bro . Barnes is ever ready with his pencil to take the name of a brother to have here on that occasion . I have had an overpowering compliment paid me in your presenting me with that address and that portrait , which I look at until I begin to hate him . If you knew the many smiles that were demanded while I was standing for it , you would well suppose no other smile could be extracted from me —( laughter)—and I did not know I could until I came to this meeting , when I saw so many smiling ladies around me . I

ought to thank you sufficiently ; but I must say the labours of the Portrait Committee have , to my knowledge , stimulated the artist to her best , and she Ia > done it conscientiously , and if there are brethren among them whom I may specially refer to , I would mention the names of Bros . H . Glenn , James Dix , and C . B . Barnes , who have laboured most assiduously . I said just now , being a man of few words I know not how to express myself sufficiently . I am reminded of a celebrated Bishop Magee . It is

said of him , when dining out the waiter deposited the contents of a soup plate in his lap . Smarting , the Bishop said : " Is there no layman present who will express my feelings . " ( Laughter . ) That is my case . 1 look around for someone j I do not see a volunteer , and therefore I say at once—thank you all , and God bless you . ( After a pause . ) There is virtue sometimes in a postscript . I have thought it desirable to ask you , on behalf of the lodge , W . M ., to accept of a loving-cup as a memento of this occasion , and in it I beg to drink " Success to the Royal Athelstan Lodge , and may it prosper root and branch . "

The loving-cup was then passed round , all drinking out of it . The inscrip - tion on it was— " Presented to the Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 , by Bro . Witham Matthew Bywater , P . M ., P . G . S . B ., on the occasion of his attaining his Jubilee . 12 Nov ., 1896 . " The toast of "Tbe I . P . M . and Past Masters" was acknowledged by Bro , W HADCOAT , P . M .

Each of the initiates responded to the toast of "The Initiates , " and the loasts of " The Ladies , " " The Visitors , " and " The Treasurer , Secretary , and Officers " followed , and the Tyler's toast closed the proceedings ,

Masonic Service At St. Philips, Earl's Court.

MASONIC SERVICE AT ST . PHILIPS , EARL'S COURT .

A most successful Masonic service was held at the above church on S unday evening the 15 th inst ., and , in spite of the wretched weather , the sacred edifice was crowded in all parts . The service commenced with the Processional Hymn— " The Church ' s one Foundation " —which was sung by the choir , who entered the church preceded by the Churchwardens wearing Masonic clothing and carrying wands . Between the boys and men of the choir , the W . M . of the Kensington Lodge , Bro . A . T . Turner , supported by Bros . W . B . Neville , P . M ., and R . H . Williams , P . M ., P . p "

J . G . W ., carried the open Volume of the Sacred Law on a cushion , which was afterwards reverently deposited on a white pedestal in the Sacrarium . fmmediately after the choir came a procession of over 150 Masons of all ranks , amongst them being Bros . W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treasurer ; Harry Tipper , P . G . Purst Captain Reid . Prov . G . M . of Banff ; S . W . Keene , P . P . G . P . ; A . Higerty , P p ' G . W . j A . E . ^ oung , P . G . S . B . ; H . Nash , P . P . G . R . ; G . Gardner , P . P . G . S . B G . H . Lister , P . G . S . B . ; W . J . Nash , P . P . G . D . ; and many other brethren of distinction .

The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were sung to Sir J . Stainer ' s beautiful setting in A . The lessons were read by Bros . Darby Reade and Dr . Robbins

P . G . C . The first anthem was " O , rest in the Lord , " faultlessly sung by Miss Greta Williams , whose singing is always so particularly appreciated by Kensington Masons . This was followed by the chorus , " He that shall endure to the end . " After the prayers had been intoned by Bro . the Rev . H . V . Tyrrell , the choir sang two choruses from Spohr ' s anthem , " How lovely are Thy dwellings fair . " Bro . the Rev . W . SMALE , M . A ., the Vicar , then preached the sermon , in the course of which he made graceful and careful allusions to the Craft .

During the singing of the hymn , " O , Lord of Heaven and earth and sea , " the offertory was collected by various brethren , and presented at the altar by the Vicar , its object being the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . After the alms had been presented , Bro . Norman Salmond sang " For behold darkness " and " A people that walked in darkness , " from the " Messiah , " in which his fine voice was heard to great advantage . After tine Benediction , " Onist is our corner-stone " was sung as a Recessional , during which the choir , clergy , and brethren left the church .

The whole proceedings passed off with the greatest precision . Bro . E . Warden Denniss , P . M ., D . C , and M . E . Z . elect 2108 , was the Director of Ceremonies .

Masonic Service At St. Catharine's Church, Hatcham.

MASONIC SERVICE AT ST . CATHARINE'S CHURCH , HATCHAM .

A special service to commemorate the long reign of the Queen was held last Sunday evening at St . Catharine ' s Church , under the auspices of the Lodge of the Roval Leopold Lodge , No . 1669 , by special dispensation granted by the Grand Master . Prior to the service , the following congratulatory telegram was sent to the

Queen at Windsor Castle . May it please your Majesty to accept the heartfelt congratulations of the Vicar and brother Masons assembled on the occasion of a special Masonic service at St . Catherine ' s , Hatcham , to commemorate the sixtieth year of an honoured and beneficent reign . Wishing your Majesty future blessings . HOWARD J . H . TRUSCOTT , St . Catherine ' s Vicarage , Hatcham . "

The service commenced with the singing of the national anthem , and the Rev . J . S . Barrass , rector of St . Michael's , Bassishaw , City , preached the sermon . The following reply was received later in the evening , addressed to the Vicar : — " The Queen thanks you and your brother Masons for your kind congratulations . "

Lodges And Chapter Of Instruction.

Lodges and Chapter of Instruction .

PROSPERITY LODGE , No . 65 . A meeting was held on Wednesday , the 25 th inst ., at the Weavers' Arms , London Wall , E . G ., when there were present Bros . VV . J . Greig , W . M . ; J . Kinipple , S . W . ; S . Spencer , J . W . j W . C . Thomas , P . M ., Treas . ; H . T . Meadows , Sec ; E . T . W . Drake , S . W . j A . J . Rippin , 192 , J . D . j Bullworthy , I . G . j H . J . Harriss , P . M . ; D . Harluw , ( Preceptor ) , P . M . j Jas . Smith , 192 , P . M . ; Umlon , P . M . j E . Sirson , W . M . 192 ; William Baker , J . G . Robeson , Collins , Farr , Fishleigh , Lockett , Stokes

all of Lodge 192 , Shipman , Cuzner , and Strong . The lodge being opened and the minutes of the last meeting read and confirmed , the W . M . rehearsed the ceremonies of passing and raising in a most masterly manner , Bros . Stokes and Robeson being the candidates . This being the first meeting of a new Masonic year of this Iodge of instruction , the

report of the Audit Committee , which showed the lodge to be in a most satisfactory and flourishing state , was brought forward and adopted , after which the following brethren were unanimously re-elected for the ensuing year , viz ., Bros . D . Harlow , P . M . 65 , Preceptorj VV . J . Greig , W . M . 65 , Assistant Preceptorj W . C Thomas , P . M . 65 , Treasurer ; H . T . Meadows , W . M .. 1571 , Secretary ; and James Smith , P . M . 192 , Assist Sec

It being announced that the lodge would beat the disposal of the Lion and Limb Officers , on VVednesday next , 2 nd prox ., it was closed in due form and the meeting adjourned .

Ad01204

WORTH KNOWING , " I've wandered much this weary mortal round , and Sage Jixperience bids me this declare , " THE BRITISH ^ VOXfcKIVEAlSrS THE LIFE OFFICE OF THE PEOPLE . _^ BRITISH WORKMAN'S AND GENERAL ASSURANCE COMPANY , LIMITED . Established in 1866 . CHIEF OFFICES —Birmingham ; LONDON CITV OFFICES—2 , West Street , Finsbury Pavement . District and Branch Offices throughout London and the Provinces . A complete History frre by post on application . ORDINARY & INDUSTRIAL ASSURANCE . No Irksome Restrictions ; Liberal Terms ; Surrender Values ; Prompt Settlements ; Annual Income , 643 8 , 250 ,