Masonic Ball At Darlington.

had thus to be taken by instalments . Afterwards Terp ischore resumed the sway , and retained it until an advanced hour . There was no hitch in thc arrangements—for which

Mr . Mewburn , Mr . R . A . Luck , and Mr . Morrell arc chiefly responsible . From first to last , and altogether , the Restoration Lodge has reason to congratulate itself on the results of the first Masonic ball in Darlington .

Masonic Ball At Rochdale

MASONIC BALL AT ROCHDALE

The Masonic Ball , in aid of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , was held in the Town Hall , Rochdale , yesterday evening , when there was a large muster of members of " the craft ' •* residing in Rochdale and the immediate

neighbourhood , together with members from a distance , and a number of non-masons . The arrangements for the ball were most excellent . The large hall , in which thc ball was held , was very handsomely decorated hy Mr . Snowden ,

cabinet maker , of this town . In the refreshment department-, the purveyor was Bro . John Rostron , of the Black Horse Hotel , Earn worth , near Bolton , and the refreshment rooms at the Southport and Bolton Railway Stations , and

who deserves unqualified praise for his admirable catering , the bill of fire being most complete . It may be interesting to our readers to know that the Harmony Lodge , No . 29 S

( Rochdale ) , is one of the vice-patrons of the school , and that two Rochdale hoys are now being educated there , whilst four have left the ¦ institution . The ball was under most *

influential patronage , tlie names of titled personages being prominent on the list . The local committee of management consisted of liro . Ralph Collingwoo . - . ' , W . M . 3 6 3 , president ; Bro . J ) . Richardson , S . W . 1129 , vice-president ; and

Bro . James Holroyd , 1 \ M . 29 S , P . G . S . B ., treasurer . Secretary Bro . W . Ashworth , Prov . First Grand Captain , Lancashire and representatives from the following lodges—Hope , Harmony , Keystone , Probity and Freedom , and

St . Chad ' s . I'he canemg commenced shortly after nine o ' clock to the strains of Bro . Goodwin ' s quadrille band . Mons . Paris officiated as master of the ceremonies . The brethren were in full ( h ' * s cr . ifi c ! aihing until eleven o ' clock ,

alter that n-au * l ;? e brethren appeared in tlie various dresses oi" . 'lar '; , Hoyal Arch , Kni ghts Templar , Rose Croix , 30 ' , ivc , and wore the jewels and insignia of their rank and office . Their appearance with the gaily- coloured dresses

of the ladies served to make quite a brilliant scene . The Stewards being distinguished by a beautiful Badge or Favour from the establishment of Bro . Geo . Kenning . Shortly after the

ball commenced there were 200 dancers in the hall , and the number continued to increase up to eleven o ' clock . The dancing was kept up with unflagging spirit until an early hour this morning .

• A VISIT TO I-. iaa . ' s de ,,.-, MANII , \ i mm-. "— 'I *! irmi ** li I ' . IC kindness of Ms * l *' jM '* . I • ¦ eiauly laid an opportunity of scein < - lhe m * iny omiplic . i ' . cd and * . a : icd processes ihc Coe ,. a be :,,, pls ^ es throilKh art- il is M , I , 1 for puhlic u , e , anil lieiiiR I , oth interested and highly pie . a-cd null v / .-.-.-. i I saw I ' . nriti ' , ' my visit -,, the inanufa . lorv I llii . njjlil a l . nel account , 1 * thu Cocoa . ar . d ihc way it is nianiif . ic . turcd hy , \ l , " . » r * . l-. pps , lo lit il un * : i wholc-omc . and uulialions hevcrae , e , infill hi : 11 , inters ,: lo the readers of / . „¦« , / and iyltt , r —Sue Article i » L . nril „„ .,, * ;; ; , r , r , Oct her I j .

,..,, ' * ' * y mudi pleasure 111 slntiiieth . it tlmm , ; Ii usim ; vour Pain Killer I have had , and am sliil liavin ,:, wonderful relief from ; i Ion ;; . * ind pninlnl illnc ¦ ., ari-iin : from rheumatic , ;< im am ! nervous convulsions , which have <¦ -. . ended over a period of seven vears . . ¦ aiisniK paralysis of the limb ... | i „ t | , i * _ -ci M „ e from what j have a ready c-prncn . cd mat ¦ ¦ medicine will entirely restore nie .-\\ . AUKS , lloxton , Ma > , iS _ .-Tu 1 ' erry Davis & Son , London ,

Grand Lodge Affairs.

GRAND LODGE AFFAIRS .

SIR , —I have delayed taking any notice of the letter written by " A Past Master " in the Courant of Monday , December 2 , and of your article following on it , in the hope that "A Past Master" would have acknowledged the correctness of the statements of the Grand

Master , and of the Grand Clerk , since published . "Past Master ' s" letter has been widely circulated , and lias given rise to misapprehension . In these circumstances I beg to request the insertion of the following remarks .

The debt of Grand Lodge amounts as stated to about - £ 13 , 000 . That sum is heritably secured on property of Grand Lodge , and that property belongs exclusively to the ¦ n' fiok members of the Scotch Craft , and not , as one would infer from the statements in thc Courant

to any section of the order resident m Edinburgh or elsewhere . Lord Rosslyn ' s propositions gave shape to a desire which had long existed , that this debt should be extinguished , and that charities . should be founded for the benefit of the order .

At the time Grand Lodge acquired its present subjects , it was possessed of a sum of about ¦ £ 3 , 000 only , and the property was acquired , and the hall and other buildings erected , by the consent of all . These buildings are situated in

one of the best ancl most improving parts of the city , and are valued by experienced valuators at about - £ 17 , 000 . Debt was thus necessarily contracted * but ( "Irand Lodge has an equivalent for it , nnd more , in the value of the buildings themselves . In these circumstances the

question really comes to be—Is this property to be retained , or sold ? Jf sold , Grand Lodge must again hold its meetings in hotels , or other similar places . This is undesirable , as the craft would injure its influence and position , and many necessary facilities would be lost in the

working ot the order , both as regards Grand I . odge itself , and daughter lodges . 1 believe the universal wisli i . s to retain the property . If this he so , the balance of its price must be paid . Now , how is tin ' s to be done ? The subjects

are tne common property ot every individual member of the Scotch constitution , and these members , rich and poor , are alike benefitted by them , and are thus in reality the debtors . Some years ago the fees of diplomas were 4 s . ( id . each , and were then reduced to 2 s . Od .

Grand I . odge has again increased the fee to 5 s . In making ( his increase . Grand I . odge has virtually re-enacted ils former charger ; and this charge is paid by entrants only on their admission , and one * for all . Grand Lodge also some years ago r . \\>; : ; : nciiact ! daughter iivo have no ' * aiiiii .-ited "' ) lodges to pay -i \\ annually towards

liquidation of thc debt , but which is in reality the balance of the price , whicli is secured to the persons who advanced that balance by the bonds over the subjects , ' [ 'his recommendation has in some instances been given effect to , and all that Grand Lodge has now done i . s to make the recommended payment compulsory .

There is nothing out of the way or oppressive in all this ; and il" these payments are made the result will be that in nine years or thereby tlie li'ltolc debt of Grand Lodge will be extinguished , and its whole annual surplus revenues , which will be then upwards of _/' 2 , ooo , devoted to charitable purposes .

Grand Lodge has resolved ti > apply this annual surplus by distributing it among its several . Masonic Provinces , according to the number of their annual entrants . In place of crippling the efforts of lodges in *' the projects of education and beneficence , " these exactions will benefit very greatly our provincial brethren ; and in

provinces already having a benevolent fund , the money which will be thus allocated will form an invaluable aid ; and in other districts , where no benevolent efforts have yet been made , the brethren there may apply the money towards any charitable objects they may select . Grand Lodge has further provided , in order to secure the proper application of the money to

Grand Lodge Affairs.

be thus raised , a board of trustees , consisting of three members of each Provincial Grand Lodge , the Substitute Grand Master , and two members of Grand Committee .

Of this scheme all members of Grand Lodge had intimation * and not only so , but the Grand Secretary , in order to ascertain the views of leading members of the Craft , did what is unusual—communicated the various motions on

the subject to them * . Of the brethren so consulted one only disapproved of the scheme , and while doing so he agreed to the propriety of the liquidation of the debt , but propounded another scheme which did not meet with acceijtance .

The Metropolitan Lodge , as " A Past Master , ' terms Grand Lodge , is common to all , and its existence is essential to the wellbeing and good government of the whole Craft . Like the Houses of Parliament , and other national institutions ,

its maintenance is derived from the contributions of the body of which it is the common head ; and it cannot be said that the increase on tlie diploma fee , and the small annual payment of one pound yearly by daughter lodges ,

will " make the terms of membership onerous throughout the country . " It is well known that the entrance fees in Scotch lodges are very small , and that th ~ y are considered so by members of other Grand Lodges ; and it is certainly undesirable to admit any man to the

privileges of the Order who is unable to pay so small an increase as half-a-crown on these fees . As to the small annual payment by the lodges , I cannot believe that any lodge exists which has twenty members who will hesitate to contribute one shilling yearly towards its payments .

If , therefore , the balance due on the price ot Grand Lodge property is to be paid , it is scarcely possible to conceive any scheme more simple , which would fall more lightly on the members of lodges , and which would be more easily collected .

The suggestion " Past Master" makes to raise the money by subscriptions was taken into consideration by thc Substitute Grand Master , and others , and these experienced brethren and

men of business , after deliberation , arrived at the conclusion that although a most liberal subscription were obtained it would be wholly inadequate in amount for the purpose .

"Past Alaster" states that Grand Lodge has seldom or never made any assessment imposed exclusively on its members , and lhat it sanctions " prodigal expenditure in banquelings and cratherings for parade and pleasure . " These

statements are unjust and incorrect , and ought not to have been made without enquiry . 'I'he brethren attending banquets and gatherings bear their own charges ; and the members of ( fraud Lodge do have exclusive imposts made on them

and from that source , and the annual payments of" the lodges in Edinburgh alone , is derived the income of the fund of Scottish Masonie benevolence ; anil that fund is chiefly , as is well known , applied in relieving the necessities ot brethren in places other than Edinburgh , whose

lodges do not contribute one sixpence towards the fund . Apart from the Benevolent Lund , member . ** of the Grand Lodge contribute an annual payment of considerable amount towards the common funds of the Order ; and I may mention that so anxious were the members of

( fraud Lodge to facilitate the liquidation of its debt , that by a majority of something like 200 to 12 it renounced its interest in the diploma . I ' ^ , and resolved that tlie expenditure of Grand Lodge must be restricted by the sum thus surrendered .

1 may observe , as showing a curious inconsistency , that it was the proxy master of a leading Ayrshire Lodge ( Kilwinning ) who objected to this enforced economy in Grand Lodge

expenditure , and that the Provincial Grand Master of East Renfrew and the Depute Master of tlie Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow were among tlie few who voted with him .

As regards the conjunction of the offices of Grand Secretary and ( fraud Clerk , " A Past Master" must , or at least ought , to know that repeated motions within the last seven years