Craft Masonry.

, Bro . C H . Ellis proposed the toast of " Fhe W . M ., " and congratulated Bro . Bland ( n presiding over such a brilliant and hapoy gathering . ; Bro . J . W . Bland , W . M ., . in responding , assured the brethren , as well as the lady and other guests ,-that tie was pleased beyond measure at the success of the meeting , indeed he was so delighted and gratified tbat he hoped to be able to have the pleasure of inviting them again before the expiration of his year of office . The toasfc 61 . ' " Qur . Masonic Guests " was entrusted to Bro . Last , P . P . G . R ., who on behalf of the lodge , as wetras the . W . M ., cave them all a very hearty welcome .

Bro . H . E . Hodgson , W . M . 603 , responded for . f'The Visitors , " and thanked the W . M . for the privilege of beintr his rueston-thtt occasion , as it was such an enjoyable treat as he had never before enjoyed during hi « connection with Freemisonry . HTs wife also was so delighted with the experience that he felt that he also would like to invite the ladies ' , to' refreshment at his own Iodg * before he retired from the chair . 16 the present bappy meeting was a sample of theraannir in which the brethren of 2321 were accustomed to entertain their lady friends he was not surprised that Acacia was so well spoken of in the district .

"The Ladies" was very ably proposed by Bro . Fearnley , P . M ., and humorously responded to by Bro . Harrison . ; ¦ - ., ' ¦' During the evening a most enjoyable vocal and instrumental concert was given , in wbirh Miss Docksey and Bros ; Tqwnend , Sykes , Whitby-Norten , Cookson , Tayler , and Edwards . Bros . Diake and Town contributed recitations , which were well received .

Merton Lodge , No . 2790 . A regular meeting of this lodge was held in . the new Masonic Hall at Merton on the nth instant / attended by a good number of brethren and many visitors . ; After the . opening of the lodge , the . minutes of the last regular and emergency meetings were read and confiimed , ' the following gentlemen were subsequently

initiated : Messrs . W . H . Webb , J . W . Keech ; G . Templeman , C How , and W . Taylor , and Bros . Higgs , Smith , and Schweixer were raised to the Third Degree . Tht other business . of the evening— " Consideration of contribution from the lodge of instruction towards the rent of , the hall "r— having been satisfactorily disposed of the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to dinner , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured , and a pleasant evening spent .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

. . AT WINDSOR CASTLE the State Apartments were opened to the public on Boxing Day , and were visited by 903 persons , as against 812 on the same date two years ago . Last year the Queen was in residence at the Castle during Christmastide . ; , ON MARCH SI of next year the Highland Society of London will hold its 123 rd anniversary , when a number of officers of the Highland Regiments will be entertained to dinner , on their return from South Africa . General Hector MacDonald has written

accepting the invitation of the society , should he be home by that time . £ 50 , 000 ' FOR THS WOMEN ' AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE . —Bro . the Earl of Warwick , in an address at the Warwick School prize distribution at Warwick , last week , said that in answer to'Ladv Warwick ' s appeal for a saintly millionaire to continue and devrlope the work of her Women ' s Agricultural College at Reading , a wealthy gentlemap had since eome forward with an offer of £ 50 , 000 for the hostel .

THE ASSOCIATION OF MEN OF KENT AND KENTISH MEN have arranged for a Bohemian concert to be held at the Holborn Restaurant , on the 12 th prox ., and a Cinderella dance at the Bridge House Hotel on the 26 th piox ., particulars of -which , as well as those for membership , can be obtained from the Hon . Secretary , 11 , Fernholmoroad , Nunhead , S . E . The association , continuing its healthy progress , now numbers over seo members , 21 having been elected at the council meeting held on the 17 th inst .

AN ACTRESS who delighted a former generation of playgoers was commemorated at Brighton on Wednesday , when , on behalf of the subscribers , Bro . Sir Henry Irving handed over to the Mayor , as a gift , to the town , a marble bust of the late Miss Amy Sedgwick , a native of Bristol , where she was born in 1835 . Miss Sedgwick made her first appearance at Kichmond as Julia in "The Hunchback , " and after winning golden opinions in Ihe provinces she came out at the Haymarket Theatre , London , under Mr . Buckstone ' s manaeement . in 18 . W . as Pauline in " The Lady of Lyons , " gaining instant

recognition as a brilliant and accomplished comedienne . Her last appearance on the London stage was in 1877 , and for many years before her death , in 1 S 97 , she lived at Brighton , only emerging from her retirement to give elocutionary recitals on behalf of Charitable enterprises . The ceremony took place in the banqueting room of the lorn HaU , which was crowded with members of the theatrical and music il professions . A ipecial round of applause welcomed Bro . J . L . Toole as he made his way to the Mayor ' s side . The bust is of more than life-size , and is a fine piece of work by Signor Bezzano .

Masonic And General Tidings.

EARL CADOGAN . Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland , has appointed Lieutenant-Colonel J . F . G . Ross , of Bladensburg-, to succeed Mr . J . J . Jones in the office of Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police . LORD WILLIAM BERESFORD was slightly better rn Thursday evening , having rallied somewhat from his relapse of Wednesday . Sir Thomas Lauder Brunton visited him twice , and reported favourable on his condition .

WE ARE pleased to be able to announce that Bro . Lord Glanusk , P . G . M . Herefordshire , who has been lying seriously ill at his country seat , Glanusk Park , Breconshire , is making excellent progress towards convalescence .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES is to pay a visit to Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire , at Chatsworth , on the 7 th prox ., and will stay with them for a week . On the nth and 14 th prox .. amateur theatrical performances are to be given , Bro . Lord Roberts is expected at Chatsworth next month . BRO . THE DUKif AND DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH have been entertaining a large party for Christmas at Blenhein , Palace , among the guests being Lord and Lady Lurgan , Lady Sarah Wilson , Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest , Earl Howe and Viscount Curzon , Lord Hyde , Mr . and Mrs . George Cornwallis-West , Count Mensdorff , Colonel H . C . Norris , and Mr . Ivor Guest .

THERE was a great Masonic gathering at Capetown a few weeks ago , on the occasion of the centenary celebration of the Lodge " De Goede Trouw . " . A number of Worshipful Masters and Past Masters from every Capetown and many other Colonial Lodges were present , and the Grand Lodge of England was represented by its Senior Deacon , Bro . Sir William Marryatt . —The African Review .

AT A MEETING of W . Ms , and representatives of all the . lodges , held recently , a resolution was unanimously passed that the members of the lodges of Portsmouth and district should dine together . The Prov . G . Master , Bro . the Right Hon . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., having signified his approval of the idea , and his willingness , to preside on the occasion , it was further decided that the gathering should take place , at the Portsmouth Town HaU , on Tuesday , the 15 th prox .

AN IMPORTANT Masonic gathering will be held in Bournemouth in the month of January . This will be a meeting of the Grand Chapter of the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , and will assemble by command of the Grand Superintendent , on Monday , the 28 th prox ., at the Prince ' s HaU . Grand Hotel , at 3 . 45 p . m . In addition to the usual business and the appointment of the new Provincial Grand Officers for IQOI , the companions will consider a proposition for a grant from the Prov . Grand Chapter funds towards the "Beach Perpetual Presentation" tothe Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

NOTWITHSTANDING fogs , humidity , and unseasonableness generally , the health of London is in a highly satisfactory state , and , in fact , improves as the century wanes . According to the Registrar-General ' s report , the general death-rate in the metropolis last week was only 15 . 7 , which , for the end of December , shows a very satisfactory slate of affairs , and is certainly much better than it was a month ago . Indeed , in this respect London is almost on a par with Brighton , where the mortality was 15 . 1 . Croydon and West Ham , which may be regarded as suburbs of the metropolis , are credited with 13 . 9 and 11 . 6 respectively . Even influenza is on the down grade , and the deaths directly attributable to that malady fell from 15 a fortnight ago to nine .

THE QUEEN drove out at Osborne on Christmas afternoon , accompanied by her Royal Highness , the Duchess of Connaught and her Highness Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein , and her Majesty went out on Wednesday morning , accompanied by her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Battenberg . The Queen has sustained another great loss by the death ot the Dowager Lady Churchill , which took place suddenly at

Osborne on luesday morning . For nearly 50 years Lady Churchill had been the devoted and intimate friend of the Queen . Her Majesty , while sorely grieved by this sudden loss of one ( or whom she entertained the warmest affection , has not suffered in health from the great shock . The Queen's sorrow is most truly shared by all the members of the Royal Family , by whom Lady-Churchill was held in the greatest esteem .

AT KING S COLLEGE HOSPITAL jollification has been the order of the weik , and the customary strict rule of no smoking allowed being relaxed , the-male patients are enabled to enjoy a quiet whiff . Thursday afternoon was given over to the entertainment of the adult patients . The wards were tastefully and appropriatel y decorated , and the statue in the central hall of Mr . Robert Bentley Todd was cleverly il irreverently transformed into a realistic presentment of Father Christmas . From ward to ward went a band of willing workers , including the students themselves , singing , dancing , and making

merry for the benefit of the sufferers , many of whom , though unable to move about , appeared to be in the happiest state of spirits . Moreover , several members of the theatrical profession came freely to help , and in turn the patients had the opportunity of seeing several prominent members of the casts from Daly's and the Gaiety Theatres . To-day ( Friday ) will be the turn of the children , and for their delight a huge Christmastree , loaded with gifts to be distributed , has been prepared , while there is to be a magiclantern at work , with other good things to amuse them .

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BOUND IN OLOTH , GILT EDGES , PRICE 10 s . © t . ^ parft ' e rSifier ( Mumme . The Copyright of this valuable nnd useful Musical Work , which has for somo time been out of print , has been purchased by i Bro . GEORGE KENNJNG , and is republished in the same attractive form as hitherto issued . DEDICATED UY EXPRESS PERMISSION TO H . B . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , Past & Present Grand Master of England & Wales . Printed and Published by GEORGE KENNING , 16 and 16 A , GREAT QUEEN STREET ( Opposite Freemasons' Hall ) , LONDON , W . C . j