Rosicrucian Society.

Council was held two hours previously , Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., presiding . The amended rules were put , discussed seriatim , and all the letters received on the subject read and considered , and such alterations made as were deemed advisable ; those rules were then ordered to be

printed and promulgated as the rules of the Order from henceforth , superseding the original ones , which had become obsolete from the extension of the Order to the provinces . Forms for four parchment and vellum warrants , patents , and certificates , were presented by the Secretary-General , Frater Peek , and duly approved of .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The General Committee of Subscribers to this Institution met on Thursday afternoon at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Col . Creaton , G . Treasurer , in the chair . There were also present Bros . J . M . Case , E . H . Finney , Thomas Massa , H . A . Dubois , VV . Bailey , Joshua Nunn , Frank Richardson

James Peters , Peter de Lande Long , E . Letchworth , E . C . Mather , C . Hammerton , F . R . W . Hedges ( Secretary ) , and H . Massey ( Freemason ) . After ^ the minutes had becn read , Bros . Massa , F . Richardson , J . M . Case , and A . J . Duff Filer gave in nominations for the House and Audit Committe to be elected next meeting . The Secretary was directed to write to the Scrutineers of Votes at last election to ask them to serve in the same

capacity at the election next month . l'he visit of the Stewards of the forthcoming festival of the Institution was announced to take place on the 17 th prox ., whenthey will meet Sir Michael Hicks Beach , M . P ., the Chairman of the festival of the Institution . Petitions for placing children on the list of candidates were then examined , and candidates placed on the list . The Committee then adjourned .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . CHARLES VENABLES . On Good Friday one of the best of friends and Masons died—Bro . Charles Venables , of the Paper Works , Taplow , P . M . of the Enoch Lodge , No . 11 , Grand Organist of Berks and Bucks , & c . He died at home peacefully , after a very short illness , anxiously watched and tended by his devoted Jwife , under the [ glorious woods of Clieveden , by our charmingold river Thames , that we all love so wellthe scene of his early associations and after years of

happiness . On the following Thursday he was taken to his last resting place , by the side of his little daughter , in Cookham Churchyard , and there his many friends and many of his brother Masons heard sung by some of those who loved him the following beautiful verses : —

" Now the labourer ' s task is o'er ; Now the battle day is past ; Now upon the farther shore __ Lands the voyager at last . Father , in Thy gracious keeping , Leave we now Thy servant sleeping .

There the tears of earth are dried ; There its hidden things are clear ; There the work of life is tried By a juster Judge than here . Father , in Thy gracious keeping , Leave we now Thy servant sleeping .

" There no more the powers of Hell Can prevail to mar thy peace ; Christ the Lord shall guard them well , He who died for tlieir release . Father , in Thy gracious keeping , Leave we now Thy servant sleeping . " ' Earth to earth , and dust to dust , '

Calmly now the words we say , Leaving him to sleep in trust ^ Till the Resurrection Day . Father , in thy gracious keeping , Leave wc now Thy servant sleeping . "

Many a brother Mason will long remember his manly bearing , kindness of heart , and love of music , and will feel assured that T . G . A . O . T . U . has taken him home thus suddenly in His wisdom for His own good purposes , to join that Grand Lodge above where honour , peace , and glory live for ever .

General Tidings.

General Tidings .

I he General Post Oflice is about to be li g hted i by electricity . A special Court of Governors of the Scottish Cor poration was held on Wednesday last at the hall of the Corporation , Fleet-street , for the election of , at least , thirteen pensioners to £ 12 per annum , from a list of forty candidates whose ages vary from sixty-eight to eightyseven years .

fhe Messrs . Gatti , having acquired thc freehold of the Adelphi Theatre , intend converting the premises above the theatre into a handsome smoking saloon for their patrons . Mr . H . Kains-Jacl'son , reporting on the crop prospects , says the farm lands of the country must now be

worth ten millions sterling more than they were two years ago . As regards the growing crops , they are all very backward , and the wheat plant is not regular in colour , but it is generally well rooted and is tillering satisfactorily . Upon the whole , better crops are expected this year in the South of England than have been had for several years .

l'he announcement of Her Majesty ' s intention to hold a review of Volunteers in Windsor Great Park in May is incorrect . The Review , it is understood , will not 'ake place in that month at all . The Oueen usually leaves Windsor about the 21 st of May for Scotland , and returns to the South about the iSthof June . Tlie Royal Review , under these circumstances , may , therefore , be expected to occur at the end of Jur . e on Her Majesty ' s return from Lalmoral , and prior to her summer visit to Osborne .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

Bro . H . G . Barwell , thc Provincial Grand Secretary of Norfolk , has been active in collecting sums from the Norwich lodges for the benefit of the Norwich Jenny Lind Infirmary and Lying-in Charity . The Honorary Secretaries of those Institutions acknowledge the receipt , per Bro . Barwell , from Union Lodge , No . 52 , £ 10 ios . ;

Social Lodge , No . 93 , £ 5 ; Walpole Lodge , No . . 1500 , £ 5 ; Royal George Chapter , £ 4 4 s ., to be equally divided bcween those Charities . An anonymous brother also forwards £ 10 ios . for a similar purpose . We may add that Bro . Barwell takes an active part in thc Masonic Charities as well as those of a local nature .

At the last meeting of the Williamson Lodge , No . 949 , Bro . Alex . T . Munroe , W . M ., in thc chair , held at Monkwcarmouth , Sunderland , Bro . G . Porteous , S . W ., was unanimously elected W . M . for the epsuing year . Bro . Thomas Evans was yesterday ( Friday ) installed W . M . of the Antient Briton Lodge , No . 1675 , for the second time , at the Masonic Hall , Hope-street , Liverpool . A report of the meeting will appear in our next

. Wc arc pleased to note that at Smyrna , on the news of thc catastrophe in Scio , the Masons were the firstto move . They formed a Committee of Masons of all nations , led by Bro . Captain Stab , P . District Grand garden , Bro . Mill , and others of our jurisdiction . Bro . Mil ! was despatched to thc island , and

at once opened a soup kitchen , in the working of which She was assisted by brethren there . Fifty thousand rations of soup were distributed in four days among the sufferers by the earthquake , without distinction of creed or race . DESTRUCTION * BY FIRE OF DUNEDIN MASONIC HALL . —About two o ' clock on Sunday morning , the 13 th February , the old hall—that source of trouble and

annoyance to members of Dunedin lodges—became a thing of the past , and it was , indeed , fortunate that the flames which consumed the eyesore did not take a firm hold of more valuable premises . The newly-erected coffee palace immediately in front and adjoining the old hall was much damaged , and the bakery machinery and stock , belonging to Mr . Hudson , the proprietor of the Masonic Hall , who

carried on his business immediately under the meeting place of our brethren , was entirely destroyed . The whole of the property of the different lodges , with trifling exceptions , including the expensive regalia of the District Grand Lodges , was consumed , and the loss is estimated to be over ^ Tiooo for Masonic property alone , which is only partially covered , as follows : Lodge of Dunedin , organ , £ C , o ( Victoria ) ; Otago Kilwinning Lodge , _{ . ' ioo ( National ); Celtic

Lodge , £ . 125 ( National ) , the damage to the collee palace is said to be more than covered by insurance , while the old Masonic Hall building is reported to have been insured for £ 2000 , and Mr . Hudson's plant and stock for £ 3000 . It is a great pity that the whole ofthe lodges did not insure their property ; but those who did not take the necessary precautions looked forward , no doubt , to very soon getting out of the " old oven " where they had sorepeatedly undergone the steaming process . —New Zealand Freemason .

By the last mail thc patent for thc appointment by the M . W . G . M . M . the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom of Bro . Thos . Sherlock Graham as P . G . M . M . reached Dunedin , and that respected brother ' s installation will , probably , take place at an early date . —New Zealand Freemason .

The handsome service of plate given by the brethren of the Province of Middlesex to their Grand Master , Bro . Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., was on view at the Inhibition at Richmond , and was much admired . Bro . Lord Waveney , P . G . M . Suffolk , has addressed a lengthy letter tu the Secretary of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture on the subject of agricultural depression .

The Prince lid ward of Saxc-Weimar Lodge will be consecrated in the Lecture Hall , Penny-street , Portsmouth , on Wednesday next , the ist prox ., by Bro . VV . XV B . Beach , M . P ., when H . R . I I . Prince Leopold , P . G . W ., is expected to be present . The VV . M . elect is Lord Chas . Beresford , Past G . W . Devon . H . R . H . Prince Edward will be the first initiate .

LANGTON LOI . GK , NO . 16 73 . —A report of the installation meeting of this lodge will appear in our next . The Audley Lodge , No . 1896 , was consecrated on Tuesday last by the R . VV . Prov . G . Master , Bro . Sir W . VV . Wynn , Bart ., M . P . The ceremony was performed in the Town Hall , Newnort , Salop .

Bro . Sir W . XV . Wynn , Bart ., M . P ., presided at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales and Salop at the Town Hall , Newport , Salop , on Tuesday , a large number of biethren being present . The Fifteen Sections were worked in the La

Tolerance Lodgeof Instruction , No . 53 S , on Wednesday week , held at thc Green Dragon , Maddox-strect . Bros . J . Hurdcll , S . D . 134 S , W . M . ; W . H . Richardson , S . VV . 134 S , S . W . ; J . Paul , 12 S 7 , J . W . The Sections were worked as follows :

FIRST LECTURE . ist Section Bro . L . G . Langdon , l . G . 53 S . 2 nd „ „ VV . C . Smith , I 5-3-3 rd „ ,, II . Cundy , S . VV . 901 . 4 th „ „ I . Birrell , D . C . 1310 . 5 th „ „ VV . C . Smith , 1503 . Cth ;„ „ E . Child , VV . M . 53 S . 7 'h „ „ J- Paul , 12 S 7 .

SECOND LECTUKE . 1 st Section Bro . T . C . Pratt , VV . M . 957 . 2 nd „ „ W . J . Burgess , W . AL 1472 . 3 rd „ „ [ . Hemming , 12 S 7 . 4 U 1 „ „ j . Paul , 12 S 7 . . ( th ,, ,, | . Winterbottom , 1310 . Tmi'i ) LECTUKK . ist Section Bro . VV . II . Richardson , S . W . n . |_ .

2 nd „ „ W . Bniell , 1310 . 3 rd „ „ J Paul , 1287 . Avery pleasant evening was spent , everything- going off in a most creditable manner .

Masonic Tidings.

Wc beg to call attention to the letter of a "Steward" for the Girls' School Festival elsewhere . On Friday night , the 22 nd inst ., a conversazio r took place in thc Masonic Hall , Park-terrace , Sunderland , under the auspices of the Masonic Club , when there was a large gathering of ladies and friends of the members , and an enjoyable evening was spent .

Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Fowler , M . P ., and Bro . Sheriff Waterlow attended the opening of a bazaar for the purchase of thc old chapel at Ponder ' s-end . Pronienadeconcerts were held , lending an additional interest to the representation of an early English market-place , specially planned and artistically carried out . The bazaar was held in the Lecture Hall , Chase Side , on Wednesday , Thursday , and Friday , from two till nine o ' clock .

Bro . E . Clarke , Q . C , M . P ., delivered a lecture at Plymouth on Friday night , the 22 nd inst ., on " Indi a . " Having sketched the history of the Empire , he dealt with the hold England had upon it , remarking that the problem of the government of the vast territory was one of the most difficult this great nation had to solve .

The Chicago " Voice of Masonry " has now pub fished " / E , a Mark Mason ' s Story , " by Bro Emra Holmes "The Keystone , " Philadelphia ; "The Protestant Episcopal Church N civs , '' Baltimore ; " Ottawa Daily Citizen , '' "Toronto Mail , " and "Canadian Craftsman , " are also publishing Mr . Holmes ' s fugitive pieces .

A lodge of instruction in connection with the Wanderers' Lodge , No . 1604 , will be opened at the Black Horse , York-street , S . W ., on Wednesday next , the 4 th May , at 7 . 30 p . m . Bro . S . C . Hall announces the publication ,

through Messrs . Griffith and Farran , of a series of 220 short poems , entitled Rhymes in Council : Aphorisms Versified They are written in his eighty-first year , and he bequeaths them as a legacy to his kind ; the result of knowledge based on experience and matured by thought , " the proceeds of a long life . "

Bro . F . Beard presided at the dinner of the Coal and Corn and Finance Committee at the Guildhall Tavern on Tuesday evening last . Bro . Boord and Bro . Baron H . de Worms , the members for the borough of Greenwich , addressed their constituents in the New Cross Public Hall on Friday week . Mr . R . Walbutton presided .

The funeral of Bro . W . A . Alexander Blackmore , P . M . of the Whittington Lodge , No . S 62 , will take place to-day ( Saturday ) , at Highgate Cemetery , at two o'clock . Bro . Sir John Bennett delivered a lecture on "The Watch .- Its History , Mechanism , and Mode of Manufacture , " in the Village Hall , Chislehurst , on Wednesday evening .

Bro . Horace Jones and Mr . G . E . Street are candidates for the presidency of the Royal Institution of British Architects . It is thought the contest will be severe The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has been pleased to grant a warrant for a new lodge to be

called the Montague Guest Lodge , No . 1900 , to be held at the Inns of Court Hotel , Lincoln ' s-Inn-Fields , the R . W . P . G . M . for Dorsetshire and P . G . D ., Bro . Montague J . Guest , M . P ., being one of the founders . Bro . VV . H . Dean , P . M . 417 and P . P . G . S . B . Dorset , is the W . M . designate .

Bro . the Earl of Lathom will preside at the next meeting of the Committee of the Royal Masonic Pupils ' Assistance Fund , on the nth proximo . Thc annual meeting of the proprietors of the London Institution , Fmsbury-circus , took place on Wednesday . The report presented stated that thc income of the

institution , which before 1 S 74 was under £ 3000 , is now considerably above £ 4000 . The total number of volumes circulated in thc . year has becn 58 , 493 , against 45 , ooojin the previous year . During- the past winter as many as 16 77 volumes have been issued in a week , and as many as 410 in a day .

A new School of Art was opened in Manchester on Wednesday last by the Earl of Derby . The building has been erected at a cost of , £ " 25 , 000 of which £ 7000 remains unpaid , and Lord Derby promised to do his part in wiping of this debt if the people of the city would do

theirs . In thc evening Lord Derby delivered an address in which he dwelt on the development of art in this country during the last hall century , and the beneficial influence it had in counteracting the gradual disappearance of the beauties of nature in our country , and our tendency towards excessive industrialism .

WI'STBOURN ' B LODGE , No . 733 . —A report of the last meeting of this lodge will appear in our next . Bro . Captain Wm . W . Stephens , formerl y of Plymouth , England , and foi the past two years a resident of Winnipeg , Man ., was called to his rest on Saturday , the ' ioth ult ., and was buried with Masonic honours on the

following day . The pall-bearers were R . VV . Bro . G . F . Carruthers and Bros . II . Swinford , H . Duffield , H . _ G . White , ] . Jackson , and VV . Brydon . The burial services of the Church of England were read by the Rev . Canon Grisdale at St . John ' s Cathedral , and the Masonic ceremonies were performed by the M . W . the Grand Master , Bro . John H . Bell .

STOCKWELL L ODGE OV INSTRUCTION , NO , 1331 ) . —A good muster of the brethren of this lodge of instruction met on the 27 th inst ., at the Cock Tavern , Kennington-road . There were | present Bros . W . P . Webb , VV . M . ; ' Foote , S . VV . ; Cockburn , | . W . ; Fiances , P . P . G . S . D ., Preceptor ; Pincott , S . D . ; Stranger , J . D . ; Cooper , Sec ; and Palmer , l . G . Bro . Frances worked the

First and Second Sections of the First ; Lecture , and Bro . Webb , VV . M ., rehearsed the ceremony of initiation , Bro . Richmond acting as candidate . Bro . Foote was elected VV . M . for the next meeting , which will take place at the above house at 7 . 30 p . m . on every Thursday , instead of Wednesday . Bro . Williams , of the Samson Lodge , No , iOCS , was elected a member of the lodge .