Bute Lodge, No. 960.

same medium the same fearless denunciation of groundless and unsubstantiated charges as he has already received in his lodge . My sole object is this correspondence having been to repel a gross slander upon a publication which has the full confidence of the Craft ( with such harmless

exceptions as the Prov . G . M . of this Province ) , I shall take no notice of the personal allusions of the W . M . of 960 , but subscribe myself , as heretofore , Truly and fraternally yours , ANTI-TOADY . " " Cardiff , October 1 , 1864 .

Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FKEEJTASONs' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIREOE . DEAE SIB AND BEOTHEE , —Tour are quite right in your remark respecting the amount subscribed by the brethren at the provincial meeting , held atDukinfield . It is a disgrace to the province . I begin to think our boasted charit y is only a name for something else . Had the Prov . G . M . been presentor the

, D . Trov . G . M . attended the banquet , it would perhaps have been different , for when it was knoAvn the D . Prov . G . M . could not stay , a large number of brethren , who could well afford to give , also left , and I suppose a majority of the 250 brethren who remained thought more ofthe good things before them

than of that peculiar moment of their existence when they found themselves divested of all value . It struck me , when at the Provincial Grand Lodge , so excellent an institution as the Cheshire Educational Institute , should be supported from the Provincial Grand Lodge funds . What can they want with the large

sum they have in hand , when so much good might be done , not only in supplying funds for education , but also in giving relief to distressed brethren , and that not with a niggardly hand or much delay ? This shonld be looked into , but who are the brethren to do so ? Tours truly and fraternally , " S . W . October 1 st , 1864

A Case Of Distress.

A CASE OF DISTRESS .

Our attention has been called to the painful position in which Bro . the Baron de Cominis at present placed . The Baron , AVIIO has been long an exile in this country , has up to a very recent period supported himself b y the delivery of public lectures ; but , owing to unforeseen circumstances , he is now reduced to great distress .

During his career he has visited several lodges and delivered Masonic lectures , some of Avhich have been reported in this " Magazine , " and now , in the hour of distress , he throws himself on his brethren for some little assistance . He has latel y been in the hospital , from which he has just been discharged , but is unable

to do anything for his living owing to his boxes and papers being detained from him , for the Avant of tAvo or three pounds to release them from a raikvay company , in Avhose hands they are . He cannot appeal to the Board of Benevolence for want of those papers , and in poverty and ill health—an exile in a forei

gn land—he isnoAV obliged to throw himself on the sympath y of the Craft . Such of our readers as maybe disposed to assist this brother in distress , may forward their contributions to the editor of this " Magazine , " through which they will be thankfully acknoAvledged .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASONIC MEMS . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham will be held at the Masonic Hall , South Shields , on Tuesday , October 25 . The next meeting of the members of the 30 ° , for the reception of candidates , & c , will be held at the Hall of the " Masonic Union Company , " 14 , Bedford-row , W . C , on Tuesday , the llth , at four o'clock , p . m .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ROYAL OAK LODOE ( NO . 871 ) . —At a meeting held on Wednesday , September 28 th , at the Koyal Oak Tavern , High-street , Deptford ( Bro . J . Stevens ' s ) , Bro . F . Walters , P . M . and Sec , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . C . Q . C . Sfcalir , W . M ., opened the lodge , assisted by Bros . H . A . Collington , P . M ., S . W . ; J . S . Blomeley , J . D . ; J . Rosenstock , I . G . ; J . Hawker , AV . S . ; J .

Stevens , P . M . j J . AV . Weir , P . M . ; H . J . AVells , G . Holman , H . Stevens , D . Barber , and others . The visitors were numerous , and we noticed Bros . J . Brinn , 75 ; J . Bavin , S . AV . 172 ; J . Lightfoot , J . W . 172 ; G . Brown , W . M . 169 ; D . Lines , I . G . 619 ,. and many others . The minutes of the previous meeting wereread and unanimously confirmed . Bro . G . Holman in a superior

manner proved his proficiency as a F . C , and having withdrew ,. the lodge was opened in tlie third degree , when Bro . G . Holmanwas introduced , and raised to tbe degree of a Master Mason . The entire ceremony being given , tbe first portion by Bro . F . Walters , who vacated the chair , Bro . G . AVilton , toe I . P . M . arrived , who then finished the work by giving the traditional history , tracing board , and working tools . This ceremony was beautifully and impressively renderedmore especially by Bro .

, G . AVilton , who seemed , if possible , to exceed all his previous good working . Bro . C . G . C . Stahr , W . M ., then took the chair . Bros . II . Stevens aud D . Barber were properly introduced and regularly passed to the degree of Fellow Craft Freemasons . The lodge was then closed according to ancient custom . After business the brethren passed an agreeable hour together in social : conversation which brought a happy meeting to a pleasant close .-MOU . VT LEBANON LODOE ( NO . 73 ) . —This flourishing lodge

held an emergency meeting on Thursday , September 29 th , at the Green Man Tavern , Tooley-street , Southwark , Bro . C . A . Cathie ' s . Bro . E . N . Levy , W . M ., assisted by Bros . F . Walters , I . P . M . ; H . Moore , S . W . ; J . C . Gooddy , J . W . ; E . Harris , P . M .

and Sec . ; E . Fenn , F . H . Ebsworth , C . A . Cathie , Marshall , M . A . Loewenstark , H . Prouten , Jackson , A . P . Stedman , and numerous other brethren . Mr . Jonathan George Parry was proposed for initiation , and the ballot was declared to be unanimous in favour of bis admission . He being in attendance was ably initiated into ancient Freemasonry . Bros . H . Prouten and J . M . Jackson gave proofs of their proficiency as Entered Apprentice Freemasons . They were introduced and passed to

the degree of Fellow Craft Freemasons . This concluded all the ceremonies that were inserted in the summonses . Bro . E . N . Levy , AV . M ., had an opportunity of displaying his beautiful , impressive , and correct working , which of late years has never been surpassed , and scarcely ever equalled , in this lodge , because on the regular lodge nights he generally has more than six or eight candidates to confer degrees onwhich must naturalltax his

, y energies , which have , so far , never flagged ; so that when , on this occasion , only three candidates were presented to him , and having leisure to do the work , he most ably conferred the several degrees ou the candidates , which must have made a lasting impression on their minds , as well as those who had the good fortune to be present on that eventful night . The lodge was then closedand the brethren adjourned to the biinquetting room

, , where they passed a few hours together , anticipating the pleasures of the next regular lodge meeting , whilst enjoying the happy incidents which had caused their present reunion . Visitors : T . Johns , P . M . 30 ; G . Powell , 90 ; T . Radley , S . W . 20 ; J . Brinn , 75 ; and many others whose names we were unable to learn .