The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASONIC MEMS . Viscount Holmesdale , M . P ., Prov . G . M . for Kent , has appointed Wednesday , August 7 , for holding his Prov . Grand Lodge , which will take place at Ashford . We have much gratification in recording the appointment of Bro . John Colson Smith , P . S . G . W . of the province , to be D . Prov

G . M . of the Eastern Archipelago . Bro . Smith is a tried Mason of upwards of a quarter of a century , and has been most indefatigable in his exertions to uphold and support the Order in Craft as well as It . A . Masonry in that distant province , and we trust that the G . A . O . T . U . will re-establish his latterly failing health , so that he may continue to cement and adorn the Order with every moral and

social virtue . Wo have been much pleased at the inspection of a complete set of working tools for tho W . M ' s . pedestal , also the instruments of architecture and the three gavels used by the W . M . and his two Wardens ; they are for the use of the Lodge Unity , Peace , and Concord ( No . 396 ) , in the 1 st Royal Regiment ( lately returned from China ) . They were manufactured entirely of silver and ivory

by Bro . R . Spencer , Great Queen-street ; the emblems and ornaments are beautifully engraved by a skilled artist , displaying great care and taste in the arrangements , they are enclosed in two port-. able morocco cases lined with velvet , and are most suitable for a military lodge .

Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Masons And Their Widows.

ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED MASONS AND THEIR WIDOWS .

rEESESTATIOH- 03 ? THE HEULEY TESTIMONIAL . The Henley testimonial was presented at a dinner which took place at the Freemasons' Tavern on the 22 nd inst . The chair was occupied by ^ the Treasurer , Bro . Joseph Smith , P . G . Purst . ; and Bro . S . Aldrich officiated as Vice-chairman . The following brethren were present : —Bros . Henley , who was accompanied by his

brotherin-law , Mr . Gill , Udall , Adlard , Sheen , Masterman , Farnfield , Buss , Breitling , and George Barrett . After dinner the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and received as at public dinners . Bro . Jcsni'H SMITH rose to propose the toast of the evening ; he felt anxious to do it every honour , but was afraid it might suffer in his hands ; and he was sure that all present would excuse him if he failed in his attempt to pay that mark of respect to Bro . Henley which every one there desired . It was the expressed wish

of Bro . Henley that it should be a quiet little affair , and had it not been for this desire he , the Chairman , was sure they would have had some one or two hundred brethren present ; but Bro . Henley shrank from such a demonstration , and , therefore , it was thought advisable to make it as small a gathering as possible . Since ^ Croydon had been the home of the aged Masons and their

widows , Bro . Henley had come forward nobly as an individual brother on their behalf . Month after month , year after year , they had read at the Committee meetings that Bro . Henley had visited the asylum , and attended to the medical wants of its inmates , and the Craft must have been remiss in its appreciation ot his kindness , if it had not in some manner recognised such services . These were not confined to a mere attendance on occasions of sickness , but were regular and constant . That brother also supplied

all the medicine he prescribed , and when wine , an important tonic for the aged , was required , had furnished the same from his own cellar . Keeping these facts in mind they would not have done their duty as Masons if they had not offered Bro . Henley some token of their grattude and respect in placing before him that small token of their gratitude and respect ; he hoped it might be a source of gratification to his children's children ( but as he understood he had none at present that was no reason why he was not to do so , and there

was ample time to set himself right with the world on that point ) , still it would , he hoped , be an heir-loom in his family . ( Turning to Bro . Henley , and addressing him , he said ) In presenting you with this offering we ask you to accept it as an earnest of our appreciation of your services . We arc sorry we cannot make it more valuable , but believe you will do us the honour to accept it , and value it only as the inadequate expression of the feelings of a large number of the brethren who admire your services and

deserving to testify the same in a tangible shape have had engraven the following inscription on the largest salver : — "This salver , with silver'tea and coffee service , purchased by private subscription , by brethren of the Masonic Order , was presented to Bro . Thomas L . Henley , P . M . of the East Surrey Lodge of Concord ( No . 6 S 0 ) , as a small but earnest acknowledgement of his valuable and gratuitous medical attendance upon the inmates

of the Asylum at Croydon of the " Koyal Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows , " from its opening in 1 S 50 . 22 nd July , 1861 . ( The testimonial was very handsome , of chaste design , and weighed about ISO ounces . Bro . HEKEEX , who was received with cheers said : —He did not know he deserved so much at their hands . He undertook the charge since the first establishment of the lumand did so

asy , feeling that their limited means called upon every mason to use his best efforts to support it . For what had been said about his supplying the inmates with wine , he knew that as people grew older they became feebler , and was glad it had been in bis power to administer to their comfort . He was very proud to have met them , and for the welcome both ho- and his brother bad received , and he bad also to thank them for the , handsome

testimonial just presented to him . He had also to thank all that had subscribed towards it , not forgetting the inmates of the asylum ( hear , hear ) , who had come forward and shown by their contibutions that they appreciated his services , and which was one of the happiest events in his life . He hoped to leave their gift as an heir-loom in his family , and if he had been of service , was amply repaid by the kind consideration of his brethren , who had taken

that handsome method of marking their approval of his acts . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . UDAKO had to propose the next toast , which was the health of a brother and friend , highly appreciated . He had that evening kindly and well expresed their views , and was ever to be found working in the cause of charity , on the Board of Benevolence , in Grand Lodge , and for the benefit of every one . Bro . Udall then gave "The Health of Bro . Joseph Smith , " their Chairman and

Treasurer . Bro . JOSEPH SMITH felt obliged for the kind manner in which his health had been proposed and responded to , and , as brethren could not flatter each other , so he took all for granted that had been said in his favour . He wished he had been in better health , but was proud to be of service , although , as Treasurer , he had some months' hard work . Ho was glad that it had now come to such an approved end , and , although It was impossible to please

every one , yet it was highly gratifying to please a majority , and , so long as there was a good cause , he was always anxious to render it any service in his power . ( Hear , hear . ) The CnAiEMAN said they were honoured by the presence of one visitor—a stranger to them all—who had been introduced to them by Bro . Henley . He hoped that they would not always have to consider that gentleman as a stranger , but , before a twelvemonth , they might be enabled to call him a brother . As tbe

brotner-inlaw of their honoured guest , he was doubly welcome , and , as Masons , they would heartily respond to the health of Mr . Gill . MB . Gill ., who was quite unprepared for tbe honour , was much obliged for the compliment . If there was one inducement more than another to join their ranks , it lay in the cordial welcome and elegant entertainment he had received . He was very much pleased to see his brother-in-law so appreciated , and thought it very kind of them to acknowledge his services as they had done . He knew that his brother had done his duty , worked hard , and deserved such a recognition , but it had been conferred with such good feeling and thorough goodwill , that he was very happy to have been present as a witness

The CiiAiBMAJT was anxious to present the next toast with that warmth which it deserved . In the carrying out of their testimonial there had been a vast amount of labour entailed on the honorary secretary , Bro . Aldrich . No one knew how many thousand letters he had issued , but he was so persevering that his efforts had been crowned with success . He was not a fast man , but one who steadily progressed with the work , and he had never done anything better . It was Bro . Aldrich who first smoothed it and

everyone fell into it . It was very gratifying to see Bro . Aldrich there , and he believed that he liked trouble , and he mi ght depend upon it that there was yet trouble iu store for him . The Chairman concluded by proposing Bro . Aldrich ' s health . Bro . ALMticir had to thank them very sincerely for the honour done him , and the Chairman no less so for tho mode in which his name had been introduced . It was very pleasant to find his attempts successful , and although the Chairman had rather enlarged upon

his exertions , yet still they were exertions used by him to bring the matter to a successful issue . Bro . Aldrich then gave a resume of the reasons which had induced him to think that something more than a cold formal vote of thanks to Bro . Henley was year after