The Mark Benevolent Fund.

as named on the toast list , in proposing which the Chairman expressed the regret of M . AA . Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton that he was unable to be ' present , a very hearty reception was given : as was also to that in honour of the " Deputy Grand Blaster the R . AV . Bro . the Most , Hon . the Marquis of Hertford . Prov . G . M . AVarwiokshire . and tlie Grand Officers . Present and Past , " on behalf of whom t- hf . T * rn \ ' \ l . i ' . ! i . P . i'nnrl "illncf . nr Vi . r Iwmf 1 ? 11 ' 1 ^ . * ,. l ? ,,-ir T r »/ iliin ^ mi

respondc'l . The Health of the Chairman , " Bro . Sir Lionel E . Darell , Bart . R . AV . Grand Junior AVarden , " was proposed by R . AV . Bro . Lord Euston , P . G . S . AVarden . who spoke of Sir Lionel as a " thorough good mason from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot . "

and ever earnest in whatever work he engaged himself in . He had brought his interest and influence to bear in every possible manner to secure the success of the present festival , as lie felt assured his audience would well "believe when announcement was presently made of the Stewards' lists . He expected that they would find the total of contributions onlv second in amount to anv collected at

former festivals . The Chairman on rising to respond was received with much enthusiasm , and thanked Bro . Lord Euston and the company generally for the introduction of the toast and the inanner of its reception . He expressed his thorough appreciation of Freemasonry , and declared that to him the word ' Mason " had always a good metallic ring about it . He now had great pleasure

in proposing the toast of the evening— " Prosperity to the Mark Benevolent Fund . " for the future of which he now appealed . The Fund was founded some 21 years ago . It differed from other Masonic Institutions in that it had no houses to keep up and was at very little expense ; in fact , with the exception of printing and postage and a grant to the Secretary of CiU a year , all the money

that was subscribed to the Mark Benevolent Fund went for actual benevolence . It was divided into three branches , the benevolent , the educational , and the annuity . Sums for the benevolent were given in relief every month by the General Board , and since the year ] . 8 < i !) these sums amounted to considerably over . C 2000 . The educational branch was establishe \ only in 187 !) , and since that

time 40 children had been educated at their own homes under the care of their parents and guardians , and in the year 188 . ; it was resolved that C > be annually given to each pupil for clothes . This required a yearly expenditure of something like XI . 50 . The annuity branch was founded in the year 188 o by the liberality of Lord Egerton of Tatton , who as a nucleus to the Fund gave a sum of

£ lO . "i . The Fund now gave to five old brethren C 2 ( 1 a year each , and C ) extra was given at Christmas . There were three candidates now seeking relief , but it would depend upon the liberality of the Stewards to extend those benefits . He might say that at the first Festival the Benevolent Fund realised a sum of ' only . CIO , and in the year 1887 it re . iehcd the substantial sum of X 2 . 220 . The

brethren would see from this the excellent work this Mark Benevolent Fund was doing , and he called upon the company one and all to do everything in their power to increase and augment that Fund . It was that night celebrating its majority—its 21 st year . They looked upon a man as not having come to full age till he had become 21 . years old ; then as a general rule he grew in

strength and generally in size . So he trusted it would be with this Fund . He hoped that Mark Masonry would grow in strength by the increase of its members , and that it would increase in size by reason of the increase in its funds . He really did not think he need say anything further about this most excellent fund , which commended itself most heartily and

cordially to each and every one of them . He now had the pleasure of making the announcement , which he was sure would be a most popular one . Most of them were aware that Bro . Binckes had resigned the office of Grand Secretary , and it had been the pleasure of the Grand Master to confer that office on their good and worthy Bro . Matier . Some of the brethren had that afternoon had the

opportunity of seeing that brother invested with the collar of the office by Lord Egerton of Tatton . It would be invidious on his part , in his presence , to speak of what Bro . Matier had done for the . Mark Benevolent Fund , because they all knew his good works as well as he ( the Chairman ) did . He should therefore content himself with asking the company to drink the future prosperity of the

Mark Benevolent Fund . AA ith that toast he would couple the name of their Gran 1 Secretary , Bro . Matier , who , for the first time that night , appeared in that capacity before them . He should ask them to drink his very good health , long life and happiness to him . and to congratulate him on the honour which had been conferred upon him . an honour which he so richly deserved . The toast was

honouref with every manifestation of pleasure , and Bro . Matier on rising to respond was greeted with loud cheers . After a modest but earnest expression of thanks for the kindly sentiments which had been uttered and endorsed , and an assurance that his best efforts should be exerted to promote the prosperity of the Order and the extension of its Benevolent Fund , Bro . Matier proceeded to

announce the Stewards lists . AVe again regret , as we have , unfortunately , had to do on similar occasions , the want of space which precludes publicity being given to the names of individual brethren deserving of the highest commendation for the energy of their appeals for contributions from their respective lodges , and the members thereof , and we must be content to approach the

total of all their efforts by stating that the ii 7 stewards representing London contributed . CI ill I its ., and the 122 stewards representing the Provincial Lodges , C 1 , 5 !) 1 IDs . ( Id ., together producing the handsome sum of . C 2 . 080 18 s . ( id ., which as Bro . Lord Euston expected is but second in amount to that contributed at the Festival held in the Jubilee year , 1887 . After the applause with which Bro . Matter ' s

announcement was received had subsided , the R . AV . Bro . Baron de Forrieres , P . G . Master Gloucestershire and Herefordshire , in proposing the health of the Board of Stewards , referred to the record of the evening , and remarked that for the comparatively small body of Freemasons who were members of the Mark degree , the sum of . £ 2 , 000 , which appeared to be about the annual average subscription , was a large sum . and one of which the Order

The Mark Benevolent Fund.

might well be proud . It was to the Board of Stewards , the machinery by which the collection , was made , thanks were pre-eminently due : and he felt certain that those thanks would be readily accorded . This toast was also most cordially received , and was responded to by Lord Euston . as Chairman of the Board , and Bro . Murray , of the , Rose and Thistle Lodge . AA'igan .

whose , list represented a contribution of no less than 2 <) n guineas as a gift from Lancashire . Bro . Major A . Bott Cook , P . G . M . O ., proposed in a humorous and respectfully gallant speech , the toast ; of "The Ladies . " for whom Bro . F . S . Knyvett responded in pleasing terms . AA ith the toast of "The Visitors . " proposed by Bro . the Earl of Euston , with many expressions of hearty welcome and wishes for

their prosperity , the name of Bro . Leon , P . M .. ( I . Sec . Jamaica was coupled , and with that worthy brother ' s effective response , the proceedings at the banquet table terminated , and the company dispersed , most of them however again assembling in the drawingroom for the conclusion of the concert . AVe cannot fairly close this brief report without a tribute of praise to Bro . E . M . Lott for the

excellence of the musical entertainment under his direction . It was far above the average of after-dinner performances , and every lady and gentleman who took part ; in it is equally entitled to recognition . These were Madame Larkcom , Miss Minnie Freeman . Miss Minnie Kirton , and Bros . Reginald Groome and Stanley Smith . Miss Kate Chaplin , accompanied at the pianoforte bv her sister ,

Miss Nellie Chaplin , charmed the company with her delightful violin solos . It would be invidious to select any special performance ! for prominent notice , where each and all merited the highest appreciation of their services , and it was gratifying to observe that such appreciation was expressed by frequent encores in some instances , and unmistakable applause in all .

Summer Excursion Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076.

SUMMER EXCURSION OF THE QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE , No . 2076 .

A most enjoyable trip , which even the showery weather of the forenoon was unable to seriously mar , was undertaken by this lodge on Saturday , the 20 th ult . AVe have it on good' authority that " absence makes the heart grow cold , " and the chief object of the brethren in undertaking the excursion was possibly to break the long interval between the stated lodge meetings in Jui ^ c and

October ; thus by a timely outing , renewing the pleasures of social intercourse . True , however , to the antiquarian tastes and studies encouraged by the lodge , a spot of abiding interest to Freemasons was chosen , the city of St . Alban , England's proto-martyr and the traditional founder of the craft in these isles . Does not the Grand Lodge MS . of the "Old Charges" ( which is dated h "> 83 ) state

distinctly ' Inglande in all this season stoyde voyd of any chardge of Massonrio untill St . Albons' tyme and in his dayes the Kyng of In gland that was a paynym he did wall thee towne aboute that is calledSt . Albons . And St . Albon was a woorthy knyght and stewarde of the kyngs householde and had the gou ' ment of thee realme and also of thee towne walls and loved massons well and chirished

them muche and he maydc their paye right good ( standing as the realme did ) for he gave them ijs vjd a weekc and three pence to their cheire , for before that tyme throne the land a masson toko but a peny a daye and his meate untill St . Albone amended it and gave them a charter of thee kynge and his counsel 1 for to houlde a gcn ' all counsell And gave it the name of an Assemblye And was thereat

himself and healped for to make massons and gave the chardges as yee shall heare afterwarde right sonc . " Bro . AV . Simpson , the AV . M .. was unfortunately detained at Balmoral on business , and a few other brethren who rarely miss a lodge meeting were unavoidably absent , but the following members assembled at St . Pancras under the S . AV ., Bro . Col . S . C . Pratt , viz .:

Bros . AV . M . Bywater , P . G . S . B .. J . AV .: Professor T . Hayter Lewis , S . D . ; Dr . AV . W . AVestcott , J . D . ; G . AV . Speth , sec . ; Professor AV . Mattieu AA'illiams , and Dr . AV . J . Chetwode Crawley ( of Dublin ) . With these were the following members of the Correspondence Circle , viz .: Bros . Dr . AV . B . A \ oodman , P . G . S . B . ; S . Richardson , C B . Barnes , F . A . Powell , J . S . Cumberland . C . E . Ferry , Col . J .

Mead , and G . II . Piper ( of Ledbury ) , D . P . G . M . Herefordshire ; and the following visitors . Dr . Benj . AV . Richardson . F . Pegler , S ydney T . Klein , C . Bowley ( of Belfast ) . Mahaim ( of Liege ) , and Reg . T . AVebster ( of Margate ) . A saloon carriage attached to the 11 . lo a . m . train took the party comfortably to St . Albans , where a frugal lunch awaited them at

the" Pea Hen Hotel ; after which a visit was first paid to the church of St . Peter ' s . Here they were met by the curate , Bro . Rev . A ' alentine Faulkner , under whose auspices the church was inspected , the chief point of interest being the monument of Edward Strong the elder , for whom Dr . Anderson claims the honour of having been appointed Junior Grand AVarden . under Grand Master Sir

Christopher AA'ren , m 1 OS . ") . The truth of this can scarcely be admitted , but the Strong family appeals to our sympathies as masons in a high degree . Timothy Strong was a quarry owner and builder , in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire . His son Valentine was a notable builder in his day . and on his tomb at Fairford , Oxfordshire (] i >(> 2 ) is described as '' Valentine Strong , Freemason . " Valentine ' s son .

Thomas , was engaged at Inn . Go ] ., Oxon , in KiO . I , under Sir C . AVren , and in KJ 75 made the first contract with tlie commissioners for re-building St . Paul's . According to the family memoirs , written in 171 (> , he laid the first stone in . the foundation with his own hands . Dying in 1 ( 181 , he was succeeded by his brother Edward , buried at St . Peter ' s , St . Albans , who associated with

himself his son Edward the younger . The "memoirs state " about the year 170 ( 1 , Edward Strong , junior , began the lanthorn on the Dome of St . Paul's , London , and on the 2 . ") th Oct .. 1708 , Edward Strong , senior , laid the last stone upon the same . " This last claim is re-asserted on the monument in question . Skirting the city , the old church of St . Michael ' s was next visited . ( Continued on page . ' 100 . )