Masonic And General Tidings

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS

Bro . Sheriff-Elect Hand and Mrs . Hand contemplate taking a holiday in Scotland prior to entering upon the duties of the Shrieval office . _ Mr . Brancker , Chairman of Ihe Mersey Dock Board , has , in commemoration of his golden wedding , distributed £ 2000 to the Liverpool charitable and educational institutions .

OPENING OF CITY OI ? LONDON SCHOOL FOR GIRLS . —The gold badges to be worn by the Committee on the above occasion aie being made at George Kenning ' s Manufactory , Little Britain , E . C . Several Grand Masonic bodies have prohibited the naming

of subordinate organisations after any living man . The rule is a wholesome one . It is better to wait until a brother's earthly career is finished before honouring him by calling a lodge or other Masonic body by his name . —Freemasons ' Repository .

At the instance of the Newcastle Co-operative Society , Mr . Justice Stirling has granted an injunction until trial or further order against the Masonic Hall Company , Newcastle , restraining them from proceeding with the building of the new Masonic Hall in High Bridge so as to obstruct the lights of the Co-operative Society ' s premises .

At the last meeiing of the Eldon Lodge , No . 1755 , held at Portis-head , Srmerset , on Saturday , the nth inst , Bro . W . Rice , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., was elected W . M . for the ensuing year , the both Wardens having signified their intention not to take that position . Bro . J . R . Thebridge , P . M ., was re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . Frank Simpkins re-elected Tyler . The installation takes place on September Sth .

Bro . Matthew Burnett , the "Yorkshire Evangelist , " whose name is a household word in Australasia , where he is affectionately called the " Father Matthew of Australia , " is about to make a tour o f the United Kingdom as a gospel , temperance , and Evangelistic missicner . Mr . H . Osborn , of Jhe Temperance Press Agency , 112 , Fleet-street , is taking sole charge of correspondence and arrangements connected with Bro . Burnett ' s engagements .

In Indiana they are " as good as good can be . " The Grand Master recently respectfully declined an invitationand very properly , too—to lay a corner-stone on the Sabbath . On another occas on he refused permission to confer the Degrees of Masonry on an " importer and wholesale dealer in wines and liquors . " But the Grand Lodge of Colorado exceeds even this vigilance , and holds that a lodge in Colorado cannot entertain a petition from a " stock holder in a brewery . "—Mallet .

Bro . Sidney T . Purnell , of Exeter , has been appointed manager of the Union Bank at Laura , South Australia . He is the third son of Bro . T . B . Purnell of that city , whose name is well knonn in the west as the inventor of a new name for coal , "Bottled Sunshine , " the commodity in which he deals . Before leaving his native city for the

Antipodes , Mr . Sidney Purnell was admitted into the noble Order in Lodge No . 39 , of which his father is a P . M ., and who was kindly invited to perform the ceremony of initiation , making the third time he had done so with his own sons as candidate . He has yet another grown-up boy without the pale who is only awaiting the opportunity of a visit to Exeter to be able to call his father " Brother . "

RAILWAY FACILITIES WITH REGARD TO LUGGAGE . — Whilst many of our readers know of the vast improvements which have , within recent years , been introduced by the principal railway companies in the way of dining cars , sleeping carriages , and corridor trains , all designed to add greatly to the comfort of the travelling publici few are aware of the arrangements which one company , the London

and North-western , has made to relieve passengers of the trouble and inconvenience necessarily arising in connection with the transport of the large quantities of luggage with which families on their holiday tours find it essential to encumber themselves . It appears that this company undertakes , at a comparativel y small charge , to collect , convey , and deliver luggage ( with certain restrictions ) at

the watering places and other tourist resorts reached by their railway , and by the lines running in correspondence with it . The arrangement will prove a great boon to the public , by whom it will doubtless be largely taken advantage of . By another system , which has only to be better known

to be highly appreciated by that large class who spend the " week-ends" in the country , tbe traveller may , when taking his ticket at the station , hand over to the officials his bag , and , by payment of a small fee , have it delivered at his residence or hotel in any town in which the company has its own carts or omnibuses .

It is a question how much , or rather how little , of intelligence and learning ought to be required as a prerequisite lor admission into the Masonic Fraternity . Obviously a stupid man or one devoid of ordinary education is poorl y fitted to enter the lines of Freemasonry . Just how rigidly the line should be drawn respecting the intellectual qualifications of candidates is a matter about

which some difference of opinion will be likely to exist ; but all thoughtlul brethren will agree that a r ult , stupid , uninformed man , ought to be kept on the outside of the Masonic Institution . No candidate should he received who is lacking in mental capacity or has failed to gather the acquisitions of knowledge that prepare for ordinary life and usefulness . Freemasonry has an intellectual side . It

furnishes food for the mind . It presents itself to the candidate on a philosophical as well as a moral basis . It enjoins upon brethren that they should search for wisdom as for pure gold , and that they should study principles and truths belonging to the different departments of Masonic instruction . No man can become a true Mason without receiving some quickening to his mind . The ceremonv

will suggest in many ways the use of his intellectual powers , and as a Mason he will have some additional stimulus to acquaint himself with the arts and sciences , and to make progress in the way of acquiring knowledge . Freemasonry gives forth no uncertain word in calling its followers to mental activity—in urging them to be earnest seekers for light and truth . —Freemasons' Repository .

Masonic And General Tidings

No less than £ 9 60 , 000 was bequeathed last year to the cause of charity . The Metropolis tcok about £ 580 , 000 of trissum . The annual athletic sports and fete in aid of the funds of the Neivsvendors' Benevolent and Provident Institution will be held at Wembley Park , on Monday next . A curious collection will come under the hammer of

Messrs Debenham , Storr , and Sons on Wednesday nextthe personal impedimenta of his Highness the late Maharajah Duleep Singh . The Rev . Dr . Paton and Mrs . Paton , of Nottingham , have given £ icoo to the West Kirkley ( Cheshire ) Convalescent Home , in memory of their son , recently drowned in a Bournemouth boating disaster .

Miss Olga Nethersole is about to make a tour in America , commencing at Daly ' s Theatre , New York , on October 32 nd . She will appear there in a play specially written for her by Mr . Henry Hamilton , and founded on Prosper Merimce ' s novel of " Carmen , " which she will afterwards produce in London . Bro . Sir Albert 1 . Altaian ' s numerous friends in the Ward

of Aldersgate contemplate making a presentation to him to evidence their esteem , to show their appreciation of his public services , and to celebrate the honour her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer upon him . Mr . B . Norman , 62 , Aldersgate-street , and Mr . G . V . de Luca , 6 and 7 , Long-lane , are respectively acting as the Hon . Treasurer and Hon . Secretary .

Sir Adam Gibb Ellis , Chief Justice of Jamaica , died at Kingston , Jamaica , on Thursday , from the effects of an accident in which he was severely burned . The late judge was admitted a member of the Scottish Bar in iSof-. In 1 S 71 he was appointed Advocate-General of Mauritius , in which island he filled various posts , culminating in that of Chief Judge of the Supreme Court . He received the honour of Knighthood in 1 SS 2 , and a year later was transferred to Jamaica as Chief Justice .

Upon the conclusion of the International Fire Brigade Congress the British representatives received from the City of Lyons a bronze statuette valued at aooof . The figure was designed by M . Emile Laporte , and represents a victorious gladiator offering a sword to the Roman Emperor after a combat in the arena . The motto , " Honor etPatria , " is inscribed upon the base . The handsome gift was

subsequently presented by the British Fire Service to Mr . T . G . Dyson , chief officer of the Windsor Fire Brigade , » ho had charge of the contingent during its stay at Lyons . Those who have only seen Dr . Parker in the pulpit merely know , so Miss Sarah Tooley tells the readers of the Woman's Signal , one phase of his character . Thus off duty "heisiullof aesthetic tastes , loves music , paintings ,

and flowers , indulges in playful banter with his wife , and tells a north country story with a twinkling eye and with a mischievous chuckle , Seeing him thus gives a key to the magnetic individuality which has exercised so powerful an influence upon the religious life ot London , and which has a remarkable testimony in the vast congregation which assembles every Thursday , at noon , in the City Temple . " — City Press

The lesson read us by the Canadians regarding " rushing candidates " is still exercising the minds of brethren here , a fact which shows a desire to amend our ways . Lodge St . John ' s , Greenock , 175—one of the lodges found fault with—claims that , whatever may have been their sins in this respect in the past , they are particularly careful now , and have been so for some time . No Master of the lodge has been more iealous of her honour than the present

one . A correspondent , writing on the same subject , sends me a copy of a pamphlet published in 1 SS 0 , entitled "Emergency Initiations . " Ihe matter was originally given as a lecture in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Lanarkshire ( Middle Ward ) , and afterwards extensively circulated in the province ; but as I know the evil which Brother W . Dempster , 305 then cried down still exists in

, the province , the pamphlet but proves that individual effort to put down the practice cannot prevail , and that nothing short of a decisive prohibitory law laid down by Grand Lodge can free our Constitution of the stigma which has so long been a reproach to our members who have had occasion to come in contact with brethren in foreign lands . —Mallet

THE MASONIC PRESS . —The Masonic press of this country is a source of pleasure and enlightenment to those members of the Craft who are desirous of keeping informed on Masonic matters . The majority of the Masonic editors are well qualified to discuss questions relative to the good of our venerable Society . But a few of them , we regret to say , are filled with prejudice and pride of opinion , and

are dogmatic to a degree that is simply absurd . One of the oldest Masonic papers in America makes itself ridiculous in its discussion of the landmarks . Some Masons are always harping on the landmarks . They are for ever fighting innovations . Well , all good Masons believe in the landmarks—in the real landmarks—and oppose serious innovations , innovations that tend to change the character of the

Craft . But the brethren who pretend to be horrified at innovations would do well to inform themselves on the history of innovations . The fabrication of one of the most beautiful and important Degrees in Masonry—the Sublime Degree of Master Mason—early in the last century was certainly an innovation . Later on the fabrication of the august and important ceremonial work of the chapter , was

certainly an innovation . In Virginia the change from E . A . to M . M . as the Degree in which to transact the business of the lodge was something of an innovation . But ihese innovations were for the " good of the Order , " and were , no dou ' it , readily acquiesced in . From the way some

Masonic writers and talkers discuss innovations , an uninformed brother might think that no change had been made in the Masonic organisation since the time of the Most Worshipful King Solomon . It would be well , we say , for Masons to keep in mind the h ' story of innovations . — Ron if h Ashlar .

WHAT . MOXKV (' llo . — . Money can ; i Krcal ileal , but il rnmicit do cvi-rytliiinr . It cannot flop the passing oi lime , il cannot make us yimiiu a ^ aii ) , it cannot renew with health tin enfeebled frame . In the lace of the ilemon ill-health , rich anil poor are 011 . 111 equality . Kicli ami poor have to seek tin- saint

remedies , .-ijjil wise indeed are they if , in llu-ir mrrtiw and siillc-rinir , they turn to Holloway ' s I'ills and Ointment . 'Ihese arc within the reach of ( he poor as well as of the rich , and il is no idle testimony , but the natural result of loiiir experience , which has declared Holloway to be the poor man ' s friend .

Masonic And General Tidings

The Queen's departure from Osborne is likely to take place alittle later than was anticipated , her Majesty being now expected to leave the Isle of Wight on or about Monday week for Scotland . The Farl and Countess of Cork have left London for the South of France . The Master of the Horse will return to England at the end of September . Meanwhile the duties at the Royal Mews , Buckingham Palace , will be discharged

by Major-GeneralSir H . Ewart . The second portion of the army manoeuvres was commenced in the neighbourhood of Aldershot on Thursday , when a field column under Major-General Gregorie , and a force commanded by Major-General Utterson carried out certain operations upon a plan devised by his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught . A sum of no less than £ 305 I 0 S - has been forwarded b y

Sir Whittaker Ellis to the Treasurer of the Royal Cam . bridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows , Kingston-on-Thames , as the result of the recent garden fete at Buccleuch House , Richmond . The expenses of the fOte were . entirely defrayed by Sir Whittaker . Startling reports were current on Thursday night in the City that the steamers Koh-i-Noor and La Marguerite had foundered . Inquirers at the company's offices received

re-assuring information , but , notwithstanding this , there were anxious relatives and friends at Fenchurch-street Station waiting for the trippers , who arrived about the usual times , after a pleasant and uneventful voyage . - A curious postcard has reached Strasburg from Canada . It was a piece of bark on which was pasted a piece of

paper with the address , the date , and the words " Postcard of the American primeval woods post . " The back contained the letter , not written , but scratched on the bark , and perfectly legible . The sender is a painterand traveller , Rudolph Cronan , who is on a pedestrian tour in Canada . The receiver is going to give the card to the Postal Museum in Berlin .

For a Masonic Home the citizens of Springfield , Ohio , generously presented 154 acres in the immediate outskirts of that thriving and prosperous centre of industry , at a cost to them c f over 20 , 000 " dollars . On this beautiful tract will , on the ioth of October , assemble Craftsmen to lay the corner-stone of the main or administration building ; will

cost when completed and furnished something over 100 , 000 dollars and will be able to accommodate about 200 inmates . As additional rooms are needed cottages of various sizes will be built up in proximity to the main building until every Mason , his wife , widow or children who shall need care and the comforts of a home , shall be able to find it under the auspices of our Craft . —Ex .

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club had most favourable weather for their races at Ryde . The first match was for the Town Cup , with a second prize of ^ 20 . The start was very even , Vigilant leading slightly , but soon after passing the line , Britannia and Vigilant commenced a . luffing match , which gave Satanita an opportunity her skipper was not slow to embrace , and she slipped away with a long lead , which she succeeded in retaining throughout the day .

Vigilant and Britannia had a very hard fight between themselves , and for some time the American boat had the best of it , leading at one time by nearly a mile ; but on the second round the Prince ' s cutter caught her , and once in front Carter succeeded in keeping there . The finish was timed as follows-. Satanita , 3 b 36 mm 3 osec ; Britannia , 3 I 1 42 mm 23 sec ; Vigilant , 3 b 43 mm sosec . The traffic regulations in connection with the Tower

Bridge , as agreed to by the Thames Conservancy and the City Corporation , were on Thursday notified to the various shipping authorities , and are as fol ow : The bascules will be opened for the passage of vessels at or about the time of high tide at the bridge , and will remain so open for half an hour , or for such period as may be from time to time directed by the Thames Conservators . Arrangements are also made for the opening of the bascule bridge at any

hour of the day or night upon notice being given as provided , and in order to carry out this , regulation the Corporation are establishing at Cherry Garden Pier—not Deptford , as at first proposed—a signal station in electrical communication with the Tower Bridge . At Cherry Garden Pier signals will be exhibited day and night if from any unavoidable cause the bascule bridge cannot be opened . In connection with the literary and scientific section of

the Grindelwald Conference , Mr . Edward Whymper , the distinguished mountain traveller , gave , on the ltuh instant , in the Parish Church , the first of a series of lantern Lctures on mountaineering . He commenced with an account of the beginnings of mountain craft , and then went on to describe how mountaineering is practised at the present time , illustrating his remarks at every stage with exciting

pictures of Alpinists at work . He further gave a thrilling narration of his first famous ascent of the Matterhorn , and in conclusion described his two memorable ascents of Chimborazo , in the great Andes of the Equator . The brilliancy of the pictures thrown upon the screen excited general admiration , and an additional interest was lent to the proceedings by the presence of a number of veteran guides of this great mountaineering centre .

There is a diversity of opinion as to what constitutes a prosperous lodge . With some a lodge is so designated when it has a large membership , a lull treasury , and is receiving large acquisitions to its numerical strength . VVe take a different view of what constitutes a prosperous lodge . A lodge may have large membership without havmg exercised that care in its selection to make the material desirable to the Order . The treasury may be full

for the reason that charity has failed to receive its proper exemplification at the hands of i : s members . A prosperous lodge is one whose membership his been carefully selected , whether they be few or many . The oliicers are competent for the performance of their duties , and have accepted their respective posiuons determined to do their duty to the lodge and Order l'he visiting and relief commi . tees are busy looking after the sick and needy , and when a question of passing upon benefits is before the lodge it is not surrounded

by a mass of technicalities , but is freely voted to those who need them . 'I heir charily is not confined strictly to these who are entitled to it under the laws of the lodge . But mem bets of the Order , if found worthy and in need of assistance , receive it uith an open hand , and in a manner that makes them feel that they are in the hands of brothers of the Order . Ihe members are not jealous of each other , or the prosperity of a sister lodge . These are some of the requisites to entitle it to the name of a prosperous lodge . — Lodge Secret ,