Royal Arch.

2 nd . From Companions Georgo Joseph Wesfcbury as Z ., Thomas Edward Lucy as H ., Edward Arthur Hicks as J ., and six others for a Chapter to be attached to the Lodge Semper Fidelia , No . 529 , Worcester , to be called " The Semper Fidelia Chapter , " and to meet at the Masonio Hall , High-streefc , iu the City of Worcester .

3 rd . From Companions Alfred Rixon as Z ., Walter Gait Gribbon aa H ., Thomas Blanco White as J ., and six others for a Chapter to be attached to tho Mount Moriah Lodge , No . 34 , London , to bo called " The Moriah Chapter , " and to meet at Freemasons' Hall , Loudon . 4 th . From Companions Jehanghir Kursetji Rustomji Cama as Z .,

Nathaniel John Goodohild as H ., Ebenezer Charles Mnlvey as J ., and seven others for a Chapter to bo attached to the Regent ' s Park Lodge , No . 2202 , London , to be called " The Regent ' s Park Chapter , " and fco meet at the York and Albany Hotel , Gloucester Gate , Regent ' s Park , London .

The foregoing petitions being in all respects regnlar , the Committee recommend that the Prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee have also to report thafc fchey have received memorials , with extracts of minutes , on the removal of fche following Chapters , and being satisfied of tho reasonableness of the requests , recommend that the removal of these Chapters bo sanctioned , viz .:

—Tho Joppa Chapter , No . 188 , from the Albion Tavern , to fche Guildhall Tavern , Greaham . sfcreefc , London . The Wesfcbonrne Chapter , No . 733 , from Sfc . John ' s Wood , to fche Holborn Restaurant , Holborn . The Phcenix Chapter of St . Ann , No . 1235 , from the Court Houso , to tho Town Hall , Buxton .

Tho Committee have further to report thafc in consequence of tho formation and recognition of a Grand Lodge of Victoria , there are with the exception of tho Meridian Lodge of Sfc . John , No . 729 , and tho Combermere Lodgo , No . 752 , Melbourne , which have nofc yefc

signified their intention of joining fche Grand Lodgo of Victoria , no longer English Craffc Lodges in that colony to which the Chapters meeting in the District ; of Victoria can be attached , as required by Article 45 , Royal Arch Regulations .

The Committee , therefore , recommend that the Charters of the undermentioned Chapters be withdrawn and cancelled , and that the Chapters bo erased from fche Register of tho Grand Chapter . No . 474 , Australasian , Melbourne . 530 , Victorian , Melbourne .

641 , Royal Golden of Bendigo , Sandhurst 692 , Eureka , Casfclemain . 713 , Yarrowee , Ballarafc .

727 , Collingwood , Melbourne . 728 , Sfc . John , Becchworth . 747 , Melbourne , Melbourne . 930 , South Yarrow , Melbourne

( Signed ) ROBERT GREY , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . 17 lh July 1889 .

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 ehowory woafchor of the forenoon was unable to seriously mar , was undertaken by this Lodge on Saturday , 20 . h July . We have ifc ou good authority that " absence makes tho heart grow cold , " and tho chief object of tho brethren in undertaking tho excursion was , possibly , to break tho long interval between the stated Lodge meetings in June and

October , thus , by a timely outing , renewing tho pleasures of social intercourse . True , however , to the antiquarian tastes and studies encouraged by fcho Lodge , a spot of abiding interest to Freemasons was chosen , the city of Sfc . Alban , England ' s proto-marfcyr , and tho traditional founder of the Craffc in these isles . Does not the Graud

Lodge MS . of tho Old Charges ( which is dated 1583 ) state distinctly " Inglaude in all this season stoyde voyd of any chardge of Massonrie uutill St . Albon's tyme , and in his dayes the Kyug of Ingland that was a paynym he did wall thee towno aboute thafc is called St . Albons . And Sfc . Albon was a woorthy Knyght & Sfcewarde of the

Kyng ' s householde , and had tho gou ' menfc of theo rcalme , & also of theo towne walls , and loved Massons well and cherished them muche , and ho mayde their payo right good ( standing as tho roaluie did ) for lie gave them ija vjd a weeko and threo ponce fco their cheire , for before that tyme throwe the lande a Masson toko but a peny a

dayo and his meate , untill Sfc . Albone amended yt . and gavo them a charter of thee Kynge & his Counsell for to houldo a gen'all Counsel ! , and gano it fcho uamo of an Assoinblye , and was thereat himself and healped for to make Massons aud gavo theo chardges as yoe shall hoare afterwarde righte sone . " Bro . W . Simpson , the W . M .,

was unfortunately defcained at Balmoral , on business , and a few other brethren , who rarely miss a Lodgo meeting , wero unavoidably absent , bufc tho following members assembled at St . Pancraa , under the S . W ., Bro . Col . S . C . Pratt , viz ., Bro . W . M . Bywater P . G . S . B . J . W ., Professor T . Hayter Lewis S . D ., Dr . W . W . Westcott J . D .

, G . W . Speth Secretary , Professor W . Mattien Williams , aud Dr . W . J . Chetwoode Crawley ( of Dublin ) . With these woro tho following members of the Correspondence Circle , viz ., Bros . Dr . W . 11 . Wood ° man P . G . S . B ., S . Richardson , C . 13 . Barnes , F . A . Powell , J . S .

Cumberland , C . E . Ferry , Col . J . Mead , and G . H . Piper ( of Ledbury ) D . P . G . M . Herefordshire , aud the following visitors : Dr . Benj . W . Richardson , F . Poglor , Sydney T . Klein , C . Bowley ( of Belfauf ) -lahaim ( of Liege ) , and Reg . T . Webster ( of Margate ) , A saluon

Summer Excursion Of The Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076.

carriage , attached to the 1110 a . m . train , took tho party comfortably to St . Alban ? , whore a frugal lunch awaited them nb fcho Peahen Hotol , after- which a visit was first paid to tho Church of St . Peters . Hero they woro met by tho Curate , Bro . Rov . Valentine Faulkner , under whoso auspices the Church waa

inspected , tho chief point of interest being tho monument of Edward Strong the elder , for whom Dr . Anderson claims the honour of having been appointed Junior Graud Warden under Grand Master Sir Christopher Wren , in 1685 . Tho truth of this can scarcely be admitted , but tho Strong family appeals to our sympathies , as Masons ,

in a high degree . Timothy Strong was a quarry owner aud builder in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire . His son , Valentine , was a notable builder in his day , and on his tomb , at Fairford , Oxfordshire , 1662 , ia described as " Valentine Strong , Freemason . " Valentine's son , Thomas , was engaged afc Trinity College , Oxford , iu 1665 , under

Sir C . Wren , and in 1675 made the firsfc contract with fcho Commissioners for rebuilding Sfc . Paul ' s . According to the family memoirs , written in 1716 , ho laid tho first stone in the foundation with his own hands . Dying in 1681 , he waa succeeded by his brother Edward , —buried afc Sfc . Peter ' s , St . Alban's , —who

associated with himself his son Edward the younger . The "Memoirs" state , "About the year 1706 Edward Strong , junior , began the lanthorn in tho Dome of St . Paul ' s , London , and on the 20 th October 1708 , Edward Strong , senior , laid the lasfc stone upon tho same . " This last claim is reasserted on fche monument in

question . Skirting the City , tho old Church of Sfc . Michael's was nexfc visited . Apart from its high architectural interest , the Church is noticeable for containing the body and statue of Lord Bacon , " fche wisest , greatest , meanest of mankind . " Sauntering through the fields , along tho banks of the river and nnder tho spreading elms , a

typical scene ot English rural beauty afc its besfc , the brethren made their way to fche Abbey , whoro they were met by the Rev . W . TJrwick , who has made the register and archives of fche edifice bis special study for yonrs . Under his capable guidance , every part of the structure was visited and its history explained , the old works

admired , and the restorations criticised . Somo difference of opinion was apparent as to thc taste , bufc none as to the solidity and thoroughness of the restored parts , or as to the public spirit and generosity of Lord Grimthorpe , who for years has borne fche enormous cost of what is more than restoration , for ifc was necessary in

many parts to entirely re construct . Lord Grimthorpe himself now joined the party , and kindly submitted to a course of " heckling " ; the reasons for this and that alteration being fully explained by his Lordship in answer to homo questions , and ho incidentally supplied many details as to tho structure of the Abbey , its foundations ,

vaults , & c , which were of great interest . The party having been generously admitted by the Rector , the Venerable Archdeacon Lawrence , free , thus entailing a loss on the Restoration Fund , a collection was made , which , we are glad to say , considerably more than covered the charge for admission . Lord Grimthorpe was

thanked for his explanations , and there being still an hour to spare before dinner , tho brethren struck once more across the fields , visiting tho old Roman walls and moat , and reached an eminence whence a beautiful view of tho Abbey and its surroundings was obtained . Dinner was served at tho Pea Hon at 6 o'clock , after which votes of

thanks woro moved and carried to Brother Rev . V . Faulkner and to the Rev . Mr . Urwick for their kindness in affording the brethren so much instruction and tho pleasure of their company , and suitably acknowledged , Mr . Urwick eloquently pointing out that St . Albans was tho scone of more than one martyrdom , interesting in ecclcsi .

astical history . Bro . Speth was thanked for making the arrangements , and indicated that Bro . Klein would bo their guide next year , throngh a district of great interest around his own residence , at Stanmore , whilst iu 1891 he ( Bro . Speth ) hoped to introduce fchem to Sandwich , tho City of the dead ; thc Roman ruins of Richborough

Castle , Minster Church and Abboy , Dauudoliou Gateway , near Margate , and other monuments iu the Isle of Thanet . Tho party returned by tho 8 ' 32 train , fco which a saloon carriage had been added for their separate nse , ifc boing unanimously admitted that the day had been most enjoyable .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

A MASON'S FREE BED . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . Sin , —Will you please find room for this very short epistle ? My attention has been directed to a paragraph , which appeared a few weeks sinco in tho FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , viz .: — " By tho will of fcho lafco Bro . James O'Gale , of Haverhill , tho sum of

3000 dollars ia to bo paid to the Masters and Wardens of thc Lodge in Haverhill , for tho establishment and maintenance of a free bed in fcho Haverhill Hospital , for fcho use of such Masons as thoy may deem worthy . " This is a practical charity , and an enduring monument , adds the Liberal Freemason , to the memory of an intelligent /

and eminently worthy Freemason . Allow me to ask the question , —aro thoro any similar beds in this tho mother country ? If thore be nofc , —why nofc ? No doubt thoro are innumerable instances in which a bed may bo available . Allow mo to inquire , if any brother can iuform mo of tho fact .

A brother , while in fche execution of his duties , may at once bo struck down when far from home , or friunds , without tho moans which a Mason's free bed bestows . Are there nofc at tho present moment many brethren who are suffering acutely from a mictions , to relievo whioh they aro unable to apply remedial

measures ? Thia will be effectual for fcho present . In all probability I havo stated enough ; I hope , however , thab the brethren who have the means within their teach will exerciao then ) , to tho alleviation of sull'eriug humanity . Tat MASIEU OI A . LOUGE , 30 th July 1889 .