Festivities At Croydon.

FESTIVITIES AT CROYDON .

THE New Year ' s Entertainment to the " Old Folks "at Croydon took place nn Wednesday , in the handsome Hall at the Institution . Amongst those present were Bros . Dr . Strong and party , Bro . Thomas Cnbitt , Mrs . John Constable and Mrs . Culmer , Bro . Edgar nnd Mrs . Bowyer , Bro . Robert and Mrs . Halford , B-o . John and Mrs . Newton , Bro . G . 8 . and Mrs . Graham , Bro . and Mrs . Daniel , Bro . W . H . and Mrs . Wallington , Bro . C . and Mrs .

Smyth , Bro . H . and M-s . and Misa Massey , Bro . G . P . and Mrs . Feata ; Bros . John Mason ( Collector ) , R . P . Porge , W . W . Morgan , James Terry ( Secretary ) , James Terry jun ,, Mrs . and the Misses Terry , and Bro . T . Hastings Miller and Miss Miller . It is now some ten years since these Half-yearly Entertainments were inaugurated , and judging by the success attending the one now

nnder notice the promoters have every reason to be sat ' sfied with the result achieved . Dr . Strong , the honorary surgeon of the Institution , whose daily attendance on the old people for several yea's and anxiety on their behalf have received several tokens of acknowledgment from the Committee , presided at the dinner , and afterwards proposed three toasts , one of which , " The Founders of the Feast , "

was respond-: i to by B « -o . Edgar Bowyer , who stated that tho founders of the feast considered ifc fcheir duty to follow the precept , " Bear ye one another ' s burdens , and so fulfil the law of Christ . " A dramatic entertainment , in the evening , was given by members of fche Pickwick Histrionic Club , who played Craven ' s " Chimney Correr" and the comedietta , " A Cup of Tea . " The pei formers were Mess's . E . Johnson , Dupree , 0 . F . Cowell , Upton , W . S . Turner , Miss Isabel Mart ,

and Misa Liazie Henderson . The performances were admirable . Bro . G . S . Graham also took a conspicuous place in providing the entertainment of tbe evening , whioh taken in its entirety gave every satisfaction and much enjoyment ; . A cordial vote of " thanks was passed to the entertainers , and graoafully acknowledged by Mr . E . Johnson , aud after other compliments had been paid , the party returned to town .

There was a goodly assemblage of the brethren on the occasion of the first meeting of tbe Board of Stewards in connection with the forthcoming Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , held on Thursday last , at Freemasons' Hall . Among those present were Bros . Rev .

A . F . A . Woodford P . G . C , Edgar Bowyer Grand Standard Bearer , Thomas Cubitt P . G . P ., W . Clarke P . G . P ., Wm . Stevens G . A . P ., Horace B . Marshall W . M . 1949 , Charles S . Lane P . P . G . D . Durham , George Kenning P . G . D . Middlesex 1657 , H . E . Debane P . P . G . D . Essex , 0 . F ,

Matier P . G . W . Greece , E . E . Barrett Kidder I . P . M . 12 , H . H . Wells W . M . 1671 , S . Richardson , 0 . Volckman , C . Challen , R . J . Taylor W . M . 1922 , G . S . Brandon , G . P . Festa P . M . 1900 , W . H . Chalfont W . M . 1425 , M . Graham W . M . 975 , C . W . Reynolds P . M . 1479 , E . W . E . Wilde ,

H . Faija P . M . 1540 , John Hallett LG . 5 , C . E . Keyser , S . Nowakowski P . M . 534 , Richard Barbara , and A . White P . M . 1437 . The announcement having been made that Brother J . D . Allcroft , Grand Treasurer , would preside at the Festival , Brother H . B . Marshall was elected President

of the Board of Stewards , Brother E . Bowyer G . S . B . Treasurer , and Brother James Terry Secretary . All Vice-Patrons and Present and Past Grand Oflicers were appointed Vice-Presidents of the Board of Stewards . The Stewards fee is fixed at £ 2 2 s , hretl 'en ' s tickets £ 1 Is ,

and ladies tickets 10 s 6 d . Messrs . Spiers and Pond ' s tender for the dinner was accepted , and a Musical Committee having been appointed , comprising Bros . Horace B .

Marshall , Edgar Bowyer , 0 . F . Matier , Charles Challen , William Clarke , Thomas Cubitt , G . P . Festa , R . Barham , and R . J . Taylor , the Committee adjourned until Friday , 15 th February .

On the books of the Masonic Benevolent Institution there are 339 annuitants—167 men and 172 women . Of these London has 109 . West Yorkshire has the next largest number , viz ., 34 . East Lancashire and Kent are next , the former with 19 , the latter 17 . Devon has 16 . Other provinces vary from 10 fco 1 . Hereford , Herts , Leicester , and North Wales and Shropshire have none . On

the books of the Girls' School there are 239 girls , 79 of whom are from London and 2 from Berks and Bucks . Bristol has 1 , Cheshire 4 * , Cumberland and Westmoreland 1 , Devon 7 , Durham 4 , Essex 2 , Gloucestershire 3 , Hants and Isle of Wight 12 , Herts 2 , Kent 12 , East Lancashire 9 , West Lancashire 6 , Leicester and Rutland 1 , Lincolnshire 6 , Middlesex 3 , Monmouthshire 2 , Norfolk 2 ,

Northamptonshire and Hunts 1 , Northumberland 1 , Notts 2 , Somersetshire 8 , Staffordshire 3 , Suffolk 7 , Sussex 4 , Warwickshire 6 , Wilts 8 , Worcestershire 2 , North and East Yorks 5 , West Yorks 21 , North Wales and Salop 1 , South Wales ( Eastern division ) 2 , ditto ( Western division ) 2 , and Foreign Stations 10 . Beds , Cambs , Cornwall , Derbyshire , Dorsetshire , Herefordshire , Oxfordshire , and Surrey have no girls in the institution . —Evening Neivs .

Festivities At Croydon.

The installation meeting of the Priory Lodge , No . 1000 , will be held on Thursday next , the 10 th inst ., at the Middleton Hall , Southend , Essex . Lodge will be opened at

the early hour of 11 * 30 , and the ceremony of the day will be performed by tho outgoing Master , Bro . W . D . Merritt . Bro . W . G . Brighten P . M . 72 and 569 , Provincial Grand Organist Essex , is the Worshipful Master elect .

Bro . Lord Headley who has been elected tbe next representative Peer for Ireland , will , on fche Assembly of the House of Lords , take his seat in the room of the late Earl of Mountcashel .

According to the Keystone Brother W . J . Hughan is probably an honorary member of a greater number of Masonic bodies than any other brother in the world . In 1874 , when he published his "Memorials of the Masonic Union of

A . D . 1813 , " he dedicated that work to thirteen Lodges and six Chapters , in England , Scotland , and America , which had previously honoured him with membership . One of

these was Jerusalem R . A . Chapter , No . 3 , of Philadelphia . A number of others have since added his name to their roll .

Bro . H . Baldwin P . P . G . D . C . Middlesex and Surrey , P . M ., Ac , of thePanmure M . M . M . ' s Lodge , 139 , asks us to notify that this Mark Lodge will hold an " emergency " meeting at the head-quarters of Grand Mark Lodge , 8 A Red Lion Square , W . C , on Monday next , tbe 7 th inst .,

at five p . m . There are some ten candidates on the agenda for " advancement . " Bro . Thomas Poore P . G . I . G ., P . M ., < fec , the veteran exponent of this honourable degree , will assume the chair of A ., and with the assistance of the W . M ., Bro . John Walmsley Prov . G . J . D ., and officers , will perform the ceremonies .

Brother the Lord Mayor will be present at the annual ball of the Cripplegate Pension Society at the * Cannonstreet Hotel on Wednesday , the 23 rd inst ., and will take the chair at the supper .

The personal property of the late Mr . Thomas Holloway will , ifc is stated , probably be sworn under £ 1 , 000 , 000 . His will , which is of the simplest possible character , can be summarised in a very few words . Contrary to general expectation , the testator has made no specific charitable bequests . The executors , Mr . George Martin and Mr . Driver , who are also the trustees of the fund ( £ 300 , 000 ) with

which Mr . Holloway endowed his college for the education of women in August last , are entrusted with the task of carrying out fche testator ' s wishes in respect to the whole of his benevolent schemes . Ifc is understood that although the completion of the college and sanitarium will be fche first care of the executors , their charitable disbursements are by no means limited to the furtherance of the objects these institutions have in view . Dnring his lifetime Mr .

Holloway gave large sums of money for benevolent purposes on fche condition that the name of the donor should nofc be discovered , and the executors are given a wide discretion in the continuance of such subscriptions . Mr . Driver will continue to carry on the business of the deceased . The whole of the testator ' s property , with fche exception of that set apart for charitable purposes , is bequeathed fco a near relative .

ENCYCLOPEDIA . —We learn with great pleasure that our illustrious brother , Charles T . McClenachan , is preparing for the press a revised and greatly enlarged edition of Mackey ' s Cyclopedia , his most famous work . The new edition will contain aboufc one hundred pages of new matter , besides various additions to that already published , and will appear early this year . The well-known ability and careful research of Bro . M . gives full warrant that the work will be well done and fche book make a library in itself . —N . Y . Dispatch .

Ad01104

FTJNEBALS . —Bros . W . E . L . & Q . A . HTJTTOM " , Coffin Makers and Undertakers . 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . C . and 30 Forest Hill Boad , Peckham Bye , B , E .

Ad01102

DANCING . —To Those Who Have Never Learnt to Dance . —Bro . ancl Mrs . 3 A . CQUES WTTNMANN receive daily , and undertake to tench ladies and gent-omen , who have never had the slightest previous knowledge or instruction , to go through every fashionable bail-dance in a few easy lessons Private lessons any boor . Morning and evening classe PROoPECTUS OH- APPLICATION ACADEMY—74 NEWMAN STEEET , OXFORD STREET , W . BBO . JACQUES O TTOMANS * wen BE HAPPT IO TAKE THE MANAGEMENT OB MASOSIO BALIS . FIBST-OLASS BAUDS vuovn > Bi ) .

Ad01103

EDUCATION . - HAMBURG . Bro . JOHN A . UTEECK , 9 Bundesstrasse , HAMBURG Is prepared to receive into his Family TWO OR THREE ENGLISH YOUTHS AS BOARDERS Dnring the time they attend School in this City . CAREFUL SUPERVISION , KINO TREATMENT , BEST BODILY & MENTAL CARE High References in England and Hamburg . iFiaosiPiEaTTrs JFIRIEIEJ