Aldersgate Lodge, No. 1657.

A series of Masonic meetings will be held on Monday , Tuesday , and Wednesday , 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd March , afc the Masonic Hall , Kidderminster , nnder the anspices of the Hope and Charity Lodge 377 , and Lech mere Lodge 1874 , on which occasion the Collection of Masonic Works ,

Medals of all countries , Prints , Engravings , China , made by Bro . George Taylor , Provincial Grand Secretary , will be on view , for the purpose of affording the brethren an opportunity of inspection , prior to the Province taking

measures for acquiring the same . On Monday , 1 st March , at half-past six , the meeting will be under the anspices of the Lechraere Lodge , No . 1874 , when tho Collection

referred to above will in part be explained and described by Bro . W . J . Hugban P . M . 131 P . S . G . D . of England , & c . & G ., especially in relation to the Four Grand Lodges and the United Grand Lodge of England . On Tuesday ,

2 nd March , at seven o clock prompt , Bro . W . J . linghan will lecture on the " Connecting Links between Ancient and Modern Freemasonry . " Towards defraying the cost of these meetings , brethren are requested to purchase tickets , which may be obtained of the W . M . and

Secretary of each Lodge , or of the Hon . Secretaries , atone shilling for each meeting . On Wednesday , 3 rd March , at eight o ' clock , a Masonic Ball will be held at the Town

Hall , when brethren and their friends , who so desire , may view the Collection previously . Further particulars may be had of Bro . W . 0 . Awdry , or Bro . D . Mackay , Hon . Sees ., Bank Building * , Kidderminster .

Bro . Sir Francis Burdetf , Prov . G . Master of Middlesex , in re ? ponding to the toast of the Grand Officers at the it sta Jation meeting of the Aldersgate Lodge , on Monday , the 15 th instant , made a happy allusion to the scheme

which i- ? in course of being matured for constituting the Isle of Man a separate Province . We are accustomed to look upon tho Isle df Man as a stepping-stone between England and Ireland , and although the sister Isle has a

separate constitution , it has always worked in consonance with the Grand Lodge of England . The few Lodges , however , in the Isle of Man have now petitioned that thoy may have a Provincial Grand Master in their own island ,

and we cannot but congratulate them upon the prospect of their wishes being realised . There can be no question whatever that they will be able to rule their Province in a way that will be satisfactory to themselves , but that they

will form an integral part of the Grand Lodge of England . Tho "House of Keys" as the Isle of Man is frequently called , will undoubtedly justify the confidence which the Grand Lodgo is only too ready to repose in it , and we

shall " only be too glad , " in the words of Sir Francis , " to have the opportunity of receiving the Provincial Grand Master of tho Isle of Man on the dais of the Grand Lodge of England . " As " one of us , " the Manx brethren will no

doubt support the Craft as firmly and as substantially as any other of tho Provinces have done since we have become a United Grand Lodge . We can only hope that the

wishes expressed by the Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex may be realised and that the new Province , when firmly established , as no doubt it will be in a very shorb time , will be attended with every success .

At the meeting to which wo refer , Gen . Laurie , Grand Master of Nova Scotia , was very happy in his reply to the , toast of the Visitors . Visiting this Lodge , he said , called to mind some of his earliest associations , and carried

him bick to the time when he heard a great deal of Aldersgate Ward—not of the Aldersgate Lodge , because it was not then in existence—when his uncle was Alderman of that ward , for thirty years . He did not .

know he had a right to assume that his name should , therefore , be associated with such a toast in tho City of London , but after what had fallen from the Right Hon . the Lord Mayor , who had alluded to tho interest which the

Corporation took in the Craft , and ihe high position many of its members occupied in it , he did so with much p ' casure , inasmuch as his ancestral connection with the Afdcrmauic bench was an interestm ? as-oeiafcion . He

Ward it , stated by tin Lecture Master , at the inauguration of the Grand Master ' s Chapter , that ( here were many points of connection between the Corporation and the

City of London and the Craft . Thoy could all readily concur in the objects of the great Charities , which afforded assistance to many who were deserving , and some who \ vi . ie no ! . He reiterated that there was a great resem-

Aldersgate Lodge, No. 1657.

blance between tho Corporation and the Craft , and concluded a happy speech by expressing the hope that their interests might be buttressed and defended against all assailants .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , 17 th inst ., when Bro . Joshua Nnnn , the President , and Bros . J . Brett and C . A . Cottebrune , the two Vice-Presidents , occupied their

respective chairs . Grants made at the former meeting having been confirmed , the list of new cases were taken into consideration . There were thirty-eight petitions before the Board , and of these thirty-four were relieved ,

with a total of £ 1015 . The four remaining cases were deferred . Previous to the conclusion of the business , notice was given of a proposition , in the name of H . R . H . the Prince of Wale 3 M . W . G . M ., that a sum of two

hundred guineas be voted towards the fund now being raised at the Mansion House , under the anspices of Bro . the Lord Mayor , towards relieving the distress among the unemployed of London .

We understand that Bro . Samuel Pope , Q . C ., has retired from his candidature for the office of Grand Treasurer , for which he was nominated at the December Communication of Grand Lodge . There are , therefore , only two candidates

now before the Craft , Bro . R B . Martin P . M . and Treas 1506 , and Bro . D . P . Cama W . M . 2105 .

We are assured our readers will not feel aggrieved with us for reproducing the following gracefully oxpressed compliment of our contemporary , the Keystone : — " Our congratulations are fraternally extended to our excellent contemporary , the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , of London , as it enters

upon its twenty-third volume of publication . It is ably condncted , very readable , and always instructive . It knows what to publish , and what to cast into the waste paper basket . Our English Brethren aro especially fortunate in both of their Craft weeklies , which keep

us and them properly informed concerning current Masonic thought and action in the great Masonic jurisdictions of England , Scotland aud Ireland . We wish tho FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE increased success in dispensing Masouic light and knowledge . "

The following Festivals were held at the Freemasons ' Tavern during the week ending Saturday , 20 th February 1886 : —

Mouday—Philanthropic Ball , Grand Master ' s Lodge , British Lodge . Tuesday—Cadogan Lodgo , Enoch Chapter , Salisbnry Lodgo , Indnstry Chapter , Ebnry Chapter . Wednesday—Buckingham and Chandos Lodge , Oak Lodge , Noviomagns , Hackney Carriage Proprietors . Thursday—Univeral Lodge , St . Mary ' s Lodge , Groat Northern Lodge , Globe Lodge , Holborn C . C . Ball . Friday—Jordan Lodge , Pilgrim Lodge . Saturday—Tottenham House Ball .

An interesting window has been erected in memory of Mrs . Honlbrook , who , it will be remembered , lost her life last year in the collisirn in the Irish Channel with her Majesty ' s ship Hecla . The window ha 3 been executed by Mr . Taylor , of Berners-street , for Christ Church , Hendon , where Mrs . Houlbrook resided , the subjects , " Faith and Charity , " typically representing the virtues by which she had endeared herself in the neighbourhood .

Obituary.

Obituary .

RIGHT HON . LORD WAVENEY , P . G . M . SUFFOLK .

IT is with extreme regret we have to record another death nmnng tho Provincial Grand Masters of England—Bro . tho Flight Hon . Lord Waveney , Masonic ruler of the county of Suffolk , died a few days since . By his decease Masonry

loses one of its most popular chiefs ; a brother who was honoured and revered throughout his dirtrict , and in every part of the country where he was known . He was truly

" & fine old English gentleman , one of the olden time , " a brother who thoroughly appreciated the teachings of Freemasonry , and who loved to see its lessons acted up to in tho fullest sense . His connection with the Order dated

back a considerable period ; indeed , only at the last meeting of his Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Lowestoft , in Jn ' y , he said , in response to tho toast of his health , " he believed he was one of the olde . 4 Masons in the county ,

having been initiated m the year 1828 . " He took a personal interest in the Masonic work of his district , and was never behind in his support of any worthy act proposed for the benefit of the brethren under his rule .