The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Criterion . —The operatic comedy by Messrs . F . 0 . Burnaud and E . Andran , entitled " Miss Decima , " haa proved succeasful enough to crowd this pretty thottre to excess even duriug the warm eveninga , and will doubtless be found sufficiently attractive to last until the popular manager returns for hia winter season . Madlle . Neaville , who is the life and soul of the piece , performs the Mowcherian

heroine in a sprightly humour thab speedily engages the attention and applause of the audience ; while Mr . David James is highly diverting as fhe Rev . Jeremie Jackson , many of whose funny sayings will pass into catch words . Mr . Charlea Conyera sings well , and looks the part of Paul Rolleaton , and Mr . C . Olootb makea bhe most of bhe Chevalier O'Flanagan . Miss M . A . Victor is well placed as

the Sonorita do Varganez , and her daughter Lucy finds an agreeable representative in Miss Josephine Findlay . The fine voice of Mr . Templar Saxe is heard to advantage in the somewhat difficult but pleasing music allotted to Bertie Brown , and the duet with Mr . Conyers , " The ideal She , " ia generally obliged to be repeated .

Mr . Welton Dale plays the silly part of Marmaduke Josaop with muoh tact , and numeroua pretty girls and handsome men sustain bhe supplementary characters . The single scene of the valley of Inter , laken is artistically painted by Mr . T . E . Ryan , while the" stage arrangements are under the direction of Mons . Marius .

Comedy . —There ia muoh humour and pathos in Mr . T . G . Warren ' s little sketch , " Houp La ! " which was produced here last week , yet somehow it misses its mark . A handsome oiroua rider , Rosabel , has two suitors , one an aristocratic patron of her father's show , and the other " The Great Libtle Sammy , " the clown of the establishment . Tho lady falls a victim to the blandishments of her

wealthy admirer , and Sammy consoles himself with a pretty equestrienne . The little piece is capitally played by Miss Jenny Dawson , as Rosabel ; Mr . Gerald Gurney , Mr . W . Wyes , and Mr . Ernest Coshara as " Sammy , " and forms an excellent prelude to the rollicking gfarcical comedy " Husband and Wife . " Thia latter piece should be seen by everybody who enjoys a good laugh .

The Freemasons are inclined to act bhe part of mediators and peacemakers between the disputants regarding the laying of the foundation-stone of the new sick poor hospital—bhe Parochial Board on the one side , and on the other bhe various bradea bhat have been invibed bub refuse bo abbend the ceremony . At the meeting of the

Sub-Committee of bhe Provincial Grand Lodge of Forfarshire , appoinbed bo bake charge of bhe arrangements for bhe Maaonic demonstration , explanations were offered whioh shonld tend to dispel some of the misconceptions that have helped to cloud the situation . The Trades have effectually made their protest against what they

consider parochial mismanagement . Having done this , ifc would not only be a graceful act on their part to reconsider their decision not to take part in the ceremony of 12 th September , but ifc would also add moral weight to any further criticism they may advance and any farther action they may see fit to take . —Dundee Advertiser .

A meeting of Master Masons was held in St . Andrew ' s Masonia Hall , Banff , on Wednesday , 5 th inst ., for bhe purpose of allowing Capbain Read , of Ardmellie , to present hia commission from Grand Lodge of Scotland , empowering him fco act aa Provincial Grand Master of the Banffshire Province . Captain Read was accorded a

very hearty reception . The following Officers were also appointed : — Bros . James Simpson Substitute Master , Francis George Senior Warden , R . Y . Mackay ( Buckie ) Junior Warden , James Gray ( Maoduff ) , Senior Deacon , J . C Grant ( Portsoy ) Junior Deacon , Dr .

Findlater ( Dufftown ) Secretary . The whole of the Lodges were well represented . It was carried by a large majoriby bhab bhe inatallabion of the Office Bearers should be held in Buckie about the first week in October next .

On the 13 th inst ., on the Ramsey shore , clothes were found belonging to Mr . A . W . Mason , Heathside , Alfcrincham , Cheshire , who haa offices at 56 Cross . street , Manchester . His father and brother are in Ramsey , and Mr . Mason arrived from Douglas , having attended a Maaonic gathering bhere . Nofc being ablo bo got into bhe

Queen a Hotel , where hia people abayed , he put ; up at the Albert Hotel , and gave inatrnotiona for towola to be left out , aa he intended bathing . He went out at seven o'clock in the morning and nothing has been seen of him since . Hia brobher haa identified bhe clothing . Mr . Maaon was bwenby-seven years old , married , and had two children .

On bhe 16 bh inst . a special service arranged for by tho Freemasons of Cheshire , waa hold in All Sainta' Church , Marple . There waa a large attendance of members , some of whom came a couaiderable

dietauce . The sermon waa preached by the Rev . E . Bigoe Bagot , of Manchester , Past Provincial Grand Chaplain of Cheshire and Lancashire , from Mark ix . 50—" Salt is good : bub if the salt have losb hia saltness , wherewith will ye season ib ?"

False happiness renders men sbern and proud , and thafc happiness ia never communicabed . True happiness renders them kind and sensible , and bhab happiness ia alwaya shared . Honourable ago ia nob bhab which atandebh in length of time nor thafc which ia measured by number of years . Bub wisdom ia ' tho gray hair unbo men and an unspotted life is old age .

The Spirit Of Fraternity Freemasonry's Charm.

THE SPIRIT OF FRATERNITY FREEMASONRY'S CHARM .

I AM quite satisfied wibh auoh statements aa bhat Freemasonry is a science of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols "; " Freemasonry is a science of morality developed and inculcated by the anoient method of aymboliam . " If Freemasonry were merely a aymbolio morality , a mystic , esoteric philosophy , it would not be possible for all men to be good Masons . It is not given to every man to grasp in thought the deeper laws

of the highest life . Above and before all else Freemasonry is a brobherhood— a fraberniby of helpfulness . By bhe cultivation and practice of the Masonio virtues the simplest mind may raise itself bo the sublimest plane , and acquire a deep intuition of the " Royal Art . " He who has nothing more than faith in out beloved Fraternity may be its brightest ornament , and may exemplify its apirit ; while

another , who can moat eloquently expound all the mysteries , may not have been raised from the dead level to the living perpendicular , and may be a stranger to that whioh is at the heart of oar ceremonies , allegories and symbols . We may concede that the first great '' want " of the candidate is " light , " while his first great " need" is warmth of fraternal affection . Oar mystic rites have no magical

efficacy . Not even to save a weak Lodge from forfeiting a Charter have we the righb to admit those who have not found a moral basis for life and action , and who have not shown themselves bo possess the fraternal spirit . The Maaonic Institution is not a reformatory ; neither is ifc an association of men on bhe plane of self-interest , but a brotherhood , He who wants the

" Master ' s word " only thab he may secure the Master's wage—that he may travel in foreign countries with greater profit , that he may have a key to noble hearts and great opportunities , and that seats of honour and power whioh princes and rulers have sighed for in vain may be his—must of necessity be blind bo the true seoret of our

fraternal life . Oar first great need is " thafc light which never waa on sea or shore "—that without whioh our cable bow were but a rope of aand . Before we can cherish the laudable ambition " to best serve , " we must have something more than the ability to open and close a Lodge , expound fche lectures , and give correctly the signs of recognition . —Bro . Enoch Powell , of Kansas .

Constituent bodies of Masons nowadays have gumption enough to manage their own affairs in all ordinary oases . Why , then , require bhem bo obbain a dispensation to remove from one hall to another ia the same village or city , or to fill vacant offices , provided eaoh member thereof haa notice of snch purpose ? A half-dozen other like annoyances might well be avoided if Grand Bodies would limit

their regulations to matters of general concern . They are nofc bho embodiment of the wisdom and legal knowledge of their respective orders , and modesty ahould dictate to them the impropriety of abtempbing to make bheir coustituenbs , in representative governments , mere dependents , privileged to act in the smallest matters only under express commission or command . —John H . Brown .

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BRO . JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . ia prepared to enter into arrangements with Metropolitan and Provincial Lodges ( however distant ) for the Delivery of hia Lectures on the Ritual and Ceremonial of the Symbolic Degrees in Freemasonry ( two hours ) , in respect of which most favourable criticism has been published by tho Masonic and Local Journals . "Brother Stevens must be heard within tho four walls of our respective Lodgo Rooms , for there only can his most useful work be understood and appreciated . " —Adress , in first instance , to tho care of tho Editor of this paper .

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2 vols ., Crown Svo , Cloth Gilt , Gilt Edges , Price 21 s . THECHURCHHISTORYOFENGLAND. By M . PORRITT . LONDON : W . W . MORGAN , BEIIVIDBBE "WORKS , HiinuBS HIM , " TEHTOSVILLB , N .

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DANCING . —To Thoso Who Have Never Loarnfc to Dance .- —Bro . and Mrs . JACQUES WYNMAN receive daily , and undertake to teach adiea anil gentlemen , who Have never had the slightest previous knowledge of nstruction , to go through every fashionable ball-danco in a few easy lessons . ACADEMY—74 NEWMAN STREET , OXFORD STREET . BaO . jACQViM WltSSi . lt WILL BE KAMV TO TAKE TUB rUAXAOSUSKI 0 » I MASOIUC B ALIS . FIRST-CLASS BAUDS PBOVIDRB . J PaosPBCiua OH ArrHCAiioir .