Christmas Chimes.

CHRISTMAS CHIMES .

THE swallows from the jutting eaves Have flitted long ago ,

And in tne woods tne . alien leaves Are piled with drifted snow . And far and faint the echoed chime

Of Christmas bells cornea soft and clear , Like voices from that far-off time , That memory brings so near .

The mellow peal , with cadence low , Invokes the shadow-haunted past ; Bright vistas of the long ago , Like tinted sunbeams , fleeting fast .

Dim corridors , thafc echoed once To rhythmic music sweet—The melody of tender tones , The ring of childish feefc .

Of Christmas stockings hung , with glee , Beside the mantel square—Of gentle hands laid lovingly Against a forehead fair .

The years—how many ? long have swept With ruder touch that childish brow , But all the dreams those years have kept ,

In Christmas chimea are ringing now . The musky breath of garden flowers , Thafc filled the air with still perfume ; The mellow smile of twilight hours ,

Gilding the night ' s foreshadowed gloom ; The tasseled corn , whose rustling shade Beguiled ns in the summer time , The nutty woodlands where we strayed In bright October's golden prime ;

The glittering dew-drops sparkling bright , The frost-work on the window pane , Reflecting back in waves of light

The tinted moonbeams quivering stain , When life seemed gladly bubbling o'er , With royal gifts of oil and wine , And pleasure , rifled to the core ,

Held endless leagues of treasured wine ; When fancy led us , hand in hand , Through mystic realms of poesy , And sent ns , dowered , from fairy-land , With golden-freighted Argosy .

And still the merry bells ring on And still the echo dies away , In silver chimes that ring the dawn , The happy dawn of Christmas day .

They tell , in tones of cadenced rhyme , How fled the passing summer hours , 'Mid tufted shrub and clinging vine , When perfumed breezes rocked the flowers .

They whisper of the leaves that fell When wild November whirled the snow , Where lissom alders fringed the dell , And humid willows drooped below .

They bring " glad tidings of great joy , Of "peace on earth , " good-will to all , Of Him who hears the raven's cry , "And marks the sparrow's fall . "

Of Christmas day , whose first pure light Broke o ' er the plains of Bethlehem , When shepherds watched the Star of night , That shone o'er far Jerusalem .

And still the merry bells ring on , And still the echo dies away , In silver chimes that ring the dawn The blessed dawn of Christmas day . —Voice of Masonry .

Lend A Hand.

LEND A HAND .

LEND a helping hand , my brother , To the weary ones you meet , There are many bowed with burdens Fainting in the day's fierce heat . Pass nofc by a toil-worn brother ,

Let none ask for aid in vain , Lend a helping hand , believing Time will pay you back again . Lend a helping hand , my brother , There are chances all the way ;

When yon seo a man discouraged Have a helping word to say . Kindly words are balm and comfort To the weary , and they make Many a load seem lighter ;

Speak them for a brother ' s sake . In the march of life , my brother , Willing heart and ready hand Make tho way seem bright and pleasant As we journey through the land .

Lend A Hand.

Bless the hands ontstretohed to help ns , With a hopeful word and smile , Lend a helping hand to others It is grandly worth your while . Keystone .

Diary For The Week.

DIARY FOR THE WEEK .

We ahoU be obliged if the Secretaries of the various Lodges throughout the Kingdom will favour us with a list of their Days of Meetings , & c , as we have decided to insert only those that are verified by the Officers of the several . dodges .

SATURDAY , 22 nd DECEMBER ,

179— -Manchester , Yorkshire Grey , London St ., Tottenham Coart Rd ., at 8 ( In ) 198—Percy . Jolly Farmers' Tavern . Southgate-road , N ., at 8 ( Instruction ) 1276—Star , Dover Castle , Deptford Causeway , S . E ., at 7 . ( Instruction ) 1288—Finsbury Park , Cook Tavern , Highbury , at 8 ( Instruction ) 1364—Earl of Zetland , Royal Edward , Triangle , Hackney , at 7 ( Cnatruotion ) 1624—Eccleston , Crown and Anchor , 79 Ebury Street , S . W ., at 7 ( -sntrttction ) 1871—Gostling-Murray , Town HaU , Hounstow 2012—Chiswick , Windsor Castle Hotel , King Street , Hammersmith , at 7 . 30 . ( In ) . Sinai Chapter of Improvement , Union , Air-street , Regent- _ t ., W ., at 8

MONDAY . 24 tli DECEMBEB .

-. —Royal Somerset House and Inverness , Freemasons' Hall , W . C . 22—Loughborough , Gauden Hotel , Clapham , at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 45—Strong Man , Bell and Bush , Ropemaker St ., Finsbury , B . C ., at 7 ( In ) 17 _ r-Sincerity , Railway Tavern , Railway Place , Fenchurch Street at 7 . ( In ) 180—St . James ' s Union , Union Tavern , Air-street , W ., at 8 ( Instruction ) 548—Wellington , White Swan , High-street , Deptford , at 8 ( Instruction ) 933—Doric . Duke ' s Head , 79 Whitechapel Road , at 8 . ( Instruction )

976 _ Roso of Denmark , Gauden Hotel , Clapham Road Station , at 7 ' 30 . ( Inst . ) 1227—Upton , Three Nuns , Aldgate , E ., at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1426—Hyde Park , Porchester Hotel , Leinster Place , Cleveland Gardens , at 8 . ( In ) 1446—Prince Leopold , Printing Works , 202 Whitechapel Road , E ., at 7 ' Inst . ) 1489—Marquess of Ripon , Queen ' s Hotel , Victoria Park , at 7 . 30 ( In ) 1507—Metropolitan , The Moorgate , Finsbury Pavement , B . C ., at 7 . 30 ( Inst . )

1585—Royal Commemoration , Railway Hotel , High Street , Putney , at 8 . ( In ) 1608—Kilburn , 46 South Molton Street , Oxford Street , W ., at 8 . ( Inst . ) 1623—West Smithfield , New Market Hotel , King Street , Smithl-ok ., at 7 ( In . ) 1632—Stuart , Surrey Masonic Hall . Camberwell 1693—Kingsland , Cock Tavern , Highbury , N ., at 8 . 30 ( Instruction ) 1707—Eleanor , Seven Sisters Hotel , Page Green , Tottenham , 8 . ( Inst )

1891—St . Ambrose , Baron ' s Court Hotel , West Kensington . ( Instruction ) 1901—Selwyn , East Dulwich Hotel . East Dulwich . ( Instruction ) 2021—Queen ' s ( Westminster ) and Mirylebone , Criterion , W . at 8 . ( Inst . ) 48—Industry , 34 Denmark-street , Gateshead 248—True Love and Unity , Freemasons' Hall , Brixham , Devon , at 7 . ( Inst )

382—Royal Union , Chequers Hotel , Uxbridge . ( Instruction ) 524—Derby , Masonic Hall , Liverpool at 8 . ( Instruction ) 999—Robert Burns , Freemasons' Hall , Manchester 1449—Royal Military , Masonic Hall , Canterbury , at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1477—Sir Watkin ^ Masonic Hall , Mold 1894—Herscbell , Masonic Rooms , Slough R . A . 241—Friendship , Masonic Hall , Liverpool R . A . 657—Vallotort , Masonic Hall , Callington , Cornwall

WEDNESDAY , 26 th DECEMBER .

808—Temperance in the East , 6 Newby Place , PjpUr 1017—Montefiore , Regent Masonic Hall , Air Stroot , W . 1056—Victoria , Guildhall Tavern , Gresham-street , E . C . R . A . 13—Union Waterloo , Masonic Hall , William . Street , Woolwich R . A . 753—Princo Frederick William , Lord's Hotel , St . John ' s Wood

32—St . George , Adelphi Hotel , Liverpool 163—Integrity , Freemusons' Hall , Goopac-. - . ivnt , \ t w . ' vJiiar 220—Harmony , Garston Hotel , Garston , [_ im is ib * j 301—Philanthropic , Masonic Hall , Groat Gaorgj-iti-Jei . La 1 ¦ 439—Scientific , Masonic Room , Bingley 721—Derby , Masonic Hall , Liverpool 096—Sondes , Eagle Hotel , East Dereham , Norfolk

1039—St . John , George Hotel , Lichfield 1083—Townlcy Parker , Brunswick Hotol , Piccadilly , Mane ' . isii-u * 1085—Hartington , Masonic Hall , Gower Stroat , Da- ) , ; . ( Instrautbu ) 1219—Strangeways , Masonic Rooms , Kinij Sircot , M- titjaar "* ; or 1283—Ryburn , Central Buildings , Town tfall S-ro 3 _ ., So . rocuy Bridge 1392—Egerton , Stanley Arms Hotel , Stanley Strcst , Bury , Litis ... hUM 1033—Avon , Freemasons' Hall , Manchester 1953—Prudence and Industry , Georgo Hotel , Chard , So __ o _ . otsl-. iro 1

907—Beacon Court , GhuzeeFort Hotel , New Broinp . on , Kent R . A . 225—St . Luke ' s , Freemasons' Hall , Soane Street , Ipswich R . A . 226—Benevolence , Red Lion Hotel , Littleborough R . A . 290—Prosperity , Masonic Hull , South Parade , Huddersfield R . A . 606—Segontium , Carnarvon Castle , Carnarvon R . A . 1356—De Grey and Ripon , Masonic Hall , Liverpool M . M . —Howe , Masonic Hall , Now Street , Birmingham M . M . —Northumberland aud Berwick , Masonic Uali , M __ . pla- -. t- * jab , Newcastle . M . M . 174—Athol , Masonic Hall , Severn-street , Bir . nm _ . hain

THURSDAY , 27 th DECEMBER .

General Committee Girls School , Freemasons Hall , at 4 27—Egyptian , Hercules Tavern , Leadenhall-stroot , B . C ., at 7 . 30 ( Instruction ) 87—Vitruvian , White Hart , College-street , Lambeth , at 8 ( Instruction ) 144—St . Luke , White Hart , King ' s-road , Chelsea , at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 147—Justice , Brown Bear , High Street , Deptford , at 8 . ( Instruction ) 435—Salisbury , Union Tavern . Air-street , Regent-street , W ., at 8 . ( Inst . ) 701—Camden , Lincoln ' s Inn Restaurant , 305 High Holborn , at 7 ( Instruction )

/ 49—Belgrave , The Clarence , Aldersgate Street , E . C . ( Instruction ) 754—High Cross , Coach and Horses , Lower Tottenham , at 8 ( Instruction ) 879—Southwark , Sir Garnet Wolseley , Warndon St ., Rotherhithe New Rd . ( In ) 1158—Southern Star , Sir Sydney Smith , Chester St ., Kennington , at 8 . ( In . ) 1278—Burdett Coutts , Swan Tavorn , Betanal Green Road , E ., at 8 . ( Instruct ) 1306—St . John , Three Crowns Tavern , Mile End Road , E . ( Instruction ) 1339—Stockwell , Masons' Tavern , Masons' Avenue , B . C ., at 7 . 30 ( Instruction )

1360—Royal Arthur , Prince of Wales Hotel , Wimbledon , at 7 . 30 . ( In . t ) 1421—Langthorne , Swan Hotel , Stratford 1426—The Great City , Masons' HaU , Masons' Avonno , B . C ., at 6 * 30 . ( last ) 1558—D . Connaught , Palmerston Arms , Grosvenor Park , Camberwell , at 8 ( In ) 1571—Leopold , Austin ' s Hotel , 7 London Street , E . G ., at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 1602—Sir Hugh Myddelton , White Horse Tavern , Liverpool Road ( corner of

Theberton Street ) N „ at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1612—West Middlesex , Bell Hotel , Baling Dean , at 7 . 45 . ( Instrnction ) 1614—Covent Garden , Criterion , W ., at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1622—Rose , Stirling Castlo Hotol , Church Street , Camberwell . ( Instruction ) 1626—Tredegar , Wellington Arms , Wellington Road , Bow , E ., at 7 . 30 . ( In . ) 1673—Langton , White Hart , Abchurch Lane , B . C ., at 5 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 1677—Crusaders , Old Jerusalem Tav ., St . John ' s Gate , Clerkenwell , at 9 ( Inat )