Diary For The Week.

807—Cabbell , Masonic Hall , Theatre Street , Norwich 904—Phcenix , Ship Hotel , Rotherham 966—St . Edward , literary Institute , Leek , Stafford 1000—Priory , Middleton Hotel , Southend on Sea jjg 4 _ -Eliot , Private Booms , St . German ' s , Cornwall . jj 82 _ Duke of Edinburgh , Masonic Hall , Liverpool , at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 1313—Fermor , Moson *" c Hall , Southport , Larcashire 1576—Dee , Union Hotel , Parkgate , Cheshire

1680—Cranbourne , Red Lion Hotel , Hatfield , Herts , at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1 587—St . Giles , Royal Oak Hotel , Cheadle 2131—Brovralow , Town Hall , EUesmere , Shropshire B . A . 57—Humber , Freemasons' HaU , HuU B . A . 303—Benevolent , Holland ' s Road Easfc , Teignmoatb B . A . 1235—Phcenix of St . Ann , Court Hotel , Buxton $ _ . __! . 32—Union , Freemasons' Hall , Cooper-street , Manchester K . T . 34—Albert , Masonic Rooms , 23 Ann-street , Bochdale

FRIDAY , 30 th SEPTEMBER . Emulation Lodge of Improvement , Freemasons' Hall , at 7 25—Bob art Burns , Portland Arms Hotel , Great Portland Street , W ., at 8 . ( In ) 167—St . John's , York and Albany Hotel , Regent ' s Park , N . W „ at 8 . ( Inst . ) 507—United Pilgrims , Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell , at 7 . 30 . ( Inst . ) 766—St . James , Princess Victoria Tavern , Rotherhithe , at 8 . ( Instruction ) 766—William Preston , St . Andrew's Tavern , Georgo St ., Baker St ., at 8 . ( In ) 180—Royal Alfred , Star and Garter , Kew Bridge , at 3 . { Instruction )

834—Ranelagh , Six Bells , Hammersmith . ( Instruction ) 133—Doric , Duko ' s Head , 79 Whitechapel Road , at 8 . ( Instruction ) 1156—Metropolitan , Portugal Hotel , Fleet Street , K . C , at 7 . ( Instruction ) 1185—Lewis , Fishmongers * Arms Hotel , Wood Green , at 7 . 30 . ( Instrction ) 1298—Royal Standard , Alwyne Castle , St . Paul ' s Road , Canonbury , at 8 . ( In ) 1366—Clapton , White Hart , Lower Clapton , at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 1642—B . Carnarvon , Ladbroke Hall , Netting Hill , at 8 . ( Instructiou )

1789—Ubique , 79 Ebury Street , Pimlico , S . W ., at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) B . A . —Panmure O . of Improvement , Stirling Castle , Church Street , Camberwell B . A . 79—Pythagorean , Portland Hotel , London Street , Greenwich . ( Inst ) . B . A . 820—Lily of Richmond , Greyhound , Richmond , at 8 . ( Improvement ) B . A . 890—Hornsey , Porchester Hotel , Leinster Place , Cleveland Square , Paddington , "W . ( Improvement ) U . M . —Old Kent , Crown and Cushion , London Wall , E . C . ( Instruction ) M . M . 355—Royal Savoy , The Moorgate , Finsbury Pavement , E . G ., at 7 . 30 . ( In )

401—Royal Forest , Hark to Bounty Inn , Slaidburn 463—Chigwell , Public Hall , Station Road , Loughton , at 7 . 30 . ( Instructio . ) 460—Sutherland of Unity , Castle Hotel , Nowca . tlo-imder-Lymo 666—St . Germain , Masonic Hall , The Crescent , Selby 662—Holme Valley , Victoria Hotel , Holraflrth " 810— Craven , Devonshire Hotel , Skipton lOS-r-Eccleshill , Freemasons' Hall , Eccleshill

1143—Royal Denbigh , Council Room , Denbigh 1386—Gladsmuir , Bed Lion , Barnet 1391—Commercip . l , Freemasons' Hall , Leicester General Lodge of Instruction , Masonio Hall , New Street , Birmingham , at R . A . 242—Magdalen , Guildhall , Doncaster B . A . 471—Silurian , Freemasons' Hall , Dock Street , Newport , Monmouthshire B . A . 897—Loyalty . Masonic Buildings , Hall Street , St . Helens R . A . 945—Abbey , Abbey Council Chambers , Abingdon

SATURDAY , 1 st OCTOBER . General Committee Boys' School , Freemasons' Hall , at 4 179—Manchester , Yorkshire Grey , London St ., Tottenham Court Rd ., at S ( In ) 198—Percy , Jolly Farmers' Tavern , Southgate-road , N ., at 8 ( Instruction ) 1275—Star , Five Bells , 165 New Cross-road , S . E ., at 7 . ( Instruction ) 1288—Finsbury Park , Cock Tavern , Highbury , at 8 ( Instruction ) 1364—Earl of Zetland , Royal Edward , Triangle , Hackney , at 7 ( Instruction ! 1659—New Cross , New Cross Hall , New Cross 1572—Carnarvon , Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street 1622—Rose , Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell

1624—Eccleston , Crown and Anchor , 79 Ebury Street , S . W ., at 7 ( Instruction ) 1949—Brixton , Brixton Hall , Acre Lane , Brixton 2012—Chiswick , Windsor Castle Hotel , King Street , Hammersmith , at 7 . 30 . ( In . ) Sinai Chapter of Improvement , Union , Air-street , Regent-st ., W at tl B . A . 173-Phcei-ix , Freemasons * Hall , W . C .

149—Peace , Private Rooms , Melthatn 303—Prince George , Private Rooms , Bottoms , Eastwood " 463—Chigwell , Forest Hotel , Chingford 1223—Amherst , Amherst Arms H ) tel , Riverhead , near Sevenoaks 1458—Truth , Private Rooms , Conservative Club , Newton Heath , Manchester 1466—Hova Ecclesia , Old Ship Hotel , Brighton 1567—Elliot , Railway Hotel . Feltham

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — ST . JOHN'S LODGE ( TJ . ) \ MEETING of the above Lodge waa held at Freemasons' Hall , -tX Bolton , on Thursday , the Sth instant . B roa . E . G . Harwood W . M ., W . Wade eon S . W ., N . Nicholson J . W ., W . Court M . O ., G . P . Brockbank P . G . W . Treasurer , W . Cooper Past Prov . G . D . Secretary , E . H . Phillips Conductor , J . Eckersley S . D ., E . Jones J . D ., Thomas

-Nightingale Timekeeper , W . H . Brown Steward , T . Higaon Tyler , E . W . Brockbank , John Kenyon P . S . G . D ., James Horrooks P . S . G . D ., J . F . Skelton , John Hardcastle , Edward Gregory , William Wood , George Stirling , John Wolitenholme , J . W . Thompson , John Booth , T . H . Heyes , J . Hibbert , W . Green , E . Whees , E . W . Howe P . P . G . O . Hants and Isle of Wight Organist , E . Johnson , E . H . Swindlehnrst .

lhomas Mnrphy , George E . Greenbalgb , Thomas Morris P . M . Past Prov . G . S . B ., Henry Critchley , John Whittaker , John Alcock P . M . Past Prov . G . S . B ., Thomas Horner , Thomas Morris ( Halliwell ) . The minntes of the last meeting were read and confirmed , after which Bro . Brockbank announced that a petition to the Mark

Benevolent Fund on behalf of the daughter of a deceased brother had been favourably received by the Board , who had placed her upon the foundation of the Institution , and granted her the requisite sum for education and clothing . Much gratification was expressed by the brethren at the result , which had been attained with errant * , nmmn .

titude and attention on the part of the officials connected with the Mark degree . Three candidates , all members of the Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 37 , were balloted for and elected ; two being in attendance , viz ., Bros . Mnrphy and G . E . Greenhalgh , were advanced

to the honourable degree of Mark Master Mason b y Bro . Kenyon , who also explained the working tools oi tbe degree , and delivered ihe lectnre to the candidates . A cordial vote of tbankg was accorded to Bro . Kenyon for his arduous services , and many compli mon ta were

Mark Masonry.

paid to him for hia effective rendering of the ritual . Bro . Wadeaon was elected W . M . for the ensuing year , and Bro . Brockbank re-elected as Treasnrer . Bros . Phillips and Brown were appointed to audit the accounts of the past year . A portion of the Ancient Charges were read by the Senior Warden , and the Lodge closed in peace and harmony afc eight p . m . The brethren adjourned to fche banquet hall and partook of refreshments .

King Solomon As An Art Patron.

KING SOLOMON AS AN ART PATRON .

THE reign of David had been a brilliant period of growth and consolidation , of advance in civilisation , wealth , and culture ; and Solomon inherited a territory , a people , and an exchequer such aa fell to the lot of no other ruler of the Jews . We , who view him through the light oast on hia character by the degradation of hia later years , find him a repulsive rather than an attractive character , but to

hia subjects this radiant and beautiful young king , surrounded by the gorgeous magnificence dear to the Oriental heart , and already endued with unusual wit and wisdom , seemed to carry with him glad angaries of peace , magnificence , and prosperity . It waa not only that he waa very beautiful in person , gracious in manner , brilliant and wise in

apeeoh , that he inherited in a great measure his fathers poetic genius and love of music , but he devoted himself in an unprecedented degree to the internal government of hia kingdom , and he possessed to perfection fche Hebrew talent for commerce . True , he early showed signs of the defects natural to men of his temperament ; the

sensnousnesa of the Song of Songs betrays a character naturally inclined to self-indulgence and luxury , and his marriage with the daughter of the King of Egypt , contracted for reasons of State policy suggests that even in his youth he regarded the obligations of religion lightly . The marriage was regarded with something like horrified

surprise on the part of the Israelites , but it fulfilled its immediate purpose by cementing peace with Egypt and promoting commerce in the linens and woollens of the Hebrews , who received in exchange the Egyptian war horses and chariots which Solomon , contrary to Hebrew tradition , deemed essential to the maintenance of peace .

Some show of power waa indeed necessary to secure fche safety of a city overflowing with gold and jewels , as Jerusalem became in Solomon ' a later days ; and thafc he restrained his people from warfare was rather because he placed a high value on peace than because he had no occasion for war . For he allowed a new Syrian kingdom

to arise afc Damascus , far more dangerous to Israel than that of Soba whioh had been destroyed , and during his reign the Edomitea regained the whole of their territory with the exception of fche port of Elath , so that he bequeathed to his successor an insecure throne and a kingdom surrounded by formidable enemies . His wisdom

expended itself chiefly in personal learning , matters of home policy , aud commercial enterprise ; for by his administrative reforms he laid the foundations of a well-managed State , and under him the commercial resources of the kingdom were thoroughly developed . Hitherto the carrying trade had been

entirely in the hands of tbe Phoenicians , who , however , confined them * selves to the Mediterranean ; but the conquest of Edom provided the Israelites with an opening to the Bed Sea by way of fche Gulf ot Akaba , and Solomon made the most of this tremendous addition to his powers . The Hebrews were ignorant of the arts of shipbuilding

and navigation , bnt the Phoenicians were willing partners in this enterprise , and they furnished builders for the fleet , and skilled mariners for the officers and superior seamen of the vessels . The first voyage was one of discovery , for the region below the Eed Sea was as yet unexplored , though it is probable that Solomon knew

something of the products of Southern Asia before he undertook so expensive a work aa the building and manning of a merchant fleet . The voyage of these vessels occupied three years , and extended down the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden , and across the Indian Ocean , as far aa Madras and Ceylon ; and the ships returned laden

with treasures , all rare , and many of them hitherto unheard of in Israel—gold , silver , precious stones , nard , aloes , sandalwood , cypress , ivory , apes and peacocks , fantastic and beautiful creatures of which the like had never been seen before . But , besides these ocean-going vessels , Elath was fche port for a great number of coasters , trading

with the ports on the Eed Sea , and probabl y it was throngh these that tbe Queen of Yemen or Sheba first heard of tbe wisdom of S 3 lomon and of the splendour of his palaces . For everywhere the traders took with them stories of the prosperity of fruitful Israel , of the magnificence of her cities , and of the wisdom , wit , and justice of

h . r poet king . South to Aden , easfc to Ceylon , the seamen carried their story , and the overland traders of the Continent ; bore tbe same news in their caravans ; so that the Easfc still teems with legends and traditions of the learning of Solomon , his skill in magic , ancl the magnificence of his cities . —F . Mabel Robinson , in " The Magazine of Art" for September .

—— .... — . __ — ., .- „ -.. r , „ . . ., — " Illustrations , " Mr . F . G . Heath ' s pictorial magazine , in commencing its third volume in October , with a specially-designed cover and pictorial section headings for its departments of Amusement , Art , Biography , Economy , Invention , Literature and Science , will include a series of illustrated articles on " Pretty Places , " mostly

by the Editor ; co . " The Church and Church Buildings , " by the Bev . D . J . Mackey , H . A ., soma ti . . « . Canon of Sfc . Ninian ' s Cathedral , Perth ; on " Mn : ical Musing-, " by Mr . F . J . Crowesfc ; on "Garden , Field and Farm , " by Mr . William Barley ; on "Fern Gossip , " b y

the Editor , and short stories and sketches , one of which will be "Our Neigbbonr ' iood , " a sketch of universal application , by Mrs . Pender Cudiip ( " Annie Thomas" ) . Messrs . W . Kent and Go . are the publishers .

Hon . Samuel Pasco , the newly-elected U . S . Senator , from Florida ia a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida . The State of Vermont has , niae hundred Knights Templar .