Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

CENTENNIAL OF THE CONCORD CHAPTER , No . 37 .

THIS ancient Chapter ( working from 1768 , chartered 178 . " ) cele . brated its Centenary ( from the date of its Charter ) on Monday , 19 th October , at the Masonic Hall , Swan Hotel , Bolton . The history of tho Chapter has just been written by its M . E . Z ., Comp . James Newton , with an introduction by Comp . VV . J . Hughan , and contains

a photographic portrait of Comp . G . P . Brockbank , of Bolton , Grand Assistant Director of Ceremonies ; the publisher of the work being Bro . George Kenning . The members of the Chapter had been hoping to obtain a Centenary Charter , having petitioned Grand Chapter for that purpose , but in consequence of an unfortunate period of ten years ,

from 1791 to 1801 , during which no meetings of tho Chapter are recorded , the Committee of Grand Chapter could not grant the Centenary Charter . The members of tho Chapter , may , however , feel proud of the fact thafc they may justly claim to bo the senior on the roll of all Chapters in England now existing as respects its oi'igin

and work by " Modern" brethren , though of course its warrant is later than several , becanse ifc for many years worked under fche wing of the Lodge , without any other authority , and its legitimacy , at all events , even when independent , was directly admitted by the " regular" Grand Chapter of England in 176 ' 9 , when three brethren

exalted in the Chapter were granted a charter for a Chapter at Bury , The proceedings on Monday commenced at 5 o'clock , at whioh hour the Chapter was opened , there being present Comps . James Newton P . Prov . G . S . N . Z ., Johnson Mills H ., E . M . Garstang J ., G . P . Brockbank Grand Assistant Director of Ceremonies Scribe E ., John

Booth P . S ., Jas . Naylor 2 nd A . S ., Jas . Walker Past Provincial Grand Standard Bearer , Samuel Ishervvood P . Z ., Jas . Brown P . Z ., J . W . Roiley Janitor , Thos . Higson Assistant Janitor , and Wm . Forrest also as Visitors Comps . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds Prov . G . H ., J . H . Sillitoe Prov . G . J ., John Chadwick Prov . G . Scribe E ., G . A . Mort

Z . 221 , J . Boothroyd II . 221 , E . G . Harwood J . 221 . Nathl . Nicholson P . Z . 221 , Wm . Cooper H . 318 , J . P . Skelton J . 348 , Thomas Grime P . Z . 3-15 , Josh . Rawlinson 345 , John Vickers 758 , R . R . Lissenden 317 . The minntes of the last regular meeting having been read and confirmed , the Scribe E . read a letter from the Grand Superintendent ( Colonel Le G . N . Starkie" ! explaining that his

engagements in Scotland prevented his being present , and congratulating the Chapter on the auspicious event . Scribe E . also real a letter from Comp . W . J . Hughan , expressing his regret at not being able to be present , ancl givinga few interesting facts relating to the Chapter . He pointed out that the Chapter was at work prior to the issue of

any Warrants by tho Grand Chapter of the " regular " Freemasons , London , and that as far as he could discover the Chapter has the earliest records of any Chapter supported by tlie regular Masons or " Moderns" of any outside tho metropolis . Also that the present members had reason to he proud that their predecessors conferred

the Royal Arch on three brethren from Bury , who subsequently obtained a Charter from tho London Grand Chapter to hold a Chapter at Bury , and which Chapter has recently obtained a Centenary Warrant as from 17 ^ 9 . Ho also remarked tbat Bolton is noted iu Roval Arch History for its connection with the " AthoII "

Masons or " Ancients , " the Lodge of " Antiquity , " No . 146 , being ono of the only two known in this country , which had a Chapter of that degiee under its wing , which kept separate records , the other being present No . 130 , Southampton , whose History he had written in the Freemason of 12 th September 1885 .

The M . E . Z . addressed a few words of welcome to all the Companions who had honoured tho Chapter with their presence on the occasion . The Scribe E . read an epitome of the Chapter history since 1768 , narrating many interesting circumstances in connection therewith . Hearty congratulations were tendered by the Prov . Grand Principals

and also by the Principals of the sistor Chapters in Bolton and the other visiting Companions , which were suitably acknowledged by the M . E . Z . on behalf of the Chapter . The following Companions wero elected as Principals and Officers for the ensuing year , viz . — Comps . Johnson Mills Z ., E . M . Garstang H ., John Booth J ., James

Newton Scribe E ., John Morris Scribe N ., John Hardcastle P . S ., G P . Brockbank Treasurer , James Brown Director of Ceremonies The hearty congratulations of tbe Chapter wero given to Comp . G

P . Brockbank ( an old and worthy member of the Chapter ) , on his recent appointment as Assistant Director of Ceremonies in the Grand Chapter . All business being ended , the Chapter was closed at 6 * 30 , and the Companions adjourned to refreshment .

Union Chapter, No. 414.

UNION CHAPTER , No . 414 .

TIIHE October meeting of this Chapter was held afc the Masonic ' Htdl . Rpading , on Frichiy , tho 16 th instant . Comps . J . Earh Danks M . E . Z , W . T . Toms E ., R . C . Mount J ., presiding . The installation of ihe Ptincipals , viz ., Comps . W . T . Toms ME Z ., R . C . Mount H ., W . H . Belcher J ., having taken place , the investiture

of the o'her Officers followed , the installing Z . being Comp . E . G . Brutou P . Z . Oxford , who performed the ceremony in his usual able manner , and to wheat a vote of thanks was accorded . Comp . Danks T P . Z . then rose an 1 stated that since ti . e t .. tit meeting he had had the pleasure of repr isen'ing the Chapter as Steward at the Festival

of the Royal Masoni * Institution for Boys , and taking up the sum o : £ f i 7 4 s , which stater lent was received with nod . 'mutton . After thi close of the Chapter the charge was very in , passively rendered b ' tho I . P . Z , and the Companions adjourned io Ihe Great Westerr

Hotel , where the M . E . Z . presided ; after tho usual Mnsonic toasts , the health of theM . J ' . Z . WHS proposed hy the 1 . 1 ' Z ., and enthusias - tically drank by thf Companions . Tbe health of tbo I . P . Z . wac i given by the M . E . Z ., who said he had been asked to present him with I

Union Chapter, No. 414.

a handsome P . Z . jewel , which had been subscribed for by his Masonic friends , and which bore this inscription : — " Presented to Companion John Early Danks , npon his retirement ns M . E . Z . in the Union Chapter , No . 414 , by a few sincere Masonic Companions , to mark his valuable services to the Craft . October 1885 . "

The toast was most cordially received , and the I . P . Z . responded in a feeling speech , thanking the M . E . Z . and the Companions . After several other toasts , including the Janitor ' s , the Companions separated .

St . George ' s Hall . —The fogs and fche north winds of coming winter are in possession of the streets ,- if we are not nipped by the cold we are water logged by the rain . Still a London autumn has its consolations , aud , mangee the bad weather , there are few Londoners who iu their hearts would care to leave it for any other place .

It has its consolations . There are the Inventories , where more colds nnd coughs are engendered for tho doctors than the thickest fogs of November could produce them . There are the -winter picture galleries , where one grows reconciled to the dulness of reality by finding art ia even more prosaic . There is St . George ' s Hall , where if one be

never so pessimistic , huffed and morose , —be sure hell come out con . vinced that life ' s worth living while Corney Grain is high priest in that bright littlo temple , and ever ready to discourse on the follies , fashions , and foibles of the day . This gentleman ' s delightful Dicky Doyle sketch , done to music , with all the figures alive and talking ,

if they are not singing , is one of the merriest , brightest , most laughter-provoking themes now to be fonnd on Mr . Willing's lists . Of course , we have all beard it before , bat the fun , good humour , and pretty touches of kindly satire gain with each successive representation . " Eton and Harrow " is the signature of a review of the

London season , with its clear , good , fussy mamas ; the girls all gushing , the chappies superior , and exhausted , meek paterfamilias , the City Cinderella keeping the domestic pot boiling whilst the family does duty to society . Mr . Corney Grain is especially happy in his outline studies of the " schoolboy " at home ; his ingenuous cheekiness , and

inarticulate superiority . Of course , the whole entertainment is nofc Mr . Corney Grain , though it might be , and yet we would willingly pay our five shillings for a stall ticket . There is a merry little comedietta , locally known as an " Illustration , " called " A pretty bequest . " This was played successfully during the latter months of last season ,

ancl still goes with no less favour . Mr . Alfred Reed has an excellent part , in it , as a shy old bachelor , and he has a capital pendant iu Mr . C . Allen , a selfish and morose one , each being bent on the other ' s marrying a pretty and inconvenient cousin , the actual pretty bequest Very nice and girlish is Miss Clara Merivale in the part , and when

she has acquired a little more self-possession we may find a promising comedy actress in her . Mr . North Home , as the young gentleman whose sudden admiration for the young lady relieves her cousins from their difficulty , plays with pleasant ease and sincerity . We

know there are thousands of excellent people who would not enter a theatre , yet are constant visitors to St . George's Hall ; most heartily wo congratulate them on their investing their money in these consolation stakes .

Crystal Palace . —ILLUMINATKI ) EVENING INDOOR FETES . —A few facts with reference to these fetes , which will for the present tako place tri-weekly , on Mondays , Thursdays , and Saturdays , may be interesting . The normal lighting of the building , by about 5 , 000 ordinary gas burners , and 75 large electric arc lamps , each of a

nominal 2 , 000 candle-power , will be supplemented by 10 , 000 gas jets in lamps of various beautiful hues , and 4 , 000 " bucket " oil lamps . The tinted glass lamps , arranged in festoons and other graceful devices along tho girders and at other points of vantage in the building , have been specially manufactured at Stourbridge for the Crystal

Palace Company , many of the tints being quite novel . Amongst the most effective of these may be mentioned ruby , sapphire , emerald , canary , opal , opalescent , amber , " oriental , " " aurora , " & c , & c . The bucket lamps are for the most part arranged iu the vases of flowers and amongst the flowering plants , which form an important part of

the decorations , for which the Company ' s rich resources in the direction both of nature and art have been largely drawn upon . Statuary , both in groups and in single figures , forms an important element of the decorations . The music will be mainly furnished by military bands , and these will play on an elegant newly-constructed decagonal

orchestra in the Centre Transept . This orchestra alone will be lighted by about 2 , 000 coloured lamps . The electric arc lampa in the centre will be masked , so to speak , by Chinese lamps encircling them , the object being to add picturesqueness to the general scene , find to prevent the milder lights from being overpowered by tho

dectric light . The great stage which forms the background to the scene has been decorated by Mr . F . Fentnr ., and represents a semioriental interior . This also will bo brilliantly lighted . It may be added that the whole has been designed and executed by the Company ' s staff .

HUGTUIVS MASONIC WOUKS , —In evidence of how Bro . Hughan ' s Masonic works are sought after , a second hand bookseller issued a catalogue lately , which contained Hughan ' s " Masonic Memorials " ( 1874 ) . To his surpiise , he had orders by telegraph , private bnvers ,

and hall ' -a-doZHn from the trade for the single copy . Bro . Hughan ' s list work , " Origin of tbe English Rite of Freemasonry , " issued in October 1881 , from tbe press of Bro . George Kenning , is now out of print , and already is quoted at nearly double the published price .

Tbe Revised Book of Constitutions ; Critically Considered vnd Compared witb . the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , E . C . Sent on re . eipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W W . Morgan , Free mason ' s Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pflntonville .