Mark Masonry.

the Treasnrer and Secretary , the Officers of the Lodge , and the Tyler ' s—were then given , and the brethren separated , each and all delighted with the happy reunion . Wo must not omit to mention that , in addition to the admirable songs and recitations of the Worship ful Master and Bro . Gimingham respectively , Bros . Symons , Meggy , and Ducher contributed materially to tho musical entertainment of the evening .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

— : o : — HUYSHE ROSE CROIX CHAPTER , R . D . M .

THE annual meeting of this Chapter was held on Tuesday , the 22 nd instant , at the Temple , Princes-place , Plymouth , when Excellent Bro . Thomas S . Bayley M . W . S . elect was duly installed , the impressive ceremony being performed by the M . W . S . E . and P . Bro . the Rev . Thomas Lemon 30 ° . The following Officers were appointed for the ensning year : —Companions E . and P . P . Rev . Thomas

W . Lemon , M . A ., I . P . M . W . S ., W . Hoarder First General , James Keats Second General , Admiral Glasse Prelate , J . Edward Cnrteis 31 ° Treasurer , J . Harris Square Recorder , Francis B . Westlake G . M ., John Dunn Barker Raphael , Aitken Davies H ., Major Cha rd Captain of Guard , F . Reed Almoner , W . Molesvvorth St . Aubyn Director of Ceremonies . The Treasurer ' s accounts were received and duly passed . Bro . John Pearce Sawyer P . M . Erme Lodge was duly

balloted for , and incepted as a member of this Chapter , the ceremony being performed by E . and P . Bro . J . Watts , assisted by E . and P . Bros . Cnrteis and L . D . Westcott . The annual banquet was held at the Globe Hotel . A large nnmber were present , and , as is usual at this famous hostelry , the viands and attendance were excellent . The usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured , and a most enjoyable evening spent .

China.

CHINA .

UNITED SERVICE LODGE . - >'

THE installation of the Officers of this Lodge took place on the 8 th of January , when Bro . W . H . Addiscott , chief engine-room artificer of H . M . S . Victor Emmanuel , was impressively raised to the chair of King Solomon by the Very Worshipfnl Bro . C . B . Chater Deputy District Grand Master The collars were thus distributed : — Wor . Bros . G . May I . P . M ., S . Coomber S . W ., J . Windrum J . W ., Wor . 0 . W . Daggan Treasurer , J . Beattie Secretary , N . Perry S . D .,

C . S . Barkley J . D ., C . Wassinus Steward , A . J . Bridges Organist , C . Partington I . G ., A . J . Grimble Tyler . At the conclusion of the business , the Lodge was closed , and ninety-seven brethren , including several officers of high rank from the Fleet , sat down to a sumptuous banquet . The usual Loyal and Masonic toasts having been honoured , it was announced from Che chair that a much

respected member of the Lodge—Bro . Joseph Thomas , Sergeant-Major , R . A . —had suddenly passed away . He was on duty at high ucon , and ten minutes afterwards had ceased to exist . He leaves a wife and two children not over well provided for . A collection was at once made , and a sum amounting to over £ 30 was subscribed for their benefit . On the following morning another brother—W . H . Kingwho left England some time since , to take the post of sergeant in the

Hong Kong police , expired , after seven months' illness , leaving a wife and son , who are well respected , and will not need to return to England to find friends . Bro . Thomas's funeral took place on the 14 th January , and was an imposing and impressive ceremony , being attended by over 800 representatives of both branches of the Service , all vieing to honour tbe Craft in tho obsequies of the deceased . For the above information our thanks are due to the Western Daily Mercury .

Burdett Coutts Lodge Ball.

BURDETT COUTTS LODGE BALL .

ITIHE annual ball given in connection with this Lodge took place on - * - Monday , 21 st inst ., at the Cannon-street Hotel , and proved one of the most successful gatherings we remember taking part in . It haa very truly been said that ifc is not for mortals to command success , but on this occasion everything that could possibly be thought of to d eserve it was done , and , as we have stated , with a most satisfactory result to all who attended . It may hardly come within our

province to refer to the dresses of the ladies , but as we look upon these gatherings as being provided especially for them , we think we are justified in doing so . We could but notice the good taste that prevailed in this respect , we may say , without exception , the varied hues in which oar fair sisters were attired added greatly to the beant

y of the picture presented . Dancing was well sustained until midni ght , when an adjournment took place to tho supper-room , where the good things provided were partaken of by the company , under the able presidency of Bro . Dr . J . G . Defriez , who was supported in the vice chair by Bro . R . L . Sturtevant , the Hon .

Sec 0 f the Lod ge . The President confined his remarks to introducing we few toasts usuall y given within very narrow limits , as he felt IbXu that th ° P resent would much prefer the fare provided in tie ball room than listening to long speeches from himself and colleagues . Bro . Sturtevant proposed the health of the President ,

starring to m ' many good qualities , and expressing a hope that he De ? if Iong and en ; I ' oy good he ' alth - After the Te P Tyof Bl ' ° - Brow ' W t 0 aSfc ° . the Lad , es was ? iren from fche cnair - an <] to tll ! s to tli < 3 h ' * o J - responded . A compliment having been paid the , ards > the P arty asain proceeded to the ball room , where tnrfl « r tt . " ° f the Programme was gone through . One of the feales ottne second part was the fourteenth dance , which bore the

Burdett Coutts Lodge Ball.

name of the Burdett Coutts Quadrille , and which ia certainly a worthy representative of a worthy Lodge . Tho music for tho evening was provided by Mr . A . Cohen , and as on tho conductor and hia assistants very mnch of tho enjoyment of an evening depends , we hardly think ifc is necessary , after tho preceding remark , to add that he performed his part satisfactorily .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters mnst bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

A Youthful, But Ambitious Authority On The Conduct Of Freemasonry.

A YOUTHFUL , BUT AMBITIOUS AUTHORITY ON THE CONDUCT OF FREEMASONRY .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICA . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —A few days since I was among tho Visitors afc a rising Lodge in the Provinco of Middlesex , a Lodge whioh is well-known for its hospitable reception of brethren who are not members , and , it is needless to say , I thoroughly enjoyed myself . The work was well done , the dinner was a success , and the speeches

were above the average . But I derived amusement as well as enjoyment . I met a well-known and highly popular representative of your esteemed journal , and in the course of tho evening some well-deserved compliments were paid him on the tone and character of the paper with which he is connected . When the meeting was over , and those brethren who were under the necessity of availinsr themselves of the

services of the "iron horse " were patiently waiting afc the station for the arrival of the train that was to convey them Londonwards , a lively conversation ensued , in the course of whioh , complimentary reference was again made to the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , and it was suggested to a young brother who had that evening been honoured with appointment to an office far higher than he could have

anticipated , and who had expressed his determination to commence forthwith making himself acquainted with the duties of that office , thafc he should begin his course of study b y reading yonr journal , aa he would be likely to gain from its columns a good many wrinkles . Our young and inexperienced brother , however , was " all there . " Ho had hoard , ho intimated , very mnch about the FREEMASON '

CHRONICLE , and ho expressed himself in terms of well-nigh unlimited condemnation of the course it had pursued in connection with the Collingwood caso , and especially of certain remarks it had made aa to the last Quarterly Court of the Boys * School . In fact , in a very offhand kind of way , he threatened that he and another brother , whom he named , had seriously intended throwing up Freemasonry altogether ,

as he considered the conduct-or , perhaps I should say the miscon ^ duct—of tho case referred to above was unworthy of Freemasonry , and that the CrtnoN'rcr . E had erred egregiously in advocating such treatment . In tho first instance , I was inclined to think this expression on the part of a kind of half-flfdged brother shonld be questioned . Bnt second and hotter thoughts prevailed , and

ultimately I came to tha conclusion that ifc was a grand joke to havo heard a brother , on the strength of his having been appointed to a responsible office , with the duties of which he was entirely unacquainfed , cry out against , the conduct of a case of which he evidently had no true and certain knowledge . Indeed , his comments

struck mo as being so ludicrous that I have been at the pains of writing to yon theso few lines in the hope that you will find a corner for them . If this young brother is so deeply concerned about the Collingwood case , and your remarks on ifc , thafc he feels he ought to throw Freemasonry up , let him do so . I dare say Freemasonry will survive the loss . Yours fraternally , A VETERAN M . M .

Elias Ashmole, Windsor Herald, And Freemasonry.

ELIAS ASHMOLE , WINDSOR HERALD , AND FREEMASONRY .

To the Editor of the FREKMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am delighted to find that you now number among yonr correspondents a writer so able as Bro . J . Paul Rylands , F . S . A . The above subject is a most interesting oneand

, I trust thafc it will now receive the attention ifc deserves ? No one can bettor dual with the subject than " SCRIBE E . AND J . W . 148 . " Yours fraternally , P . M . WEST LANCASHIRE .

We have recentl y had an opportunit y of seeing some of the photogra p hic portraits taken b y Bro . E . C . Porter , of 6 , The Esplanade , Ealing , W ., who has established an Esplanade Portrait Club , which enables him to suppl y a most admirabl y finished portrait at an exceedingly low

rate . Thoso we have seen are most beautifull y printed , the clear atmosphere of a country suburb being most favourable to p hotogra p hic printing . Jud ging , too , from the st yle in which the portraits we have seen are taken ,

we shonld say Bro . Porter is an artist of considerable merit . We have , therefore , all the greater pleasure in recommending his Portrait Clnb to the support and patronage of our readers .