The Masonic Bazaar.

concurrence with tbe wishes uttered for fche complete success of fche bazaar . Sales then proceeded briskly , and the hall presented a scene of much animation . The lady stall-holders , of whom there is a very large number , wear caps , sashes , and favours , comprising the colours of the respective Lodges . An immense stock of material is on sale ,

contributions having come pouring in from all quarters , and the value represented on the different stalls is very great . Large donations in money have also been received , as may be imagined when it is stated that before the bazaar opened , Mr . J . H . Forahaw , Imperial Hotel , one of the Working Committee in connection with St . Nicholas Lodge Stall , had £ 116 to the credit of that stall . There was a large attendance throughout the afternoon . At

intervals organ recitals were given by Mr . R . B . Bateman , Mas . Baa Oxoo ., and Mr . J . M . Nisbet . Signor Albertns delighted a large audience with his " mystification" performance . As was expected , the bazaar promises fco be the means of raising a large sum of money , and as the result of donations received , and sales made up to three o ' clock—three hours after the opening—a sum of £ 350 had been lodged in the bank .

Volunteers And Freemasonry At Chelmsford.

VOLUNTEERS AND FREEMASONRY AT CHELMSFORD .

rpHE first of a series of smoking concerts in aid of the Chelmsford J- detachment ( A and B Companies ) of the 2 nd Volunteer Battalion Essex Regiment , was held in the Assembly Boom at the White Harb Hotel , on Monday , the 11 th inst ., under the presidency of the Commandant , Major Gepp , who was supported by his brother officers—Captain Coleman , Lieutenant Wykham Chancellor , and

Lieutenant and Quartermaster Crozier—and a fall contingent of non-coms ., privates , and friends of the Corps . A Masonio meeting took place nnder the same roof at the same time , and in response to a communication from the Chairman , the following reply was read : — " The Royal Arch Masons , now assembled in the White Hart Hotel , thank Major Gepp for his very kind invitation for them to join the

assembly now enjoying themselves under his presidency . They cannot well accept his invitation as Royal Arch Masons , bufc they will be pleased to do so individually , as some of the loyalesfc of Her Majesty ' s subjects , who have the welfare of the Volunteer force greatly at heart . " A capital programme was greatly enjoyed by the numerous audience . Mr . Fred . Scarsbrook , who also played the accompaniments on the pianoforte , led off with a spirited and

appropriate composition of his own , " Esprit de Corps . " Glees were sung by Messrs . Ashley , Barker , Hodges , and Webb ; songs by Lieutenant Chancellor , Sergeant Barker , Mr . A . S . Duffield , Mr . Talbot Chick , and Mr . A . W . Smethurst ; with solos on the violin by Mr . S . V . Tovey , and cornet by Mr . Belsham . The arrangements are being carried out by a committee , of whom Sergeant P . J . Debnam is the energetic and hard-working hon . sec .

Masonic Service At Denton.

MASONIC SERVICE AT DENTON .

A SPECIAL Masonic service was held on Sunday , the 23 rd insfc ., in Christ Church , Denton , in connection with the Duke of Athol Lodge . A large number of brethren assembled in the afternoon and walked in procession to the church , wearing the regalia of their respective offices . Bro . Irvine Dearnaley presided at the organ , and Bros . Moore , C . H . Warren , Sohofield , and others assisted in the musical service . The sermon was preached by the Rev . E . Bigoe

Bagot , Rector of the Bishop Lee Memorial Church , Manchester , P . M . Past Provincial Grand Chaplain of East Lancashire aud Cheshire , who took for his text 2 Chronicles iii . 17 ; " And he reared up fche pillars before the Temple , one on the right hand and fche other on fche left , and called the name of that on the right band Jachin , and the name of thafc on fche left Boaz . " He said fche history

of Freemasonry was an independent witness to the great truths which the Catholic Church of Christ had taught for over 1800 years . The Church had ever pointed out the work whioh was necessary to be done to raise temples to the Most High , and the Masonio brethren were always ready to devote themselves to its fulfilment with all the treasures of their hidden science and mysterious skill . In an age of

fierce and absorbing political strife , sectarian bitterness , and angry feeling , it waa important to consolidate and strengthen a greafc society which was essentially of a religious character , and was an important guarantee for order , morality , and large-heartedness . AH the truths whioh Freemasons had inherited , their landmarks and

principles , were now called in question and denied . The existence of a Supreme Being , the reality of a future state , the authenticity of the volume of the sacred law , and the first principles of socinl order and civilised society were all attacked and questioned . It was the duty of all members of the Craft to vindicate their teaching and maintain the honour and dignity of their profession .

On another page we publish in extenso the Circular the Honorary Secretary of the Provisional Management Committee of the Boys' School has been instructed to send out to the Worshipful Master , Treasurer , and Secretary of each

Lodge in London and the Provinces , that has not as yet contributed to the Pension Indemnity Fund . We feel assured that when it becomes generally known there is atill a deficiency on this account that many of the Lodges that have not subscribed will do so forthwith .

Mr . H . S . King , M . P ., took the chair at the second house dinner of the Hull Masonic Club , on Saturday last , ••¦ he club is now in a flourishing condition .

English And Scottish Masonry.

ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH MASONRY .

THE interior of St . Nicholas's Lodge , No . 1676 , Grainger Street , Newcastle , was crowded to its utmost extent , on the 19 th insfc ., by brethren , on the occasion of fche return fraternal visit of the brethren of St . David ' s Lodge , 36 , Edinburgh . Bro . Thomas Lewena W . M . presided over the proceedings . The visitors were : —Bros . John Robertson , D . A . Cuthberl , R . Pickett , J . Morrison , T . H . Yonng , David Taylor , James S . Boote , G . Barclay , E . Materoao ,

T . A . Pinto , W . MoEwan , Angus Sutherland , Wallace Robertson , Joseph Donkin , James Garding , W . Clark , Ed . S . Webb , W . Adamson , Stephen Webb , James Russell , W . Paterson , T . Canulton Wylie , Leo . G . Mee , J . Melvin , Alex . Barclay , James Carmiohael , James Hogg , A . W . Ronnie , and James A . Johnston . Previous to the proceedings at the Lodge , the brethren from the capital of Scotland were

met at the Central Railway Station by Bro . T . Lewens and members of the Reception Committee shortly after 5 o ' clock . They proceeded to the Crown Hotel , Clayton Street , and partook of dinner . The Lodge was opened shortly after 7 o'clock , and amongst the Prov . G . Officers in Northumberland present to do honour fco fche occasion , were Bros . R . A . Holmes , D . G . Anderson , T . Blenkinsop , T . B . Nicholl ,

Joseph Cook , William Cooper , John T . Taylor , Alex . Hepburn , J . Matthews , John Page , and John Duokett . After the P . G . D . and Officers , and also Bro . Robertson W . M . of St . David ' s Lodge and his Officers and brethren had been duly received , the first degree was gone through . At the close of this ceremony , the W . M . Brother T . Lewena presented an illuminated address , with the names of the

deputation which visited Edinburgh a short time since , along with thr portraits of himself , the Immediate Past Master , the Director of Ceremonies , the Senior and Jnnior Wardens , and Senior and Junior Deacons . In doing so , he expressed , on behalf of the brethren of St . Nicholas ' s Lodge , the pleasure felt at the fraternal visit paid by their Scottish brethren . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . R . H . Holmes , on behalf of tbe R . W . P . G . M . of Norfchumber .

land , Bro . Sir M . W . Ridley , gave the visitors a hearty welcome to Tyneside . Bro . Dr . Robertson replied in suitable terms , and soon afterwards tbe Lodge was closed in due form , the greater part of the brethren proceeding to the Crown Hotel , where a light repast waa provided . The address , which was prepared by Mr . Andrew Dickson and mounted by Bro . Oswald Rowel ! , bears not only the portraits aa indicated above , but also a photographic view of St . Nicholas's Cathedral and the Swing Bridge .

Not BO very many years ago an Irish Cardinal ( Cnllen ) declared it was impossible for a man to be at once a Catholic and a Freemason , and endless trouble and annoyance were caused by his clumsy con * fusion of the Political Freemasonry of Sonthern Europe with its harmless and extremely anti-political namesake in Great Britain and Ireland . My father died a first-class Catholic , and he was a Free *

mason and a leader among Freemasons ; a great many Catholics that used to visit afc our house were Freemasons also . Now , simply because a Churchman has been misled by similarity of name , and because he was too violent to investigate , all Freemasons who do nofc care fco abandon Freemasonry are declared excommunicate . Yet , as every , body who knows anything knows , there is nothing in Freemasonry ,

as constitnted in Great Britain and Ireland , thafc would , or could , prevent a man being the truest of Christians , no matter which he favoured of Christianity's many and most various phases . In Greafc Britain and Ireland Freemasons as a body took no notice of the ukase —they parted with such brethren as felt that their first duty was to religion , even when religion is inconsistent and aggressive , and they

held to such others as believed thafc nor priest nor bishop nor cardinal had a right to interfere thus ruthlessly with matters whioh did not concern him—whioh priest or bishop or cardinal would have found , had he but taken the trouble to inspect them , could not concern him . The effect of the edict was different in America . Freemasons there smarted considerably nnder the annoyance , and ,

taking an initiative , they have become tbe strongest of fche anti-Irish parties . Happening to mention one day , when I was in Chicago , to a prominent Freemason that in England a man was nofc permittnd to be a Catholic if he followed Freemasonry , fche American replied , "Ah , here we don't give a chance for thafc sort of thing j we won't make a man a Freemason until we know that he isn't a Catholic . " — Pendragon , in the Referee .

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