The West Lancashire Alpass Benevolent Institution.

THE WEST LANCASHIRE ALPASS BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual festival of the above Institution was held on the 25 th ult ., at the Prince of Wales Hotel , Southport , Bro . J . de Bels Adam ( Mayor of Liverpool ) , P . P . G . W ., presiding . The company comprised the following brethren , and an equal number of ladies -. Bros . W . Goodacre , P . G . S . B ., P . G . S . ; J . D . Murray ,

G . Treas . ; E . Pierpoint , P . P . G . W . ; T . B . Newton , W . M . 155 ; H . W . Johnston , P . P . G . D . ; R . Sharrack , P . M . 1313 ; J- Hatch , P . M . 613 ; C . Wadsworth , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W . W . Webster , P . M . ; W . Corner , jun ., P . P . A . G . D . C . ; John Wray , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; G . A . Myers , P . M . ; J . Locke , P . M . ; Dr . Patterson , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; Chas . Bargery , P . P . G . D . ; J . M .

Smythe , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; W . M'Gaulez , P . J . G . D . ; J . Edgar ; Dr . A . J . Charlick , W . M . 2295 ; H . J . Leggett ; G . A . Harradon , P . P . G . T . ; J . Tarbuck , W . M . 2316 ; M . H . Boyd , W . M . 613 ; James Platt , P . P . G . D . ; W . Platt , P . P . G . T . ; A . Cross , P . P . G . D . ; G . E . Marsden ; C . Watson , W . M . 2325 ; G . Austerfield , W . M . 1070 ; H . Stones , P . A . G . S . ,- J . Fletcher ,

W . M . 1070 ; J . K . Glover ; P . Armstrong ; W . Bushell ; John Milne ; Everett , P . P . G . D . ; Rostron ; Brown ; W . Bond ; Bennett ; Rev . C . Hesketh Knowlys , P . P . G . C ; F . Brookes , P . P . J . G . D . ; Robt . Wylie , P . G . W . ( Treasurer of the Institution ) ; and J . W . Barrow , P . P . G . D . ( Secretary of the Institution ) . A choice banquet was served , under the

superintendence of Bro . Sutcliffe Holroyd , P . M . 9 . Bro . J . BELS ADAM , in giving the toast of the evening , " The Alpass Institution , " explained that it was founded in 1885 in memory of a revered brother , Bro . Alpass , the Jate Prov . Grand Secretary of West Lancashire . Its funds , which were most economically administered , were devoted solely to the relief of the widows and brethren not otherwise adequately provided

for . There were at present 12 widows dependent on the Institution , the income of which had been about £ 258 a year , the invested fund standing at £ 4000 . While £ 4000 was a creditable investment for so young an Institution , he hoped to see the amount soon advanced to £ 5000 . He expressed his appreciation of the honour of being chosen President of the festival , and handed the Treasurer his cheque for 50 guineas as a donation .

Bro . WYLIE , in responding , announced a long list of subscriptions from lodges , to many of which were appended the words " more to follow . " The Prince's Lodge , Liverpool , including Bro . Adam ' s generous gift , headed the list with £ 86 . Among the brethren attached to several lodges came Bro . Murray with a list totalling £ 77 . The total , embracing a

Vice-President ' s subscription of £ 5 5 s . just handed in , was £ 655 , or in all , since the last festival , , £ 1672 . The only drawback to this success was that there was so many demands on the Institution as to make it necessary for still more money to be subscribed before all the deserving cases could be met . Bro . GOODACRE gave " The Chairman , " which was

musicall y honoured . In reply , Bro . J . BELS ADAM said that the sympathy which he had received from his Masonic brethren during his year of office as Chief Magistrate had been such that he , perhaps , might not hesitate to take the Mayorality again if the honour were proffered for his acceptance . Referring more in detail to Masonry in Liverpool , he advocated a Masonic Hall in a more

central part of the city—a building in which brethren who had business in the city might meet at luncheon . 'f a brother who could take up the project without diffidence would give it his support , he ( the speaker ) should be happy to subscribe £ iooo to so desirable an object . . Bro . J . D . MURRAY proposed " The Sister Institutions , " to which Bro . BARGERY responded . Other toasts followed .

Centenary Of The Love And Honour Lodge , No. 285, Shepton Mallet.

CENTENARY OF THE LOVE AND HONOUR LODGE , No . 285 , SHEPTON MALLET .

I'he brethren of the above lodge celebrated their centenary at their lodge room on Wednesday , the ¦ 9 th ult . The W . M ., Bro . W . C . J . York , was in the *<« , and there was a large attendance of brethren

a "d visitors from other lodges . After the lodge was opened , Bro . CLARKE , P . M ., brittl y addressed the brethren , saying that this meetln K was of special interest to them , it being the centenary of their lodge , which was instituted July , ' 792 , and which was certified by a splendidly

illuminaea . warrant from Grand Lodge , and permission given ! o 'he members to wear a jewel commemorative of the c "ent , , Bro . CLARKE then read a concise , but very interest-! " ? , history of the lodge , which he had compiled from £ minutes from its institution to its present date .

'ins lodge was at its institution numbered 537 . At we revision in 1812 it was altered to 357 , and in 1883 . * s altered to 285 , showing that no less than 252 od ges working in 1792 had ceased to exist . This ° pge , Bro . Clarke proceeded to say , had . like many

j " lodges , times of depression—and of very great . pression—but , thanks to the indomitable pluck of , old Masters and brethren , it was never allowed to kr ^ u' ^ ^ a * tamed the proud position which the ethren were met together to celebrate . , After the lodge had been closed , the brethren sat ° n to supper at the George Hotel , where a very eas ant and happy evening was spent .

The Gold And Silver Wyre Drawers' Company And The Lord Mayor's Procession.

THE GOLD AND SILVER WYRE DRAWERS ' COMPANY AND THE LORD MAYOR'S PROCESSION .

One of the most prominent objects in the procession on the 9 th instant will undoubtedly be the car of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company , which will

contain nine workers from Past Master Kenning s manufactory in the City , dressed in the style of James I ., working machines in use at that period , drawing gold and silver wyre , flatting wyre , spinning thread , purling bullion , weaving lace , braid making , and embroidering .

In front of the car will be the banner of the Company . Living supporters ( an Indian with eastern crown , holding over his right shoulder a bar of silver , and a British workman carrying a hank of silk ) , will accompany the car . Embroidered banners of the Arms of the Lord Mayor , the two Sheriffs , the Master of the

Company , Wm . Hayes , Esq ., and the Immediate Past Master , Gabriel Lindo , Esq ., CC , will be displayed . The gth instant being the birthday of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , banners embroidered with the Prince ' s crest worked in silver will be prominently placed .

In the centre of the car will be a representation of Cleopatra ' s Needle , in allusion to the arts and mystery of the craft having been learned from the ancient Egyptians . The whole of the decorations of this car show the work of the Guild . The six horses drawing the car will be caparisoned with cloth of gold , & c .

Our Portrait Gallery Of Worshipful Masters.

Our Portrait Gallery of Worshipful Masters .

Bro . Horace Percy Smith , whose portrait we publish above , was installed W . M . of the Tudor Lodge of Rifle Volunteers , No . 1838 , on Friday , the 7 th October . He was initiated on the 25 th March , 18 S 6 , being proposedby Bro . Col . A . C . F . Gough , LL . D ., thelate P . G . M . of Staffordshire , and seconded by Bro . E . M . Thorne ,

P . G . Sec . Staffordshire . He successively held all the offices in the lodge , and the notice of his installation appeared in our issue of the 22 nd of October . Bro . H . Percy Smith is the Honorary Secretary of the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association , and a member of the Lodges Honour , 526 , and Audley , 1 S 96 .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

CONSECRATION OF FAITH LODGE , No . 2 m The usual monotony of Manora , Karachi , in the Province of Sind , was agreeably enlivened on the 28 th September last by the consecration and opening of the Faith Lodge , No . 243 8 , in the Hnmby Vernacular School , and the installation of Bro . David Morris as the first W . M . The school room had been decorated

with banners and evergreens , which formed a very handsome little lodge , thanks to tre exertions of the W . M . and the indefatigable Treasurer of the lodge . Bro . E . J . Smith , as Deputy District Grand Master , pro lent ., who had arrived from Bombay for the special purpose of constituting the lodge , was met in the anteroom by the brethren of the new lodge , and about 40

members of the lodges working under the English and Scotch Constitutions in Karachi , and proceeded to constitute and consecrate the new lodge , and install the W . M . designate . The brethren of the new lodge ^ elected Bro . Smith as an honorary member . Several brethren were proposed as joining members , and three candidates for initiation .

The ceremony being over and the lodge closed , the brethren and their guests were conveyed by the light of Doty lamps in trollies to the European School , which by means of flags and other decorations had been converted into a superb banquet hall , in which a table laden with the choicest viands of the season awaited them , to which full justice was done . At the conclusion of the repast the usual toasts were given by the WORSHIPFUL MASTER , and drank with

The Craft Abroad.

Masonic honours , the proceedings being enlivened b y speeches from the Consecrating Officers , Bros . SMITH , MORRIS , TATE , NICHOLAS , COSSER , and MOORE , which were all received with much applause , and the singing of songs by those of the brethren gifted with musical talent , brought to a conclusion , shortly after midnight , the proceedings of a day which will be an ever memorable one in the history of Manora and in the annals of the Craft in the Province of Sind .

Among those present were Bros . G . J . Smith acting D . G . Sec . Bombay , as D . D . G M . ( pro tern ) ¦ W U . Nicholas , W . M . 767 ; J . Tate , P . M . 767 , P . D . G . W ; G . C Brayson , 767 , P . D . G . D . ; Trevena , P . M . 450 ( S . C . ); T . Cosser , 350 . ; W . H . Thompson , H . Rooke ,

] . Skinner , H . Beckitt , G . Hodges , R . Alexander , W . Marks , H . Wray , J . McMeekin , J . Hunt , B . Ardurjee , D . Sorabjee , G . Millar , J . Keelau , D . Duncan R . w ' Williams , R . Humble , J . Ritson , T . Ward , W . Barrell , and the founders of the lodge .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Mrs . Langtry has come out at the Haymarket in yet another character—that of a woman of business . Mr . Edward Rose has evidently founded his commercial play , " Agatha Tylden , " on events which happened in 1890 in the City . We have an eminent house , whose undertakings are as great as its credit . For years it has been carrying on business though insolvent . At

last the principal creditors are called together , and as the bankruptcy of Tylden and Co . means ruin to thousands of men , women , and children , the firm must be propped up by extraneous help . Two kind and wealthy friends come forward and put capital into the concern , and Tylden and Co . are saved . It is a curious play , tor romance enters but little into the main story .

The part which love usually takes in a stage play is occupied by matter-of-fact business . This four-act play teems with conservation about bills of exchange , credit , bankruptcy , railway construction , ledgers , and balance-sheets . Though Mrs . Langtry is delightful in

her new task , we never could forget it was Mrs . Langtry we saw all along and not Agatha Tylden . Messrs . Cyril Maude , Everill , Maurice , and Waller , and Miss Marie Linden are amongst the very efficient cast who so ably support Mrs . Langtry . " Agatha Tylden " is a play to be seen and remembered .

* * * The new Empire ballet , "Round the Town , " is quite equal in beauty and harmony to any of its many predecessors . Divided into four tableaux we are introduced to realistic scenes of Covent . Garden Market at about four o ' clock in the morning , the Royal Exchange , with its flower girls , City police , Blue Coat boys , Post Office letter carriers , aad even the Beadle , the Thames

Embankment , with acorp of volunteers and the Guards , not forgetting the Salvation Army , and to wind up the Empire Palace itself , first the outside as it appears at night , and then the inside in which a magnificent ballet is shown , called " The Daughters of our Empire . " The stage production is due to Mr . G . Edwardes , who has never done anything yet to surpass this very pretty ballet which , named " Round the Town , " is becoming the talk of the town .

# # # "Incognita , " the new comic opera at the Lyric , is quite the best thing which Mr . Sed ger has yet produced , and that is saying a good deal , as his managershi p has been one long success . " Incognita " is full of exquisite songs and music , and the dialogue by Mr . Burnand is written in one of his happiest veins of humour . When we say such clever artistes as Mr . Monkhouse , Misses S . Vaughan and Florence Darley , and Mr . John Child are

in the company , it will be needless to say how good is the singing and acting . Miss St . Cyr dances nimbly , and Miss Ada Jenoure renders the greatest service in more ways than one . She has rapidly worked her way to the front , and may now be considered in the leading rank on the stage , a position she has well earned . We confidently can recommend our readers to see ' •Incognita . "

* * * Mr . Chudleigh ' s luck has never deserted him , and " The Guardsman " is destined to have a long career at the Court . Where so many farcical comedies fail , Messrs . Sims and Raleigh are strong , for their third

act is the best . Mr . Arthur Cecil has returned to his old stage and makes merry . Mr . Weedon Grossmith is as vulgar as ever , just what he is wanted to be . Misses Ella Terriss , Agnes Thomas , and Caroline Hill , all render good suit and service to this excellent piece , which makes Courtiers laugh again .

Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , accompanied by her daughter , the Princess Victoria , laid the foundationstone of the new buildings of the Charterhouse Mission , in Crosby-row , Borough , on Wednesday afternoon , and received a most enthusiastic greeting from the people assembled to witness the ceremony .

Rear-Admiral Stephenson , C . B ., Naval Equerry to the Prince of Wales , has been appointed to command the Pacific Squadron , in place of Rear-Admiral Hotham , C . B ., whose term of service expires at the end of the year . It is believed that Rear-Admiral Stephenson will have as his flagship the Royal Arthur , now almost ready for service , and will proceed in her to the Pacific in the early part of next year .