Festival Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

lendid ritual that had been left to the brethren and handed down to them for a S * Viod of 70 years . He was at one with Bro . Sudlow ; they were all at one with him in that matter . He felt very great gratitude to all those brethren who had ported t }] e stewards . The Stewards had exerted themselves to make that festival what it had been . There had been certain disappointments in some uarters but it only required some effort on the part of the brethren to fill that room on every occasion—the other room , he ought to say , because he did not care so much about the brethren coming to the banquet . What the Stewards

imed at was to get a grand gathering of the brethren from London and the Provinces to see what the ritual of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement was . The kind words that had been used by various Grand Officers as regarded the work taug ht at the Emulation were a very great gratification and reward to the Stewards . Although he did not like to trespass upon the brethren with these remarks , he was very glad to have the opportunity of saying a few words . The Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

SCHOLARSHIP FUND . ( Fourth List—To 31 st January . ) Bro . Major Clifford Probyn ( Vice-President of Institution ) ... £ 10 10 0 Sir George D . Harris , P . G . D . ( Vice-President of Institution ) ... 5 5 o " J . Fielder Haden , P . M . 7 66 ( Vice-President of Institution ) ... 5 5 ° " T . P . BaptieD . L ., J . P ., P . M . and Treas . 2029 ... ... 220

, General Gadsden , P . G . S . B .... ... ... ... 220 " Jas . Grose ... ... ... ... •••220 , ' , A . Savill Tomkins , J . G . D . ( Vice-President of Institution ) ... 220 E . Blundell , 2502 ... ... ... •••I 1 o " W . M . Bywater , P . G . S . B . ( Vice-Patron of Institution ) ... 1 1 o R . Joynes Emmerson , P . G . Std . Br . ( Vice-President of

Institution ) ... ... ... ••••••1 1 o „ Step hen Richardson ( Vice-President of Institution ) ... 1 10 The Rothesay Lodge , No . 1687 ( per Bro . W . Adams ) ... ... 21 o o The St . George ' s and Corner Stone Lodge , No . 5 ( per Bro . J . Flower Jackson ) ... ... ... ... ... S 5 ° The Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 ( per Bro . W . M . Bywater ) ... 5 5 °

The Welcome Lodge , No . 16 73 ( per Bro . J . D . Langton ) ... 5 5 ° The Loyalty Lodge , No . 243 ( per Bro . P . LePage ) ... ... 286 The St . Oswald Lodge , No . 850 ( per Bro . W . H . Smedley ) ... 220 The St . Oswald Lodge , No . 1124 ( per Bro . W . H . Spaull ) ... 220 The United Industrious Lodge , No . 31 ( per Bro . H . H . Mount ) ... 220 The Hammersmith Lodge , No . 2090 ( per Bro . W . Hillier ) ... 1 1 o The Dobie Ledge , No . 889—annual for three years —( per Bro . Wm .

Drewett ) ... ... ... ... •••1 I o The South Saxon Lodge , No . 311 ( per Bro . Flint ) ... ... 1 1 o The Royal Lebanon Lodge , No . 493 ( per Bro . A . V . Hatton ) ... 1 1 o The Wickham Lodge , No . 1924 ( per Bro . W . H . Rowley ) ... 1 1 o The Coborn Lodge of Instruction , No . 1804 ( per Bro . R . R . Green ) ... 1 1 o

( Fifth List to 18 th February . ) The Supreme Grand Chapter ... ... ••••••50 o 0 The Supreme Grand Council , 33 ... ... ... ... 52 10 o The Worshipful Company of Skinners ... ... ... 2 5 o o Bro . J . M . Kidd , P . M . 732 , P . P . G . W . Sussex ... ... S S 0 The St . Hilda Lodge , No . 240 ( per Bro . R . Hudson ) ... ... 10 10 o

The Hedworth Lodge , No . 2418 ( per Bro . R . Hudson ) ... ... 7 7 ° The Marquis of Dalhousie Lodge , No . 1159 ( per Bro . H . H . Room ) ... 5 5 0 The Eccentric Lodge , No . 2488 ( per Bro . W . Chapman ) ... ... 5 5 o The Hadrian Lodge , No . 1970 ( per Bro . R . Hudson ) ... ... 500 The Lodge of St . James , No . 7 65 ( per Bro . Mitten ) ... ... 220 The Priory Lodge , No . 1000 ( per Bro . Floyd ) ... ... 220 The Square and Compass Lodge , No . 1336 ( per Bro . N . Fisk ) ... 220

The St . Hubert Lodge , No . 1373 ( per Bro . G . H . Barclay ... 1 1 o The Ferrum Lodge , No . 1848 ( per Bro . W . H . Cowper ) ... ... 220 The George Price Lodge , No . 2096 ( per Bro . J . D . Langton ) ... 220 The Harmony Lodge , No . 244 ( per Bro . P . G . Hamilton ) ... 220 The Harmony Chapter , No . 244 ( per Bro . P . G . Hamilton ) ... 1 1 0

The St . Osyth ' s Priory Lodge , No . 2063 ( per Bro . Frayling ) ... 220 The Bushey Hall Lodge , No ! 2323 ( per Bro . C . E . Keyser ) ... 5 S o The Union Lodge , Nc . 414 ... ... ... ... 5 5 o The Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope , No . 574 ... ... 5 5 o The Old Masonians Association ... ... ... ... 19 15 o Collected by Bro . H . Bowles ( Old Masonian ) on Stock Exchange ... 10 10 0

Ladies' Night Of The Lodge Of Loyalty, No. 1607.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE LODGE OF LOYALTY , No . 1607 .

The ladies—as they share our sorrows , divide ^ with us our troubles , and soothe our griefs—why should they be forgotten in our festivities ? Such , at least , is the proposition which the brethren of the Lodge of Loyalty submit , and which they answered in a very ¦ eal and hearty fashion when they invited their ladies to ioin them at their banquet table on Saturday , the Sth ult .

The business of the lodge having been duly disposed of , the fair visitors were received by the W . M ., Bro . G . E . Wilkinson , and Mrs . Wilkinson , and were entertained at a recherche repast at the London Tavern , Fenchurch-street . The scene was a dazzling one , the usual sombre dress-coats of the brethren being ha Ppily relieved by the more gorgeous costumes of the galaxy of beauty , which was so heartil y welcomed upon the occasion .

Dinner over , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given , the W . M . referring in I 1-chosen terms to the wave of sympathy which had rolled throughout the length and feadth of the land for the Gracious Sovereign and mother and for the Princess who had - ° suddenly been bereaved . ' The Health of the Grand Officers " was most heartily toasted , and in response , j- - J 0 *" Newton , G . Purst ., said that he addressed himself to the toast of re-- Finding with seme diffidence , looking to the fact that it was the first time the duty of

ivh 1 tnanKs in the presence of ladies had devolved upon him . Ihe toast was one were ceitai , > ' deserved the kind reception which it had received . The Grand Officers and a n . splendid body of men , who did not flinch from the duties , arduous „ - ,. Fonsible , which they had lo face . They were the silent workers , ruling and tain ;" . t " ? uous Committees which dealt with the multifarious routine duties

apper-Biac-f . it . 1 J Older . Bro . Newton was delighted that the ladies had deigned to plea f °° ? 'h their chaiming presence , and he trusted that he might have the Th ' S sec ' B t ^" P many more occasions . Bro 5 c ' ^ ? ' proposing the toast of the evening , "The Ladies , " was entrusted to kfethrt H S g « P-M ., who , in an amusine speech , cordially submitted it to the selected f ?^ been puzzling his brains , he said , for reasons why he could have been lor such an office , lie had never before been called to such a duty , and he

Ladies' Night Of The Lodge Of Loyalty, No. 1607.

could only suppose that patriarchal considerations had weighed with the VVorshipfu Master , who had thus placed him in happy contrast to the youngest member of the lodge , Bro . G . Avenell , who would champion the fair sex in response . He would , however , not flinch from the task , and would endeavour gallantly to discharge his duty , asking the ladies to pardon him if his words failed to convey the hearty greeting and welcome which , in the name of the Lodge of Loyalty , he tendered to them . He regretted that the outside world laboured under many mistaken notions concerning the

Craft j he wanted at least to persuade the ladies present that it was the ons regret of the Lodge of Loyalty that the formalities of Freemasonry did not allow them to invite the attendance of ladies more frequently . Speaking as a benedict , he sincerely trusted that Bro . Avenell , upon whom the agreeable duty of responding was imposed , might himself before long obtain the confidence , not merely of the ladies in general , but—dire he say it—of one in particular . The toast was received with the greatest heartiness , and , in response .

Bro . Avenell thanked the Worshipful Master and brethren for the cordial welcome to their hospitable board . As an inexperienced celibate , he feared his reply would be somewhat inadequate , but he was in no danger of being afterwards called to ace ount for what he said there . The old fiction of the ladies'inability to reply for themselves would not obtain much longer . Experience , at other times and in other places , proved it to be a complete fiction , and those who , like himself , ventured on such vicarious duty , would be probably preserved in geological museums as specimens of fossil fads of other days . Goldsmith told them in the " Vicar ot Wakefield " that the two sexes were

furnished with different abilities for mutual inspection , but be that as it may , some points in connection with the great sex question remained obscure , though they were hopeful that the new photography , later on , would yield interesting presentations of the female mind . It behoved the brethren to leave nothing unperused , for they could never tell how soon they might require to profit from the trials of others in confronting delicate situations arising from causes easy to conjecture . Bro . Avenell then referred to a recent publication , " Dr . Johnson and the Fair Sex . " He enforced the truth of the first Dart of the Doctor's dictum , that nature having given woman so much power , the law had

given her very little . The new Laureate told them that although men claimed to improve nature , women stepped in and improved men , or made them improve themselves in order to obtain the ladies' approbation . The law , scurvy enough once , was more generous now , and a recent Act having restored the ladies to a position of greater freedom and less responsibility , they were then in many cases the predominant partners of theunion . In conclusion , Bro . Avenell bore tribute to the sweetness and sympathy of ladies in times of illness—how they inspired hope and brought comfort to the distressed , while in the wake of the battle and in the thick of the epidemic they were ever seen upon their missions of mercy .

In proposing "The Health of the W . M .., " Bro . W . B . Vaile , I . P . M ., said the toast was one which was invariably accorded high honour in all Masonic circles . The Worshipful Master of a lodge of Freemasons must , as every brother was aware , have attained his high position only by diligent and earnest work . He must have served a long and arduous apprenticeship before he could hope to fulfil satisfactorily the important office to which he had been called . Recounting the many high qualities which were essential for the faithful discharge of the office Bro . Vaile assured the ladies and brethren that Bro . Wilkinson , their W . M ., possessed these in a marked degree . In an earnest speech

Bro . Vaile commended the toast , which was most heartily received . Bro . G . E . Wilkinson , W . M ., responding , said that he heartily thanked the assembly for the honour which they had accorded to him in so cordially receiving his name . He was conscious of the high responsibilities of his office and it was his earnest endeavour to maintain and uphold the high traditions of which he was the custodian . He desired most heartily to thank the ladies for their presence . He accorded them the heartiest welcome . His acknowledgments were also due to the Past Masters and the officers of the lodge for all the assistance which he had received from them .

An excellent musical programme was provided , under the direction of Bro . Fred W . Stephens . The Tyler's toast concluded a most pleasant and agreeable evening .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys. Entertainment At Blackheath.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . ENTERTAINMENT AT BLACKHEATH .

A grand entertainment and concert of unusual interest was given ort behalf of the above Institution , at the Rink Hall , Blackheath , the production of the programme being due to the untiring and ingenious energies of Mrs . Kni ghton Arnold . The entertainment consisted of a series of living pictures , interspersed with vocal and instrumental music , and preceded by an amusing comedietta , in one act , entitled / ' Who ' s to Win Him ? " the characters being most creditably

sustained by Miss Clara Robinson , Mrs . Knighton Arnold , Miss Ethel Robinson , Miss Florence Ogilvy , Miss D . Hole , and Messrs , E . F . Moody , C . H . Jackson , and G . E . Slater ( the latter gentleman by special permission of Mr . Basil Dawson ); A gavotte danced by juveniles , fancifully dressed as Dresden figures , was most creditably performed and much appreciated , the figures being represented by the Misses Cook , Pell , Lang , and Kennedy , and Masters Lang , Whall , White , Morton Earle , and Arnold .

The living pictures , which certainly reflect immense credit upon the artistic qualities of Mrs . Arnold , comprised " The Doctor , " " When the Heart is Young , " " . The Angel | of Night , " "The Artist ' s Model , " "Two Strings to her Bow , " "A Friend in Need , ' " None of your Blarney , " " Called to the Front , " " The Old , Old Story , " "Sally in our Alley , " "The Lost Chord , " " The Cushion Dance , " and a grand finale " God Save the Queen . " The beauty of the pictures was greatly enhanced by the excellent and splendidly-manipulated lime-light effect by Mr . Lacey .

Bro . E . Hall , Sec . 2579 , was loudly applauded for his exquisite rendering of " Old and Young Marie , " while the flute solos of Bro . Spencer West claimed the expressions of approval they so richly merited . Roars of laughter greeted the humorous interlude of Mr . G . E . Slater , and an encore was demanded and granted . One of the principal features of the evening was a selection— " The Hoch Habsburey March "—by Mr . Walter Waghorn ' s Mandoline Band ( Mr . Jas . Campion , leader ) , the execution being all that could be desired , and eliciting the warmest applause from an appreciative audience .

In the course of events , a number of portraits were thrown upon the screen , the appearance of that of Bro . Christopher Sims , W . M . 2579 , & c , being the signal for a prolonged and vociferous outburst of cheering , for it should be here mentioned that it was under the auspices of this ( the Lewisham ) lodge that the entertainment was produced .

By dispensation from Grand Lodge , the following brethren , who acted as Stewards , wore their Craft clothing and jewels ; Bros . Christopher Sims , P . M . 861 , 1208 , W . M . 2579 , & c ; Charles Lamb , P . M . 1997 , S . W . 2579 - L . A Richardson , W . M . 157 , 2579 ; W . G . Kentish , P . M ., P . Z ., P . P . G . D . Middx ., & c . j

W . E . Dilley , P . M . 147 ; E . Van Putten , P . M . 1601 ; John Coote , 1 259 J w ' 2579 i Edward Hall , Sec . 2579 , Sic ; W . C . Tyler , S . D . 862 , 1567 , I . G . 2579 ; Henry Cole , D . C . 749 , Stwd . 2579 ; W . T . Price-Taylor , Stwd . 2579 , & c-i C W . Wilkes , Org . 2579 , & c ; W . J . Taylor , 1 3 , 2579 ; David Bartlett , 813 ; and Lieut .-Col . Knighton Arnold , 2576 , & c .

Bro . Tyler has been appointed to represent the Lewisham Lod ge as Steward for the Boys' Institution . Mr . H . R . A . Robinson , A . R . A . M ., presided at the piann with his usual characteristic ability , and , owing to the generous kindness of Messrs . Laing and Sons , of Forest Hill , the stage and surroundings were profusely decorated with a wealth of exotic and other plants .

At the conclusion 01 the performance , Mrs . Arnold was called before th * curtain , and received an ovation , which she so well deserved , for her persistent and unflagging energies , which secured the success of the entertainment .