Thirteenth Annual Dinner Of The Old Masonians' Association.

bers . The Old Masonians Association continued to prosper and gain strength . In the recent Soudan campaign Col . Sparkes , an ( . Id scholar , led one oi the regiments to victory at Omdurman , and there were others scattered all over che world . The balance on their Benevolent Fund was now ^ 150 , and he hoped to see that increased . " The Past and Vice-Presidents " was followed by " Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . "

Bro . R . E VE , Past G . Treasurer , responded in a dual capacity for these two toasts . The P RESIDENT announced as his successor Bro . Harry Manfield , a member of the Board of Management a-d a Patron of the Institution . Mr . VINCENT LE < 2 proposed "The Old Masonians' Lodge , " which was acknowledged by

Bro . WATKINS , who was one of the pioneers of the Old Masonians' Institution . It was stated that the J . W . of the lodge would act as Steward at the next Boys' Festival , and the lodge would also be represented at the Girls ' Festival . "The Provincial Members , " "The Visitors , " and other toasts gave further opportunities for post-prandial remarks of a humorous and interesting nature .

Instruction.

Instruction .

ISLINGTON LODGE , No . 1471 . The usual weekly meeting was held on Tuesday , the 4 th inst ., at the Cock Tavern , Higl . bi . ry , when there were present Bros . C . C . Reniu"L VV . M . ; S . Cload , S . W . ; G . T . Atkinson , J . W . j A . F . Hardyment , acting Preceptor ; CM . Coxon , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Herts , and J . Duncan , P . M ., Sees . ; C . Nicole , « . D . ; J . Birks , P . M ., J . D . ; J . Ewings , I . G . ; A . Oliver , P . M . ; H . R . Bower , C . T . Rayner , P . M ., and F . H . Johnson .

The lodge was opened , and the minutes read an I confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was then rehearsed , Bro . Rayner beirs ^ the candidate . The ceremony of raisirg was also rehearsed , Bro . Rayner again being the candidate . Bro . Cload was elected W . M . for the ensuing meeting , and appointed his officers in rotation . The lodge was then dosed .

BRONDESBURY LODGE , No . 2 G 0 S . On Mrnday , the 27 th ult ., the members of the Prince Frederick Lodge of Instruction , No . 753 , visited the above lodge at the Earl Djrby , High-road , Kilburn , when there were present Bros . Dr . Achard , VV . M . ; Svann ,, S . W . ; KrU 3 e , J . W . ; Hands , S . D . ; Thomas , J . D . ; F . Crocker , I . G . ; J . J . Thomas , P . G . Std . Br . ; James Stephens , P . G . Std . Br . ; II . J . Thcmas , Sec . 753 ; and about 40 other brethren .

Ledge being opened , thc ceremony of installation was rehearsed , Bro . Goldstein acting as W . M . elect , who afterwards rehearsed the cerenuny of initiation . Bros . Achard , Swann , Kruse , and H . J . Thomas were elected honorary members , and Bro . J . Stephens and a number of brethren became j > ining members . The lodge was then closed .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE COMMITTEE OK MANAGEMENT of Ine Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the 12 th instant , at four p . m . The paper of agenda will include the appointment of the usual Committee to draw up the report for the past year . BRO . LORD GKORCE HAMILTON , M . P ., the newly appointed Captain of Deal Castle , and Lady George Hamilton , spent part of the Easter holidays in Deal . THK DUKE OF BPAITORT is much better , but is still under the care of Dr . Shireltton Smith at Stoke House , Gloucestershire .

T . R . H . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OK CUMBERLAND and family will return to Gmunden from Copenhagen on the 13 th inst ., in order to be present at the birthday of the Oueen of Hanover on the 14 th . BRO . THE RIGHT HON . SIR J MOWBRAY , the Father of the House of Commons , who has been staying in Cornwall since the death of Lady Mowbray , will return to town for the resumption of his Parliamentary duties after the Easter recess .

H . R H . THE PRINCE OF WALHS IS expected to visit Great Yarmouth the last week in May in connection with the annual review and inspection of the Norfolk Artillery . He will probably be accompanied by Bro . Lord Wolseley , Commander-in-Chief . Tun MONTHLY MEETING of the Star Mark Lodge of Instruction . NJ . 49 ) , will bs held on Wednesday evening , the 12 th inst ., at the Siic Bells Hotel , Q jeen-street , H immersmith ( two minutes' walk fiom either of the Hammersmith Railway Stations ) , at 8 . 30 precisely , to which all Mark Master Masons are cordially invited .

THE INTENSE INTEREST shown in the problems surrounding the life of the ajred poor is evidenced by the forthcoming publication of a cheap quarterly , entitled •' Pensions and Progress , " a magazine of help and old age pension ? ' reord The publish ; r is Mr . Upcott Gill , proprietor of the Basilar , and the editor Mr . C . H . Cook . IT IS NOW ARRANGED that the Duke and Duchess of York will arrive at Cvydyr Castle , the seat of Bro . Earl and Countess Carrington , intheConwiy Valley , 011 Monday , the 24 th inst . On Wednesday a visit will be paid to Llandudno , where the Royal party are to attend a concert , restricted to an hour ' s performance , of Welsh vocal- music .

HER M AJESTY has decided to celebrate her So'h birthday at Windsor Castle on thc 24 th prox . A large number of guests will be invited , and the Waterloo ChamSer is being prepared , under the supervision of Mr . Leonard Collmann , Inspector of the Oueen ' s Palace , for a performance of a portion of " Lohengrin" by the Covent-ga'den lToyal Opera Company .

BRO . W . N . PREECE , C . B ., late chief engineer of the Post Office , was on Siturdiy last officially appointed consulting engineer to the Department . This is a new office , which has been specially created in order to retain the benefit of Bro . Preece ' s experience in the arrangements icquired for carrying out the installation of the telephme system undertaken by the Government .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE DUCHESS OF YORK , attended by Lady Eva Dugdale , returned to London on Tuesday nig ^ t frcm Cimiez . Her Royal Highness , who was received by Captain the Hon . Derek Keppel , travelled from Dover in a special train . On her arrival at Charing Cross the Duchess drove to York House , St . James ' s Palace . His EXCEI . I . FNCV THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR left Waterloo Station , accompanied by Mrs . Choate and Miss Mabel Choate , on Tuesday , for Bournemouth . Mr . Choate expects to remain there until to-morrow ( Saturday ) or Monday next . On his return he will go into residence at Carlton House-terrace .

THE CHURCH HALL , which Bro . F . J . Horniman , M . P ., has erected in connection with St . Peter's , Dulwich Common , as a memorial to his late wife , was formally opened on Saturday afternoon by the Bishop of Southwark , who delivered an interesting address on the question of parish halls . The new hall is a substantial building , and will be a valuable acquisition to tbe parish .

THE ANNUAL SUPPER of the Whittington Lodge of Instruction , No . Sfo . was held on the 29 th ult ., at the Old Red Lion , Poppin's-court , Fleet-street , when Bro . Percy Day , the host , put an excellent repast upon the taole . There were about 40 members present under the presidency of the W . M ., Bro . W . C . Tyler , who was supported by Bro . W . M . Kenn .

THE GREAT MATCH between Roberts and Dawson on level terms for the Billiard Championship was brought to a conclusion on Easter Monday , after having been in progress for over a fortnight . The game was iS . ooo up , and after an exciting contest Roberts proved the victor by the substantial majority of 1 S 14 points . The match was financially a success . The room was crowded with spectators every afternoon and evening while the game was in progress , and the proceeds were announced as having exceeded X 2000 .

BRO . MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ARCHIBALD HUNTER , K . C . B ., the ex-Governor of Omdurman , was presented with the freedom of the Royal borough of Irvine on Saturday last in presence of a large gathering of county gentry . In returning thanks for the presentation of the burgess ticket , he alluded to the accusations recently made on the Sirdar as to the alleged shughtering of the men who were lighting against them . The attack was an ignorant one . As second in command , he would have been the first to know if such an order had been given , and he never heard a word of it until the statements were made in an English magsz ' ne .

THE METROPOLITAN AND CITY POL ' ORPHANAGE . —The 29 th annual ball in aid of the funds of this institution will be held at the Cannmi-street Hotel on the 2 Sth inst ., and will be attended by the lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress , the Sheriff- ; , and I ' nder-Sheriffs . The orphanage building accommodates 2 G 0 children . A compassionate allowance of 2 s . < 5 d . weekly up to the age of 13 years is granted to each child for whom rocm cannot be found in the orphanage , and this arrangement has given the greatest satisfaction to the whole force . The expenditure under this head amounted last year to £ 5314 , distributed among Soo children .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , the Patron of Scottish Freemasonry , has g-aciouslv consented to become Patron of the Festival to bs held by the Lodge of E Jinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . 1 , in celebration of the Tercentenary of their consecutive Minutes . The date fixed is the 5 th July , when his Royal Highness , who is a msmber of the lodge , is to visit Edinburgh to attend the Highland and Agricultural Society ' s Show . The arrangements are in the hands of an influenful Committee , who , at a meeting held in Grand Lodge Board Room on Thursday , resolved that the celebration should take the form of a grand banquet , tickets for which , price 21 s . inclusive , will be ready shortly .

WITH A VIEW to reviving the Masonic Order , a meeting of Masons was held in the New Inn , Ellon , Scotland , on Wednesday , the 22 nd ult ., Bro . James Pittendreigh presiding . The office-bearers were appointed as follows : Bros . J . Pittendreigh , R . W . VL ; W . Tocher , D . M . ; J . Ingram , S . M . ; D . Haggarty , S . W . ; J . Matihew , J . W . ; J . Brown , S . D . ; VV . Shand , J . D . ; J . Donaldson , I . G . ; Fowlie , Chap . ; Alexander Cran , Treas . ; F . dwa-d Reid , Sec . ; and Cra : b and Riddoch , Stewards . There w is once a lodge before in Ellon with an old charter . It was unanimously resjlvsd to endewour to renew this charter for the newly-formed lodge . The lodge was agre : d to bs callel the Ythan Lodge . The meeting was largely attended .

SALE OF WAR MEDALS . —At the month ' y sale of war medals at Debenham , Storr , and Sons' Rooms , in Covent Garden , abiut 2 CO lots were disposed of , and the following prices obtained : An officer ' s gold Peninsular msdil for Salamanca sold for , tSo ; a silver Peninsular medal with bar Bcnevente , ^ 34 ; ditto bar Guadeloupe , £ 19 ; Peninsular medal with one bar , £ 9 JCS . ; another with three clasps , £ 17 ios . ; ditto with two clasps , £ . 1 ios . ; ditto ten clasps , £ iS ; ditto nine clasps , io . l guineas ; ditto eight clasps , £ 12 5 s . ; ditto seven clasps , £ 10 103 . A Waterloo medafand regimental medal , ^ 14 ios . ; another with clasp Quatre Bras , £ 10 ; two old Volunteer mejals , £ 12 each ; a Punjab medal , £ 10 ios . ; an Indian medal with two clasps , £ 13 105 . ; an Egyptian medal with five bars , £ c , ios . ; and a West African medal , £ 9 .

TIIRRE WAS A LAUGF . ATTENDANCE both at the Mansion House and at Christ Church on Tuesday on the occasion of the visit of the Blue Coat Boys . At the former several hundred "Blues" marched past the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Sir J . V . Moore ) , the Grecians receiving a guinea , while half-guineas , ha ! f-cro . vns , and shillings were given to the rest according to position . The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs , Aldermen B . o . Vaughan ,

Morgan , Pound , Strong , and Crosby , M . D ., Bro . Sir John Monckton ( Town Clerk ) , and Bro . Under-Sheriif Halse , with the Sword and N . ace Bearers , were present in fulldress , as also the Rev . Prebendary Whittington ( the Lord Mayor ' s Chaplain ) . A procession to Chiist Church , Newgate-street , took place after the boys had had the customary refection , the Bishop of Carlisle preaching an interesting serin in having referen : e to recent discoveries at Jerusalem .

CONCERNING THE latest book dealing with the development of the Craft in England , by V . VV . Bro . John Strachan , Q . C , the Newc tstle Daily Leader says : " The work is one which will be read with interest by all who are in any way associated with the Brotherhood . ... As step by step Mr . Strachan leads the way through the bewildering labyrinth of early Masonic history the interest deepens . The book forms , indeed , not only a history of the growth and development of Masonry in Northumberland ; but our Northern county may fairly be taken as a type of all Masonry

now under the control arc ! guidance of the Grand Lodge of England . . . . Fain would we linger longer over the pages of this fascinating volume , but the space at our disposal forbids the pleasure . Such quotations a ' s we have given serve oi . Iy as an indication of the excellent matter which has been collected at the expenditure of much thought , earnest research , and ardent toil . We can well believe that to Mr . Strachan the task has been a labour of love . The Masonic

woild is indebted to him for one of the most interesting and valuable records on the subject of Freemasonry that has ^ et been produced . But not only is the work useful to members of the Craft . All thinkers , and especially such as are concerned in the study of archeology , will find ' Northumbrian Masonry' a storehouse of information . Mr . Strachan has , indeed , done inestimable service in clearing away much of the darkness that surrounded the early history of Masonry , not only in Northumberland , but throughout the country . "

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