The Funeral Of Our Late Gracious Sovereign Queen Victoria.

All the way the most respectful silence was observed , nothing being heard but the tramp of men and the funeral music of the military bands , and as the coffin was borne past , all hats were raised and men and women bowed their heads in sorrow

for the Sovereign whom they had loved and respected so sincerely during her long and g lorious reign . From Paddington to Windsor the journey , save in respect of its shortness , was the exact counterpart of that from Portsmouth

to Victoria , and when Windsor was reached , the proceedings were identical with those at Victoria , with this difference , that the team of horses which had been told off to draw the guncarriage and had become cold owing to the long period of

waiting , proved restive and had to be released from the carriage , its place being taken by the naval guard of honour , the men of which quickly improvised ropes from the traces and dragged the carriage to St . George's Chapel , into which it

was reverently borne , and where the first portion of the Burial service was solemnised , the Archbishop of CANTERBURY , assisted by the Bishop of WINCHESTER , Prelate of the Order of the Garter , the Dean of WINDSOR , and other clergy , officiating .

At the close of the service , the KlNG , with his guests and family , went their way into the Castle , and the rest of the congregation slowly and sorrowfully dispersed ; the coffin being placed in the Albert Memorial Chapel , where it remained

under the guard of officers told off for the duty till Monday , when it was removed to Frogmore , and there placed in the mausoleum close by the coffin of the late Prince CONSORT ; the committal portion of the service

being solemnised in the presence of the KlNG , the German EMPEROR , and the Royal Family , with the members of the late QUEEN ' S household . But this part of the ceremonial , save for the fact that along a portion of the route the inhabitants of

Windsor and neig hbourhood were , by the gracious permission of the KlNG , allowed to see the procession , was strictly private , nor were any allowed to view the last scene of all beyond those

we have already indicated , ancl certain guests and the officers in waiting on the Sovereigns and Princes . And thus our good and great Qi'EEN passes from our ken , and her son , King EDWARD VII ., whom God preserve ! reigns in her stead .

The Late Bro. Thomas Fenn, P.G.W.

THE LATE BRO . THOMAS FENN , P . G . W .

It is with unfeigned regret wc announce the death of Bro . THOMAS FENN , who for considerably more than a quarter of a century has been not only one of the most prominent , but also one of thc ablest and truest members of the Craft which it has

been the good fortune of the Grand Lodge of England to number among its Grand Officers . There is not a memorable gathering of the English Craft during the last 30 years in which our deceased brother has not taken a leading part , and in more

than one case thc marvellous success of those gatherings has been mainly due to his wonderful powers of organisation and the patient industry with which he looked into every detail . In him , too , our three Masonic Institutions have lost one of their

most generous supporters . Indeed , there is nothing in connection with Masonry and the Institutions it fosters so admirabl y which will not for a long time to come have deep reason to regret

his death . A brief account of his career will be found in another column , but we cannot close these remarks without tendering our respectful sympathy to the family and friends of our late distinguished brother .

Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

We understand that with his usual kindly consideration for whatever is calculated to promote the welfare of our Masonic and other Charitable Institutions , his Majesty , the President of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , will raise no objection

to the Anniversary Festival in its behalf being held on thc day originally selected , namely , on Wednesday , the 27 th instant , and wc have every reason to hope that the Earl of WARWICK , Deputy Grand Master of England , Provincial Grand Master of Essex , will be in a position to -fufil- his engagement and occupy

Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

the chair of President on the occasion . But while , as far as our information goes , the programme as originally settled , will be carried out , it is difficult to avoid the feeling that the recent death of our beloved Sovereign the QUEEN must ,

in the nature of things , have an unfavourable effect on the result of the Festival . We do not for one moment suggest that , even at this period of profound national sorrow , the brethren will be less mindful of the necessities of an Institution which provides

a small competence for the aged and infirm Mason and his widow during their declining years . On the contrary , we are inclined to think that the grief we are all experiencing at the calamity which has just befallen us may induce them to be , i

possible , still more generous than in ordinary years , on the prin . ciple that people , as a rule , are more " wondrous kind " in the day of adversity than when the world is prosperous . Moreover , it is the custom for brethren , when they are chosen or take upon

themselves to act as Stewards for one of our Masonic Festivals , to lose no time in compiling their lists of donations and subscriptions , and it is by no means improbable that when the sad news of our late QUEEN ' S death was made public , the majority

of those who had then signified their intention of acting on this occasion , had already virtually made up their lists , and that onl y here and there a few of their expected supporters remained to be canvassed . But many meetings that were intended to

be held in order to benefit the Old People have been postponed or cancelled , while the lodges and chapters that have met have confined themselves strictly to the business on the Agenda , and have then separated without their representatives having the

usual facilities afforded them for canvassing the members . However , we console ourselves with the knowledge that when the QUEEN ' S serious illness was announced to the public , Bro . TERRY had already succeeded in enlisting the services of some

400 ladies and brethren , and if this number has not been since proportionately increased , as we had reason to hope it would be , and if , owing to the postponed or cancelled meetings and banquets to which we have just referred , he , as Secretary of the

Institution , has had fewer opportunities than usual of advocating its claims , we must hope that those who have already promised to act will put a little extra zeal into their canvass ; the excellence

of the cause they are pleading , coupled with the untoward circumstances in which they act , will justify or excuse their greater importunity .

It must not be forgotten that thc Benevolent Institution is in precisely the same position as it was three weeks ago , and that its necessities are equally as urgent . There is still the same

annual expenditure of £ 20 , 000—of which £ 17 , 000 is absorbed in annuities—to meet , and a permanent income of barel y £ 6000 wherewith to meet it . There are still the annuitants to the

number of between 480 and 490—including those in receipt of half their late husbands' annuities—who must be paid their stipends during the present as in past years ; and worse still , there

are the 105 male and widow candidates for the election in May , of whom , as far as we know at present , only about one-fifth can be elected to actual or deferred vacancies . We therefore most

earnestly appeal to the brethren , and more especially to those who have taken upon themselves the office of Steward for the approaching Festival , not to relax in the slightest degree in tlicii efforts to raise the amount that will be required for the current

year ' s expenditure , and if possible , a still greater sum , so that the Committee of Management of the Institution may feel themselves justified in electing a few more candidates to the benefits of this most deserving Charity . No more fitting tribute

of respect could be paid to thc memory of our late Gracious Sovereign than to subscribe the wherewithal to make a few . more of our poor deserving old brethren and their widows comfortable during their few remaining years .

Masonic Jurisprudence.

MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .

[ COMMUNICATED . ] THE BENEVOLENT FUND .

The Board of Benevolence is one of very large dimensions * In addition to a President—who is an officer of Grand Lodg e and appointed as such b y the Grand Master with rank immediately after Present and Past Grand Secretaries—and two Vi < - ' '