Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

MR . COMMISSIONER KERR entered , on the sth instant , upon his Soth year . BRO . ARCHDEACON SINCLAIR celebrated his 50 th birthday on Saturday last . THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT of the Roval Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their next monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., at 4 p . m . LORD CREWE , the President of the Society of Yorkshiremen in London , will occupy the chair at the annual dinner of the society at the Hotel Cecil on Thursday , the 12 th prox .

BRO . SIR HENRY HARDEN will open on Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., the new " openair " wing of the North London Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest , Hampstead . THE TIN PLATE WORKERS' COMPANY , of which Bro . A . J . Hollington , C . C , is the master , have issued invitations for a dinner at Ironmongers' Hall , on Friday , 29 th inst . ¦

BRO . COLONEL T . DAVIES SEWELL , F . R . A . S ., has bern appointed for the sixth time in succession the senior churchwarden of the parish of St . John the Evangelist , Westminster .

SIR GEOROE NEWNES , BART ., will present the prizes at the fourth annual athletic sports of the Printing and Allied Trades at the London County Ground , Herne Hill , on Saturday , 30 th inst . PRIZE DAY ON H . M . S . WORCESTER . —The Duke and Duchess of York have graciously promised to present the prizes to the cadets of the Thames Nautical Training College on Thursday , ioth prox .

THE ART LOAN EXHIBITION . —Since ils opening the art loan exhibition at the Guildhall has been visited bv 130 , 372 persons . The attendance on Sunday afternoon was 773 , and on Bank Holiday 1720 . THE OTTAWA FUND . —The Ottawa fire fund matinee will take place on the 19 th instant at Drury Lane Theatre . Bro . Sir Henry Irving will make his'first reappearance after his American tour as the veteran in " Waterloo . "

BRO . H . J . KER THOMPSON , S . W ., of Burnham , was on Friday , the ist instant , elected W . M . for the ensuing year ofthe Rural Philanthropic Lodge , Nj . 291 , Highbridge , Somersetshire . Bro . Thompson thus succeeds Bro . Henry Cox . BRO . THE LORD MAYOR ANB LADY MAYORESS will pay a state visit to Scarborough in the course of July to open the new grounds connected with the Spa , During their visit they will stay with their relative , Mr . G . L . Beeforth , J . P ., ex-mayor .

SUNDAY , the 17 th instant , being the first Sunday in the Trinity Sittings , several of her Majesty's Judges of the High Court will , as usual , attend afternoon service in St . Paul ' s Cathedral , and will be met by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs ( Bros . Sir A . Newton , Sir W . Treloar , and Sir A . H . Bevan ) . BRO . THE _ LORD MAYOR , MR . W . H . DICKINSON ( the chairman of the London County Council ) , and Lord Welbv , L . C . C , have extended their patronage to the International Tramways and Light Railways Exhibition to be held at the Agricultural Hall , Islington .

THE HOSPITAL SATURDAY FUND . —Committees of hospitals and kindred institutions desiring to participate in this year's award may obtain application forms from the secretary , 5 . ) , Gray's Inn-road . The forms should be returned not later than Saturday , 30 th inst . To CELEiiRATK THEIR APPOINTMENT to the olliees of Master of the Rolls and Attorney-General respectively , Sir Richaid Webster , Hart ., and Sir Robert Finlay will be entertained at dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant on Saturday , 2 * rd inst ., by the members of the South-Eastern Circuit .

BRO . THE LORD MAYOR despatched the following telegram on receiving the official news : " Lord Roberts , Pretoria . —Thc Empire will never forcct what you and the forces under your command have accomplished . Accept grateful congratulations from the citizens of London . —ALFRED NEWTON . " THE DEATH IS ANNOIINCFD of Bro . John Dew , J . P .. of Basingstoke . Bro . Dew was a well-known Hampshire Freemason . 11 * . was " a Past Master of the Oakley Lodpe , Xo " . ( 194 , and had served the office of P . P . G . Reg . He was also a member of the Provincial Grand Lodge Charities' Committee .

BRO . THE LORD MAYOR , in acknowledging thc remittance of £ 52 $ from the President ol the Vyesleyan Methodist Conference , says that the munificence of the Wesleyan community is the more gratifying when one recollects how sorely the Wes leyan missions in the Transvaal have been tried through the war . DR . TALMAGE , of New York , was the guest of the Lord Mayor at luncheon on Tuesday , and witnessed the scenes outside the Mansion House . He aftfrwards told a Pressman that he was greatly impies ? ed by the spontaneity of the enthusiasm , and said it resembled the rejoicings of the American people after the Civil War .

BRO . EARL CARRINGTON , L . C . C , will unveil , on Wednesday , 20 th inst ., the memorial which is being erected at Hampton Wick by Mr . J . C Buckmaster , J . P ., in memory of Timothy Bennett , a shoemaker , who early in the last century secured for the public the right of way across Bushey Park from Hampton Court to Hampton Wick .

THE MEMORIAL of the late Duke of Westminster is to take the form of a series of stained glass windows in Westminster Abbey . Funds for the purpose are now being invited , and already a substantial sum has been raised amongst those associated with the Duke in public work * . The treasurer is the Duke of Fife , and the Bishop of London is acting as the chairman of the Executive Committee .

BRO . EARL CARRINGTON has formally intimated to the Mayor of High Wycombe , Mr . Vernon , that , being anxious to do something for the town in commemoration of Queen Victoria's long reign , he has decided to construct a new road and bridge to connect the two main thoroughfares , which have hitherto been difficult of access one to thc other . The new thoroughfare , which will be called Queen Victoria-road , will be dedicated to the ancient borough as soon as made .

T . R . H . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES and Princess Victoria spent the afternoon of thc Bank Holiday at Dersingham sports , a few miles from Sandringham . The Prince was an interested spectator . He chose a team for the tug of war , and eagerly urged on his men , who won both pulls . The Princess at the close presented the prizes . The Royal party had tea in a tent on the ground . Th ? company with the Prince included Captain Lambton , Mr . George Lambton , Earl and Lady de Grey , Count Sorrel , Count Tosti , Sir Thomas Lipton , Lady Churchill , and Lady Musgrave .

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Executive Council of London I ' nity of Oddfellows took place on the 4 th inst ., at the Blue Posts Tavern , Southampton-buildings , Holborn . Delegates from the provincial and London branches attended . Mr . Allcock , of Eastboure ( the Grand Master of the London Unity ) , presided , and the general secretary , Mr . Dryden , of Camberwell , reported that the society , which was one of the oldest friendly societies in England , and at one time had several branches in the City of London , was in a flourishing condition . Mr . F . Challis was elected the Grand Master for the ensuing year .

run NEW PALACE STEAMERS , LIMITED . —This company commenced their regular summer sailings on Saturday last with the Royal Sovereign and Koh-i-noor from Old Swan Pier , London Bridge , to Southend , Margate , and Ramsgate , and the steamers were very well patronised . The Royal Sovereign will now sail daily for Margate and Ramsgate , leaving Old Swan Pier , London Bridge , daily at 9 . 23 a . m ., and the Koh-inoor will re-commence her sailings on the 30 th instant for Southend and Margate . La Marguerite on and after the 27 th instant will sail , as usual , to Margate , Boulogne , and Ostend . Special train ? from Fenchurch-street Station and St . Pancras connect with these steamers .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . THE EARL OF J ERSEY , one of the British Commissioners for the Paris Exhibition , has arrived in Paris . THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent will be held at Gravesend on Wednesday , the 13 th instant . T . R . H . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES , attended by Miss Knollys and Bro . Capt . Holford , arrived on Wednesday alternoon at Sandringham .

A COMPLIMENTARY DINNER to Bro . Sir Henry Irving will be held to-morrow ( Saturdav ) evening at the Savoy Hotel to welcome him back to England after his successful American tour .

WEDNESDAY NIGHT ' Court Circular says : "The Queen received on Tuesday morning , with -jiuch gratification , the satisfactory news of the capture of Pretoria by Lord Roberts and the troops under him . " LOGIC CLUR—Bros . Robert Manuel and Arthur George Duck heartily thank each one of the brethren who successfully supported their candidature for election as members of the Board of General Purposes .

DOWN TO Thursday night the War Fund amounted to £ 940 , 500 . A considerable sum—some £ r 1 , 000—has been realised from the Artists' War Fund , and will be added to that at the Mansion House when the accounts are finally adjusted .

T . R . H . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES are to open the new buildings at Ladywell , S . E ., erected to provide accommodation for the aged and infirm poor of St . Olave ' s Union , on Thursday , July 12 th , at four o ' clock in the afternoon . ON THURSDAY EVENING the Mayor of Portsmouth proceeded on board the Powerful , and presented each officer and mm of the Ladysmith Brigade ' with a silver watch . The gifts had been subscribed for by a few London admirers of the services done by the Powerful Brigade during the siege of Ladysmith .

BRO . LORD GEORGE HAMILTON , Secretary of State for India , has received from the Peninsular and Oriental Comoanv , through Sir Thomas Sutherland , the chairman , a donation of £ 5000 in aid of the Indian Famine Fund . This is in addition to the sum of £ 500 which the Company subscribed some months ago to the Lord Mayor ' s Fund . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES AND DR . TALMAGE . —The Prince of Wales has conveyed his thanks to the Rev . Dr . T . De Witt Talmage , of America , for his efforts on behalf of the famine sufferers in India , hundreds of thousands of dollars and a shipload of breadstuffs having been contributed through the religious newspaper which Dr . Talmage edits in America .

SURVIVORS OF THE LUCRNOW GARRISON , and of the relieving force , celebrated the anniversary of the historic siege , on the Cth instant , at the King ' s Hall , Holborn Restaurant . An interesting feature of the occasion was the presence for the first time at the anniversary banquet of the ladies who , in 1857 , shared the dangers and hardships of the Mutiny . Lieut .-General J . J . McLeod Innes , V . C , presided , and the company included nine combatant members of the garrison , nine women , and seven " children " who went through the siege , and five members of the relieving force .

AN IMPORTANT ADDITION to the resources of Westminster Hospital will be made from Tuesday next , when Lord Lister will formally open the new clinical laboratories which have been provided for the purpose of that more scientific and systematic examination of disease which cannot be carried out satisfactorily in the wards . It is here that the most recent microscopical , chemical , and bacteriological methods will be apolied to the diagnosis of the maladies from which the hospital patients are suffering . The new laboratories have been established at considerable expense , for which the hospital authorities hope tc get compensation from the public .

A LIPRARY 5000 YEARS OLD . —According to the current issue of The Expos ! tory Times the American explorers who have been at work among the ruins of Nippur , have discovered a large temple library consisting , of course , of tablets covered with cuneiform writing . Sixteen thousand have been recovered during the last six weeks , and several thousands had been found previously . The date is supposed to be about 3000 n . c , or

1500 years before the time of Moses . The priests of at least one Babylonian temple possessed even then a library of at least 20 , 000 volumes , arranged in long rows on ledges of unbaked clay . The books seem to have been on nearly all subjects . The " clergy" of the city of Nippur in those far-off days had the opportunity of reading not only much but widely .

IN MAGNIFICENT WEATHER , and in presence ofa vast throng of spectators , Mr . Robert B . Fcarlett , owner of the Shelley Estates , presented to the Mayor of Bournemouth the new pleasure-ground ; on Cliff Front , as a gift to the town in perpetuit ) , on the Cth instant . This acceptable gift was originally made by the late Lady Shelley , but since her death Mr . Scarlett , her successor , has added to it by spending £ 1 Coo in laying out the site , ard the Bournemouth Corporation spent a similar sum in adorning

the pleasaunce , which has an area of nearly four acres , and commands splendid views of Bournemouth Bay , the English Channel , the Isle of Wjght , and Purbsck Hills . The mayor and corporation attended the ooening ceremony at noon , when Mr . Scarlett unlocked the entrance-gate , and presented the kev to the chief magistrate . Luncheon was afterwards served in a marquee on the cliff * . During the day the municipal orchestra , the boys' band of the training ship Mercury , and the military band played selections of music , and in the evening Boscombe chine Gardens were illuminated .

WHEN DARKNESS enveloped the hills around her Majesty's Highland home on Tuesday night , after the reception of the good news of Pretoria ' s surrender to the British forces , the great bonfire on Craig Gowan Height was lighted in obedience to the Oueen's commands , and made a magnificent spectacle , illuminating the district for miles around . A procession of Balmoral Highlanders , headed by Commissioner Forbes , assembled in front of the Castle , and , with banners flying and pines playing , started for the Craig , where the huge pile capped the mountain top . The Queen watched the

bonfire from the lawn , and was accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of York , Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , and Princess Victoria , Lord James of Hereford , the Minister in Waiting , the Hon . Derek Keppel , and the members of the Court . When the bonfire was at its height , the toast of the health of Lord Roberts and the Army was drunk , and cheers were given . The Highlanders then returned tn the lawn in front of the Castle , where reels were danced and the health of her Majesty pledged . The rejoicings concluded with the singing of the National Anthem , in which the members of the Court joined .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . JACOB FRIEDEBERG , P . M . At the Hebrew Cemetery , Fawcett-road , Southsea , on Tuesday , the 5 th inst ., were consigned to the tomb , with all the solemnities appertaining to the persuasion , the remains of Bro . Jacob Friedeberg , senior P . M . of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 342 . Besides the relatives of the deceased , therewere present a large number of the Craft , including Bros . H . Friedeberg and A . Friedeberg , of 342 ( sons ); 1 . Keizer , 1 489 ( son-in-law ) j M . Hart , P . M . 903 ; 1 . "Wallingford ,

P . M . 903 , P . P . J . G . W . Hants and the Isle of Wight ; Councillor H . Edwards , 1903 ; H . G . Fryer , W . M . Portsmouth Ledge , P . P . G . Org . Hants and Isle of Wight ; S . Wineberg , 4 S 7 ; and the following members of the Royal Sussex Lodge : Bros . J . T . Lewis , W . M . ; C . Nock , S . W . ; G . Beves , S . D . ; H . Palin , I . G . ; J . Levy . W . Davis , A . R . Robirson , A . R . Samphire , Sec . ; and J . Exell , Tyler , Provincial Grand Tyler Hants and the Isle of Wight ; and also a number of unattached brethren , tradesmen , and the general public .

The deceased had filled all the responsible ofiices in his congregation , who were present almost to an individual , as also were the clergy and students of the Aria College ( the local educational foundation of the body ) , and of which liro . Friedeberg was an official . Our deceased brother was initiated in i 860 , was W . M . in i 860 , and Prov . G . Purst . Hants and Isle of Wight in 1879 , and was a most energetic W . M . during his year of office . The last Masonic work he performed wns the initiation , in an excellent manner , of his son Maurice , n 189 C .