Mark Masonry.

Bro . Porter ' s good work in the Craft , and he esteemed him for it , and there was nothing he undertook but he succeeded in it . He trusted their W . M . would have a goodly number cf initiates , and if so , he would do his duty in a manner that would make them , at the end of his year of ofiice , thank him for good work done for the lodge . ¦ Bro . Porter said , practically , he was no ' , a young Mark Mason , having been initiated into it some 14 years ago . During his year of office , as W . M . of a Craft lodge , he had

at every meeting during the year worked the Three Degrees , and felt sure that he should be able to do the work required from him as Master of that , their Mark lodge . He deeply regretted the absence of some of his officers , and said that he should tell them of it pretty sharply . He had two candidates for their next meeting , and should call upon and expect the officers to be present and do their duty . He thanked them for placing him in his present proud position , and could assure them that nothing should be wanting on his part to ensure the continued prosperity of the Iodge .

Bro . Hobson , as he rose to respond to a eulogistic speech of the W . M ., in giving the toast of "The Installing Officer , " was heartily cheered . He said they might take it from him that the installation ceremony in the Mark Degree was no light task . The learning of it and the practising of it , so as to become as perfect as possible , had taken him a long while , and his wife had told him that during the past six weeks or so he had made a regular " sheep-walk " of their garden , walking up and down it learning the ritual of the ceremony . It had usually been the custom in that lodge for one Past Master—their old and esteemed friend , Bro . A . Penfold—to perform the ceremony : but

he ( Bro . Hobson ) felt that he would like to follow in the footsteps of some of the latter Masters , and carry out the work himself , especially as he considered it his duty to do so . ll he had not done it entirely to their satisfaction , he had done the best he could . It was all very well to do it by one ' s self , but the difficulty came in when one had to do it before good , old critics . However , he promised them that if ever he had to do it again he would , if possible , do it better than he had that day . Bro . Bryceson , in responding for "The Visitors , " regretted his inability to be present at the installation ; but it was not an unusual thing in the profession to be called

away at a moment s notice . He had only heard the ceremony once , and that was when he himself was installed , so that he had looked forward with a great deal of pleasure to have been present at that . He thanked them for their hearty welcome , which was second to none in any lodge in the district . He trusted to be present on some future occasion , and wished the W . M . a happy and prosperous year of office . Bro . Wood said he hardly expected to be called upon to respond , seeing that Bro . Brooks , of his mother lodge , was present , he thought he might be let off . He was exceedingly sorry that the esteemed Mister of his mother lodge ( Bro . Turton ) , whom

they all respected , was not present , for , although he had attended the lodge , he had had to leave them directly the lodge was closed . He was only a young member of the Mark Degree , but young as he was , hc felt it the duty of every one initiated into the Craft Degree to join the Mark Degree . He illustrated that opinion by showing how the designer and builder of a ship went to work . The designs were prepared , the keel was laid , the timbers were moulded in the mould loft , the ribs and sheathing built up until she was ready for launching ; and so it was with Mark Masonry—the keel was laid in the Craft lodge , and the building and launching of the Masonic ship took place in the Mark lodge . In Mark Masonry was the keystone and climax of the Masonic structure ,

and he was proud to be a member of it . He thanked them for their hospitality , and Bro . Jolly , his old friend , for the invitation to he present . Bro . Nichols said he was amongst the first batch of initiates—some 3 S —ever initiated in the lodge . He was now in ofiice in the Florence Nightingale Mark Lodge , and he trusted the W . M . and the brethren of the Excelsior Lodge would visit him there . . Bro . Weston , in responding for "The Past Masters of and belonging to the Lodge , " congratulated the W . M . on attaining-his proud position as Masterof that lodge , and could assure him that the Past Masters would rally round and support him during his year of office .

Bro . Reed said the W . M . had spoken of his ( Bro . Reed ' s ) career in Masonry as a unique one . Well , it was a fact that for the last 20 years he had been a Mason , but through the exigencies of the service , he had only just achieved the honour of being a W . M . of a Craft lodge . He had been a Mark Mason for nearly 14 years , and had achieved the proud position of a Past Master of their , the Excelsior Lodge . He had advanced two candidates during his year , and installed his successor , and trusted lie did Ms work to their satisfaction , and he thanked the brethren for their kindness ever since he had been in the lodge .

The toast of "The Officers , " and thc Tyler ' s toast concluded a most enjoyable evening , the proceedings of which had been happily helped along by some excellent s i nging by Bros . Spinks , Hobson , Crowdy , Wood , and Nicholls , Uro . N . Roberts accompanying on the piano .

Kirby Lodge Of Instruction.

KIRBY LODGE OF INSTRUCTION .

The printed programme of work of the above lodge was set aside at the regular meeting of Tuesday , the 28 th ult ., to make way for two very interesting events . Bro . Sadler , Grand Tyler , may almost be- said lo he the founder of the lodge , as it was to him that Bro . Hy . Pritchard , thc Secretary of the Hank of England Lodge , addressed the letter granting permission for the Kirby Lodge to meet for purposes of instruction , and Bro . Sadler had consented to deliver on the

above named date one of his interesting Masonic lectures . The Committee had also arranged that an illuminated address to the late Preceptor , Bro . Charles Lewis , should be presented to him on thc same evening . The fine room at the Midland Grand Hotel where the lodge holds its weekly meetings was well filled , there being 46 members present . Bro . Georgo Rankin , the newly-elected Preceptor , acted as W . M .

After the lodge was opened and the minutes 01 the previous lodge had been read and conlirmed , Bro . Sadler was called upon to commence his lecture . When he had spoken for about 40 minutes , an interval was taken to give the lecturer a little rest , and in the interval the presentation was made to Bro . Chas . Lewis on behalf of the lodge by Bro . George Rankin . Bro . RANKIN said that he must express to Bro . Lewis the sentiments of regard and esteem , as well as of gratitude that were felt by the brethren to their

lite Preceptor . He was always ready to give every member of the lod 'u all helpful advice and assistance and many hundreds of olliours of lodges have tu thank him to-day for all they know of their work . The very close connection of the lodge with Emulation l . odge of Improvement must always render the Preceptor's ofiice an exceptionally responsible one , and the singular accuracy of Bro . Lewis in Emulation working was the wonder of , a ! l . When Bro . Lewis found himself obliged to resign the Preceptorship the first duty of his successor was to

Kirby Lodge Of Instruction.

propose a vote of thanks to him for his great service to the lodge and of sincere regret at his retirement . This was carried unanimously and duly entered on the minutes . It was felt , however , that the strong sentiment of fraternal regard for Bro . Lewis should have soir . e permanent expression , and the brethren hoped that the illuminated address , which had been subscribed to by so many , would be regarded by Bro . Charles Lewis as a record of the feeling of the lodge towards himself . Bro . Rankin then read the address .

Among the 116 members' names appearing as subscribers to the address we noticed those of Bros . E . Letchworth , G . Sec . ; C . E . Keyser , Treasurer Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ; R . C . Sudlow , F . T . Rushton , and J . Russell , Committee of Emulation Lodge of Improvement ; Sir Forrest Fulton , J . V . Vesey Fitzgerald , Q . C , H . Pritchard , P . P . G . Treas . Middlesex ; H . Sadler , G . Tyler ; H . S . Wellcome , F . C . Van Duzer , J . R . Brough , and Colver Gordon . Bro . CIIARLKS LEWIS , who was much moved , made a short speech , thanking the brethren for their unvarying kindness to him .

The address , which was beautifully illuminated , was very much admired . After the presentation , Bro . Sadler was called upon to resume his lecture , the subject of which was "Tylers and Tyling . " The members listened with marked attention to what was a most instructive , as well as an amusing , discourse ; and at its close a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer , Bro . C LEWIS proposing , and Bro . H . S . WELLCOME seconding , the vote . The Secretary took the names of several subscribers for Bro . Sadler ' s forthcoming new volume .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The July Quarterly General Court of Subscribers to this Institutloi was held on Thursday , at Freemasons' llall . Bro . A . C . Spaull , P . G . Std . Br ., in the chair . There were also present Bros . A . H . Duret , H . Massey , Alexander C . Clapham , H . A . Tobias , C . H . Webb , and F . R . W . Hedges ( Secretary ) . After the minutes of the General Court of April 16 th , last had been read and confirmed , and the minutes of the subsequent General Committee of April 28 th , May 26 th , and June 30 th had been read for information , the following recommendation of the General Committee was adopted :

"That the' 11 Eligible Canditates remaining from the 'last Election together with the 16 whose Petitions have been since approved be placed upon the List of Candidates for the October Election and that 13 vacancies be declared . " After a letter had been read from Bro . Major J . H . Leslie , Sheffield , about a case which had been held to be ineligible , on the motion of the CHAIRMAN , seconded by Bro . H . A . TOBIAS , it was resolved that the matter could not be further considered . . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . ALFRED A . PENDLEBURY , P . A . G . SEC . We noticed in our last issue the decease of Bro . Pendlebury , the late Asst . Grand Secretary , and now give a short account of his Masonic career . He was initiated in the Lodge of Sincerity , No . 174 , London ( where his father and grandfather had been initiated ) , on the 9 th January , 1859 , by dispensation from the M . W . Grand Master , he being under age ; and , having obtained an appointment in the Indian Navy , and not being able to remain long enough to take the Third

Degree , was raised in a Scotch lodge in Bombay . On the incorporation of thc Indian and Imperial Navies , he was granted a pension , and shortly after this obtained the junior clerkship in the Grand Secretary's ofiice , having been selected from a large number of candidates , in response to an advertisement , by the late Bro . Wm . Gray Clarke . On entering the Grand Secretary ' s office , he took a great interest in the Order , and in a short time perfected himself in the ritual . He was the founder of the Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , and became P . M . and Secretary .

Hc was one of the founders of the Loyalty and Charity Lodge , No . 15 S 4 , in 18 74 , passed the chair , and was Treasurer until he resigned . In Royal Arch Masonry he was an expert , having studied under Bro . Jas . Brett , and was one of the founders of the chapter of instruction working under the Rose of Denmark Chapter , No . 975 , where he was the lirst exaltee 30 th September , i , S 65 , and filled all theofiices . He was one of the founders of the Victoria Chapter , No . 105 Q , an ! P . Z ., and filled the office of Scribe li . for many years . He was also very actively engaged with

the late Bro . Buss and Bro . Little in the revival of the Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine . O . i the appointment of liro . Little as Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , our late brother was appointed Cashier and Accountant and filled that post until the retirement of Bro . Buss when he was appointed Chief Clerk , and the following year was invested with the collar of Asst . G . Secretary . Failing health compelled him to give in his resignation in 1 S 94 , when the Grand Lodge in consideration of past services and

his bad health unanimously granted him a retiring .-illovance of lull pay . Ht retired to Bournemouth with his family , hoping to benefit his health , but his lon ^ and most expensive illness terminated on the 30 th ult ., and he is laid to rest in the Cemetery there mourned by his wife and two daughters , and also by his three sisters , who were devotedly attached to him . The Grand Secretary ' s Olli : ewas

represented by Bro . Dodd , and thu Victoria Lodge by Bro . LUreille , who wns thc lirst initiate in Unit lodge . Jn private life our brother was on of the kindest and most amiable of men , conscientious and exact in all he undertook , and possessed one of those happy dispositions very seldom IIKI with , and one who never made an enemy or repeated a scandal . We express our sympathy with his widow and family .

Ad01005

COUNTY —— . ^^ K FOUNDED 1807 . 50 REGENT ST , W ., & "IRE — ——14 CORNHILL , E . C , LONDON , OFFICE . The Dislino-uishino - Feature of this Office is THE RETURN SYSTEM . o o On Ordinary Insurances , under which Policyholders who have been insured I ' or Seven Years ami who continue insured- -wlielli ' i under an Ann , nil or Sexennial Policy become entitled to a RETURN OF 25 PER CENT , ol' Hie Premiums they have paid dui-ini ** each Seven Years , provided no loss lias arisen under ( heir Policies in that Period . Insurances on Fanning Stocks and un oilier than Ordinary Risks do not participate in tlie Returns , nor are the Returns given "" ' . tiiiounts which , being in excess ul" its own holding , are not retained b y the Ulliec . Policies may bc cll ' eeted 01 * transferred without any extra expenses . G . \ V . STEVENS , \ j 0 in ^ Secretaries . B , E . RATLIFFE j j