Royal Ark Mariners.

Royal Ark Mariners .

LIVERPOOL . Excelsior Lodge ( No . 359 ) . —The annual meeting was held at the Bear ' s Paw Restaurant on Saturday , the 5 th inst . Bro . John C . Robinson , W . C . N ., occupied the chair , and conferred the Degree on seven candidates . Bro . William Piatt . was installed W . C . N , by

W . Bro . Capt . J . D . Murray , P . C . N ., and appointed the following brethren as officers for the ensuing year : Bros . John Fletcher , J . ; Thos . Adams . S . ; W . Goodacre , P . C . N ., Treas . ; " ] . 11 . Barrow , P . C . N ., Scribe ; M . H . Boyd , S . D . ; R . Sharrock , J . D . ; A . Cross , D . C . ; and j . Pittaway , G . Ten guineas was voted to the Mark Benevolent Fund .

Allied Masonic Degrees.

Allied Masonic Degrees .

LIVERPOOL . Portal Council ( No 1 ) . —A very successful meeting of this council was held on Saturday , the 5 th inst ., at the Bear ' s Paw Restaurant . The W . M . Bro . John C . Robinson , having opened a Lodge of St . Lawrence , Bro . J . H . Barrow , P . M ., G . J . D ., conferred the Degrees of St . Lawrence and Knights of Constantinople upon eight

candidates . Bro . Capt . j . D . Murray , P . M ., P . G . D . C , conferred the Degrees of Knights of Red Cross of Babylon , and Holy High Priesthood , and afterwards installed Bro . William Piatt as W . M . Bro . Piatt then appointed as his officers Bros . M . H . Boyd , S . W . ; John Fletcher , J . W . ; W . Goodacre , P . M ., Treas . ; J . H . Barrow , P . M ., G . J . D .,

Sec ; J . Pittaway , S . D . ; J . Milne , J . D . ; and A . Cross , I . G . The W . M . was appointed Representative to Grand Council . The sum of 10 guineas was voted to the Mark Benevolent Fund . Subsequently the members dined with the Ark Mariners , and spent a most enjoyable evening .

A Noble Masonic Record.

A NOBLE MASONIC RECORD .

Thc North Star . Darlington , of the 4 th inst ., in an article dealing with the Masonic Charities , aftergiving the figures which we laid before our readers last week , comments as follows :

" There is a curious thing about these Charities , of which we have never seen any satisfactory explanation . It is this : Unlike most other far-reaching and well-known benevolent institutions , they receive few testamentary legacies , and no large ones . What makes this the more singular is that ivery large numbers of Freemasons have , particularly in the last generation or

two , been wealthy , and many of them very rich men . Apart from this circumstance , the generosity of Freemasons to the Institutions associated with their Order is proverbial . How is it that they do not remember Masonic Charities to more purpose when they are making their wills V Surely there arc no charities that have better claims upon them than those of the Craft

they have supported with such enthusiasm in their journey through life . There are other Benevolent Masonic Institutions besides thoso we have referred to . One of them is the Benevolent F * und of the United Grand Lodge . To this fund every Freemason under the English Constitution who is a subscribing member of a lodge contributes . It has an income , exclusive of

investments , of about ^ , 9000 a year ; last year granls were made out of it to thu extent of £ 8970 . Another large Benevolent Fund is that of the Mark Masons' Grand Lodge , out of which extensive payments were made in 1 S 94 for relief , annuities , and the education of children . In addition , there are many individual lodges that have private funds of their own ,

which they administer in a similar way . " ft will be seen that the good work which is being done by Freemasons in the direction alluded to is large in volume , and must be productive of great and lasting benefits , not only to those immediately concerned , but to thc whole community . Many a man to whom foitune has been unkind has received timely

help which enabled him to tide over an evil day , when otherwise hc would inevitably have gone to the wall , and have had his prospects in life wrecked . Assistance of a more permanent kind has cheered and blessed thc declining years of many a wayfarer on the earthly journey , who , under other circumstance , might have been forced lo appeal to cold , cast-iron public

charity , the acceptance of relief from which would have been accompanied by degradation . Then ( here are Ihc widows and the orphans , those bereaved ones who , like the widows and orphans of all time , evoke in us a pathetic interest springing from some of the best and purest emotions that animate the human heart . Who are there among us who do not pity , and , if able

to do so , would not tenderly help , the widow and the orphan left wholly or in part unprovided for ? A portion of their life has , so to speak , been torn away in the removal of the husband and father , who was not only the bread-winner , but part of their very being . Who can estimate theleelings of soothing comfort and peaceful , if mournful , securily brought into the homes

of many such helphss ones by tbe Masonic funds of which wc have been treating ? Unavailing sorrow and hopeless regrets for loved ones called away are bad enough ; but when they are accompanied by the blank despair caused by thc cutting off of the means of

procuring the necessaries of life and of educating the children , they are infinitely worse . Therefore we hope that the Charitable and Benevolent Funds of the Masonic Order will go on growing , and do even more good in the future than they have done in the past . "

First Ladies' Night Of Spencer Wa Lpole Lodge, No. 2197 , Douglas, Isle Of Man.

FIRST LADIES' NIGHT OF SPENCER WALPOLE LODGE , No . 2197 , DOUGLAS , ISLE OF MAN .

The lirst Ladies' night of thc above lodge took place on the 7 th inst ., at the Granville Hotel Promenade , Douglas , and from the number that attended , the promoters are to be congratulated on the success of their undertaking . The following were amongst those

present : Bros . T . G . Taylor , W . M ., P . A . G . Sec . ; T . S . Aylen , P . M ., P . G . S . B ., and Mrs . Aylen ; Champion Bradshaw , P . M ., P . Z . 1242 , P . P . G . S . B ., and Mrs . Bradshaw ; F . W . Watson , LP . M ., and Miss Rothwell ; | . Lewin , j . W ., and Mrs . Lewin ; L . R . Corkill , Sec , P . G . Stwd ., and Mrs . Corkill ; F . Kilborn , S . D ., and Miss Birchmore ; R . W . Creer , I . G ., and Mrs . Creer ;

Christian , Stwd ., and Mrs . Christian ; T . Watson , Stwd . ; T . Sharrocks , J . W . 75 S , and Mrs . Sharrocks ; J . Watson , and Miss Sharpe ; Proctor , 2050 , and Miss McAndrew ; Mr . Farrington and Miss Plock . Mr . Gilmour , Mr . Quine , Mr . Gibson , Bro . W . Kelly , P . M . 20 5 , P . A . G . T . ; Mrs . Nattan , Miss Kohler , and j Miss Marie Golnz .

The W . M ., assisted by Bros . F . Watson , Corkill , and Creer , received the guests . During the reception , Mr . Gilmour , electrician , who kindly brought a great number of electrical appliances , including electric coil for giving spine good shocks , entertained the early arrivals , after which the company adjourned to the dining-room to partake of a substantial supper ,

provided by ( Sister ) Nattan , as our Manx brethren prefer to call her , the late Bro . Nattan holding the office of P . G . S . of W . at the time of his decease . Before leaving the supper table , the WORSHIPFUL MASTER asked those present to join with him in drinking "The Health of her Majesty the Queen , G . Patroness of the Order , of whom he was reminded by an

energetic brother of the lodge belore silting down to supper , that her Majesty was thc mother , grandmother , daughter , niece , aunl , & c , of Masons , and he trusted the G . A . O . T . U . would spare her to be the great grandmother of a Mason . He also gave " Thc M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and Members of the Royal Family , " which were received with that loyalty

and enthusiasm characteristic of the name . The wants having been supplied , the company reassembled in the spacious drawing-rooms , when a very excellent concert followed , the undermentioned taking part : Bros . Aylen , Bradshaw , Proctor , J . Datson , Misses Sharpe | and Rothwell , Mr . Farrington and Mr . Rothwell , Bro . F . Watson , assisted by Mrs . Bradshaw , played

the accompaniments , the last mentioned giving some pretty selections , which , along with the singers , received well merited applause . The toasts being in the hands of Bros . Tavlor , W . M . ; Corkill , Sec ; F . Watson , I . P . M . ; and Aylen , P . M ., it is needless to stale were given with that eloquence and enthusiasm for which these brethren

are noted . The respondcrs , Bros . Bradshaw , Creer , Sharrocks , Kilborn , and Mr . Farrington , caused much merriment by their humorous terms . It might be added thc W . M ., in thanking the musical guests on behalf of thc lodge , said that he sincerely trusted thc other insular lodges would follow thc commendable step taken by his lodge , and this only the

forerunner of many such enjoyable nights . Mr . FARRINGTON , when responding , said that before long he trusted they would accept him as a candidate for the Masonic order , when he should feel proud to be addressed by those present as "brother . "

" Auld Lang Syne , " and " God Save the Oueen " being sung by thc whole of the company , with three lusty cheers asked by Bro . CORKILL for the Spencer Walpole Lodge , and which several brethren have since stated was heartily responded to by the ladies , brought this not to be forgotten happy evening lo a close .

Scotland.

Scotland .

MASONIC SERVICE IN ST . GILES CATHEDRAL , EDINBURGH . A Masonic service took place a few days since in St . Giles' Cathedral , and , like previous services of the kind , it was very largely attended , not only by members of the Order , but hythe general public . The

arrangements were practically the same as those that obtained three years ago , when , to obviate the undue crowding of the church , tbe public were asked to pay a small charge for admission , the sum thus raised , as well as the collection taken at thc close of the service , being applied to the Annuity Branch of the Fund of Scottish

Masonic Benevolence . By request of the Grand Master Mason , Bro . Sir Charles Dalrymple of Newhailes , M . l' ., lhc Lodge Dramatic and Arts , Edinburgh , undertook the organisation and management of the choral service , which was under the immediate charge of Bro . James A . Moonie , Past Grand Director of Music and

Musical Director of the Lodge Dramatic and Arts , who himself conducted . Bro . Mooniehadsucceededinbring'" Ktogether a first-class orchestra andchoir , numbering upwards of 140 in all , and by them the choral part of the service was admirably performed . As on former occasions , the choir and or--hestra were ' accommodated

111 the seals immediately 111 front of the organ ; thc general public found places , for the most part , in the nave , and the east portion oi the church and north transept were in great measure occupied by the members of the Craft in full Masonic regalia . F * or the occasion the Parliament Hall was put at the disposal of the Craftsmen , and there they robed , marching

Scotland.

across the square in processional order—two-and-twoentering the Cathedral by the west door . At half-past two o ' clock the officiating clergymen , Bro . the Right Rev . Professor Storey , Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland , Past Grand Chaplain , and Bro . the Rev . John Glasse , Past Grand Chaplain , preceded by the mace-bearer , entered the

building ; and soon after they had taken their places —Bro . the Rev . John Glasse first occupying the pulpit in order to conduct the devotional services—the members of the Order , headed by the Grand Master and the office-bearers of Grand Lodge , filed into the church , presenting in their regalia , and by reason of their numbers , an imposing appearance .

Bro . Sir Charles Dalrymple was supported by Bros . Captain Hope , M . P ., Grand Master of Linlithgow , shire ; C M . Pelham Burn , Proxy Provincial Grand Master of Nicaragua ; Major V . W . Allan , Glasgow , Proxy Provincial Grand Master of Gibraltar ; Major H . G . Fenton Newell Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Argyll and the Isles ; Col . W . lvison Macadam ,

Proxy Provincial Grand Master of Jamaica , and Grand Sword Bearer ; Joseph Loxdale , Substitute Provincial Grand Master of Perthshire ( West ) ; D . Murray Lyon , Grand Secretary ; D . Reid , Grand Cashier ; Councillor R . M . Cameron , Grand Architect ; James Muir , Grand Director of Ceremonies ; VV . Munro Denholm , Grand Marshal : R . J . Jamieson , President of Grand Stewards ;

J . M'Intyre Henry , Past Grand Architect ; P . L . Henderson , Past Grand Architect ; and the following Grand Stewards : James Drummond , W . Adamson , George Crawford , James Thompson , R . N . Johnston , Jones Melville , James Simpson , and R . S . Brown . The srvice opened with the singing of the ^ iooth Psalm , the choir alone rendering the third verse ; and

this was followed by prayer . 'The orchestra then performed the Magnificat in F ( Berthold Tours ) , and subsequently Nunc Dimittis in F . was rendered . The The Grand Master read the scripture lessons—that from the Old Testament being the 20 th chapter ol Isaiah , and the new testament reading from the 21 st chapter of Revelations . Mr . GLASS * -: then offered up

an intercessory prayer ; and the anthem , " Lord , hear my prayer" was sung , this again being followed by the collect and Lord . s Prayer . Professor Story having now succeeded Mr . Glasse in the occupancy of the pulpit . Professor STORY took his text from the ist Kings , chapter viii ., verse 18 , " And the Lord said unto David my father , whereas

it was in thine heart to build a house unto my name , thou didst well that it was in thine heart , " and Irom the same book , chapter vi ., verse 7 , " And the house , when it was building , was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither , so that there was neither hammer , nor axe , nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building . " The

thoughts , he said , suggested by the text were those of a great idea and a great work , and the passages he had read dealt with the building of the magnificent Temple , the memory of which was closely connected with their Masonic ritual . The idea of the Temple had originated with David , but it was lelt to Solomon to carry the idea out . Now-a-duys we were inclined to think

the test of any idea was whether it could be carried out and whether it would pay . In David ' s case , how ever , his idea built thc Temple , though it was the hands of Solomon that carried it out . The possession of one great idea—onc great principle , one great affectionlifted up the heart and mind of him in whom it dwelt above the sordidity and selfish aims and the littleness

of the world . Thc effort , after infinite attainment , was pointed to when Christ said to his disciples , " Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect . " There was no walk of life in which the keeping in view of that high idea might be of more use for their guidance than-in the Masonic Craft . If they simply went into the Craft carelessly , it they carried through the ritual

slovenly , if they regarded the Craft only as a means of social lellowship , what a poor thing Masonry was . How different it was if they kept in view its history and its traditions , and strove to act up to its great principles of charity and brotherhood . It they were all to do that , Masonry might become a power in the land second to none on the side of social order , and

the spreading of the message of goodwill to men . And lhat power would be none the less potent because the work was done silently , as the building of the Temple was . Performed in silence as that great work was , il possessed this characteristic , specially interesting to the Masonic Craft , that il must have been a harmonious work—work in which perfect order ruled , in

which no wrangling prevailed , and in which under the Great Master Builder's eye eacn workman did faithfully his allotted part in the realisation of the great idea . The builders of thu Temple must have worked like people guided by one will , with one purpose in view , and cheered in their toil by sympathy . The Temple as a visible structure had passed away , and but the

broken remnants of Israel mourned its desolation ; but the great idea of men preparing a house for the Most High still remained , and the spirit of the builders of the Temple lived in the higher idea of man making himself a living temple of the Lord . The smoke 01 the sacrifice no longer arose from thc altar , but tne spirit of sacrifice lived still and moved men to lay their

offerings on the a / tar of the needs and sorrows ot their brethren Alter the sermon , the 18 th Paraphrase was sung , after which prayer was offered . The collection in aid of the Masonic Annuity Fund was then taken , and the service was brought to a close by the singing by the choir of the "Hallelujah " chorus and the pronouncement of the Benediction