Mark Masonry.

Aber . Bro . T . Westlake-Morgan , P . G . Org . of Ehgland , organist of Bangor Cathedral , by special dispensation from the Duke of Connaught , M . W . G . M ., was installed in the chair , this being his fourth installation within two years , he having been Master of two Craft lodges simultaneously , and now Master of two Mark lodges . He afterwards invested his officers as follows : Bros . William Jones , P . M ., acting ( . P . M . ; R .

E Pritchard , S . W . ; W . Bulkley Hughes-Hunter , J . W . ; Robert Roberts , M . O . ; Samuel Evans , S . O . ; Richard Pritchard , J . O . ; William Jones , P . M ., R . of M . ; Hug h Pritchard , Sec . ; Thomas P . Leche , S . D . j Hugh Thomas , J . D . ; and Robert / " * "ffifVi Tvler Owing to the recent death of the late Secretary , Bro . John Hughes , there was no installation banquet . There was a large attendance of visiting brethren .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . CHARLES STEPHENS , PROV . G . TREAS . BERKS , By the death of Bro . Charles Stephens , elder brother of the Dean of Win . Chester , which occurred at bis residence , at Woodley Hill , near Reading , on Friday last , Berkshire loses one of its most prominent and respected public men . Bro . Stephens , who was in his 71 st year , was a son of the late Mr . Charles Stephens , the head of the well-known banking firm of Stephens , Blandy , and Co ., of Reading , Maidenhead , and elsewhere . He was a magistrate for Reading and

Berkshire , and served the office of High Sheriff of that county jn 1884-85 . When the Volunteer movement was inaugurated , he supported the arrangements made by the late Bro . Lord Wantage for the formation of the ist Administrative Battalion of Berks Rifle Volunteers , and held a commission in the regiment until 1869 , when he retired with the ran ' c of major , and was presented with an illuminated address from the officers and men . Throughout his life he was actively engaged in the banking business , and eventually became the head of the firm ,

retiring from that position a few years ago when the business was transferred to Lloyds Bank ( Limited ) . For a lengthened period Bro . Stephens took a great personal interest in Freemasonry , and up to the time of his death he held the office of Prov . G . Treasurer . He took a prominent part in the formation of the Mark Masonic Province of Berkshire and Oxfordshire , and was appointed by Bro . the Earl of Jersey ( the first Prov . G . Master ) as his Deputy . He was initiated in

the Union Lodge , No . 414 , Reading , in 1875 , and served as W . M . in 1 S 81 , and was W . M . of the Leopold Mark Lodge in 1880 . He was Past Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Mark Masons , and a liberal supporter of the Masonic Charities . Deceased was also a companion of the Union Chapter at Reading . Declining health in recent years unfortunately prevented him from taking an active part in Masonic functions , but he was to have been proposed for re-election

THE LATE HRO . CHARLES STEPHENS , M . A ., J . P ., Provincial Giand 'Treasurer for Berkshire , Pasl Deputy Provincial Grain ! Master , Berks & Oxon , ( Mark ) , & e . as Prov . G . Treasurer at the forthcoming Prov . G . Lodge , to be held at Windsor . Mainly in consequence of his association with one of the old Reading banks , he acted as treasurer to a large number of public bodies and institutions . In this cajac ' . ty he did much to promote the welfare of the Royal Berkshire Hospital ,

which he had served as treasurer since 1867 . He was also treasurer to the Corporation of Reading and the Royal Berkshire Friendly So : iety , with which he had been associated from 18 72 , when it was founded by the late Bro . Lord Wantage , Mr . Benyon , Mr . John Walter , and other large Berkshire landowners . He rendered great service as local hon . secretary to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution , towards the funds of which he had annually raised a considerable sum of money . On his retirement through ill-health , he received a letter ot thanks from the King ( then Prince of Wales ) .

The funeral took place at St . Peter's Earley , on Tuesday afternoon , in the presence of a large assemblage of relatives and friends . In this parish deceased nad been churchwarden for something like a quarter of a century . The obsequies were attended by Mrs . Stephens , the widow , and her brother-in-law , the Dean of Winchester , and many other relatives from different parts of the country . The

ueputy Provincial Grand Master ( in charge of the Province of Berkshire ) , Bro . J . T . Morland , M . A ., and the Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . John W . Martin , were prevented attending thi ough an important engagement at a legal conference being held at Oxford , but there was a numerous assemblage of well-known filasons including Bros , the Rev . Canon Garry ( who took part in the service ) ; pYJ' , Ferguson , R . C . Mount , and W . Ferguson , P . P . S . G . Ws . ; W . W . Ridley , R ii » * D- H > Hero " . W- M 1 'oi I G . J . Cosburn , P . P . G . Purst . ; A . H . » " 11 , Mayor of Reading ; H . J . Mount , W . Page Phillips , P . P . S . G . W . Suffolk ; h Margrett , P . G . Treas . ( Mark ) Berks and Oxon ; R . Penson , F . A , Sargeant ,

Obituary.

and others . Among the principal Berkshire residents present were the High Sheriff , Alderman Blackall Simonds ; Colonel Blandy , Chief Constable ; Alderman Monck , Mr . W . W . Cowslade , Mr . Heelas , Mr . Day , Town Cleric ; Mr . Alfred Palmer , Colonel James Simonds , Mr . F . W . Cowslade , Mr . H . A . Cowslade , and a number of the local clergy . A large number of beautiful floral wreaths and crosses were contributed .

We are indebted to the courtesy of Bro . G . J . Cosburn , of Newbury , the printer and publisher of the " Berkshire Masonic Register and Calendar , " for the life-like portrait of tho deceased which accompanies this notice .

Instruction.

Instruction .

PHILANTHROPIC LODGE , No . 107 . The above Iodge working upon Emulation lines under the sanction of the Philanthropic Lodge , No . 107 , held its annual festival in the Masonic Hall , King's Lynn , on Thursday , the 3 rd inst ., when the Three Sections of the Third Lecture were worked . Present : Bros . G . W . Page , P . M ., P . P . G . T ., Preceptor , as W . M . ; Chas . E . Ward ,

P . M ., P . P . S . G . W . Lines ., P . P . G . R . Norfolk , Deputy Preceptor , as Lecture Master ; E . W . Oiakley , as S . W . ; F . J . Knight , Sec , as J . W . ; R . W . Bryant , as S . D . ; A . J . Wlliams , as J . D . ; Geo . Oswell , as Org . ; B . Johnson , I . G- ; las . Brown , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C . ; T . H . Hodd , Rev . A . H . Hayes , Jno . Wilson , W . J . Hyner , and T . Caldwell .

The Sections were worked as fellows , Bro . Ward asking the questions : ist , Bros . F . J . Knight , A . J , WilTams , and Ben Johnson ; 2 nd , Bro . R . W . Bryant ; 3 rd , Bro . W . Oakley . After ledge had been closed down to First Degree , officers for the year were re-elected : Bros . G . W . Page , Preceptorj Chas . E . Ward , Dep , Preceptor ; and F . J . Knight , Sec . On the proposition of Bro . Ward , it was agreed to rehearse the First Lecture , all Seven Sections for next year's festival , alternate lodges of instruction being set apart for that purpose . The members of lodge and workers were congratulated on their work , regret , however , being expressed that meetings were not better attended , after which the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to supper .

In connection with the lodge a library is being formed under the supervision of Bro . Chas . E . Ward , 3 , Tuesday-market , Lynn , who will b ; pleased to receive duplicates of Masonic works or Provincial Calendars for same . The library possesses a full set of Q . A . C . and book case on the Wernicke system , which has bten purchased .

ISLINGTON LODGE , No . 1471-The usual weekly meeting was held on Tuesday , the Sth instant , at the Cock Tavern , Highbury , N ., when there were present : Bros . H . Coxen , W . M . ; M . Relph , S . W . ; C . Nicole , J . W . ; W . Hancock , P . M ., Preceptor ; A . F . Hardyment , P . M ., P . G . D . C . Norfolk , Asst . Preceptor ; C . M . Coxon , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Herts , Treas . ; J . Duncan , P . M ., Sec ; D . Taylor , S . D . ; j . Horstead , J . D . j G . Mortlock , I . G . j H . J . Dunaway , E . Richards , H . C . Kerly , VV . Lee , C . Weston ,

J . Foxcroft , H . R . Bower , T . E . Newman , A . Williams , and F . H . Johnson . The lodge was opened and the minutes read and confirmed . The ceremonies of initiation and raising were rehearsed , Bros . Williams and Bower as candidates . Bro . Relph was elected W . M . for the ensuing week and appointed the officers in rotation . A ballot was taken for a Life Subscribership which fell to the lot of Bro . C . M . Coxon . The lodge was then closed .

Savings In The Navy.

SAVINGS IN THE NAVY .

Admiral Young would appear to clear up the origin of savings in the Navy tolerably well . " We understand , " he writes , " that it has become the practice of the men to sell the savings of their provisions to anyone who will buy them on shore . As this may at times be attended with very great inconvenience , it ought to be prevented , and the Admiralty have thought of ordering the pursers to pay at fixed prices for all the savings , allowing them to draw for the money every three months , but we are not quite determined at what price he

shall purchase them ( sic ) . Will you have the goodness to inform yourself , as well as you can , what the men have generally got for their bread , beef , pork , pease , and oatmeal , and what price the men would probably be satisfied with for the provisions they have lately been accustomed to sell ? " The correspondence of the Admiralty at the Record Office

must presumably contain at least traces of an answer from Sir Charles Thomson , or some other officer , for he was doubtless not the only authority consulted . In any case , here we have the origin of " savings " indicated in a general way . First , the men saved patt of their rations , and sold them on their own behalf ; then the Admiralty took to paying for what the crews would have saved , and the name was retained as being familiar and convenient . —Navy and Army .

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