Masonic Notes.

The 41 st annual grand Masonic festival and ball in aid of ¦ the funds of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , will be held at the Town Hall , Liverpool , on the 14 th January , under distinguished patronage . These annual assemblies have hitherto been

very successful , and the forthcoming festival will , we feel sure , prove no exception to the rule . The Mayor of Liverpool is one of the patrons , and much local interest is always manifested in the event .

The Mansion House will in the coming year be used for the first time as a meeting-place for a Masonic lodge , a special dispensation having been granted by the Grand Master for the Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 , to meet there during the term of office of the Lord

Mayor , who will be installed as W . M . on February nth , The ball room will be fitted up specially for the purpose . Bro . Alfred Caldecote is composing an anthem

for the occasion , and after the ceremony Sir Henry Isaacs will afterwards entertain the members of the lodge and many distinguished Masons to a banquet in the Egyptian Hall .

* * * It willbe seen from our report of the General Committee of the Boys' School , on Saturday last , that the Provisional Committee considers the sum of ^ S ' sufficient to meet the claims which Bro . Dr . Morris

considers he has upon the Institution , by reason of the services he has rendered it as Head Master during the last 14 years . It is not quite clear to us , however , whether the Report containing this recommendation

was adopted or referred back to the Committee . But , considering all the circumstances , we are inclined to think the Committee has made a judicious recommendation , which the Governors will do well to accept .

* * * It will also be remarked that a Report was submitted on the subject of Bro . Binckes ' s retiring allowance , but this was done for information only , as it is intended for the consideration of the General Court .

Here the Committee recommend a reduction in the amount it was originally proposed to give Bro . Binckes , namely , from ^ 350 to ^ 250 , the ground of the recom . mendation being the smallness of the majority by which the ^ 350 was carried . "

It is satisfactory that the Mark brethren have not lost sight of the desirability of raising some suitable memorial to the late Bro . the Rev . Canon Portal . To no one is the Mark Grand Lodge so deeply indebted as to our late distinguished brother , who had successively

occupied the offices of Grand Chaplain , Grand Registrar , Deputy Grand Master , and Grand Master , and who at the time of his decease was President of the General Board , and Provincial Grand Master of Hants and ' the Isle of Wight . In fact , his official career

commenced with the establishment of Mark Grand Lodge , and terminated only with his death . Therefore , it will be a graceful act on the part of Grand Lodge that it should do something to commemorate services so

continuous as well as so valuable . We dare say the General Board , to whom the subject has been referred , will have no difficulty in recommending a memorial that will be acceptable to the Mark brethren .

On the 2 ist ult ., Bro . T . B . Whytehead , of York , lectured before the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , Hull , on " The Profits and Pleasures of Freemasonry , " the W . M ., Bro . S . Rutter , presiding . The large hall in Osborne-street was quite filled with a most appreciative audience , all the Hull lodges being represented .

* * * Our worthy contemporary , the Keystone , of Philadelphia , is naturally very gratified at the remarks of Bro . Lane in his " Handy Book to the study of the Engraved , Printed , and Manuscript Lists of Lodges "

from 1723 to 1814 . Bro . Lane , in speaking of the discussion as to the English Lodge , No . 79 , in the Dublin Pocket Companion of 1735 , against which were the words " The Hoop , in Wales-street , in Philadelphia , "

points out that the introduction of these words / ' into a copy of what was virtually an Official List , " would scarcely have been made without some reason that at the lime appeared both adequate and satisfactory to the compiler of the List . "

* * * We admit the justice of Bro . Lane ' s suggestive remark , and we are , therefore , by no means surprised that the Keystone should write in most agreeable vein .

"These are carefully weighed , judicious words , and coming as they do from the most competent critic of Masonic Lodge Lists in the world , they possess a value which our leaders will at once acknowledge . "

Masonic Notes.

The Masonic Hall at Philadelphia appears to have been the scene of quite a famous gathering on a limited scale on Saturday , the 23 rd ult ., when Union Lodge , No . 121 , Philadelphia , held a special meeting for the purpose of unveiling the portrait of Bro . the

Hon . Richard Vaux , Past G . M . of Pennsylvania , which the lodge had had painted and proposed to present to the Grand Lodge . The meeting was held in the Ionic Hall , about 80 of the officers and members of

Union Lodge being present , together with Bro . Clifford McCalla , Grand Master , and several of his officers , many members of Lodge No . 51 , the mother lodge of No . 121 , the representatives of the Art Association of the Masonic Hall , and other visitors .

* * * From the record given in the Keystone of Bro . Vaux ' s Masonic career , it appears that he was " made a Mason ' at sig ht ' by R . W . Grand Master Bro . Joseph R . Chandler in Lodge No . 3 , Philadelphia , on the 20 th

December , 1842 . In 1844 , at the request of Bro . Chandler , he affiliated to Union Lodge , No . 121 , in order to assist in its revival , and served as W . M . the following year . He was J . G . W . of Pennsylvania in 1863 and 1864 , S . G . W . in 1865 and 1866 , in 186 7 D . G .

Master till the death of Grand Master Goddnrd , on 17 th July , when he became Grand Master , and so remained till the close of 1869 . In 1868 he laid the

corner-stone of the present Masonic Hall in Philadelphia . He was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence from 1859 ' ° ' 862 , and again from the end of 1875 till the present time .

* * * The occasion appears to have been turned to the best advantage in doing honour to this distinguished brother , the portrait being unveiled by Bro . Samuel W . Corry , Chairman of the Committee of

Management of Union Lodge . Grand Master McCalla delivered an appropriate address , in which he reviewed the great services rendered by this able veteran of 47 years' standing . S . G . Warden Bro . Michael Arnold also spoke , and the proceedings concluded with a

banquet , at which the principal toast was that of " Past Grand Master , Bro . the Hon . Richard Vaux , " proposed by the Grand Master , in felicitous terms , and drunk , we presume , with all the honours upstanding . We are glad that honour should have been thus paid to whom it is so essentially due .

* * * We are not at all surprised at the Grand Lodge of Florida having issued an edict forbidding all

intercourse between the Masons of Florida and those who acknowledge allegiance to the " Fouhhouze Supreme Council of Louisiana , " which is said to be a branch of the Cerneau Rite .

The word we have taken thc liberty of italicising is new to us , nor should we feel on very safe grounds in attempting to pronounce it as it should be pronounced . If the " ou " is pronounced as in the word " house , " the branch must be so called from its meeting in a

"Fowl'shouse ; " but if the first ou is to sound as " 00 " in " fool , " then its designation must have been obtained from its meeting in a " Fool's house . " We consider the latter is the more probable pronunciation for such a body ; but in either case the Grand Lodge is rig ht in disassociating its Masonry from "fowls" or " fools . "

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

FIELD LANE REFUGES AND RAGGED SCHOOLS . —AN APPEAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir , On behalf of the Committee of the Field Lane Refuges and Ragged Schools , will you allow me to appeal to the public , through the columns of your valuable paper , for Christmas contributions . We are

urgentl y in need of funds to enable us to continue our work amongst the homeless poor of London . At the present time we are maintaining 260 persons dail y in our refuges and homes , and giving weekly 500 breakfasts to homeless men and women , and 600 hot dinners to poor hungry children . The attendances at the sewing

meetings , Bible schools , and religious services amount to over 3 weekly . The Committee are desirous of providing a dinner on Christmas Day for 700 of the homeless , and for about Ooo poor deserving families in this neighbourhood , but our funds have suffered greatly through the various demands on public charity .

Correspondence.

Contributions will be thankfully received and acknowledged by the Treasurer , Wilfrid A . Bevan , Esq ., 54 , Lombard-street , E . C , or by—Your obedient servant , PEREGRINE PLATT , Secretary . December 6 th .

MASONIC CHARITIES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and'Brother , It is constantl y asserted , and I see the District Grand Secretary ( E . C . ) of Queensland makes a great point in his manifesto to the brethren against amalgamation , that we cut ourselves off from any

participation in the benefits to be derived from the noble Masonic Charities in London . From my knowledge , as an old English Past Master , of the tremendous struggle there used to be to get our candidates elected . I fail to see how we could ever hope to get Colonials into these Institutions , nor is it reasonable to expect it ,

as we do not directly contribute anything to their income . For the information of the brethren , would the Secretaries kindly say , through your columns , if ever there was a New Zealand candidate elected V I do not ask this in any captious spirit , as we are justly

proud of these Charities , and we hope they may long continue their noble work , and we hope the result of the new Grand Lodge in New Zealand may lead to the establishing of similar Institutions in this Colony . — Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

W . H . COOPER , P . M . Auckland , New Zealand , October 31 st .

THE AGE OF THE SUN , SQUARE , AND COMPASSES LODGE , No . 119 , WHITEHAVEN . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was surprised to read in your last issue that Bro . John Lane had replied to a letter of mine which appeared in the Cumberland Racquet , of the 21 st ult ., on the above subject , and which was written in answer

to the letter which Bro . George J . McKay , Prov . Grand Secretary of Cumberland and Westmorland , communicated to the same journal on the 7 th ult . What has become of Bro . G . J . McKay ? Has our Prov . Grand Secretary , after making his damaging statements against Lodge No . 119 , Whitehaven retired

from the discussion he has provoked , and given Bro . Lane , of Torquay , the difficult task of proving that Lodge No . 119 has been working since 1805 under an old warrant , which was withdrawn or cancelled in that year , and given to " an entirely new lodge in Whitehaven , " and that it has been quite in order since

that date to initiate , install , and receive fees at Lodge No . 119 , under a warrant that had been withdrawn and given to another lodge ? At all events , Bro . Lane has taken Bro . G . J . McKay ' s place in the discussion which has arisen respecting the age of Lodge No . 119 ; and as he has criticised in your last issue the reply I made

to Bro . McKay in the Cumberland Racquet , perhaps you will allow me in your columns the ri ght of reply . Any one reading Bro . Lane ' s letter in last week ' s Freemason , would naturally gather therefrom that I had been the sole transgressor in writing to the Cumberland Pacquet , a non-Masonic paper , upon a Masonic

subject , because he omits to mention that Bro . McKay ' s statements , re the age of Lodge No . 119 , which he quotes , were made b y Bro . McKay in the same non-Masonic paper on the 7 th ult ., as I have already stated . I think , therefore , I may be fairly excused for following the example of the Prov . Grand Secretary of

Cumberland and Westmorland in this respect . Regards for your space prevents me from repeating the facts which have been lately adduced in the Cumberland Pacquet in support of the contention that the Sun , Square , and Compasses Lodge , Whitehaven , was established on the 18 th of May , 1768 , and has

continued ever since . I will content myself with analysing " the facts" Bro . Lane advances to prove Bro . McKay ' s case . Bro . Lane admits that on the 18 th of May , 1768 , a warrant was granted a Whitehaven lodge , numbered 157 , by the Athol Grand Lodge ; but he states that in 1805 or 1806—he does not know the

exact date—that warrant was withdrawn b y the Grand Lodge for un-Masonic proceedings , and the old Whitehaven lodge ceased to exist . He further alleges that the old withdrawn warrant No . 157 was transferred to an entirely new lodge at Whitehaven , some of whose

members had belonged to the former lodge , and he quotes the Athol Grand Lodge minutes of the 4 th of February , 1807 , in confirmation of his assertions . I submit , however , that those minutes will not bear the construction which Bro . Lane puts upon them .

The Athol Grand Lodge minutes , if correctly given , state that the warrant No . 157 was withdrawn from a certain public-house , imperfectly described in the minutes , situate in the Ginns , Whitehaven , to another public-house , situate in another part of Whitehaven . To be more explicit than the Athol Grand Lodge minutes , the warrant No . 157 was removed from the

Duke of Athol Inn , Ginns , Whitehaven , to the George Inn , also in Whitehaven . The said minutes state that at the last named inn "the same" warrant was then held "by many respectable brothers formerl y of the said lodge , by and with the unanimus consent and approbation of the respect ^ able Lodge 154 , the only other lodge in Whitehaven .