Masonic Dress.

in dark clothes , and a kind of uniform dress . And full evening dress is desirable and eminently proper , and we like to see brethren so dressed because it shows a high regard for the lodge , and a thoughtful care for oersonal appearance . We think , however , that in some quarters , as for instance , with our friends of the Keystone , there is an undue importance given to dress . It is not the broadcloth Prince Albert , or the clawhammer coat that makes the man or the Mason . A true Mason ' s heart beats as

warmly under threadbare homespun jeans , as under the finest broadcloih that was ever turned out of the loom . As good work may be done by . a brother in blue serge , with a purple necktie , as by one who is dressrd in the most approved black , with the regulation "black tie . " The grasp of a brother with a brown suit on is often as warm as that of the one who wears the quaker drab . \ Ve do not think a brother ought to be refused admission to the lodge room because he is unable to have two suits of clothes , one for the lodge and one for " every day . "

Let us attend our lodge regularly , clad in our " Sunday best , " and practice in the lodge and out of it , those tenets that make the man loved and respected , whether he be clothed in purple and fine linen or in the p lainer garb of the ' people . —New York Dispatch .

Recent Boys' School Festival.

RECENT BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

The following lists , and additions to lists , have been received since our report of last week : Lodge LONDON . £ s . d . 169 New List ... ... ... ... ... 16 o o 173 Mrs . G . E . Fairchild , additional ... ... ... 10 4 6 ( raising- her list to £ 330 4 s . 6 d . ) Chapter

1260 Comp . F . Varley , additional ... ... ... 1 15 o ( raising his list to ( £ 36 15 s . ) Unattached * Bro . F . Adams , new Steward . „ Richard Barnes , new list ... ... ... 21 o o

THE PROVINCES . Lodge ESSEX . 1437 Bro . Harold E . Smith , new list ... ... ... 10 10 0 KENT . 2530 Bro . C . Wallington , additional ... ... ... 1 1 0 ( raising his list to £ 71 ds . 6 d . )

MIDDLESEX . 2105 Bro . C . S . Stevens , additional ... ... ... 10 10 o ( raising his list to £ 31 lis . ) The Province NOTTINGHAMSHIRE . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Joseph Wright , additional ... ... 440 ( raising his list to £ 166 19 s . ) Lodge OXFORDSHIRE .

357 Bro . Harry Collison , new list ... ... ... 10 10 o Lodge WORCESTERSHIRE . 529 Bro . Richard Westwood , additional ... ' ... 5715 0 ( raising his list to £ 1 ts 10 s . ) The Province Bro . T . R . Arter , additional ... ... ... 57 15 o ( raising his list to £ 6 S 15 s . ) Lodge YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST RIDINGS . )

312 Bro . Rev . E , Fox Thomas , additional ... ... 32 3 o ( raising his list to £ 63 2 s . ) * Bro . J . H . Harrowing , J . P ., new Steward ...

FOREIGN STATIONS . BURMA . 1268 Bro . P . Rigby Nicholson ... ... ... 43 18 10 The following is the correct return of contributions from the Province of Lodge , STAFFORDSHIRE . £ s . d . 546 Bro . W . R . Blair ... ... ... ... 65 12 •6

637 „ T . R . Yoxall ... ... . . . . . . 67 9 o 726 „ J .. T . Marson ... ... ... ... 55 2 ' . G- , ' 726 „ W . Hall 56 2 . 6 ' ,, Chapter 624 Comp . 1 . Fisher ... ... ... ... 31 10 o Unattached Mrs . G . Shread ... ... ... 550 Giving a total of £ 281 is . 6 d ., instead of £ 297 17 s . 6 d . as originally stated .

Summer Outing Of The Clapton Lodge, No. 1365.

SUMMER OUTING OF THE CLAPTON LODGE , No . 1365 .

On the 9 th instant the above well-known lodge repeated its experience of ast year by again going for its summer outing to Ipswich from Liverpool-street station .

A goodl y number of the brethren and their ladies and friends again attended , ^ executive arrangemen ts being under the direction ot Bro . Amendt , the zealous f ? indefati gable manager of the l : reat Eastern Hotel ( the habitation of this 0 ge as regards its regular meetings as well as lodge of instruction ) .

the train , a special one ot saloon carriages , left London at 10 . 10 a . m ., PriiTf ? ' Parkston Quay before 12 , when the whole party went on board and the G '" P ected tne Vienna , one of the splendid new steamboats belonging to the T ,, ' vv j ! Company , specially designed and adapted for the comfort of ficenr J lng the P assa K between Harwich and Rotterdam , & c , the magninceand splendour of which was much admired .

sevcril y if" emtarked "pon the Norwich , steam tender , for a steam round the then „ , Warsni P s in the Ouse , arriving at Harwich Pier some half-hoar later , and two w to a ca P ital lunch at the Great Eastern Hotel there , and by about hour 6 r ? . ? " ^' by the Norwich for Ipswich , which was reached in about an Was i ? . . •" £ about hi S tide , the Orwell , aided by the magnificent weather , ^ en in ns greatest beauty . : Ik * ... . nving at Ipswich , the conmanv either drove or strolled ahout . and insn # . rto < l

' '"g bact" ! ° L ) ectS of interest > returning and re-embarking about four , and arriv-; dow „ to Great Eastern Hotel at Harwich a little before five , when they sat •cl ° UB h tt V ? . 7 reehcrchl ! and most enjoyable banquet , at which Bro . R . C . Fair-[ Walter B k P residcd < supported by Bro . A . H . Church , as S . W ., and Bro .

Summer Outing Of The Clapton Lodge, No. 1365.

The usual toasts were duly honoured , and some capital songs rendered by Bros . W . Banks and A . H . Church , and an excellent and amusing recitation , " How I killed that mouse , " by Bro . Small . The company returned to town by the same special saloon train at 8 . 15 , arriving at Liverpool-street before ten , having had a most enjoyable day . This particular route appears to be getting popular , as many lodges are adopting it , and we may add deservedly so , the whole trip forming a succession of " changes " so that the day slipped by with a " verve " all too quickly .

Bro . Edward C . Robinson acted as Secretary of the outing , and was responsible for all the arrangements , and both he and Bro . Amendt are to be warmly congratulated upon a highly successful and pleasant gathering .

Summer Outing Of The Kensington Lodge, No. 1767.

SUMMER OUTING OF THE KENSINGTON LODGE , No . 1767 .

The vitality and energy of this prosperous lod ge was again evinced at its annual outing on Thursday , the 4 th inst ., showing that it is not behind the times in extending its hospitality to the ladies . The party consisted of Bro . W . B . Neville , W . M ., and Mrs . Neville ; Bro . C . W . Walters , Mrs . Walters , son and daughter ; Bro . J . Wiggins , Mrs . Wiggins , daughter and friends ; Bro . Louis

Beale , Hon . Secretary of the Committee , and Miss Beale ; Bro . Morris Moss and Mrs . Moss ; Bro . Edward Moss and Mrs . Moss ; Bro . C . Ortner , Mrs . Ortner and friends ; Bro . Battersby and friends ; Bro . Hillier , Mrs . Hillier and daughter ; Bro . Hendy , Mrs . Hendy and friends ; Bro . Chandler , Mrs . Chandler and friends ; Bro . Coomber and Mrs . Coomber ; Bro . Jennis and friends ; Bro . Norman and Mrs . Norman ; Bro . Freeman , Mrs . Freeman and friends ; Bro . Craggs and Miss Craggs , Bro . Mackay and Mrs . Mackay , and others .

The arrangements were carefully worked out by the W . M ., ably assisted by Bro . Louis Beale , Hon . Sec . ol the Committee , and these brethren deserve the best thanks of the party , whose enjoyment and comfort they studied from first to last . The party left Paddington at 9 . 20 , in two saloon carriages , for Taplow , and at Maidenhead Bridge theyembarked on two steam launches and proceeded up the most charming portion of the River Thames to Wargrave , where an excellent banquet was

provided . Refreshments were also provided on the boat . Along the river the following places of interest were observed : Taplow Court , the residence of Mr . W . H . Grenfell ; Clievedon Woods , purchased by Mr . W . W . Astor , in 1 S 93 , from the Duke of Westminster ; Cookham , Bourne End , Quarry Wood , Taplow , Bisham Abbey , Medenham Abbey , Culham Court , Hambledon Lock , Greenlands , formerly the seat of Mr . W . H . Smith , M . P . ; Regatta Island , Regatta Racecourse , reaches through Henley to Wargrave . Everything passed off in a most admirable manner , and everyone appeared to have spent a delightful day .

Masonic Presention.

MASONIC PRESENTION .

On Saturday , the 6 th inst ., at the meeting of the Lodge of Peace , No . 149 , Meltham , an interesting ceremony took place in the presentation ol a portrait of himself to Bro . Charles Rayner , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C , in recognition of his long and eminent services to the lodge , Bro . F . W . Lewis , W . M ., in the chair . The portrait has been subscribed for by a large number of members of the lodge . It is an excellent work of art , as welt as an exceedingly good likeness . The following letter he had received was read by the W . M .:

" Hudderstield , July 6 th , 1895 . "Dear Sir and Brother , " I very much regret that I cannot be present this afternoon at your meeting to testify my respects towards Bro . Rayner as an old and valued Freemason . You are doing honour to one to whom honour is due . I trust you will have a pleasant and successful meeting , and believe me to be , " Yours faithfully and fraternally , " WM . FITTON . "

The W . M . then called upon Bro . Ramsden , P . M ., P . P . G . Reg ., to make the presentation . Bro . RAMSDEN , after expressing the gratification he felt in making the presentation in consequence of the pleasant Masonic associations between Bro . Rayner and himself in former years , referred to the zeal which Bro . Rayner had shown in the instructing of the younger brethren in the Masonic art . He believed that most of the present generation of Freemasons in the Lodge of Peace entirely

owed their proficiency in the Craft , either directly or indirectly , to Bro . Rayner , who had been the guide and friend of all who required his assistance . He referred to Bro . Rayner ' s zeal for the maintenance of old traditions , and for the purity of working which distinguished the Lodge of Peace . He was one of the oldest trustees of the lodge property . He also mentioned two or three important occasions when Bro . Rayner particularly distinguished himself—at the celebration of the centenary of the lodge in 1877 , the consecration of the Colne Valley Lodge ,

Slaithwaite , in the same year , and at the foundation-stone laying of the new Masonic Hall here at Meltham—on all of which occasions the Provincial Grand Lodge were present . He was presentand joined in the great Masonic gathering on the 28 th of October , 1 S 68 , when the Marquis of Ripon laid the foundationstone of the Convalescent Home at Meltham . He had been a member of the Charity Committee of the province , representing the lodge there for many years .

After referring to the esteem in which Bro . Rayner was held , not only in his own lodge , but throughout the province , he concluded by presenting Bro . Rayner with the portrait , and expressed a hope that he would have long life and health , and further usefulness in his Masonic career , and that in after years that portrait might remind his successors of the respect and affection in which he was held by the brethren of his . lodge .

Bro . RAYNER , who was much affected , in his reply said that he thanked Bro Ramsden from his heart for his outspoken recognition of the services he h , id rendered to the lodge , and assured him that the words he had uttered that day woulJ never be erased from his memory ; that they would be treasured up in it to the end of his days . He also thanked Bro . Morton for the active part he had taken in furthering the object , likewise those brethren who had so kindly contributed their money towards its accomplishment . He thanked them , one and all , with feelings of the deepest gratitude . He said that his reward came to him from the

province in April , 1880 . That day , 15 years after , it came to him in his own lodge . And although it came late , it was none the less welcome , nor any the less thankfully received . He then said that he would come to the most pleasing duty he had to perform that day . He had very great pleasure , indeed , in presenting to the lodge the portrait that had just been presented to him by Bro . Ramsden . He did so with a hope that it might be permitted to hang in a prominent place in the lodge room as a token of the long years he had labourtd for the good of the lodge , and as an incentive to members of the lodge 111 future generations to do likewise .

A resolution was then moved by Bro . RAMSDEN , and seconded by Bro . J AMES KII - HUKN , J . P ., C . A ., I . P . M ., "That the lodge gratefully accept Bro . Raynur ' s gift to the lodge , and that the portrait be hencewrth hung on the walls of the lodge room . " It was carried unanimously , and the proceedings then closed .