Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

As WE ARE just going to press we learn with great regret of the death of Bro . Jabez Church , which occurred at 7 . 30 this morning from pneumonia and subsequent complications . Bro . Church was W . M . of the Shadwell Clerke Lodge , No . 1910 , P . G . W . Middx . ( Craft ) , P . G . O . ( Mark ) , and a member of the General Board , He was also a Past Preceptor of the St . George ' s Preceptory ( K . T . ) .

THE GOLDSMITHS' COMPANY have made a donation of £ 200 to the funds of the Metropolitan Hospital , Kingsland-road . HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN has promised her annual subscription of . £ 50 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution , of which she is Patron . MRS . SOPHIA AsiiMEAn-IlARTLETT , mother of Sir Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett , M . P ., and Bro . W . Burdett-Coutts , M . P ., died suddenly at Tunbridge Wells on Saturday last in her Soth year .

THE ST . J ' S LODGE , NO . 173 ( 1 , Halifax , has just purchased from the Halifax Corporation the Heatherstone Mansion , in Bull Close-lane , for £ 1725 . It is understood that the lodge is to take up its quarters there . THE COUNCIL of the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War , held a meeting on Monday , and voted a sum of ^ ioqo for the benefit of the I talian soldiers who have suffered during the Abyssinian Campaign .

THE INAUGURAL BANQUET of the London East Anglian Society was held at the Holborn Restaurant on Saturday evening last , under the presidency of Bro . General Sir Evelyn Wood , V . C ., who was supported by a numerous body of guests . BROS . BHOVVNAGGREE , Victor Cavendish , and Sir Frederick Milner , Bart ., are among the 25 members of the House of Commons whom the . Government have arranged shall constitute the Select Committee on Distress from Want of Employment .

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the "National Masonic Veterans' Association" will be held at the Central Masonic Hall , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , to-morrow ( Saturday ) , at 4 p . m . The acting Secretary of the association is Bro . F . Schnitger , by whom all information will be most courteously given . H . R . H . THE PRINCESS of WALES , accompanied by the Princesses Victoria and Maud and Prince Charles of Denmark , arrived on Saturday last at Sandringhim , where they purpose remaining over the Easter holidays , Prince Charles ' s visit being extended a few days longer before rejoining his ship .

THE FIFTEEN SUCTIONS will be worked in the Blackheath Lodge of Instruction at the Stirling Castle , Church-street , Camberwell , on Monday , the 30 th instant , under the able presidency of Bro . Wm . Dawson , W . M . 7 SS . Lodge opened at 7 p . m . sharp . All brethren will be heartily welcomed . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK , attended by Sir Charles Cust , returned to town on Monday from Bagshot Park , where they had been since Saturday last staying with the Duke and Duchess of Connaught . In the evening their Royal Highness witnessed a performance of "The Squire of -Dames" at the Criterion Theatre .

THE PERSONAL ESTATE of the late Lord Bolton , who died on the 7 th November last at the age of 77 vears , has been valued at close on £ 224 . ( 300 , the executors being Bro . the Hon . Orde-Powlett ( now Lord Bolton ) , P . G . W ., D . P . G . M . North and East Yorkshire , and the Hon . Amias L . Orde-Powlett , power being received to grant probate to the Hon . H . R . Orde-Powlett .

By THE KINDNESS of Bro . Sir Augustus Harris , P . G . Treas ., the whole of the boys of our School at Wood Green enjoyed a visit to the Drury Lane Pantomimi on Monday , the 16 th inst . Ihe Board of Management has also to acknowledge with much gratitude the invitation of Bro . W . S . Penley , who has given the senior boys renewed opportunities of witnessing him in " Charley's Aunt . "

THE COMMITTEE of the Guildhall School of Music held a meeting on Monday , when it was decided that the salary to be paid to the successor of the late Bro . Sir J oseph Barnaby as Principal should be £ 1000 per annum , and that his hours of attendance should be from 10 . 30 a . m . to 4 p . m . The date on which the new Principal will enter on his duties will be the . second week in September .

BRO . CAPTAIN LORD CHARLES BERESFORD , since relinquishing the appointment of Captain in charge of the Medway Dockyard Reserve , has been placed upon the halfpay list . His term of office will not fully expire till July , but , in consideration of his services , the Lords of the Admiralty have relieved him of the post now that he has computed the period of service qualifying him for flag rank .

THE SPRING HORSE SHOW of the Peterborough Agricultural Society was held on Saturday last , attracting a large number of entries from all parts of the country . The championship , which carries with it the Shire Horse Society ' s gold medal and the Peterborough Society's silver medal , was awarded to Dunsmore Willington Boy , belonging to Mr . P . A . Muntz , M . P ., which took first prize in the Shire Stallion Class .

THE CABINET COUNCIL which was held at the Foreign Office , on Monday , was attended by Bros , the Right Hon . A . Akers-Douglas , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ); Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ); Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart . ; the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , the Right Hon . W . H . Long , and Sir M . White-Ridley , Bart ., and the other Ministers .

THE COUNTESS OF WARWICK left Warwick Castle for the South of France on Monday , taking with her her only son , Lord Brooke , who has been suffering from a bronchial attack at Eton . Her ladyship has just founded ^ a home for cripples at Warwick , intended chiefly for little sufferers who have been discharged after treatment from the London Orthopaedic hospitals , and require pure air and generous diet in order to complete their recovery .

BRO . DR . WILLIAM SALMIN , of Penlynn Court , Glamorganshire ( to whom last year Mr . Gladstone sent " sincere wishes for here and hereafter " ) , hasentered on his 107 th year . He was born in Suffolk in 1790 , and moved with his father , also a doctor , to Cowbridge in 1798 . He has been for 50 years a magistrate for Glamorganshire , and claims to be the oldest Freemason in the world . He has had eight children , but only one , a daughter , is alive . He sleeps well , rises at noon , dines at six o ' clock ( when he takes two glasses of wine ) , and goes to bed at nine . He has not smoked since he was 90 , nor has he been out for a drive since his hundredth year .

THE UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR and Mrs . Bayard , Bro . Lord Herschell , Bro . Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh , Bro . Lord and Lady Arthur Hill , and Bro . the Hon . Schomberg McDonnell were among the guests at the dinner party given by the Home Secretary ( Bro . Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., M . P . ) and the Hon . Lidy Ridley at their residence in Carlton House Terrace on Saturday evening last , and at the reception which was held subsequently there were present , among others , the Belgian and Brazilian Ministers , Bro . the Earl of Crawford , Bro . Lord Norton , Bro . Lord Justice Lopez , Bro . the Hon . M . F . Massey-Mainwaring , Bro . Sir W . Dixon-Ha'tland , Bart ., M . P ., Bro . Sir John Llewelyn , M . P ., and Bro . Sir Charles Dalrymple , M . P .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF TECK dined with Earl and Countess Stanhope at their residence in Grosvenor-place on Saturday evening last , among the guests invited to meet her Royal Highness and her husband being Bro . the Earl and Countess of Dartmouth , Bro . Lord and Lady Ampthill , Bro . General Sir Redvers and Lady Audrey Buller , and Bro . Sir John Stirling Maxwell , Bart ., M . P . At the Countess ' s reception

which followed there were present the Russian Ambassador , the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador and the Countess Isabel Devn , the United States Ambassador and Mrs . Bayard , the Turkish Ambassador , the Marchioness of Headfort , Bro . the Earl of Donoughmore , Bro . the Earl and Countess of Wharncliffe , Bro . Viscount and Viscountess Valentia , Bro . Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh , Bro . Lord and Lady Cremorne , Bro . Lord Glenesk , and many others .

L ' NITV IS STRENGTH may , indeed , be said with regard to Holloway ' s Pills and Ointment , for when used together they are remarkable in their elVeels upon disease ; . No matter how stubborn the symptoms may be , they cannot long withstand these remedies . All sulierers , whom other treatment has failed to relieve , should try the celebrated Ointment , which will strengthen and cure them . The Pills recommend themselves to the attention of all sulierers . No injurious consequences can result from their use -, no mistake can be made in their administration . In indigestion , conlirmed dyspepsia , and chronic constipation , the most beneficial ellects have been , and always must be , obtained from the wholesome power exerted b y these purifying Pills over the digestion ,

Masonic And General Tidings.

AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION on " Bricks and Brick Making " took place at c James's Hall , Piccadilly , en Tuesday last . Bro , Henry Lovegrove was in the chai THE MEMBERS of the Cordwainer Ward Lodge , of which Bro . C . I . \ Vilk ;„ Pimbury is W . M ., Bro . H . J . Adams , P . G . S . B ., is Treasurer , and Bro . Henry Love 7 r S ° is Secretary , have unanimously elected Bro . Alderman Walter Vaughan Morgan as VV ° \ t for the ensuing year . ' '

A "LADIES NIGHT" in compliment to Brc . Fred . H . Cozens was given bv tt , Excelsior City Musical Society , at the Cannon-street Hotel , E . C ., on Monday evenin the ifith instant . A number of ladies and gentlemen gave their services on the occ ^' sion , among them being the Misses Margaret Snow , Louise Jenkins , and Emily Foxcroh " the Dilettante Quartette , Master Claude Gascoigne , the marvellous boy pianist , Br Fred . II . Cozens himself , and many others , and a capital programme was carried oi ° t very successfully .

A BELVEDERE TOWER , nearly 200 feet in height , similar to those erected at th VV 01 Id ' s Fair , Chicago , and at the Paris and Philadelphia Exhibitions , will be erectel this seasonatthe Empire of India and Ceylon Exhibition . The Tower will be hand somely designed , provided with two passenger lifts , and have several balconied storeys The top platform will accommodate about 100 persons , and from this an ' excellent view may be obtained , while the Tower itself will be a striking feature of the Queen ' s Court and will , at night , be illuminated by a lighthouse lamp of 4 , 000 , 000 candle power . '

BRO . VISCOUNT EBRINGTON , who for many years has been Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire , has intimated to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master of England , his intention to resign that position in consequence of pressure of other engagements . The announcement has been received with general regret , as his lordship is held in great esteem throughout the province . It is probable that the office will be conferred on Bro . Sir Stafford Northcote , C . B .. M . P ., who has for a long period filled ^ the position of Provincial Grand Master of Mark Masons of Devon , and his appointment to preside over the Craft would be hailed with satisfaction throughout the

province . A MEETING of the Court of Governors of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution has been held in the Masonic Hall , Hope-street , Liverpool . Bro . Dr . J . K . Smith presided . Fifteen children , recommended by the General Committee of the Charity , were elected on the foundation of the Institution . The Treasurer , Bro . Callow reported that the income of the Institution for the past year , including a balance '

amounted to £ 2500 , the expenditure on the maintenance of children and incidental charges totalled up to £ 1654 , and the invested capital now reached about £ 23 , 000 . Bro . l ) r . Crawford , Chairman of the Ball Committee , intimated that a meeting would beheld at an early date , and he trusted he would be able to announce a surplus , including donations , of about £ 500 .

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS will be worked at the King Harold Lodge of Instruction , which meets at the Four Swans Hotel , Waltham Cross , to-morrow ( Saturday ) at 6 . 30 p . m . Bro . J . Robinson , P . M . 1327 , P . P . G . W ., will preside as W . M . ; with Bro . VV , Bickel , P . M . 1327 , as S . W . ; Bro . j . Mark , W . M . 1327 , as J . W . ; and Bro . G . Houldsworth , P . M . 1327 , P . P . G . P ., as I . P . M . The work will be done as follows : First

Lecture—Bros . J . Sharp , W . Robinson , R . Taffee , J . Mark , J . Hodgson , W . Bangs , and D . Sheppard ; Second Lecture—Bros . J . Priddle , W . Bickel , G . Shelbourne , J Robinson , and W . Bailey ; and Third Lecture—Bros . J . Dent , M . Mclnerny , and VV . Curtis . Bro . J . Robinson , P . M ., P . P . G . W ., is Preceptor of the lodge ; Bro . G . Houldsworth , Treas . ; and Bro . VV . Bailev , I . G . 2343 , Hon . Sec .

AN APPEAL is being made to the public in behalf of the fund which is being raised for the preservation and restoration of the tower and spire of Salisbury Cathedral . It has been declared by no less eminent an authority than Bro . Sir A . Blomfield , A . R . A ., that it is necessary that steps should be immediately taken to strengthen the foundations of the piers and effect such other repairs as will enable the tower and spire to be sus <

tained in their present position , and it is estimated that from £ 15 , 000 to £ 20 , 000 will be required in order that the work may be done effectively . It is needless to say that anything which is done towards the preservation of such an edifice as Salisbury Cathedral has our warmest sympathy , and we sincerely trust that the endeavours which are being made to restore and preserve the tower and spire will meet with success .

THE 53 RD ANNUAL REPORT of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York shows that the funds now amount to £ 45 , 2713 , 564 , being an increase of £ 3 , 386 , 355 during the year . The interest earned on the Mean Funds has been at the rate of £ 4 19 s . 6 d . per cent , per annum , excluding an increase in the value of investments to the extent of £ 270 , 263 . The premiums received are £ 7 , 505 , 378 , bsing an increase of

£ 396 , 962 . The new premiums amount to £ 2 , 083 , 783 . The new policies issued and paid for in 1 S 95 were 5 6 , 059 , insuring £ 30 , 296 , 931 . This excludes all policies issued in 1 S 95 that were not paid for in the account of that year . The total policies in force are 314 , 024 , insuring £ 184 , 614 , 878 . The surplus over all liabilities now exceeds five-and-ahalf millions sterling , having increased by more than one million during the past year .

THE FINSUURY PARK . WORKING LADS' INSTITUTE is evidently doing good work , and only needs that it should be more widely known in order to receive greater support and sympathy . From the eighth Annual Report to the 15 th May , 1 S 95 , we learn that during the year the number of enrolled members was 191 . These are divided into seniors . 67 ; Boys' Brigade , 84 ; and juniors , 46 . Evening Educational Classes are held , with very satisfactory results , twice a week , while during the winter session meetings are held at which lectures on various subjects of interest and utility are given

by competent persons . There is also a Library , which contains 500 volumes , and a gymnasium , which is well attended , while a cricket club has been established with very creditable results . Concerts and entertainments are likewise given , while holiday , clothing , and sick clubs have been grafted on the Institute , and are found to be of great benefit . But all these endeavours to do good to the youngsters involve a considerable outlay , and the Institute is'in need of funds to enable it to carry on its beneficent work , and we hope that its appeal for support , which it is so justly entitled to , will not b : made in vain . The Hon . Secretary is Mr . E . W . Pope , No . 22 , Woodberry Grove , N .

EASTER RAILWAY FACILITIES . —The Great Western Railway Company issue ordinary as well as excursion tickets at their City and West-end offices . The booking office at Paddington Station will be open for the issue of tickets the whole day on tns Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , and Thursday before Easter . Cheap tickets , at sP ?' low fares and available from April 2 nd to 6 th , will be issued from London to Bath , Bristol , Exeter , Plymouth , Falmouth , Penzance , Yeovil , Dorchester , Weymouth , ana certain other stations in the South and West of England . Tickets at 25 s . return , available for ii . days , will also be issued for use on April 2 nd , 4 th , and 6 th , to Guernsey ana 1

Jersey . On Thursday , April 2 nd , an excursion , reaching Exeter in 5 J- hours and iymouth in 7 :, ' hours , will leave Paddington at 7 . 55 a . m . Excursions will also be run on the same day to Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , Taunton , Yeovil , Weymouth , Oxford , Birmingham , Shrewsbury , Chester , Cirencester , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea , Carmarthen , New Milford , Evesham , Worcester , Malvern , & c . un Good Friday , cheap trains will run to Reading , Oxford , and other riverside stations , u . Saturday , April 4 th , an excursion will run to Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , ec ., and on Monday , excursions will be made to Reading , Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-AUre , Cirencester , Gloucester , Cheltenham , & c . On Tuesday , April 7 th , a cheap halt-aay 11

excursion will leave Paddington at 12 . 10 noon for Oxford , Leamington , and Stra "' on-Avon . In addition to these excursion ' , cheap trains will be run to London tr most of the provincial towns , and between the principal centres of p ° i > ... tion . On the Thursday before Easter , most of the long-distance trains w be duplicated ; the first portion , as a general rule , will take passenz for the longer distances and the second those for less distant P » ^ On Good Friday , the trains will run as on Sundays , with the addition of the 5 3 ° ' ^ newspaper train which will run as far as Oxfoid , Plymouth and Swansea , ca '' ini > a tef ) usual intermediate stations , and connecting at Oxford with trains to the ™ orce ^ > districts at auivi ¦

Birmingham , ana woivernampron ; natnampron toy special h , nc 8 . 47 a . m . train from Bathampton to the Weymouth line ; and at Plymouthn ' " on 2 . 15 p . m ., thence to Penzance . Cheap third-class excursion tickets will be ls . ' ° [ roin Good Friday , Saturday , April 4 th , Easter Sunday and Monday , by specified train- ^ Paddington , Kensington ( Addison-road ) , Hammersmith , and certain stations 0 Metropolitan , Metropolitan District and North London Railways , to Staines , Windsor . ets low , Maidenhead , Henley , and other popular riverside resorts . Cheap week-end ^ . j will be issued on Thursday , April 2 nd , Gocd Friday , and Saturday , April 4 th ' Qx [ ord , port , Abbotsbury , Dorchestir , Weymouth , Malvern , Church Stretton , - ; ,. s Leamington , Warwick , and Stratford-on-Avon . These tickets are issued on r and Saturdays throughout the year .