Our Christmas Greeting.

OUR CHRISTMAS GREETING .

As Christmas falls on Wednesday next , it is necessary , it we are to fulfil the pleasant duty at all , that we should avail ourselves of the present opportunity in order to express to all our numerous friends and readers the HEARTY GOOD WISHES OF THE SEASON . AS far as immediate outward appearances are

any guide , it does not seem at all likely that Wednesday next will be an ideal Christmas Day , with the crisp , white snow lying thick in the fields and roadways , and young and old alike taking their pleasure abroad , either sliding , skating , or sleighing . On the contrary , though it is unsafe to prophesy what will happen in

this English climate of ours , the probabilities are at present decidedly in favour of a muggy day . But , muggy or fine , we doubt not that our friends will find plenty of ways of enjoying themselves . They say it is a poor heart which never rejoices , and we are certain he must be a poor Englishman , to say nothing

of his being a poor English Mason , who cannot look Care in the face at this festive season , and make himself and those near and dear to him happy and comfortable . Of course there are many brethren for whom the word "Christmas" and the event it commemorates have no special significance ; but it is

part of a Mason's creed to respect all religions equally , and to exhibit goodwill towards all men , whatever their particular religious belief may be . There is , therefore , nothing strange or incongruous in our wishing all alike THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON , and expressing the hope that the period which is

now so close at hand may be one of pure and unalloyed enjoyment . May their Christmas—whether they celebrate it as such or as an ordinary holiday only—be a merry one , and may they be spared for many , many years to participate in the gaieties of this festive season !

The Craft In Hertfordshire.

THE CRAFT IN HERTFORDSHIRE .

It is only a few weeks since we -had the opportunity of congratulating our Hertfordshire brethren on an addition to their roll of lodges , and now again the same agreeable duty devolves upon us . Then it was the Bushey HaU Lodge , which was constituted at Bushey Hall , near Watford , under Bro . C . E . KEYSER

as its first W . M . ; now it is the Ravenscroft Lodge , No . 233 1 , which was constituted at the Red Lion , Barnet , on Tuesday , under Bro . J AMES THOM , as W . M . On both occasions the ceremony of consecration was performed by Bro . T . F . HALSEY , M . P ., P . G . M ., assisted by Bro . G . E . LAKE , D . P . G . M ., and other of his

Provincial Officers , and we have every reason to believe that in both cases the work so auspiciously begun will bear good fruit . The founders of the more recent lodge are mostly brethren from the Hendon Lodge , No . 2206 , which , though it meets in one of the Middlesex suburbs of London , is included in the Metropolitan

district . To a certain extent , therefore , it may be said to belong to that class of lodges of which so many are to be found in the Home Counties , and which , as they are mostly supported b y brethren resident in London , are to all intents and purposes London lodges meeting in the Provinces . This being so , we do

not anticipate there will be any clashing of interests between the Ravenscroft Lodge and the senior Barnet lodge — the Gladsmuir Lodge , No . 1385—which has been located at the Red Lion for 18 years , and which , considering it has had a R . A . chapter attached to it since 18 75 , and that its members have

been able to establish a Gladsmuir Mark Lodge , may be said to have performed its duty with a considerable amount of success . Thus the elder lodge has a well-established reputation in the Province , which its members will be careful to maintain intact , while the junior , when it has settled itself into regular order , will spare no effort to make one .

This is the third lodge that has been consecrated during the present year , and raises the number on the roll of Hertfordshire to only one short of 20 . Of these no less than 11 have been founded during the Prov . G . Mastership of Bro . HALSEY , so that it is evident the Craft have bestirred themselves under the

The Craft In Hertfordshire.

guidance of their distinguished brother , and have so far succeeded in disseminating the beneficent influence of Freemasonry throughout the county that there is now hardly a single town of any importance within its borders which cannot boast of its Masons' lodge . We heartily congratulate the Province and its

rulers on the success which has attended their efforts , nor , provided always that due caution is exercised in the admission of candidates , can we see any reason to imagine that the creation of one or more additional lodges—of which we have heard some faint rumours already—will be otherwise than beneficial .

The Hampshire Charitable Association.

THE HAMPSHIRE CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION .

W e referred last week in one of our Notes to the festival held on the 3 rd instant , at the Freemasons' Hall , Landport , in behalf of the Hampshire and Isle of Wi ght Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution , and the marked success which attended the efforts of the Stewards on that occasion . It appears

. from the accounts we have received that a large company assembled under the presidency of Bro . W . W . B . BEACH , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master , and that , as at the opening festival of this local charity in 188 7 , much enthusiasm was aroused on its behalf , the amount of subscriptions and donations obtained by the 23

Stewards , with two lists still to be handed in , being within a few shillings of _ £ 450 . The total obtained at the former festival in 188 7 was , if our memory serves us , in excess of £ 700 , but it was stated towards the close of . the proceedings that , apart from its contributions to the Central Charities , the province had raised

during the last three years £ 1764 for this local institution , so that in a short time Hampshire and the Isle of Wi ght will be in a position , if indeed it is not so at this moment , to afford some relief to the Central Charities , and to a great extent lessen the pressure upon their resources which has increased so enormously

during the last few years . Not that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are desirous or have the remotest intention of withdrawing their support from the Masonic Charities . Bro . BEACH , indeed , said distinctly that he should not have given his support and encouragement to the local organisation if he had

for one moment supposed that it would in any way weaken the principal Institutions . It is evident , however , as we have said in reference to other local Associations , that if we are ever to obtain a substantial reduction in the number of applicants for the benefits of the latter , it can only be obtained by the establishment on a

sound footing of these local bodies . Let us take the case of the Benevolent Institution , to whose requirements we refer at length in another article . In 18 79 ^ 16 number of annuitants was 290—145 male and 145 widows—now there are 409 annuitants , of whom 180 are men and 229 widows , '; so that in the short space

of 10 years there has been an increase of 35 men and 8 4 widows , and an increase in the expenditure devoted to annuities of £ 4088 . On the other hand , there were 140 candidates at the last May election , and there is every probability of there being 160 at the next . Similar figures might be produced in the case of our

Schools , but it is absurd to expect that these increases or rates of increase can be maintained , and , therefore , it is that we must look to the local Charities to furnish the necessary relief . The two

Lancashires and Cheshire afford practical evidence of what can be done in this direction , and we are glad to find that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is exerting itself similarly with such gratifying success .

Consecration Of The Borough Of Greenwich Lodge, No. 2332.

CONSECRATION OF THE BOROUGH OF GREENWICH LODGE , No . 2332 .

The addition of another lodge to the list of London lod ges is just now more than ever a matter of interest , and some good and just cause must be assigned to induce the M . W . Grand Master to sign the warrant of a new lod ge within the Metropolitan area . That such good and just cause was so assi gned is evinced by the fact that the above lodge was duly consecrated and constituted on Wednesday the nth inst ., in the presence , and with the assistance , of a large and distinguished body of Masons , representatives of lodges far and near . The habitat of the lodge is at the William the Fourth Hotel , East Greenwich , the handsome Masonic Hall