Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . SIR WALTER BESANT will preside at the festival dinner of the Society of St . George , on St . George ' s Day , April 23 rd , to be held at the Holborn Restaurant . THE COUNCIL of the Hampstead Hospital has , by the aid of Bro . Sir H . Harben , secured a site on Hampstead Green for a new building to cost £ 20 , 000 and contain 50 beds .

THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL DINNER of the Royal Eye Hospital will be held at the Whitehall Rooms on Monday , July Sth , under the chairmanship of Bro . Sir J . Blundell Maple , M . P . BRO . LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH , KT . —The King received at Marlborough House on Monday Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Secretary for Scotland , and conferred upon him the insignia of the Order of the Thistle .

LORD ROSEBERY has initiated a movement to give a complimentary dinner to Sir John Tenniel on his retirement from the Punch staff after more than 50 years' service . Among tho se who have alitady intimated their desire to take part in the compliment are Mr . Art hur Balfour , Lord Goschen , Lord James of Heieford , and Lord Rothschild .

COMFORTS FOR THE TROOPS . —Appeal by Bro . L- > rd Kitchener . —The Secretary of State for War has received a telegram from Lord Kitchener to the effect that any comforts which private individuals might desire to send out to the troops in view of the approaching winter in South Africa , would be most acceptable , and should be despatched as early as possible . DURING THE PAST WEEK the Countess of Warwick has been entertaining a distinguished house party at Warwick Castle . The guests included the Prince and Princess of Pless , Lady Hartopp , General Sir Evelyn Wood , General Hamilton , the

Earl of Lonsdale , Lord Kenyon , the Portuguese Minister , Mrs . James , Capt . Molyneux ( Royal Horse Guards ) , the Duchess of Sutherland , and Lady Algernon Gordon-Lennox . BRO . SIR HENRY IRVING has promised to play his famous part of Corporal Brewster in Mr . Conan Doyle's " Story of Waterloo " at the matinee to be given at the Haymarket Theatre on the 30 th prox ., for the benefit of the funds of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society . It will be remembered that these performances were intended to be given in January last , but were postponed on account of the death of her late Majesty the Queen .

BRO . T . W . OCKENDEN , P . M . 1512 , 1656 , 176 S , P . P . G . D . Middx ., is serving a fifth Stewardship for the London General Porters' Benevolent Association . The festival will be held on Friday evening next , 30 th instant , at the Hotel Metropolo , under the presidency of Bra . Victor Tapling . Annual subscription 5 .. and upwards . Any brother wishing to assist in " crown " -ine Bro . Ockenten ' s efforts will phase communicate with him at 7 , Friday-street , E . C .

WHEN BRO . EARL ROBERTS goes to Windsor , to receive from the Corporation of Windsor the freedom of the Royal borough at the end of this moith , he will receive the document enclosed in a casket carved from a piece of oak from Windsor Forest . On the top wreaths of laurel are represented , surrounding the rose , shamrock , and thistle , and the arms of Windsor and Eton . The back bears a view of the Guildhall , with the inscription , " Presented to Field-Marshal Lord Roberts , V . C , Guildhall , Windsor . "

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND YEAR BOOK gives some interesting figures in connection with the Church of England finances for the year ending Easter , 1 goo . The voluntary subscriptions from churchmen reached the sum of £ 7 , 770 , 992 , being £ 306 , 558 in excess of those recorded during the preceding year . There is an increase of ^ 50 , 000 in the amount contributed to the Foreign Missions , and contributions to purposes mainly philanthropic have grown from £ 428 , 273 to £ 522 , 829 . Amounts , however , under the heading " Clergy Education and Charitable Assistance " have fallen from £ 197 , 195 to j £ iSo , 5 i 5 .

A COUNCIL ' INNOVATION . —The Levenshulme District Council are about to introduce an innovation which will no doubt find emulation in other parts of the country . In future its chairman and titular head will be decorated with a badge , not dissimilar to that worn by civic dignitaries of large cities . Messrs . Kenning and Son , ot Manchester , have just executed a beautiful iSct . chased and enamelled badge with blue and gold collarette for official use by the future chairmen of the Council . The design is a combination of the Royal Arms and the Levenshulme coat of arms , and introducing the Lancashire rose worked in coloured enamels on chased gold . —The Manchester Evening Chronicle .

THE ALDERSGATE P AST OFFICERS' CLUU . —The monthly meeting of the club was held at the Manchester Hotel on the 1 ith instant . Bro . V . I . R . Longman , C . C ., president , occupied the chair , and there were present Bros . A . Urookinan , C . C ., T . Murray Janes , the Hon . Secretary ( Bro . James Mayhew ) , and others . After the regular business a smoking concert took place . It was attended by a large muster of

the Aldersgate Ward Cimpany ( K ) ot the London Kille brigade , who were entertained by their late comrade and the late hon . secretary of the club , Bro . T . Murray Janes . A capital selection of songs and recitations was given under the direction of . Mr . Weathersby , the musicil director . The next meeting of the club will be held on Monday , May 13 th .

THE CITY POLICE A NNUAL BALL . —Success has for many years attended the ball organised by the City police on behalf of the Convalescent Home , St . iVlargaret ' s Bay , Dover ; but it must be admitted that , as regards the numbers present and the enjoyment afforded to one and all , the 14 th annual gathering , which was held at the Povtman Rooms on the 13 th instant , eclipsed all its predecessors . The function was

under the patronage of Bro . the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress . The City police have for years had their hospital in Uishopsgate-street , but convalescent * are sent for a few weeks' change to the seaside , a wing of the Motley House , St . Margaret ' s Bay , being tented for the purpose . The music was piotidcd by the police bands , under the supervision of Bandmaster A . R . Stuart .

AT a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Connaught , held in Sligo , Bro . Rev . Dr . Clarke , D . P . G . M ., presiding , the following address was unanimously adopted : "To His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII . We , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Frtemasons of North Connaught , in Provincial Grand Lodge assembled , this 12 th day of March , 1901 , most humbly and dutifully convey to your Majesty ,

our Gracious Queen Alexandra , and the Royal Family our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in thtTuniversally . lamented death of our beloved Queen Victoria , which we all most deeply deplore . We also tender with loyal respect our allegiance and devotion to the Throne and person of your Most Gracious Majesty , and pray tne Great Architect of the Universe that your reign may b ; long , happy , and prosperous ovjr a umrjJ and contented people . "

THE 17 th Annual Festival of the Grand Master s Lodge of Instruction for Mark Master Masons will be held at Mark Masons' Hall on Thursday , the 2 S : h instant , at 5 . 30 p . m ., when the ceremony of advancement will be worked with rausicil acco .-npiniment . The Lecture of the Degree will be given by Bro . Walter Fisier , and the following officers will work the ceremony * . Bros . John Smith , G . I . G ., W . M . ; J . Reynolds Green , P . G . D ., I . P . M . ; VV . Featherstonhaugh , P . M . 451 , S . W . ; N . Dukas , l . W . s Henry Sadler , P . G . I . G ., M . O .. Wm . Briggs , P . M . 406 , P . G . Stwd ., S . O . ; Alfred Clarke . VV . M . 40 S , I . O . ; the Rev . V . P . Wyatt , P . G . Chap ., Chap . ; G . VV .

Taylor , Reg . of Marks ; Percy F . Matier , P . M ., 40 ( 0 , Sec ; Walter Fisher , S . D . ; C . VV . J . Bird , P . M . 333 , J * D * i w * Vincent , P . A . G . D . C , D . of C . ; S . W . Churchill , A . R . C . O ., Org . ; David Hope Kyd , P . M . 62 , I . G . ; and E . J . Mills , P . A . G . I . G ., G . Tyler , Tyler . After the ceremony a banquet will be held in the Crown Room at the Fi . emasons' Tavern , at 7 . 30 p . m ., at which Bro . C . F . Matter , P . G . W ., G . Sec , has kindly consented to preside . Tickets for the dinner , including admission to the lodge , 6 s ., may be had from the Secretary , or at the office at Mark Masons' Hall , not later than Tuesday , the 26 th instant .

ANGLO-INDIANS and others seeking genuine Indian-manufactured condiments , currie stuffs , chutnees , preserves , poppidums , Bombay ducks , Nepaul pepper , & c , tend to the original firm . C . Stemtridge and Co ., Si , Green-ttreet , Leicester-square , London ; and Calcutta . Established 1821 . Write for price list . ( Removed from 33 , Leicester-square ) .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Provincial Grand Chapter of East Lancashire win be held at the Town Hall , Salford , on Wednesday , the 27 th instant . BRO . J . W . HACKETT lias been elected Grand Master of the Western Australian Grand Lodge , vice Bro . Sir Gerald Smith , whose terra expires next month . ON MONDAY , Bro . Archdeacon Sinclair presided at the dinner given by ft . Authors' Club , Whitehall-court , in honour of General Ian Hamilton . BRO . SIR HENRY HARBEN presided on Tuesday last at the S 5 . I 1 annual meetintof the Hampstead Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society . s BRO . HORACE B . MARSHALL presided at the Queen ' s Hall , Langham-place on Monday last , over the annual meeting of the London Wesleyan Mission . '

THE GERMAN EMPEROR has sent a subscription of £ 500 to the Mix Mullc , Memorial Fund , and has also given , £ 500 towards the erection of H . m _ sfor German Sailors at South Shields and Middlesborough . ST . SEPULCHRE , HOLBORN VIADUCT . —A series of six organ recitals is about to be given by Bro . Dr . E . M . Lott , F . R . C . O ., in this church on Tuesdays , at 10 minutes past one o'clock , in aid of the choir fund . The first will take place on Tuesday next .

THE QUEEN ' S WESTMINSTER LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 2021 . —The tr Sections will be worked on Monday , the 25 th instant , at the Criterion Restaurant Piccadilly , W . The ledge will be opened at seven o ' clock . Bros . W . Cleehorn , P M ' 12 S 7 , W . M . ; R . Sandland , S . D . 239 s , S . W . ; and W . Vicars , S . W . 2021 , j . W . BRO . FIELD-MARSHAL EARL ROBERTS , V . C , K . G ., & c , has just become an annual subscriber to the National Refuges and training ships Arethusa and Chichestera society which has old boys in 20 regiments in South AC .-ica , besides being represented in almost every ship of the Royal Navy .

BRO . THE LORD MAYOR and Lady Mayoress and Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Vaughan Morgan will be the guests at the complimentary banquet to be given to Mr Max Waechterat the Star and Garter Hotel , Richmond , on Tuesday , the 16 th prox ., in recognition of his gift of Glover ' s Island to the public . THE ANNUAL DINNER on behalf of the British Orphan Asylum at Sloueh washsld at the Hotel Metropole on Tuesday evening , under the presidency of Bro . W . H . Grenfell , M . P ., among the principal guests being Alderman Truscott and Bro . C . E . Keyser . In the course of the evening donations and subscriptions amounting to £ 3250 were announced .

SATURDAY LAST was the 40 th anniversary of the death of the Duchess of Kent , the late Queen ' s mother , whose mausoleum is very picturesquely situated in Frogmore Grounds , near Windsor Castle , and was open for a time in the afternoon . Her Koyal Highness died on March 10 th , 1861 , the same year as Prince Albert , who died about 10 months later .

AN ESPECIAL MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire will be held on the 27 th instant , when Bro . the Hon . Tatton Egerton , M . P ., Prov . G . M ., will preside . The principal business will be the passing of addresses , one of condolence with the Royal Family on the death of her Majesty Qieen Victoria , while the second will convey congratulations on the accession of King Edward VII .

THE TIVOLI announces the exclusive engagement on Monday next , the 25 th in . t , for 12 nights , of Sandow , the Prince of Athletes . The Tivoli programme comprises also the popular Eugene Stratton , who is rendering Leslie Stuart ' s musical gen , " Mv Little Octoroon , " theCraggsTrouoe , Ida Rene , Ve ^ ta Victoiia , G . W . Hunter , Lilian Doreen , the Great Everhart , the marvellous " Hoop Manipulator , " and other favourite variety stars .

ON the eve of the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York for Australia , Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale , M . P ., the Treasurer of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society , sent a telegram to their Royal Highnesses , thanking them for their gifts to the Princess May Samaritan Fund , and giving them every good wish for their voyage . The Alderman has since received a reply as follows : " We thank you truly for your kind message of God-speed . —GEORGE . "

THE SOCIETY OF ST . GEORGE . —The Society's festival dinner will be held as usual on St . George ' s Day ( the birth and death day of Shakespeare ) , under the presidency of Bro . Sir Walter Besant . Mr . Howard Ruff , the hon . secretary , writes : " We have reason to believe that the observance of ' England ' s Day , ' not only at home , but in the colonies , the United States of America , and abroad , will be on a much more extended scale than even that of last year . "

IT HAS BEEN decided by the Committee appointed to consider the question of a permanent memorial to the late Queen , with the approval of his Mojesty , that it shall be erectedin front of Buckingham Palace . It is understood that it will be a national memorial in its fullest sense , that Parliament will not be asked to vote anythii ? to * irds the cost of erecting it , and that voluntary efforts to raise the necessary funds will be wholly and solely relied upon for the purpose .

FOR THE FIRST TIME since the Lodge of Harmony , No . 220 , Garston , was formed ( over 100 years ago ) , Garston is to be honoured by a visit of the Prov . Grand Chapter of West Lancashire , which will take place on the 22 nd prox . The arrangements for the reception of the Earl of Lathom , the Prov . G . Mister , and the Prov . G . Officers are being made by the Royal Arch Chapter of Harmony , and the two largest public rooms in the town , the Co-operative Hall and the Reading Room , have been secured for the occasion .

THE OBSERVANCE OF GOOD FRIDAY . —A petition or memorial as to the observance of Good Friday in the City of London , signed by the Archdeacon of London and 54 of the parochial clergy of the City , including the two Djans , the Bishop of Islington , and Bishop Wilkinson , has been addressed to the occupiers of chambers and offices . In this it is urged that the whitewashing , painting , and cleaning of offices , which is generally undertaken at Easter , should be so arranged that the caretakers may be free for the religious observance of a day which is specially sacred to the minds of members of the Church of England .

BRO . TURLE LEB ' S LADIES' BOHEMIAN CONCERT . —Every year at the close of the season of the Chough Musical Society Bro . Turle Lee , the able musical director , arranges a special ladies' Bohemian concert under the patronage of the society . The Great Hall of the Cannon-street Hotel was crowded to its utmost capacity on Friday , the 15 th instant , on the occasion of this year ' s concert . Bro . Turle Lse had provided a veritable musical feast for the entertainment of his patrons . Before the close of the evening Bro . Lee , who was greeted with enthusiastic apolause , made a short speech from the platform . The singing of the National Anthem brought the concert to a conclusion .

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . —A very pleasant and successful entertainment was given to the residents of this Institution at Croydon on Thursday , the 14 th instant , under the superintendence of Bro . II . Kemp , P . M ., Whittington Lod „ 'e , No . SG 2 . A capital programme had been arranged , Part 1 . of which included several musical selections , such as a pianoforte duet by Mrs . Ripkin and Miss Kerno . sonirs by

Bro . Goldman and Miss Kemp , recitations by Miss N . Rimer and Bro . Towns , and violin solo by Miss E . Clarkson . Part II . was devoted to a "Cinematograp hic Display , " the manipulators being Messrs . Taylor and Edwards , the whole concluding with "God save the King , " with Miss Kemp as soloist . All who took part in the entertainment acquitted themselves well , and the Old Folk at home enjoyed themselves thoroughly .

EVENING STAR LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , NO . 1719 . —The 15 Sections will be worked at the Town Hall , Catford ( by kind permission of the Mayor of Lewisham ) , ° Saturday , the 30 th instant , at 6 . 30 p . m . The officers on the occasion will be tk ° ' James Oxley , P . M . 1306 , W . M . ; B . Da Costa , P . M . 1349 , I . P . M . ; D . Moss , P . M * I 34 < j , P . D . G . S . B . Transvaal , S . W ., * and L . A . Da Costa , P . M . 1349 , J . W . The Sections will be worked as follows : First Lecture—1 st SectionBros . J Goulston ,

, . 1 S 5 ; 2 nd , A . Lrabb , S . W . 1349 ; 3 rd , I . Davis , J . W . 1349 ; 4 th , S . Vernon , 127 s ' 5 th , S . Lotheim , 205 ; 6 th , 1 . Goulston , J . D . 1349 ; and 7 th , B . Da Costa , P . M . 1349 * Second Lecture—1 st Section , Bros . A . Harris , 1306 ; 2 nd , D . Moss , P . M . 1349 ; 3 ' B . Stewart , P . M . 127 S ; 4 th , N . Goldman , S . D . 1349 ; and - ; th , R . Phillips , 1349 * Third Lecture—1 st Section , Bros . J . Abraham , P . M . 1349 ; 2 nd , L . A . Da CostSi P . M . 1349 . and 3 rd , H . Harris , P . M . 1349 .

MR . P . TEOFANI , of the well-known firm of Cigarette Manufacturers ( Teofani ana Co . ) has been created a Kni ght of the Saviour by his Majesty the King of the Hellenes .