Mark Masonry.

advancement . It was arranged to hold another lodge of emergency on Tuesday , April 7 th , in order to advance Bro . the Rev . E . W . AVoodcock and five other of the brethren waiting for the degree , and to continue to hold lodges at short intervals , until the whole of the candidates have been received by instalments of six on each occasion . The dues having been rendered , and the wages paid , the lodge was closed in due form and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , all well pleased with the abours of the evening .

Masonic Festivities.

MASONIC FESTIVITIES .

GLASGOW . ANNUAL SOIREE AND BALL OP THE LODGE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY ( JSTO . 35 'i ) . The annual festival gathering of this flourishing lodge was held on the 27 th ult ., in the Merchants' Hall , Hutcheson-sti-eet ; there was a very large attendance of

the members , visiting brethren , and non-Masons , friends of the Order , not a seat being unoccupied at the several tables , which were graced with the presence of a goodly muster of the fair sex .

The chair was occupied by Bro . J . E . AVilson , R . W . M . of No . 354 , supported by the several office-bearers of tho lodge ; a deputation from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow , consisting of R . AV . Bros . W . Smith , Prov . G . Sec . ; R . Robb , Prov . G . Mareschal ; McTaggart , Convener Prov . G . Committee ; Wallace , Prov . S . G . D . ; and Leith , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; and our representative of the MAGAZINE , Bro . James Stevenson .

After tea the chairman delivered a very appropriate and happy address , alluding to the beneficial effect of these social Masonic gatherings , which allowed of the presence of the ladies ; and on the present occasion it made one ' s heart glad to look around and see the smiling faces of so many of the fair sex , whom he could assure that in Masonry there was nothing but what should

"better the man in the discharge of his domestic duties ; and , though Masons were after all bnt mortals , still the teachings of Freemasonry tended , in a marked manner , to refine and elevate all the best impulses of human nature . The chairman proceeded to state , that though the Caledonian . Railway Lodge claimed not to bo adorned ¦ with the mere musty cobwebs of antiquity , had no

tindery documentary evidence to bring forth as a voucher for their existence as a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , in the days when either of the Malcolms reigned as King of Scotland , he might say , with honest pride for the credit of 2 v " o . 3 B-1-, that though she had not yet reached the twentieth year of its existence , she was at present in a very prosperous condition , thanks to the

assiduous labours of her members , who had striven and succeeded in keeping up the reputation and status of the lodge amongst her elder and younger sisters on the Provincial Grand roll . It was also deserving of note that but a few years since , we did not have in the province Masonic festive gatherings which allowed of the presence of the ladies , and that tho first suggestion

for a reform on this head , and for the institution of Masonic festivals at which the pleasures of the evening could be participated in by our fair sisters , originated with this lodge , and on being forwarded to the Provincial Grand Lodge , received hearty assent and was carried out so excellently that the annual Provincial Grand festivals , although very recently institutedhave proved

, so successful , productive of so much attraction to tho Craft , to " Masons' wives and Masons' bairns , " and the friends of the Order generally—yielding often a handsome margin of profit apportioned to swell the exchequer of the Provincial Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund—that the several daughter lodges in the province have now individually their own special annual festive gatherings

Masonic Festivities.

to show their non-Masonic friends a little of the genialities of Masonry , and prove to the ladies it is " Not to the brethren alone wo confine True brotherly love , that affection divine . " The chairman also alluded to the peculiar nature of the charter held by this lodge from the late Duke of Athole . Grand Master JIason of Scotland , which empowered them

to make Masons anywhere on the line of the Caledonian Railway ; so that it might be appropriately said they had a " locomotive" charter , a privilege without a parallel on the roll of lodges of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; and , indeed , he believed , under any of the other Masonic jurisdictions ; and it should ever be his study , as he felt assured it would be that of his brother office bearers , to

prove to the Grand Lodge of Scotland that "Ro . 351 was worthy of holding this especial privilege . The chairman's remarks were concluded amidst the cordial and hearty acclamations of the assembled company . An excellent concert followed , the attraction of which which was enhanced by a powerful display on the of Bro . AV . J . Hamilton , the Secretary of the lodge , of the recitative abilities in which he excels , and by Bro . J . Houston , the Bard of 354 , whose clever comic singing

and quaint allusions in the undiluted Scottish vernacular literally made one ' s sides ache with laughing . Bro-Houston ' s master-piece , however , was a new Masonic song and chorus , composed by him specially for this occasion , and rendered most effectively amidst the plaudits of the company : the song is entitled "No . 351 ' , " being an eloge of the Craft in general , and Wo .

351 in particular , expressed in very happy and appropriate terms . After a few remarks by Bros . AVallace , McTaggart , Stevenson , and other brethren and friends , the concluding observations of the chairman , followed by the singing of " Auld Lang Syne" by the companythe first portion

, , of the evening ' s amusement was brought to a conclusion , and a full-dress assembly followed , Bro . A . Arrick Smith officiating as Master of Ceremonies . Dancing was kept up till an early hour on the following morning , and concluded the proceedings of this happy and successful reunion . AVe have to congratulate the R . AV . M . and committee

of management upon the excellent manner in which the whole of the arrangements were carried out to the entire satisfaction of all present , and to the credit of " Three hundred and fifty-four . "

Her Majesty's Theatre And Bro. S. May.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE AND BRO . S . MAY .

By a reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that a benefit concert is announced to take place at the Philharmonic Hall , Islington , on Friday next , the 17 th inst ., Bro . Adams having placed the entire resources of his establishment at the disposal of the committee , and the leading celebrities of the day have offered their services on . the occasion . As this will be the last of the

series of performances inaugurated in aid of the fund , and , moreover , as the subscription , list must necessarily be closed shortly , brethren are invited to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded them of testifying ? their esteem for the abovenamed excellent brother , and their sympathy with him in the severe loss he has sustained . Donations will be received by Bro . F . Ledger , Treas-Era office , Catherine-street ; Bro . T . Beard , Hon . Sec ., 10 , Basinghall-sfcreet ; and by the committee .

A CLIQUE in a lodgo is liko a skeleton in a house . It has a chilling effect upon tho mass of tho members , and causes many who would otherwise take an interest in lodgo matters to absent themselves from lodgo meetings , and ultimately to throw themselves into tho ranks of the unaffiliated .