The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-13

FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LECTURES. course of
scientific lectures was inaUgurated last evening
az the Franklin Institute, by Professor Morton.
The subject chosen for this the first lecture was
Light" The lecture-roOm of the Institute was
hlled 70 It's utmost capacity, many new and IN
tertstlng experiments being expected, and the
anticipation was not disappoini ed.
A brief explanation of the motion of light
Its laws and rotations-was given, In which the
most interesting topic of sun storms was treated,
and illustrated by fine diagrams thrown upon
the screen by the lantern.
There could be seen how tempests tore the
bright face of the sun, and laid bare the under
lying surface, whrling and rotating like one Of
our own hurricanes or tolnadoes; and how the
tempest spent itself and passed away, and left
the atmosphere of the great orb in Its glorious
serenity.
we're the laws of refracton and reflection, in
illustrating which he caused the eXqulsitely
yelled statute TO appear and disappear from the
mirror as the veil was placed over ii or with
Drawn. But the crown1ug experiment of the
evening was the illuminated fountain" Jet
of water pours out of fountain into prepared
goblet of glass. All about the jet is dark, but
the rays OF golden and crimson light, impri-
soned in the stream, illuminate it along its
whole cours G, and leap up, flashing and spark
ling Ike 6ery foam in the crystal eobet
The lecture elected frequent tokens Of appro-
baton, and was decldedly great success.
THE MERCANTILE BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION
The twenty-sixth anniversary of the Mercantile
Beneficial Association took place yesterday. The
meeting was held at the rooms, corner of
Seventh and SAMSON streets. Charles +. Nor
ton, President of the Commonwealth Bank,
presided. The Secretary, W. +. Roin, read the
annual report, The managers have been
quietly yet assiduouely pursuing their line OF
duty, and have experienced particular pleasure
and satisfaction in the consciousness that their
laboTs have been productive of the happiest
beneficial results. Numerous cases. illustrative
of the beneficial effects of the Association were
given, and the Board state that they can
not conceive of any stronger argument in
favor of an institution like this than the
simple narration of these facts, and think
Il at the association presents an appeal to the
consideration of every one, no matter how 6rm
he may stand in credit or estate. A full and
satisfactory exposition of the financial condi-
tion of the association was presented by the
Treasurer, by which it was shown that the re.
ceipts from dues, interest on mortgages, ground
rents, ETC., for the past year, amounted to
$3S9570 and the disbursements for relief of
members and other incidental expenses to
SIs4390 The total investments of the society
amount to $22, ,562'32. The Secretary reports
that during the same period 1873 annual and
fifteen life members have been added to the list,
and six transferred from annual to life member
ship. Fourteen deaths and four designations
have occurred, and four names have been
stricken from the roll for not conforming with
the les OF the Society.