Craft: Provincial.

ition to which he had that evening attained , and hoped he should never Horace the badge with which he had been invested , as he would endeavour to conduct himself among them as to retain the good wishes of all the Rcthren in years to come . Other toasts followed , the speakers being animous in praise of the manner in which the W . M . had performed the

rem ony of raising , " gongs , recitations , & c , were given by Bros . Boyd , Griffiths , Hewson , Afellor Moorhouse and Roberts , Bro . Dr . Jones presiding at the piano .

ROYAL VICTORIA LODGE , No . 1013 . 4 i rpHE BIRKENHEAD NEWS " of Saturday last , under the heading J _ of " Honour for a local Freemason , " made the announcement that Bro George Proudman had been unanimously chosen as W . M .-elect of the ¦ we Lodge for the ensuing year .

The meetings of the Lodge are held in the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool , and upon the occasion referred to , several complimentary speeches were uttered during the evening , special reference being made to Bro . Proudman ' s services in the founding of the new Wirral Lodge , No . 2496 , in nirkenhead , of which he was Junior Warden .

We are pleased to supplement the information of our contemporary by stating that as a youth , Bro . Proudman commenced his business life in the service of the London and North Western Railway Company at London Boad Station , Manchester ( then commonly called Bank Top ) , some 30 years aeo . He has never changed his employers , having been their trusted

representative at Denton , Dewsbury , Burton-on-Trent , and London ( Broad Street ) . Not only has Bro . Proudman retained the fullest confidence of his masters , but what is still more difficult in positions like thSse occupied by him , he has won tho esteem of the general public also , and is now the popular Goods Superintendent of the Company at Birkenhead .

DE GREY AND RIPON LODGE , No . 1161 . THE annual meeting and Festival of St . John took place at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Saturday , the 18 th ult ., Bro . Thomas Forknall W . M . There was a very good attendance both of members and Visitors , tho function passing off most successfully . After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed , and the other business of the Lodge disposed of , a Board of Installed Masters was formed , the principal chair being occupied by Bro . Buckley Carr

P . M . D . C . Bro . Robert Dottie P . M . presented Bro . Eugene Loebell S . W . Worshipful Master-elect to receive the benefits of installation , the ceremony of inducting him into the chair of K . S . being very creditably performed by Bro . Carr , who had the assistance of Bros . J . M . Moss P . M . and J . R . Ashworth I . P . M . Bro . Loebell may congratulate himself upon securing the presence of 17 Past Masters , who were unanimous in expressing the pleasure which they derived from seeing him occupy such a distinguished position .

The following Officers for the ensuing year were invested : —Bros . J . Ellwood S . W ., 0 . F . Vlies J . W ., T . Forknall I . P . M ., J . Irlam P . M . Treas ., J . Schofield Sec , B . Carr P . M . D . C , J . M . Moss P . M . Org ., 0 . M . Jones S . D ., H . M . Massingham J . D ., J . Porteous I . G ., W . Cockerham S . S ., C . Barnes and J . Preston Stewards .

A sumptuous banquet followed these proceedings , the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts being regularly proposed and duly honoured . In reply to that of the Worshipful Master Bro . Loebell said : Brethren , there are certain occasions in a man ' s life when he is unable to find words to express exactly what he feels . That is how I am situated at the present time , and you must take the will for the deed . I suppose every Mason has an ambition , and

to-night I have reached the summit of mine , Masonically . My early desire as a Mason was to become Master of a Lodge , and my laudable hope is now realised . I firmly purpose , with the help of the G . A . O . T . U . to show you by my conduct as Master of this Lodge , and as a citizen of the world , that your confidence in me has not been misplaced . I will strive for a further ambition now by endeavouring to make you admit at the end of my reign

that I have proved a worthy Master of a worthy Lodge . To you , Brother Carr , I tender my heartfelt thanks for the heart-touching way in which you proposed my health , and for kindly performing my installation , with which ceremony I was very much impressed . I am echoing the wish of all when I say I hope you will long be spared to attend the De Grey and Ripon Lodge , and instal future Masters .

Brethren , I thank you all for the kind manner in which you accepted the toast of my health , and I now submit to you that of the I . P . M . ( Brother Forknall ) , in whom we had one of the most worthy Masters that ever filled the chair of this Lodge . No one who has attended the meetings could do other than be delighted by his excellent rendering of the three ceremonies . By fair hard work and perseverance Bro . Forknall has reached that degree of

perfection which it is the lot of few to attain , and whose good example I shall humbly try to follow . Brethren , it affords me very great pleasure to call your attention to a highly important act which I am desired by the members of the De Grey and Ripon Lodge to perform , and that is the presentation of a Past Master ' s jewel to our I . P . M . Brother Forknall . The members of this Lodge have great pleasure in asking him to accept the jewel , with the hope that he will regard it as a token of their high respect

and esteem towards him , and for his having so ably and conscientiously carried out his Masonic duties as Master . It is their united wish that he fflay long be spared to attend the De Grey and Ripon Lodge in the future as be has done in the past , and adorn its meetings with his presence . Brethren , I ask you to rise and drink heartily to the health of Bro . Forknall our I . P . M . The toast was received with many demonstrations of enthusiasm . Other toasts followed , the speakers reverting in very flattering terms to the work of Bro . Carr .

Among those present in Lodge and at the banquet , whose names have not been previously mentioned , were Bros . William Stoddart J . D ., Julius Arensberg P . M . P . P . G . P ., William R . Schofield , J . C . Cameron , Jno . R . Wilson P . M ., Alfred Hirst P . M ., Jas . Burgess P . M .

Visitors : Bros . Samuel Lord W . M . 993 , Robert Lingard W . M . 1083 , J . helby P . M . 1083 , F . W . Travers S . W . 1354 , R . E . Walker P . M . 993 , W . T . Allitt P . M . 993 , Edward Roberts P . M . 1459 ( FBEEMASON ' S CHBONICLK ) , « ancis Long P . M . 1496 , A . Jacobson P . M . 1633 , Geo . Rodgers 1083 , and H . Ogden l 387 .

LEBANON LODGE , No . 1326

pHE members resumed their meetings at the Railway Hotel , Feltham , on , ¦ £ - , Saturday , 18 th ult ., under the presidency of Bro . Alexander Robertson The business transacted was the passing of Bros . Joseph James Newman

Craft: Provincial.

and John Martin , and the raising of Bros . Alfred Sherwood and William Down . The usual report was presented by the Lodge ' s representative on the Provincial Charity Committee , and this was adopted . Twenty-five of the Brethren subsequently sat down to a banquet . o o o

ALBERT VICTOR LODGE , No . 1773 .

THE regular meeting was held at the Town Hall , Pendleton , on Friday , 17 th ult ., the following being present : —Bros Thos . T . Sefton I . P . M ., Jas . Clough S . W ., J . Clarkson J . W ., Saml . Statham P . M . P . P . G . Tr . Chaplain , F . Townson P . M . Treasurer , Thos . M . Brown Secretary , Wm . Lambert S . D ., Wm . Thos . Blease J . D ., W . Allen Smith I . G ., J . L . Smith P . M ., Edward

Holland P . M ., Thos . Kay P . M ., Thos . Threlfall P . M ., J . Harrop P . M . P . P . G . D ., Rd . Duxbury P . M . P . P . G . Swd . Br ., Eli Winterbottom P . M ., Ed . Roberts P . M . 1459 ( FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , G . L . Hardcastle , Rev . Jas . Preston , James Stewart , William Robinson , R . H . Berry , Walter H . Barrett , Joseph Hudson , Richard Hilton . Visitors;—Bros . Rev . W . L . 0 . Noot 887 , F . Ridsdale Bowley P . M . 2216 .

The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed , Bro . William Robinson , who had expressed a desire to extend his researches into antient Freemasonry , was . questioned , and afterwards passed into the degree of F . C . by Bro . Thos . Kay P . M ., the Working Tools being presented and explained by Bro . Clough S . W . This should have been followed by two raisings , but as time would scarcely admit of such a triad of ceremonies , Bro . Hudson elected to wait for some future occasion , and Bro . Stewart was accordingly raised to the sublime degree of M . M . by Bro . Townson P . M .

At the festive board , Bro . Kay proposed the health of the newly-passed Brother , saying that having known him for some considerable time , he was satisfied that Bro . Robinson would be a credit to Freemasonry . The latter Brother said , in reply , that he was again pleased to respond to the toast of his health , which had been so heartily given . He had been pleased with tho first ceremony , but had been additionally impressed by that through which

he had just passed . He could hardly tell what ho had been doing not to have joined their ranks before , for in connection with his business he had long been familiar with the square , the level , and the plumb , and he spoko most enthusiastically of their symbolic representations . He paid a very high tribute to the various Officers who had taken part in the ceremony , in this sense mentioning Bro . Lambert S . D ., whose work he had particularly noticed .

Bro . Townson proposed the health of the newly-raised Brother , to which Brother Stewart replied , saying that the ceremony had been so deeply impressive that he had scarcely got over it . He thanked Bro . Townson very heartily for his kind wishes towards him , and hoped that he would prove no unworthy Brother among them . Other toasts followed , the same being relieved by songs , rocitations , & c , given by Bros . Blease , Bowley , Clough , Hardcastle , Townson , and Roberts . o o o

WILLIAM OF WYKHAM LODGE . No . 1883

AT the last meeting of the Lodge , held at Winchester , Bro . Ducks W . M . made a presentation of a handsome silver claret jug , on behalf of the Brethren , to Bro . F . H . King , as a wedding present from the Lodge , of which he is a Past Master . o o o

HAMPSHIRE LODGE OF EMULATION . No . 1990

BROTHER James Jenkins P . M . of the United Brothers' Lodge has been installed as W . M . of this Lodge , membership of which is restricted to Installed Masters . The ceremony took place at the Freemasons' Hall , Landport , in the presence of a representative gathering , and was conducted by Bro . Col . A . R . Holbrook P . P . G . Reg , the retiring W . M . rt /\ O

Instruction.

INSTRUCTION .

TRANQUILLITY LODGE , No . 185 .

THE inaugural meeting of this Lodge of Instruction was held on Tuesday , 21 st ult ., says the " City Press , " at the Manchester Hotel , Aldersgate Street , E . C , under most favourable auspices . The ceremony of consecration and installation was ably performed by Bro . James Terry P . G . Sword Bearer , assisted by Bros . T . Cull P . M ., George Davis P . M ., and other well-known Brethren ; the musical arrangements being exceedingly well given under the direction of Bro . Harry Tipper Asst . G . Purs .

The Lodge of Tranquillity meets at the Guildhall Tavern , remarks our contemporary , and is one of the oldest and most influential in tho city if London , it having celebrated its centenary eight years ago . Hitherto no Lodge of Instruction has been attached to it , but that ommision is now

repaired , and , judging by the large attendance and enthusiastic feeling displayed on Tuesday evening , a most prosperous and useful career is bufoio it . It was announced that the next meeting would take place on the first Tuesday in October , and that there would be a meeting every Tuesday until March , it being intended to work the fifteen sections very early in the

. At an informal dinner after the ceremony , Bro . Terry alluded in eloquent terms to his friendship and connection with Bro . John Constable , a P . M . of the Lodge of Tranquillity , stating how ably he had supported the charitable Institutions , he having collected in one year over £ 300 , in the following year over £ 400 , and two years subsequently over £ 1 , 200 , that being until quite recently the largest sum any one individual had ever taken up at a festival . Amongst others present was Bro . D . Hills , upon whose proposition this Lodge of Instruction has been so successfully started .

A revised edition of the " Pocket Guide to the Midland Railway" has been issued by that Company , and is a neat little book , got up in most tasty form , tho illustrations it contains being really miniature works of art . Even in its small compass we get some idea of the magnitude of the Midland system , as it introduces us , among the places of note served by tho Company , to spots so widely apart as London , Bournemouth , Cromer , Liverpool , the Lake District , the Highlands of Scotland , and numberless intervening points of interest .