Mark Charity.

MARK CHARITY .

THE thirty-third Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held on Wednesday , 10 th July next , under the presidency of Bro . Colonel Clifford Probyn Past Grand Treasurer who , we hope , will be well supported by members of the xJegree and their ladies .

All donations and subscriptions' are divided equally between the Benevolent , Educational , and Annuity Branches . Benevolent grants are made from time to time , and candidates

for the benefits of the Educational and Annuity Funds have up to the present been elected by the General Board , the necessity arid expense of issuing voting papers having been hitherto avoided by the liberality of the donors .

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

WE are asked to draw attention to the fact that Thursday next , 6 ' th inst , is the latest day by which petitions for the October election of this Institution must reach the Office at Freemasons' Flail . It is very desirable , however , that they should be received as much before that date as possible .

Southampton Charity.

SOUTHAMPTON CHARITY .

IN connection with the approaching 103 rd Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at which the Grand Master of the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of "Wight

is to preside , a banquet was held at the South Western Hotel , Southampton , on Thursday , 16 th ult , which was attended by over 100 Brethren representing the six Lodges in the Southampton district . Bro . G . J . Tilling P . G . Deacon Eng . presided , and the Vice-Chairs were occupied by Brothers

Bagshaw W . M . Gloucester Lodge , Lovell Stevens W . M . Lodge of Peace and Harmony , W . J . Berry W . M . Southampton Lodge , S . Cooksey P . M . Shirley Lodge , J . Methven P . M . and Sec . Clausentum Lodge , and R . W . Denness P . M . Albert Edward Lodge . The guests of the evening were

Bros . E . Goble P . G . S . B . Eng . Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and J . M . McLeod Secretary of the Boys School . A recherche banquet was served by Bro . Kuntze , manager of the Hotel , and during the repast choice selections of solo and concerted music were performed .

Dinner over , the Chairman proposed the King and the Craft , which was followed by other Masonic toasts , the Chairman responding for-Grand Lodge Officers , Bros . Goble and McLeod also rising .

The last named proposed the Provincial toast , specially referring to the high esteem in which the Provincial Grand Master Bro . Beach was held by Masons everywhere , and urging that the Brethren of his Province should make the coming Festival a record in the career of their chief .

The D . P . G . M ., with whom rose several past and present Provincial Grand Officers , responded , and cordially endorsed the remarks of Bro . McLeod concerning the Provincial Grand Master , and then congratulated the promoters of the

Fatheringon the success which had attended their effort , which he hoped would result in a banquet in aid of the great Masonic Charities being held annually in Southampton , and that the example set that night would be followed by other towns in the Province .

Br ° ' Lemon Proposed the Masonic Charities , and said that gathering was unique in the history of Southampton * reemasonry , and he , too , hoped it would be made an annual affair . Bro . McLeod made an eloquent response , in which He dwelt more particularl y upon the Institution with which he

Southampton Charity.

is immediately connected , referring to the excellent training the boys received , and to the educational successes they gained in examinations . He further stated that thirteen lads from the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were being educated in the School .

A feature of the evening , which excited great . interest , was a ballot for life-votes for the School , and an " auction " by Bro . Sawbridge of similar votes , the approximate result

being announced at ^ 152 5 s , which will be placed on the lists of certain Stewards attending- the Festival , in the names of the Brethren who were successful in the oallot or purchased the votes " under the hammer .

An 'excellent musical programme was gone through under the direction of Bro . G . Leake , Mus . Bac .

East Lancashire.

EAST LANCASHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday afternoon , 15 th ult , at the Belgrave

Schools , Darwen . As no gathering of the kind had been held in the town since 1875 , the function was of special local interest , and the attendance of Brethren attached to Lodges in the surrounding District was very large . All the Lodges in the Province were represented , numbering 113 .

Lord Stanley , M . P ., was unable to take the chair as Provincial Grand ' Master . His Lordship had been expected to attend , and the occasion had been looked forward to as affording an opportunity for the Brethren to give their ruler in the Craft a cordial welcome to the Province after his

return from South Africa . Lord Stanley was installed in office in November 1899 , at the Free Trade Hall , Manchester , in succession to the lamented Colonel Starkie . Afterwards he went to the war with Lord Roberts as press censor , and since then he has been unable to meet the Brethren of the

Province . His visit to Darwen was regarded as a certainty until a day or two ago , when Lord Stanley wrote to the Provincial Grand Secretary expressing sorrow for his compulsory absence , but explaining that the discussion of the Army Scheme made it imperative that he should be in his place in Parliament .

In the regretted absence of the head of the Province , the next in command , Bro . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds Deputy Provincial Grand Master , presided . Bro . Forrest Past Prov . G . Warden acted as Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and Bros . C . D . Cheetham and G . Norris Midwood were in their

chairs as Provincial Senior and Junior Wardens respectively . Bro . J . H . Heap Prov . Grand Treasurer presented his accounts for the year ended 31 st March . The statements showed that £ 1 , 064 had been received from all sources , and that a balance of £ 218 remained in the bank . This balance

he explained was £ 48 less than was the case a year ago , but it was more than accounted for by the payment of fifty guineas , in accordance with the resolution of Provincial Grand Lodge , to the South African Masonic Relief Fund . On the motion of Bro . W . E . Clegg , seconded by Bro . Archie C .

Wilson , two of the Auditors , the balance-sheet was approved . The Provincial Senior Grand Warden , in moving the adoption of the Charity Committee ' s report , urged the representatives of several Lodges to use despatch in sending up their votes for the forthcoming election of Annuitants upon

the funds of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons . There were two candidates from the Province , an old man and an old widow , and all votes were needed . On behalf of Captain J ohn Barlow , he thanked all the Brethren who went to London in March to vote for that Brother as a candidate for the Grand