Aldermaston Lodge.

had been unable to attend , as they had no doubt he would have greatly enjoyed taking part in the first Lodge consecration in the Province since his appointment as Prov . Grand Master , and realised the success likel y to result therefrom . He then referred in grateful and eulogistic terms

to the Deputy P . G . M . Bro . Morland , who had so ably conducted the ceremonies of the day . Bro . Morland had been in charge of the Province for many years , and he was deservedly held by the whole of the Brethren in most affectionate regard . The W . M . also thanked the rest of the

Provincial Grand Officers who had so ably assisted in the interesting function which they had witnessed that afternoon . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master replied in graceful terms , and reciprocated the expressions of regret at the unavoidable absence of the Provincial Grand Master , whom

they hoped , however , to have the pleasure of seeing in the chair at the forthcoming Provincial Grand Lodge at Sandhurst . He felt that it had been a great privilege to have had the honour to have consecrated several Lodges in the Province , including the Downshire , the Ascot , the Victoria ,

and the Aldermaston , to say nothing of several Royal Arch Chapters . In conclusion , Bro . Morland proposed the health of the newly-installed Worshipful Master , who , he observed , had filled a similar position on no less than nine previous

occasions , and there was scarcely a point that arose in connection with Masonry that Bro . Keyser was not perfectly well qualified to deal with . He felt that it was impossible for any Lodge to start under better auspices than the Lodge which it had been his privilege to consecrate that day .

The W . M . suitably acknowledged the compliment , observing that with thirty-four founders they had a strong Lodge to begin with , and had already attained their object , namely to provide a summer Lodge that would keep up the continuity of the work between the Lodges at Reading and

Newbury . They mainly wished that this new Lodge should become as it were an accessory to the strong Lodges existing in the two towns mentioned , and fill up the gap caused by the customary recess during the summer months . He hoped

the Aldermaston Lodge would prove popular , and afford opportunities to some of the Brethren to reach the chair sooner than they could possibly do in the neighbouring Lodges , where there was a constant flow of initiates .

The health of the Visitors was then proposed by the W . M ., and responded to by Bros . J . M . McLeod and W . Ravenscroft .

The W . M . suitably proposed the health of the Officers of the Lodge , for whom Bros . T . S . Cambridge and Colonel Gerald Ricardo appropriately returned thanks . Bro . Stevens then gave the Tyler's toast , after which the company rose , and adjourned to the terrace , where the glee

party from Windsor favoured the Brethren with a choice selection of vocal music , which was highly appreciated . Towards ten o'clock the visitors bade adieu to Bro . Keyser and the rest of the Aldermaston Brethren , and departed homewards , having spent the afternoon and evening most enjoyably . — " Reading Mercury . "

St. Michael Lodge.

ST . MICHAEL LODGE .

ANOTHER new Lodge has been warranted for the Province of Cornwall , the St . Michael , to meet in the Freemasons' Hall , Newquay , and numbered 2747 . The Lodge will be consecrated to-day ( Saturday ) by Bro . Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary of England , assisted

by Bros . P . Colville Smith P . G . D . as S . W ., E . M . Milford P . Prov . S . G . W . as J . W ., the Rev . C . F . Mermagen Prov . G . Chap , as Chaplain , Bernard F . Edyvean P . A . G . D . C . of England Prov . G . Secretary as D . C ., and Gilbert B . Pearce P . Prov . S . G . W . as I . G .

The principal Officers designate are Bro . Silas Rickeard W . M ., Arthur Hardwick S . W ., and C . C Vigors J . W ., Bro . G . G . Bullmore Past Prov . Grand Treasurer being the Secretary pro . tem . A large attendance is expected , as , according to the authority of Bro . W . J . Hughan P . G . D ., it

is the first time that a Grand Secretary of England has ever attended to constitute a Lodge in Cornwall , from the time that the first was granted and opened at Falmouth in 1751 , and the same authority believes it is the first visit of such an Officer of the Grand Lodge to the Province on the opening

of a new Lodge . Bro . Letchworth is very highly esteemed , and is a most finished exponent of the Masonic ritual , adds a Cornish contemporary , so that in the unavoidable absence of the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe Bro . Edyvean is to be congratulated on the very excellent arrangements he has made .

St. Michael Lodge.

Mr . Justice Bucknill was on Thursday night entertained at the Cafe Royal , at a complimentary dinner given to him by the Freemasons of Surrey on the occasion of his elevation to the Bench . The new Judge is a Surrey Mason , a Past

Grand Warden of England , Past Deputy Grand Registrar , Past Provincial Grand Warden of Surrey , and the first Master of the Ebbisham ( Epsom ) Lodge , No . 2422 , which was founded in 1892 . The Earl of Onslow Provincial Grand Master for Surrey presided at the dinner .

Suspected Masons.

SUSPECTED MASONS .

THE following is from a Wisbech paper : — " An amusing tale is being told in Wisbech in connection with a trip from Lynn and Wisbech to Scarborough . It is stated that afte " r the party of excursionists , who numbered nearly 140 , including the local Freemasons and their friends , had left Wisbech and were nearing their destination , the police at Scarborough received a telegram . The effect of the message appears to have been that a

number of suspicious characters' were making their way from Wisbech to the ' Queen of Watering Places . ' The detectives were at once on the alert , and upon the arrival of the excursionists , on the strength of the telegram , watched some of the holiday-makers . The Worthy Master of the Masonio Lodge , so the story goes , was interviewed , whilst dining with his Brethren , by the detectives and interrogated . How soon it dawned upon the limbs of the law that the whole aHair was only the result of the vagaries of some

would-be practical joker is not stated , but doubtless the presence amongst the excursionists of the worthy Mayor , one or two borough magistrates , and the Chief Constable , made the ludicrousness of the mysterious message apparent . However , to complete the -joke , another message was received during the day by the police , doubtless from the same source , asking ' whether any arrests had been made . ' Under the circumstances , the excursionists must be congratulated on their safe return to a borough where

they are less ' suspected ' and more respected . " Commenting upon this , the •' Scarborough Gazette" says : — "We had heard something about the telegrams . The police at Scarborough , as soon as they saw the excursionists , were satisfied that the matter was a joke , for the company had an air of respectability altogether above suspicion . A later and more urgent wire

confirmed the matter . There were wires to other people from the same source . At a venture we should say the wag for some reason had been denied the privilege of tbe excursion and the very good luncheon , and the money put by for the purpose of the trip he spent on telegrams . Scarborough people would be pleased to see a host of the same sort of suspicious characters amongst their visitors . "

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