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ROYAL ARCH .

NORTH WALES .

ON Tuesday , 20 th ult ., the Provincial Grand Chapter was held at Portmadoc . Special interest attached to the proceedings by reason of the installation as Provincial Grand Superintendent of Companion John Ernest Greaves , Lord Lieutenant of Carnarvonshire , in succession to Colonel the Hon . W . E . Sackville West , who , upon ceasing to reside in North Wales , resigned all the Offices which he filled in the Province .

Comp . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Third Grand Principal of England was the Installing Officer , to whom , at the close of the ceremony , a cordial vote of thanks was tendered on the motion of Comp . W . Jones-Morris , seconded by Comp . Cornelius Davies . The new Provincial Grand Superintendent appointed his Officers as follow :

Comp . Col . 0 . H . Bees - - - - H . Samuel Griffith - - - J . J . G . Tuxford - - - - Scribe E . Edward Eoberts .... Scribe N . E . Owen - - - - ¦ Eegistrar A . T . Benbow - Principal Sojourner A . Bromwich .... Assistant Sojourner

Caradoc Rowland .... 2 nd Assistant Sojourner James Porter .... Sword Bearer G . H . fEllis ----- Standard Bearer E . W . Kirby .... Director of Ceremonies W . Lloyd Griffiths .... Assistant Dir . of Cers . J . Jones-Morris .... Organist 3 . H . Carey .... Assistant Scribe E . 3 . W . Fendick .... Janitor .

It was resolved to hold the next annual Provincial Grand Chapter at Newtown . The banquet was held in the evening at the Commercial Hotel .

So strong is the resemblance between the two incoming Sheriffs of the City of London that at their inauguration breakfast at Salters' Hall the point could not fail to attract the attention of the various speakers , says the '' Daily Telegraph . " Brothers Alderman Alliston and

Lieutenant-Colonel Clifford Probyn are not only alike in personal appearance , but are equally gifted as public speakers—the one classical and polished in his style , the other impetuous and vigorous . Various descriptions were applied to themthe Cheeryble Brothers , Romulus and Remus , and " The

Heavenly Twins . " The occasion also acquired exceptional interest from the fact that one of the Sheriffs' Chaplains—Bro . the Rev . Professor Shuttleworth—introduced a new form of grace , which embodied the spirit of the proceedings : "For good life , for good health , for good company , and for good fellowship , may the Lord make us truly thankful . "

On Wednesday , at the Guildhall , the Lord Mayor presided over a Court of Aldermen , to which the Sheriffselect of the City were introduced with the usual formalities , says the " Daily Telegraph . " A procession was then formed from the Aldermen ' s Court Room to the hustings in Guildhall ,

where a Court of the Outer Chamber was held . " Frederick Pratt Alliston , Esquire , Alderman and Cordwainer , " and " Lieut .-Col . Clifford Probyn , Citizen and Pattern Maker , " were then formally called on by the Common Crier to " come forward and take upon themselves the office of Sheriff of

London . " This done in dumb show , the Town Clerk , who was almost inaudible , owing to a severe attack of hoarseness , then administered the long and old-fashioned declarations , and these having been made and signed , the new Sheriffs were invested with their violet gowns and chains of office .

Some people regard trading , on Masonry as perfectly legitimate , although it is true that many of them will add , as an aside , that it has to be done in a quiet sort of way , while many others make no secret of their desire to get all the advantage they deem possible out of their association

with the Craft . A well intentioned rebuke was administered to those who are of this opinion , by a contemporary , a few weeks back , when attention was drawn to a new Limited

Liability Company which proposed , among other matters , to fit up a Masonic Temple in order to cater for the banquets given by Lodges . Noticing this , the " Investors Review " said : "As these Lodges are known to be wealthy , we

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should feel disposed to leave the new issue of shares to them "very good advice , we consider , and applicable wherever trading on Masonry is offered as a bait . 000 Civic and other friends of Bro . Colonel and Sheriff-elect

Probyn met in the old Council Chamber at the Guildhall on Tuesday , to present him with his shrieval chain and badge of office . Mr . H . S . Foster , M . P ., Master of the Patten-Makers' Company presided . The chain is a handsome

one , embellished in heraldic colours , and bears the arms of the several livery guilds with which the recipient is associated . There are in addition the arms of the City and Liberty of

Westminster , St . Martin ' s Parish , the London County Council , and the Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England . A portrait painting of Colonel Probyn , from the brush of M . Seymour Lucas , R .. A ., will be presented at a future date .

The Freemasons of France are supporting justice in the country , as the following shows : —At the annual general meeting of Freemasons , held on Monday morning , in Paris , a resolution was unanimously adopted congratulating the

Brisson Cabinet on its attitude in the Dreyfus affair , and promising to support it in defending the great principles of the Revolution and proclaiming the equality of all citizens before the law , without exception being made on account of race or religion . —Ex .

The installation meeting of the Eccentric Lodge , No . 2488 , will be held at the Cafe Royal , Regent Street , W ., on Friday next , 7 th inst ., when Bro . Lionel Wormser Harris will be installed as Master for the ensuing year by his

predecessor Bro . Singleton Hooper . Judging from the popularity of Bro . Harris there is sure to be a good muster of members and visitors . A report of the proceedings will appear in due . course .

The weekly meetings of the Bromley St . Leonard Lodge of Instruction will be resumed on Wednesday next , 5 th inst ., at the Bow Bells , Bow Road , E ., at 8 o ' clock , on which occasion Bro . J . De Casseres Preceptor will take the chair . Brethren are particularly requested to attend .

The Royal Jubilee Lodge of Instruction resumed its weekly meetings on Wednesday , at the Crown , Lambeth Road , S . E ., where future gatherings will be held each Wednesday evening during the winter months .

The Hornsey Chapter of Improvement , No . 8 go , meets every Friday evening , at 8 p . m ., at the Prince of Wales Hotel , Eastbourne Terrace , Bishop ' s Road , Paddington . Companions are invited to attend . ,

Bro . W . H . Graveley will deliver a lecture on " The Ternary character of Freemasonry , " at Newby Place , Poplar , E ., on Thursday next .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

IT is with deep regret we have to announce the death of Brother Albert Reed , at the age of 31 , a highly esteemed member of the City of Westminster Lodge , No . 1563 . The funeral of our Brother took place on Thursday , at Kensal Green , in the presence of a large gathering of sorrowing friends . In deference to an expressed wish the funeral was

a private one , the arrangements being in the hands of Mr . J . A . Leuty , Undertaker , of 312 Harrow Road , W . The coffin , which was of polished oak and bore the inscription ALBERT REED , Died 24 th September 1898 , in his 31 st year ,

was almost hidden by numerous floral wreaths , conspicuous amongst which were those from the young widow , relatives , friends , Masonic Brethren and the City of Westminster Lodge . We deeply sympathise with Mrs . Reed in her bereavement .

ON Friday , 23 rd ult ., at Etchilhampton , near Devizes , there was a large attendance of Brethren and agriculturists at the funeral of Bro . Benjamin White Crees , who died on the previous Monday at the age of 57 , after a painful illness . Bro . Crees was a native of Witham Friary , and his family is a well-known one in Somersetshire . Pie had been at the Manor Farm , Etchilhampton , for a quarter of a century .