" Freemasonry; Past, Present, And Future."

bodies . Wo musfc , to some extent , satisfy the world at large ; we must disabuse their minds . Wo know that our frn ° * al repast .- - ato by no means what the world understands by " banquets , " though oftea so styled ; we cling to that archaic expression , bufc ifc will bo well for ns to

make it , and let tho world know that it is , a frugal meal . We musfc remove any otiose of misrepresentation , and prevent any blemish faV . ing ou oar Craft . In conclusion , very much depends upon us as individuals ; it is no use making professions unless we carry them out . Moreover ,

in adding to our number , wo must try to got the right men , not men of any special grade ; men with right motives , who will understand and appreciate our objects . Freemasonry has great power for good ; I have myself repeatedly experienced it . The right hand of fellowship has ever been extended fco me , and at no time more than

when I first came into Yorkshire , and thus the practical principles of tho Craffc have been put into operation on my behalf . In carrying out fche wishes of your esteemed Provincial Grand Master in addressing you this evening , I have given you my personal experience of fche past , fche

actual condition of the present , and my own ideas as to what tho future ought to be . I trust , Brethren , you will throw yourselves heartily and thoroughly with me into this great matter , and you will strive to fche utmost to further the views which I have endeavoured to put before you .

Following tho recent constitution of a Lodge of Freemasons at Stroud , a warrant for a now Lodgo of Mark Masons at Gloucester has recently been granted , on the petition of local members of tho Cider , by the Grand Mark Master Mason , Plis Royal Highness the Prince of

Wales . The Lodgo will be named the Gloucester . The consecration witl take place afc the Masonic Hall , Gloucester , on Wednesday , 27 th January . Through a tech . nicalifcy the ceremony cannot be performed by the Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire ,

Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith , and it consequently will be undertaken by Grand Lodge , the following members of which will officially attend for tho purpose , viz . : The Right Hon . the Earl of Enston Deputy Grand Master Consecrating Officer , Lord Dungarvan Senior Warden , Sir

Reginald Hanson , Barfc ., M . P ., Junior Warden ; Rev . J . H . Lloyd Chaplain , C . F . Matier P . G . W . Secretary , R . Berridge Director of Ceremonies , Col . A . B . Cook Inner Guard . Sir Lionel Darell , Barfc ., will bo the firsfc Master of the new Lodge .

Tho last meeting for the year 1891 of tho Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday , the 23 rd nit ., at Freemasons' Hall , London , under the chairmanship of the President , Brofcher Robert Grey . The list of petitioners for assistance was unusually heavy , fcho names numbering

53 . Tho petitioners were qualified through Lodges in the London District , and at Sunderland , Harwich , Tipton , Burton-onTrcnt , Gravesend , Rye , Warwick , Leeds , Gorlcston , Birkenhead , Nottingham , Stourbridge , Newtown

( Montgomery ) , Splisby , Lucknow , Newton Abbot , Diss , Ilford , Shernes = i , Liverpool , Port Chalmers ( N . Z . ) , Port Adelaide , Tywardreatb , Battle , Brighton , Solihnll , Malton , Singapore , Calcutta , Rocbford , and Newbury . Some of tho petitioners had been for many years members of the

Order , and one brother had a record of 39 years . There wero others of 33 , 30 , 29 , and 28 years ; three were of 27 years each ; and there wero somo of nearly all the years between 24 and 11 . The Board sat nearly five hours in dealing with tho list , and the result of their deliberations

was a total award of £ 960 , in various sums . Two cases wero dismissed , one petition was withdrawn , and the consideration of four cases was deferred as they wero incomplete .

Boscawen Lodgo , No . G 99 , Chacewater , have unanimoasl y elected Bro . S . Rogers S . W . as W . M . for the ensuing year . Bro . W . A . Bennett P . P . G . S . B . was reelected Treasurer , and Bro . John Paull Tyler .

HARWELL FREEMASONS' HALL COMPANY . —Registered in Scotland , With office , Moffatt ; capital , £ 500 in £ 1 ah-irefl . Object , to pio-B 4 v » r hal 1 f ° r thG U 3 ° of the Freemasons' Lodge , Hartfell , « o . /_ 8 Moffiitt , aud for pnblic meetings , entertainments , and similar waombbeB , and tho doing of all such other things as uro incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above obj ° ct .

Obituary.

Obituary .

COL . SHADWELL II . CLERKE . ON Wednesday of la ^ fc week , ifc waa mentioned , afc tl-o liicnshly nuefcing of tho Baid of Benevolence , thafc C > . Shadwell H . Gierke wns unable to b « present , through indisposiuor . Bt ^ ond this ii * u \> . < mnceuicnt eliciting a n-euorul feeling of regret nr . d universal expression of the

hope that the Grand iJocrefcary would bo so lar recovered as to take an activo purfc in the Christmas Festivities , but slig ht notice was taken of the intelligence . Aa n

consequence , when ifc was publicly announced , later in tho week , that the gallant Colonel had succumbed , deep wero the expressions of regret , and sincere tho sympathy evidenced towards the members of our esteemed brother ' s

family . The story of our brother ' s illness may soon be told . Unfortunately ifc is a familiar one dnring such weather as

prevailed nearly sill last , week . While on his way to Freemasons' Hall , on Tuesday , he was seriously affected by tho dense fog which then prevailed , and towards evening he became so ill that ifc was deemed advisable for one of his

staff to accompany him home . Ho grew gradually worse , and died on the afternoon of Christmas Day . Bro . Colonel Gierke had held the post of Grand Secretary since 1880 , when he succeeded tho lato Bro . John Hervey , receiving the collar of Grand Secretary from the hands of tho Prince

of Wales . During his service in the army the Colonel was identified with the 21 st Royal Scots Fusiliers , with whom he distinguished himself in the Crimean campaign . Ho subsequently served in the Mediterranean and tho West . Indies , afc fcho latter station discharging the duties of

Secretary to the Commander of fche Forces . In 1875 ho was appointed one of Her Majesty ' s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms , an office which he continued to hold up to the timo of his death . In the fulfilment of his duties as Grand Secretary Col .

Gierke was mosfc zealous , and there aro many amongst ns who entertain tho opinion that his unswerving devotion to dnty somewhat overtaxed his powers . In fact , thafc ho

overworked himself . He made a point of never relegating to another any function he thought it was within his province to undertake . By so doing ho won the applause of the multitude , but afc a fearful sacrifice fco himself .

At the funeral , which took place at Norwood Cemetery , on Wednesday , there was , despite tho inclemency of the weather , a large representative body of Craftsmen . His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , as Grand Master , was represented by Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , Grand

Registrar . His Royal Highness the Dnke of Connaught was represented by Col . Egerton . Tho Earl of Lafchom as Pro Grand Master was represented by Bro . Thomas Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , and tho Grand Lodge was represented by Bro . Sir John B . Monckton

Past Grand Warden , and Roherfc Grey President of tho Board of Benevolence . The Grand Lodgo of Mark Mastor Masons was represented by Col . A . B . Cook President of the

General Board . Tbe Supremo Council of the 33 rd degree was represented by Capt . N . G . Philips and Col . Money . Tho National Groat Priory of the Templa was represented by Bro . George Cooper Grand Sub Marshal .

The Rev . J . Stndholme Brownrigg and tho Rev . Charles Martyn , Past Grand Chaplains , conducted the funeral ceremony , both in the church and afc fcho grave side . Bro . Frank Richardson took charge of the general arrangements , he was assisted by Bro . J . H . Matthews . tMrjrmten ^ rw'irn'ifr ^ w ^ n-iw ^ n-rmin'ar ^ r ' .-t ^ mw ^^ t ^^ eim ill limn ¦

Prince Edward Lodge, No. 2109.

PRINCE EDWARD LODGE , No . 2109 .

BRO . S . I . Thompson's year of offico as W . M . of this Lodge , which holtlB its meetings at the Heaton Moor Conservative Clnb , fast draws to its close , the installation of his successor being fixed for tho second Thursday in January . Afc the last meeting , therefore , the Officers of tho Lodge for tho ensuing year were duly elected , and the resignation of the Rev . V / . H . Smnrtt , D . D ., as joint Chaplain of

the Lodge with tho Ear . John Henn , was tenderd and accepted , on the ground that tho reverend brother had so many parochial engagements as to interfere with the duties appertaining to his clerical obligations in connection with the Lodge . Bro . tho Rov . John Henn was therefore unanimously elected Chaplain of the Lodge .

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BRO . JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . is prepared to enter into arrangements with Metropolitan and Provincial Lodges ( however distant ) for the Delivery of his Lectures on the Ritual and Ceremonial of the Symbolic Degrees in Freemasonry ( two hours ) , iti respect of which most favourable criticism lias been published by tho Masonic iwul Local Journals . "Brother Stevens must be hoard within tho four walla of our respective Lodgo . Rooms , for there only can his most useful work bo understood and appreciflted . " —Address , in first instance . 'to the care of the Editor of this paper .