Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at St . John ' s Hall , Penzance , on Tuesday , 22 nd ult . In the absence of the Provincial Grand Master the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe , Sir Charles B . Graves Sawle , Bart ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master presided , and there was a very large attendance .

Before the opening of the Lodge , Sir Charles Sawle said reports had gone out that the Provincial Grand Master was seriously ill . He was happy to say he could give that an unqualified contradiction . The Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe had gone

abroad for the benefit of his health , it was true , but he had had a letter from him a few days ago saying that his illness had never been dangerous , and that he was returning convalescent . He , therefore , had every reason to hope that his lordship would continue to preside over the Province for many years .

Later on Bro . Anderton read a letter he had received from Lord Mount-Edgcumbe , dated Bad Manheim , Germany , 20 th September . His lordship wrote : — I am Bure Sir Charles will kindly express my regret at not being able to attend the P . G . Lodge , and assure the Brethren I shall be present with

them in thought on Tuesday , and have lost no part of my interest in the welfare of Cornish Masonry . I hope you will have fine weather , and am sure that everthing will be well done under tbe genial presidency of Sir Charles . . . . I am getting on capitally , and am able to take long walks , and do not mind hills . I am glad to say that I shall be able to get away from here this week , but it may be a fortnight more before I start homewards .

Before the business concluded the following resolution was unanimously passed , on the proposition of the Eev . Fraser-Frizell : — " The Officers and Brethren of the Province of Cornwall , in Provincial Grand Lodge assembled , tender to their esteemed Grand Master their hearty congratulations on the

improvement in his health , and thank him for his letter . Whilst venturing , to express their regret that he is unavoidably absent from their present gathering , they earnestly trust that the Most High will speedily restore their beloved P . G . M . to health and strength , and that they may soon see him in their midst working for the good of one and all in the Province and county . "

On the calling of the roll , it appeared that every Lodge was represented with the exception of Dunheved ( Launceston ) . The Secretary said this was a very unusual exception ; but Bro . the Eev . T . Kendall then said he could answer for Dunheved , as he belonged to that Lodge . The Secretary also mentioned that apologies had been received from Bros . Hughan , Frank Harvey , Eevs . G . Durno and A . H . Ferris , and others .

The Treasurer Bro . G . G . Bullmore presented his report , which showed that the balance in hand was £ 194 , against £ 146 last year . The Secretary ' s report showed initiations 152 , against 130 last year , and the total number of Masons in the Province now was 1 , 813—the largest number on record . The increase on the year was forty-two . The Secretary said , however , that while they

might be pleased at the increase of Masonry , he knew the Prov . Grand Master would wish to impress upon all Lodges to carefully consider who they admitted . There was a fear lest some of the Lodges were too anxious to add to their numbers and through that anxiety accepted everyone who came forward . The Prov . Grand Master had several times expressed his desire that Lodges should be more careful who they admitted into Freemasonry . The Deputy Prov . Grand Master endorsed these remarks .

The Secretary mentioned that the memorial window and tablet to Bro . Chirgwin , in Truro Cathedral , were now complete . They were indebted to Bro . Silvanus Trevail , who had designed and carried out the tablet free of any charge for his personal Services . Everyone who had seen it was very pleased with it .

Bro . Millford presented the report of the Cornwall Masonic Annuity and Benevolent Fund . The Lodge contributions amounted to £ 288 8 s 6 d , against £ 244 6 s 6 d ; increase , £ 44 2 s . The interest on investments was £ 205 17 s , and a Cape Bond of

£ 200 was redeemed . The present annual charges on the Fund amounted to £ 300 . Bro . Milford added that twenty Lodges had during the year increased their subscriptions , and the total was double what it was ten years ago when he first became Treasurer of the fund .

At this point business was suspended , and the Lodge went in procession to the parish Church ( St . Mary ' s ); the weather was tolerably propitious for this event . Only a slight shower fell , but the wind was very boisterous , and very much tried the banners of the Lodges and the Brethren who carried them . The Volume of the Sacred Law was , as usual , borne by four Lewises before the Prov . Grand Lodge Officers . The service at Church

was , as is generally the case , much too long for the occasion . The sermon was preached by the Prov . Grand Chaplain Eev . W . H . Millett , vicar of Millbrook . The text was Psalm cxxvii ., 1 , " Except the Lord build the house : their labour is but lost that build it . " The idea of building , he said , ran through the sacred volume . There were two builders—God was the Master Builder , the Supreme Architect ; man was the workman . The

Cornwall.

temple God had planned and they had to build was " perfect man . " God , the Master Builder , would aud must co-operate with them , for , except the Lord built the house , they would labour in vain . They must build , too , on the true foundationthe one foundation provided by God , even Jesus Christ . The first stone put on that foundation was faith , and the last charity . After Church , business was resumed .

Bro . Bernard Edyvean , as the charity representative to manage the votes of the Province for the great Masonic charities , reported : — I cannot but express my thanks for the cordial support which has been rendered by the Brethren of the Province during the past year . That the Masonic Institutions have taken a firm hold of the sympathies of Cornish

Freemasons is evinced by tbe fact that whereas in 1890 the Province held but 1 , 450 votes , it now possesses an annual income of 4 , 300 , thus trebling itself in six years . During the past year I have received from the Province 1 , 064 girls , 896 boys , and 2 , 184 benevolent votes , total 4 , 144 , an increase of 107 on the previous year . At the Benevolent election in May ( kindly assisted by Bro . Hughan and members of the Cornish Lodge ) I polled for the Province ' s adopted candidate 4 , 187 , which placed him ninth on the

successful list . There are at present from this Province three girls and four boys in the Masonic Schools . In tho Benevolent Institution we have five male and three female annuitants , and although we receive the large amount of £ 296 per annum from this Institution , our votes have decreased by thirty-nine since 1893 . This year we shall have expended no less than 8 , 500 votes , just double our income , and therefore every vote should be utilised in future , and forwarded to me without delay . -

The Secretary read a letter he had received from Bro . Hughan testifying to the ability , courtesy , and success with which Bro Edyvean managed the votes of the Province in London , and he ( Bro . Anderton ) knew from what he heard himself in London that no manager of votes from the Provinces stood higher than Bro . Edyvean .

The Deputy Prov . G . Master enforced the necessity of their raising more money for the general charities . At present they were receiving considerably more than they gave . He fully endorsed what had been said of Bro . Edyvean ' s management . Bro Gilbert Pearce presented the report of the Cornwall Masonic Charity Association . Principal contributions were : — Liskeard , £ 30 ; Hayle , £ 24 ; Helston , £ 18 ; Eedruth , £ 15 :

Wadebridge , £ 15 ; Falmouth , £ 12 ; Millbrook , £ 12 ; Bodmin , £ 11 . There was five non-contributing Lodges—two of them in the west of the county , and three in the east . The Western Lodges had the advantages this year . The total subscribed during the eleven years of the existence of the fund was £ 2 , 971 10 s , an average of about £ 270 . The total amount received this year was £ 212 .

The Committee of Eelief recommended that the following grants be made to Masonic charities : —To C . M . A . and B . Fund , 50 guineas ; E . M . I . for boys , 20 guineas ; ditto for girls 10 guineas ; ditto for men , 10 guineas ; ditto for widows ; 10 guineas ; total , 100 guineas . Temporary relief had been granted to the extent of £ 15 .

Bro . Eead proposed the election of Bro . Blarney , of Penryn , as Treasurer for the ensuing year . Bro . Blarney , he said , was a very active and useful member of the Craft , both at Penryn and Falmouth .

Bro . W . K . Baker said as they had the privilege of electing this Provincial Officer there was no reason why they should accept the first nomination put before them . He should propose Bro . Small , of Mount Sinai Lodge . A vote was taken and resulted as follows : —Small 69 ; Blarney 65 . Bro . Small was therefore declared elected , and he returned thanks for what he said was a very unexpected honour .

A presentation of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter regalia and plate was made to Bro . Anderton in recognition of his great services to the Province . The silver salver bore the following inscription : — This tea tray , together with the tea service , and Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter Regalia , was presented by the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Grand Superintendent

on behalf of the Brethren of the Province of Cornwall Provincial Grand Lodge , 1896 , to W . Bro . Edward Dixon Anderton P . M . 331 P . P . S . G . W . Prov . G . Sec . and P . Z . 331 P . P . G . J . Prov . G . ScribeE ., on his being appointed to the office of J . G . Deacon in the Grand Lodge of England and Grand Sword Bearer in the Grand Chapter of England , as a mark of their appreciation and esteem for his long and valued services for the good of the Province , and with their hearty fraternal greetings and congratulations .

Bro . Crewes said , having acted as the Secretary of the Committee for subscriptions , he asked Sir Charles , in behalf of the subscribers , to make the presentation in open Lodge . The proposal had met with the very greatest success , and though the maximum amount of individual subscriptions was 5 s , no less a sum than £ 93 had been subscribed . This showed to some extent the esteem in which Bro . Anderton was held throughout the Province .

Sir Charles Sawle' then made the presentation , and whilst regretting the absence of the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe , said he felt it a privilege on his own part to make the presentation to so distinguished a member of this Grand Lodge . He wished Bro . Anderton every prosperity , and long might he continue to hold his present position in the Provincial Grand Lodge .