Sussex.

The new bye-law was adopted , and on the motion of Bro . V . P . Freeman Provincial Grand Secretary , the sum of fifty guineas was voted from the funds of the Provincial

Grand Lodge to tho Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . Among other amounts voted was thc sum of £ 20 towards the Worthing Relief Fund .

The following Officers wore appointed for tho ensuing year : —

Bro . A . Kinp , Mns . Doc , P . M . 271 2201 Senior Warden A . M . Brookfield , M . P ., P . M . 341 Junior Warden S 'i't i'i ° ° ' nM '"] ^ plains Rev . R . Wood Loosemore 1181 ... 3 e J . M . Reed P . M . 732 Treasurer fl . J . Infield P . M . 271 Registrar

V . P . Freeman P . M . 315 732 ... Secretary F V . Paxton P . M . 50 7 c r . m r > 6 \ t Yi ^ e l Senior Deacons T . Burne P . M . 1726 J Thomas MacQneen P . M . 916 ... \ T . „ TW ™™ W . B . Isworth P . M . 1636 ... ) Jl , n , or DeaconS

J . II . Every P . M . 311 Supt . of Works W . W . D'Albiao P . M . 1466 ... Director of Ceremonies H . Endaoott P . M . 1917 Depnty Dir . of Cers . W . H . Caffyn P . M . 1110 Asst . Dir . of Cers . M . Lelew P . M . 1821 Sword Bearer

Thomas Smith P . M . 1619 ... J Standar ( J Bearer ( J W . T . Jordan P . M . 1184 j J . G . Bullifant P . M . 1141 ... Organist B . Burfield P . M . 1821 Assistant Secretary H . Chealo P . M . 1829 Pursuivant

G . Holman P . M . 3111303 ... Asst . Pursuivant G . 0 . Vernon-Inkpen P . M . 38 ...- ¦ > T . W . Marwiok P . M . 40 E . Histed P . M . 732 Q ( „„»^ R . Piper W . M . 851 J- Stewards

H . Pearce P . M . 1797 1 W . Carless P . M . 1842 J The Lodge having been closed , the brethren adjourned to the banquetting room , where they sat down under the

presidency of the acting Deputy Prov . G . M ., the Very Rev . E . R . Currie , Dean of Battle . In submitting the Officers of Grand Lodge Present and

Past , he said they were honoured by the presence of four Grand Officers , and , on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodge he gave them a hearty welcome , and thanked them for their attendance .

Bro . F . West P . G . D . D . P . G . M . Surrey responded . He spoke in eulogistic terms of tho Masonic gatherings held afc Brighton , and said no bettor hospitality could be

shown thau thafc displayed by the Sussex Lodges . He had occupied difficult positions similar to thafc held by their Chairman thafc day , and congratulated Bro . Currie upon the admirable manner in which ho had carried oufc the

duties of tho afternoon . He then referred to the assistance rendered to Masonic Charities by the festivals hold at Brighton . Bro . C . F . Mafcier ^ P . G . S . B . also responded .

Ihe Chairman , in proposing ths Prov . Grand Master , H . Et . H . the Dnke of Connaught , and tho Deputy Prov . Grand Master , the Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , Q . C . M . P ., P . G . S ., remarked thafc they were coming nearer home in their toasts , and said the Sussex Freemasons were

to be congratulated upon having the best of all Provincial Grand Masters to preside over them . The Duke of Coanaugat was hig h , in rauk , and high iu those traits which became a Freemason . He was " without fear and without reproach , " and Sussex Freemasons musfc all have

been grieved afc the dastardly attacks recently made upon him by those who certainly did not know him . Freemasons were proud of him , tor his work in Masonry was nofc merely ornamental . He was sorry that the absence of their Deputy Provincial Graud Master had placed him

( Bro . Currie ) in the position he occupied that afternoon , but he sincerely thanked the brethren for the kind reception and support they had given him . He hoped H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught would be able to join them afc the next year ' s meeting .

Speaking of fche Provincial Grand Officers he alluded to the splendid manner in which the Secretary , Bro . Freeman , carried out his duties . All the Officers worked well aud did their best to maintain the character and grand traditions of the Order .

Bro . A . M . Brookfield , M . P ., was among those who responded . He said he fully appreciated the honour conferred upon him , and his gratification would be increased if his appointment met with thc approval of tbe brethren .

While actively engaged in politics he had seen the worst Side of human nature , bufc in Masonry he recognised the facfc that men of every shade of opinion could meet together and enjoy themselves . Ho had been initiated into Free-

Sussex.

masonry at Lucknow , and thought he had enjoyed the peace and harmony of Masouic meetings abroad ho felt that nowhere were the principles of fche Craffc better snppottad than in Sussex . Ho was proud to receive honour in his own county and with persons so high in repute among the brethren throughout the world .

Bro . J . P . Slingsby Roberts noxb p ; oposed prosperity fco tho Masonic Institutions . Charity he said was the end and aim of their Masonic being , and thoy met neither for politics nor for secret aud improper purposes . Their charitable institutions deserved support from all ; they wore

the centre of Masonic life , and he was glad to know thoy were flourishing . He spoke in high terms of the able manner in which Bro . McLeod had carried oufc his duties as Secretary to the Boys' Institution . Bro . J . M . McLeod in responding bore testimony to the

great support given to fche Masonic Institutions by Sussex Freemasons . He was proud to be an exponent of the Institutions , and , in referring to the assistance given , said that iu the last three years Sussex Freemasons had sub * scribed £ 4 , 200 . Other toasts followed .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

r pHE Quarterly Convocation of Grand Chapter was held JL on Wednesday , afc Freemasons' Hall . In tbe absence of the Graud Principals the chairs were occupied by Comp Col . R . Townley Caldwell , M . A ., Graud Superintendent of Cambridge , who acted as Z ., Lieut .-Genoral C . W . Randolph Grand Superintendent of Sussex as H ., and

Rev . J . Stndholme Brownrigg Grand Superintendent of Buckinghamshire as J . Comp . E . Letchworth was in his position as Scribe E ., while there was a somewhat meagre attendance of Grand Officers and Companions below the dais .

The business as set forth m the agenda , of which we published a copy last week , was regularly proceeded with , the prayer of the petitions for a Chapter to be attached to the Abbey Lodge , No . 2120 , Chertsey , being granted . The recommendation of the Committee of General

Purposes in regard to tho petition for the St . Maughold Chapter was challenged by Comp . Richard Eve P . G . T ., who said he did not know whether consideration of the petition need be deferred . Ho thought it might inconvenience several Companions , and suggested that tho names

of the unregistered Companions should be struck out , when there would be plenty left from tbo 23 petitioners , and he accordingly moved an amendment to that effect , aud

further , that the petition should be granted to those who were registered . Tho amendment was regularly seconded , bufc lost on being put to the vote , and tho original suggestion of the Committee of General Purposes was carried .

A Charter oil Confirmation was granted to tho Port Natal Chapter , and fche recommendation of tho Committee against the suggested removable Chapter atWoodstockand Witney endorsed , as also were tho proposals iu regard to fche Gilbert Greenail and New Forest Chapters .

The next business was m connection with the proposal to alter the period of probation necessary between the raising to the degree of Master Mason and exaltation into the Royal Arch . This came forward in the form of a recommendation of the General Purposes Committee , formally moved by the President of that body . .

Comp . Robert Grey said the Committee of General Purposes had had many expressions of opinion from Companions throughout the whole of England , unanimously agreeing thafc fche lapse of time of twelve calendar months , between the taking of fche Master Mason ' s degree , and

being exalted to the R . A ., had been productive of great harm to Royal Arch Masonry . Young Masons who joined the Craft and took their three degrees regularly with four weeks interval , had to wait twelve months for tbafc which they were told was nofc a separate degree , but merely a

completion of the third . Now , in thafc time they had an opportunity of joining many other branches of Masonry , and it was probable tbafc they did not advance to the Royal Arch afc the expiration of the twelve months , as they had joined some other degrees . Whilst the third degree was

fresh in their memory , and they were passing on from the same degree to the completion of it , ifc was likely that they would join tho ranks of other degrees and go elsewhere . The Committee , feeling that that was also the opinion of so many Companions , unanimously thought that it was righ