Durham.

dral , where a service was held , and a sermon preached by the Rev . the Hon . G . H . F . Vane , the new Provincial Grand Master ' s brother . On the same occasion Lord Herschell presented to the city a portrait of his father , to commemorate his Parliamentary connection with the borough .

Surrey.

SURREY .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the County and Borough Halls , Guildford , on Friday , 28 th ult ., in the presence of a numerous gathering of Brethren . The usual

formal business having been transacted , the Prov . Grand Master Colonel John Davis , A . D . C ., appointed and invested the Provincial Grand Officers . The annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Chapter was previously held , when the Officers were also appointed .

v u v v v vumiy Hilt vvy imit It A A AIV AJIAJIJlJinRAII If it wr The election meeting of the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , will be held on Thursday next , nth inst , at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street , E . G ., under the presidency of the

popular Master Bro . W . J . Carroll . There is work on the agenda for the three degrees , the candidates including one Brother for raising , three for passing , and one gentleman for initiation .

********** There is a proposal before the Upton Lodge to increase the initiation fee to ten guineas , a suggestion which we hope will be carefully considered from every point of view . Many Lodges which have adopted a similar course in the past have

had reason to regret having done so , and we are of opinion it is generally best to leave well alone . Certainly too much prosperity is sometimes difficult to deal with—on the other hand it is not always wise to meddle witn the foundations on which success has been built up .

********** The Stuart Lodge of Instruction , No . 1632 , has been removed to the Deacon ' s restaurant , 3 Walbrook , E . C ., where there is splendid accommodation . Commencing this week

meetings will be held every Friday evening , at 8 p . m . sharp , and it is hoped a large number of Brethren will make a point of attending . Bros . G . W . Allen and T . J . Whitehead are the joint Secretaries .

********** What promises to be an interesting evening is arranged for Monday next , in connection with the Regent ' s Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 2202 , which will meet at the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford Street , at 8 o ' clock , when Bro .

Dr . I . Mordaunt Sigismund will deliver a lecture on " The destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem . " Members of the Lodge and visiting Brethren are cordially invited , and as an inducement for our readers to attend we refer them to the lecture of Bro . Sigimund ' s which we reproduce in this issue under the title of a Masonic " Globe Trot . "

********** There is a proposal on foot to offer a Masonic welcome and entertainment to the Lord Mayor of London and certain of his company , on the occasion of their forthcoming visit to the Glasgow International Exhibition .

Bro . Dr . Charles Forshaw , F . R . S . L ., F . R . H . S ., & c , of Bradford , was on Monday unanimously elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland . Bro . His Grace the Dui < e of Abercorn , K . G ., is the President of the Society .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

WE regret to announce the death of Brother John Brothers , which occurred at Willesborough on Tuesday

morning , nth ult . The deceased took an active interest in church matters at Ashford , and occupied the post of sidesman for many years . He held high rank in the Prov . Grand Lodge of Kent .

THE interment of Brother Alex . Joseph MacKay , of Liverpool , who died on Friday , 21 st ult , at the age of 43 , took place on the 24 th , in St . James ' s Cemetery ^ in the

presence of a large gathering of private and Masonic mourners . The deceased was Worshipful Master of the Royal Victoria Lodge , No . 1013 , at the time of his death , and many of its members were present at the interment .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — DEVONSHIRE . THE Mark Grand Lodge of this Province is convened for Tuesday next , 9 th inst , at the Freemasons' Hall ,

Plymouth . The business will begin at 2 . 30 p . m ., but the Committee of General Purposes will meet half an hour earlier . Lord Northcote , C . B ., G . C . I . E ., is the Prov . G . M ., but during his absence as Governor of Bombay the Prov . Grand Lodge is in charge of Bro . G . S . Strode D . Prov . G . M .

********** WILTSHIRE . IT is announced that Brother the Rev . Fred . William Macdonald P . G . Mark Chaplain of England P . G . S . W . Wilts ., the rector of Great Wishford , Salisbury , has been appointed

by the Grand Mark Master H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught as Provincial Grand Master of Wiltshire , in place of the late Earl of Radnor . At a meeting on the 29 th ult . of the Prov .

Grand Mark Lodge , at Swindon , the Brethren unanimously recommended Bro . Macdonald to the Grand Master for the appointment , and trie approval of the nomination has given satisfaction to the Brethren of the Province .

****************** Whether Masonic mysteries be originally of astral significance , as some people suppose , there is a fair prospect of their future association with the Milky way . This is suggested by the fact that some earnest souls connected with

the Dairy interest in London are now endeavouring to promote a " Dairy " Lodge . At this Lodge , if at no other , the milk of human kindness should be always on tap , says the " Manchester Evening Chronicle . " There are Freemasons who do not approve of their Order being split up into sections

representative of particular interests , continues our contemporary—whether of newspaper men , as in the case of the Gallery Lodge , or of dairymen , as in the case of the proposed

Dairy Lodge . In the first-named instance the community of interest has only tended to strengthen the Masonic link of Brotherhood , and there seems no reason why the same should not be the case with other interests .

********** A magnificent clock and side ornaments , together with a beautiful Past Master ' s jewel , were presented to Brother

G . H . Looney , by the members of the" Stanley Lodge , No . 1325 , Liverpool , on the occasion of the recent installation meeting , in appreciation of his services as W . M . during the past year .

********** At the annual meeting of the Ealing Lodge , No . 2 \ 562 , on Wednesday , 12 th ult ., Bro . j . G . Eden was installed Worshipful Master for the ensuing year . There was a large attendance of members and visitors at the meeting of the Lodge , and at the banquet which followed .

General Steam Navigation Co.

GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION Co .

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Cheap Tours in the Highlands of Scotland . Including 1 st class passage to Edinburgh and back , carriage of bicycle , full table d'hote meals on board , hotel accommodation ( with board ) in the Highlands , and Trip , 1 st class , via Loch Fyne

and the Kyles of Bute , from Inverary to Glasgow , by the magnificent Royal Mail steamer " Lord of the Isles , " with dinner on board , and carriage of bicycle . These tours have been designed primarily to meet the wants of cyclists , but arc equally suitable to the ordinary tourist and holiday maker .

6 day Tour £ 3 14 6 . 9 ,, ... 500 or 6 s . less if 12 „ 65 6 "Lord of the 13 ,, ... 6 12 6 r Isles" coupon 16 ,, 7 19 6 not required .

17 „ 850 / NOTE . —These inclusive fares are at the rate of about 10 s 6 d per day , or less than the cost of simply staying at a fairly good hotel . For itineraries , route map , and all information apply to General Steam Navigation Co ., 55 Great Tower Street , E . G . Company ' s Illustrated Guide free on application ; by post , 2 d .