Cheshire.

CHESHIRE .

THE following is the text of the address voted by the Brethren of Cheshire to their Provincial Grand Master :

To The Eight Honourable Wilbraham Baron Egerton of Tatton , Tatton Park , in the County Palatine of Chester , Eight Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Freemasons of the Province of Cheshire , & c , & c .

May it please your Lordship . It is with feelings of sincere pleasure and satisfaction that the Brethren assembled at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons of the Province of Cheshire , hail the announcement of your Lordship ' s union with Her

Grace the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos . The Brethren feel that they ought not to permit such

an auspicious and happy event to pass without giving expression to the high regard and esteem in which your Lordship is held by every Freemason in the Province over which your lordship rules , and the heartfelt desire

of the Brethren as representing every Masonic Lodge in fche Province , that the alliance upon which your lordship has entered may be crowned with the greatest blessings . The Brethren earnestly pray that the G . A . O . T . U .

will in His bountiful wisdom and goodness bestow upon her grace and your lordship long life , health , and happiness , and pour upon you both the choicest blessings that life affords . Signed , on behalf of the Freemasons of Cheshire ,

assembled in Provincial Grand Lodge . The address is a fine specimen of modern illumination

and bookbinding . Page 1 contains excellent portraits of Lord Egerton and Her Grace , the whole being surrounded by a beautiful floral design , introducing a figure of a cherub and the marriage bells . Page 2 contains the armorial bearings of his Lordship , and introduces Her

Grace s arms . Page 3 contains an exquisite sketch of Tatton Hall , with deer in the foreground . Page 4 is a beautiful specimen of the illuminator ' s art in ultramarine and gold , introducing the Masonic jewel of a P . M ., and on which the address proper commences . Pages 5 and

6 are a continuation of the address , with beautiful floral borders . The whole has been executed by Messrs . Hine and Co ., law stationers , Princess Street , Manchester , and reflects the highest credit on their skill , taste , and judgment , being a particularly fine specimen of modern illuminating and bookbinding .

Somerset.

SOMERSET .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Somerset was held under the banner of the De Irwin Lodge , No . 162 , at the Choughs Hotel , Yeovil , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master Bro . E . C . Else .

There was a good muster of Brethren from various parts of the Province . The Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested as follow : —

Col . Long .... Deputy W . Roberts 62 - - - Senior Warden Albert Barratt 119 - . Junior Warden A . Peach .... Master Overseer G . Strawbridge 191 - - Senior Overseer

G . M . Wilson 177 - - - Junior Overseer Rev . H . L . Barnwell 191 - . Chaplain C . W . Radway - - - Treasurer A . J . Mawer 128 - - - Registrar of Marks F . T . Elworthy - - - Secretary

J . B . Sracock - . . Senior Deacon C . J . Baldwin - . Junior Deacon W . H . Webb . . . Director of Ceremonies F . E . Pearce 155 - - . Sword Bearer J . B . Capel 102 - - - Standard Bearer

J . A . Milborne 162 . - Organist H . J . Nye 162 - . . Inner Guard F . Box - . . . j J . C . Hook - . . . Stewards . H . Davies - - . . \

The Secretary directed attention to the fact that the Bishop-Elect of Bath and Wells was a . Kfl „ i 0 ,

Freemason . The Treasurer ' s accounts showed a balance in hand of £ 85 16 s 4 d .

Masonic Homes.

MASONIC HOMES .

THE utility of Masonic Homes is a question that is receiving the earnest consideration , at the present time , of very many of the active , thoughtful Masons throughout the United States . Many Grand Lodges also have fche matter under consideration , in one shape and

another , and the general desire seems to be to come to a correct conclusion . Among the systematic efforts to thafc end fche Grand Lodge of Iowa , afc her annual meeting , in June 1893 , appointed an able committee to ascertain what number would probably become inmates

of a Masonic Home in Iowa , the cost of establishing it , and the probable annual cost of its maintenance . This committee made a thorough and careful investigation , and their reporfc , made at the annual meeting in June last , was an exhaustive treatise of the subject , and their conclusion was embodied in the following resolution ,

which was adopted by the Grand Lodge : Eesolved , That it is the sense of this Grand Lodge , that the best and most satisfactory method of dispensing Masonic charity is through the medium of the subordinate Lodges , with such assistance as may be needed from the Grand Charity Fund ; and that it is inexpedient

and unwise for the Grand Lodge to establish a Masonic Home . The Grand Lodge amended its code of laws so as to set apart 10 per cent , of its income to a Grand Charity

Fund , for fche purpose of aiding such Lodges as are unable fco properly provide for all needing assistance within their respective jurisdictions . The committee , in making their investigation , addressed a circular letter of inquiry to the Worshipful Master of each Lodge , numbering altogether four

hundred and sixty , and received replies from all but eleven Lodges . From these reports it was shown that eleven Master Masons , whose average age is over sixtyeight years , would go to the Home if established , and

six others might possibly go there . Four widows and nine orphans were reported as probable inmates for the Home . The total amount expended in providing for all these persons during the year 1893 was dols . 1 , 663 , being only about one-sixth of what would have been required to support them in a Masonic Home , as shown by the annual reports of the Homes now in operation in several States . The reporfc of fche committee shows that Masonic Homes of various kinds have been erected in ten States , to-wifc : Illinois , Kentucky , Michigan , Missouri , New York ( two ) , North Carolina , Ohio , Pennsylvania , Tennessee and Virginia , all of which are in operation except in Ohio , which is nofc yefc completed . The total cost of seven of these Homes was dols . 750 , 991 * 53 , being an average of dols . 107 , 284-50 . The total number of

inmates in these seven homes is 493 , being an average of 70 . The annual cost of maintenance , including the interest on the money , is dols . 127 , 806-66 , being an average of dols . 18 , 258-09 . The average cost of maintenance for each inmate one year , including interest , is

dols . 318-45 . Taking these figures as a basis the committee say There are at present 24 , 664 Masons holding membership in Iowa . If the Grand Lodge should undertake to erect and support a Home at the expense of the membership of the State , the cost per member , as nearly as we can estimate , would be as follows : A Home costing dols . 25 , 000 and supporting

fcwenfcyfive inmates would require an assessment of one dol . on each member for its erection and an annual tax of twenty-five cents on each member for its support . A

Home costing dols . 60 , 000 and supporting fifty inmates would require an assessment of dols . 2 on each member for its erection and an annual tax of fifty cents on each member for its support . A Home costing dols . 75 , 000

for its erection and supporting one hundred inmates would require an assessment of dols . 3 on each member for its erection and an annual tax of seventy-five cents to one dol . on each member for its support .

The simple , unostentatious method of dispensing charity that has heretofore existed

Wifch these estimates before it the Grand Lodge of Iowa came to the wise conclusion " that it is inexpedient and unwise for Grand Lodge to establish a Masonic Home . "