Sussex.

piece of plate in acknowledgment of small services rendered , -and as the present included a pair of silver scissors , he said the lesson was forced upon him that he should " cut it short . " He would therefore content himself by sitting down . Bro . C . F . Matier , in proposing prosperity to the Prov , Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Sussex , said the executive of Grand Lodge were deeply indebted to Bros . Currie , Slingsby Roberts , and Wright , for their services .

The Brethren , on retiring , assembled in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall , where the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master again presided , and embraced the opportunity , in a short address , of

- congratulating the Provincial Grand Lodge upon its growth , prosperity , and sound financial position . He also alluded to the retirement of Bro . W . Wright from the office of Prov . Grand Secretary , and paid a high tribute of praise to that . Brother for the very able and zealous manner in which he had for several years discharged the duties of his office .

Bro . J oseph Farncombe was unanimously re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer , and Bro . A . Coe was appointed Provincial Grand Tyler . The following were the Officers appointed for the ensuing year , and those present were invested with the insignia of their respective positions :

Bros . W . Wrigb * .... Senior Warden W . E . Hughes - Junior Warden J . Bray ----- Master Overseer W . W . Welling ... - Senior Overseer W . Hillman .... Junior Overseer Rev . W . Wakeford ... Chaplain

Joseph Farncombe ... Treasurer W . Gates ----- Registrar J . P . S . Roberts - Secretary _ . B . Sutton - - - - Senior Deacon W . Hughes ----- Junior Deacon H . W . Ingledew - - - - Inspector of Works

A . Lloyd ----- Director of Ceremonies A . H . Tester .... Assistant Dir . of Cers . R . Piper ----- Sword Bearer A . Alwen ----- Standard Bearer T . B . Guy ----- Organist

E . P . Day ----- Inner Guard H . Pearce - - - - - \ fSSL.::::stewards L . Davidson - - - - j A . Coe - - - - Tyler .

The Grand Masters Mark Lodge of Instruction has resumed its meetings , which are held on the 1 st aud 3 rd Fridays , October to March , for rehearsal of the Ceremonies of Advancement and Installation . The meetings are held at Mark Mason ' s Hall ,

Great Queen Street , W . C , at 6 p . m . sharp , under the Preceptorship of Bro . W . Vincent P . A . G . D . C , with Bro . C . P . Matier P . G . W . G . Secretary as Treasurer , and John Smith P . M . P . G . Std . Secretary . Mark Clothing is worn .

Irish Charities.

IRISH CHARITIES ,

ON Saturday afternoon , 23 rd ult ., the 105 th annual meeting and distribution of prizes to the pupils of the Masonic Female Orphan School , Ball ' s Bridge , took place in the spacious Drill Hall of the Institution , under the presidency of the Grand Master of Ireland . The scene was a particularly bright and animated one , permission having been granted for regalia to

be worn by the members of the Order , of which permission a large number availed themselves . The attendance of guests was particularly large , and had the hall been twice its size it would hardly have held the members who were present or wished to be . His Grace the Duke of Abercorn Grand Master was conducted to the dais by the various Officers .

The pupils performed a carefully selected programme of music , vocal and instrumental , beginning with a part song by the school choir , "' Tis merry o ' er the mountain . " The senior

pupils also sang , says " Irish Society , " their fresh young voices sounding particularly well in tbe Irish melody arranged by J . Robinson " Come o ' er the Sea . " The instrumental music was also very good .

The prizes , which were numerous and in some cases very costly , were distributed by the Duchess of Abercorn . After the distribution of prizes presentations were made , first to Mr . and Mrs . Holdbrook , consisting of a handsome silver salver and purse containing 100 guineas , upon the occasion of the

former retiring from the post of head master to the Boys School , which post he had held for the past fourteen years . Mrs . Neil was then presented with a cheque for £ 125 by Her Grace , on behalf of the Governors , in recognition of her valuable services as Matron for the past sixteen years , on her retirement .

Ravensworth Lodge.

RAVENSWORTH LODGE .

ON Saturday afternoon , 30 th ult ., the Provincial Grand Master of Durham Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., assisted by his Deputy Bev . Canou Tristram , D . D ., and the Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , consecrated the Bavensworth Lodge , No . 2674 , at the Masonic Hall , Jackson Street , Gateshead .

Ihe special meeting of the Provincial Lodge was duly opened by the Prov . G . M ., who said that in the absence of the M . W . Grand Master he was deputed to act in his place . He then called upon the Prov . G . Secretary Bro . Hudson , who read the Petition and Warrant for the formation of the new Lodge .

The founders of the Lodge-are Bros . M . Corbitt P . P . G . S . D ., T . E . Jobson P . P . G . S . B . Northumberland , S . Brown , A . E . Mac-Donald , J . G . Smith P . P . G . S . D ., W . J . Jobson P . P . D . G . D . C ., W . Stafford P . P . G . S . of W ., Adam Dodds P . P . G . Stwd ., Hugh

Jackson P . M ., Alf . Simpson W . M ., R . Atkinson , John Carr , Robert Kelly , J . H . Grant , G . Gilhespy ,-J . T . Pragnell , J . T . Corking , A . W . Blacklock , F . J . Hastie , J . Moffat , Anthony Dodds , all of Lodge Industry , No . 48 .

Bro . Michael Corbitt W . M . designate was presented to Bro . Alfred Simpson W . M . 48 , by Bro . B . Hudson Prov . G . Sec , and Bro . Simpson , at the request of the Prov . G . M ., duly installed Bro . Corbitt as W . M . Bro . M . Corbitt then invested the following as the Officers

for the ensuing year : —Alfred Simpson I . P . M ., T . B . Jobson P . M . S . W ., S . Brown J . W ., Adam Dodds P . M . Treasurer , W . J . J . Eobson P . M . Secretary , Robt . Atkinson S . D ., John Carr J . D ., Wm . Stafford P . M . D . of C , Dr . BlaeklockT . G ., Anthony Dodds S . S ., Joe Moffett J . S ., Joshua Curry Tyler .

At the close of the ceremony tbe Prov , Grand Master expressed his great satisfaction at the way in which the work had been performed . He had seen several new Lodges dedicated , but he did not think he had ever seen the ceremony performed in a more orderly and impressive manner . He congratulated the

W . M . of the new Lodge , and said he appeared to have the good wishes of his fellow Freemasons , aud it must be clear from the numerous congratulations which he had received from the Lodges ,

some of them from a distance , and from one worthy Brother from Northumberland , that he was most worthy of being congratulated on the proceedings of that day ; he concluded by praying that the Almighty would preside over and prosper their undertakings .

We are asked to announce that Thursday , 9 th December , is the latest day by which petitions for the April 1898 Election of the Eoyal Masonic Institutions for Girls must reach the office of that Institution . It is , however , very desirable that they should be received as much before that date as possible .

A new Lodge , the Victoria Diamond Jubilee , No . 2675 , is to be consecrated on Wednesday next , 10 th inst ., at the Castle Hotel , Woodford , the ceremony being arranged for 4-30 in the afternoon , followed by a banquet at 6 * 30 p . m . The principal

Officers designate are Bros . C . J . Smith W . M ., G . Gratton S . W-, and F . Rayner J . W . Bro . H . Ffrench Bromhead is acting as Secretary to the Founders . We wish the new Lodge a good send off , and a most successful future .

Cornishmen should be interested to hear of the social effort which is just now being undertaken by Cornishmen resident in the Metropolis . In response to a strongly expressed desire for the revival of the successful smoking concerts formerl y held in connection with the " One and All" Cornish Club , it has been

arranged that next Saturday , and on 15 th January , a " Bohemian " Cornish smoking concert will be held , at which ladies will be welcome . Tbe arrangements are undertaken by the Entertainment Committee of the Cornish Lodge , No . 2369 . It

is further proposed to hold a * ' Christmas Cinderella " dance in December , says the " Western Mercury , " and the hope of Canon Shnttleworth , who is issuing these invitations , that these entertainments may receive the support of " one and all , " seems likely to be realised .

MESSRS . CASSEI _ GO . will shortly issue " A History of England , " by H . O . Arnold-Foster , M . P ., author of " The Citizen Reader , " & c . ' The keynote of this new book may be said to consist in the systematic endeavour to make the narrative vivid and real to the mind of tho reader , and at the same time to make the language used clear and simple , and the form of

expression such as will be familiar to all readers . Salient episodes and periods of our history have been selected for detailed description , but the thread of the narrative is maintained , so that it forms a complete history of England . Throughout the volume much attention has been paid to showing how the nation was gradually built up by law , commerce , and colonisation ,

and also to the struggle for the liberty of the individual , the progress in literature , science , art , and education . The volume is profusely illustrated by well-known artists , besides a large number of reproductions from famous pictures . Mr . Arnold-Foster's previous historical works have had a large sale , amounting to about 100 , 000 copies .