Grand Mark Lodge.

Scotland haa been received , a copy of the communication from tho Grand Scribe E . being now subjoined . It affords the Board tho highest possible satisfaction thus to announce tho consummation of efforts extending over a number of years to effect a friendly understanding and fraternal agreement between the two bodies .

Extract from Minutes of Meeting of the Supremo Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , held upon the 18 th day of June , A . D . 1879 ; A . L . 5883 . Having taken into consideration an application from the Grand Lodgo of Mark Masters of England and Wales for recognition , and the interchange of Representatives , with relative docum nits , and tho

Report of the Committee thereon , the Supreme Chapter unanimously resolved to recognize the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England and Wales as a lawful governing body of that degree in these conntries : f nrther , that the Supremo Chapter would grant no new Mark Warrants therein , reserving the rights of the Supreme Chapter as regards Warrants already granted ; farther , that Mark Lodsres in the

Colonies , holding of the Grand Mark Lodgo of England and Wales , be recognised as lawful , but that no exclusive jurisdiction be conceded to the Grand Mark Lodge , beyond the countries of England and Wales . Farther , it was resolved to delay consideration of tho pro . posnl to exchange representatives till next Quarterly Communication ,

and Comp . Mann , Grand Scribe N ., intimated that he would then move that representatives be appointed Extracted from the Minutes of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , this 17 th day of July , A . D . 1879 , A . L . 5883 . ( Signed ) L . MACKERSY , Grand Scribo E .

Formal communications with recognition have also been received from the Supreme R . A . Chapters of Maine , Texas , and North Carolina , U . S . A . The Board hfivehad under their consideration the arrangement of the work in the Grand Secretary's office . They are of opi . nion that the eminent and lengthened services of the Grand Secretary deserve that he should be excused from attending to the daily

routine of the ever-increasing bnsiness of tho office , and at the same time that he should retain his full salary . In consideration of the additional labour that will fall on the Assistant Grand Secretary , they recommend that his salary bn increased to £ 200 . Tho Board recommends the following grants from the Benevolent Fund : — £ 10 to S . C . A ., widow of Bro . R . M . A . ; £ 20 to Bro . J . H . B . The mode

of electing the five members of tho General Board by Grand Lodge being deemed unsatisfactory , the Board recommends the following alteration in Clause 98 of the Book of Constitutions : —After the words " at the meeting in June , " on the seventh lino , to add , " in manner following ; the names of tho several brethren intended to bo put in nomination are to be delivered in writing at tho Grand Secretary ' s Office , at least fourteen days prior to the meeting of Grand

Lodge , iu order that the names so proposed may be printed in a list , a copy of which shall be delivered to each member attending Grand Lodge , when the ballotting lists shall be collected by scrutineers appointed for that purpose , and the result of the election ascertained aud announced . " The Board also recommends that in clause 111 of the Constitutions , the words " signed in open Lodge" be added after the word " certificate , " in the first lino of the clause .

( Signed ) G . R . Portal , Past G . M ., President . The Grand Treasurer ' s Accounts for the six months to the 30 th September are subjoined , which show : —

GENERAL FUND . Balance from 31 st March 1879 £ 143 6 8 Half-year ' s receip ts .... £ 520 12 9 Dividends 24 9 7 545 2 4 £ 688 9 0 Disbursements £ 533 13 o

Balance on 30 th September 1879 . . . . £ 154 15 3 BENEVOLENT FUND . Balance from 31 st March 1879 76 14 10 Half-year ' s receipts .... £ 390 9 0 Dividends 24 9 7 404 18 7 -fu « i ia ?;

Disbursements : — Grants in relief £ 46 0 0 Expenses 7 9 0

Transferred to Education Fund - - 200 0 0 Purchase of £ 200 Cape of Good Hope Debentures 198 5 0 451 14 0

£ 29 19 5 At Credit on account Stewards' Festival account- - 12 17 0 Balance on 30 th September 1879 £ 42 16 5

EDUCATION FUND . Balance from 31 st March 1876 .... £ 100 0 0 Transferred from Benevolent Fund . . - 200 O 0

£ 300 0 0 Disbursements .... £ H 2 0 Purchase of 200 Cape of Good Hope Debentures' - 198 5 0 209 7 0 Balance on 30 th September 1879 - . . . 90 13 0 Examined and found correct . ( Signed ) THOMAS MEGGY , Auditor . 29 th October 1879 .

Grand Mark Lodge.

All the recommendations in this report were adopted . Col . Shadwell Gierke nominated Lord Skelmersdale as G . M . for the ensuing year , and the acting G . M . afterwards distributed Charity jewels to the Stewards of tho last Benevolent Fund Festival . Before Grand

Lodge was closed , Bro . Portal drew tho attention of Grand Lodge to the fact of its recognition by Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , and moved that a letter be written thereto , expressing the gratification of Grand Lodge , and trusting that this extra link in the chain of communication between the two bodies would tend to unite them

still more closely . Bro . Binckes seconded the motion , which was carried ¦ unanimously , and Grand Lodge was formally closed . A banquet at the Freemasons' Tavern followed .

Province Of Berks And Oxon.

PROVINCE OF BERKS AND OXON .

ON Thursday , 27 th ult ., the ceremony of installing a Prov . Grand Master for tho newly-constituted Province of Berks and Oxon took place in Reading . The proceedings commenced at the Masonio Hall , whore the Provincial Grand Master ( Designate ) , tho Earl of Jersey , was installed Master of a Mark Master Masons' Lodge . Tho ceremony took place in the Leopold Lodge , and Lord Jersey was duly installed by Bro . Margrett W . M . Subsequently the brethren of

the Leopold Lodgo opened a Lodge in the Foresters Hall , and this having been done a great number of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers entered the room . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then formed , and Lord Jersey was installed . The ceremony was performed by Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal P . G . M . of M . M . M . and Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight . Bro . Portal suitably addressed the

Prov . Grand Master with reference to the duties which ho wonld have to discharge . Lord'Jersey then took the chair and invested the Prov . Grand Officers . Tho following is a list of those who took collars : — Bros . Charles Stephens Deputy Prov . G . M ., H . R . Cooper Smith P . G . S . W ., Edward Margrett P . G . J . W ., Walter Ballard P . G . Master Overseer , Samuel Patey Spiers P . G . S . O ., Fredk . Wm . Ansell P . G . J . O .,

Rev . Charles Robertson Honey P . G . Chaplain , Rev . Henry Deane P . G . Chaplain , E . J . Trendell P . G . Treas ., Edward Leader Shepherd P . G . Registrar of Marks , Thomas Jell Pulley P . G . Sec , James Mace Dormor P . G . Assist .-Sec , John Thornbull Morlaud P . G . S . D ., Christopher Park P . G . J . D ., John Tomkins P . G . Inspector of Works , John Egijinton P . G . D . C , James Jenkin P . G . Assist . D . C , H . Lovell Hawkins

P . G . Sword Bearer , William Belcher P . G . Stacdard Bearer , William Richard Bowden P . G . Organist , Henri Brett P . G . I . G ., Emberlin P . G . S ., Samuel Sandbach P . G . S ., William Hedges P . G . S ., William Hemmings P . G . Tyler , George Norwood P . G . Tyler . After the Officers had been invested , a hearty voto of thanks was accorded to Bro . Portal for the impressive manner in which he had discharged the duties of

Installing Master . Bro . Portal returned thanks , and the Lodge was closed . Subsequently the brethren , to the number of about a hundred , dined together at the Town Hall . The banquet was excellently provided by Bro . Watts , and a choice selection of wine was supplied by Messrs . Ferguson . The chair was taken by Bro . the Earl of Jersey , and thero was a large attendance of Grand and Provincial Grand

Officers . After dinner Lord Jersey proposed " The Queen and Mark Masonry , " and the M . W . G . M . M . M . ( Lord Skelmersdale ) , and Past G . M . M . M . M . Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , in responding , referred to the great progress which Mark Masonry was making . Twenty-threo years ago , when Lord Leigh ( the father-in-law of the newly-appoiuted Prov . Grand Master of Berks and Oxon ) was appointed Grand Master

there were only three Lodges of Mark Masons . They had now moro than two hundred Lodges , and that very day the twenty-ninth Province had been constituted . Mark Masonry would , he believed , be soon acknowledged by Grand Lodge . It was acknowledged by the Grand Lodges in other countries , and it had been recently acknowledged by the Grand Lodge of Scotland . It was with great

pleasure that he ( Bro . Portal ) had taken part in the inauguration of the new Province . He was glad to see his old Lodge , the Apollo , joined with such a go-a-head district as Berkshire . He congratulated the Province in having such a Prov . Grand Master as Lord Jersey . His services as P . G . M . had been coveted by a large Province in Wales , but he had thrown in his lot with Berks and Oxon . He ( Bro .

Portal ) wished Lord Jersey a most prosperous term of office . Bro . Portal concluded by proposing the health of the Earl of Jersey , and the toast was received with great enthusiasm . The Prov . G . M ., in responding , said that in coming amongst his brother Mark Master Masons he was reminded somewhat of Rip Van Winkle . There was , however , this difference , that when Rip arose from his long sleep he

found that there wero changes everywhere . Ho ( Lord Jersey ) found , however , in coming again into a Mark Lodge that the old landmarks had been preserved ; tho old words were spoken ; the old paths were trodden . He himself had been a somnolent brother , but he was glad to wake up and find himself in snch a company . In his new office ho should do his best , and if there were any feebleness on his part

ho knew that it wonld bo made up for by the energy of the officera aud brethren . He thought that the combination of Berkshire and Oxfordshire was a most happy and appropriate union—as they stood on tho two banks of the great national river . Lord Jersey then proceeded to speak of the great assistance which ho had received , especially from Bro . Dewar and Bro . Pulley . He had great confidence

in the Officers who had that day been appointed , and when he was in difficulty or doubt he was sure that he shonld receive from them every assistance and support . Tho health of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Charles Stephens , was next proposed and most cordially received . In responding , Bro . Stephens mentioned that it was probable there would soon be an increase in the number of Lodges in the

Province . " Success to the New Mark Province of Berks and Oxon " was next given , and was responded to by Bros . Cooper Smith W . M . Apollo Lodge , Oxford , E . L . Shepherd W . M . Abbey Lodge , Abingdon , Margrett W . M . Leopold Lodge , Reading , and Ansell W . M . Alfred Lodge , Oxford . Bro . Binckes proposed " Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund , " and said that one of the objects of the Fund was to