Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

— : o ;—CRAFT .

— : o : — PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF KENT

rilHE annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent was bold X at the Bull Hotel , Dartford , on the 80 th ult , when the R . W . Earl of Amherst Provincial Grand Master attended to conduct the business . The Lodgo was held under the banner of the Lodge of Emulation , No . 299 , that this year

celebrates its centenary and of which Bro . J . Morton Longley is tho fortunato W . M . The brethren assembled at Dartford about mid-day , and Prov . Grand Lodge was opened soon after 12-30 p . m . Earl Amherst was supported by tho following Officers : —JasS . EastesD . P . G . M ., J . Tijon

G . P ., W . C . Cripps P . G . S . W ., W . A . Valon P . G . J . W ., Alfred Spencer P . G . Secretary , Rev . C . H . Fielding P . O . Chaplain , William Russell P . G . Treasurer , S . Saunders P . G . Registrar , F . W . Wright and G . R . Iggloadon

P . G . S . D ., J . T . Tanqueray and E . C . Fenoulhct P . G . J . D ., W . J . Light P . M ., W . Ashanden , T . Bent , J . King , S . H . White , E . Barrell , J . P . Watts , T . Knight , C . R . Cockburn , H . T . Sawson , T . H . Smith , Rev . A . Jackson W . M . 77

C . C . Potter W . M . 299 , R . Beamish W . M . 483 , and the Masters , Past Masters and . Wardens of nearly every Lodge in the Province . Prov . Grand Lodgo having been duly opened and the brethren ranged under their respective banners , the minutes

of tho last Prov . Grand Lodge meeting were read and confirmed , and theaccounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer w ere passed . Bro . Wm . Russell P . P . G . S . W . was reelected Treasurer . The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and invested the following brethren as hia Officers for theensuing

year : — Bro . Charles Holcroft 1414 ... ... Senior Warden James Morton Longley 299 ... Junior Warden Rev . C . B . Fielding M . A . 1063 } ltev . Augustus Jackson , M . A ., 77 ) r

Alfred Spencer ( re-appointed ) 1063 Secretary Frederick Hall 709 ... ... Registrar Charles Vincent Cotterill 1837 ... * ) „ . n ™„„ . John Elliot 1973 | Sen . or Deacons

John Abrey 1678 | j . D Fredk . Percy Lee 1223 ... ) George B . Chapman 299 ... Supt . of Work 3 Francis Wm . Willett 127 ... Director of Ceremonies Harry Gross 1314 ... ... Deputy Dir . of Cers .

Samuel Newman 972 .. ... " ) Richard Morley 429 ... ... > Assist . Dir . of Care . Arthur Hubbard 1107 ) William Thomas Claydon 1449 ... Sword Bearer Richard Nevill 1531 ... ... ) « .:, „• , Ro „ „ TT -n , , 1 / 10 , ; standard Bearers Henry Fowler 1424 ... ... )

James Seaton 829 ... ... Organist George F . Varty 1854 ... ... Assist . Secretary Herbert King 615 ... ... Pursuivant Richard Wra . Philpott 1208 ... Assist . Pursuivant Thomas Hearn 199 ... ... - i

Andrew James Crane 558 ... i Henry Mason 913 ... ¦ '«» J William James Hughes 1206 ... f & : owaraa John Knowles 1725 ... ... | Thomas Eastern 2305 ...

The brethren were saluted in Masonic form when conducted to tlieir respective seats . Various amounts recommended by the Charity Committee were granted to some distressed persons , including £ 25 to the Sandgate Relief Fund to assist those who are in immediate want in

consequence of the destruction of their property by the recent landslip . Grants of £ 55 each were made to the Widows ' Fund , and the Male Fund of the Royal Benevolent Institution , £ 210 to the Girls' School in the name of the Deputy P . G . M ., to qualify him as Patron with eighty

votes ; and £ 294 to the Boys' School in tho name of Bro . Alfred Spencer P . G . Secretary , to qualify him as Patron with eig hty-eight votes . The Prov . Grand Lodgo was then called off , and brethren proceeded to the Parish Church , which had been kindly placed at their disposal by the Vio ;» r ,

the Rev . Percy E . Smith , where a short service was held , the sermon being preached by Bro . the Rev . C . H . Fielding M . A . The brethren then returned to the Lodge-room , when votes of thanks were accorded to the Vicar for the use of

the Church and to Bro . Fielding for his impressive sermon . In returning thanks Bro . Fielding announced that the collection amounted to a goodly sum , a portion of which had been handed to the churchwardens for parochial

Notices Of Meetings.

purposes . Tho Prov . Grand Lodge was then closed and tho company adjourned to the Conservative Hall , Spital Street , Dartford , when the banquet was served . Owing to the heat of the weather tho brethren did not clino in Masonic clothing , but brightness was given to the scene by the attendance of several ladies in the balcony .

In submitting the usual loyal toast * , Earl Amherst alluded to the happy auspices now prevailing in the Grand Master ' s family , and was sure that his health would bo drank with more than usual enthusiasm .

Bro . Horatio Ward and Alfred Spencer responded for the Grand Officers , the former taking advantage of the opportunity of thanking tho 167 brethren who had gained for him his position . For 35 years he had laboured in the cause of Freemasonry and had done what he could to

promote the prosperity of the Order . Bro . J . S . Eastes said it was his especial privilege of proposing tho health of the Provincial Grand Master and so be the medium of conveying the good wishes of the brethren to his lordship , who expended so much time and

took no little trouble in regulating the business of the Province . When he was installed Grand Maater of Kent there wero bnt seventeen Lodges and 815 brethren , now he was pleased to say there were 59 Lodges and more than

3500 members . They never had a hotter class of men , while the Lodges contributed year after year increased amounts to the various Masonic Charities . He considered it would be a sorry day for Freemasonry when his lordship from anv cause ceased to belong to the Order .

Earl Amherst iu reply referred to their kind reception of him which was extremely gratifying , because unless tho Provincial Grand Master was popular among the brethren the . Province must suffer . Ho had invited them to subscribe more to the Charities than the bye-laws

authorised becaivso of the special urgencies of the Institutions , and now the regulations were altered , so what was formerly compulsory was now voluntary and the result justified the alteration . The Province of Kent was always in tho foreground , as witness the largo amount brought np

at the Boys School Festival at Brighton when ifc stood second on the list . They had got on very prosperously , and as regard retirement he Lad a very good billet and lie meant to stay so long as he was established in tho confidence and respect of the brethren .

Jn returning the compliment to the Deputy Prov . Grand Master his lordship said it was a lucky day for him when ho asked Bro . Eastes to take office . He was the working man on the staff , and although a great deal of work naturally devolved upon him he was never absent from his duties . No fairer council ever advised a Grand Master

and ho hoped it would bo many years before he was missed from the right hand of the Provincial Grand Master of Kent . Bro . Eastes iu response referred to the happiness and o-ood feelinjr existing between the Officers and Brethren for

so many years , which amply repaid him for all the services he had rendered to the cause of Freemasonry . Ho had , however , many duties to fulfil and he had therefore beon compelled to resign his seat on the Boys' School Committee , which would now be filled by Bro . William Russell .

As a Past Provincial Grand Officer , Bro . Isaacs P . M . of No . 20 , of which Lodge he was W . M . four years in succession , said that when he was initiated on 21 st June 1843 there

were only uine working Lodges in the Provinco of Kent and less than 200 member . * . He had served under five Provincial Grand Masters aud noticed the gradual develop , ment of the Province , which ho hoped would continue to prosper .

Bros . Adamsou aud William Russell responded for the Masonic Charities , tho latter remarking that the brethren should support the organisation established in Kent , by sending their voted to him so that at the elections they conld secure tho benefits for those candidates recommended .

They had been very successful this year , having placed one boy , one girl , and ono old man in the respective Institutions . Bro . Tijon Grand Pursuivant acknowledged the toast of

the Visitors , and remarked that he had the pleasure of attending the Centenary Festival of the Emulation Lodge , and considered that Bro . Longley was properly rewarded with his collar . The Province of Kent was fortunato in

having such a popular Grand Master , and Kent would not have occupied its present proud position had he not worked hard at the various boards and took interest in the Charities .