Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF BERKS AND OXON .

THE annual meeting was held in tho Town Hall , Maidenhead , on Thursday the 23 rd ult ., under the banner of the Jersoy Lodge , the brethren of which gave the visitors a very cordial reception . The Right Hou . Viscount Valentia , Provincial Grand Master , presided ,

and there wero also present—Bros Charles Stephens ( Deputy Provincial Grand Master ) , John Tomkins ( Mayor of Abingdon , Provincial Grand Treasurer , Junior Grand Deacon ) , Edward Margretb Past Grand Senior Deacon , Rev . W . A . Hill Past Grand Chaplain , Rev . A .

W . N . Deacon , Rev . Simon J . Gordon Fraser ; Kirchoffer Past Grand Overseer , J . T . Morland , Edward Home , W . Ravenscroft ( Provincial Graud Secretary ) , John Bance , George J . Cosburn , F . H . Lyon , E . Head , Astloy , Fowler , C . A ° Vardey , H . J . Mount , W . E . Beal , R . Nicholson , H .

Arrowamith , A . C . Hewett , W . Flanagan , W . W . Ridley , J . T . Stransom , Stapley , Jas . Llewellyn , F . Johncock , Colville Smith , E . D . Jackson , E . T . Biggs , G . H . Morland , Ballard , F . Bliss , J . Rutland , C . Batting , W . Bonny ,

Ernest Gardner , J . F . Stevens , Shepherd , E . Butler , Maurice Wheeler , Sidney Payne , S . E . Challenor , E . M . Belcher , W . Hemmings , G . Norwood , G . F . Stevens , W . Dunning , H . G . W . D'Almaine , W . H . Kidgell , George Milward , S . Campbell , Dyko , W . Knowlea , E . Greville ,

Sp indler , & c . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened by Lord Valentia in due form , an anthem was sung ( Bro . Rutland P . G . O . presiding at the organ ) , after which the P . G . Master and the Deputy Past Grand Master were

respectively saluted with the honours due to their Masonic rank , the usual forms being carried out under the leadership of Brother C . Batting , the Dir . of Cers . The P . G . Secretary then read tho roll of Mark Masons' Lodges in the two counties , when it appeared that tho whole of them

were well represented . Tho returns given by the P . l * . Secretary as to the numerical strength of tho Province showed a satisfactory increase in tho number of subscribing members . The report was adopted , on tho motion of the

P . G . Master , seconded by the Deputy P . G . Master . Tho Provincial Grand Treasurer Bro . Tomkins having beeu nominated by Lord Valentia for tho office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master , tho P . G . Mastor proposed tho election of Brother Edward Margrett as Provincial Grand

Treasurer for the ensuing year . Bro . Charles Stephens said he felt great pleasure in seconding the motion , Bro . Margrett having been a very active Mark Mason , and one of the fow surviving brethren who founded this Province . It would have been

impossible to have found any one move qualified to fill the office than Bro . Margrett . The motion having ueen unanimously adopted . Bro . Margrett assured the brethren it would give him

sincere pleasure to attempt to carry out the rin'les of tho Treasurership efficiently , and he would do his best to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor , and keep a balance on tho right side .

The P . G . Secretary then read letters of apology from the Grand Secretary and other distinguished brethren . The P . G . Master , in feeling terms , then alluded to the decease of Bro . Pnlley , who rendered signal service to Mark Masonry , and who officiated for some years as

Secretary for this Province . His Lordship added that another event which they must all deeply deplore was the resignation of their valued and much esteemed Deputy Provincial Grand Master , through impaired health . Bro .

Stephons was too good a Mason to retain an office to which he felt he could not do ample justice through ill-health , and in retiring , he carried with him tli 9 warmest thanks and best wishes of the whole of the brethren for hia

valuable services during the past ten or elevon years . Bro . Stephens said ho could not retire from the position of Deputy Provincial Grand Master , which it had been his privilege and pleasure to occupy for the past eleven years ,

without thanking the brethren for the unvarying kindneas he had received from the brethren belonging to the various Lodges in the Province . He resigned with feelings of deep regret , but he felt that the state of his health prevented him from visiting the different Lodges in thfl

Mark Masonry.

two couuties , which was a duty that specially appertained to the office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master . He was glad to know he would be succeeded in the office by a worthy Mark Mason of large experience who would , he felt sureworthily fulfil the duties of the exalted position .

, Ho parted with the brethreu of the Province as their Deputy P . G . Master with much regret , and while thanking them for all the kindness which had been shown him , he felt perfectly confident the same kindness would be heartily and readily extended to his successor .

The P . G . Mastor then announced , amidst applause , that he had appointed Bro . John Tomkins , of Abingdon , to fill the office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master rendered vacant by the resignation of Bro . Stephens . Bro .

Tomkins was a Mark Mason of such good reputation that he would be sure to discharge the duties of Deputy Provincial Grand Master with ability and to the satisfaction of the brethren generally .

Bor . Stephons thereupon presented Bro . Tomkins to the P . G . Master , and the usual obligation having been taken , Bro . TomkinB received the hearty congratulations of Lord Valentia . The Deputy P . G . Master , in appropriate terms , thanked

the P . G . Master for appointing him to such a distinguished position , and thanked the brethren also for having during six successive years elected him as Provincial Grand Treasurer ; ho hoped the Province would in no way suffer by his exaltation to the office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

The rest of the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year were then appointed and invested , as follows : — Edward Home Senior Warden C . A . Vardy Junior Warden E . Margrett Treasurer

W . Hedges M . O . J . Newberry S . O . J . Llewellyn J . O . Rev . S . J . G . Fraser Chaplain E . M . Challenor Registrar of Marks W . Ravensoroft Secretary

H . Arrowsmith Senior Deacon Reginald Maples Junior Deacon E . Uowett Inspector of Works Ernest Ganiu' -r Dir . of Cers . W . E . Know lea Asaist . Dir . of Cew . E . Builer Sword Bearer If . R . Stono Standard Boarer

li . A . S . iV'ot Organist W . C . Long Assistant Secretary A . E . Prestou I . G . G . T . James ~ \ W . SbJuon . C Stawaid 8 F . Johucouk ) Geo Norwood | VV . Hemmiugs J J

Bro . G . J . Cosburn P . M . P . P . G . M . O ., on behalf of the Worshipful Master and brethren of the Porchester Lodge , then gave a cordial invitation to the Provincial Grand

Lodge to assemble next year at Newbury , and apologised for the ab 3 enco of many o the brethren of the Porchester Lodge .

The P . G . Master thanked the Porchester Lodge for the kind invitation , which the P . G . Lodge would accept , with much pleasure . The P . G . Lodge business was then brought to a conclusion , after which light refreshments were partaken of ,

and tho brethren subsequently enjoyed a river trip in a steam launch , which was succeeded by a banquet at the Quarry Hotel , Bourne End , when tho usual Mark Masonio

toasts were honoured . The day a arrangements were admirably carried out by the Provincial Grand Secretary and the members of the Jersey Lodge . —Heading Mercury .

Southdown Lodge, No. 164.

SOUTHDOWN LODGE , No . 164 .

fpHE annual installation meeting of the brethren waa held at the X- Station Hotel , Haywards Heath , on tho 20 th nit . The viaitora included Bros . F . Hill D . C . 33 , J . Wood J . O . ' 126 , W . H . Rean 75 , H . Dyer Secretary 426 , E . Rotfey 42 G , R . CIOWRS G . O ., S . It . Legg P G J W H W . G . Aboil P . G . S . B ., G . Mitchell Registrar of Mnrlca 462 , J . Bberall P . M . 3 S 6 , J . Newbery P . Q . S . O ., W . N . Roe P . G . O .,

R . Willard W . M . 426 , aud J . Adams W . M . 391 . Tho chiel bu « inen 9 of the meeting was the installation of Bro . J . J . Aboil P . P . G . A . D . C as W . M . for tho ousuiog year , thn ceremony being iibly performed by Bro . J . C Buckwell P . M . The W . M . appointed his Officers , as follow ,

thoue present being invested with the insignia of their respective offices , viz .: —Broa . Lamette S . W ., Wickham J . W ., W . A . Tooth I . P . M . Chaplain , Beeaey M . O ., Cully S . O ., Chapman J . O ., Masters P . M . Treasurer . Alwen Reg istrar of Marks , Buckwell Secretary , Tebbs