Royal Arch.

Comp . Mulvey acted as candidate , and was exalted into R . A . Masonry , the ritual being rehearsed in an impressive and painstaking manner , the principal Officers , by their unison of working , making the ceremony most attractive .

A vote of thanks was tendered to Companion Spaull , for his services to Royal Arch Masonry in general , and for his work that night ; while votes of thanks was also passed to the acting H . and J . In acknowledging the vote Comp . Spaull thanked those present for their kindness , and promised to attend again on some convenient

occasion . Companions are cordially invited to attend this excellent Chapter of Improvement , where they may rely on good instruction at the hands of Comp . Dehane . o o o

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

— : o : — LODGE OF INTEGRITY , No . 163 . THE last meeting of this popular Lodge previous to the vacation was well attended , over fifty Brethren being present , principal amongst whom wero : Bros . J . M . H . Blarney W . M ., T . H . Scholfield I . P . M ., Alfred Hepworth S . W ., Samuel Gaskill J . W ., J . M . Sinclair P . M . P . P . J . G . D . Treasurer , Jos . Clemmey Secretary , H . A . Owles

S . D ., Fred Walmsley J . D . Past Masters : Joseph Wildgoose P . P . J . G . D ., John E . Williams P . G . D . D . O ., H . H . Warburton P . P . S . G . D ., D . D . Macpherson , John Studd , Richard Simister , A . Hope , T . G . Sparkes , Ben Williams , J . W . Shaw 1077 and 2482 . Visitors : P . Ms . Fred Hilton P . P . G . D . C , Jas . W . Abbott

P . P . G . D . C , M . Thomas P . P . G . D ., Wm . T . Schofield P . P . G . J . D ., Fred Broadsmith P . P . G . Reg . ( Cheshire ) , Wm . Boden W . M . 2449 ; Robt . K . Roberts J . D . 1012 , Ernest C . Symons J . D . 1357 , Walter Alcock P . M . 191 , Hezekiah Sharp 54 , Walter W . Brown 309 , Arthur Joynson 633 , John McDermid 626 .

After the reading of minutes , Mr . Alfred Cresswell , Buyer , Marple , was initiated by Bro . Ben Williams P . M ., tho Anciont Charge being given by Bro . Gaskill J . W . This was followed by a capital rendering of the Traditional History of the Third Degree by Bro . Wildgoose P . M .

Bro . Blarney W . M . was appointed steward to represent the Lodge at the forthcoming Festival in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

At the festive board which succeeded , Bros . Owles , Thomas , Cresswell , B . Williams , Batchelder , and Dottie contributed somo excellent songs and recitations , an exceedingly pleasant evening being spent .

Bro . John E . Williams P . M . was heartily congratulated upon having attained Provincial rank . o o o

RURAL PHILANTHROPIC LODGE , . No . 291 . BRO . E . A . BURNETT S . W . has been unanimously elected Worshipful Master for the ensuing year , as successor to Bro Tyler .

o o o YARBOROUGH LODGE , No . 551 . ON the 23 rd ult . a number of the members enjoyed an excursion-At about 10 . 45 a party of sixteen left Ventnor and drove through Sandown and Brading over the downs to Down End , where

a halt was made for lunch . Then the party drove on to Osborne House , an order to view having been obtained through Sir Henry Ponsonby . The visitors were kindly received by the Housekeeper , who herself conducted them over the whole of the lower part of the establishment .

After spending about an hour m the house , the party rambled over the grounds , and looked at the trees planted by the different notabilities . Then the horses were again put in the coach and the Brethren drove through to the Gloucester Hotel , Cowes . The Host of the Gloucester , Bro . Mursell , served a capital dinner , which was much enjoyed .

An hour or so after dinner having been spent in visiting friends and in conversation , the party once more mounted the coach , proceeding to Carisbrooke , where tea was partaken of . The final stage of the journey was commenced at nine o ' clock , Ventnor being reached about eleven .

Bro . F . Trueman was the captain of the party , and the Secretarial duties in connection with the excursion were undertaken by Bro . F . H . Sheppard . The W . M . Brother Cole Norman was one of the party . o o o

UNITED LODGE , No . 697 . THE Installation meeting was held on Wednesday , the 16 th ult ., about fifty Brethren being present , including the Grand Secretary of the Province ( Bro . T . J . Railing ) . The principal business of the meeting was the installation of the Worshipful Master

for the ensuing year , Bro . G . N . Watson , which ceremony was performed jointly by Bros . Thomas Rix P . M . and Sec . P . P . G . Sw . B . and Henry J . Skingley P . M . P . P . A . G . D . C . At its conclusion the Officers for the year were invested .

The Brethren afterwards dined together at the George Hotel , a capital repast being well served by the Host and Hostess , Bro . and Mrs . Mutton . o o o

PELHAM LODGE , No . 939 . ON the 29 th ult ., the members held their annual picnic . Between thirty and forty of the Brethren and their wives left

Provincial.

Worksop at 10 a . m . for Newstead Abbey , in coaches supplied by Bros . T . Castle and G . Phillips , an al fresco lunch being indulged in en route , and after some time had been spent in inspecting the wonders and beauties of the Abbey , the return journey was made via Mansfield , where a substantial repast was served at the Swan Hotel .

o o o HESKETH LODGE , No . 950 . ON Wednesday , the 16 th ult ., the festival of St . John and tho annual Installation was celebrated at the Crown Hotel , Fleetwood , when Bro . A . Gibson S . W . was installed . Tho Lodge was opened by Bro . G . P . Mulock W . M . who also performed the ceremony of installation , assisted by Bros .

Hainsworth , Robertson , Faussett , Mahir , and Clarkson , in a highly satisfactory manner . The address to the W . M . and Wardens was given by Bro . J . D . Faussett PJVl ., and to the Brethren generally by Bro . Mulock I . P . M .

During the meeting tho I . P . M . Bro . G . P . Mulock was presented by the Brethren of the Lodge with a very handsome gold Past Master ' s jewel , as a token of esteem and appreciation of the valuable services he had rendered during his tenure of Office . The duties of tho year had been of an unusually heavy character , but Bro . Mulock had discharged them in a most efficient and thoroughly Masonic manner .

The members afterwards adjourned to the banquet , which was served by Bro . F . Duckworth in really first-class style . The enjoyment of tho gathering was materially enhanced by the vocal and elocutionary items of Bros . Reeve , Gardner , the W . M ., Thompson , Greenwood , Dickinson , Robinson , Scott , Thornborough , and others . o o o

EGERTON LODGE , No . 1030 . THE visit of Hor Most Gracious Majesty to Manchester and Salford , on the 21 st ult ., caused that day to be observed as a general holiday , not only in Cottonopolis itself , but in the towns and villages for many miles around . Stockport , of course , was no exception to the rule , and the regular meeting of the Egerton Lodge , due on the above date , was therefore postponed until the 22 nd , the following amongst others being present : —Bros . Dr . H .

Wilson W . M ., G . B . Goodfellow S . W ., Henry Smith P . M . P . P . G . D . Treas . acting J . W ., Thos . Knott I . P . M . Sec , Jas . W . Abbott P . M . P . P . G . D . C . D . C , Wm . A . Vaughan P . M . acting S . D ., Edward Roberts P . M . ( FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE ) , H . G . Fisher , T . B . Brooks . Visitors : —Bros . Wm . H . Peak P . M . 993 P . P . G . D . C , W . W . Hitching 2363 .

After the confirmation of minutes , Brother Thomas Burnley Brooks was entrusted , and tho Lodge being advanced , he was raised to the sublime degree by Bro . Wilson W . M ., the working tools being presented and explained by Bro . Goodfellow S . W .

At the festive board which followed , Bro . Thos . Knott I . P . M ., who presided in the enforced absence of the W . M . ( the latter having been called away professionally ) , proposed the health of the Queen , and reverted in especial terms to her recent visit . Ho dilated upon the sincere pleasure which she had afforded to hundreds of thousands of her loyal subjects , and the vast amount

of enthusiasm which she had evoked , but regretted to have noticed that for a lady in her position , who was so well cared for , and whose welfare was of importance to everybody , she looked far from well . If he was right in his surmise , ho hoped for her speedy recovery , and confidently called upon the Brethren to join him in an expression of this sentiment . The toast was most heartily honoured .

Bro . Knott also proposed the health of tho newly-raised Brother , saying that he had had the honour of proposing him in the first instance , and judging from what he had seen he felt sure that he would make a conscientious Mason . He had already shown a fair

sample of what he was made of , and no doubt as time progressed he would , with a lovo for his work , develop into a fair Officer of the Lodge . He would await that period with pleasure and with confidence .

Bro . Brooks responded , saying that he thanked the Brethren very much for the way in which they had accepted the toast of his health . Bro . Knott had told them that he had been the means of proposing him as a member of the Lodge , and there was an old saying that the father generally looked well after his own child ;

still this hardly justified Bro . Knott in speaking so enthusiastically of him . Ho would endeavour to do full justice to the remarks uttered with regard to himself , and if happily called upon to fill any office , or to perform any duty , he would place his services at their disposal .

Bro . Smith P . M . & c . proposed the health of the Visitors , to which Bros . Hitching and Peak responded . The former said that without desiring to utter an empty compliment , he must heartily congratulate the Egerton Lodge upon the way in which the ceremony had been performed . If that was a sample of what they could do , then he considered they wero capable of performing some very excellent work indeed .

Bro . Peak emphasized these remarks , and said that he had derived no little pleasure from his visit that evening . Songs , recitations , etc ., were given by Bros . Smith , Goodfellow and Roberts .

o o 0 TOWNLEY PARKER LODGE , No . 1083 . THIS is another of the Manchester Lodges which may justly rank as popular , and which , even in spite of a miserably wet night like that of the 30 th ult ., could claim a good attendance of members . Two ceremonies were announced on the summons , which were duly performed , the Worshipful Master passing Bros . Richard Gatenby jun ., and Joseph Holland .