West Yorkshire.

and Companions of Excelsior Chapter , 1042 , for their kind invitation , and for the excellent arrangements they had made for the comfort of the Prov . G . Chapter . Companion Thorp briefly acknowledged the vote , and said they were exceedingly gratified to see such a large muster .

There being no invitation given for the November meeting Prov . G . Chapter was closed .

Lincolnshire.

LINCOLNSHIRE .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Bourne , on Thursday of last week , under the banner of fche Hereward Lodge . The Provincial Grand Master Bro . William Henry Smyth , D . L ., presided . There was a good attendance .

The Hereward Lodge had made elaborate preparations for the reception of their Brethren , on fckis , the first visit of the Provincial Grand Lodge to Bourne . The roll of Lodges having been called , the financial statement of the Provincial Treasurer ( Brother C . M .

Nesbitt 712 ) was read , as well as other reports . The reports generally were satisfactory , both as regarded the charitable work of the Province , and the numerical strength of the subscribing members , these last having been increased by eighteen during the year . Bro . Nesbitt was re-elected Provincial Treasurer .

Berks And Oxon.

BERKS AND OXON .

ON the 25 th ult ., the annual Grand Lodge of Mark Masons for the Province of Berks and Oxon was held in the University Masonic Hall , at Oxford , under the presidency of the Right Hon . Viscount Valentia

Provincial Grand Master , who was supported by the Deputy Bro . John Tomkins , of Abingdon , and other Brethren holding high office in the Mark degree .

The Provincial Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested , and at the close of the business a banquet was served afc the Randolph Hotel . The Provincial Grand Lodge proceedings were

preceded by the Installation of the newly-elected W . M . of tbe University Mark Lodge , and by the courtesy of the Brethren of this Lodge the Visitors were provided wifch light refreshments .

The Dean Of York In Hull.

THE DEAN OF YORK IN HULL .

BY the kindness and courtesy of the W orshipful Master and Officers of the recently-consecrated Humber Installed Masters Lodge , No . 2494 , the Brethren of all the Hull Lodges were invited to attend

for the purpose of hearing a Masonic lecture by the Very Rev . the Dean of York ( Bro . Arthur P . Purey-Cust , D . D . ) entitled " A Retrospect , Circumspect , and Prospect of Freemasonry . "

There was a crowded attendance , amongst those present being Bros . M . ' C . Peck Past Grand Std . Br . of England , W . Tesseyman P . P . G . Supt . of Works S . W ., G . L . Shackles P . P . G . Reg . J . W ., Colonel H . Fawcett

Pudsey Prov . G . S . D . Chaplain , John Bilson P . M . S . D ., Thomson Foley J . D ., A . E . Kessen P . M . Org ., A . King P . P . G . D . I . G ., J . R . Ansdell P . P . G . D . C . D . C , T . B .

Redfern A . P . G . Sec . Sec . The Worshipful Master , in introducing the Dean of York , referred to the eminent position Dr . Purey-Cust had attained in the Craft , being a Past Grand Chaplain

of England , and Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire . He was certain the lecture would be productive of great benefit to the members present , to whom he felt indebted for their presence in such large numbers .

The Very Rev . Dean then delivered his lecture on the varied phases of the Masonic character , and was listened to with marked attention .

On the motion of the J . W ., seconded by the S . W ., supported by Colonel Pudsey and R . R . Hawley P . M ., a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to the worthy Dean , and he was subsequently elected an honorary member of the Lodge .

Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

A SPECIAL Masonic service was held on fche 2 / th ult . in St Paul's Church , Gilford , under the auspices of Gilford Loyal Masonic Lodge , No . 145 ( I . C . ) , the preacher being Rev . Dr . Murphy , rector of S . George ' s , Belfast , who

preached from Matthew xviii ., 10 : " Take heed that ye despise nofc one of these little ones ; for I say unto you , That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven . "

Having enlarged upon his subject , the preacher , in conclusion , said , whatever adverse criticism might be brought againsfc the Craft fco which they and he had the honour to belong , it could not be said that they did not

recognise those words of their Lord ; the importance of child life . He had come there that afternoon to plead with them on behalf of their orphans ; on behalf of the Masonic schools in Dublin . There was a Girls School

and a Boys School , and to those of them who knew anything of the workings of that Institution he need hardly say that orphans were admissible from all parts of Ireland , and he believed he was right in stating that a

large proportion oi fche orphans in the schools came from the North of Ireland . He had in his hand a report of the schools for the past year , and he regretted to say thafc there had been during the year a serious falling off

m the subscriptions with regard to the Girls school . Perhaps some of them might ask , " Was there not a great bazaar in 1892 , which brought in the large sum of £ 21 , 000 of clear profit , and how then are you so badly off for

funds ? ' Well , he might tell them that thafc money—the proceeds of the bazaar—went to a special fund—a fund for enlarging fche school building and for giving some help to the girls when they were leaving the school , the rule

being that a girl must leave at sixteen years of age . He hoped their subscriptions to both schools would amount to more than they did in the past year . — " Belfast News-Lefcfcer . "

It is rumoured as amongst the certainties that two new Lodges will shortly be consecrated in the West Lancashire Division .

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CRITERIONRESTAURANT. EASTROOM FOB RBOHBBOHE DINNERS&SUPPERS ALACARTE. THE WESTROOM, DINNER,5/;SUPPER,4/-Instrumental Music 11 . 0 to 12 . 30 . GrandHall3/6Dinner, AT SEPARATE TABLES , 6 TO 9 . Accompanied by the Celebrated "SPIERPON"ORCHESTRA. Academy Luncheon in West Room , 2 / 9 .