Freemasonry In Suffolk.

FREEMASONRY IN SUFFOLK .

WHEN tbe history of our own times comes to be compiled by some future Masonic writer , the annual calendars which are now issued in many of the

Provinces of England will be found to afford one of the readiest means of supplying much of the data necessary for the historian ' s work , even if , in a few years' time , a collection of these Calendars will not in themselves

contain sufficient for a full history of English Freemasonry of the present day . There are , however , many ways in which these Calendars might be made of more general interest than they are now , and they wonld prove of

greater service for historical purposes if each edition was to contain a brief summary of Masonic events particularly associated with the Province in which they are issued . By this means brethren would have an incentive for local

research , which we are sure would be the means of bringing much valuable information to light . For a time , at least , ifc would only be necessary to devote a few pages of each

edition to the details we suggest , as we should simply advise the giving of dates , and the most meagre details . This should make the local Calendars of

interest outside the districts for which they are specially compiled , and , in view of the fact that a large majority of them are at present carried on at a loss , from a financial point of view , this in itself should be matter for

consideration . There are Masonic events connected with every district , worthy of being recorded in a local work , which at present escape any permanent record , except , perhaps , in the newspapers of the day , which fire seldom preserved ,

merely because there is no available means of recording them . If our suggestion were adopted , this would no longer be the case , and once having created a demand for historical information , the supply would soon prove equal to meet it .

We have before us the * ' Masonic Tear Book for the Province of Suffolk for the year 1886 , " and propose to review its contents , with a view of making the

information it contains more generally known , and as an incentive for other districts not similarly supplied to follow its example in the several matters referred to .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk , which was under the rule of the late Lord Waveney until the day of his death , in February lasfc , consists of twenty-one Craft

Lodges , and , at the time the present year ' s calendar was compiled , had upwards of 800 members on its roll , distributed as

under—No . Lodge Meeting afc Members 71 Unity Lowestoft 72 81 Doric Woodbridge 50 114 British Union Ipswich 47 225 St . Luke ¦ Ipswich 93 305 Apollo Becclea 20

332 Virtue and Silence Hadleigh 27 376 Perfect Friendship Ipswich 68 388 Prudence Halesworth 34 516 Phcenix Stowmarket 41 555 Fidelity Framlingham 35 929 Waveney Bungay 30

936 Adair Aldeburgh 22 959 Prince of Wales Ipswich * 1008 Eoyal St . Edmund Bury St . Edmunds 49 1224 Stonr Valley Sudbury 61 1452 St . Margaret Lowestoft 25 1592 Abbey Bury St . Edmunds 31 1631 St . Andrew Gorleston 30

Freemasonry In Suffolk.

1663 Harfcismere Eye 23 1823 Royal Clarence Clare * 1983 Martyn Southwold 25 (* no returns ) .

The Provincial Grand Chapter is nnder the government of the Rev . 0 . J . Martyn P . G . P . S ., and consists of six Chapters , wifch a joint membership of about 150 Companions , distributed as follows : —

No . Chapter Meeting afc Membera 81 Royal York Woodbridge 21 225 Sfc . Luke Ipswich 18 376 Royal Sussex Ipswich 41 959 Royal Alexandra Ipswich * 1008 White Rose Bury St . Edmunds 28 1631 St . Andrew Gorleston 29 (* No returns ) .

The Province of Suffolk may thus be said to be strong in both the Craft and Royal Arch degrees , and , as we shall show later on , it is also represented in Mark , Rose Croix , and Knight Templar Masonry . It is , however , in its systematic support of the Masonic Charities that Suffolk is

deserving of more than passing reference , and if the Year Book now under notice did nothing more than record what has been done , and what is being done , on behalf of " the poor and distressed " of the Fraternity , it would still bo a

mosfc useful publication , and one worthy of being considered as an example for other districts to imitate . The Suffolk Masonic Charity Association is a committee formed with a view of utilizing to the utmost the votes for the

Institutions which are received by brethren in the Province , and consists of one brother from each Lodge , elected at the regular meeting in January , in addition to the Provincial Grand Master and Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( who

act as President and Yice-President respectively ) . The Committee meets at least twice in each year , and proceeds to the selection of the most deserving candidate , for the support of the Province afc the respective elections , the

method of selection being by voting among the members present , the chairman having a casting vote . Each Lodge has to contribute 10 s a year towards defraying the necessary expenses of printing , postage , attendance of

representative at the elections , & c . Minor matters of detail are imposed on each of the members of the Committee , in order that proper returns may be made up and annually laid before Provincial Grand Lodge . In proof of the

excellent organisation and the united spirit which exists in the Province we now give a summary of the Committee ' s work during the year 1885 . Two hundred and fifty-seven different subscribers to the Institutions are recorded in

the list which accompanies the Year Book , and the total

number of votes to which they are entitled is given as 2375 , made np of 751 Girls' votes , 799 Boys ' , 364 Mens ' , and 461 Widows . Of these , 2088 , or nearly eighty-eight per cent ., were sent into the Association and used on

behalf of the Province , which exhibits a state of organisation unequalled , we think , by any other Province in England . Another association formed in the county has for its object the obtaining of Life Subscriberships by

Lodges , Chapters , Preceptories , and Societies of the Pro

vmce , who subscribe not less than four guineas per annum . A general meeting of the Committee is held annually , in February , when a statement of accounts is submitted , and a ballot or drawing takes place for priority of presentation to as many life subscriberships as the amount of funds then