Devonshire.

and intellectual culture , but more particularly for the study of the traditions and literature of the Orient "; while the latter , which has its " Imperial Recorder " at Boston , frankly admits that , although its membership is composed strictly of Masons , it is not a regular Masonic body . It claims ,

however , that it was " instituted by the Mohammedan Kalif Alee , the cousin-german and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed , in the year of the Hegira 25 ( A . D . 656 ) at Mekkah , in Arabia , as an Inquisition or Vigilance Committee , to dispense justice and execute punishment upon criminals who escape their just

deserts through the tardiness of the courts , and also to promote religious toleration among cultured men of all nations . " This , despite the extreme precision of the names and dates , smacks of America under McKinley rather than Arabia under Mohammed ; and if these American Masonic innovations

are to come , we may speedily expect the Order of the Eastern Star , which possseses a Grand Matron as well as a Grand Patron , to say nothing of a Grand Adah and a Grand Ruth , a Grand Esther and a Grand Martha , with a Grand Conductress as a kind of " whipper-in . "— " Westminster Gazette . "

********** In Scotland they call a picnic a " kettle , " one of the reasons being apparently that to be orthodox the salmon must be caught and boiled on the spot . We read that a few days ago the annual " kettle " of St . David Lodge , No . 393 , took place at Berwick , and was a great success .

An American farce entitled " Are you a Mason ? " is to be produced at the Apollo Theatre , Shaftesbury Avenue , on the 17 th inst . We shall be curious to see how this piece is received .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

THE Craft of Freemasonry last week sustained one of the most severe losses that has befallen it in modern times by the death , the result of an accident , of Bro . W . W . B .

Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , who died at Westminster Hospital on Saturday evening , at the age of seventy-four years . Our Right Honourable Brother was at the time of his death " Father " of the

House of Commons , having sat uninterruptedly in that assembly since 1857 , and it was while on his way home after leaving the House on Friday evening that the accident which caused his death befell him . He was appointed Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Superintendent of

Royal Arch Masonry for the same Province in 186 9 , a previous appointment being that of Provincial Senior Grand Warden , in 1858 . For many years past he had taken a leading part in the work of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , and probably presided therein on more occasions than any other Brother ,

so that he was virtually known to the leaders of the Craft throughout the country . Fie was a warm supporter of the Masonic Charitable Institutions , and presided on five different occasions at the Anniversary Festivals , the last time being at this year ' s celebration on behalf of the Boys School , when

the Brethren of his Province showed their esteem for him by subscribing an . amount sufficient for the purchase of a perpetual " Beach " presentation of one boy to the School . It would be impossible to do justice to the Masonic record of our departed Brother were we to devote even a page for the

purpose ; further than this , there is 110 necessity for us to sing his praises . He was one of nature ' s noblemen—a " fine old English gentleman " in every sense of the word , a thorough Mason , and a friend and companion who was respected and loved by all with whom he came in contact . Alas , that we

have to mourn the loss of one who has done so much , and was doing so much , to promote the best principles of Freemasonry ! Our sympathy , and the sympathy of the whole Masonic Craft , goes out to the widowed lady whose grief at the death of her husband must be so acute ; it is only a few weeks back that

Mrs . Beach showed her interest in the work of the Craft , which her husband dearly loved , by presenting the prizes to the successful pupils of the Boys School , and by supporting him during his presidency on the occasion of the Anniversary

Festival of that Institution at the Crystal Palace ; the regret will be universal that the next occasion on which the Craft have to approach her is to express the sincere sorrow of every member of the Brotherhood in the irreparable loss she has sustained in the death of her husband .

North Wales.

NORTH WALES .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales was held on the 31 st ult , in a room in the Bishop ' s Old Palace , at Bangor , under the governance of the Provincial Grand Master Lord Harlech . There was a very large attendance of Brethren .

A vote of condolence was passed with the members of the Royal Family on the death of the late Queen Victoria , together with an expression of regret at the loss sustained by her death . A similar motion was passed touching the late Bro . Samuel Pope , K . C .

The Provincial Grand Master appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year , as follow :

Bro . Charles K . Benson 1336 ... Senior Warden Robert Owen 3 84 ... Junior Warden Rev . T . Lloyd Kyffin ... " Chaplain James G . Tuxford ... Treasurer Dr . U . Arthur Hughes lqqS ... Registrar

Edward Roberts 606 ... Secretary Dr . R . A . a . ritchard 755 ... Senior Deacon R . W . Newton ... Junior Deacon William Jones 1488 ... Supt . of Works F . J . Gamlin 1674 ... Dir . of Ceremonies

Thomas Williams u 13 ... Asst . Dir . of Ccrs . W . Douglas Jones 1849 •••Sword Bearer A . L . Clews 1674 ... Standard Bearer Thomas Jones 1509 ... Ditto Garadoc Rowland ... Assistant Secretary

T . Westlake Morgan 1113 ... Organist W . Johnson 597 ... Pursuivant Benjamin Vickers 2423 ... Assistant lursuivant P . S . Gregory 3 S 4 ... Steward Richard Jones 3 S 4 ... Ditto

Joseph Picken 256 9 ... Ditto W . Godfrey Williams 1509 ... Ditto James Haworth ... Ditto H . Jones Roberts ... Ditto

William Williams ... Tyler . The Brethren attended service at the Cathedral , when the Rev . John Morgan ( rector of Llandudno ) delivered an address , and they afterwards dined together at the Casitle Hotel .

The next Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Welshpool . THE meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter was held

at Bangor , on the 30 th ult ., the Provincial Grand Superintendent Comp . John Ernest Greaves , Lord-Lieutenant of Carnarvon , presiding over a large attendance , and appointing and investing his Officers for the ensuing year as follow :

Comp . R . J . Davids 606 ... Second Principal Donald Cameron 384 ... Third Principal J . G . Tuxford 1509 ... Scribe E . Evan Humphreys 99 8 ... Scribe N . Edward Roberts 606 ... Treasurer

J . R . Pritchard 1509 ... Registrar J . Porter 2569 ... Principal Sojourner J . O . Morris 606 ... 1 st Assist . Soj . T . Westlake Morgan 384 ... 2 nd Assist . Soj . J . M . Brookes 998 ... Sword Bearer

O . R . Hughes 3 84 ... Standard Bearer W . A . Tuxford 2569 ... Dir . of Ceremonies Phil E . Jones 3 84 ... Asst . Dir . of Cers . G . R . Ashley 25 6 9 ... Organist

Joseph Dickens 256 9 ... Assist . Scribe E . Thomas Powis ... Janitor . A banquet was subsequently served at the Castle Hotel , the music being supplied by the Cathedral quartet .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — BERKS . AND OXON . THIS Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Masters held its annual communication at Abingdon on the 26 th ult ., under the presidency of Viscount Valentia , M . P ., Prov . G . M . M .

The meeting took place under the banner of the Abbey Mark Lodge , of which Bro . E . B . Ormond is W . M ., in the handsome Council Chamber of the ancient borough . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened with the usual formalities at half-past twelve by the Provincial Grand Master .

Previous to the ordinary business being proceeded with , the venerable ueputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . John Tomkins addressed the Brethren , and remarked that on that occasion they were again favoured with the presence of their worth y Provincial Grand Master Lord Valentia , who had