Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

The Report was unanimonsy approved , but the consideration of the snggestion contained in the last paragraph thereof was postponed . The Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . Tombs , produced the report of the Bye-laws Committee , accompanied by the Draft of the Byelaws , which snch Committee recommended for adoption . These

Byelaws having been already well discussed in the Province , and generally approved , no discussion now took place npon them . On the motiou of Sir G . Goldney , seconded by Lord 11 . F . Thynne , the report of the Committee was adopted , and the Bye-laws , as presented , were approved and passed , ancl ordered to bo submitted for the approval of Grand Lodge ; and it was resolved that if , and when ,

snob Bye-laws wiare so approved , they shonld be printed and circulated in the Province . Bro . James Powell W . M . of the receiving Lodgo—the Gooch Lodge , No . 1295—asked permission to introduce for tho approval of the Provincial Grand Master a banner whioh had been presented to the Gooch Locige , the device thereon being tho armorial bearings of the

esteemed brother from whom that Lodge was named— 'Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart . —formerly D . P . G . M . of Wilts , but now the R . W . Prov . G . M . of Berks and Bucks . Permission having been granted , Bro . Powell , accompanied by tho Past Masters of the Lodge , retired , and re-entered with tho banner in question . He begged leave to present their banner to the Provincial Grand Master , and to ask his sanction to

its being used as the banner of the Gooch Locige . Lord Methuen , in reply , said thafc he most willingly gave his sanction , ancl that it would have given him additional pleasure if their dear friend , Sir Daniel Gooch , whose name thoy saw on the banner before them , could himself have been present on tho occasion . Bro . Powell thanked tho P . G . M ., and the banner was hung in its

proper situation on tho walls of the Lodge room . Lord Methuen then said that a very pleasurable duty devolved upon him , and that was to recognise the services to the oanse of Charity of two brethren , who during the past year had acted as Stewards for two of the Masonic Charities . He called npon Bro . W . Nott Prov . Charity Secretary , who having in previous years twice

filled the office cf Steward for the Benevolent Institution , and once the like office for the Girls' School , and thereby become the possessor of the Charity jewel , and one bar , had in 1882 acted as Steward for the Boys' School ( with a lisfc of nearly £ 150 ) , and thus entitled to a second bar . This bar the P . G . M . now , in the name of the Provincial Grand Lodge , presented to Bro . Nott , coupling the presentation with

the remark that all the brethren were deeply indebted to him for his successful efforts during many years pasfc iu the furtherance of the cause of Masonic Charity in Wiltshire , aud fche hope fchafc the Province would long have the benefit of his services . Bro . Nott briefly returned thanks for the presentation , and expressed his gratification that his efforts in the cause of charity had

been so well supported , aud hoped that in the future he might still merit the approbation of his lordship and the brethren of the Province . The P . G . M . next called up Bro . Deputy Surgeon General Theobald Ringer , of Lodge 1533 , Marlborough ( and P . M . of Lodge 1308 ) , who had , during the past year , filled the office of Steward , both for the

Girls School and for the Boys School , taking up for the former fiftyfive , and for the latter fifteen guineas . This entitled him to the Charity Jewel , and such jewel the P . G . M . then , in accordance with the practice in the Province , presented on behalf of tho P . G . Lodge to Bro . Ringer . Lord Methnen expressed the pleasure it gave him to thus recognise Bro . Ringer ' s exertions , and that it was with still

further pleasure he found that brother s name down as one of the Stewards of the Province for the ensning year . Bro . Ringer thanked his Lordship and the brethren for this recognition of his services . The Provincial Grand Secretary read the letter issued by the Grand Secretary , dated 9 th November 1881 , declaring the precedence

of Grand Officers over all Provincial Grand Officers ( except Prov . G . Masters ) , whether in their own provinces or not . This letter was ordered to be entered on the minntes . The Committee as to Revised Book of Constitutions presented a report , in which certain alterations were recommended . This report was nnanimonsly adopted , and the alterations recommended were

directed to be submitted to Grand Lodge for consideration . The R . W . the Provincial Grand Master then addressed tho meotiug , congratulating himself and Masonry on the excellent attendance that day . Masonry in this Province , fostered as it had been by such Depnty Grand Masters as Sir Daniel Gooch in the past , and Sir Gabriel Goldney in tbe present , still maintained its position , and

showed that their influence on the Province had not been impaired by time . He himself felt deeply indebted to those Provincial Grand Officers , more especially to tho Prov . G . Secretary , Bro . Tombs , who so kindly took so much of the labour of the Province off his hands , and he hoped that when ho met them again he should be able , thanks to the valuable assistance of thoso Officers , to again

congratulate I hem on tho progress of Masonry in Wiltshire . Tho P . G . M . in alluding to several matters which had been brought before them , more especially called attention to that part of the minutes of a preceding P . G . L . which expressed disagreement with Bro . Clabon ' s proposition to increase the dues to the Grand Lodgo

Fund of Benevolence payable by Provincial brethren , and expressed a hope that the members of that P . G . L . would as far as possible make a point of attending Grand Lodgo when tho subject camo on for discussion there , in order to support the resolution of tho P . G . L . of Wiltshire . Lord Methuen then declared all offices vacant .

On the proposition of Lord II . I . Thynne , seconded by tho Rev . G . E . Gardiner , Bro . I *' . H . Goldney was re-elected by acclamation as Provincial Grand Treasurer . Tho Provincial Grand Oflicers fur the ensuing year wero then appointed and invested as follow : — Bro . Henry J . Birch 1295 P . G . Senior Warden Col . J . R . Ford 335 P . G . Junior Warden

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

Rev . Canon Millar 626 P . G . Chaplain F . H . Goldney 626 ( reelected ) ... P . G . Treasurer Thomas Ponting 1478 ( reappointed ) P . G . Registrar Henry C . Tombs 355 ( reappointed ) P . G . Secretary George Lopes 626 P . G . Senior Deacon Edwin Browne 1295 P . G . Junior Deacon

J . II . Chandler 663 P . G . Supt . of Worki John Chandler 355 ( reappointed ) P . G . D . C . James Powell 1295 P . G . A . D . C . T . C . P . Galley 355 P . G . S . B . Frederick Harding 355 P . G . Organist Joseph Gondge 1295 P . G . Pursuivant John Savory 355 ( reelected ) ... P . G . Tyler

This ended tho business of the meeting , and the Provincial Grand Lodgo was dnly closed . The brethren afterwards dined together at the Goddard Arms Hotel , under the presidency of the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , when tho usual Loyal and Masonio toasts wero duly given and warml y responded to .

We beg to draw our readers attention to a modest little Masonic work published this week , and entitled " Occasional Papers on the History of Freemasonry . " We cannot tako upon ourselves to say much as to the " Papers " themselves , which havo already appeared in our columns , nor

need wo lay much stress on the object in view in reproducing them in book form . They were compiled for the express purpose of being read in Lodges , and in Lodges of Instruction , and it is worthy of remark that , whenever any of them have been so read , they have met with a most

flattering reception from all present . Now that they are before the Masonic public , they will , we trust , remove a complaint that has been often made in connection with the said Lodges of Instruction , to the effect that brethren would more regularly attend those useful Lodges , and take a

greater interest in their proceedings , if there were occasional departures from the ordinary routine of work . These Papers , if utilised , will afford the much-needed relief from the monotony complained of . We have described the new publication as a modest little work , and modest it is ,

undoubtedly , in the important essential of price , which is only One Shilling . Our publisher has reason to be proud of this , when we bear in mind that the great obstacle to the

free spread of useful Masonic literature has always been the exorbitant prices charged for works of no greater pretensions , and oftentimes possessing less interesting and instructive matter than this .

On Thursday , the 2 nd instant , the members of the Lechmere ( Lodge , No . 1874 , meeting at the Masonic Hall , Kidderminster , Worcestershire , paid a tribute of their respect to Bro , George Taylor , Prov . Grand Secretary , and Prov . Charity Secretary , who was first W . M . of this Lodge , by

presenting him with a magnificent Past Master ' s jewel , specially manufactured by Bro . H . T . Lamb , , of St . John ' s Square , Clerkenwell . The design embodies the Borough

Arms , and the Arms and Crest of Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of Worcestershire , after whom the Lodge is named . Tbe following is the inscription : —

Presented to Bro . GEORGE TAYLOR , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Secretary , P . M . 377 and 1874 , ancl W . M . 560 , on the termination of his year of office as W . M . of the Lechmere Lodge , No . 1874 , in recognition of his labonrs in promoting its foundation , March 1882 .

On Thursday Bro . Richard Wilder was elected Mayor of Wallingford .

Mr . Paul Moritt , tho well-known dramatist , whose name has become a household word throughout fcho entire English-speaking world in connection with such extraordinary dramatic successes as " Youth , " "Tho World , " "New Babylon , " " Stolen Kisses , " " Mankind , " and " For Ever , " has just completed an original ulfcra-sousational story of domestic interest , called " The Hidden Million , " which

has just been secured by tho proprietors of tho Pictorial World , and will form tho entire Christmas number of that paper . Tho Story will bo illustrated , by such distinguished artists as Robert Macbeth , Frederick Barnard , Hal Ludlow , Wal Paget , F . Burton , F . Barratal , W . ii . Wollon , Charles Wyllio , M . Groiffenhagen , Lucien Davis , E . F . Brewtnall , Sidney Paget , and John Leighton , F . S . A .