Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

sung by Bro . G . Fox , Bro . Giddy expressed his appreciation of tho high honour he as a guest had in proposing the next toast , one which was sure to bo received with much enthusiasm . Ho would ask to be allowed to give expression to his feelings on attending Prov . Grand Lodge that day , and witnessing how successfully their Prov . G . Master conducts the business beforo him . You must be

proud of having a leader such as your Graud Master , who rules with temperance and exercises mercy and justice in all he does . He is well-known throughout the country as a good man and Mason . In response to a hearty reception of tho toast , R . W . Bro . Col . Burdett Prov . G . Master expressed his sense of the enthusiastic reception he had received . He had had the honour to preside over the Province of

Middlesex for ten years , and it was gratifying to him and the Prov . G . Officers , indeed , to all present , to see it in its present position . This was due to the united exertions of the Grand Lodge Officers , and Officers who preside over the private members and Lodges in so praiseworthy a manner ; while this continues Prov . Grand Lodge of Middlesex will surely bold its own . He might bo considered

during the ten years to havo governed tho Lodgo with a rod of iron , but however that might be , he must say thafc th « re had been no necessity to use the Officers with severity or a rod of iron . The Right Worship ful Brother then read the following letter he had just received from the vicar whose church had been so kindly devoted to their service that day , and for which they were deeply indebted to the reverend gentleman : —

Stanmore Vicarage , 28 fch June 1879 . My Dear Sir , —I am much flattered by your invitation to join your banquet , especially as I understand ifc is nofc your rule to admit other than Masons . It is , unfortunately , nofc in my power to leave home this evening at all , as I am very especially engaged ; otherwise I need not say bow gladly I would have expressed to you all the pleasure with which I welcomed so excellent a Craft

to my church and parish . I have to thank you for a contribution of £ 3 17 s in aid of our parish schools . We are sadly in want of two additional desks , with one of which your liberality will provide us , and which shall be called the " Freemasons' Desk . " Will you be so good as to say for me that I hope it will nofc be the last timo that you may visit a place , where you will , as long as I am bore , always find a hearfcy welcome . Yours truly , L . J . BERNAYS .

This letter was read amid the cheers of tbo brethren , and it was decided to supplement the collection , so as to enable the vicar to procure both the desks be required . Bro . Cozens favoured tbe brethren with the song "The Blue Alsatian Mountains , " and the R . W . P . G . M . next proposed the Provincial Grand Officers' toast , one which he

said they were all glad to hear and to regard . Having paid all respect dno to the Grand Lodge Officers , they should also give their own Grand Officers dne honour . They had always been energetic in performing their dntios . Unfortunately onr Deputy G . M . Bro . Sir Charles Bright had been obliged to leave early , as also had Bro . T . J . SabireS . W . Bro . Dubois the J . W . is known

to you all . He will never bo found wanting when any duty is required of him . If we can say all the Officers still do their duty in the very excellent and efficient manner they have for tho ten years past we may be suro of the continued prosperity of tho Prov . G . Lodgo . Bro . H . A . Dubois J . W . said the brethren had been pleased to call upon him for a response to their hearfcy reception of the toasfc .

Unfortunately , the R . W . P . G . M . had spoken of his endeavours in the past , but he felt the other Officers deserved praise , and while serving them and the Province they were proud to be doing suit and service . He trusted he might still continue to deserve the praise bestowed on him , and that he might be permitted to see a continuance of the admirable rule of the R . W . P . G . M ., which all felt

so hi ghly the value of . Bro . Farquharson here gave an amusing rendering of the " Little Fat Man , " responding to an encore b y singing " Tom the Tinker . " The toast of tho Visitors was next honoured . Tbe R . W . P . G . M . said that among their many toasts was one which was suro to be heartily responded to . They wero glad to find their P . G . Lodge honoured by a number of

distinguished visitors giving it their presence and sanction , evincing that their Grand Lodge was worth supporting . One waa a distinguished brother—in fact at the top of the tree—Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke , who was an old friend , and had been of great service to him in Masonry , and he was well qualified to perform tho highest duties tho Craft required . Were be not present , be might probably

say much more ; however , he was an excellent brother and dear friend , and he hoped they would havo the pleasure of seeing him for many years amongs them . "The Village Blacksmith" was here sung by Bro . Fox , after which Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke returned thanks for the kind manner in which they had toasted the Visitors . All fully agreed with what was said by Bro . Giddy , and

congratulated the Province upon the grace with which it was ruled . If the R . W . P . G . M . had ruled the Lodge with a rod of iron , as he had said he had certainly concealed it under a silken glove . Ho ( Bro . Gierke ) had watched the progress of the Lodge , and seen it fulfil the promise of its youth . He thought the R . W . P . G . M . must havo made the acquaintance of the clerk of the weather , and arranged for

the beautiful weather of the day , as a Mason , by " squaring " him . Ho had been thero before , and hoped to be thero again . In proposing tho Masonic Charities , the R . W . P . G . M . alluded to the great success thatattendedtheFestiv . il of the Boys'Institution on the previous Wednesday—a success which did honour to Freemasonry and the world—a success which surprises those who are not

acquainted with our Craft , but who , visiting our Institutions , find how excellent are the arrangements . Many brethren do thoir part to promote the welfare of these Institutions , among whom may be mentioned the names of Bros . Terry and Hedges ; both exert themselves nobly for their benefit , their labours resulting in the bringing w of £ 11 , 000 or £ 13 , 000 respectively to those Institutions j but among

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

all who work for tho good of tho Masonic Charities thoy could not havo a moro ablo advocate than Bro . Binckes . Bros . II . G . Buss P . G . Tr . Middlesex Asst . G . S . here road letters from Bro . Terry , who regretted being unable to attend in consequence of a previous engagement , and from Bro . Hedges , whoso official duties prevented him from coming . A duet by Bros . Cozens aud Fox having enlivened tho

proceedings , Bro . F . Binckes returned thanks for tho cordial reoeption which his name , coupled with the Masonic Charities , had received . It could not be otherwise than gratifying to him to hear what had been said , and thafc tco by brethren conversant with tho subject of the Benevolent Institutions . In a long and able speech Bro . Binckes gracefully acknowledged tho many services which thoso around him had rendered to the Institution with which ho wis

connectod , and thanked them especially for tho splendid return thoy had assisted in procuring on the occasion of tho recent Festival . After some very pleasing mnsic , the Tyler was summoned , and the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge was closed , the brethren separating at an early hour , to catch their various trains home . Every attention was paid to the comfort of the visiting brethren , and tho untiring efforts of those responsible were crowned with success . In addition

to those mentioned , the following wero present : —Bros . F . W . Lavender P . M . 1415 , C . Thompson W . M . 1237 , E . H . Bright P . M . 778 , J . Hurst P . M . 1512 , H . Lovegrove S . W . 1777 , H . Mead P . M . 788 , T . Verity S . W . 1191 , J . W . Davis P . M . 282 , W . Grist J . W . 1637 , W . Stephens W . M . 1637 , W . Radford S . W . 1702 , Thomas Keene P . M . 1415 , H . C . Finch P . M . 708 , J . C . Walla J . W . 1702 , J . R . Nichols W . M . 1367 , J . M . Lambert PM . 112 , H . Massey P . M . 619 , G . H . Stephens 1623 , & c , & c .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SUFFOLK .

THE Provincial Graud Lodge held its annual meeting on Monday , under the banner of tho Prudence Lodge 388 , at Halesworth . The lodge was held at the Congregational School-room , where upwards of 200 brethren assembled . The room was very nicely decorated with festoons of evergreens and with flowers in pots . The banners of the Provincial Grand Lodge were placed behind the chair , aud the following Lodge banners were put round the room : —Doric 81 , Unity 71 ,

British Union 114 , St . John's 225 , Virtue and Silence 382 , Prudence 388 , Phoenix 516 , Fidelity 555 , Prince of Wales' 959 , Royal St . Edmund ' s 1008 , Stour Valley 1224 , Wavency 929 , Adair 936 , and Perfect Friendship 376 . Afc about 1 . 30 the brethren received tho R . W . P . G . M . Lord Waveney , with tho usual Masonic honours , and ho was escorted to the chair , and , together with tho ll . W . D . P . G . M .,

Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn P . G . C , was sainted in due form . The other Provincial Grand Officers present were .- --Bros . W . Pago T . Phillips P . S . G . W ., W . O . Chambers P . P . J . G . W ., F . B . Strathern P . P . J . G . W ., P . Allez P . P . G . S . W ., 0 . S . Pcdgrifo P . P . G . R ,, Fred . Minter P . G . R , W . C . Randall P . P . G . P ., G . Abbott I' . G . S . Ii ., W . T . Westgato P . P . D . C ., Rev . W . W . Bird P . G . C , C Schuh-ii P . P . G . D . C ,

N . Tracy P . P . J . W ., T . Newman P . P . G . P ., A . Crackiicll P . G . S ., J . Read P . P . G . S . W . Norfolk , T . Holland P . P . G . D . C , T . Noble P . P . J . D ., Rev . M . Menser P . P . G . O . of Norfolk , T . J . flmlcllcston P . G . Tr ., W . H . Lucia P . G . Sec , W . Wilmshurst P . P . G . S . D ., C . F . Browne P . G . S . The minutes of the last meeting were tnkou as rend avd adopted , as also the report of the General Purposes Committee . The

following brethren were thon invested by the R . W . P . G . M . as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing vear : —Bros . E . P . Yonell Gorleston S . G . W ., H . C . Casley Ipswich " J . G . W ., T . J . Wentworth Ipswich S . G . D ., R . W . Flick Saxmundham J . G . D ., Rev . J . W . Collins Clare Chaplain , W . H . Lucia Bury St . Edmund ' s G . Sec , T . J . Huddleston Bury St . Edmund ' s G . Treas ., F . Grimwood Hadleigh G . Registrar ,

W . B . Jeffries Ipawicb G . Superintendent of Works , W . Clarke London G . Director of Ceremonies , C . W . Dance Lowestoft G . A . D . of Ceremonies , A . Cracknell Eye G . Sword Bearer , J . M . Harvey Saxmundham G . Pursuivant , B . Syer Ipswich G . Tyler , R . Garrod 555 and J . P . Smyth 929 Grand Stewards . The R . W . P . G . M . adverted to tho satisfactory working of the plan adopted of electing the officers

yearly , and the brethren then adjourned to the church , where an excellent sermon was preached by the R . W . Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . J . W . Collins , rector of Clare , from the following texts : —Hebrews xiii . 1 , " Let brotherly love continue ; " Acts xx . 35 , " 'Tia more blessed to give than to receive ; " and Proverbs xii . 19 , " The lipa of truth shall bo established for ever . " The service was rendered

especially attractive by the performances of the choir of the Albert Memorial College , Framlingham , who attended afc Halesworth to take part in the ceremony . Tho collection amounted to £ 9 10 s 5 £ d . At the conclusion of the service the procession was reformed , and the brethren returned to the Lodge . A resolution was passed increasing the collection to £ 10 10 a , to bo divided between tho

Church and Nonconformist schools of the town . Thanks were also passed to the rector of Halesworth for placing tho church at thu disposal of tho Loclgo , and to the managers of the school fjr granting the use of tho building . Tho Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master then delivered an address , tie referred , in feeling and appropriate terms , to the loss sustained in the death of Past .

Provincial Grand Master Bro . Head , bearing testimony to his etr . inrnr , service to the Province . Having also alluded io the po-iE ^ u oi in-Provinces of Norfolk and Essex , and the cordial lueliog uz . « i : n ' between the three Provinces , and to the success which bus auei . elect the Craft in Suffolk , he went on to speak of the efforts maiio by tho Masons of Ipswich to provide a hall in which the brethren ot tha Province might meet . The first efforts were not

successful—cirunmstances were stronger than men , and all the industry that was exercised in the building of that hall , aud the taste employed in its decoration , and the preparation made to render it a fitting resort for the Masons of the Province , were , from circumstances entirely beyond control , defeated , and the hall had to be consigned to purposes oiher than those of the Craft . But undaunted by that unfortunate circumstance , the Lodges of Ipswich had revived their efforts , and had