Royal Arch.

On the motion of Companion James Cookson , the sum of £ 5 was voted towards the expenses of the Provincial Grand Chapter . At the conclusion of the meeting the company adjourned

to the Florist Hotel , Shaw Heath , where a first-class banquet was provided by Companion William Slack , the host , thirtyfive of the principal Officers and Companions supporting the Provincial Grand Superintendent , who presided . The usual Loyal and Arch toasts were submitted and honoured .

The proceedings terminated shortly after nine o ' clock , with the singing of the National Anthem . The meeting and after proceedings were pronounced to be one of the most successful Provincial Chapters held since the Hon . A . de

Tatton Egerton , M . P ., was appointed Provincial Grand Superintendent , and augurs well for the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge appointed to be held in Stockport in igoo , when we are quite sure Earl Egerton ol Tatton Provincial Grand Master of Cheshire will receive a most cordial and hearty welcome . — " Stockport Advertiser . "

Monmouthshire.

MONMOUTHSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held on Thursday , 5 th inst ., at Pontypool , under the presidency of Comp . Col . Charles Lyne Prov . G . Superintendent . The usual business of the year was transacted , the Officers being duly appointed .

Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

THE eighth annual service tor Brethren 01 the district 01 Plymouth will be held at St . Paul's Church , Morice Square , Devonport , on Sunday , 5 th November , at 3 . 30 p . m ., when the preacher will be Bro . Rev . Frederick King , M . A ., Vicar of Southmolton . P . M . 421 P . P . G . C . Bro . J . W .

Wingate has kindly consented to play a violin solo ( "Reverie , " by Vieuxtemps ) at the commencement of the service " , and Bro . Philip Wright will sing "The Shepherd of the Fold . " Bro . G . Hele jun . will preside at the organ . The collection will be given to the Royal Albert Hospital .

Years ago the Freemasons of Somerset promised to raise sufficient money to restore the west front of the Abbey to some of its ancient glory , but beyond the raising of some two or three hundred pounds nothing further was done . The great scheme of internal restoration in the time of Prebendary

Kernble , although a complete success , was a very expensive undertaking , but I am told the present scheme for restoring the west front and replacing some of the fast-decaying architectural beauty of the ancient building will cost about one-tenth of what was spent then . The subscription list ,

which has been open for some few months , has been liberally patronised , and perhaps no more striking proof of the generosity of Churchmen in this city can be furnished than the fact that within the short space of three or four years no less than £ 20 , 000 has been subscribed by them for Church

work . Half the sum required for the restoration of the west front has already been collected , or promised , and there is no doubt that the remaining thousand pounds will soon be forthcoming , for the preservation appeals alike in interest to members of all religious sections . — " Bath Argus . "

Referring to this subject , the " Bath Chronicle " says "the amount required is very moderate , the estimated cost being only £ 2 , 000 , and towards this some £ 1 , 100 has been given or promised . This includes £ 300 or £ 400 which the bankers have husbanded for several years as the remanet of a

subscription which the Masonic body initiated for the very purpose when the work was originally undertaken . A graceful , and , we are sure we may say a grateful , addition to

the subscription list would be a donation from the Masons of to-day , 'In Memoriam' of their Brethren who , ' emulating the example of the Craftsmen of old , set about restoring the temple , but were summoned to the Grand Lodge above ere their work was done and their intentions were fulfilled . "

It will be remembered that at the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , held at Southampton recently , a handsome presentation was made to Bro . Edgar Goble , of Fareham , in recognition of his services for many years as Provincial Grand Secretary , from

Church Service.

which office he retired on his appointment as Deputy Prov . Grand Master on the vacation of that office by Bro . Le Feuvre . " From a statement just issued , we gather that the total contributions to the Testimonial Fund amounted to

£ 286 16 s from forty-seven out of the forty-eight Lodges of the Province or private members thereof . The tea and coffee service cost £ 163 12 s 6 d , the gold watch and silver bowl

£ 57 10 s , and the ring for Mrs . Goble £ 51 . A Life-Governorship in one of the Charities was also purchased for Mrs . Goble , and after payment of expenses a balance of nine shillings was left , which was handed to the Almoner's Fund of Bro . Goble ' s Lodge , the Harmony , at Fareham .

What does this mean ? What serious trouble is at the bottom of the following vaguely worded paragraph by our worthy Scotch contemporary the " Mallet , " in the " Glasgow Evening News . " "An official of the Grand Lodge of

England has given our Brethren of America a poor idea of our system this side the Atlantic . It appears a representative company waited upon the official in question at the headquarters in London , and were curtly , without explanation ,

denied audience .. Officials , even when highly paid , should not be exclusive in Freemasonry , and visitors with friendly , not to say Fraternal intent , should in any circumstances be treated with courtesy . "

The Vicar of St . Cyprian ' s , Brockley , on the occasion of a recent social gathering , congratulated the meeting on the fact that operations had been begun for the building of a permanent church . The date had not yet been fixed for the laying of the foundation stone , but he hoped that it would be

on an early day in the spring . It had been suggested that it should , be laid with Masonic honours , but as the Countess of Dartmouth had already been asked to perform the ceremony he did not see how that could be done—perhaps , however , Lord Dartmouth might be asked to represent the Countess .

It . is with extreme regret we learn that our worthy Bro . G . E . Higginson P . M . 1791 , who is Preceptor of several Lodges of Instruction in the West End of London , is lying dangerously ill at his residence in Shepherd's Bush , and but

little hope is entertained that he will recover . Bro . Higginson ' s name is particularly known in connection with Section working , and he is considered to be one who cannot be excelled in either putting or answering the questions . He has our best wishes for a complete restoration to health .

Bros . Alderman Treloar and Alfred Henry Bevan Grand Treasurer , the new Sheriffs of the City of London , were formally admitted to office on the 28 th ult ., at the Guildhall ,

in succession to Bros . Alderman Alliston and Colonel Clifford Probyn , whose period of shrievalty had expired . The proceedings were conducted with all the old-fashioned ceremonial .

The " Daily Chronicle " is responsible for the following story of Freemasonry on Majuba Hill . A slightly wounded commissariat officer was being covered by the rifle of a Boer sharpshooter , when the former made a Masonic sign . The

Boer lowered his rifle , and stepping over to the other , made him a prisoner , but treated him in a specially hospitable fashion as a Brother member of the Craft . The commissariat man ascertained that Mr . Kruger and General Joubert were also Freemasons .

The humours of Freemasonry . —At a Lodge not a hundred miles from Shaftesbury Avenue , which was recently being opened in the third degree , the Junior Warden ( who by the way was an old Past Master ) was asked by the Worshipful

Master " Whence come you ? " The Brother replied " From Babylon , Most Excellent , " which reply was greeted with a smile by the Royal Arch Companions present .

Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , Bart , M . P ., has been elected Master of the Spectaclemakers Company for the year ensuing ; Sir William Hart-Dyke , M . P ., t-e Upper Warden ; and Sir Marcus Samuel the Renter Warden .

The members of the Perseverance Lodge , No . 573 , Halesowen , are busy at work preparing for the celebration of the Jubilee of their Lodge , which occurs next year .