Royal Arch.

Durham Charities , ten to the Education Fund and ten to the Hudson Benevolent Fund . The calling of the roll showed the whole of the Chapters in the Province to be numerically and financially in a sound condition .

the Provincial Grand Superintendent addressed the Companions , and said he had had some reluctance in accepting Office , because he had not been able to devote the time he wished to Royal Arch Masonry ,, but they must take the will for the deed . Whilst he retained the position he would

always endeavour to do his duty , and he assured them that his earnest desire was to see Royal Arch Masonry flourish in the Province . Royal Arch Masonry in the Province bore a most rosy hue . It was steadily increasing , and he believed that there was not a single Chapter which did not show a

considerable increase during the twelvemonth . At the beginning of the year they had 554 fully-paid up members , and this number had increased to 590 . From 1890 to 1900 the number had steadily increased from 372 to" nearly 600 , although during that time only one new Chapter had been

added to the roll . They were , happily , not yet at the end of their expansion . He deprecated , however , the forming of either weak Chapters or Lodges . He congratulated the Province upon the state of its finances , and alluded to the

fact that this year they had been able to grant twenty guineas to Durham Masonic Charities , against ten guineas last year . Comp . Adam Dodds was elected Treasurer , and . Comps . R . H . Holme and T . R . Jobson Auditors .

The Provincial Grand Superintendent afterwards invested his Officers .

Essex.

ESSEX .

THE annual Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the

Crane Court Assembly Rooms , at Chelmsford , on Wednesday , 27 th ult ., excellent arrangements for the occasion having been made by the Principals and Companions of the Essex Chapter , No . 276 .

His Honour Judge Philbrick , K . C ., Grand Superintendent presided , and was well supported . The minutes of the last Grand Chapter , held at Colchester , having been read and confirmed , letters and telegrams were read from several Companions unavoidably prevented from attending .

The roll of Chapters was then called by the Prov . G . S . E . Bro . T . J . Railing and all but one of the fourteen forming the Province were found to be fully representee ! . The report of the Board of General Purposes was presented by Comp . John J . C . Turner P . P . G . J ., who also moved

its adoption . It stated that the roll of Chapters in the Province had been increased to fourteen by the Consecration , on 23 rd April , of a Chapter attached to the St . Andrew Lodge , Shoeburyness , No . 1817 . There had been during the year twenty-nine exaltations and twenty-three joining

members , against which the resignations had been seventeen , the deaths six , and exclusions seventeen , leaving the total membership of the Province at the close of the year 369 , against 357 last year . The motion for the adoption of the report having been duly seconded , it was carried unanimously . The next business was the election of three members to

serve on the Board of Genral Purposes for the ensuing year , and as only the required number had been nominated the Provincial Superintendent declared them to be elected , as follow : Comps . John J . C . Turner P . Z . 51 P . P . G . J ., W . E . Dring P . Z . 453 P . P . G . H , and George Cowell P . Z . 214 P . A . G . Soj . and P . P . G . S . N .

The Superintendent , in his address to the Companions , said it gave him great pleasure to meet them in the town of Chelmsford , recalling as it did to his mind the day when he was installed as the ruler of Royal Arch Masonry in that Province at Chelmsford by that eminent Companion , the late

Earl of Lathom , whose memory would remain green for many long years to come . They could hardly realise the regret which he felt at being unable to be present at the Consecration of the last Chapter formed in the Provincethe St . Andrew , at Shoeburyness—but he was at the time

laid up through a most painful attack of sciatica , and could but express by telegram , as he repeated now by word of mouth , that he wished the Chapter and its Companions every prosperity . Previous to the Consecration of that Chapter

their number stood at thirteen , a number which those who were superstitious considered to be unlucky , though why the number fourteen , which included thirteen , was more lucky he failed to understand . As they now stood with fourteen

Essex.

Chapters they had twice seven—equalling fourteen—which was truly Masonic , though number nine was more of a Royal Arch number . What their numbers might be that time next year he would not prophesy , but there were whisperings in the air of petitions in course of signature for the founding of

new Chapters . All he could say was that , speaking with a deep sense of the responsibility of his position , where there was sufficient material to found a Royal Arch Chapter and sufficient Companions to support it , he should be pleased to give it every encouragement . They did not want to see a

number of weak Chapters whose light would burn with a high flame for a short time and then go out with a snuff , as that would not be creditable to a great Province like that to which they were proud to belong . He was told in the West of England that Essex was thoroughly in earnest in the

work of Masonry , and he felt proud to be connected with a Province which had such a name and reputation . That meeting was a kind of annual stocktaking , as he thought he had on similar occasion remarked , a time when they reviewed the past and looked forward to the future with hope . This

was the eighteenth anniversary of the formation of the Prov . Grand Chapter at Chelmsford , and the result of that formation were patent to all the Masonic world . They were meeting that day under the banner of the Essex Chapter , and he was glad to see a face amongst them , among many

faces that he was glad to see , that of Comp . Andrew Durrant . It was said that a prophet had no honour in his own country , but he thought they would agree with him that Comp . Durrant was a living example to the contrary . He was greatly appreciated , not only as father of the Chapter

but as one who had done a great amount of work for Masonry in Essex , and had been the elected Treasurer of Provincial Grand Chapter ever since its formation .. In

conclusion the Provincial Grand Superintendent enjoined the Companions to do all they could for the various Chapters to which they belonged , so that they might be examples of good and harmonious working .

The election of a Provincial Grand Treasurer then took place , and Comp . Andrew Durrant was unanimously re-elected for the nineteenth year , on the motion of Comp . Vera W . Taylor , seconded by Comp . George Corbie . The Prov . Grand Superintendent then appointed his Officers for the ensuing year .

On the motion of the Prov . Grand Superintendent a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Principals and Companions of the Essex Chapter for the excellent arrangements they had made for the meeting , which was duly acknowledged by Comp . C . Williams M . E . Z .

The Provincial Superintendent having announced that the meeting for next year would be held at Romford , the Prov . Grand Chapter was closed . About fifty Companions afterwards dined together at the White Hart Hotel , Chelmsford , under the genial presidency of the Prov . G . Superintendent .

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

THE annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and celebration of the Festival of St . Andrew took place in Edinburgh , on Monday , 2 nd insL , attended by a large

gathering of Scottish Freemasons . The business meeting was held at four o ' clock in the hall of the Royal Arch Masons in Queen Street . The chair was occupied by Past Grand Master Lord Saltoun , supported by Past Grand Master the Earl of Haddington and other Grand Officers .

The acting Grand Master declared all the elective Offices vacant , and thereafter moved the re-election of the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., as Grand Master Mason , and this was unanimously adopted . Then the Grand Master was introduced , and installed . The other members nominated by Grand Lodge were next elected and installed .

The Grand Master thanked the Brethren for re-election for what he-took to be his third and last time as Grand Master Mason of Scotland . He was thankful from his heart to them for having done so , and could assure them that the work had been a real pleasure to him , owing to the magnificent

cooperation and support of everyone connected with the Grand Lodge . Fie thanked the Grand Committee , which he had always called the Cabinet of Freemasonry , and said that he

could not speak too highly of the services of the Grand Secretary . Bro . Reid had been perfectly invaluable to him . He was a man in whom he could rely with the utmost confidence , and he was deeply grateful to the Brethren for having