Freemasonry And Religion.

the reverse , that the Freemasons also have endured with constancy and fortitude . That Freemasonry should , in the present day , be ever associated with particular religious sects we think a misfortune . The Craft should be broad and comprehensive ,

recognising only grand and general principles , and disreregarding the minute diversities of creed and ceremonial . It has been well said that God made religion , but the Devil invented theology ; and it is certain that the Craft has nothing to gain and much to lose in respectability from mixing itself in the strife of contending sects .

Our Charities.

OUR CHARITIES .

On Saturday , the 9 th inst ., a Quarterly Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , St . John ' s-hill , Battersea-rise , was held at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , street , Lincoln ' s-Inn-Fields , Bro . Major Creaton P . G . D . V . P .

in the chair , supported by a numerous attendance of Life Governors and subscribers . After the general business , an election took place for six children from a list of thirty approved candidates , when the following were declared duly elected : — No . on List . No . of Votes .

19 . Lucy Maria Taylor 1431 13 . Edwina Russel Jones 1395 5 . Mary Louisa Bowler 1376 30 . Minnie Eliza Cowley 1348 12 . Fanny A . W . Saunders 1293 5 . Alice Elizabeth Kelley 1128 Amonst those present we noticed : —R . J . Spiers , Joshua

Nunn , Benjamin Head , F . Tyerman , Robert Kenyon , H . Browse , J . A . Rucker , A . H . Tattershall , H . G . Warren , Thomas Hill , Henry Smith , J . L . Hine , Raynham W .

Stewart , John Sutcliffe , R . Else , John Symonds , T . J . Sabine , J . Terry , Griffith Smith , H . A . Dubois , T . W . White , Edward Cox , R . B . Webster , R . Spencer , John Bodenham , Henry Dubosc .

At the Quarterly General Court of the Boys School , held on Monday , and referred to elsewhere , on the recommendation of the General Committee , the Court accepted a motion proposed by Bro . J . Turner and seconded by Bro . Major Creaton , to the following effect , namely— " That the

right to the presentation of a properly qualified boy , in perpetuity , for admission to this Institution , be secured to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire on payment to the funds of the Institution of £ 1 , 050 . " It was further resolved to admit one boy by purchase on 1 st January next . The following is a list of the successful candidates :

No . on List . No . of Votes 46 . Ernest Layers Price 2157 28 . Alfred James Green 2081 47 . Herbert Henry Sutton 2008 50 . John Lewellyu Jones 1992 18 . James Archibald Barclay 1925 25 . Elwood Blake Tibbits 1893 1 . Henry Morrison Shipway 1858 20 . Percy James 1839 2 . Robert Duff 1802 4 . William Reginald Hunter 1675

The regular monthly meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons was held on Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , Lincoln ' s Inn Fields , Bro . Major Creaton V . P . in the chair . Bro . Jas .

Terry read the minutes of the former meeting , and the report of the finance committee , which gave great satisfaction . Bro . Dennison submitted an estimate for a fence for the exterior of the building , £ 50 ; which was accepted . Four male and two female candidates were placed on the

lists of annuitants . Permission was given to one of the male annuitants to get married . It was announced that the Most Worshipful Bro . Lord Skelmersdale had consented to preside at the next anniversary festival . There were

also present Bros . S . Rawson , H . Browse , H . J . Warren , B . Head , Tattershall , J . Smith , J . Stevens , W . Stephens , T . W . White , Robert Wentworth Little , Stewart Wordsworth , H . M . Levy and C . Hogard .

CLITB HOUSB PLATING OABDS . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack , 14 s per dozen packs . Do . seconds is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by post lid per pack extra . Cards for Piquet , Bezique , Ecarte \ & c , Mogul Quality lOd per pack , 8 s per dozen packs . —London : W . W . Morgan . U 7 Barbican , E . C ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND .

BY command of Bro . the Right Hon . Earl Bective , Right worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Cumberland and West , morland , the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Crown Hotel , Penrith , on Friday , 1 st inst ., for the purpose of transacting the annual business of the Province . The meeting was held under the banner of the Lodge of Unanimity , No . 339 , Penrith , of which Sir R . C . Musgrave is W . M . It was first fixed

for Kirkby Lonsdale , and the brethren would have been entertained in a similar way to that of 1867 , when the Earl of Bective , M . P ., R . W . Provincial Grand Maste ., was M . W . of tho Underley Lodge , which position his lordship holds this year ; but the death of his daughter , a fortnight ago , necessitated fresh , arrangements , and the place of meeting was changed to Penrith .

There was a numerous attendance of brethren from Penrith , Kendal , Keswick , Kirkby Lonsdale , Appleby , Carlisle , Whitehaven , Workington , Cockermouth , Maryport , Wigton , & c , every ono of the eighteen Lodges in the Province being represented . Sir R . C . Musgrave W . M . of Lodge Unanimity was unavoidably absent . The following Provincial Officers were present : —Bro . John

Whitwell R . W . D . P . G . M ., Bro . Jas . Porter S . G . W ., Bro . John Talbot J . G . W ., Bro . the Rev . F . W . Wicks P . G . Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . Wm . Beeby , M . A ., Assistant P . G . Chaplain , Bro . John Lemon P . G . Treasurer , Bro . W . B . Gibson P . G . Secretary , Bro . Joseph Bintley P . G . Superintendent of Works , Bro . William Gill P . M . 872 , P . G . Director of Ceremonies , Bro . William Armstrong Assistant P . G .

Director of Ceremonies , Bro . Peter T . Freeman P . G . Organist , Bro . Edward Atter P . G . Pursuivant , Bro . James R . Bain P . G . Steward , Bro . James Postlethwaite P . G . Steward . The following Past Provincial Officers were present : —Bro . Joseph . Nicholson P . P . S . G . W . 371 Maryport , Bro . Thomas B . Arnison P . P . G . S . B . 339 , Penrith , Bro . Jas . Kirkbride P . P . G . P . 339 , Penrith

Bro . Jas . Wickham P . P . S . G . W . 339 Penrith , Bro . George Brooker P . P . G . P . P . M . 962 Workington , Bro . John Holme P . P . G . W ., Bro . Edward Busher P . P . G . S . W . and P . P . G . S . & o . and J . G . S . B . of Eng . land , Bro . John Bowes P . P . G . Reg . 129 , Bro . Thomas Robinson P . P . G . S . W . 338 , Bro . W . Tattersall P . P . S . VV . 129 , Bro . Wm . Kirk , bride P . P . G . Sec . P . M . 339 , Bro . J . Pearson P . P . S . D . 1002 , Bro . W . James P . P . G . S . D . 1074 , Bro . Alexander Taylor P . P . G . D . C . 310 , Bro .

W . R . Gregg 1074 , Bro . Wm . Lamouby P . G . T . 1073 , Bro . H . Rauthwell P . P . G . D . C . P . M . 129 , Bro . David Page P . G . S . B . P . M . 1074 , Bro . C . W . Braithwaite Wilson G . S . 259 , Prince of Wales 1299 and 1074 , Bro . Joshua Tyson P . P . G . S . and C . of Bective Lodge , Carlisle , Bro . Robert Rutherford P . P . A . P . G . D . C . and P . M . Greta Lodge 1073 Keswick , Bro . John Gate P . P . G . R . 327 , Bro . H . W . Hayward P . P . S . G . W ., Bro . T . R . Holme P . P . G . C . 812 P . M . 872 , Bro . Chas . J .

Smith P . P . G . J . D , I . P . M . 339 . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in the billiard-room , at the new Crown Hotel , which proved of far too limited dimensions , and caused much confusion amongst the large number present . Colonel Whitwell , M . P ., R . W . Deputy Grand Master , Past Grand Warden of England , presided , in the absence of the Earl of Bective , M . P . After the minutes had been read , the Grand Treasurer ' s

accounts were approved and adopted , as also" the Charity Committee ' s report , in which it was recommended that the support of all Lodges and individual subscribers in the province be accorded to the son of a deceased brother of Solway Lodge , Silloth , in order to insure his admission to the Freemasons' Boys' School in London . A notice of motion , signed by Bro . Thomas Dodgson , of Millom ,

was then taken into consideration , to the effect that it was desirable to form an institution in the Province for the education and advance , ment in life of the children of deceased and distressed Freemasons . A committee was thereupon formed , to report to next meeting , amongst the members being Colpnel Whitwell , M . P ., Lord Mnncaster , M . P ., Sir R . 0 . Musgrave , Bart ., Rev . Dr . Simpson ( Kirkby Stephen ) ,

Rev . E . Cockett ( Upperby ) , & c . Bro . John Lemon P . M . St . John ' s Lodge , Wigton , P . P . G . S . W . was unanimously re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer ; and Bro . J . Gardiner P . M . 371 , Maryport , was elected Provincial Grand T yler for the ensuing year . The officers for the year were invested by'the R . W . Acting Grand Master as follow : —

Deputy-Provincial Grand Master , Brother John Whitwell , Esq ., M . P ., Right W . Past Grand Warden of England P . M . and P . Z . 129 , Kendal . Senior Warden , Brother James Porter P . M . 327 , Wigton . Junior Warden , Brother William Todd P . M . 1074 , Kirkby Lonsdale .

Chaplain , Brother Rev . William Beeby W . M . 371 , Maryport . Assistant Chaplain , Brother Rev . C . H . Gem , 327 , Wigton . Treasurer , Brother John Lemon P . M . and P . Z . 327 , Wigton , P . P . G . S . W . Registrar , Brother Sir Richard Musgrave , Bart ., W . M . 339 , Penrith . Secretary , Brother W . B . Gibson P . M . and P . Z . 119 , Whitehaven

P . P . S . G . W . Senior Deacon , Brother C . J . Smith P . M . 339 , Penrith . Junior Deacon , Brother John Barr P . M . and P . Z . 119 , Whitehaven , P . P . G . S . B . Superintendent of Works , Brother J . E . Bain W . M . 1400 , Harrington . Director of Ceremonies , Brother T . B . Arnison P . M . 339 , Penrith , P . P . G . S . B .

Assistant Director of Ceremonies , Brother W . Armstrong P . M . 371 , Maryport . Sword Bearer , Brother W . Pratchofct P . M . 310 , Carlisle . Organist , Brother P . T . Freeman , 1073 , Keswick . Pursuivant , Brother James Cook W . M . 1532 , Carlisle . Tyler , Brother James Gardiner P . M . 371 , Maryport .

Provincial Grand Stewards . Brother W . M'Mechan W . M . 327 , Wigton . Brother Dr . Dinwoodie W . M . 812 , Appleby . Brother James J . Beattie P . M . 962 , Workington .