Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — CORNWALL . THE Provincial Grand Chapter annual meeting was held under the banner of the Rose of Sharon Chapter , No . 1006 , in the Chapter Rooms , at Redruth , on Tuesday , 13 th instant . Sir Charles Graves-Sawle presided in the place of the

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , who was unable to be present , and he made feeling reference to the death of the late Comp . E . D . Anderton Prov . G . Scribe E ., and to Lord Lathom , to the relatives of whom it was ordered that votes of sympathy should be sent .

The calling of the roll of Chapters showed that every one in the county was represented , the attendance being beyond expectatiop . The financial statement , and , the report ofthe Provincial Grand Scribe E . Bernard F . Edyvean P . G .. Sword Bearer Eng ., were received . The following Officers were appointed :

Comp . Sir 0 . Graves-Sawle - - - H . Gilbert Pearca - - - . 3 . B . E . Edyvean .... Scribe E . B . M . Miiford - - - . Soribe N . Venning ..... Treasurer Osborne - Principal Sojourner Ghilcott ..... Assistant Sojourner

Sampson ..... 2 nd Assistant Sojourner G . S . Bray ..... Registrar : P . W . Dabb .... Sword Bearer Tresidder - Standard Bearer Bowlings - - - - - Assistant Scribe E . White - - - - Assistant Dir . of Oers . Trethewey ..... Organist .

Gloucestershire.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

THE Grand Superintendent of Gloucestershire the Right Hon . Sir Michael E . Hicks Beach , Bart ., M . P . presided on the gth inst ., at a meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter held at the Masonic Hall , Cheltenham . The Chapter was in mourning , and very sympathetic reference was made from the chair to the sad circumstances under which Lord Lathom ' s death occurred , and to the loss which Masonry had sustained .

After receiving the Treasurer ' s report and transacting routine business , the following Officers ofthe Province were appointed for the ensuing year :

Comp . B . V . Vassar-Smith - - - H . James David - - - 3 . James B . Winterbotham - - - Scribo E . ' George Pike .... Scribe N . James Bruton .... Treasurer E . L . Baylis - - - - Eegistrar B . J . Weston . ... Principal Sojourner

E . Hannam-Clark - - - - 1 st Assist . Sojourner Alfred Baker .... 2 nd Assist . Sojourner T . Bobins - - - . . Sword Bearer H . 3 . Brewer .... Standard Bearer Conway Jones .... Director of Ceremonies 3 . A . Matthews .... Organist Llewellyn Evans - Assistant Soribe E .

Prov . G . Chapter having been closed in due form , the Companions dined together in the banqueting room , under the Provincial Grand Superintendent's presidency . In the course of the proceedings , the Chairman mentioned the fact that since the formation of Prov . G . Chapter , sixteen years

ago , he had not missed a single one of its meetings . He had had some other engagements during that time , and the fact that he could say what he now said showed , he thought , how much he valued the relaxation of these meetings with

his Brethren in Gloucestershire . Speaking of Lord Lathom , he bore eloquent testimony to his character as a man and a Mason , recalling the fact that they had been boys together at Eton , and that their friendship had thus been life-long in its duration .

In reference to the same subject , the Rev . Comp . Martyn mentioned as an interesting fact that he , Lord Lathom , and their Grand Superintendent had been admitted as Masons at three successive meetings in the same Lodge , and that fraternal friendship had been continuous and unbroken throughout the years that had elapsed until Lord Lathom ' s death .

One other remark by the Grand Superintendent will have an interest for local Masons . While speaking of the position which Cheltenham deservedly held in the Province , he tnggt & led that the time had ccn . e when , if that position

Gloucestershire.

was to be supported , an effort should be made to increase the accommodation which their meeting place offered , and make it adequate for such gatherings as that at which he had that day presided .

King Oscar of Sweden and Norway , who will attain the age of seventy next January , has just celebrated his fifty years' jubilee as a Freemason , when deputations from all parts of Sweden and some foreign countries assembled at

Stockholm to congratulate the Grand Master of the Swedish Craft . Many English Freemasons will remember King Oscar ' s appearance at the Girls School Centenary Festival at

the Albert Hall some ten years ago , on which occasion the Prince of Wales told the assemblage that he had become a Freemason on King Oscar ' s advice .

The new chiefs of Norfolk appear to be devoting themselves most heartily to the work of the Province , both Bro . Hamon le Strange and his Deputy being among those present at the recent meeting of the Suffield Lodge , at

North Walsham . The Provincial Grand Master himself installed the new Master , and proposed the toast of his health at the banquet subsequently held .

Bro . George R . Ceiley , A . R . C . O ., Organist of the Sympathy Lodge , No . 4 83 , has been offered and has accepted the position of Organist and Chpir master of St . John ' s ,

Cambridge Gardens , Kilburn , N . W ., of which church the Vicar , the Rev . Sinclair Moore , M . A ., is also a member of the Craft .

Bro . Henry Sadler , Grand Tyler and Sub Librarian of England , read an interesting paper on "Tylers and Tyling " before the Israel Lodge of Instruction on Sunday , and received a cordial vote of thanks for his kindness .

The first annual ball of the Officers and members of the Commercial Travellers' Lodge , No . 2631 , which took place on Friday evening , 2 nd inst ., at the Assembly Rooms ,

Hardman Street , Liverpool , proved a most successful and enjoyable social function . The arrangements were made by a Committee under the control of Brother J . T . Bramley W . M . of the Lodge .

Bro . W . G . Curtis Worshipful Master , and the Brethren of the St . Hilda Lodge , are to be congratulated upon the unique success which attended the ball given under their

auspices in the Town Hall , Wallingford , on Wednesday , 7 th inst . Upwards of 120 responded to the invitations sent out , and kept up the dancing with gusto until four o'clock next morning .

It may be regarded as certain that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will not be able to accept the invitation of the Masons of Virginia , to visit America next year in connection with the Washington Centennial celebrations .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

" A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

EVIDENCE of the great esteem in which the late Bro . Samuel Jew , of Stonehouse , was held was manifested by the large attendance of Freemasons and others at his funeral on Saturday . The deceased was one of the oldest Freemasons in the Province of Devon , being a member of several Craft Lodges . He was also a P . M . of Lodge Fortitude , a P . P . G . T .

of Devon , and held Provincial rank in the Arch and Mark . Deceased was formerly a Quartermaster-Sergeant in the Royal Marines . He retired from the service in 1865 , and was not long since the recipient of a meritorious-service medal , which carried with it an annuity . He died at his

residence , Stonehouse , on the 7 th inst ., at the age of eightytwo . We learn that about six weeks ago , when entering the Freemasons' Hall , Plymouth , to attend a Masonic Lodge , Bro . Jew tripped and fell over a step , in consequence of his

falling eyesight , and was severely shaken . He remained , however , to the end of the meeting , but had to be assisted home . About a week later serious symptoms developed themselves , and he was obliged to take to his bed , where he remained up to the time of his death .