Berkshire.

BERKSHIRE .

THE Prince of Wales having appointed Lord Wantage to the office of Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire , in the room of the late Duke of Clarence , since whose decease the Province has been in charge of Bro . John Morland , M . A ., Deputy

Provincial Grand Master , it has been arranged that the installation of Lord Wantage shall take place at the next Provincial Grand Lodge , which will probably be held at Beading in August , when a large and influential gathering of members of the Craft is anticipated .

Kent.

KENT .

THE annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Margate , on Wednesday , when Earl Amherst Deputy Grand Master of England Prov . G . M . presided over a gathering of some 300 Brethren . After the business had been completed a service was attended at the Parish Church , where a sermon was preached by Bev . Bro . Fawssett Prov . G . Chaplain . The service was followed by a banquet at the Foresters Hall .

Lincolnshire.

LINCOLNSHIRE .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Louth , under the banner of the Lindsey Lodge , on Thursday , 9 th inst ., and was attended by Brethren from each of the twenty-four Lodges in the Province . The members of the Lindsey Lodge , of which Bro . W . J . Shepherd is Worshipful Master , had made

elaborate and satisfactory arrangements for the important gathering , and the meeting was one of the pleasantest and most successful in recent years . The numerous visitors , who arrived about mid-day , were accorded a hearty welcome , and were most hospitably entertained .

Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Town Hall , the Brethren assembling under their respective banners at half-past twelve o ' clock . The Provincial Grand Master Lord Yarborough was in his place , and he was supported on the dais by Bro . W . Harling Sissons Deputy Provincial G . M ., Bro . Major Smyth P . P . G . M ., and a large number of Provincial Officers .

The Lodge having been duly opened and the roll called , the Prov . G . M . expressed the gratification be felt at seeing such a large number of Brethren present , and said the meeting was one of the largest they had had for some time . He was also glad to note that every Provincial Officer , with one exception , was present , and said that he appreciated their services most highly .

Ihe present promised to be a busy week for Lincolnshire Freemasons . That day they were holding their Provincial Grand Lodge in one of the prettiest towns in Lincolnshire—a town which was closely associated with the names of Smyth , Locock , and Fowler , and which had ever been an active centre of Masonry in the Province . And on the following day ( Friday ; many of them

would be gathered together in London , out of respect to His Boyal Highness the Prince of Wales tbe Most Worshipful Grand Master , in support of that excellent charity , the Masonic Institution for Boys . In reviewing the events of the year he said that death had removed their Eight Worshipful Brother the Duke of St . Albans Prov . G . M . of the neighbouring Province of Nottingham , who was

a most wise ruler oi the Craft , una a distinguished Freemason , and who , for many yeais , held tie high office of Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire . He said it was a source of great satisfaction to him to know that the Lodges in the Piovince were in a satisfactory condition , and that the Order in Lincolnshire was steadily growing in strength and in usefulness . In conclusion he

thanked the Brethren for the sympathy they extended to him on the occasion of the recent calamitous fire at Brocklesby , and announced that Grand Lodge rank had been conferred on Bros . B . Vickers ( Lincoln ) , W . Dixon ( Lincoln ) , and G . Barrell ( Spalding ) . He personally thanked the W . M ., Wardens and Brethren of the Lindsey Lodge for the careful arrangements they had made for the reception of Provincial Grand Lodge .

Bro . B . Vickers Prov . G . Secretary read the reports of the various Committees , and Bro . Nesbitt Prov . G . Treasurer presented the accounts , all of which were approved . Bro . Nesbitt remarked that on every fund there was , as compared

with last year , an increase . Bro . E . C . Hallowes P . P . Assist . G . Secretary ( Lincoln ) , in the absence of Bro . H . Watson Prov . G . Eegistrar , who , it was stated , was in Germany , presented the Eegister of the Lodges , which showed a membership of 1 , 208 in J 897 as against 1 , 152 in 1896 .

Bro . W . H . Sissons read the list of contributions by the Lodges to the Centenaiy Festival of the Boys School , which amounted to between i'l / zOO and £ 1 , 300 . Bro . _ esbitt was le-elected Tieasmer , and Bros . Norfolk and Swift were elected Auditors *

Lincolnshire.

The Eoyal Masonic Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows was adopted as the Charity to be supported by the Province this year , and Bro . E . F . Moresby-White ( Grantham ) and Bro . Shephard ( Louth ) were re-appointed Charity Stewards . A committee was appointed to revise the bye-laws .

Bro . Major Smythe P . P . G . M . proposed a resolution expressing regret at the death of the Duke of St . Albans , and this was seconded by Bro . T . Beaulah ( Boston ) and carried , all the Brethren standing . The Provincial Grand Master invested his Officers for the ensuing year , as follow :

Bro . E . F . Moresby-White ... Senior Warden Wilson ..... Junior Warden Eev . H . S . Fawssett - - - 1 „ , , . Eev . W . Horn - j Cha P » " - C . M . Nesbitt .... Treasurer B . Vickers ---- - Secretary G . Spilman .... Senior Deacon

T . H . White .... Junior Deacon B . G . Stone .... Superintendent of Works H . Watson - ---- Registrar G . F . Barrell ... - Director of Ceremonies J . Frankish ... - Deputy Dir . of Cers . W . Hill ----- Sword Bearer

W . I ___ 1 ' . ' . - - - } S ^ ndard Bearers C . A . Guy ----- Assistant Secretary T . B . Adlard .... Organist

Barlow ..... Pursuivant T . C . Cook - Assistant Pursuivant W . W . Smith - - - - \ T . C . Moss -----Ktcnoiey : : : : h ewarda

H . Walker J . Cooper - - - - - / W . Donner ----- Tyler .

The Prov . G . Master stated that the Provincial Grand Lodge was invited to visit Boston and Brigg next year , and having regard to the fact that it was twenty years since the Lodge assembled in Brigg he had selected that as the place of the next meeting . In the afternoon the customary banquet was provided in the Corn Exchange , the Prov . G . M . presiding . The usual Masonic toasts were honoured . —" Boston Independent . "

The most grotesque ignorance prevails among many Roman Catholic priests and laymen as to Freemasonry . I fancy , however , that much of this ignorance is assumed on the part of the priests , who think it interferes with their power that there should be any secret not poured into their

ears in the confessional . Among the other lies circulated among dupes , who have not the mental courage to read or to think for themselves , is that Freemasonry is an Atheistic institution , and that it has to do with that ancient and exploded member of the aristocracy—the devil . The

Grand Lodge of Freemasonry in this country has just cut off from its connection the Grand Lodge of Peru , because the latter has abolished the Bible from the Lodges . The same action was taken with regard to the Grand Orient of France .

I hope , therefore , that the priests will disseminate no more lies about Freemasonry in this country . Many Catholics , both in England and in Ireland , have been Freemasons . — '' Reynolds' Weekly Newspaper . "

The Jubilee Masters' Lodge , which is among the latest to receive the sanction of the Grand Master , will be consecrated at the Hotel Cecil , London , on Monday afternoon , at half-past four .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

AMID general expresssions of regret the funeral of the late John Saunders , of Knowle , near Salterton , took place on Monday , in the churchyard at East Budleigh . The deceased was well known and highly respected in the neighbourhood , and his death , resulting from a painful internal disorder , at the early age of 41 , was universally regretted . Bro . Saunders was a prominent

member of the Harmony Lodge , No . 372 , and had it not been for his affliction he would have been installed as W . M . last January , but the serious nature of his malady compelled him to decline the honour . Tbe Burial Service was read in an impressive manner by the Eev . Eees Charles Price , Curate of St . Peter ' s ,

Salterton , and the customary Masonic rites were observed at the graveside . The deceased was also a member of the local Lodge of Oddfellows , and , in addition to the Masonic Fraternity , a large number of the members of that Lodge attended the funeral as a mark of respect and esteem .