Royal Arch.

vented from attending by the death of a very near relative . The Grand Superintendent then appointed and invested the following as Provincial Grand Officers for tho ensuing year : —

Comp . W . Nott 632 ... ... ... H . H . P . Blackmore 586 ... ... J . . Henry C . Tombs 355 ( re-appointed ) ... S . E . J . C . Maclean 355 S . N .

G . Pike 1478 ... ... ... Principal Soj . A . J . Beaven 632 ... ... ... 1 st Asst . Soj . Theobald Ringer 1533 ... ... 2 nd Asst . Soj . H . Bevir 355 ... ... ... Registrar

John Chandler 355 ( re-appointed ) ... Uir . ot ueres . John Savory ( re-elected ) ... ... Janitor After tho Provincial Grand Chapter was closed , the Companions dined together at tho Bath Arms Hotel .

We have pleasure in notifying to the members and friends of the Metropolitan Chapter of Improvement that the session will commence on Tuesday , the ( Jth October . The meetings will again be held at the White Hart ,

Abchurch-lane , corner of Cannon-street , where business will commence at half-past six o ' clock and conclude about eight . This arrangement will enable all who are desirous to reach home at an early hour . Comp . Fred Brown will again perform the functions of Preceptor .

The installation ceremony will be rehearsed by Bro . H . Purdue , I . P . M . 834 , on Saturday , 26 th inst ., at 7 . 80 , atthe Chiswick Lodge of Instruction , Hampshire Hog , Kingstreet , Hammersmith .

The weekly meetings of the Eoyal Alfred Lodge of Instruction , No . 780 , were resumed at the Star and Garter Hotel , Kew Bridge , on Friday , the 18 th instant , at 8 o ' clock p . m . They will bo continued on every following Friday , with the exception of the 25 th inst . ( the meeting night of the Mother Lodge ) , until further notice .

Order Of The Temple.

ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

— : o : — ANCIENT EBOR PRECEPTORY , No . 101 . ON Tuesday , the 8 th inst ; , a meeting of this body took place at the Masonic Hall , York , when , in the absence of the E . P ., Pratre T . B . Whytehead ( Preceptor ) presided . There were also present Pre . ceptors W . Lawton , G . Simpson , and M . Millington ; and Pratres W .

Brown , J . T . Seller , Major McGachen , and others . Comp . W . Watson having been ballotted for , was installed as a member of the Order . The remainder of the business was of a formal nature , and the members subsequently sapped together .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , hut an a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

MASONIC HISTORY . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Yonr review of Bro . Riley ' s valuable work on "The Yorkshire Lodges" has somewhat prematurely bronght before the notice of the Craft a work which has engaged my attention for a considerable time , and in confessing that the " soft

impeachment is substantially correct , I need only say in reference thereto that the work is progressing favourably , and that I hope to get it published at no very distant period . My special object in writing to yon now , however , is to ask any brethren who may be in possession of Old Lists or Old Warrants

more especially relating to the Athol or Ancient Lodges that are now extinct ( and which have not appeared in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , to kindly favour me with such information respecting them as may be useful for my work ; viz ., names and numbers of Lodges , dates of Constitution , places of -meeting ( with dates ) of the

Athol Lodges prior to the Union of 1813 ; also dates of removal , transfer , or erasure . I shall be glad if brethren will communicate with me before sending any valuable documents for inspection . By inserting this you will much oblige ,

Yours fraternally , JOHN LAKE , P . M . 1402 . 2 Baunerci'oss Abbey Road , Torquay , 15 th September 1885 ,

" The Yorkshire Lodges."

" THE YORKSHIRE LODGES . "

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I beg to thank you for the exhaustive review of my "Yorkshire Lodges" in your issue of 12 th inst ., and especially for the opportunity , appreciated as unusual , of a reply at

your invitation . I intend to send you for publication next week , copy of an original circular in my possession , issued by Richard Rich , Esq ., whioh will be my evidence re the 6 th Prov . G . Master , as requested .

If yonr readers will correct their copies of my work as follows , I shall be mnch obliged .

Page 27 substitute 1781 for " 1871 " 11 th line . „ 59 „ 1779 for " 1752 " last line . „ 62 „ 1811-30 for " 1829-30 " 18 th line . I propose merely to refer to another statement in your very flattering review ; but before doing this , take the opportunity of stating

that I have taken tho liberty of treating the Phoenix Lodge ( p 76 ) as a new Lodge , but the text is so clear that it is not possible for any one to be misled by it , and most brethren will readily express a preference for the course adopted . The Phcenix was by its Warrant virtually the Apollo Lodge continued ; bnt having been careful to

show this-, it appeared to mo thafc snch an exceptional revival by total strangers might advantageously be treated separately . On the remaining point ( No . 208 ) I shall give my opinions , only regretting the absence of this Lodge History to settle the very narrow difference between us . If you do not accept my deductions ,

you admit my numeration commencing 1792 , because it is that of your 1772 Lodge . Tho Unanimity 436 , of 21 st November 1772 , 1 say was certainly by no means unanimous as to what number it ought to be , or had a right to be , between 1770 and 1792 .

No . 373 ( 3 Grand Principles , Islington ) of Sept . 10 th 1776 was neither erased nor dead except by the acta of its own members . As they probably forgot the three Grand Principles , some , perhaps all , wished for and ultimately ( at least in name ) obtained a

Lodge of Unanimity , and of course with it a second warrant and a higher number in 1772 , neither of which were needed had the brethren but practised the fird of the grand principles . The two warrants remained ; the Lodge in name 1772 , but in heart 1766 . We know not now what difficulties would

havo presented themselves if the new warrant hacl been allowed to lapse ; but we do know thafc in 17 ^ 3 the Lodge not only wenfc back to its old placo at the King's Head , Islington , but likewise its old ( as I think original ) name of Three Grand Principles . Ifc is historically correct , I think , to say ( p 32 ) "the original warrant was dated

Sep . 10 th 1766 , but I do not claim more than is due—the numeration since 1791 has been that of 1772—before then ifc had two , and naturally claimed the oldest warrant , though perhaps unwilling or unable to pay the additional cost of maintaining both . I am well aware that it has long since surrendered its legal right to 1766 so

far as numeration is concerned . * and as a Yorkshire Lodge ifc dates only from 1803 . I have taken up more of your space than I intended , but really found it impossible to imitate you in brevity on this subject . Permit me also to join with you , Sir , in sincerely wishing Bro . Lane unqualified success as the result of his labours .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , J . RAMSUttN RlLKY . Bradford , 16 th September 1885 .

Confirmation Of Benevolent Grants In Grand Lodge.

CONFIRMATION OF BENEVOLENT GRANTS IN GRAND LODGE .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DK . VR SIR AND BROTHER , —I think the regular attendants afc Grand Lodge assume it to be the cnstom to confirm the grants recommended by the Board of Benevolence withonfc comment , unless some very special reason exists for re-opening the inquiry , which is usually pretty

severe when the case is before the members of the Board of Benevolence . It may perhaps be hard for brethren who are outvoted in the minor assembly to keep quiet when fche opportunity presents , itself in Grand Lodge to again air their views , but I think ifc woulr \ be very much better for them to keep quiet if they have only got t ' je

old facts to repeat . I consider it is very bad taste to put or ita feeler , as it were , by some such enquiry as , " Is not the grant a ' large one , considering what the brother concerned did for Freemasc nry ?" This is usually done only with the view of ascertaining if 8 ' , i 3 \ c ! ont

sympathisers aro present to a'low of the subject being red iscnssed , nnd I think the inquiry in fche Board of Benevolence sho' ^ j ^ . sidered final unless some very exceptional evidence is for thcomin" to amend it .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternal ~; ROUTINK .

Candidates At The October Elections.

CANDIDATES AT THE OCTOBER ELECTIONS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Tho opening re mnr ^ in your lasfc is = ine , when sneakintr of tho supply of candidat es for t ] K , Misonic Educational Institutions , are very true—the snp , ply 0 f candidates is greater than the demand—and I fear it will a' wtlya * jQ S 1 - What we , as

Freemasons , should be prond of is , — ' ^ f t t * 1 ! lt W 0 ^ re able to keep pace , to an extent at , least , wit > , t * 1 ( , demands mado upon us . There are a very large number of can' jjdafces coming forward , both fm the Girls' nnd the Boys' School 3 > but fortunately those Institutions ! are in a , position to pr ovide for u , goodly number oi