A French Invasion.

regard to this and the many other points which arise in connection with the question we are not at present fully informed . We may hear more of this French Lodge in the future , as we shall endeavour to keep ourselves

posted as to its working , but meantime we may safely regard this very recent invasion of English territory with a certain amount of equanimity , especially if , in addition to other considerations , we give the working men of

Swansea credit for a sufficient amount of patriotism to keep them away from a French Masonic Lodge when , if they are really anxious to join and are worthy of admittance , they can be accomodated in one or other of the Lodges working under the English Constitution .

Isle Of Man.

ISLE OF MAN .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Douglas , on tbe 21 st ult ., under the presidency of Bro . Major J . Senhouse Goldie-Taubman , Speaker of the House of Keys , Prov . G . M . The Provincial Grand Officers having been received by the Brethren , the Lodge was opened . The

Provincial Grand Secretary read the circular convening the meeting , and called over the roll of the Lodges ( all being represented ) and the roll of the Provincial Grand Officers . Several letters of apology for inability to attend were read , and most of the writers wished continued success to the Provincial Grand Lodge . ¦

The Provincial Grand Master said : In addressing a few words to you , Brethren , I would first of all like to speak of the Officers who are retiring , and of those who are going to take their places . First of all with regard to the Deputy Provincial Grand Master . He has

always , practically since first appointed , annually offered his resignation , in order that other Brethren might have promotion . That is very laudable on his part ; but

on the other hand , we have the precedent set in England tbat the Deputy stays in office . The great advantage of tbat is that not only fco the Lodge but to the Provincial Grand Master there is a sort of

continuity about the policy , and practically speaking , it relieves the Provincial Grand Master of a gieat deal of trouble . I think that the conduct of Bro . Nesbitt ( seeing that he was at first hostile to the Province ) , both as Secretary and since is such as to merit not only my

thanks but those of the Provincial Grand Lodge . I have , therefore , asked him to continue his services for another year at least , and he has consented to do so . The Officers who retire are Bros . Webb , Morris , Moore , Colquhoun , and Watterson . All of these Brethren have

voluntarily retired . I regret to a certain extent that they should have done so ; but of course if there were no retirement , there would be stagnation in promotion in Grand Lodge . It is a good thing , therefore , that seme retire , though these resignations so far as I know ,

are voluntary , and are sent in from purely private motives , of which I know nothing . I may say they have nothing to do with the Provincial Grand Lodge . I beg to thank these Brethren on my own behalf , and on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodge , for what they

have done in the past . Bro . Webb ' s resignation I wish particularly to draw attention to . He was one of our oldest Masons before I had anything to do with Masonry , and I regret his resignation particularly . I think if he had told me a little sooner that he was going

to retire I might have persuaded him to keep on ; but he left it to the last moment , when it was too late to see him . Therefore , unwillingly , 1 had to accept his resignation . Of course , that is all tbe better for some of those who come after him . As regards the Brethren

who resign , or those I do not re-appoint—because of course if there are not sufficient resignations , and I am bound to appoint new Brethren to ottice instead of the old Brethren , I must state that my practice has been to

have a list kept of all Brethren who have passed certain ranks , because it does not at all follow because a brother has left one rank and been out of office that he will not get promotion later on . I always take past services into consideration . The new Officers this year

Isle Of Man.

are Bro . Baron as Chaplain , Bro . Eowe as Asssistant-Secretary , Bro . Christian as Pursuivant , and Bro . Taylor as Assistant-Pursuivant . I have just one more remark to make , though I daresay you will hear more of it afterwards from my Deputy , or from Bro . Walter

Brown , the Provincial Grand Secretary ; but I am very glad to say that the cash to the credit of the Benevolent Fund is £ 414 . Not only that , but there are outstanding fees which will raise that to £ 450 . As we are nofc long established as a Province , I think that is very creditable .

I am sorry that during the year I have not been able to visit the Lodges more . I have this year only visited one in Provincial character , though I have been to one or two of the Lodges , but only in my private capacity . The Lodge I did visit was St . German ' s , in Peel , and I am

glad I did visit it because I was very proud of the position that Peel took . Peel has risen wonderfully , and is a credit to the Province . I am not saying anything against the other Lodges , but I allude to what I saw there . Peel , through my Deputy or the Secretary

took the precaution to ask me , specially , to go down officially , and if any Lodge wishes me to visit particularly , if they will send either to the Deputy , or the Secretary , I will be able to see if I can arrange to go . As to the remaining Officers—Stewards—I leave it to the Lodges

to nominate them , and if there is no great reason to the contrary , I accept their nomination . I am glad also to see that the numbers of the Craft in the Isle of Man are keeping up , and not only that , but increasing . In saying that , I would say as I have before stated , that I do not

want the Lodges to go in merel y for numbers . I wish them to elect men of standing , and make brethren of those who will be a credit to the Craft . I thank the General Purposes Committee for what they have done , and I also thank the Deputy and the Secretary for their admirable services .

The Provincial Grand Master was then saluted in due form , after which the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . The report of the General Purposes Committee was

read and accepted on the motion of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , seconded by Bro . Heron . The Committee in their report recommended that £ 300 of the money to the credit of the Benevolent Fund be invested .

Bro . Rev . E . Ferrier in seconding the motion alluded in terms of praise to the great efforts which had been made to keep up the fund . It spoke well for what had been done that there was a good sum in hand to meet contingencies . Three votes had been made during the

year , £ 10 to one widow , and two sums of £ 5 to strangers ' widows . He looked forward to the fund doing a great deal , and he hoped the brethren would not grow cold

and careless , bufc that they would use their best endeavours to maintain the fund at what it ought to be and that in the next five years it would reach what it had done in the past five .

The Provincial Grand Secretary ' s annual report was adopted ; from it we gather that the membership rose from 210 in 1891 to 266 in 1892 . Other business having

been disposed of and the officers appointed , the Provincial Lodge was closed , the brethren subsequently sitting down to a banquet together at the Granville Hotel , under the presidency of the Provincial chief .

The Black Ball.

THE BLACK BALL .

WE commend the following article on the uses and abuses of the black ball , from the pen of Prof , Bro . W . H . Seaman , published in the " Masonic Constellation , " of St . Louis , as containing thoughts worthy of the consideration of every Mason . We have in recent

numbers of The Tidings called the attention of our readers to the troubles and difficulties under which Lodges sometimes have been placed by the un-Masonic use of the ballot . Instances of this kind are not imaginative , they are alas not only real , but of too frequent

occurrence . We have in mind a Lodge of over seventy members , at one time one of the most flourishing in our

juiisdicfcion , that is now experiencing a stagnation of interest and energy which if Jong continued must inevitably result in a surrender of the charter , and all from the abuse