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Provincial Grand Chapter Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF WILTSHIRE .

rpHE annnal meeting of the above Chapter was held at X the Masonic Hall , Devizes , on Friday , 12 fch inst ., under the presidency of the Grand Superintendent for the Province , the Right Hon . Lord H . F . Thynne , M . P ., Past G . N ., who was supported by Comps . W . Nott P . G . H .

T . H . Chandler P . P . G . H . as P . G . J ., H . C . Tombs P . G . A . Soj . P . G . S . E ., and other Officers past and present and Companions of the Province . The Report of the Charity Committee recommended that a grant of £ 21 be made to the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution , to be placed

upon the list of Comp . John Chandler P . P . G . H ., who had offered to represent the Province as Steward at the next Anniversary Festival of that Institution , at which Festival Sir Michael Hicks Beach , the P . G . M . of Gloucestershire , a Province of which Wiltshire had been and was now in

intimate connection as regards Charity Organisation , was to preside . The Registrar ' s Report was read , it giving , as usual , an account of the present position of Arch Masonry in the Province . Tho M . E . Superintendent in addressing tbe Companions referred to the figures given in

the Registrars Report as being most satisfactory ; one new Chapter , the Methuen , No . 1533 , had been added to the Chapters in the Province since the last meeting , and he congratulated it on its flourishing position . This made five Chapters in all , while the total number of

members of the Order in the Province was steadil y increasing . His Lordship alluded also to the Provincial Grand Chapter meeting for the first time at Devizes , in consequence of the removal of the meeting place of the Chapter of Harmony from the Masonic Hall , Trowbridge , to the buildin" - in

which they were then assembled , a removal which he trusted would give additional strength to that excellent Chapter . He recognised again with much pleasure the great boon to the Province in the re-appearance of the Masonic Calendar , under the able editorship of Comp . Nott , and trusted so

useful a work would be continued and duly supported . He further alluded to tho losses which in the past few years the Provincial Grand Chapter had sustained by death . During the past year they had from this cause to deplore the loss of one of the most active Companions in

the Province , viz ., Comp . Tasker , who was one of the Principals of the Thynne Chapter , No . 1478 , in which he had undertaken office to assist the Companions there at the comparatively recent establishment of that Chapter and had continued to support it until his death . In reference

to an inquiry from the Grand Superintendent , Companion Nott , P . G . Treasurer , the Secretary to the Provincial Benevolent Fund and Charity Organisation Committee , stated that such Fund now received the general support of the

Lodges in the Province , and fortunately had as yet had no claim upon it for assistance , so that the whole of the annual income had been invested . The Grand Superintendent then invested the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year , as follows : —

Comp . H Kinneir 355 .. ... Prov . G . H . T . P . Saunders 632 Prov . G . J . H . C . Tombs 355 P . P . G . H . ( re- } v „ _ appointed ) ... \ .. j Prov . G . S . E . A . Plnmmer 355 ... ... Prov . G . S . N . W . Nott 632 P . P . G . H . ( re . } -, „ _ elected ) v j Prov . G . Treasurer

W . H . Bart M . E . Z . 632 ... Prov . G . P . Soj . J . V . Toone 1478 ... .., Prov . G . Be " . J . Chandler 355 P . P . G . H . ( roO „ n _ „ appointed ) ... \ , j ^ ov . G . D . C . E . S . Mackrell 1478 ( re- -r , r „ appointed ) ... \„ j Prov . G . Organist J . Savory ( re-elected ) ... Prov . G . Janitor

A collection of Alms subsequently made was handed to the Treasurer of the receiving Chapter to be devoted to the Devizes Cottage Hospital , or otherwise as his Chapter way direct . After the Provinoial Grand Chapter was

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Wiltshire.

closed , the Companions dined together at the Bear Hotel , where tho new host , Comp . N . J . Beale , provided an excellent repast to which tho Grand Suporiniendent , Lord H . F . Thynne , had contributed a bountiful supply of venison and game .

Catalogue Of The Masonic Soiree And Exhibition, Worcester, August, 1884.

CATALOGUE OF THE MASONIC SOIREE AND EXHIBITION , WORCESTER , AUGUST , 1884 .

( Continued from page 169 . ) AFTE R Bro . Major Irwin ' s contributions follow a long array of exhibits by various brethren . No . 712 , shown by Bro . Wm . Dawes , of the Wellington Lodge , No . 341 , is described as " The Jewel of the I . P . M . ( Silver ) . The Compasses extended to 45 * , with the segment of a circle at the points and Blazing Star ( Gilt ) included ; below the last , numerous emblems ; above it the Square ( angle

downwards ) supporting the Volume of the S . L ., open at 1 Chron . xxiii . ( erroneously engraved xiii . ) 1— ' So when David was old and full of days , he m-i ! o Solomon his son King over Israel , ' and he , David , became I . P . King and wore a similar jewel . Over the V . of the S . L . is the Eye of tbo Omniscient , and above that the letter G . " Brother Hughan writes of this : " Probably unique , and certainly very ourious

and valuable . In ' ye anciente tyme' each Brother followed his own fancy as to the design of his jewels . " A somewhat similar jewel is exhibited by Bro . G . M . Waring , of Noah ' s Ark Lodge , No . 347 , only that " in the centre of the Square and Compasses , is the Level , " while , " underneath , on the left side of tbe Square , and between that and the segment of the cirole is the Sun ; on the right side the

crescent Moon . " Bro . Waring also contribntes an " Antique Gavel , exquisitely inlaid with silver . On the face , the All-seeing Eye , above a scroll containing the motto , ' Spes Mea in Des est '; beneath the centre of the scroll the figures ' 15 ' j in the centre the skull and cross bones . Around are the figures 3 , 5 , 12 , and 15 ; underneath being the letters M . and T , N . The square , level , and plumb-rule

suspended from a scroll , the level and plumb-rule between the extended compasses . The Gavel was presented to the Lodge 1 st December 1772 , by Brother Elwell , Wolverhampton . " Brother Hughan considers this " Quite a curiosity of ita kind and a treasure . " No . ' 719 , sent by Bro . G . Wyatt , of Albany Lodge , No . 151 , is described by Bro . Hughan as " a most interesting contribution , and

of especial importance in relation to Mark Masonry . " It consists of " three oak frames , with plate glass , enclosing vellum roll of Mark Masons , with their respective ranks , and illustrated border showing the principal officers at work in accordance with the anoient traditionary working , & o . " Brother E . Cooper , W . M . of the Old Globe Lodge , No . 200 , sends three exhibits , No . 729 being an " Anoient

P . M . Jewel , of great interest , " which Bro . Hughan thinks may possibly be an ' Old Master ' s Jewel , '" there being " not many now to be seen of this design . " No . 730 is a " Curious Apron , covered with Devices and Arms of Grand Lodge , 1798 , ( Engraved by Newman ) , and No . 730 A an " Old Scotoh Apron , mounted as a Bannerette . " Bro . W . C . Everly-Taylor , M . D ., of the same Lodge , contribntes a

" Freemason ' s Pocket Companion , " of 1771 , which Brother Hughan says is a scarce , if not an early , edition , and Bro . G . H . Walshaw , one of its Past Masters , a " French Certificate issued to a Scar , borough Brother , 1787 . Seal appears to be early 17 th Century . " Brother E . H . Peacock , another P . M . of the same Lodge , ex . hibits an " Early Lithograph" ( No . 736 ) of Brother Robert Burns

being invested as " Poet Laureate of the Kilwinning Lodge , Edinburgh , " that is the Canongate Kilwinning , we presume , which is referred to in the footnote by Brother Hughan , the event having been commemorated in a picture executed by Bro . Watson , who was a member of the same Lodge . Bro . James Stevens contributes No . 742-753 A , No . 743 being his Chart or Map of the

Masonic Lodges and R . A . Chapters in England and Wales , whioh we fully agree with Bro . Hughan is a most useful work . No . 744 is a " Photograph representing the Masonic ladder , surrounded with emblems of the fonr Cardinal Virtues and other designs—very interesting and possibly very scarce . " No . 749 is an " Old Mark Certificate , in Mark Cypher , from an old Lodge at Newport , Isle of

Wight . " No . 753 A a " Royal Arch Jewel , formerly belonging to the late Dr . O'Meara , Medical attendant on Napoleon at St . Helena . The property of W . Bro . Edward Smith P . M . 873 . " The next contributor is Bro . Dr . Hopkins , who heads his array of contributions with sundry Charts and Photos of Charts designed by himself , of which Bro . Hughan speaks in justly complimentary

terms . Another of his exhibits is No . 769 A , " Cole's List of Lodges , A . D . 1764 , " which we are told , is a " very rare copy . " The group that follows Nos . 770-788 , represents the contributions of the Royal Cumberland Lodge , No . 41 , Bath . No . 775 is a " Pocket Companion of A . D . 1735 , with Pine ' s List of Lodges attached , of A . D . 1725 , showing the Lodges of A . D . 1724 on the roll , and likewise both

Lodges ( of 172 ' ! and 1733 ) in A . D . 1734-5 . " With reference to the 1725 List of Pine ' s , Bro . Hughan says that if it is " an original , it is of great value , " as " only one other copy is known in this country . " No . 776 *—" List of Lodges of A . D . 1804 " is described by Bro . Hughan as " exceedingly rare , and was the earliest issued by the ' Atholl' Grand Lodge . There is not a copy in the archives of the

Grand Lodge of England , but Bro . J . H . Neilson has one in ma collection . " As regards No . 777 " Freemasons' Hall Medal worn by the Master of the ' Royal Cooiberland Lodge , ' No . 41 , Bath , " Bro . Huirhan gives the following note . " In my ' Masonic Register' A . D . 1878 , I give an account of this ' Medal' which is worn by the Master

of the Lodge for the time being in perpetuity , suspended from the arms of the Square . There are only four Lodges in the country entitled to this distinction , viz ., No . 41 , Bath , No . 75 , Falmouth , No . 154 , Wakefield , and No . 237 , Swansea , that of the 'Royal Cumberland Lodge ' being the only original Medal of the Quartette . The Medal was struck in 1780 . " - —No , 780 is an " Autotype of the