Provincial.

Worshipful Master Brother R . B . B . Nisbet ) by Bro . J . R . Haukey P . M . D . C . A valuable jewel was presented to the retiring W . M ., through Bro . Hankey , who was himself the recipient of a splendid gold albert chain in recognition of his services in the chair during the nine months' absence of tho W . M . o o o

CONCORD LODGE , No . 1534 . THE regular meeting was held at Chester Bank , Prestwich , on Thursday , 21 st ult ., when there wero present : Bros . W . H . Norton W . M ., Wm . B . Midgley S . W ., Edwin S . Done J . W ., Jno . W . Thompson P . M . P . P . G . S . B . Treas ., John Wardle P . M . Sec , F W . Maxwell S . D ., H . B . Fawssett J . D ., R . Hothersall P . M .

P . P . G . D . C , W . W . Briggs I . P . M ., Bobt . J . Bennett P . M ., S . F . Simons P . M ., E . P . Mead P . M ., Edward Roberts P . M . ( FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , Edward Hilton P . M ., J . E . Lightbourn . Visitors Bros . Wm . Harris P . M . Prov . G . D . D . C 1993 , J . Hislop W . M . 325 , D . P . Schloss W M . 2322 , Rev . F . H . Mentha Chap . 1357 , Thos . Knott I . P . M . Sec . 1030 , J . Pollitt P . M . 1055 .

After the reading and confirmation of minutes , Bro . J . E . Lightbourn was passed to thc second degree by the W . M . "Bro . Wardle delivered tho address from the S . E ., Bro . Done J . W . presented the working tools , and Bro . Midgley S . W . rendered the charge , a division ol labour which practically prevented any monotony in ceremonial .

At the festive board which followed , Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured , Bro . Harris replying on behalf of tho Provincial Officers in a very interesting and vigorous speech . Bro . Bennett proposed the health of the newly-passed Brother , to which Bro . Lightbourn duly responded . Other toasts followed , being relieved by songs from Bros . Mentha and Bennett . 0 0 0

ELLIOT LODGE , No . 1567 . riIHE members met at the Railway Hotel , Feltham , on Saturday , I 7 th inst ., tho special business being the raising of Bro . H . J . Galley . A banquet was subsequently held , and to this a large number of

Brethren sat down under the presidency of Bro . Bird P . M . P . Z . P . P . G . S . B . Middx . Sec , in tho unavoidable absence of Bro . Mason the Worshipful Master . Bro . H . P . Harris , the host , again fully maintained his reputation as a caterer , as the provision for the banquet and thc style of its serving proved satisfactory in every way . O O 0

ST . MAURICE LODGE , No . 1855 . AT the conclusion of the regular meeting at Plympton , on 11 th inst ., Bro . Captain G . Strode-Lowe P . M . P . G . J . W ., on behalf of the members of the Lodge , presented the Secretary ( Bro . R . Hambly P . M . P . P . G . S . Wks . ) with a gold watch bearing the following inscription : — Presented to

W . BRO . ROBERT HAMBLY P . M . P . G . S . Wks ., by the Brethren of Lodge St . Maurice , No . 1855 , as a mark of their esteem and regard on the occasion of his marriage . July 1894 .

Bro . Strode-Lowc referred to the fact that Bro . Hambly had proved himself a worthy Mason , and was not only respected by the Brethren throughout the Province , but by the public generall y with whom he had come in contact . Bro . Hambly suitably replied . o o o

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

DUNDAS CHAPTER , No . 543 . THE Installation meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Stokesley , when Comp . Thomas Fidler was installed as M . E . Z ., W . A . Hutchener as H . and J . H . Kearsley as J ., the ceremony being performed in a most impressive manner by Comp . J . A , Manners' P . Z . North York Chapter , No . C 02 . Tlie other Officers ' were invested . o o o

DALHOUSIE CHAPTER , No . 860 . AT Anderton's Hotel , Fleet Street , on Thursday , 12 th , Comp M . Christian P . Z . M . E . Z ., Henry Jenkins I . P . Z . acting H Thomas Clark P . Z . J ., Burleton Treas ., J . Shipman S . E ., Mayo ' S . N ., Rideal P . S . Past Principals Dodson , Bond and Markland Comps . A . Clemow , J . R . Baron , Mansell , T . H . Clark , J . Wade , J . Ricketts , J . Michaelson , and others .

Bro . Thos . Wood , of the Vitruvian Lodge , No . 87 , was exalted in a most impressive manner . Many thanks are due to the Principals and to Comp . Mayo acting P . S . for the excellent rendering of the most beautiful ceremony . Comp . Wake , of the Ebury Chapter , was

admitted a Joining Member . The Companions adjourned to refreshment under the personal superintendence of Comp . Arthur Clemow , who again made it his study to add to the comfort and pleasure of those attending his truly Masonic home .

o o o HOLMESDALE CHAPTER , No . 874 . A CON VOCATION was held at the Pump Room , Tunbridge Wells on the 3 rd inst ., when a number of Companions wcrp present . r

Royal Arch.

The Exaltation of Bro . A . Buchanan took place , and was most impressively rendered by . the M . E . Z . C . Abrey , assisted by hia Officers , C . Martin , Willmot , Tester , Gallard , and Ryder . A report of the General Purposes Committee was presented and passed . Supper was served at the Swan Hotel . o o o

WARNER CHAPTER , No . 2256 . THE regular Convocation was held on Tuesday , 10 th inst ., at the Royal Forest Hotel , Chingford , Comp . G . W . Knight Z . presiding , assisted by Comps . J . Speller H ., J . J . Briginshaw J ., Scoresby-Jackson I . P . Z ., & c . It being election night the following Officers wero chosen for

the ensuing year - . —Comps . Speller Z ., J . J . Briginshaw H ., N . Fortescue J ., Courtney Warner , M . P ., Treasurer , H . Ffrench Bromhead Scribe E ., Whittingham Scribe N ,, Gowan P . S ., Longmore 1 st Assist . S ., Baillie 2 nd Assist . S ., Hollands D . C , Dummett and Brown Stewards , Bird Organist , and J . Ives Janitor .

Tho Chapter unanimously decided to present a P . P . jewel to Comp . G . W . Knight , in commemoration of his successful year of office .

o o o FROM LABOUR TO REFRESHMENT . IT has been tho custom to regard the summer months as tho holiday season in Freemasonry , thc period during which members of the Craft may rest from thoir Masonic labours , and enjoy that refreshment that is so necessary alike for thc mind as

tho body with those -who tako an active share in the affairs of everyday life , but we think that the term is a misnomer , for instead of summer being a period of rest , it should rather be described as one of equal activity in Masonry—often with a change of locality , it is true .

Those who take a loading part in the affairs of Freemasonry have probably as many calls upon their time at this season of the year as at any other , with the difference that instead of taking part in meetings in tho great centres , they are now invited to similar gatherings away from tho busy hives of industry , amid the pleasures of the country and the enjoyment of new scenes and surroundings .

But even this form of enjoyment becomes a tax at last , and the active Brother is compelled , sooner or later , to arrange a trip for himself , without any attraction from Provincial or Private Lodgo meetings , and having decidc . d so much his next consideration is . to settle whore to go to seek the pleasure and recreation he desires .

We were recently on a tour of thc metropolis , showing thc sights of London to some country visitors , and among other notable attractions took our friends to tho terminus of the Midland Railway at St . Pancras , which , as is probably known to our readers , is thc largest station in the world under a single span roof , the glass in its construction being alone measured by acres . One peculiar effect

produced by the enormous span of the station is to make the trains in it appear smaller than usual ; but having convinced our friends that the Midland coaches were far more commodious than some other Companies vehicles , we were next asked where the line went to ? As the name implies , we answered , the line serves the Midland counties , but afterwards mentioning some of its main

branches , or rather main trunks , we were brought to the conviction that it would be possible to visit very many of the principal points of interest throughout the country without leaving the Midland system , or the through carriages run by the Company over other lines . This we afterwards demonstrated by showing our guests ono

of the maps of the Midland Bailway , which seems to cover much of the country from north to south , and from east to west ; while if we include the lines with which the Midland arranges interchange of traffic it might reasonably be said that one could go from anywhere to anywhere , by making use of the Midland system .

But apart from the extent of the ground covered by the Midland Railway the Company is not singular in this respect , marked improvements in booking and other facilities having been introduced in recent years in connection witli the principal lines , but tho Midland is deserving of special recognition from the public as having been tho pioneer of much of the comfort and luxury that

attends modern travelling . Foremost in this direction may be mentioned the provision of third class carriages on all trains , a boon the present generation cannot fully appreciate , because many of them were unacquainted with the old fashioned restrictions that made cheap travelling a misery rather than as it now is a

pleasure . Then came tlie improvement of the carriages provided for the popular class of traffic , and this has been going on year by year until now we have third class corridor and dining carriages on the principal trains , very little , if anything , inferior to the luxurious cars formerly provided for first class passengers only .

It is not alone in the matter of accommodation , however , that the English Railways are making strenuous efforts to secure their share of thc holiday traffic of thc age . The last few years has witnessed a complete change in this respect , due , to a very great extent , to the growing popularity of holiday making , but equally to a knowledge of thc fact that holiday makers are to be drawn to

different places quite as much by a description of their beauties as by the arbitrary dictates of fashion . Hence it is that our Eailway Companies have taken the pains of describing the beauties of the country through which their trains travel , and the attractions of thc principal places they serve . In this respect the Midland Company is favoured by nature , the scenery of tho Peak District of

Derbyshire being particularly fine , and quite enough to attract tourists to avail themselves of that route if any way possible , while among other points of interest served we may mention thc Lake District and the coast of Lancashire , with through bookings to Ireland , Scotland , and other places in tho north ; in thc opposite dircbtion South Wales aud Bournemouth ; with another extreme