Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

CORNWALL . The meeting of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held % t the Masonic Hall , Hayle , on Thursday , 12 th inst . The Grand Superintendent the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe was unavoidably prevented from attending , and the Chapter was opened by Comp . P . Colville Smith Prov . G . H .

Letters of apology were read from several Companions . All the Chapters ware well represented , with the exception of Callington .

The financial statement was presented by the Prov . G . Treasurer Comp . F . A . Rawling , and showed a credit balance of £ 23 3 s 5 d , and on the motion of Comp . Milford , seconded by Comp . Colehsa , the accounts were passed .

Comp . B . F . Edyvean Prov . G . Scribe E . presented his report , which was a favourable one , showing a steady numencarihcfease—the numbers at present being 399 . Comp . W . Wagner P . Z . 45 b was unanimously elected Prov . G . Treas . for trie ensuing year . " Comps . J . G . Osborn P . Z . P . P . P . G . Soj . and T . A . Taylor were also unanimously elected Auditors .

The sum of £$ " was voted to the widow of a deceased r Corr £ p ' anioil of the Rose of Sharon Chapter ; ' . £ 15 was voted to the R . M . I , for Girls , for which the Prov . G . H . Comp . Colville Smith is Steward .

. The Provincial Grand Officers were invested . "Comp . E . Venning , on behalf of the Liskeard Chapter , f tid 'Comp . G . E . Pearce oh behalf of the East Looe Chapter , Ib & tericled a cordial welcome for next year n s meeting .

ph the mofibh of the Prov . G . H . Comp . P Colville Smith a cordial vote of thanks was given to Comp . B . F . Edyvean , ' 6 ft his retiring from the important Office of Prov . G . Scribe E ., wruch Be has held for the past three ' years .

A long and interesting discussion took place respecting " tlie working Of the Chapters , which , it is hoped , will lead to " greater uniformity throughout the Province .

'Comp ; J . G . Osborn presented Comp . Colville Smith "With a copy of his new book on " History of Freemasonry in West Cornwall , " which was graciously accepted , Comp . Smith sbbhgly recommending the book to all Masons .

The Chapter was closed , and the Companions adjourned to the dining hall , where an excellent banquet was provided by Mr . W . H . Treveha , White Hart Hotel . Comp . P . Colville

Smith presided over a large company , and on the removal of the cloth , Loyal and Arch toasts were honoured . Songs , recitations , & c , were given during the evening , and a very pleasant time was spent .

PRESENTATION . 1 ; . .. THE Brethren of Brixham have made a presentation to Bro . Captain the Hon . John R . L . Varde Buller , who recently returned from the South African war , and . is now on the staff

of the Viceroy of India ( Lord Curzon ) of an album , beautifully illuminated , bound in maroon morocco , with the pierced hldndgrahi " J . R . L . Y . B . " on the front cover . On the inside pages aire the Yarde Buller crest and the family coat-of-arms , emblazoned in heraldic colours . This was followed by an address : "—

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England , True Love and Unity Lodge , No . 248 . To the Hon . John R . L . Yarde Buller . —Dear Sir arid Brother—We , the Worshipful Master , your Brother Officers and members of Lodge True Love and Unity , No . 248 , in offering you their heartiest

welcome on your . return to home and Devon , wish to express our thankfulness that you , after so dangerous an experience in defence of our empire , should be again among us sound in body , arid entitled to decorations commemorative of honourable conflict . We fully recognise the joy your return causes to your nearest and

dearest , and would ask you to believe that we most sincerely share it . As a record of our gratitude to those who ha . ve so bravely fought our battles we ask you as our representative to accept this memorial .

( Signed ) Philip P . Alexander W . M . Thomas Harris Acting S . W . John R . Horford J . W . Brixham , 14 th December 1901 .

## ******•****•*****» Bro . Colonel Mark Lockwood , M . P ., P . G . D . Eng . Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Essex presided last Saturday at a capital concert given by the Epping Forest Musical Society , at the Royal Forest Hotel , Chingford .

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NEW HALL AT SALISBURY . THE opening of the new Masonic Hall which has been erected in Crane Street , Salisbury , for the Elias de Derham Lodge , No . 586 , took place on Thursday evening , 12 th inst , when there was a large gathering of members and visitors ..

The W . M . Bro . H . J . Gibbs was in the chair , supported by his Officers and a good number of Past Masters , The Prov . G . M . the Earl of Radnor and Officers of Prov . G . Ledge having been received with befitting honour , the ousiness was transacted and the immediate object of the meeting was proceeded with .

In the absence of the Chaplain Bro . G . Harris P . M . impressively discharged the duty pertaining to that Office , and then the Prov . G . M . addressed the Brethren . He

congratulated them upon the success which had attended their endeavours to provide a ne ^/ meeting place , and Upon their occupation of the bu £ dihg in which they would be able henceforward to cany on thsir work and advance the interests of the Craft . The building , he said , was one of which they might

be proud ; it was ah ornament to the city , and as it would be the home of Masonry , so he trusted would radiate from it all those influences for good ; for the " welfare of the Order , and for the advantage of . the commonwealth , which were the sure results of-obedience to its precepts and the practice of its principles .

The hearty thanks of the Lodge were conveyed to the Prov . G . M . for his presence and address . The Brethren subsequently repaired to the White Hart Hotel , where an excellent dinner was partaken , of . The new

Hall is considered to be admirably adapted for the purposes for which it was designed . It contains a spacious Lodge room 40 feet by 24 feet , and supper and ante-rooms . The fittings aire of pitch pine and the lighting throughout is by electricity .

There are not a few . members of the Masonic body who would frankly confess that they know little of the origin or the history of Freemasonry , and would gladly welcome any

contribution that would add to their knowledge of the subject . Cornish Freemasons , therefore , should specially welcome a " History of Freemasonry in West Cornwall from 1765 t 6 1828 , " which has been written by Bro . Joseph G . Osborn , of

Hayle , a prominent member of the Order , and a P . P . S . G . D

of Cornwall . It is dedicated to the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , G . C . V . O ., the popular Grand Master of Cornish Freemasons , and Bro . W . J . Plughan , of Torquay , P . S . G . D . of England , has written an interesting and practical preface to the work , in which he points out , what is indeed evident in' almost every

page of the book that " about many of the old Lodges and some of the Chapters , Bro . Osborn has given considerable information , based upon actual records , and has done his best to make known the chief features of Freemasonry in West Cornwall , to the great advantage of the local Craft , "

No better recommendation of the book can be given than , this . It certainly deserves to be very widely read , and one weighty reason why Masons especially should subscribe to it is that any profits derived from its sale will be devoted to an excellent charity—the Cornwall Masonic Annuity and

Benevolent Fund . Apart from'the other contents of the "book , the Masonic student will find much to interest him in a number of elaborate " marks " of the old Mark Masons , which are

reproduced , as well as facsimilies of some most interesting MSS . , The cost of the volume is six shillings , and the publisher is Bro . Frederick Rodda , of Penzance . — " Western Morning News . "

** ## *** # ** Bro . Rev . J . B . Craven P . M . P . Z . Rector of St . "Ol ' afs Church , Kirkwall , Senior P . G . Chaplain Caithness , Orkney and Shetland has prepared for the press , with portrait and illustrations , the Life and Writing ' s of Doctor Robert Fludd

( Robertas de Fluctibus ) , the English Rosicrucian . The author has been engaged on this work for several years .. It is intended to comprise all the known facts of Fludd ' s life , and to give a resume of the chief of his works . These , rare and valuable , contain a large record of the most curious

speculations—philosophical , cabalistical , and theosophicalas to God , nature , the universe , man ' s sphere , and religion . Fludd , surnamed the Searcher , as a disciple of Paracelsus and the earlier nature-mystics , developed a system , orderly and exact . A portion of the work is devoted to Fludd's controversies with Mersenne , Gassendi , Kepler , and Foster . The