Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — WEST YORKSHIRE .

rriHERE was a large attendance of Companions at the annual I Convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire , which was held under the auspices of Regularity Chapter , No . 404 , in the Freemasons' Hall , Halifax , on Saturday , 15 th inst . The Provincial Grand Superintendent the Right Hon . "W . L . Jackson , M . P ., presided .

The ordinary Chapter was opened by the Officers of the Regularity , and the Prov . Grand Officers were received in due form . On the roll of the Chapters in the Province being called , it was found that seven were unrepresented . The Provincial Grand Superintendent , in an address to the Companions , expressed regret

that the members of Royal Arch Masonry in West Yorkshire were not proportionate to the members of the Craft . In the Province there were about 80 Craft Lodges , while there were only 42 Chapters . He had recently had applications for two new Chapters , one for the Colne Valley ( 1645 ) and the other from Wentworth ( 1239 ) , Sheffield , which would probably be granted .

During the past year there had been an increase of members ; this was gratifying inasmuch as there had been a decrease the previous year . He hoped to see a large accession of members . Alluding to the Queen ' s Diamond Jubilee , he said that a meeting of Masons had been called for the 14 th June , at the Albert Hall , London , as a demonstration of loyalty on the part of the whole

of the Masons of the country . This would be presided over by the Prince of Wales the Grand Master . For that meeting there were only five tickets at the disposal of each Lodge , and the number could not be increased . The meeting would relieve individual Lodges of taking active measures for tendering their loyal congratulations to the Queen , but he suggested that each Lodge should record on its minutes an expression of loyalty . He

intimated that on behalf of West Yorkshire he had accepted the invitation of the Empire Lodge to attend a banquet at the Hotel Cecil , on the evening of the Albert Hall meeting , to meet the Colonial Premiers who were members of the Craft ; and also an invitation of the Bishop of Rochester to attend a Masonic service at St . Saviour ' s , Southwark , at which the Prince of Wales might be present .

The accounts , presented by Comp . W . Smith Prov . G . Treas . showed a balance in hand of £ 280 13 s 6 d . Comp . J . Gibbs , Rotherham , was elected Prov . G . Treas . for the ensuing year , on the proposition of Comp . W . Smith , seconded by Comp . J . Robertshaw .

The Provincial Grand Superintendent proceeded to invest his Officers for the ensuing year , as follow : Comp . Henry Smith 154 - - - H . H . S . Childe 154 - - - - J . H . G . E . Green 1019 - - - Scribe E . W . Laycock 1001 . - - - Scribe N .

J . Gibbs 904 ... - Treasurer J . C . Bell 1283 .... Registrar T . H . Tanner 337 - - - - Deputy Registrar T . Norfolk 600 ... - Principal Sojourner J . T . Simpson 61 - - - - 1 st Assistant Sojourner W . W . Clayton 304 ... 2 nd Assistant Sojourner

T . Read 302 .... Sword Bearer H . King 307 ... - Deputy Sword Bearer 3 . Robertshaw 139 - Standard Bearer G . Blackburn 264 - - - - | . . . a . , , _ J . H . Roper 265 - - - - | Asslst Standard Bearers W . D . Quainby 208 - - - Director of Ceremonies

R . Ruff 2491 .... | G . Stones 1462 - - - - r Assistant Dirs . of Cers . C . Middleton 2069 ... ) W . S . Milligan 448 - - - - Organist C . England 910 - Assistant Scribe E .

A . Macredie 296 - - - - ' A . Armitase 521 - - - „ , , G . Earle 306 ... - f Stewards J . Tillotson 387- - - - - T . Chester 904 - - - - Janitor . At the conclusion of the proceedings the brethren sat down to tea .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE

BY the invitation of the Brethren of the Star in the East Lodge the annual gathering of the ^ Mark Masons in the Province was held on Friday , 7 th inst ., at Scarborough . The Provincial Grand Master Lord Bolton presided , and appointed and invested Officers as follow :

Mark Masonry.

Bros . C Gray ..... Senior Warden R . McBean ----- Junior Warden W . A . Cheeseman - - - - Master Overseer J . Holland ----- Senior Overseer David Morley .... Junior Overseer Rev . E . A . B . Pitman - - - Chaplain

_ . W . Halliwell ... - Secretary T . W . Rennison ... - Registrar of Marks T . S . Brogden .... Senior Deacon Smith Exley .... Junior Deacon J . Eorbes ..... Inspector of Works G . Rennard .... Director of Ceremonies

R . S . Pears - - - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . W . E . Adamson - Sword Bearer J . A . Jones - --- - Standard Bearer G . W . Long ... . Organist J . T . Chambers .... Assistant Secretary

H . S . Home ... . Inner Guard W . Lowther Harrison - - - ~ \ O . Nicholson - - - - C Stewards Copley - - - - - \ W . Stockdale .... Tyler .

Lord Bolton having thanked the Driffield and Middlesbrough Lodges for their invitations to hold the next Provincial Lodge at their towns , reviewed the work of the past year , and regretted the . condition of the Province was not satisfactory . The Mark Degree was , he said , a beautiful one , and deserved to be cultivated by a larger number of the Craft .

Brother J . L . Barker D . Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire briefly expressed the hearty good wishes of the sister Province of West Yorkshire , and hoped they would increase and have continued prosperity . The Provincial Grand Lodge was subsequently closed in due form .

LEBANON LODGE , No . 325 . THE installation meeting was held at Lostwithiel , on the 6 th inst ., when Bro . G . Shanks P . M . was installed W . M . for the ensuing year , by Bro . Perry P . M ., who performed the ceremony with great ability and in a very impressive manner . The Board of Installed Masters included several wellknown and distinguished Masons of the neighbourhood .

FIDELITY AND UNANIMITY LODGE , No . 348 . TTYHE celebration of the annual festival took place at the Masonic Hall , I Taunton , on Tuesday , 27 th ult ., when Bro . Wm . H . Westlake was duly installed W . M . for the ensuing year as successor to Bro . R . Knight . The ceremony of installation was performed in a very able and impressive manner by Bro . E . T . Bllworthy P . M . P . G . Secretary , in the unavoidable absence , through indisposition , of Bro . R . C . Else Prov . G . M . M .

DUNELM LODGE , No . 356 . THE annual meeting was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Old Elvet , Durham , on Eriday , 14 th inst . Bro . H . Brown W . M . presided , and was supported by a goodly number of Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren . The Treasurer ' s report , read by the Secretary , showed that the Lodge was in a flourishing condition both numerically and financially .

Bro . Lawson P . M . then presented Bio . T . Black S . W . for installation . The ceremony was most impressively performed by Bro . Brown . The Brethren , at the invitation of the new Master , then adjourned to refreshment , when the usual Loyal and patriotic toasts were duly honoured . Pleasant harmony concluded the evening's proceedings .

Jubilee Presentation At Stockport .

JUBILEE PRESENTATION AT STOCKPORT .

AT the monthly meeting of the Lodge of Concord , No . 323 , held at the Florist Hotel , Stockport , on Wednesday , 12 th inst ., Bro . J . A . Penney W . M . presiding , Bra . Wm . Wood I . P . M . and Treasurer presented a chain to be worn by the W . M . The chain , which is of solid silver , is formed by a succession of Masonic Emblems , with small silver plates for the reception ol the names of successive W . M . ' s by whom it may be worn . It bears the inscription :

Presented to The Concord Lodge , No . 323 , By Bro . WII _ _ WOOD , I . P . M ., Treasurer , commemorating the Diamond Jubilee reign , June 1897 , J . A . PENNEY , W . M ., H . NEWTON , P . M ., Secretary .

Bro . William Wood , m making the presentation , expressed the great pleasure it gave him , and added that he should have held it over until the next meeting of the Lodge in the second week in June , but that be was leaving the country for Russia , where he expected to remain some little time , and he had therefore brought it up a month before the time .

Bro . J . A . Penney W . M . accepted the presentation in the name of the Lodge , expressing the great pleasure it gave him to be the recipient in the name of his Brethren of such a handsome gift . He would assure them that he would take the greatest care of it during his year of Office . He would use every endeavour to hand it down untarnished and unsoiled to his successor in the chair .

Bro . William Johnson S . D ., in a few well-chosen words , proposed a vote of thanks to Bro . Wood [ or his present , and this was seconded by Bro . Golburn J . W ., supported by Bros . W . Walmsley P . M ., W . Slack J . D ., and carried unanimously . Bro . Wood , in accepting the vote of thanks , reiterated the pleasure it gave him to be allowed to make such a present to the Lodge , and said that if it was accepted in the sjiirit it was given he should feel doubly pleased .

Subsequently Bro . Wood , remarking that one of the principles of Ereemasonry was charity , proposed that a grant of five guineas bo made to the Jubilee fund on behalf of the Sick Nursing Association . This was seconded by tbe W . M ., and carried unanimously .