Notices Of Meetings.

hia duty in such a manner as to gain the esteem of the brethren . He had not the slig htest idea of any testimonial until Bro . Railing had kindly informed him , as he never considered he had done anything to deserve recognition .

He had been a Freemason upwards of a quarter of a century , and had always endeavoured to do his duty and had been amply repaid by receiving honours from three Provincial Grand Masters . He sincerely thanked the brethreu for the very kind present , which would serve as a reminder , were one needed , of the good feeling existing

between them . The Provincial Grand Master announced that next year the Provincial Grand Lodge would be held under the banner of the Easterord Lodge ; and proposed a hearty

vote of thanks to tho W . M . Bro . A . Vandervord , and brethren of the Priory Lodge , No . 1000 , for their kind reception and enterlainmont . This having been seconded and carried unanimously , the Provincial Grand Lodge was

closed in due form and tho brethren adjourned to the Ship Hotel , where an excellent repast was served by Brother W . Trigg . The usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were duly

honoured , and the subsequent speeches were all of a complimentary and eulogistic nature . The utmost unanimity and concord reigned throughout , and every one agreed that the meeting had been a most pleasant one .

RURAL PHILANTHROPIC LODGE , No . 291 . THE annual meeting of the members of this Lodge was held at the Railway Hotel , Highbridge , when Bro . John Tyler , the S . W ., was installed W . M . for the ensuing year , as successor to the D . P . 6 . M . ( Bro . R . C . Else ) , who oondnoted the ceremony . The W . M . appointed and invested the following Officers for the ensuing year : — Bros . A . E . Burnett S . W ., J . H . Sharp J . W ., the Rev . E . A . Sandford

Chaplain , J . Burnett P . M . Treasurer , T . Floyd Norris P . M . Secretary , H . W . Chapman S . D ., T . C . Brice J . D ., Dr . Kemmis D . C ., W . Brewer OrganiBt , Cbas . S . Leech I . G ., J . Wall and W . Stiling Stewards , and Ashwell Tyler . The D . P . G . M . ( Bro . Else ) was presented on bis retirement from the office of W . M . with an album containing the photographs of the Lodge brethren , by Bro . Dr . Kemmip , as a mark of esteem on the pai t of the brethren and of appreciation of the

servioes he had rendered to the Lodge . A vote of condolence to Mrf . Lucette and the members of her family on the death of Brother Chas . Lucette P . M . was unanimously adopted on the motion of Bro . J . T . Dumford , seconded by Br <\ Dr . Pescott . The customary banquet was afterwards held under the presidency of the W . M ., the visiting brethren including Bro . White , stated to be the oldest brother ia the Provinco of Somerset .

ST . JAMES'S LODGE , No . 448 . THE members of this Lodge , together with a few friends , a party of 54 altogether , had a pic-nio to Iugleton , on Thursday , the 6 th inct . They journeyed in a saloon , and they made gratoful recognition of the attentions paid by the railway authorities to their convenience and comfort . All tho visitors did the round of the

waterfalls and spent a delightful day . Lunch and dinner were served at the Ingleboro' Hotel . Mr . James Milligan undertook the management of the excursion , and his services were highly appreciated .

TOWNEY PARKER LODGE , No . 1083 . THE regular meeting of this Lodge was held at the Grand Hotel , Manchester , on Wednesday , 28 th June . Bro . George Parker W . M . opened the Lodge at 6 ' 15 , there being present : —Bros . George Parker W . M ., J . Selby I . P . M ., W . Bhkbeck S . W ., R . Lingard J . W ., John Taylor Treasurer , James Simister Secretary , John Chalmers S . D ., J . W . Taylor J . D ., Hy . Gill S . S ., Godfrey Higham P . M .

P . P . G . D . D . C , William Hoyland P . M . P . G . P ., J . Goldsmith P . M ., R . Armitage P . M ., Hy . Dawson P . M ., C . Shorrocks , George Thompson , P . Somerton , W . Hamilton , W . Lowe , F . E . Hnj-hes , A . Longwortb , Hy . Barber , M . Downs , W . Holland , H . Wcoler ; Visitors : —Brothers Buckley Carr P . M . 1161 and 1558 , H . Smith P . M . 287 P . G . D .

Cheshire , Sims Lever 17 United Grand Lodge of New Sonth Wales , W . Howard 1147 , E . G . Archer 2109 . The ballot was successfully taken for Messrs . Henry Bennett ( Macclesfield ) and James Harford ( Crewe ) , after which Bro . Wooler , who had expressed a desire to be passed to the second degree , answered the usual questions , and was

entrusted with a test of merit . Mr . Jas . Harford was then initiated by Bro . R . Armitage P . M ., the working tools being presented and explained by Bro . R . Lingard J . W ., who also gave the E , A . charge . The W . M . now resumed the chair , opened the Lodge in the second degree , and paesed Bro . Wooler to the degree of F . C ., he being

assisted by Bro . W . Birkbeck S . W ., who presented and explained the working tools of this degree . The Lodge having been opened in the first degree , hearty good wishes were expressed by the visitors , and the business terminated in peace and harmony at 8 15 p . m . At the

festive board which followed , tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were drunk , and the Secretary , by desire of the W . M ., gave the brethren an outline of the forthcoming pic-nic to Matlock Bath , on the 19 th instant . Bro . Selby I . P . M . proposed the health pf Bro . Hoyland P . M . P . G . P ., and complimented him upon his

Notices Of Meetings.

honours . Brother Hoyland in reply thanked the brethren for their good wishes . The W . M . expressed his pleasure in seeing so good a muster on this the last night previous to the vacation , and sincerely hoped he wonld meet them at the pic-nio on the 19 th inst . Thepiocee dings were enlivened by some capital songs given by Bros . W . Howard . Buckley Carr , and others .

ACACIA LODGE , No . 2321 . ONE of the most sucoessfal meetings of this Lodge took pluco at the Masonio Hall , Rawson Square , Bradford , on Thursday , the Gth inst ., the W . M ., Bro . John Niven , in honour of the Royal Wedding , having invited the brethren , their wives aud sisters to take tea with him and Mrs . Niven at the Lodge Rooms . Tho brethren in goodly numbers attended the duties of the Lodge at half past six , and tho .

ladies assembled at half past seven o olock , the invitations as might have been expected being generally accepted . The arrangements for the happiness of the guests were oarefully carried out by the W . M . and his better-half . Amongst the members of the Lodge who attended to support the W . M . during the evening were : —Bros . S . A .

Anty P . M . Chap , as I . P . M ., Alfred Stephenson P . M . P . P . G . D . C . as . S . W ., John T . Last Treasurer as J . W ., James B . Fearnley Secretary , Cbas . H . Ellis S . D ., S . A . Bailey P . M . as J . D ., Robert S . Hird as I . G ., A . Holmes Tyler , Joseph Wilson P . M . P . P . G . Std . B ., A . E . Harris Snpt . of Works , John W . Bland and John A . Drake Stewards ,

Biohard Harland , John Hurland , Albert Gwaine , John J . Whitiker , John Morton , R . J . Marsland and others . Visitors : —Bros . F . W . Dnrant W M . 1648 , A . T . Akeroyd P . M . 1432 P . P . G . D . C . Salop , James Tilley 600 , Henry Waddington Seoretary 603 , Alexr . Sellar P . M . 414 Reading P . P . G . D . C . Berks . The Lodge was opened and the minutes of the previous Lodge were read and confirmed . On the

motion of tbe W . M . a resolution was unanimously passed adopting a telegram to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales Grand Master , conveying the hearty congratulations and fraternal greetings of the W . M . and brethren on the marriage that day of H . R . H . the Duke of York and the Princess May . In due course the W . M . received the following telegram from the Grand Master : —

Marlborough House . To WorBbipful Master , Lodge Acacia , 2321 , Masonic Hall , Bradford . I sincerely thank you and brethren for kind congratulation . ALBERT EnwAnn .

The Lodge bye-laws were read , and the recommendation of the Lodge given to a petition on behalf of a daughter of a deceased member for admission to the Royal Masonio Institution for Girls . Notice of a proposition of a candidate for initiation was received and apologies from several absent brethren were tendered ; after hearty good wishes

tbe Lodge was closed , and tbe brethren adjourned to the reception room where the ladies had already assembled . After a substantial tea had been discussed nnder the presidency of the W . M ., the usual Loyal toasts ( including the Royal Bride and Bridegroom ) wero given from tbe chair . The Visitors was ably proposed by Bro . Stephen .

son P . P . G . D . C . the Senior P . M ., who on behalf of the Lodge gnve the ladies and also the visiting brethren a very beaity welcome . He referred to the fact that tho members of the Lodge bad entertained their lady friends on previous occasions , but this was the first time the brethren had been joined by the ladies ou a regular Lodge night .

The W . M . had found the Royal Wedding a peg to haog the invitation on , and it was very gratifying to see such a goodly number of visitors present , and he hoped they would all enjoy themselve ? . Bro . F . W . Dnrant W . M . 1648 responded on behalf of the visitors , and stated that it was a pleasing duty to acknowledge the generous

hospitality of the W . M . ; he ( Bro . Durant ) looked upon the gathering that evening as somewhat of an innovation , but it was nevertheless a splendid innovation worthy of imitation , aud he complimented the W . M . for having had the distinction of being the first W . M . amongst the Lodges in the town to have invited the ladies to join the brethren

at refreshment after the duties of the Lodge , and he was delighted to see that the experiment had been so eminently successful . Tbe W . M . was ably proposed by Bro . Durant , who expressed the pleasure it had given him and his wife to accept the W . M . 'a invitation to be present that evening , and he gladly undertook the duty and

privilege of submitting the toast of the W . M . ' a health . He had as a visitor from time to time with much interest watched Bro . Niven ' s progress step by step until he had reached the chair of the LTI ^ , ' and he was glad to know that the W . M . was so highly esteemed by the brethren . The toast was very heartily received . Bro . Niven ,

in responding , tendered his warmest thanks to the brethren for the very cordial manner in which the toast of his health had been received ; he was proud to preside over the LoJge , and since his installation he had been waiting for a fitting oppottunity for inviting tbe ladies to join them at refreshment- this bad been most opportunely

furnished by the fact of the Royal wedding occurring on the day of the regular meeting of the Lodge , and he accorded to the ladies a most hearty welcome j he was glad to see them present on such an auspicious occasion . When he first suggested this gathering , it was by one or two discouraged as an innovation and ont of order ; he

had nevertheless persisted in it with snoh a happy result that he sincerely trusted the innovation would become a precedent and that all future Masters of the Lodge would on suitable occasions give the brethren pleasure by inviting the ladies in like manner to join their assemblies . He ha 3 no doubt that the ladies were a little enrious to know something of their " secrets , " and he thought he might

perhaps disclose to them this much—that the brethren aoting np to the " secrets " or principles they , as Masons , professed , were calculated to be better husbands , better men , and better members of society . The W . M . conolnded by inviting all the ladies and brethren to a garden party at his residence on the following Saturday . The Tyler's toast concluded a most enjoyable meeting . Bros . Anty , Wilson , Tilley , Harland , Waddington , Akeroyd , Harris , aud several of the