The Masonic Year 1877.

military duty in the other , aro no doubt the reasons why these Royal brethren have been prevented from taking a very active part in the work of Grand Lodge , but there is no doubt that the reputation of Freemasonry stands higher with the community when people note that the three prin- ' '

cipal officers of G . Lodge aro members of the Royal Family . Of the changes that have occurred among our Provincial magnates it will be only necessary to state that the deeply lamented Bro . Theo . Mansel Talbot , who died last year , has been succeeded in the government of tho Eastern Division

of South Wales by Sir Geo . Elliot Bart ., M . P . ; that Sir Walter Wyndham Burrell Bart ., M . P ., is Provincial Grand Master of Sussex , in place of Lord Pelham M . P . ; ancl Bro . T . Montague Guest , Prov . G . Master of Dorsetshire , vice Bro . Joseph Gundry . The Duke of Newcastle ,

owing to the demands upon his time , has found it necessary to resign tho Prov . Grand Mastershi p of Nottinghamshire , but his place has not yet been filled ; and there is also , we regret to say , a vacancy in the Masonic government of

Staffordshire , by reason of the sudden death of the Earl of Shrewsbury ancl Talbot , to which sad event we shall have occasion to refer hereafter at greater length . However , such changes as these are in the order of things .

" Pallida Mora aequo pulaat pecle pauperum tabernas Regumqm turrea . " Death takes equally the exalted as the humble brother , and their places know them no more . The firm hand , the

kind heart , the genial smile are still for ever . Other , and it may be untried men succeed them , but there is always this consolation present before our minds , that " the old order remaineth . "

Among the chief events of a public character must be mentioned , in the first place , tho important and highly interesting ceremony which was enacted in the month of April , and the scene of which was Stratford-on-Avon , where the greatest poet of all timo first saw the light . The

principal actor on this occasion was the ever-active and universally respected Lord Leigh , Provincial G . Master of Warwickshire , who readily accepted the invitation of the authorities of Stratford , to lay the first stone of the buildings now being erected , to perpetuate in his native town

the memory of our grand national poet , William Shakspeare . The clay selected for the imposing ceremony was the 23 rd of April , the anniversary of the poet's birth , and the gathering from the Province itself , as well as from Staffordshire , was worthy of the occasion . The

ceremony was ably ancl impressively performed by his Lordship , and among those present was the eminent Shakspearian actor , Bro . William Creswick , who later in the day delivered a most eloquent oration on Shakespeare ancl the Drama . Ib may be as well to mention that the memorial

when complete will consist of a theatre , which it is hoped and expected , will for ages to come be a worthy home of the legitimate drama , a . library , ancl a picture gallery . For these last two a sum of £ 8 , 000 is needed , and the half of this has been already promised by a worthy and patriotic

Warwickshire man , Mr . C . E . Flower , who has already contributed largely of his means towards the erection of the theatre , ancl who , as we have said , is ready to still give onehalf of the requisite sum if by the end of the year the other half is collected or promised . And the very day

on which Lord Leigh was playing so conspicuous a part at Stratford-on-Avon , a new Masonic Hall at Exeter was solemnly dedicated to the purposes of our Craft by our Rev . Bro . John Huyshe , Provincial G . Master of Devon . There was a large and influential gathering of brethren to do

honour to so important an event , the tnree Lodges of the venerable Western city contributing , of course , the bulk of those present . Two other events of a similar character may likewise be mentioned . On the 31 st July , the Worshipful Master of the Barnard Lodge , No . 1230 , laid the

first stone of a new Masonic Hall at Barnard Castle , ancl on the 18 th of the same month , the important town of Sheffield was the scene of a Grand Masonic gathering , the occasion being the opening of the new Masonic HaU aud its dedication to the use of the Craft . At such a ceremony

as this it was only to be expected that the Craft should be present in considerable numbers , and that the Grand Master of the Province in which the town is situated should , preside in person . Of course , therefore , it is a

pleasure as well as our duty to record that the popular chief of West Yorkshire , Sir Henry Edwards Bart , conducted the ceremonial in person , that the most distinguished members of the Prov . G , Lodge supported him , and

The Masonic Year 1877.

that all tho leading brethren of Sheffield were there to ¦ give him the heartiest of welcomes . There are three flourishing Lodges in tho town , and it was under tho banner of the oldest of these , the Britannia , No . 139 , which traces its origin back to the year 1765 , that the gathering was held . Between two and three hundred Craftsmen

witnessed the imposing ceremonial , and when the fatigues of tho day were over , and the last of the long list of toasts which followed the banquet had been fittingly responded to , all dispersed to their homes , delighted with tho events of

the clay . For many a year , the gathering of the 18 th July 1877 will be the most memorable event in the annals of the Craft in Sheffield . It is , indeed , a diesfestus , to which they are entitled to look back with pride and satisfaction .

Another event , which for obvious reasons must not be allowed to pass unnoticed , is of more recent occurrence—we allude to the Centenary Festival of the York Lodge , No . 230 , which was held on the 6 th of last month . Till 1870 , this Lodge was known as the " Union , " but in that year it

obtained permission to adopt its present title . It was founded in July 1777 , the Warrant for its constitution being granted by the Grand Lodge of England ( Moderns ) . In 1862 the foundation-stone of its hall was laid , and the building itself was consecrated the year following . It is

now , owing to the unwearied exertions of Bro . William Cowling P . M ., in a very prosperous state . Bro . Cowling himself presided , and among those present were the Earl of Zetland , Prov . Grand Master of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire , in which York is situated , and

Bro . Tew , Dep . Prov . Grand Master of West Yorkshire , the entire party mustering about one hundred and twenty . It is needless to say that the auspicious event was fittingly celebrated , ancl perhaps not the least interesting part of the day ' s proceedings was the reading of Bro . W . J . Hughan ' s

letter on the progress of the Craft in the Archiepiscopal City of York . Centenary celebrations do not occur every day , and there are but few Lodges comparatively which can boast of an unbroken series of labours extending over one hundred years ; but the special feature in connection with

this particular celebration is the fact that the ancient city of York is so intimately associated with the history of our Society . We have no intention of carrying our readers back to the mythical times of Prince Edwin of York , nor have Ave a mind to lay before them a full , true , aud

particular sketch of English Freemasonry in the northern capital of England . For the benefit of those who are curious in these matters , we may mention that whatever is authentic in connection with Freemasonry in York will be found in Bro . Huoban ' s admirable account in the

Kingston Masonic Annual , an account we have read with infinite profit as well as pleasure . Suffice it to say , there existed a Lodge of Freemasons in York at the very beginning of last century , and that when the Craft in the south of England entered upon its new career as a

speculative body , York Masonry was also favourably affected , and the Lodge shortly after the year 1717 resumed its duties ; ancl though it never fared as prosperously as its southern rival—indeed , ifc has been extinct now for many , many years—still for a time it held its own , ancl retained

and exercised all the rights and privileges of a Grand Lodge . Indeed , these rights and privileges were willingly recognised by the Grand Lodge in London , and the Grand . Lodge of all England held in York , was for a long period of years a sovereign ancl independent body , granting

warrants for the formation of new Lodges , not only under its own immediate wing , but likewise in the South of England itself , our venerable Lodge of Antiquity , under Bro . William Preston , being for a short time in alliance with it . But the Lodge which only a few weeks since celebrated the

completion of the first hundred years of its existence , owes its origin , not to the old York Lodge of which we have been speaking , but , as we have said , to the Grand Lodge of England ( Moderns ) . It , however , is tho fortunate possessor of such manuscri pts and records as have been

preserved , many of the former being very ancient , and the latter most interesting . It is impossible for the student of Masonry to consider the past , present , ancl future of our Society withont associating with our history the ancient city of York . We cannot take up a work on the

Craft which does not contain some reference to the York rite . We can hardly raise a question of any importance as to our progress without noting the confusion that reigns even in the minds of well-informed brethren as to the mysteries of what is known as Ancient York Masonry . York has played its part well .