Kent.

but he had asked him ( Earl Amherst ) if he would take the chair if his military duties prevented him being present . He could not refuse to do it , but he wished it to be known that he was only acting as locum tenens of the Duke of Connaught . Next year he would have to make an appeal

to the liberality of the Brethren . During all these forty years , it had never been his fortune to take the chair at the Girls School , but he proposed to rectify that omission next year , and he hoped that the Province would support him , as it had done on the many occasions on which he had taken

the chair for the other School . In conclusion , he desired to thank them once more for the way in which they had received him . It was no new experience , for they had been uniformly kind to him during the last forty years . He would be very

sorry if it were not so . Year after year they had received him most cordially , and he trusted that as long as he remained in that chair he would never be less cordially received by them .

The Provincial Grand Master nert proposed the toast of Bro . J . S . Eastes P . G . D . Deputy Prov . G . Master , and referred to the valuable assistance rendered by that Brother during the twenty-three years he had acted as Deputy . Bro . Eastes briefly responded .

Bros . Col . Hamilton Prov . G . S . W . and John Russell P . P . S . G . D ., as present and past Provincial Grand Officers , acknowledged the compliment paid to them by their Chief . Bro . J . N . Willis , the Mayor of Gravesend , and W . M . of

the Lodge of Sympathy No . 483 , responded for the visitors ; and Bro . F . R . W . Hedges acknowledged with sincere thanks the large amount collected by the Province of Kent for the Masonic Charities , especially at the centenary of the Girls School , when they sent up something over £ 3 , 000 .

Earl Amherst said he must leave , but before doing so he particularly wished to propose the toast of the entertaining Lodge—Freedom , No . 77 . They were always fortunate enough on these occasions to find a Lodge ready to take the trouble and expense of entertaining the Prov .

Grand Lodge , and he was sure that the verdict of all the Brethren that day would be that the arrangements made for their comfort had been most satisfactory . They had met in an excellent Lodge room , and had dined in an excellent manner , and though perhaps his remarks had not

been heard all over the room—as remarked by a previous speaker—they must remember that he had to speak to a blank wall , and an open door . Still he thought that the

open door was an allegory of the hospitality of No . 77 . He was sure they would all drink to the continued prosperity of No . 77 , and thank that Lodge and its W . M . for the excellent arrangements made .

Bro . John Solomon W . M . 77 , in response , said it was a proud privilege and pleasure to receive the Provincial Grand Master . His Lordship had visited that Lodge twice during the past forty years , and they thought it was time they again asked him to accept their hospitality , and they sincerely

trusted that when his lordships jubilee arrived he would honour the Lodge of Sympathy with his presence . In conclusion , he would like to thank his lordship for the kind manner in which he had spoken of the Lodge of Freedom , and also for having bestowed -two collars upon members of the Lodge .

The Provincial Grand Master then requested Bro . Wm . Russell Prov . G . Treasurer to take the chair , and left the room amidst the cheers of the assembly . Bro . Russell , in his usual genial manner , then started a little toast list of his own , and took occasion to remark that

as Kent and Essex defended the approaches to London by the sea , so Earl Amherst and the Earl of Warwick the Grand Masters of those Provinces guarded the rights and privileges

of Freemasonry at Grand Lodge . They had among them a worthy Brother from Essex , who was Master of the Lodge of St . J ohn , at Grays , and he thought they ought to drink his health .

Bro . Charles Asplin having acknowledged the compliment , Bro . Russell found another theme for his ready wit . He said it was not often they succeeded in getting an initiate at Provincial Grand Lodge , but they had a little Brother , thirteen days old , who was the son of one of their old friends , and he would like to wish him success .

Bro . H . King , the last initiate of the Lodge of Freedom , modestly responded , arid then the Brethren settled down to enjoy an excellent concert , in which Bros . J . Plant , J . Pear-Son , W . Halward , and Fred Noakes took part . The arrangements were admirable , and reflected g ^ eat

Kent.

credit upon the reception Committee . '' Everybod y agreed this was one of the most successful Masonic meetmgs ever held in the Province of Kent . A feature of the dinner was the eases in which the ices

were served , which took the form of a " little tambourine . Bros . Percy White and F . C . Martin took advantage of the good opportunity thus hinted at , and collected 126 shillings

for the "Absent Minded Beggars , " Brother John Solomon has handed the six guineas to the " Dail y Telegraph " War Fund , which was acknowledged with thanks .

The members of the Lodge of Freedom desire to thank all those Lodges that so kindly responded to their appeal for the loan of banners , & c . for the occasion .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

CORNWALL . THE Mark Provincial Grand Lodge is to be held in the Masonic Hall , Falmouth , on Tuesday , 3 rd prox ., by command of the Earl of Halsbury ( Lord High Chancellor ) Provincial Grand Master . There is the usual business to transact , and the appointment and investment of the

Officers for the year ensuing . The members of the enter _ taining Lodge No . 94 , have arranged for a steamer trip for the visitors on the Prov . Grand Lodge being closed , arid a cold luncheon is to be served on board . The G . W . R . Company have arranged for tickets to be issued to Falmouth on the usual terms .

Essex.

ESSEX .

r 11 HE first anniversary meeting of the . -Essex Provincial J _ Grand Lodge of Mark Masons was held at Brentwood , on Tuesday , 12 th inst , excellent arrangements for the same being made by the Brentwood Lodge , No . 377 . In the unavoidable absence of , the Earl of Warwick Provincial Grand Master the duties of the chair were ably

fulfilled by Bro . Col . Lockwood , M . P ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master , who was supported by Bros . J . J . C . Turner P . P . G . S . W . acting D . P . G . M ., Claude E . Egerton-Green Prov . S . G . W ., Frank Landon Prov . J . G . W ., James Speller Prov . G . M . O ., Canon Quennell Prov . G . Chap ., Thos . J . Railing

P . G . D . Prov . G . Sec , R . Clowes P . G . O . Prov . G . D . C , J . G .

Mackenzie Pr . A . G . D . C , G . M . E . Hamilton Pr . G . Swd . B ., R . Haward Ives Prov . AssistG . Sec , John E . Cheese Prov . G . Steward , A . Wright Prov . G . Tyler , John Ramsey P . A . G . D . C ., j . P . Lewin P . G . Std . B ., George Graveley P . G . SwdB ., and other Brethren .

The minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Province , at Colchester , in May last year , having been read and confirmed , a telegram of regret at his inability to attend , owing to his duties as an officer of the Warwick Yeomanry , was read from the Earl of Warwick , and apologies for non attendance were received from several Brethren .

The report of the Board of General Purposes was presented for adoption by Bro . Col . Landon Pr . J . G . W . It stated that there had , been seven Advancements and ten Joining Members ; whilst five Brethren had resigned ; two

had died , and four had been struck off , leaving the strength of the Province 185 . One new Lodge , the Dunmow , had been consecrated , making the roll of the Lodges eight . The accounts showed a balance in hand of £ 20 4 s 7 d .

The motion for the adoption of the report was seconded by Brother R . Clowes Prov . G . D . C . and carried unanimously . Bye-laws for the government of the Province were next

brought forward , and on the motion of Bro . Claude E . Egerton-Green Prov . G . S . W ., seconded by Bro . Col . Landon Prov . J . G . W ., were unanimously adopted , and ordered to be printed and circulated .

The Deputy Provincial Grand Master then addressed the Brethren . Referring to the absence of the Proy . G . M ,, the gallant Colonel said they missed his Lordship ' s presence very much , as he was sure they all felt that no important gathering of Essex Masons was complete without him , They , however , recognised that he wag fulfilling a patriotic duty ,