Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

THE annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Northwich , on 6 th inst . About 300 members of the Masonic fraternity , representing the 39 Lodges of the Province , assembled , and the day being exceedingly fine the entire programme was fulfilled in a manner that left nothing to be desired . The responsibility of entertaining the Provincial Grand Lodge rested with the local Lodge

of Sincerity , 428 , of which Brother T . E . Skidmore is the W . M ., and the excellent arrangements perfected by the various committees were carried out with the utmost order ancl regularity , the visiting brethren being highly pleased with the cordiality of their reception . The Market Hall was the scene of the gathering , this being the only place in the town which afforded adequate accommodation . The

interior of the spacious building underwent complete transformation , and the brethren of Lodge 428 are to be congratulated upon having adapted it so admirably for tho purposes for which it was hired . A strong wooden petition was erected on either side of the passage throngh the centre of the building , the Apple Market-street end being constituted the Grand Lodge-room , while the other half served the

purposes of a banqueting room . The hall was splendidly decorated for the occasion , this work having been entrusted to Mr . Chadwick , of Market-street , who executed his commission in a way that elicited universal praise . The Lodge-room presented an extremely attractive appearance . The throne was fixed on a carpeted dais at one end , chairs for the use of the P . G . officers being provided on each

side . The temporary " walls , " and the gallery front and p illars were embellished with the Tabley and Tatton arms , a number of Masonic watchwords , emblems , and monograms , and festoons of evergreens . Great skill and taste were displayed in the adornment of the banqueting room , and an exceedingly brilliant effect was produced . Surmounting the chair in the centre of the dais ,

reserved for P . G . Officers , was a handsome trophy of flags , set off with the Tabley arms and Prince of Wales Feathers . On the right appeared the words , " Lodge Sincerity , 428 , " and " The Three Grand Masters ; " while on the left were read , " Lodge Fidelity , 242 , " and " The Three Great Lights in Masonry . " Other parts of the room were beautifully decorated with trophies of flags , illuminated shields and

monograms , the titles and numbers of various Lodges of the Province , and such mottoes as " Friendship , Love , and Truth , " " Peace , Plenty , and Unanimity , " " Faith , Hope , and Charity , " " Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty , " " Brotherly Love , " " Belief and Truth , " & c . A number of magnificent palms and table plants from Mr . Owen ' s Greenbank Nurseries added to the elegance of the display . The galleries were

carefully screened off all round with canvas , and portions were formed into cloak and clothing rooms , and lavatories . There were also provided a daintily-furnished room for the Provincial Grand Master , and a larger one for the use of the P . G . Officers . The Right Hon . Lord de Tabley , Bight Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , was prevented , by indisposition , from attending the meeting ,

and the circumstance was greatly regretted by all . His duties were efficiently discharged by Bro . G . W . Latham P . P . G . S . W . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , the P . G . S . ( Bro . Griffiths ) read letters of apology from several brethren for non-attendance . The Acting Depnty Grand Master thought it right to deliver to them the message which the P . G . M .

of Cheshire had entrusted him with , as they were probably aware it had pleased the Great Architect of the Universe to inflict upon him an access of illness . He trusted that would soon pas 8 away , and would not prove to be so serious as at one time they anticipated it might be , and he was sure it would be the prayer of every member of the Provincial Grand Lodge that such might be the case . He

had the pleasure of seeing their Provincial Grand Master that morning before starting , and he commissioned him to give his love to the brethren who were assembled , and to assure them how distressed he was at not being able to keep the engagement he had made , and how he hoped all would pass off successfully even in his absence . Having appealed for their sympathy and indulgence in tho trying

circumstances in which he was placed , he asked their prayers as a body and as individuals for the restoration of the Provincial Grand Master . The minutes of the Grand Lodge at Macclesfield , and of two special meetings , were read by tbe Provincial Grand Secretary . The Acting Deputy Grand Master said that he thought every ono

would agree that tho present year had been one full of business in the Province of Cheshire . They had two special Grand Lodges , one to congratulate Her Majesty upon her escape from the hands of the assassin . It was a curious coincidence that a very few days before that attempt had been made , their Provincial Grand Master had alluded to a similar attempt which had been made upon the Chief

Magistrate on the other side of the Atlantic . The other Grand Lodge had been for a purpose particularly agreeable to the feelings of all Masons—it was the laying of the foundation-stone of a hospital for little children . He could conceive no object nearer to the hearts of all Masons than that the sufferings of those innocent little children — suffering caused perhaps by tho vice or poverty of their parents , but

not inflicted upon them by their own sort—should be relieved or alleviated by the most extonsive and successful measures . If their Grand Lodge had done no other work than that during the past year ; if it had only been the helper on of a charity like that , he thought they would all agree that they had done a good work . But their work as Masons did not end with the two

occasions of congratulation to their Sovereign and the work of charity . During that time they were called upon , not as a body but as individual Masons , to perform the pleasant office of presenting their Prov . Grand Master with a portrait of himself . Those who were present then knew how touching the ceremony was , how their Prov . Grand

Master acknowledged in a few broken sentences the gift , and how they who gave it felt that all the trouble they had taken was amply repaid by the pleasure it had afforded them . That gift was to show their lavish love and affection for their Grand Master . They met again , not perhaps as a Provincial Grand Lodge , but on a most inter-

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

esting occasion , when a new sister was added to the roll of Lodges of Cheshire . That Lodge was started under brillant auspices , and ac . companied by the presence of more Past Masters than he ever remem . to have met on one occasion . He hoped it might flourish , and become a source of strength to the Province . He rejoiced to see when a new Lodge was added that every solid principle was worked out , that

charity , love , and virtue wonld be properly inculcated , and from which they would furnish a worthy number of brethren to come forward and do the work of the Province . Having alluded to the revision of the Book of Constitutions by the Grand Lod ge of England , he said that it was rather a oodifying of the old laws than re-enacting new ones , and that it was making matters clear where

the expression before was doubtful . There was another point to which the Prov . G . Master particularly desired that attention should be drawn . There had during this year in his province been 80 resig . nations of membership , 35 exclusions , and 44 defaulters for non-pay . ment of fees . He could not but believe that if proper care had been exercised in the admission of gentlemen when they were first

proposed , a great many of these cases of exolnaion and defanlt would never have taken place . Of conrse it was perfectly impossible for him or any one else to put his fingers on this case or that , and say they were in too great a hurry in initiating this brother or that j but he did feel that if some little more care had been taken in inquiring into the circumstances and habits of gentlemen proposed , a very great

deal of tronble might be saved afterwards , and a great deal of the disgrace whioh was brought on the Order thereby . He only mentioned that in order to urge that increased care should be exeroised . He knew that care was taken at present that no person shonld be initiated who was not only a good fellow in himself , but who would be a credit to their Lodge and support the Order , and

not , when the first flush of trouble came considered the Order should support him instead of him supporting the Order . He now tnrned to a subject on which he was allowed to speak with unalloyed satisfac . tion , that was their present position so far as regarded the Charities . They had at the present time 400 votes for Boys , 300 votes for Girls , 420 for the Old Men , and 250 for the Widows . In April they elected

one Cheshire boy , and they oould afford , notwithstanding , to allow a certain number for another boy . In May they elected a worthy old man , Bro . Worthington , and next October—and they must remember they had to do it—they had to eleot a boy named Sykes for the Boys ' School , and a girl named Mason for the Girls' School . He put that before them as their plain duty , and it must be done . To do it they

must not be niggardly , they must not be remiss . He took it it was the duty of every Lodge to be liberal to these Charities . Turning to the Cheshire Educational Institution , they were educating fifty-two in 1881 ; now they were educating fifty-seven . He congratulated Brother Piatt upon his zeal in the cause of the Charities , and his success in not only being generous himself , but of being the

cause of generosity in others . He had to thank them for their large attendance that day . He had to thank them for the faot that not ono single Lodge in the Province was unrepresented . Some , of course , by position and locality were more numerously represented than others , but not one Lodge was there but what was represented , and that showed that every Lodge was doing work , and was

prepared to do iis duty . He hoped the proceedings which had begun so auspiciously might be successful ; and although their day might be clouded somewhat with the feeling that he who shonld have been with them was on a bed of sickness , yet his heart was with them , and he awaited anxiously the report of their proceedings , which would be taken to him after they were over . At their gathering in

church , let them offer one silent prayer for the speedy restoration of their Provicial Grand Master . Bro . F . Jackson P . G . T . submitted his report of the finances , and his re-election was proposed by the Acting Depnty Grand Master . This was seconded and agreed to unanimously . The Acting Deputy Grand Master next presented Bro . Eustace

George Parker with a jewel for his services to Masonry , and the great efforts he had made in behalf of tbe Charities . Jewels were also presented to Bros . Piatt , Marwood , Milner , Chesters , and Dutton . He also invested the following Provincial Grand Officers : —Bros . Colonel Fernley G . S . W ., William Marqnis . G . J . W ., Rev . E . Rawson P . G . C ., Ferdinando Jackson P . G . T ., E . H . Griffiths P . G . S ., Francis

Bolton G . S . D ., Robert N . Banks G . J . D ., Walter Milner G . Supt . Works , Herbert Finch G . D . C ., Edmund Johnsou Asst . G . D . C ., Thomas E . Skidmore P . G . S . B ., Henry Collier P . G . O ., Eustace George Parker Grand Pursuivant , Finnie P . G . Tyler , Thomas Moore , J . E . Fletcher , J . H . Edwards , T . Ward , J . Newell , and G . T . Joynson , P . G . Stewards .

Other business , having been transacted , the Acting Deputy Grand Master announced that the Provincial Grand Lodge would be held next year at Staleybridge . A vote of thanks to the Rev . J . E . Blencowe , vicar of Walton , for the use of tho parish church , was unanimonsly passed . On tho conclusion of the business of the Provincial Grand Lodge ,

tho brcthron , attired in full Masonic clothing , attended divine service at Witton Church , marching from tho hall by way of Applo Marketstreet , High-street , Witton-street , ancl Church-road , the music being supplied by the Hartford Volunteer Band , under tho direction of Mr . C . Lambert . Tho Lewises who carried tho volume of tho Sacred Law

were—Thomas Moore , son of Bro . T . Moore ; William Hardie , son of Bro . W . Hardie ; Reginald Holland , son of Bro . James Holland ; and Gerald Joynson , son of Bro . G . T . Joynson . They were attired in Eton suits , with white straw hats , and each wore a silver jewel suspended from a purple collar . Tho procession presented a very imposing sight , and as it marched to and from the church the streets wnrfi " thieklv lined with spectators . On arriving at the door of the

church the procession halted , and the brethren opened out to the right and left , facing inwards , while tho acting P . G . Master , preceded by his Standard and Sword Bearers , passed up the centre j tn 0 P . G . Officers and brethren then followed in succession from the rear , thus inverting tho order of procession . Tho seats in the centre of the