Warwickshire

work . It ? -is an excellent example of the pure . Gothic , and thus , corresponds with the beautiful chancel of the church . The--oak for the p"ijlpi t , the . canopy- ( or ; SOund-board ) , and the back support iwas'jgenerpusly given by Lord Leigh , and is a fine piece ' of Warwickshire oak . The pulpit stands on a solid

base of Ashburton marble , 4 ft . 6 in . in hei g ht , panelled with deep ribs , and with ; art * octagon * foundation . The ; body ! of ' " the pulpit is open tracery work , to correspond with the chancel windows . Oak and maple leaves , with-theivine and •' two-, thorn % are-awqrkedf in- the .-.. design ; , while at the , angles . -

are double buttresses , with handsomely carved . pinnacles .. The cornice is embellished with carved patras On the front panels . are ., Masonic emblems , including the welLknown compasses and square and the double triangle . Stone-steps- ¦ lead from the- north -end of the-chancel steps ¦ to-the-pulpit- ' -

protected by a handrail of beaten ironwork to correspond with the chancel gates . } -. . Rising-L-at the ** back of the pulpit is the : support to the canopy , five feet in height , formed , of doHible buttresses with crockets , and tracery vine panels : This canopy is octagonal in shape , with a string course of

oak-leaf running round it , and with carved 'pendants , a hanging bratticirig , and a deep bratticing , at the' top , ; with finials . THe inside ' of the , canopy is beautifully carved , with tracery panels , and a large Tudor rose in the centre . . At the base of the pulpit , immediately adjacent to the marble base , 1

is a handsomepanelling in oak , running round the structure . This portion of the wood is part of the . old . ^ Gospel ( Oak which was-blown down in Chantley Wood , Stoneleigh ,-some years ago , and which is one of the very few Gospel Oaks that are known , to ,. exist ; in . Warwickshire at the present , time .,,.

The inscription is placed on the Gospel OaL . panelsj and is as'follows ¦ : —

To the glory of the Great Architect of the Universe ,, . . and to commemorate the sixtieth year of the reign of Queen , Viotoriaj-i this pulpit i wa & erected by-the Freemasons of the Province of Warwickshire ,

and unveiled by the EARL OF WARWICK / in the presence of the Provincial Grand Master LORD , LEIGH , , and , the Freemasons of the Province ; 14 th October 1897 .-The pulpit , ^ exclusive of the oak , will cost upwar . ds ' of ¦ fTsoo . ' "'"''' ¦ ' . _ . .

At ^ the . meeting , . of the Provincial Grand . Lodge prior . to the unveiling of the Masonic pulpit- a letter was rear } from Bro . J . T . Collins thanking the Brethren for the kindn <*** ss rhe had received at their hands during the ten years he had acted as Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

Lord Leigh Provincial Grand Master proposed that a jewel of the past office , together with an illuminated address , should be presented to Bro . Collins . The proposal was unanimously adopted , and an early opportunity will be taken to make the presentation .

Lord Leigh announced that he had appointed Bro . Geo . Beech ; P . G . S . B . of England . to be his Deputy , after having . held . the office of Provincial Secretary for 31 years ; Bro . F . G . Swinden P . P . G . J . W . succeeding to the office of Provincial Grand Secretary .

In the evening there was a Masonic banquet , at the Court House , presided over by the Provincial Grand Master . Lord Leigh kindly gave all the floral decorations . — <** Birmingham Daily Post . "

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire svas held on Wednesday . A report of the proceedings will appear next week .

The Brethren of the Prince Edwin Lodge , No . 128 , Bury , . have subscribed the sum of 100 guineas to the East Lancashire Systematic and Benevolent Institution , as their special mark of the , Diainpnd Jubilee of Her Majesty ' s reign .

On Wednesday evening , ISth inst ., at the Greyfriars Lodge , Reading , - the Worshipful Master Bro . Edward Margrett , on behalf of the Officers and members of this old-established Lodge , presented a handsome and valuable silver bowl to the Mayor of

Eeading Bro . William Ferguson Past Provincial Grand Senior Warden of Berkshire , in recognition of the Masonic manner in which , he- had carried out the duties of the mayoralty during the - past year . The presentation was acknowledged by the Mayor in ¦ appropriate terms . Tbe bowl was inscribed as follows :

To W . BRO . WILLIAM FERGUSON P . P . S . G . W . Berks P . M . Treasurer , Mayor of Beading , Diamond Jubilee Year 1897 . From the Greyfriars' Lodge of Freemasons , No . 1101 , - 13 th October 1897 . Edward Margrett P . P . S . G . W . P . M . and W . M .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : | o .: — BERKSHIRE .

THE annual Provincial Grand Chapter was held at the Masonic Hall , ' Windsor , * on Safcurda-y , 9 th inst ., under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Superintendent Comp . John-Thornhill Morland , M . A . After the usual preliminaries , the . Prov .-G . Superintendent ? appointed and invested the Officers for the ensuing year , as follow :

Comp . S . Wheeler jun . 414 - - - H . \ S . G . Kirchoffer 1899 ... J . J . . W-.-Martin 414 .-. - - - - - S . E .-W . H . Gardener 771 - - - S . N . C . Stephens 414 - - - Treasurer G . F . 'Slade 414 *• - - - Begistrar ft

S . Knight 574 - Principal Sojourner , E . ' Prince 771 ' - - - - 1 st ' 'Assistant Sojourner H . lS .. Hanington 574 ! : - - - 2 nd Assistant Sojourner * - G . J . Phillips 945 - - - Sword Bearer F .. -A . Wells 1899-i ... Standard Beare ** -.. ; G . , H . R . Holden 414 . - - - Director of Ceremonies C . 'F . 'Dyson 771- ' ' - - - Organist . ^

A yotei of . ' congratulation was unanimously ipassed ta t Comp ., -J ., W . Martin Prov . Grand S . E ., on . the . honour . conferred upon him by H . R . H . the . Prince of Wales selecting him as a recipient of one of the' Grand Lodge appointments in celebration of the Queen ' s Diamond * Jubilee ;' The Provincial Grand Chapter , voted the-sum . of rten ., guineas to the Grand Superintendent ' s list for the Centenary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . After-one or two other matters had been disposed of ;' the Chapter was closed in . due form .: * .

Essex.

ESSEX ;

ON Thursday , 7 th inst ., the annual Provincial Grand " Chapter was held at the Court House ,-South Street ^ . ; Romford . At half past four the Principals and P . Principals of the different Chapters-assembled ^* and a quarter-of-anhour later the Grand Superintendent His Honor Judge Philbriek , Q . C , preceded by his Officers ^ opened'the Chapter in , ancient form .

The minutes of the last annual Provincial Grand Chapter * : ( held at Buckhurst Hill ) having been read and confirmed ; - letters and telegrams were read from several Companions * - unavoidably prevented attending . The roll of Chapters was called , and all were found to be represented . - ¦

The Report of the Board of General Purposes was ' - presented by Comp . G . H . Finch P . P . G . J ., who also moved ' - its adoption . It stated that the thirteen Chapters of the "

Province showed a membership of 353 , as against 325 last ' year , and that there had been during the year 4 6 exaltations - ' and two joinings , whilst the resignations had been 14 , deaths ' ¦ '• ¦ 4 , exclusions 2 .

Comp . Richard Clowes seconded the proposition , which was put and carried unanimously . The next business was the election of three members * to serve on the Board of General Purposes for the ensuing *' ¦

year , and as only the required number had been nominated , the Prov . Grand Superintendent declared them to be elected , as follow : —Comps . G . H . Finch P . Z . 2005 P . P . G . J ., John ¦ ¦ J . C . Turner P . Z . 51 P . P . G . J ., and Francis A . White P . Z . 1437 P . P . G . J .

The Grand Superintendent addressed the Companions . He remarked that there was little to say but what was disclosed in the report of the Board of General Purposes , a Board which was essential to the administration of the Order in the Province , and which did excellent work . As he had

before mentioned , it was not merely by numbers that they - could gauge the prosperity of the Order—it was a select " Order and had a select gathering ground—but even as regards , numbers he thought their progress had been satisfactory . ' The past year had been one of peace—nothing had occurred- '*

to necessitate any interference on the part of those in * authority , and the reason of that was the loyalty with which the * Companions in their various Chapters had been loyal to - the traditions of the Order . Personally he was pleased to - meet them all once more again . It was his misfortune that

owing to his public duties in a far-off county he did not see so much of them as formerly , but his interest in the Craft in Essex was as dear to him as ever , and would continue to be . so as long as he lived . He had that morning received a letter from Lord Lathom , who , some amongst them would "