The Masonic Year 1876.

THE MASONIC YEAR 1876 .

THE year that will have closed to-morrow week has not been marked by any such noteworthy event as the Installation as Grand Master of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , but its career , nevertheless , has

exhibited an evenly-maintained rate of progress . If ib has been characterised by no unusual incident , it has at least shown that Freemasonry retains its firm hold on the affections of men of all classes and creeds . "We are now more

prosperous than we were this time twelvemonth . The efforts we have made towards demonstrating more unmistakably the beauty and the utility of our system have been in every respect worthy of the Craft ; and the success of these efforts has been eminently satisfactory , even

beyond our fondest hopes and aspirations , Of course our readers will clearly understand that in speaking of these endeavours to strengthen and confirm the Craft in the affections of the community , wo have had recourse to no unusual means . It is a well-known and very proper rule

of Freemasonry , that even tho semblance of proselytising is strictly forbidden . We seek no additional strength from without ; ifc comes to us . When , then , we refer to the efforts made during the past year to extend the influence of our Fraternity , we naturally allude to the greater activity of

our Lodges , the greater earnestness they have shown in fulfilling tho aims and purposes of the Order . If it is one of the privileges which we , as a recognised organ of Masonic opinion , enjoy , to laud the efforts of the Craft to perfect its organisation , and promote its usefulness , it is likewise

one of our duties—albeit occasionally a painful one—to note irregularities and condemn them , so that the Craft universal may not sink in the estimation of tho profane world . We have our enemies ; for ib is in human nature that people should speak enviously , and oftentimes even

maliciously , of an Institution that is prosperous . Moreover , we respect all religious and political creeds equally , aud therefore those governments and religious sects which have reason to be in dread of freedom of conscience , are certain to oppose us by every means in their power , be they lawful

or unlawful . Yet , in spite of all opposition , aud without seeking additional strength from without , we have gone ou prospering more bravely than ever this year . Turn we in what direction we may , whether towards the United States of America , the Contiuenb of Europe , or the United

Kingdom with its numerous colonies and dependencies , everywhere will be found evidences of the growing strength of our Society . Wo have , indeed , strong reason to be thankful to the Great Architect of all things , for that He has been pleased to watch over and protect us far beyond our deserts .

We have said that in England , to which our attention is in the first instance most properly directed , if there has been no event of surpassing interest to mark our career during the last twelve months , the tenour of our progress has been uniformly satisfactory . The first evidence of this

will be seen in the establishment of seventy-two additional Lodges—namely , 26 in the Metropolitan district , 33 in tho provinces , and 13 in foreign parts . The provincial are thus distributed—1 Herts , 2 Montgomeryshire , 1 Merionethshire , 3 Surrey , 2 Middlesex , 5 Lancashire

5 Yorkshire , 1 Staffordshire , 2 Warwickshire , 2 Durham , 2 Suffolk , 2 Sussex , and 1 each in Bucks , Northumberland , Salop , Essex , and Stafford . The 13 foreign Lodges are composed of 4 in South Africa , 4 in New Zealand , 3 in

Queensland , and 2 in Bombay . Tho increase for 1876 is represented by these 72 Lodges , as against 52 for last year , and this irrespective of increase of members in Lodges already existing .

Among other evidences of progress two stand out prominently before the other events of the year—not so much because they were outside the regular course , but because

of the part played in them by two of our most illustrious brethren . We allude , of course , to the installation of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold as Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire , and the installation , by M . W . G . M .

the Prince of Wales , of Lord Suffield aa Provincial Grand

The Masonic Year 1876.

Master of Norfolk . Wo note those iu the order in which they occurred . It will bo remembered that Prince Leopold was initiated into Freemasonry on the 1 st of May 1874 , and that early in the following year he was appointed to the Senior

Warden's chair in the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford . On tho 22 nd of February of this year His Royal Highness was installed as Worshipful Master of this Lodge , in tho presence of a -number of distinguished members and visitors , among whom were conspicuous Bros .

the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire ; Lord do Tabley , Provincial G . M . Cheshire ; Lord Methuen , Provincial G . M . Wilts ; Colonel Burdett , Provincial G . M . Middlesex ; 2 LH . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar , in charge of tho Province of Oxfordshire ;

J . B . Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes ; the Rev . 0 . J . Martyn , Past G . Chaplain ; Captain Philips (" Bayard" ); and R . J . Spiers , D . P . G . M . Oxon . A banquet followed at the Clarendon , when the health of the new W . M . was proposed by the Earl of Shrewsbury and

Talbot , and gracefully acknowledged by His Royal Highness . The following day the Prince was formally installed as Grand Master of the Province of Oxon . The ceremony was held in the Sheldonian Theatre , and , as may bo imagined , was very numerously attended by brethren from

all parts of the country . The Lodge was opened by Bro . M . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar , in charge , and there were present , in addition to the majority of those enumerated above , the Earl of Limerick , Provincial G . M . Bristol ; Lord Leigh , P . G . M . Warwickshire ; General Brownrigg ,

Provincial G . M . Surrey ; Colonel A . W . Adair , Past Prov . G . M . Somerset ; W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wig ht ; Alderman Stone , Gr . J . W . ; Lord Balfour of Burleigh , P . G . S . W . England ; the Earl of Jersey ; Colonel Campbell of Blytheswood , Provincial G . M .

East Renfrewshire ; Captain ; Hunter , Provincial G . M . East Aberdeenshire , and many others . Shortly after the opening of the Lodge , Lord Skelmersdale , Deputy Grand Master , was announced , and having been introduced and saluted , took the chair vacated for his Lordship by Bro .

Mclntyre . Prince Leopold ' s patent of appointment as Provincial Grand Master having been read , and it having been announced that His R , oyal Highness was in waiting , a deputation was formed , and he was conducted into the Lodge , the procession being headed by three Prov . Grand

Stewards , and including Prov . G . D . C , Prov . G . Registrar , Prov . G . Treasurer , Grand Chaplains , and Grand Wardens , as well as two Masters of Lodges , carrying the insignia of the Provincial Grand Master . Princo Leopold , having taken his seat to tho left of the Deputy Grand Master ,

prayer was offered by the Prov . Grand Chaplain , and then the ceremony of installation was most impressively gone through . Tho usual salute followed . The Prince then appointed his officers , and having received the congratulations of tho Grand Orient of Italy , and transacted tho

remaining business , to a portion of which we shall have occasion to refer to later , closed the Provincial G . Lodge with the customary formalities . At the banquet which followed , and was held at the Corn Exchange , His Royal Highness very gracefully presided in person .

The other event is of moro recent occurrence , Lord Suffield having been installed , by the Prince of Wales in person , as Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk , on the 20 th November . The ceremony was a very brilliant one . The Provincial Lodge was held on this occasion in the

Volunteer Drill Hall , and it is calculated that over 900 brethren were present , among them being the Deputy G . M . Lord Skelmersdale , Lord Waveney Prov . G . M . Suffolk , the Earl of Hardwicke Prov . G . M . of

Cambridgeshire , and a number of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers present and past from different parts of the country , but especiall y , from the Province of Norfolk itself and the neighbouring Provinces . The Lodge was opened by Bro . Major Penrice , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Designate , and shortly afterwards Hia Royal