The Boys Festival.

THE BOYS FESTIVAL .

THE arrangements for the coming celebration on behalf of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys are now in an advanced state , the first meeting of the Board of Stewards having been held on Thursday , 16 th inst ., and the usual preliminaries having then been settled .

We are pleased to find that the practice that has proved so successful in recent years , of holding the Festival at Brighton , the Ladies and Brethren dining together , is to be repeated this year , and have every reason to believe that the success of the

day's outing will be as gratifying as any of its predecessors , especially as a number of experienced and active workers have already been enrolled among those who will see that the necessary pi-eliminaries are properly carried through .

The Board of Stewards has elected the following officers Honorary Presidents—Sir Offiey Wakeman , Bart ., Prov . G . M . Shropshire , the Earl of Euston Prov . G . M . Norths , and Hunts ., J . Balfour Cockburn , M . D ., Prov . G . M . Guernsey and Alderney ;

President—C . E . Keyser , M . A ., F . S . A ., J . P ., Past Grand Deacon ; Acting Vice-Presidents—G . E . Fairchild A . G . D . O ; , Eichard Newhouse Prov . G . Sec . Cheshire ; Honorary Treasurer -James Stephens W . M . 2308 P . M . P . P . S . G . D . Bucks

Honorary Secretary—J . M . McLeod P . P . S . G . W . Derbyshire W . M . 2509 ; while the following have been appointed as a Committee to make all arrangements for the Festival : —The President and Acting Vice-Presidents , the Hon . Treasurer , the

Hon . Secretary , Bros . Billing , Clowes , Freeman , Hudson and Eeed ( of Brighton ) , W . H . Bailey , Blenkarn , Carrell , Clayton and Cookson ( Cheshire ) , Everett , Knightley , Lee ( Warwicks . ) , D , Mayer , F . A . Powell ( Monmouths . ) , and Valeriani .

It is somewhat early to yet hazard any speculation as to the result of the Festival , but it is satisfactory to know that the outlook is promising , the probability being that a fair average amount will be secured , aud that the work of the

junior Educational Institution will be provided for by the liberality of the Craft for a period of another twelve months at least , although in thus limiting the period we have but little fear as to the future of the Institution , which , we are convinced , will always receive the sympathetic support of the Craft .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY

/ jUE present issue gives evidence of more than usual ^ activity in the Mark Degree , but this is probably explained when we bear in mind that the summer is often selected for the annual communications of Provincial Lodges , our record this week being three such gatherings . But this

» not the only cause of apparent progress , for we believe that the Mark degree is becoming day by day more popular in onr didst , a fact that is demonstrated by the steady growth in number of Mark and Ark Mariner Lodges , aud tho continued mcrease in the number of Eegisfcered members .

Mark Masonry.

The annual installation of Mark Grand Lodge is to be held on Tuesday week , and will be followed by the usual Festival , at which the Earl of Euston Pro Grand Master will preside , in the absence of the ever popular chief of the Degree

H . E . H . the Prince of Wales , whose re-installation as Grand Master will be sure to call for the same hearty expressions of approval as have followed his regular re-appointment in days gone by .

Berkshire.

BERKSHIRE

IT is announced the annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Abingdon , on Tuesday , 25 th prox . The last Provincial Grand Lodge held in that town was as far back as 1879 , and as the present Worshipful Master of the Abbev

Lodge , Brother G . H . Morland , is a son of the much respected Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . J . T . Morland , says the " Eeading Mercury , " it is a fitting opportunity for holding the Provincial Grand Lodge in the old county town this year .

East Lancashire.

EAST LANCASHIRE

A VEEY successful gathering in connection with this Provincial Grand Lodge took place on Wednesday , at the People ' s Hall , Wilton Street , Denton , Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie P . G . W . Prov . Grand Master presiding . The meeting was attended by

110 Provincial Officers , and nearly 350 members of the Craft . Subsequently the major portion of them adjourned to the Christ Church Schools , where a substantial banquet had been provided . Our next issue will contain a full report of the proceedings .

Somersetshire.

SOMERSETSHIRE

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge-was held on Friday , 17 th inst ., in the Constitutional Club Eoom at Crewkerne , under the bannner of Parrett and Axe Lodge , No . 813 , the P . G . M . Lord Dungarvan presiding . The Lodge Boom had been elaborately and very tastefully fitted up by a committee of local Brethren .

The Prov . G . M . was supported on his right by the D . P . G . M . Bro . E . C . Else , and on his left by Bro . Jas . Terry Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The Provincial Grand Secretary Bro . J . C . Hunt firsc called the roll of members , and it was ascertained that twenty-four out of the twenty-six Lodges of the Province were represented .

The P . G . Treasurer Bro . C . L . Fry Edwards read the annual statement of accounts , from which it appeared that the receipts amounted to £ 316 10 s 7 d , and thafc the expenditure was £ 209 6 s 4 d . A payment of one hundred guineas had been made to the Benevolent Institution , leaving a balance of £ 20 0 s 2 d .

Bro . Ashley P . M . ( Bath ) proposed the re-election of Bro . C . L . Fry Edwards as P . G . Treasurer , and this was seconded by Bro . J . Burnett P . M . 291 , Highbridge , and agreed to with acclamation , the P . G . M . remarking that they fully appreciated the valuable services of Bro . Edwards , and were deeply grateful to him .

Bro . Edwards thanked the Brethren present for having elected him Treasurer for the eleventh year in succession , and added that of the 1 , 125 Brethren on the books when he first took office , no fewer thau 611 names had since been removed from the books—a diminution of 64 per cent . Out of over one hundred Brethren on the books at first , only forty-six remained ,