Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

PROV . G . L . OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND .

THE annual Grand Mark Lodge of this Province was held in tho Masonic Hall , Eaglesfiold Street , Mary , port , on Wednesday , tho 15 th inst ., under the banner of the Whitwell Lodge , No . 151 . The Whitwell Lodge of Mark Master Masons was opened at 2 p . m . by Bro . Scott ,

W . M . P . P . G . J . of Works , assisted by his Officers ; and one candidate was balloted for , and advanced to the honourable degree . The acting R . W . P . G . Master , Worshipfnl Bro .

Colonel Sewell D . P . G . M ., with his Grand Officers , were reported at three p . m ., and admitted . Tho following brethren wore present : —Worshipfnl P . de E . Collin P . M . 151 P . G . D . England as D . P . G . M ., Rev . J . Anderson

P . M . 213 P . G . S . W ., Thompson P . M . 282 P . G . J . W ., Nanson P . M . 60 P . G . M . O ., Hartley P . M . 21 G P . G . J . O ., P . de Collin P . G . Treasurer , Gandy P . M . 195 P . P . G . Registrar of Marks , Gardiner P . M . 151 P . G . Sec . P . G . Steward of England , Burns . W . M . 213 P . G . Steward , Richardson Tyler 213 P . G . Tyler , Atkinson 213 , Muir J . W . 213 , Broadbent S . W . 213 , Starkey M . O . 213 , Ponrice P . M . 151

P . P . G . Reg . of Marks , Hodgson , Nicholson P . M . 151 P . P . G . S . W . P . G . D . of England , Smith P . P . G . Organist , Abbott P . M . 151 P . P . G . J . O ., Messenger P . P . G . Tyler , Dickinson P . M . 213 P . P . G . J . W ., Swainson 213 , Reed 213 , Roach

P . P . G . A . D . C ., Brown , Dalrymple P . M . 216 P . G . A . D . C . of England , Bland 216 , Nicholls 216 , Argles W . M . 195 P . P . G . Registrar Marks , Barwiso 216 , Peacock P . M . 229 P . P . G S . W ., Hewson W . M . 229 P . P . G . Tyler , Mason P . M . 229 P . P . G . J . O ., Atkinson I . P . M . 229 P . P . G . J . D ., Salkeld P . M .

282 P . P . G . Registrar of Marks , Loach W . M . Elect 282 , and others . Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in due form , and the roll of Lodges in the Province called , which were all represented . The last appointments of Grand Officers were next called , when a few from a distance had

tendered an apology for absence . The minutes of tho last annnal meeting , held afc Whitehaven , were read and confirmed . Bro . Collin P . G . Treasurer read a statement

of accounts , showing a balance to the credit account of £ 38 3 s 3 d , which was passed as read , and the following brethren were invested as Provincial Grand Officers for tho year .

T . A . Argles Senior Warden E . B . Ponrice Jnnior Warden Eev . James Anderson Chaplain Thomas Ormiston M . O . Joseph Hewson S . O .

J . 0 . Scott J . O . P . de E . Collin Treasurer H . Burns ^ Registrar of Marks James Gardiner Secretary G . B . Mackay Senior Deacon

James Stoat Junior Deacon F . J . Thornber Inspector of Works Edwin Loach Director of Ceremonies George Starkey Assist . Dir . of Cers . S . Broadbent Sword Bearer

Dr . J . F . Muir Standard Bearer J . Smith Organist J . Gibson I . G . Thomas J . Eichardson " \

D . Atkinson f „ , , James Lowrey ^ Stewards A . Moordaff ) Caleb Bland 'Tyler

The following were appointed members of the Committee of General Purposes for the year : —Bros . Nicholson , Har . per , Rev . J . Anderson , and Thompson . The R . W . P . G . Master was unanimously elected Provincial Grand Master for a further period of three years . Bro . Hartley P . M .

England . Bro . Thompson seconded fche recommendation which was passed unanimously . Bro . Dalrymple gave notice of motion for ten guineas to be paid to the Cumberland and Westmoreland educational scheme . With other general business , Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in

216 P . P . G . J . O . moved that the nexfc annual Grand Mark Lodge be held afc Egremonfc , under the banner of fche Sewell Lodge , No . 421 , which was agreed to . Bro . Collin moved thatten guineas be voted to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Bro . Dalrymple seconded the motion , and ifc

was unanimously agreed to . Bro . Sewell moved that Bro . Peacock P . M . 229 P . P . G . S . W . be recommended to the M . W . G . M . to receive the hononr of Grand Steward of

Mark Masonry.

due form , and the brethren retired to Bro . Atkinson ' s , Star Hotel , where an excellent banquet was served . The usual loyal toasts were proposed from the chair by Wor . Bro . Sewell . The health of the D . P . G . M . Bro . Sewell was proposed in eloquent terms by Wor . Bro . Argles , the High

Sheriff for Westmorland , and Bro . Sewell briefly replied ; it was always a great pleasure to him to attend , ancl if required to preside over a Masonic gathering—in fact , it was rare if over he allowed anything or any other engagement to prevent him being present ; and when , as

on that day , he had the pleasure of investing such a fine set of Provincial Officers , that was a reward for his labour of Jove alone . Tho newly-invested Officers was proposed ,

and Brother Argles P . G . S . W . replied . Tho Masonic Charities was proposed by Bro . Collin , and responded to by Bro . Dalrymple . Witb tbe Tyler ' s toast tbo meeting closed , after a most successful day .

Annual Festival Of The Mark Benevolent Fund.

ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE MARK BENEVOLENT FUND .

THE twenty-third Annual Festival in aid of the Mark Benevolent Fund was held on Wednesday last , the 22 nd July , nt Fro . ? , masons' Tavern , when the the Right Hon . Visconnt Dungarvan G . S . W ., Provincial Grand Master of Somersetshire , presided . Tho attendance was very large , covers being laid for 180 . Amongst tho distinguished brethren present were Bros , tho Earl of Easton Deputy G . M ., the Marquess of Carmarthen G . Warden , Buron de Ferrioros

P . Prov . G . M . for Gloucestershire and Herefordshire , the Hon . Chief Justice Way Lieutenant Governor of South Australia , Dr . Dawson District Grand Master of Auckland , New Zealand , Charles Matier Grand Secretary , R . Berridge G . D . C ., Charles Belton P . G . O ., Captain 0 . J . Knightley Prov . G . O . Middlesex aud Surrey , and many Grand Officers , Provincial Grand Officers and Stewards from all parts of the

kingdom . The lady Stewards , consisting of Lady Eleanor Harbord , Mrs . G . P . Airey , Mrs . A . B . Cook , Mrs . 0 . J . Knightley , Mrs . F . Mead , Mrs . F . Cordons Ehys , and Miss Rosalind Haynes , were well looked after by some of the Grand Officers . Thu presence of nearly seventy ladies at the banquet added unusual brilliance to the scene . Grace having been sung by the choir , the noble Chairman propoaod

the usual loyal toast of tho Queen . Tho national anthem was sung , and tho Chairman proposed the toast of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales the Grand Master of Mark Master Masons , which toast was received with enthusiasm . In proposing fche next toast , namely , the Grand Officers , the name of the Earl of Euston as Deputy Grand Master was received with

mnch cheering . Ho returned thanks m a concise speech , and , explained to the ladies present that the objects of Masonry were to do good to those around ns . The Earl of Euston then proposed the health of the noble Chairman the Viscount Dungarvan , whioh was duly responded to . Tbe toast of the evening was then given Prosperity to the Mark Benevolent Fund , and the noble Chairman

explained at much length the objects of it and made an eloquent appeal for the Charity . It appeared that the result of previous Festivals has been the means of providing for tho relief of Mark Master Masons in distress , and for the assistance of their Widows and Children . The numerous grants already made by the General Board and by Grand Lodge havo in every case been highly

approciated , and have been of such material service to the recipients as to afford the best possible justification for the establishment of the Fund and the annual appeal for continued snpport . The fund is divided into three branches Benevolent , Educational , aud Annuity , and all contributions received are equally apportioned to these most deserving objects .

The Benevolent Branch for relief and benevolence is nnder the control of the General Board , and the grants above certain amounts have to receive confirmation by Grand Lodge . Over £ 2 , 000 has been voted in grants of relief since the formation of this Fund . The Educational Branch has for its object the education of the children of Mark Master Masons eligible for assistance , at Grammar

or other Schools in the vicinity of their parents residences . Thirty children are now being educated by annnal grants from this Fund , and by a vote of Grand Lodge on 30 th November 1886 , each child will receive annually the snm of £ 6 to procure necessary clothing . Tho Annuity Fund was established by vote of Grand Lodge on

1 st December 1885 , when the amount of £ 1 , 000 was voted as a nucleus , and its object is to grant Annuities of £ 26 each to aged and decayed Mark Master Masons , aud £ 21 to the Widows of Mark Master Masons , after election by the subscribers . There are now ten aged brethren and some Widows who nofc only receive the annuity , but alao a sum of £ 5 at Christmas in each year .

These important extensions of the objects for which the " Mark Benevolent Fund" was originally constituted , havo been rendered practicable by tho support extended by members of the Order since its establishment in 1869 . A peculiar claim attaches to this Festival , owing to the presence of ladies , who , on each annual occasion , havo largely contributed to

its success , both as Donors and as Stewards . Bro . Matier the Grand Secretary then announced the Stewards lists of donations , showing a grand total of £ 1856 . The Province of Kent contributed £ 178 , Hants £ 47 , Herts £ 3 ( 5 , East Anglia £ 26 , Lancashire £ 58 , Middlesex and Surrey £ 328 , West Yorkshire £ 71 , Warwickshire £ 18 , Berks and Oxon £ 40 , Dorsetshire £ 31 , London Lodges £ 312 . Somerset , including a special donation