Mark Grand Lodge.

MARK GRAND LODGE .

THE regular Quarterly meeting of this Grand Lodge will be held in Mark Mason ' s Hall , Great Queen Street , W . G ., on Tuesday next , 2 nd March , at five for six p . m . The following is the Agenda of Business : ' " 1 . Bead and , if approved , confirm Minutes of Quarterly Communication of 2 nd December 1896 . 2 . Election of the M . W . Grand Master for the ensuing year .

3 . Election of the Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year .

i . EEPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD . 2 nd March 1897 . During the three months ending 31 st December 1896 , there have been . issued : —Mark Certificates 317 , total number registered 36 , 335 . Warrant for one Lodge , viz . :

Woodiwiss Lodge , No . 503 , Derby . Eoyal Ark Mariner Certificates 54 , total number registered 5 , 084 . Warrants for three new Lodges , viz .: Ark in Oudh Lodge , to be attached to the Headstone of thc Corner Lodge , No . 233 . King Solomon Lodge , to be attached to tho King Solomon Lodge , No .

385 . Eoyal Oak Lodge , to be attached to the Eoyal Oak Lodge , No . 416 . ' His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to re-appoint for a further term of three years : R . W . Bro . Richard Vassar Vassar-Smith as Provincial Grand Master for Gloucester and Hereford .

E . W . Bro . Bear-Admiral A . H . Markham District Grand Master for Malta , having resigned his appointment , His Eoyal Highness the Grand Master has been pleased to appoint Major-General Fletcher Owen , R . A ., to that office . A petition has been presented by the members of the Shropshire Lodge ,

No . 444 , praying that the Lodge may be attached to the Province of Staffordshire , and the R . W . Provincial Grand Master having assented to this course , His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to direct that the Lodge Shropshire , No . 444 , shall be temporarily attached to the Province of Staffordshire , and for the time being form an . integral portion of that district .

The Board acknowledge with many thanks the following presentations , which they have accepted on behalf of Grand Lodge : — From W . Bro . A . H . Jefferis P . G . D ., eighty-one valuable Masonic Books in English , French , and German , and five facsimile Masonic Rolls . From W . Bro . W . E . Chapman , a trophy of Australian Weapons . From the * Grand Secretary , a trophy of Swords and Bayonets . From W . Bro . Z . Millege , the History of All Souls' Lodge .

FUND OF BENEVOLENCE . The Annual Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held on Wednesday , 7 th July , the date provisionally fixed having been found unsuitable . The Grand Secretary will gratefully receive names of Ladies and Brethren who are willing to act as Stewards .

The Sub-Committee ou Education , having carefully considered the Annual Reports of the Head Masters and Mistresses of the Schools at which the various pupils on the fund are being educated , have awarded the Silver Medal for proficiency in studies and general excellence to

Francis Thomas Prince , being educated at the Grammar School , Ashbourne , Derbyshire . The Committee do not award a medal to the girls . Emmeline Alice Annette Woods being only thirteen years of age , and there being no other girl at all equal .

The Committee have directed last year ' s School . Report to be laid before them at their next meeting , with the report of 1897 , for their consideration in this case .

The Board have elected on the Educational Fund , without a poll , Ethel Mary Crate . Tho Board have to report the death of two Annuitants , viz .: John Moxon and Thomas Poore . Mrs . Caroline Moxon , widow of . Bro . John Moxon , late an Annuitant , has been placed on the Widow ' s Fund , under Rule 203 , Sub-section XIV . ;

also Mrs . Mary Bird and Mrs . Ruth Piatt . The following cases have been relieved : Mrs . L . A . ( Widow of a Brother of St . Peter and St . Paul Lodge , No . : - 163 ) , £ 10 .

Mrs . M . A . ( Widow of a Brother of the Grand Stewards Lodge , and Nos . 199 , 284 , 355 ) , £ 10 . Bro . R . O ., of Lodges Nos . 2 and 17 , £ 5 . Bro . N . B ., of Lodge No . 416 , £ 5 . The Board recommend that tho sum of £ 25 be voted to

Mrs . M . N . W . ( Widow of a Brother of St . Mark ' s Lodge , No . 1 ) . ( Signed ) , E . LOVELAND LOVELAND , President . FEANK RICHARDSON , Vice-President . 0 . FITZGERALD MATIER , Grand Secretary .

5 . A Motion will be made that the Report be taken as read . 6 . A Motion will be made that the Report he received and entered on the Minutes . 7 , Recommendation arising out of the Eeport : — " That the sum of £ 25 bo voted to Mrs . W . ' 8 , A Motion will be proposed that the Eeport be adopted .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

SYMPATHY CHAPTER , No . 483 . THE usual quarterly convocation was held on Tuesday , 23 rd inst ., at the Royal Clarendon Hotel , Gravesend . In the absence of the M . E . Z ., Comp . H . Forss P . Z . presided , and was supported by Comps . J . P . White as H . and Frank Hitchens as J . There were also present Comps . Arthur Eonaldson Scribe E ., E . J . Beamish Scribe N ., T . T . Hogg Treasurer , Orlton Cooper P . S ., John Fitch , and 0 . P . Bowen Assist . Sojs ., J . Vivian , A . J . Baldock , Hy . White , J . A . Gillett , T . A . Mummery , 0 . Matthews , and A . E . Lockhart .

After the Chapter had been duly opened by the Principals , the Companions were admitted and the minutes of the last convocation were read and confirmed . Bros . C . T . Lavis and J- N . Willis , both members of the Sympathy Lodge , having been duly approved , were exalted to the sublime degree by Comp . Forss , the ceremony being very ably rendered . The lectures were delivered by Comps . Eonaldson , J . P . White , and Forss respectively , and elicited the hearty commendation of the Chapter .

This being election night according to the bye-laws , the following Companions were proposed as Principals for installation at the next meeting in May : —Henry Forss Z ., J . P . White H ., and Orlton Cooper J . The other Officers proposed wero Comps . A , Eonaldson S . B ., R . J . Beamish S . N ., Wm . Hawker P . S ., T . T . Hogg Treasurer , F . Hitchens and E . Ingram A . S ., J . A . Gillett D . C , J . Fitch and 0 . P . Bowen Stewards , and George Martin Janitor . The Chapter was then closed and the members adjourned to supper .

The suggestion that the Queen ' s long reign should be marked by the acquisition of open spaces for purposes of recreation has been acted upon by the Marquess of Zetland Prov . G . M . North and East Yorkshire , who has justjannounced his intention of presenting the Mayor and Corporation of Eichmond in June next , with the land known as the Friary Grounds .

The Manchester Dramatic Lodge , No . 2387 , has determined to celebrate Her Majesty ' s Diamond Jubilee by organising a dramatic performance in aid of the Masonic Charities . The proprietors and management of the Theatre Eoyal , Manchester .

have kindly placed the use of the Theatre at the disposal of the committee on the afternoon of Saturday , the 3 rd April next . Offers of assistance from companies and artists have already been received by the committee , and it is hoped in due course to present a most attractive programme for the occasion .

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GAIETY EESTAURANT , STZR ^ -ZLsTID . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and COLD )—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GEILL EOOM . AFTERNOON TEA — Consisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at 1 / - per head ; served from i till 6 in EESTAUEANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5 * 30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) and a la Carte . In this room the Viennese Band performs from 6 till 8 , Smoking after 7 * 45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12 * 30 . PRIVATE DIKING EOOMS POR LARGE AUD SMALL PARTIES . SPIERS AND POND , Ltd ., Proprietors .