United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Grand Festival of the English Craft was celebrated on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall , London , under the presidency of Earl Amherst Pro Grand Master of England , who was supported by Bro . George Richards District Grand

Master of the Transvaal as Deputy Grand Master , Viscount Templetown Senior Grand Warden , Sir J . B . Monckton as J . G . W ., the Lord Mayor of London , and a large assembly of other Brethren .

Bro . Frank Richardson , acting for Sir Albert W . Woods G . D . C ., proclaimed the Duke of Connaught as M . W . Grand Master of England , and the proclamation was accorded a hearty reception from the members of Grand Lodge .

The Grand Master of Scotiand Bro . the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., who was present as a visitor was then saluted , and in the course of his acknowledgment he mentioned there were 100 , 000 members enrolled under the Grand Lodge of Scotland .

Earl Amherst next said 'the Grand Master had appointed him Pro G . M ., whereupon his Lordship was saluted with full honours , which he acknowledged with his usual " Brethren , I greet you well . " He next informed the Brethren that the Grand Master had appointed the Earl of Warwick Deputy Grand Master , and his Lordship was so proclaimed .

The appointment of the other Grand Officers for the year provided a surprise , and an innovation in the Craft which we are at a loss to understand . We can only imagine something unexpectedly occurred at the last moment to upset the arranged programme , and in order to avoid further

complications it was considered desirable to re-appoint the Senior Warden of Grand Lodge for a second term of Office . Fortunately the Craft has in Viscount Templetown a Brother who has shown sufficient interest in his work to justify re-appointment , and we congratulate his lordship on the

singular honour of which he is the recipient ; but all the same we should like to know the special circumstances which have rendered this most unusual course necessary . It must be something pretty serious , for in view of the great number of members of the titled aristocracy who displayed interest

in the Brotherhood under the rule of our late Grand Master , it is hardly possible that his brother should find himself without an eligible Senior Warden in the first year of his rule . Private Lodges have often been severely condemned under similar circumstances ; here is a Grand Lodge precedent

that may serve some Brethren in good stead in years to come ; but it is a precedent that should never have been permitted—a grave error of judgment somewhere , as it appears to . imply there was no eligible Brother ready and

willing to accept the high dignity of Senior Grand Warden of England . It is just one of those cases which if it occurred in a Private Lodge would be at once accepted as evidence of something being wrong ; how can we imagine it to be different in the case of Grand Lodge ?

The Grand Officers were saluted on their appointment , and the Acting Grand Master announced approval of the Grand Stewards selected by the different Lodges entitled to that privilege . The Pro Grand Master announced that in consequence

of the District Grand Lodge of Western Australia having been merged in ( the newly constituted Grand Lodge of that colony , before Bro . Sir Gerard Smith , K . C . M . G ., had served as D . G . M . for the period of three years necessary to qualify

him for past rank , H . R . H . the Grand Master had been graciously pleased to confer on him the rank and dignity of Past District Grand Master , as from the date of his ceasing to be the Masonic ruler of that part of our , Jurisdiction . Grand Lodge was subsequently closed . At the banquet which followed the work in Grand Lodge

United Grand Lodge.

Earl Amherst informed the Brethren that since Grand Lodge had been closed , an intimation had been received from the Duke of Connaught , to the effect that the week containing 17 th July would suit for his installation as Grand Master , an event which we anticipate will prove one of the most important gatherings known in the history of our Brotherhood .

West Vorkshire.

WEST VORKSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the 17 th inst , under the auspices of the St . John Lodge , Mo . 827 , at the Town Hall , Dewsbury . In the absence of the Prov . Grand Master the Right Hon . W . L .

Jackson , M . P ., the Deputy Prov . Grand Master Bro . R . Wilson presided , Bro . J . C . Malcolm acting as Deputy . There was a large attendance of members , the whole of the Lodges in the Province being represented .

The Deputy Prov . Grand Master , in his address , remarked that the first thoughts of the Brethren that day were with the Provincial Grand Master , who had been plunged into the greatest sorrow of his life . They had a great interest in all that affected the Prov . G . M ., because they had seen

and felt his unselfish labours . They , therefore , desired to express their affectionate sympathy with him and his family in the great loss they had sustained by the death of Mrs . Jackson . He asked those present to show their sympathy , not by a formal vote , but by rising in their places . ( This

was done , the Brethren silently rising . ) Bro . Wilson added that he had received a letter from the Prov . Grand Master , in which he said : " May I ask you to be good enough to allow me to take this means of conveying to the Charity Committee and to the various Lodges in the Province my

grateful appreciation of the many expressions of sympathy with my family and me in our great sorrow ? " Dealing with the question of placing on record their sense of loss by the death of Queen Victoria and their loyalty to King Edward VII ., the Deputy P . G . M . remarked that he regretted that

every Lodge was not allowed to give an expression of feeling , tie expressed the gratification of the Brethren of the Province that His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught had been unanimously elected to , and had accepted , the Office of M . W . G . Master of the Order . Advocatine the cause of the

Masonic Charities , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master stated that at the Annuitants' Festival , presided over by the Earl of Warwick , ^ 25 , 542 was subscribed , which was the highest amount contributed to that Institution except at the Jubilee in 1892 . A petition for the formation of a new Lodge at

Barnsley had met with the approval of the Provincial authorities , and had been forwarded to the Grand Lodge . By the death of Bro . W . H . Cowper , of Middlesbrough , the Province had lost one who was esteemed by many , and who took a great interest in their affairs . The new Masonic Hall

in Great George Street , Leeds , was expected to be ready for occupation in July next , and as in the building provision had been made for Provincial Grand Lodge offices , the proposals of the Directors would have to be considered . The appointment of Officers was a task of no small difficulty , but the

Prov . G . M ., in making his selection , had endeavoured to do justly , and collars had been given in twenty different towns . Bro . W . Blackburn , in moving the adoption of the report of the Charitv Committee , urged that it should Be read in the Lodges . Last year they had elected seven cases

to the Charities in London , and next month they had two aged Masons and two widows of Masons whom he thought they would be successful in electing . For the election in

October they had five candidates . In face of these facts , although the Province possessed about 35 , 000 votes , they were not sufficient to carry all their candidates , and he asked for increased liberality on behalf of the Charities . With regard