Provincial.

had descended on tho nation through the Gt . at Architect of the Uuiverse , and by the instrumentality of Queen Victoria . Future generations would look back to the era as one of surprising progress—as a period when Religion and Morality took the place of Contempt and of Excess—a period when the varied steps of the Queen ' s reign would be summed up as tending towards

social progress , equalisation and amelioration . Historians would , he believed , conclude that a woman's rule was fche salvation of tho nation , for at tho very outset it saved them from revolution , and in its effect opened up the highest destiny over set before a nation to bo accepted or refused . And standing as they did on the brink of another century , and cognisant as they

were of the march of events , they believed that Britain would accept—nay had accepted—the sacred trust , and that the time would come when , under the dominion of the English speaking race , there would be opened up that great ideal of the Federation of the Nations and the Brotherhood of Man .

The following is a copy of the telegram despatched : — " The Freemasons of Lichfield now in Lodge assembled , thankfully and loyally congratulate their Empress and Patroness on the attainment of her Majesty ' s eightieth birthday . "

PENTANGLE LODGE , No . 1174 . THE annual installation was held at the Sun Hotel , Chatham , on Monday , Sth inst ., when Bro . Major C . G . Matson , R . M . L . I ., was most impressively installed by the outgoing Master Bro . F . F . Smith .

BLACKPOOL LODGE , No . 1476 . THE annual installation was held on Monday evening , 2 nd inst ., at the Clifton Arms Hotel , Blackpool . The W . M . for the current year is Bro . W . Nuttall , the esteemed second in command of the Borough Surveyor's department of the Blackpool Corporation . There was a large attendance of members of the Lodge and other Masons at the ceremony .

MERLIN LODGE , No . 1578 . ON Monday afternoon , 15 th inst ., the installation of Bro . Hill-Male as W . M . took place at the Masonic Hall , Pontypridd , in the presence of a large number of Brethren . The ceremony was impressively performed by the retiring Master Bro . William Phillips , and the new occupant of the chair invested his Officers .

LIVERPOOL DRAMATIC LODGE , No . 1609 . THE last meeting previous to fche usual two months' summer vacation in June and July , took place on Tuesday afternoon , 23 rd inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool . Bro . Eustace Baxter Worshipful Master was in his place shortly after the appointed meeting time ( 1 . 30 p . m . ) , and was well supported .

The business of the afternoon embraced initiations , passing , and raising , the candidate for the M . M . degree being Bro . Frank Coyne , the popular variety artiste . Bro . Joseph Fineberg D . C . received the congratulations of his fellow members on his preferment to the Senior Deacon ' s rank in the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire .

WHITWORTH LODGE , No . 1932 . AT the monthly meeting held in the Masonic Hall , Spennymoor , on Wednesday evening , 10 th inst ., the Brethren were favoured with a visit from the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge . Tho W . M . Bro . Thompson Raine presided .

The W . M . proposed the toast of the Provincial Brethren . Bro . R . Hudson complimented the W . M . upon the excellent work done in the Lodge , and proposed the W . M . Subsequently Bro . G . Stewart responded on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodge .

HAMPSHIRE LODGE OF EMULATION , No . 1990 . THERE was a numerous attendance on thc Sth inst ., at Portsmouth , on the occasion of the installation of Bro . J . Brickwood P . P . S . G . W . as W . M . for the third time since the establishment of the Lodge , the ceremony being conducted by Bro . C . J . Lawrence .

The Lodge was established as one for Pact Masters only , but it was recently decided to convert it into an ordinary Lodge ; and on the occasion of the installation the first initiation of a candidate was gone through by Bro . Williams . The Lodge will , as soon as circumstances permit , be removed to Eastleigh , from its present home at the Masonic Hal ) , Landport .

ACACIA LODGE , No . 2321 . AT the Masonic Hall , Bradford , on the 11 th inst ., a Lodge of emergency was held . There was a large attendance , the special feature being the unfurling of a fine new banner for the Lodge by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of

West Yorkshire Bro . Richard Wilson P . G . D . Eng . The Lodge was presided over by Bro . James Banks Fearnley W . M ., who was supported by Bro . J . C . Malcolm P . G . D . Eng ., and a number of other Provincial Officers and representatives of many Lodges in the Province . The ceremony is the first Bro . Wilson has performed since his appointment as Deputy .

FOSTER GOUGH LODGE , No . 2706 . A MEETING was held ( by dispensation ) at tho Town Hall , Stoke-on-Trent , on Saturday , 29 th ult . A unique feature of this Lodge is that all its members are orhave been Masters of Lod ges . Its membership extends over the whole of the Lodges in the Province , and it serves to bring the leaders

in Masonic opinion and work m the Province closer together than was possible before its formation . In all , about seventy Brethren were present , including a few visitors . The Master of the Lod ge Bro . John Bodenham P . G . A . D . C . England presided .

In the course of the proceedings in Lodge , eight new members were balloted for and were unanimously elected . Those were Bros . Herbert Manley , West Bromwioh ; T . Buxton , Fuzcley ; J . Newton , Wolstanton ; G . Pennett , Stoke ; T . H . Spencer , West Bromwich ; J . N . Lester , Wolver-

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hampton ; W . Hamblett , Wolverhampton ; and W . G . Lowe , Burton-on-Trent . Bro . Bodenham proposed that Bye-lavv No . 6 be amended as follows : — "The Masters ,-Wardens , Past Masters , Treasurer , Secretary , and four other members of the Lodge , to be elected at the regular meeting in January each

year , shall bo a Committee of Management and make arrangements for the meetings . " He explained that in the original bye-law only the I . P . M . was on the Committee with the Master and Wardens , and it had been thought desirable that the Past Masters , as well as the Secretary and Treasurer , shonld be added . Tho motion was unanimously agreed to .

The principal feature of the meeting was an address by Bro . Speth on "The Development of the Masonio Ritual , " in which he gave an interesting sketch of the progress of Freemasonry from early times down to the present day . On the motion of the Worshipful Master , seconded by the Senior Warden , Bro . Speth was cordially thanked for his able address , and was unanimously elected an Hon . Member of the Lodge .

In the evening a banquet was held at the North Stafford Hotel , the Worshipful Master presiding . After dinner , the toast of the Queen and the Craft was given from the chair and duly honoured . Bro . W . Vernon proposed the health of the Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Earl Amherst , the Earl of Warwick , and the Officers of Grand Lodge present and past , the toast being coupled with the name of Col . Bindley , to whose work on behalf of Masonry in the Province of Staffordshire Bro . Vernon bore very cordial testimony .

Col . Bindley was very warmly received on rising to reply , which he did briefly , expressing deep regret at the loss of Lord Lathom , who on several occasions did good service to that Province , and a hope that the Prince of Wales would continue for many years the chief ruler of the Craft . Major Harding proposed the health of tbe Earl of Dartmouth , Lieut .-Col .

Walker , and the Officers of the Prov . G . Lodge present and past . He referred to the valuable services rendered by Lord Dartmouth and to the confident hopo entertained that Col . Walker would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor ; and coupled with tbe toast the name of Bro . J . T . Marson Secretary of the Lodge , whom he congratulated upon having worthily attained to the position of Senior Grand Warden in Prov . G . Lodge .

Bro . Marson having responded and expressed his high sense of the honour done him , the Worshipful Master proposed the Honorary Members of the Foster Gough Lodge , coupled with the name of Bro . Speth , mentioning that next day was their distinguished Brother ' s birthday , and wishing him many happy returns of thc day and many happy returns to Staffordshire . Bro . Speth , in responding , said in what he had told them that day he did not intend to advocate a dead uniformity of Masonic working throughout England , because there were peculiarities to be found in certain Lodges

which were of very old standing , and which formed links with tho past , and unless such usages were subversive of tbeir principles he should be sorry to discard them . Bufc he would ask them to remember that a Masonic generation was only some thirty years ; so thafc some little custom soon became immemorial usage in the eyes of the present generation . He had tried to make them realise that there was a standard , that that standard was baaed on good authority , and that they could nofc do better than follow it as nearly as they were able .

The health of tho Worshipful Master was proposed by Bro . Pepper , who recalled the valuable services rendered by Bro . Bodenham for many years as President of the Masonic Charitable Association , and his good , sterling work for Masonry generally . The toast was drunk wifch musical honours , and the Worshipful Master , in responding , contrasted the small beginnings of the Staffordshire Masonic

Charitable Association twenty-seven years ago with the vigorous infancy of the Foster Gough Lodge , which he hoped would prove a most auspicious event in the history of Freemas uiry in Staffordshire . He concluded by proposing fcho toast of Portland Lodge , and thanking the W . M . and members for the assistance which they had given in holding that meeting at Stoke . Bro . W . T . Copeland responded .

Bro . Spierpoint Prov . G . Std . Bearer Warwickshire responded for the Visitors , and several other toasts were honoured , including tbe Masonic Charities , proposed by Bro . Wood ( Litchfield ) ,-and responded to by Bro . T . Taylor President of the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association . KJ KJ KJ

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — STREONSHALH LODGE , No . 337 . np . HE installation of the Worshipful Master took place at Whitby , on JL Monday , Sth inst ., Bro . J . H . Harrowing being installed into the chair by Bro . W . F . Halliwell Prov . G . Sec . The Worshipful Master appointed and invested the Officers for the ensuing year . The Brethren afterwards sat down to a sumptuous spread afc Mr . Bofcham ' a restaurant , the usual Mark toasts being honoured .

GRANVILLE LODGE , No . 390 . IT 1 HE annual installation meeting was held in the Masonic Hall , Park X Street , Deal , on Tuesday , 10 th inst ., Bro . 0 . B . Wellden W . M . The W . M .-elect Bro . T . Ayling having made the usual declaration , a Board of Installed Masters was formed , and he was installed in the chair , the ancient charges and proclamations beiug effectively given by Bro . Wellden , who undertook the entire ceremony .

The W . M . referred to the approaching visit of the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Kent to Deal , in October next , the invitation extended by the Granville Lodge having been accepted . The permanent Committee were re-elected , and ifc was understood that special meetings would be held to make early arrangements for the coming event .

A cordial vote of thanks was proposed by Bro . J . W . Court , seconded by Bro . Frost , to the retiring W . M . for his efficient services in the chair during the past year , and the W . M . in gracious terms presented Bro . Wellden with a handsome Past Master ' s jewel , as a further token of the Lodge's appreciation . The Lodge having been closed the Brethren adjourned to the Clarendon Hotel , where an excellent banquet was served .

Bro . VVollden proposed the toast of the W . M ., and referred in eulogistic terms to the long Masonic service of Bro . Ayling , who was one of the founders of the Lodge . The W . M ., in his response , said he had always taken an interest in the working of Mark Musoniy , and bad attended the meetings of the Deal Mark Ledge whenever he bad had the opportunity .