Mark Benevolent Fund.

those benefits . He might say that at the first Festival tho Benevolent Fand realised a sum of only £ 50 , and in tho year 1887 it reached tho substantial sum of £ 2320 . The brethren would seo from this the excellent work this Mark Benevolent Fund waa doing , and ho called upon the company ono and all to do everything in their power

to increase and augment that Fund . Tt was that night celebrating its majority , —its 21 st year . They looked upon a man aa nofc having come to full ago till he had become 21 years old ; then , aa a general rule , ho grew in strength , and generally in sizo . So ho trusted it would be with this Fund . He hoped that Mark Masonry would grow

in strength , by the increase of its members , and that it wonll increase in size , by reason of the increase in its funds . Ho really did not think ho need say anything further about this most excellent Fund , which commended itself mosfc heartily and cordially to each and every ono of them . He now had tho pleasure of making tho

announcement , whioh he was suro would be a most popular one . Mosfc of them wero aware that Bro . Binckes had resigned tho offico of Grand Secretary , and it had been the pleasure of tho Grand Master to confer that offico on Bro . Matier . Some of the brethren had thafc afternoon had the opportunity of seeing that brother invested with tho

collar of the office , by Lord Egerton of Tatton . It would be invidious on his part , in his presence , to speak of what Bro . Matier had done for the Mark Benevolent Fund , because they all knew his good work . He ahould therefore content himself with asking the company to drink to the future prosperity of the Mark Benevolent Fund . With the

toast he should couple the name of their Grand Secretary Bro . Matier . He should ask them to drink his very good health ; long life and happiness to him , and to congratulate him on the honour which had been conferred npon him , an honour whioh he so richly deserved . Bro . Matier , who was received with , loud cheers , said before he read

the result of the list of Stewards , who had so heartily worked for the success of to-night's proceedings , would they permit him to express how muoh he felt , and how deeply ho appreciated , tho aentiments expressed . It should be his aim to do everything in his power to promote the interests of the Order , and the extension of

the Mark Benevolent Fund . Thongh nofc on this occasion breaking the record , he could congratulate the Chairman on being the President of the second mosfc successful gathering that has taken place in the annals of the Mark Benevolent Fund . We have one Steward to-night who has brought up—from the

Rose aud Thistle Lodge of Wigan , in Lancashiro—the large sum—the totally unprecedented amount—of 200 guineas . Bro . Matier then announced the lists , of which we append details . Baron de Ferrieres said Masonry was established for the promotion of brotherly love and Charity . It could not be gainsaid that Masons

contributed £ 40 , 000 and upwards to their Charities every year . They were scattered over the world ; but they bad no means of ahaking hands and meeting each other except on these occasions . These meetings were a great means of promoting Charity , and they were proud to be favoured with the presence of ladies . They had

heard the record that evening . For a small body , the sum of £ 2000 , their average subscription , was a very large sum , one of which they might well bo proud . Bufc , while congratulating themselves , they must not forget the machinery by which they got it—the Board of Stewards ; it was owing to their efforts . To the head of this Board

their thanks were due , for raising the necessary funds . Tho Chairman , Lord Euston , was a brother well known to them . There was also Bro . Murray , whose name he should couple with the toast . Bro . Murray had brought up the largest sum ever collected by one Steward . Lancashire and Yorkshire were somewhat of dampers ; the other

Provinces felt they could not come up to them . Great credit must be given fco Lancashire ancl Yorkshire , especially fco Bro . Murray . Lord Euston , on behalf of the Board of Stewards , thanked Baron tie Ferrieres , and the ladies and brethren pro-rent , for the compliment paid them . They had only done their best to make this an

agreeable evening . If thoy had succeeded in providing a pleasant entertainment , it was encouraging to think that they had also beeu the means of providing funds for those who really wanted help , and who belonged to their Order . Tho Stewards of that night would only be too glad to serve in the samo capacity again . Bro . Murray

expressed regret that so few brethren wero present from Lancashire , but hoped that the contribution the county had sent would be taken aa a groof of their desire to add to the usefulness of the Order . Major A . Bott Cook proposed the Ladies , which toast was responded to b y Bro . F . S . Knyvett . Bro . the Earl of Euston proposed the

Visitors ; this toasfc was always proposed and drunk with hearty good feeling , because they knew that , as Masons , wherever they went , throughout the world—whether in America , where they spoke the same language , or in India , where there was a mixture of languages , or in China , or Japan , or Australia—which had taken such a

prommenfc part in Freemasonry—any brother who ,, presented himself with his credentials to Lodges was made most heartily welcome . Bro . Leon on behalf of the province he had the honour to represent , thanked the brethren for the distinguished honour conferred upon him , by his name being associated with the toast of the visitors . He

represented a very humble province under Mark Masonry , but he could assure the brethren that they bowed to none in loyalty to the Graud Master and Grand Mark Lodge . Thoy had striven to do tbeir duty in Mark Masonry , and he hoped at the next Grand Festival of Jamaica would flourish , and be as conspicuous in their position there

then as they were hero thafc evening . A selection of vocal aud instrumental music was performed , under the direction of Bro . Edwin Lotfc , Mus . Doo ., Grand Organist , assisted by Madame Agues Larkcom , Miss Minnie Freeman , Miss Minnie Kirton , Bro . Reginald Groome , and Bro . Stanley Smith ; solo violin—Miss Kate Chaplin ; afc the pianoforte—Miss Nellie Chaplin and Dr . Lott .

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Prov. G. Lodge Gloucestershire And Herefordshire.

PROV . G . LODGE GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND HEREFORDSHIRE .

BY command of the Bight Worshipfnl Provincial Grand Master , fcho annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodgo and General Communication of Mark Master Masons of tho united Province of Gloucestershire and

Herefordshire was held on Tuesday afternoon , the lGfch insfc ., afc Hereford , under the banner of the Sfc . Ethelbert Lodge , No . 243 . There was a large attendance , which included : —

Tho Right Worshipfnl Brother the Baron do Ferrieres P . G . M . O . Provincial Grand Mark Mastor , Bros . O . Shollard Deputy Provincial Grand Master , W . Forth , R . C . Forrisa , E . Gregory , R . V . Vassar-Smith , J . Balcomb , W . R . Porcher , Georgo Norman , W . R . Felton ,

Joseph Ownor , Charles Caldicott , James S . Norton , B . Call wick , Edward George , T . G . Chance , Edwin Stephens , John Marchant , G . J . Caldwell , John Davies , John Barnes * , William Margrett , Thoriiaa Blinkhorn , J . Nasmyth , H . Clarke , J . E . Balcomb , George West , and others .

The Sfc . Ethelbert Lodge was opened shortly after three o ' clock , and transacted preliminary bnsiness . Then tho Provincial Grand Mastor and his Officers were received with due ceremony , afc 4 o'clock , and the chairs were va .

cated by tho Lodgo Officers for them . Provincial Grand Lodge was next opened , and tho business of the Province was proceeded with . Reports were received from tho

various Lodges , giving an account of their charitable and other brotherly work during the past year . In the course of other business , the Provincial Grand Master appointed his Officers , as follow , for 1889 : —

Bro . O . Shellard ... ... Deputy M . F . Carter ... ... Senior Warden J . Nasmyth ... ... Junior Warden W . R , Porcher ... ... M . O .

H . Clark ... .. ... S . O . R . T . Hughes ... ... J . O . Rev . Dr . Lynes ... ... Chaplain J . Balcomb ... ... Treasurer G . Norman ... ... Registrar and Secretary

J . S . Ownor ... ... S . D . J . Barnes ... ... J . D . W . R . Felton ... ... D . C . J . Davies ... ... ... Sword Bearer

0 . Roberts ... ... Standard Bearer C . Caldicott ... ... Organist Edward George ... ... Steward T . G . Chance ... ,,, Pursuivant H . Phillips ... ... Tyler

A banquet was subsequently held under the presidency of Baron do Ferrieres , when the usual Masonic toasts were honoured . In replying fco one of the local toasts , fche . Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . O . Shellard

expressed the pleasure which it afforded him and the other Provincial Grand Officers to support the Provincial Grand Master in his arduous duties , and he also said he hoped to seo an increase in the number of Mark Masons in the

Province . The P . G . Master gave , in terms of praise , the health of Bros . George and Chance , who had acted as Provincial Grand Stewards on this occasion , and to whose excellent arrangements fche success of the gathering was in a great

measure due . Bro . George having been obliged to leave early , on account of another engagement , the toast was responded to by Bro . T . G . Chance- Tho Baron also very

highly complimented Bro . John Barnes , the Lodge Secretary , upon the willing and admirable assistance which was received from him on this and all other occasions . The toast was replied to by Bro . Barnes , and the toasfc of the Tyler brought a pleasant afternoon ' s gathering to a close .

Prov. G. Lodge Cumberland And Westmoreland.

PROV . G . LODGE CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND .

THE annual Grand Lodge of this Province was hold at the Freemasons * HaU , Frizington , on Wednesday , the 17 th inst ., under the banner of the Henry Lodge , No . 216 . Previous to opening Provincial Grand Lodge , the Henry Lodge was opened by Brother B . Craig W . M ., assisted by

his officers and members , when the minutes of fche last regular Lodge were read and confirmed , and Bro . William Heathcote was balloted for and unanimously accepted as a

candidate for Mark Masonry , and in , the presence of the Present and Past Grand Officers of the Province , was advanced to the honourable degree by the W . M . and his Officersin a faultless manner . The brethren then retired

, for a short time , and afc T 30 p . m . the Deputy Provincial