Prov. Grand Lodge Of Cornwall.

On the calling of the roll ifc appeared that every Lodge in the county was represented . The Secretary said letters had been received from Bros . Cap tain Colville , Hoyte ( of the Grand Secretary ' s office ) ,

Henwood , Looe ; Colonel Mitchell , Newquay ; Taylor , Helston ; H . M . Petty Chaplain , the Rev . E . Huxtable ( late of Truro ) ; and Penrose , Redruth , regretting inability to attend , and from Molesworth Lodge , Wadebridge , inviting the Provincial Grand Lodge there next year .

The Provincial Grand Master added that he had also received an invitation from Fowey ; both should have his careful consideration . The Provincial Grand Secretary ( Bro . T . Chirgwin ) reported that during the year there were 124 initiations , as

against 116 in 1890 ; 40 joining members , as against 29 ; subscribing members 1 , 458 , as against 1 , 412 , making a grand total of 1 , 622 members , as against 1 , 557 , being an increase of 65 . Dispensations had been granted to the Dnke of Cornwall and Fowey Lodges to hold installations

on other than tho regular days on account of illness and other causes ; to St . Martin ' s , Mount Sinai , and True ' and Faithful Lodges to wear Masonic clothing at balls ; to Molesworth Lodge to appear in Masonic clothing outside Lodge premises on the occasion of opening the new

Masonic Hall , and to Three Grand Principles and Fort Lodges to initiate serving brethren . Petitions to the Board of Benevolence in London had been reported on , and the following grants obtained : —A brother of No . 1151 £ 10 ; tho widow of a brother late of 330 , £ 30 ; tho widow

of a brother late of 699 , £ 20 ; and the widow of a brother late of 1544 , £ 20—total , £ 80 , as against £ 145 last year . There wore , however , three petitions now before the Board for consideration . The report of tho Prov . Grand Treasurer ( Bro . W . T .

Davey ) , which was taken as read , showed that the total receipts amounted to £ 433 , including £ 194 fees from Lodges , £ 36 fees of honour , and a balance afc the commencement of the year of £ 189 . The disbursements included £ 147 to Masonic Charities , and there was a balance in hand of £ 174 .

The Provincial Grand Master , m the course of a row remarks to the brethren , said he had received a good many requests for dispensations for tho brethren to appear in clothing at Masonic balls , and it was a question which caused him some littlo difficulty , inasmuch as ono of the old

aud best traditions of Masonry was that they should avoid , as far as possible , making their distinctive badges and insignia too common by wearing them in public except on special occasions . Tho only real and valid ground upon which dispensations for such purposes could be granted

was that there was reason for supposing that substantial benefit would accrue to some important object of a Masonic character . Ho hoped the brethren would agree with tho sentiments ho had expressed . It was nofc uncommon to granfc such dispensations in large towns where important

benefits might be derived . There wero nofc many large towns in Cornwall , and ifc was surely not necessary to grant them to small villages . It was very difficult for him to draw the line as to what Lodges should have dispensations , and the ouly thing he could think of was that

brethren who asked for a dispensation to wear Masonic clothing in public for charitable purposes should have the courage of their belief and be * willing fco guarantee a small definite sum for the purpose . That would be the best thing to guide him

instead of placing on him the invidious task of saying one Lod ge should have a dispensation and the other should not . On the whole he thought the wearing of Masonic clothing in public should bo discouraged rather than encouraged . Such was the tendency of Masonry at the

present time . He explained that Masonic funerals were discouraged now , and said they ought to entirely avoid parching in procession with Friendly Societies . But if thoy did so it was a privilege which they always claimed that no other body preceded the Masons . He again urged the

importance of Lodges sending in their returns earlier , aud remarked that if tho rule had been rigidly enforced no loss than twenty-two Lodges would have lost their votes for tlie Cornwall Masonic Annuity Fund in consequence of their subscri ptions being sent in after the stated time . His ¦ lordshi p then thanked fche Freemasons of Cornwall in the

name of himself and two daughters for the beautiful presents they had made to the latter on occasion of their juarriage . He was p leased to find thafc they had acceded to his wishes that there shonld be no additional burden on

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Cornwall.

the brethren of the Province by reason of the announcement of the marriage of his second daughter , and had consented to divide between his two daughters the money collected for a gift to his first daughter . He trusted that

time would never efface the beautiful inscriptions from the silver presents they had made , aud said they would always be remembered by him as the gifts of his Masonic brethren in Cornwall . The gifts wero placed in an adjoining room on view .

The presentation to Lady Albertba Lopes consisted of a kettle and spirit stand , coffee and hot water jugs , and two entree dishes—all solid silver . The kettle bore the

following inscription : — Presented by Freemason ' s ia Cornwall , with four other pieces to Lady Albertha Edgcumbe on tho occasion of her marriage , nnd as a mark of regard for the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , their Provincial Grand Master .

On the other pieces were engraved the square and compasses " 1891 . " Lady Edith St . Aubyn was presented with a massive salver , which was inscribed : —

Presented by Freemasons in Cornwall , together with a silver teapot and stand , to Lady Edith Edgcumbe on the occasion of her marriage , and as a mark of regard for the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , their Provincial Grand Master .

The Secretary read the report of the Cornwall Masonic Annuity and Benevolent Fund . The donations and subscriptions amounted to £ 210 6 s 6 d , an increase of £ 7 . The capital of the fund now amounted to £ 5 , 067 7 s 4 d , au increase on the year of £ 139 7 s 9 d . Bro . Poor , one of the

male annuitants , died in July last . There were now five male annuitants , four receiving £ 20 a year each , and ono £ 10 ; and four female annuitants—three receiving £ 20 a year and one £ 10 . Omitting the five which expired this year there were now four educational grants , three of £ 15

and one of £ 10 a year . Three applications had been received for annuities and one for an educational grant . Great inconvenience was caused by so many of the Stewards

deferring the sending in of their returns . Subscriptions had been in no way lessened . From the commencement of the fund in 1864 , the receipts had been £ 8 , 548 5 s 4 d , and the amount paid in annuities , & c , £ 3 , 480 .

The Committee of Relief reported that thoy had considered three petitions for relief , and they recommended fche following grants : —The widow of a brother late of 1006 , £ 10 , to a brother late of 131 , £ 15 , and the widow of a brother late of 1272 , £ 10 . Ab the last meeting of the

Committee some conversation took place as to tho amounts which ought to be voted this year for Masonic charity , and , so far as they might , thoy wished to express their opinion that it was desirable thafc the following grants bo made : —¦ 50 guineas to the Cornwall Masonic Annuity and

Benevolent Fund , 10 guineas tothoCornwall Institution for Widows , 20 guineas for the Boys' School , and 20 guineas for the Girls' School . The recommendations wore adopted . Bro . Gilbert B . Pearce presented the annual report of the Cornwall Masonic Charity Association . The total

subscriptions were £ 366 9 s , or 349 guineas , the largest contributions being : — Meridian , Millbrook , 63 guineas ; Cornubian , Hayle , 60 guineas ; St . Martin , Liskoard , 42 guineas ; Druids , Redruth , 26 guineas ; Mount Edgcumbe , Camborne , 23 guineas ; One and All , Bodmiu ,

19 guineas ; Love and Honour , Falmouth , 15 guineas ; True and Faithful , Helston , 13 guineas ; Dunhead , Lauuceston , 12 guineas ; Molesworth , Wadebridge , 10 guineas ; total from ten Lodges , £ 283 guineas ; from the remaining seventeen subscribing Lodgea 66 guineas . Of the total 181

guineas came from East Cornwall , and 168 guineas from West Cornwall . The number of new members was 31 , but the total number was one less , and Bro . Pearce therefore made an earnest appeal for new subscriptions . Of the 340 guineas

distributed 330 guineas went to the Jubilee Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , 10 guineas going to the Girls' School . As soon as ifc became known that their

greatly esteemed ruler had consented to preside at the Festival , steps wore taken to inform the brethren , and induce some to become Stewards , with the following result : —Bro . Anderton representing the Province generally , £ 309 5 s ; Venning , Liskoard , £ 105 ; Pearce , Hayle ,

£ 100 ; Rose , Penzance , £ 73 10 s ; Trusoott , St . Austell , £ 31 10 s ; F . W . Thomas , Camborne , £ 31 10 s ; Romfry , £ 10 10 s ; and another , unattached , £ 10 10 s which , with the noble Chairman ' s subscription , made a total from the Province of £ 775 15 s . Bro . C . Truscott , manager of tho votes for the great