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  • Oct. 28, 1876
  • Page 6
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The Freemason's Chronicle, Oct. 28, 1876: Page 6

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    Article PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF STAFFORD. Page 1 of 2
    Article PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF STAFFORD. Page 1 of 2 →
Page 6

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Provincial Grand Lodge Of Stafford.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF STAFFORD .

A MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons for the connty of Stafford was held on Thursday , in the Shire Hall , Stafford , and brought together a large and influential gathering of the Craft from all parts of the Province , as well as a good number of visiting brethren from tho neighbouring provinces of Warwickshire and Worcestershire . Amongst those present were : — Bros , the Riirht Hon . tho Earl of Shrewsbury R . W . P . G . M ., Frank

James , Deputy P . G . M ., George S . Tudor P . D . P . G . M ., Charles Trigg P . G . S . W ., James F . VVileman 546 P . G . J . W ., the Rev . Charles Lee 526 P . G . Chaplain , the R » v . Brook Lambert 1 , 060 P . G . Chaplain , Thomas Moore P . G . Senior Deacon , William Jones 460 and 1587 P . G . Sunt , of Works , Samuel Hill 546 P . G . D . C , John Payne Hall P . M . 456 and 1587 , Assist . G . D . C ., John Lucas G . S . B ., Thomas Bedsmore

1 , 039 , P . G . Organist , T . W . Chalmers S . D . 726 , Samuel Scott I . G . 726 , T . E . Fowko J . D . 726 , J . Baker 726 , John Storer P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . 726 , H . B . Livingston 726 and Thomas Wood 726 , Prov . Grand Stewards , Frank A . Huet P . M . 418 Hanley , George K . Cooke W . M . 1060 , George H . Havvley P . M . 546 ; Thomas Taylor P . P . S . G . W . 418 J . Dale Hewson P . P . S . G . W . 726 , Henry Wardle

, W . M . 1587 , the Rev . E . C . Perry S . W . 726 , John D . Cox 726 ; J . C . Marson P . M . 726 , F . Dukes 726 , H . Woodhouse P . P . S . W . 726 , Charles Hickson , P . M . 460 , C . Marsh P . P . S . G . W . 460 , Wm . Allon Eaton P . M . 966 , William Necdham J . W . 966 , F . J . Milner I . G . 966 , J . Hodgson , John L . Gibbons P . M . 1520 , P . P . S . D . Derby , A . G . Prince P . P . G . J . D . 546 , J . Watkin P . P . G . J . D . 419 , S . J . Walker P . M .

419 , F . Derry P . P . J . G . W . 482 , J . Jacobs P . P . G . R . 482 , W . H . Ward W . M . 482 , J . Rowlands P . M . 482 , C . Matthews P . P . G . J . W . P . M . 526 , Thomas Turner S . W . 460 and 546 , John Charlosworth W . M . 98 , Sampson Bennett P . M . 98 , Joseph Button S . W . 98 , Ralp h Hilditch 98 , Charles Brown 98 , Samnel S . Fox P . M . 317 , Thos . Stamford P . M . 347 , Joseph Sherwin P . M . 546 , Wm . J . Whittall P . P . G . R . P . M .

482 , W . S . Beatenson 637 Secretary , W . H . Hales P . P . S . G . W . 418 , T . Mount Humphries W . M . 539 , T . Birks 418 , David Smith 637 , Thomas Bickley P . M . 418 , F . Brandon Secretary 418 , Wm . Bayliss P . M . 539 P . P . J . G . D ., James H . Walton P . M . 696 P . P . G . P ., H . Lang , man W . M . 419 , Benjamin H . Brough W . M . 546 , A . F . Whittomo 726 ,

Ralph Dain P . M . 98 P . P . G . A . D . C , F . S . Wright P . P . J . G . D . 546 , tho Rev . William Randall P . P . G . C ., Warwick and P . M . 460 and 482 , J . A . Wilson 482 , J . Webberley P . M . P . P . G . P . 546 , H . Parker P . M . P . P . J . G . W . 451 , Jas . Rowley S . W . 539 , E . Olton J . D . 539 , Matthew Harvey 539 , J . Taylor P . M . 696 , G . T . Guy W . M . 696 , Walsh Graham S . W . 696 , J . Bryan J . W . 696 , T . Dixon Miller P . M . 482 , J . Rodgera

P . P . G . J . D . P . M . 418 , J . H . Hancock P . P . G . P . P . M . 1060 , Edward Tiddesley P . M . 419 , Benjamin Love P . P . A . D . C . P . M . 539 , the Rev . S . T . Tozer P . P . G . C . P . M . 347 , the Rev . Charles Bullivant Chaplain 1520 , John Steen P . M . 526 , W . Tempest P . M . 1060 , Henry Hare P . M . 1060 , Foster Gotigh P . D . P . G . M ., T . B . Higgison P . M . 419 , William Vernon S . W . 456 and J . D . 1587 , Benjamin George Call S . D . 539 , James Lennox 520 , J . Vaughan S . W . 86 , Prescot , T . J . Barnett Sec .

526 , Thomas Nickols Tyler 539 , R . Thomas Horley 482 , Richard Sudbury 726 , Horton Yates P . P . G . S . VV . 460 , J . Terry Sec . Masonic Benevolent Institution , J . H . Thomas P . P . G . S . B . P . M . 98 aud 637 , S . Smith P . M . 637 , H . C . Furam P . M . 637 , B . T . Oswell 324 , Thomas Unwin W . M . 637 , G . Coombes 1520 , R . Macrae J . W . 624 , William Walters 624 , S . Briggs S . W . 624 , W . H . Baden Sec . 624 , J . H . Jackson

P . P . G . S . D . P . M . 024 and 353 , John Lucas P . G . S . B . P . M . 624 , Charles T . Graham W . M . 624 , Richard Tomliuson Tyler 726 , Thomas Warreu Tyler 546 , William Colenso Tyler 419 . John Snow 418 , H . Bagguley , T . Wardley 419 , W . Purvis 539 , John Stringer 418 . The brethren assembled in the Grand Jury Room of the Shire Hall nnder the charter of the Staffordshire Knot Lodge 726 , which was

opened at noon . In the absence of the W . M . of the Lodge ( Bro . the Rev . F . K . Clarke ) , the chair was taken by Bro . J . C . Marson P . M ., assisted by Bro . the Rev . C . E . Perry S . W ., Bro . Chalmers S . D ., officiated as J . W . in the absence of Bro . R . Hewson , Bro . T . Foulke J . D ., Bro . Wood Sec , Bro . Scott I . G . At half-past twelve o ' clock the Provincial Grand Lodge entered , and were received with the usual Masonic greeting . The R . W . P . G . M .

and officers having taken their places , the P . G . Lodge was opened in due form , after which the P . G . Secretary read the notices convening the meeting , and the minutes of the previous meeting at Lichfield , and of the emergency meetings at Cheadle , in May last , for the con . secration of St . George ' s Lodge 1587 , and at Handsworth , in August last , for the purpose of laying the foundation-stone of the restoration of Handsworth Parish Church .

The Treasurer ' s statement was then read and adopted . The R . W . P . G . M . said he had now a most difficult duty to perform in the distribution of P . G . offices . It would always be his anxiety to distribute those offices in as legitimate a manner as possible , and he trusted he had never given offence to the province in the way in which he had awarded them . There were only eighteen offices , and

there were twenty-two Lodges , so that to get round them fairly and honestly was a very difficult task , but the P . G . Sec . had been kind enough to assist him , and had given him a most ablo report of the offices which had been given away during the past six years . There mu ; ht have been , and perhaps had been , occasions where Lodges had been unintentionally overlooked ; but , while anxious to remedy anything of

that kind , he was determined to resist dictations from Lod ges . ( Applause . ) He had received a letter from the P . M . of tbe Abbey Lodge 624 , Burton-on-Trent , who vontured to tell him that he had not given a sufficiently good office to that Ludge . Ho had a great respect for that Lodge , but was not going to be dictated to , and , therefore , should leave that Lodge out of consideration altogether that day . There

were two other Lodges to which he should like to give appointments bnt tbe rnles should be kept up ; and the Tipton and tho Handsworth Lodges—the latter of which he should have thought to be one of the moat correct Lodges in existence—had neither of them S «_ * in their returns . Bro . Cartwright P . G . Sec . explained that the formb . though they had been forwarded to tho St . James ' s ( Handsworta ) Lod ^ e bad never been received , and , therefore , conld not be returned .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Stafford.

Tho R . W . P . G . M . said another lodge , one which bore his name—the Shrewsbury—had sent no return , but being a young Lodge there had , perhaps , been some mistake . Bro . Jones , W . M . 1 , 520 , said no forms had been received ; and Bro . Cartwright excited considerable laughter by replying that two sets of forms had been sent to that Lodge .

The R . W . P . G . M . then appointed and invested the following P . G , officers for the ensuing year : — Bros . Frank James , " P . M . 539 , Walsall , D . P . G . M ., T . J . Walker , P . M ., Wolverhampton , S . G . W ., Chas . Hickson , P . M . 460 , Newcastle , J . G . W ., the Rev . Chas . Lee , Bilston . P . G . Chaplain , the Rev . F . R . Clarke , W . M . 726 , P . G . Chaplain , J . Steen , P . M . 526 , P . G ,

Resf ., J . Bodenham , P . M . 726 , Newport , Treasurer , W . Cartwright , P . P . S . G . W ., P . M . 460 , Newcastle , P . G . Secretary , T . Cooke jun ., P . M . 1 , 060 , Tamworth , P . G . S . D ., Thos . Bickley , P . M . 418 , Hanloy , P . G . J . D ., Thos . Humphries , W . M . 539 , Walsall , P . G . Superintendent of Works , J . 0 . Marson , P . M . 726 , Stafford , P . G . D . C , Sampson Bennett , P . M . 98 , Burslem , P . G . A . D . C ., Thos . Whittles ,

P . M . Leek , P . G . S . B ., F . Derry , P . M ., asP . G . P ., Thos . Wood , Samuel Scott , H . B . Livingstone , T . E . Fowke , J . Baker jun ., and T . W . Chalmers , P . G . Stewards . In concluding the investiture , the R . W . P . G . M . remarked that it crave him great delight to see so many clergymen joining the Lodges . He had done his best to distribute tho offices , and thongh he did not

quarrel with those who thought they ought to have promotion , still he thought they ought to suggest and not to demand that promotion . ( Applause . ) The Lodge then adjourned , and the brethren walked in procession to St . Mary ' s Parish Church , where an admirable sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . Brook Lambert , P . G . Chaplain , who took

for his text the words from Zechariah iv . — " Despise not tbe day of small things , " and preached from it an eloquent discourse , pointing out that though Freemasonry might be regarded as a small seed in the past , it had developed wondrously , and become in onr own day a mighty agency , which might do a vast amount of good in the cause of charity .

At the close of tho sermon a collection was made , amounting to £ 15 7 s , and at the subsequent reassembly of Grand Lodge it was resolved that £ 5 5 s should be devoted to St . Mary ' s and Christ Church Schools , Stafford , the remainder being carried to Prov . Grand Lodge funds . Bro . Frank James D . P . G . M . proposed that the sum of £ 60 from

the Shrewsbury fund , and £ 60 from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds , be voted to assist in purchasing the election of a brother ' s child into the Masonic Boys' School , but after some discussion Bro . James con « sented to withdraw this motion in favour of one proposed by Bro . Bodenham , Prov . G . Treasurer , and seconded by Bro . Horley , to the effect that a committee should be appointed to consider the proposal for tho purchase of a life presentation to the Boys' School , to be

perpetuated by the insurance of the life of the nominee . It was understood that the committee should consist of the Provincial Grand Officers for the curreut year , with the past deputies , and a representative from each Lodge in the province , an Emergency Grand Lodge to be called for the purpose of deciding the matter on the day of the next quarterly meeting , which his lordship intimated he in . tended holding : at Newcastle .

This being the whole of the business , Bro . the Rev . W . Randall P . P . G . C . Warwick , and P . M . 460 , said ho desired to take that , the first opportunity which had been afforded him , to return , on behalf of himself and those connected with his church , their most grateful thanks for the very efficient services which the Grand Lodge had reudered in reference to the church . He could assure them that

they had given the greatest gratification and satisfaction not only to the members of the Craft , he believed , throughout the province , but in the adjacent provinces too . They had also done a great benefit to Masonry in the outside world , especially in the eyes of tbe ladies . He was sure on the part of the ladies of Handsworth , and on the part of the committee for the restoration , he conld not find words

sufficient to express their gratitude for what they felt to have been very beneficial services . The ladies' purses which were presented on that occasion amounted to the very large sum of £ 482 —( applause ) . He believed that nothin g but the presence of the noble lord in the chair , and tho Provincial Grand Lod ge could have achieved that very great success .

The Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Assembly Room of the Shire Hall , where they sat down to a grand banquet , under the presidency of the R . W . P . G . M . the Right Hon . the Earl of Shrewsbury . The R . W . P . G . M ., in proposing "The Health of the Queen , " said far be it from him to talk politics on such an occasion as that , but he

could not resist the opportunity of saying that the patriotism of the country was roused , and everybody would be glad to accord to Her Majesty the support which , as the Sovereign of a great and enlightened country , wo owed to her . ( Hear , hear . ) We had only recently had the advantage of knowing how brilliantl y our Queen had reigned . We knew that she had been ready , and properly so , to receive the

advice of the Ministers who had been at the head of the Administrations of the day , bnt when they reflected that Her Majesty , with a foresight and perspicuity which did honour to her , had been thoroughly aware of the great questions which were now agitating the world , they would see how great was the di crimination and judgment which Her Majesty had shown . ( Applause . )

The R . W . P . G . M . next proposed " The Health of the M . W . his Royal Highness the Princo of Wales Grand Master of England , the Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Famil y , " remarking that , as Masons , they wore particularl y pleased at the reception which their Scotch brethren had given his Royal Highness iu Glasgow . It showed that

wherever his Royal Highness went he was ready to associate himself with the people and with tho great institutions of the country , and ho was proud to think that His Royal Highness had given that distiuction to Scotland which he had given to England , nnd which he trusted would eventually be given to Ireland . ( Hear , hear . ) It

“The Freemason's Chronicle: 1876-10-28, Page 6” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 2 Aug. 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fcn/issues/fcn_28101876/page/6/.
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Title Category Page
THE RECENT ELECTIONS AT THE BOYS' AND GIRLS' SCHOOLS. Article 1
MASONIC PORTRAITS. ULYSSES. Article 1
LONDON MASONIC CLUB, 101 QUEEN VICTORIA STREET. E.C. Article 2
A MASONIC ADDRESS OF THE LAST CENTURY. Article 3
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 4
PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS, OF THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LANCASTER. Article 5
PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF STAFFORD. Article 6
DEATH OF THE D.P.G.M. OF SUFFOLK. Article 7
Old Warrants. Article 7
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DIARY FOR THE WEEK. Article 10
NOTICES OF MEETINGS. Article 11
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Stafford.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF STAFFORD .

A MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons for the connty of Stafford was held on Thursday , in the Shire Hall , Stafford , and brought together a large and influential gathering of the Craft from all parts of the Province , as well as a good number of visiting brethren from tho neighbouring provinces of Warwickshire and Worcestershire . Amongst those present were : — Bros , the Riirht Hon . tho Earl of Shrewsbury R . W . P . G . M ., Frank

James , Deputy P . G . M ., George S . Tudor P . D . P . G . M ., Charles Trigg P . G . S . W ., James F . VVileman 546 P . G . J . W ., the Rev . Charles Lee 526 P . G . Chaplain , the R » v . Brook Lambert 1 , 060 P . G . Chaplain , Thomas Moore P . G . Senior Deacon , William Jones 460 and 1587 P . G . Sunt , of Works , Samuel Hill 546 P . G . D . C , John Payne Hall P . M . 456 and 1587 , Assist . G . D . C ., John Lucas G . S . B ., Thomas Bedsmore

1 , 039 , P . G . Organist , T . W . Chalmers S . D . 726 , Samuel Scott I . G . 726 , T . E . Fowko J . D . 726 , J . Baker 726 , John Storer P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . 726 , H . B . Livingston 726 and Thomas Wood 726 , Prov . Grand Stewards , Frank A . Huet P . M . 418 Hanley , George K . Cooke W . M . 1060 , George H . Havvley P . M . 546 ; Thomas Taylor P . P . S . G . W . 418 J . Dale Hewson P . P . S . G . W . 726 , Henry Wardle

, W . M . 1587 , the Rev . E . C . Perry S . W . 726 , John D . Cox 726 ; J . C . Marson P . M . 726 , F . Dukes 726 , H . Woodhouse P . P . S . W . 726 , Charles Hickson , P . M . 460 , C . Marsh P . P . S . G . W . 460 , Wm . Allon Eaton P . M . 966 , William Necdham J . W . 966 , F . J . Milner I . G . 966 , J . Hodgson , John L . Gibbons P . M . 1520 , P . P . S . D . Derby , A . G . Prince P . P . G . J . D . 546 , J . Watkin P . P . G . J . D . 419 , S . J . Walker P . M .

419 , F . Derry P . P . J . G . W . 482 , J . Jacobs P . P . G . R . 482 , W . H . Ward W . M . 482 , J . Rowlands P . M . 482 , C . Matthews P . P . G . J . W . P . M . 526 , Thomas Turner S . W . 460 and 546 , John Charlosworth W . M . 98 , Sampson Bennett P . M . 98 , Joseph Button S . W . 98 , Ralp h Hilditch 98 , Charles Brown 98 , Samnel S . Fox P . M . 317 , Thos . Stamford P . M . 347 , Joseph Sherwin P . M . 546 , Wm . J . Whittall P . P . G . R . P . M .

482 , W . S . Beatenson 637 Secretary , W . H . Hales P . P . S . G . W . 418 , T . Mount Humphries W . M . 539 , T . Birks 418 , David Smith 637 , Thomas Bickley P . M . 418 , F . Brandon Secretary 418 , Wm . Bayliss P . M . 539 P . P . J . G . D ., James H . Walton P . M . 696 P . P . G . P ., H . Lang , man W . M . 419 , Benjamin H . Brough W . M . 546 , A . F . Whittomo 726 ,

Ralph Dain P . M . 98 P . P . G . A . D . C , F . S . Wright P . P . J . G . D . 546 , tho Rev . William Randall P . P . G . C ., Warwick and P . M . 460 and 482 , J . A . Wilson 482 , J . Webberley P . M . P . P . G . P . 546 , H . Parker P . M . P . P . J . G . W . 451 , Jas . Rowley S . W . 539 , E . Olton J . D . 539 , Matthew Harvey 539 , J . Taylor P . M . 696 , G . T . Guy W . M . 696 , Walsh Graham S . W . 696 , J . Bryan J . W . 696 , T . Dixon Miller P . M . 482 , J . Rodgera

P . P . G . J . D . P . M . 418 , J . H . Hancock P . P . G . P . P . M . 1060 , Edward Tiddesley P . M . 419 , Benjamin Love P . P . A . D . C . P . M . 539 , the Rev . S . T . Tozer P . P . G . C . P . M . 347 , the Rev . Charles Bullivant Chaplain 1520 , John Steen P . M . 526 , W . Tempest P . M . 1060 , Henry Hare P . M . 1060 , Foster Gotigh P . D . P . G . M ., T . B . Higgison P . M . 419 , William Vernon S . W . 456 and J . D . 1587 , Benjamin George Call S . D . 539 , James Lennox 520 , J . Vaughan S . W . 86 , Prescot , T . J . Barnett Sec .

526 , Thomas Nickols Tyler 539 , R . Thomas Horley 482 , Richard Sudbury 726 , Horton Yates P . P . G . S . VV . 460 , J . Terry Sec . Masonic Benevolent Institution , J . H . Thomas P . P . G . S . B . P . M . 98 aud 637 , S . Smith P . M . 637 , H . C . Furam P . M . 637 , B . T . Oswell 324 , Thomas Unwin W . M . 637 , G . Coombes 1520 , R . Macrae J . W . 624 , William Walters 624 , S . Briggs S . W . 624 , W . H . Baden Sec . 624 , J . H . Jackson

P . P . G . S . D . P . M . 024 and 353 , John Lucas P . G . S . B . P . M . 624 , Charles T . Graham W . M . 624 , Richard Tomliuson Tyler 726 , Thomas Warreu Tyler 546 , William Colenso Tyler 419 . John Snow 418 , H . Bagguley , T . Wardley 419 , W . Purvis 539 , John Stringer 418 . The brethren assembled in the Grand Jury Room of the Shire Hall nnder the charter of the Staffordshire Knot Lodge 726 , which was

opened at noon . In the absence of the W . M . of the Lodge ( Bro . the Rev . F . K . Clarke ) , the chair was taken by Bro . J . C . Marson P . M ., assisted by Bro . the Rev . C . E . Perry S . W ., Bro . Chalmers S . D ., officiated as J . W . in the absence of Bro . R . Hewson , Bro . T . Foulke J . D ., Bro . Wood Sec , Bro . Scott I . G . At half-past twelve o ' clock the Provincial Grand Lodge entered , and were received with the usual Masonic greeting . The R . W . P . G . M .

and officers having taken their places , the P . G . Lodge was opened in due form , after which the P . G . Secretary read the notices convening the meeting , and the minutes of the previous meeting at Lichfield , and of the emergency meetings at Cheadle , in May last , for the con . secration of St . George ' s Lodge 1587 , and at Handsworth , in August last , for the purpose of laying the foundation-stone of the restoration of Handsworth Parish Church .

The Treasurer ' s statement was then read and adopted . The R . W . P . G . M . said he had now a most difficult duty to perform in the distribution of P . G . offices . It would always be his anxiety to distribute those offices in as legitimate a manner as possible , and he trusted he had never given offence to the province in the way in which he had awarded them . There were only eighteen offices , and

there were twenty-two Lodges , so that to get round them fairly and honestly was a very difficult task , but the P . G . Sec . had been kind enough to assist him , and had given him a most ablo report of the offices which had been given away during the past six years . There mu ; ht have been , and perhaps had been , occasions where Lodges had been unintentionally overlooked ; but , while anxious to remedy anything of

that kind , he was determined to resist dictations from Lod ges . ( Applause . ) He had received a letter from the P . M . of tbe Abbey Lodge 624 , Burton-on-Trent , who vontured to tell him that he had not given a sufficiently good office to that Ludge . Ho had a great respect for that Lodge , but was not going to be dictated to , and , therefore , should leave that Lodge out of consideration altogether that day . There

were two other Lodges to which he should like to give appointments bnt tbe rnles should be kept up ; and the Tipton and tho Handsworth Lodges—the latter of which he should have thought to be one of the moat correct Lodges in existence—had neither of them S «_ * in their returns . Bro . Cartwright P . G . Sec . explained that the formb . though they had been forwarded to tho St . James ' s ( Handsworta ) Lod ^ e bad never been received , and , therefore , conld not be returned .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Stafford.

Tho R . W . P . G . M . said another lodge , one which bore his name—the Shrewsbury—had sent no return , but being a young Lodge there had , perhaps , been some mistake . Bro . Jones , W . M . 1 , 520 , said no forms had been received ; and Bro . Cartwright excited considerable laughter by replying that two sets of forms had been sent to that Lodge .

The R . W . P . G . M . then appointed and invested the following P . G , officers for the ensuing year : — Bros . Frank James , " P . M . 539 , Walsall , D . P . G . M ., T . J . Walker , P . M ., Wolverhampton , S . G . W ., Chas . Hickson , P . M . 460 , Newcastle , J . G . W ., the Rev . Chas . Lee , Bilston . P . G . Chaplain , the Rev . F . R . Clarke , W . M . 726 , P . G . Chaplain , J . Steen , P . M . 526 , P . G ,

Resf ., J . Bodenham , P . M . 726 , Newport , Treasurer , W . Cartwright , P . P . S . G . W ., P . M . 460 , Newcastle , P . G . Secretary , T . Cooke jun ., P . M . 1 , 060 , Tamworth , P . G . S . D ., Thos . Bickley , P . M . 418 , Hanloy , P . G . J . D ., Thos . Humphries , W . M . 539 , Walsall , P . G . Superintendent of Works , J . 0 . Marson , P . M . 726 , Stafford , P . G . D . C , Sampson Bennett , P . M . 98 , Burslem , P . G . A . D . C ., Thos . Whittles ,

P . M . Leek , P . G . S . B ., F . Derry , P . M ., asP . G . P ., Thos . Wood , Samuel Scott , H . B . Livingstone , T . E . Fowke , J . Baker jun ., and T . W . Chalmers , P . G . Stewards . In concluding the investiture , the R . W . P . G . M . remarked that it crave him great delight to see so many clergymen joining the Lodges . He had done his best to distribute tho offices , and thongh he did not

quarrel with those who thought they ought to have promotion , still he thought they ought to suggest and not to demand that promotion . ( Applause . ) The Lodge then adjourned , and the brethren walked in procession to St . Mary ' s Parish Church , where an admirable sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . Brook Lambert , P . G . Chaplain , who took

for his text the words from Zechariah iv . — " Despise not tbe day of small things , " and preached from it an eloquent discourse , pointing out that though Freemasonry might be regarded as a small seed in the past , it had developed wondrously , and become in onr own day a mighty agency , which might do a vast amount of good in the cause of charity .

At the close of tho sermon a collection was made , amounting to £ 15 7 s , and at the subsequent reassembly of Grand Lodge it was resolved that £ 5 5 s should be devoted to St . Mary ' s and Christ Church Schools , Stafford , the remainder being carried to Prov . Grand Lodge funds . Bro . Frank James D . P . G . M . proposed that the sum of £ 60 from

the Shrewsbury fund , and £ 60 from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds , be voted to assist in purchasing the election of a brother ' s child into the Masonic Boys' School , but after some discussion Bro . James con « sented to withdraw this motion in favour of one proposed by Bro . Bodenham , Prov . G . Treasurer , and seconded by Bro . Horley , to the effect that a committee should be appointed to consider the proposal for tho purchase of a life presentation to the Boys' School , to be

perpetuated by the insurance of the life of the nominee . It was understood that the committee should consist of the Provincial Grand Officers for the curreut year , with the past deputies , and a representative from each Lodge in the province , an Emergency Grand Lodge to be called for the purpose of deciding the matter on the day of the next quarterly meeting , which his lordship intimated he in . tended holding : at Newcastle .

This being the whole of the business , Bro . the Rev . W . Randall P . P . G . C . Warwick , and P . M . 460 , said ho desired to take that , the first opportunity which had been afforded him , to return , on behalf of himself and those connected with his church , their most grateful thanks for the very efficient services which the Grand Lodge had reudered in reference to the church . He could assure them that

they had given the greatest gratification and satisfaction not only to the members of the Craft , he believed , throughout the province , but in the adjacent provinces too . They had also done a great benefit to Masonry in the outside world , especially in the eyes of tbe ladies . He was sure on the part of the ladies of Handsworth , and on the part of the committee for the restoration , he conld not find words

sufficient to express their gratitude for what they felt to have been very beneficial services . The ladies' purses which were presented on that occasion amounted to the very large sum of £ 482 —( applause ) . He believed that nothin g but the presence of the noble lord in the chair , and tho Provincial Grand Lod ge could have achieved that very great success .

The Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Assembly Room of the Shire Hall , where they sat down to a grand banquet , under the presidency of the R . W . P . G . M . the Right Hon . the Earl of Shrewsbury . The R . W . P . G . M ., in proposing "The Health of the Queen , " said far be it from him to talk politics on such an occasion as that , but he

could not resist the opportunity of saying that the patriotism of the country was roused , and everybody would be glad to accord to Her Majesty the support which , as the Sovereign of a great and enlightened country , wo owed to her . ( Hear , hear . ) We had only recently had the advantage of knowing how brilliantl y our Queen had reigned . We knew that she had been ready , and properly so , to receive the

advice of the Ministers who had been at the head of the Administrations of the day , bnt when they reflected that Her Majesty , with a foresight and perspicuity which did honour to her , had been thoroughly aware of the great questions which were now agitating the world , they would see how great was the di crimination and judgment which Her Majesty had shown . ( Applause . )

The R . W . P . G . M . next proposed " The Health of the M . W . his Royal Highness the Princo of Wales Grand Master of England , the Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Famil y , " remarking that , as Masons , they wore particularl y pleased at the reception which their Scotch brethren had given his Royal Highness iu Glasgow . It showed that

wherever his Royal Highness went he was ready to associate himself with the people and with tho great institutions of the country , and ho was proud to think that His Royal Highness had given that distiuction to Scotland which he had given to England , nnd which he trusted would eventually be given to Ireland . ( Hear , hear . ) It

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