St. Sampson Lodge.

under the Grand Lodge of England , but that , owing to the multiplicity of his engagements , and the number of new Lodges which were being formed , it was impossible for him to attend but to a very small portion of them , hence he delegated Provincial Grand Officers to act in his capacity . The Provincial Grand Master proceeded to say that , acting under direct authority from

the Prince of Wales , he was permitted to consecrate the new St . Sampson Lodge . It gave him pleasure fco think that this was the first Lodge consecrated since the establishment of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Guernsey and Alderney , and , moreover , a Lodge removed from the Town parish . Yet he informed his listeners that this was not the first time a Lodge would be

held out of the parish , as during the earlier part of the century a Military Lodge had been held at tbe Vale Castle , although working under the Irish Constitution . The Provincial Grand Masfcer also congratulated fche W . M .-Designate of St . Sampson Lodge upon the very large number of influential and distinguished

Brethren who had gathered to grace the consecration ceremony . The consecration having been concluded , the Lodge business was commenced , the first portion of which was to instal Bro . Wm . Stranger P . M . 1809 as Worshipful Master , which ceremony was performed in an impressive manner by Bro . C . F . Matier P . G . S . B .

The W . M . invested his Officers as follow : —Bro . T . R . Ogier S . W ., A . H . Terry J . W ., J . Stranger Treas ., G . A . Eastland S . D ., D . F . Ogier J . D ., Brouard Tyler . The addresses to the Officers and the Brethren were given in a most able manner bv Bro . Matier .

The Founders of the Lodge include Bros . J . Stranger , T . Ogier , Terry , Merrall , Bird , D . Ogier , Crumpton , and Eastland . The W . M . closed his Lodge , which was adjourned until the third Thursday in June , the future meetings to be held at the Commercial Hall , St . Sampson ' s . — " Guernsey Mail . "

Guernsey And Alderney.

GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY .

THE annual meeting was held on Friday , 22 nd inst ., at the Masonic Temple , Guernsey , under the presidency of Brigade-Surgeon J . B . Cockburn , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master , who was supported by his deputy Brother E . C . Ozanne , and a large number of other Brethren , most of whom had been present at the consecration of the St . Sampson Lodge .

Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened , and the minutes confirmed , the Auditors' report was read and adopted , Brother T . C . Boyle , one of the Auditors , congratulating the Provincial Master on the very satisfactory balance in hand . Bro . J . T . Laine Provincial Grand Treasurer was proposed for re-election by Bro . T . J . Mitchell in eulogistic terms , and was re-appointed amid applause .

Bro . H . Merrall W . M . 1809 , and Bro . C . T . Cooke W . M . 243 , were unanimously elected Auditors for 1896-97 . The Provincial Grand Master then proceeded to invest his Officers , as follow :

Bro . F . Clarke ---- - Eegistrar 3 . T . Laine - Treasurer B . M . Smythson - Secretary J . Hume Spry .... Senior Deacon J . Stranger - - - - Junior Deacon G . F . Peek - Superintendent of Works

H . Wilkins .... Director of Ceremonies J- B . Nickolls .... Assistant Dir of Cers . C . T . O . Cooke .... Sword Bearer Captain A . H . Terry - - - ) „ . , , _ Major Hearn - - . . \ Standard Bearers T . G . Barnes - Organist B . B . Bowclifie - Pursuivant

T . B . Ogier - Assistant Pursuivant H . L . Doras - - - - A . W . de Jausserand ... Gr . Eichards - - - . Stewards B . Martin - H . M . Bichard - ' E . Biddiscombe .... Tyler .

Major F . C . Grseme and Major Quayle-Jones would have been invested as Prov . Wardens only that fcheir military duties prevented their crossing over to Guernsey for the purpose . Their chairs were occupied for the rest of fche evening by * Bro . C . W . Carrell P . P . S . G . W . and Bro . Thomas Cohu P . P . J . G . W . Bro . Rev . T . Jesse Prov . G . Chap , was also absent .

During the course of the investiture the Provincial Grand Master thanked the Rev . S . Stitt for having officiated as Chaplain , not only for the Provincial Grand Lodge , but also at the consecration of the St . Sampson Lodge . There being no other business , Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in due form .

A banquet was afterwards held in connection with the rew St . Sampson and the Provincial Grand Lodges , afc Gardner ' s Royal , which was attended by a large number of Brethren . During the course of the evening the usual toasts were proposed and heartily responded to .

Staffordshire.

STAFFORDSHIRE .

AS we stated last week , in our short report of this Provincial Grand . Lodge , the Prov . G . Masfcer delivered an address , which he commenced by observing thafc the thanks of all were due to the Hanley Brethren for the admirable preparations which had been made for the reception of the P . G . Lodge . The large attendance testified thafc the efforts of fche Hanley Brethren were

appreciated . This large gathering afforded an opportunity of what in commercial circles might be termed taking stock . Speaking generally , he thought their stock-taking this year was as satisfactory as ever , if nofc even more so , and he congratulated fchem upon the position which Freemasonry occupied in the

Province . It had been his desire to visit every Lodge in the Province , bufc he had nofc be able fco do anything like what he had hoped to do , and he was afraid there had been some amount of dissappoinfcment in consequence . He explained thafc his time was very considerably taken up by his various public

engagements , and said if at any moment they should feel dissatisfied wifch their relative positions and they wished to have someone to preside over them who could devote more time to the business , the remedy was in their hands . If , on the other hand , it was their wish that he should continue to occupy the position of

P . G . M ., as long as he had the support of the Freemasons of Staffordshire he would do the best he could for them . He thought they might congratulate themselves on the financial position of the Province . As regarded charity , a debt of gratitude was due to those who had been responsible for the management

of the Charitable Association . The A fund was in aid of the Royal Charities ; the B fund for local purposes connected with Masonry . There was a substantial balance under each head . In connection with the B fund , there was to be a pic-nic in Trentham Park . The responses so far received had exceeded the

most sanguine expectations , and he hoped they would have such a successful gathering that the charity stewards would be made to rejoice . With respect to the bed in the Orphan Asylum which they were about to endow , he thought the administration of that should be left with the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association . He found that one of the duties of a P . G . M . was to

make arrangements for the erasure of an unruly Lodge and the dismissal of an unworthy Brother . He had not had occasion to do anything of the kind , and he trusted he never should have . So far from that being the case , they had fco welcome among them another Lodge—Lewisham , Smethwick—which had been

consecrated since the last annual meeting . He wished every prosperity to that Lodge . There had been an increase of thirtyseven Masons in the Province during the year . He hoped that increase would be continued . They had lost by death some who had been true and good Brethren amongst them . But let them bear

in mind the fact that the life of a good Mason was never wasted , that the edifice reared on the foundations of fche principles of fche fraternity , " Brotherly love , relief , and truth , " stood as a testimony to the work he had done and would remain as an example to the younger Masons who were anxious to follow in

his footsteps . Let them ever remember that charity was the foundation of their Institution ; that it was " doubly blessed—it blesseth him thafc gives as well as him who receives . " Civilisation and Freemasonry , like twin sisters , always walked hand in hand . In every civilised country , in every age , men , realising fche great truths of liberty , equality , fraternity—men of all ranks ,

all professions , occupations , and creeds , had joined together in the interest of a great Brotherhood . In every quarter of the globe Lodges were continually being opened for the promotion of Freemasonry , which tended to make its members of one heart and one mind , bound together by the indissoluble tie of truth and love .

The business of the Lodge was suspended in order thafc the Brethren might attend divine service at St . Mark ' s Church , Shelton . The volume of the Sacred Law was carried by four lewises in going to church , and four others in returning from the

. The service was conducted by the Rev . E . D . Boothman P . G . C . rector , and the Rev . Brisco Brown P . G . C , the musical arrangements being conducted by the P . G . O . Bro . W . Edwards , A . R . C . O . The preacher was the Rev . 0 . M . Holden P . G . C . who took for his text the 21 st verse of fche second chapter of Sfc . John , " But He spoke of fche temple of his body . "

When the business of P . G . Lodge was resumed ifc was announced that the collection afc the church amounted to £ 16 7 s 6 d . It was ' stated that considering they were under great obligation to the Staffordshire Artillery Corps , the firsfc idea was to give them some portion of the offertory , but the Officers of Artillery , wishful to recognise the Earl of Dartmouth

as the representative of our Sovereign , placed the hall at the disposal of the P . G . Lodge without fee or reward . They suggested , however , that if there was any money to spare something should be given to the Hanley Nursing Society . It was therefore decided that £ 3 3 s should be given to the Hanley Nursing Society , £ 3 3 s to the Chaplain in aid of Hatherton