The Boys School Festival.

that 614 Stewards were secured is in itself unanswerable evidence of long and continued activity on his part . Let us hope , that hia exertions in connection with , many

future celebrations may be equally satisfactory , and that he may long enjoy the confidence of the English Craft as the chosen advocate of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

BY command of the M . W . Pro Grand Master a Special Grand Lodge is to be holden at Freemasons' Hall , London , on Friday next , the 6 th July , at Twelve for One o ' clock punctually , to resolve upon

Addresses of Congratulation on the auspicious Birth of the Royal Prince , the son of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York , the Grandson of the Most

Worshipful Grand Master , and the Great Grandson of Her Majesty the Queen .

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CHESHIRE .

BY command of the Prov . Grand Mark Master , Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., Past Grand Warden England , the annual meeting of the Prov . G . Mark Lodge of Cheshire was held at the Town

Hall , Altrincham , on Saturday afternoon . The proceedings commenced with the opening of a Mark Mason ' s Lodge by the W . M . Bro . the Rev . C . Chetwynd-Atkinson , M . A ., and the Officers of the Stamford Lodge , No . 148 ,

Altrincham , after which the Prov . G . Master , and the Prov . G . Officers entered , and the Prov . G . Mark Lodge was opened . The Prov . G . Master and the Deputy Prov . Grand

Master Bro . James Salmon , J . P ., Past Grand Deacon of England were saluted by the Brethren in ancient form . The roll of the Lodges in ' the Province and of the Provincial Grand Officers having been called over and answered to , the minutes of the last Prov . G . Lodge ,

held at Chester on 24 th June 1893 , being the occasion of the installation of Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton as Prov . G . Master by the Pro Grand Master of England , Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , were read and confirmed .

The accounts of the Prov . Grand Lodge , which showed a balance in hand of £ 26 14 s lOd , having been reported upon by the axiditors , were adopted , and Bro . F . K . Stevenson , of Birkenhead , was unanimously reelected Prov . G . Treasurer , this being the 16 th year of

his appointment to the office . Some further routine business was disposed of , Pro . J . Salmon was again named as Deputy of the Province , and the Provincial Grand Master proceeded to appoint ai . d invest the Giand Officers for the ensuing year as follow : —

Bro . John Clayton - - - Senior Warden Rev . 0 . Chetwynd-Atkinson - Junior Warden Captain Cooper - - - Master Overseer James Warren - - - Senior Overseer J . 0 . White - - Junior Overseer

Kev . J . W . N . Turner - - ) rwi . J . R . Johnson - - - / Chaplains Herbert Finch - - - Registrar of Marks F . K . Stevenson - - - Treasurer R . Newhouse ... Secretary E . G . Parker - - - Senior Deacon G . P . Poole - - - Junior Deacon

Parker .... Inspector of Works H . G . Smale - - - - Director of Ceremonies Tom Wood - - - Asst . Dir . of Cirs . H . Murphey ... Sword Bearer J . R . R . Jeffery ... Standard Bearer G . S . Smith ... Organist R . Carriss - - - - Inner Guard T W . / . _ . foff _<

J . S . Darbyshire - - - L Stewards T . Nicholson - - - J Stephen Smith - - - Tyler The Provincial G . Master then addressed his Lodge

and expressed his gratification at meeting so many Brethren of the Mark Degree on the first anniversary ol his Installation at Chester . He thought tbe results

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of the past year were satisfactory on the whole , for although one or two of the Lodges were comparatively quiet , there , were evident signs of life amongst the others . The total membership of the Lodges

throughout the Province had increased by thirty-four Mark Masons . After referring to one or two points of order "and discipline , which his examination of the minute books suggested , he expressed his regret that he had not

been able to visit the Lodges since his installation as often as he could have wished ; but the arduous duties in connection with Parliament during the past year had prevented him from coming amongst them , and he was

sure they would grant him their indulgence . They had not , as they knew , a large income at their command in connection with the Mark Degree , but what surplus they had they applied in the exercise of that great

virtue of the Order—charity , and he had therefore much pleasure in moving , first , a vote from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds of £ 10 10 s to the Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution ; secondly , £ 10 . 10 s to the 1895 Festival

of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at which , as they were aware , his brother , Lord Egerton of Tatton , had consented to preside ; and thirdly , a sum not exceeding £ 5 5 s to the Stamford Mark Lodge , Altrinoham , towards the expenses of that meeting .

This was seconded by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and carried unanimously . Bro . James Cookson W . M . 67 P . Prov . G . J . O ., and

Bro . Herbert Finch P . M . 67 Prov . G . Reg ., gave the Prov . Grand Lodge a cordial invitation to hold the next annual meeting at Stockport .

The Prov . Grand Master thanked these Brethren , and said that after conferring with his Deputy he would intimate his decision . The Prov . Grand Lodge was then closed , and the Brethren dined together at the Unicorn Hotel .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North and East Yorkshire is to be held at Scarborough , on the 11 th prox .

O 0 0 Responding to the toast of the Provincial Grand Officers of Essex , at the meeting held at . Kelvedon , and reported in our last issue , Bro . T . J . Railing Provincial

Grand Secretary announced that the Earl of Warwick had fixed Wednesday , 18 th July , for the annual assembly of Provincial Grand Lodge , the gathering to take place at Kelvedon .

o o o . Speaking of the progress of the Royal Arch Degree in Leicestershire the Prov . G . Registrar , in a recent report , said the Craft Province steadily grows year by year , and

it is only reasonable to hope that there should be a corresponding accession to the Order of the H . R . A . It is perhaps difficult to suggest anything that will bring about this much wished end ; but possibly if the newly

raised Master Mason were systematically instructed that beyond Craft Masonry there is this Supreme Degree , which so fully supplies what is there wanting , he might not be satisfied to rest " content with the bare and

insufficient" information thus far imparted , but would be seized with a longing desire to extend his knowledge and reach the Crown of the Masonic Structure . It is

such utterances as these that induces members of the Order to look forward with considerable interest as to the result of the now time limit rule . Will that save the Degree ? o o o

TOURIST TRIPS IN BRITAIN . nnHE Midland Railway Company has issued a handy little J _ volume cevoted to Holiday Tours in the British Isles , which although intended chiefly for the convenience of the tourist and pleasure excursionist , will also prove a useful companion to the man of business whose time is to some txtent taken up in Railway travelling . Some very nice views appear of interesting points on the Midland route , a list of furnished Lodgings to be let in

farmhouses and country villages adjacent to Stations on and in connection with the Midland Railway , a list of Tourist fares , special travelling arrangements , and a mass of other useful information which cannot fail to be of service to passengers travelling through the interesting parts of the British Isles served by the Midland line .