Provincial Grand Chapter Of West Yorkshire.

numbers now 42 , and Chapter Charity , No . 302 , 43 members , all of whom take an active part in the welfare and progress of Royal Arch Masonry . We must all deplore the death of Comp . Dr . W . Hill Evans , of Horton-lane , P . Grand Deacon , 1 SS 1 , P . G . J , in 1 SS 1 , and of Fred Smart , our Standard Bearer and companion of Chapter No . 302 . This vacancy I have filled by Comp . James Wright , P . Z . of Chapter No . 600 . You have confirmed a grant of £ 2 2 s . for the library . I believe there is a mine of Masonic wealth to be exhumed in this province , which our Librarian is

gradually bringing to the surface for our knowledge and use . The greatest treasure this library has received has been contributed by a Huddersfield companion . It is an old parchment Masonic manuscript , several feet long and six and a half inches wide , and rolled up in a case . It contains a history of the Craft in ancient times , and a series of charges . Bro . Hughan , the greatest living expert on Masonic manuscripts , has now temporary possession of it for his critical examination and report . These manuscripts are all known either by numbers or names , as the lnigo Jones , the Woodford , & c . I

should like this West York hire parchment to receive the name of the donor . We thank Comp . J . W . Cocking for his valuable gift to our library . Lodge and Chapter No . 600 have liberally contributed to our several Masonic Institutions , and our Charity Committee acknowledges these gifts to augment the grand total contributed by the Craft of £ 51 , 000 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . Every companion present will , I hope , echo this sentiment that this Provincial Grand Chapter , according to its means , may ever be found supporting Grand Lodge and Grand

Chapter , in an active and judicious Benevolence towards our Masonic Charitable Institutions , and to all our fellow creatures . According to the proverb of the Fathers " Benevolence" is one of the pillars upon which the world rests ; "the world , " said they , " is sustained by the virtue of three things—the Law , Divine Worship , and Active Benevolence . " The Pentateuch commences and ends with an act of " Benevolence , " as it is written , Genesis iii ., 20 : " And the Lord God made unto Adam and to his wife , . coats of skins and clothed them . " And also , " And He ( God ) buried him ( Moses ) . "

To do a person a favour , is to act beneficially towards him without any hope or desire of return except gratitude . The "Benevolence" of God is called " Mercy , " because we are in debt to God , and he owes us nothing . " Charity " is also a species of benevolence , but it can only be applied to the poor and needy ; while benevolence itself is , both for poor and rich , high and lowly . We may even act benevolently towards the dead , accompanying our friends to the grave , and thus attending to the last rites ; this is called " Mercy and truth . " In three instances if Benevolence superior to

Charity—Chanty mav he practised by means of money ; Benevolence with or without money—Charity is for the poor alone ; Benevolence either for the rich or for the poor—Charity wecan display but to the living ; Benevolence to the living or the dead . It is written , " After the Liird your God ye ihall walk . " How is this possible ? The symbolisms of Royal Arch Masonry tell us . " By the strong and mighty name of Jehovah ; by His Holy nameTetratrrammaton , and by all the wonderful names and attributes Dadai , Sillon , Paracletos , & c , & c . ; " by following from Holy Writ his attributes and examples ;

by endeavouring to unravel the mystery which overshadows the Sacred Word : — " In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the Word was God . All things were made by Him , and without Him was not anything made that was made . " " In Him was ' life , ' and the life was the ' light' of men , and the light shineth in darkness , and the darkness comprehended it not . " He who was , and is , and shall be—the Eternal . The Tetragrammaton , I need hardly say , is a symbo lical figure having four sides , or angles , a square , a parallelogram , a rhombus , and a trapezium ,

sympolical of four letters—the name of the Supreme Deity , as expressed by four ancient laneuaees , the mystical word resolving itself into Jehovah , which was the name of the Divine Logos , heingformed of the essence . He who simply is , and always existing , which is the character assigned to Christ in the Apocalypse— " He who was , and is , and shall be , the Eternal . " Theologians , mathematicians , and divines have diligently sought to fathom the mystery of the sacred word of the Arch Masons . Companions , we must do the same ; and thank the God who created the heaven and earth , and gave us the Word ,

the Life , the Light , and Essence and the Eternal , to be sought out and to be comprehended Joy us . He in His mercy condescended to reveal His name unto Enoch , to Jacob , and to Moses , and it jjhas descended to us through Boaz , Obed , Jesse , David , Hiram King of Tyre , and a ' so our departed Grand Master , H . A . B . To the ends of the earth , then , we are anxious that His holy name should be carried , and to unborn generations of Royal Arch Masons for ever—that the true name of the Great Creator and Eternal , as a name revealed by Himself , should be preserved and

made known throughout all ages and to all peoples . As an illustration of the Spirit of God , actuating the minds of generous persons , let me here mention the case of Miss Louisa McKellar , of Clapham Park , London . This lady gave £ 58 , 000 12 months ago to 45 hospitals , and she has left £ 45 , 000 further , which has been recently distributed , and our Masonic Institutions have received as follows : Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 250 ; Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , £ 250 . May this Order of Royal Arch Masons , which we believe is founded on the sublime basis of

"be revolence , " Charity , religion , virtue , and hospitality , remain to us a perfect system of _ " wisdom , strength and beauty , " which ages cannot obliterate , or adversity in our midst decay . May this Order flourish in West Yorkshire ! Make by your influence , th . n , every W . Master Mason join it ; spread its mysticism and symbolism wherever civilisation is known ; and I pray the Essense and the Eternal Most High Jehovah , to whom be all honour and glory , to give you a bright and happy Christmas , and to remain with you for evermore . So mote it be !

The Grand Superintendent invested Comp . James Wright , P . Z . 600 , as Prov . Grand Standard Bearer . Comp . J . L . ATHERTON , P . Z . 600 , by the invitation of the Grand Superintendent , gave the Mystical Lecture in a very able manner . Moved by Comp . S . T . STEELE , P . Z . 308 , Prov . A . G . D . C . ; seconded b y Comp . JOHN WORDSWORTH , P . Z . 154 , P . P . G . H ., and resolved , "That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded by this Grand Chapter to Comp . Hinchliff , Z ., and the companions of Chapter Sincerity , No . 600 , for their kind invitation and excellent arrangements .

The G . SUPERINTENDENT called upon Comp . WATSON , P . Z . 304 , who addressed a few remarks to the companions respecting the Library and Museum at Wakefield .

Comp . Thos . RILEY , Z . IOOI , invited , and the Grand Superintendent accepted an invitation to hold the annual convocation of Grand Chapter at Harrogate , in May , 1889 . Tea was provided at the Alexandra Hotel , at 5 o ' clock , of which about 50 companions partook , the Grand Superintendent presiding .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Oxfordshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF OXFORDSHIRE .

The annual convocation of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the Alfred Masonic Hall , Oxford , on Tuesday , the 13 th ult . The Grand Superintendent , Comp . Rev . H . A . Pickard , presided , supported by Comps .

E . G . Bruton ( acting for Comp . J . Bue ) , as Prov . G . H ., and A . Winkfield , Prov . G . J ., and opened Provincial Grand Chapter in due form . Comp . General A . W . Adair , G . Supt . of Somerset , honoured the meeting with his presence .

The roll of the four chapters in the province was called , and representatives of each chapter were found to be present . •The minutes of the Provincial Grand Chapter of November 30 th , 1887 , were read and confirmed .

The report on the chapters in the province was read , and all were found to be in a satisfactory condition . The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT proposed a vote of five guineas to the Male Fund of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , which was carried

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Oxfordshire.

" nera . con ., and announced his intention of serving as Steward for the Provincial Grand Chapter at the ensuing Festival on the 27 th February next . The Prov . Grand Treasurer made his report , showing a balance in hand of - £ 27 19 s . 6 d ., and was unanimously re-elected .

Comp . BRUTON proposed a motion , the effect of which was to make the fee payable by the Prov . G . H . one guinea if he had already paid a fee of honour as Prov . G . J . This was carried unanimously . The Grand Superintendent then appointed and invested his Prov . Grand Officers , as follows : —

Comp . A . Winkfield ... ... ... Prov . G . H . ,, J . Tomkins ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ W . L . Morgan ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ R . E . Baynes ... -, ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ W . G . Emberlin ( elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ A . Rowley ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ H . G . W . Drinkwater ... ... ... Prov . G . P . Soj . ,, R . C . Lever ... ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . Soj „ J . M . Dormor ... ... ... Prov . 2 ndA . G . Soj ,, T . Greenwood ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Rev . H . Sayers ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Hon . R . C . Devereux ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ M . H . T . Pigott ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ A . Hill ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . Norwood ,.. ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor .

The chapter was then closed , and the companions adjourned to a sumptuous banquet , provided under the direction of Comp . Phillips . Thirty-five sat down to dinner , and , in addition to those named above , the following , among others , were present : Comps- Rev . R . W . M . Pope , A . G . S . Eng . ; Rev . S . R . Wygram , P . A . G . S . Eng . ; R . Bird , P . A . G . S .

Eng . ; Viscount Valentia , P . P . G . P . S . ; J . A . Acock , P . P . A . G . D . C ; W . VV . Harrison , P . P . G . P . S . ; J . Potts , P . P . G . S . N . ; J . Jenkins , P . P . G . S . N . ; Rev . J . H . Jukes , P . P . G . P . S . ; Palmer , P . P . A . G . S . ; Rowbottom , P . P . G . D . C ; Bowden , P . P . G . Org . ; Badcock , P . P . A . G . D . C ; and others .

Toasts and songs followed one another in rapid succession , and , under the genial presidency of the Grand Superintendent , a delightful evening passed rapidly away .

Provincial Grand Lodge, County Down, Ireland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE , COUNTY DOWN , IRELAND .

On the 13 th ult ., the members of the above Grand Lodge of County Down , held their annual meeting in the New Masonic Hall , Newtownardsroad . There was a very large attendance , the lodges represented being : Nos . 18 , 23 , 66 , 70 , 77 , 86 , 113 , 114 , 133 , HS- l 7 > l 8 3 . 203 , 240 , 254 , 367 , 369 , 481 , 447 , 556 , 675 , 68 3 , 685 , 699 , 978 , 1000 , and 1009 . Bro . Major Leslie J . Thompson , Deputy Grand Master , presided ; and Bro . F . Crossle , Grand Secretary , was also present . The office-bearers for the ensuing year were also elected , and other business was disposed of .

The members of Lodge 240 and Lodge 685 afterwards entertained the Provincial Officers to luncheon in the new hall , when Bro . John Laughlin , W . M ., 240 , occupied the chair ; and Bro . James M'Alonan , W . M . 685 , the vice-chair .

After luncheon , The CHAIRMAN gave the toasts of "The Queen and the Craft" and " The Three Grand Masters of England , Ireland , and Scotland , " which was duly honoured , He then gave the toast of " The Provincial Grand Lodge of Down , ' "' coupled with the name of Bro . Crossle .

Bro . CROSSLE , in replying , said it gave him the greatest pleasure , on behalf of the Grand Master and the officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , to return thanks to them , and to state that they were always glad to appear in any part of the province , in order to conduct any ceremony or perform any work that might be for the good of the Craft . He thanked them exceedingly , on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master , for the manner in

which the toast had been received , and also for the manner in which , during two successive days , they had been entertained . He was quite certain that he was only reiterating the hope and earnest wish of the Provincial Grand Master of Down when he hoped that the ceremonies in which they had been engaged for the past two days would be but the forerunner of harmony and peace and much prosperity . After a song by Bro . Wallace , who was encored ,

Bro . CROSSLE said it afforded him the greatest possible pleasure , after the manner in which the toast of the Prov . Grand Lodge had been received , to ask them to unite in drinking "The Health of Lodges 240 , 685 , and 4 S 1 . " So faras 4 Si was concerned , they had had the pleasure of being present at its entrance to that hall . He had the greatest pleasure in asking them to drink to the health and prosperity of those lodges , and he coupled the toast with the name of their chairman , Bro . Laughlin .

Bro . LAUGHLIN , in replying , said he thanked them fort he kind manner in which they had drunk the health of 240 and 685 , and , also , he thanked them forthe manner in which they had attended to dedicate that hall and do other necessary business for them .

Bro . J . RAINEY , on behalf of Lodge No . 481 , returned thanks for the manner in which the toast had been received . Of course , at the present time the members of that lodge were but a small number , though in a short time they expected to be a large lodge . He thanked them for the great kindness they had received in that hall .

Bro . J AMES M'ALONAN thanked the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge ior their kindness during the past two days . They had been at their refreshment table now for the first , but he hoped it would not be for the last time .

After a song from Bro . Cleland , The CHAIRMAN gave " Our next Merry Meeting . " The National Anthem was then sung , and the business terminated . During the evening a number of the brethren contributed much to the p leasure of the company by rendering songs in first-class style .

BERKELEY HOTEL ( late St . James ' s ) , 1 , Berkeley-street and 77 , Piccadilly , London , VV . First class accommodation for residents , with a Restaurant newly * attached for high class luncheons and dinners , at fixed prices and it la Scarce C . DIETTE , Manager . —[ ADVT . ]