Grand Council Of The Allied Masonic Degrees.

Woodiwiss , P . G . W . ; the Rev . C . E . L . Wright , P . G . Chaplain ; Gordon Miller , G . Treasurer ; J . H . Barrow , P . G . D . ; T . P . Dorman , P . G . D . ; William Briant , P . G . D . ; William Vincent , G . D . of C . ; Robert J . Voisey , P . Asst . G . D . of C . ; John Smith and A . Molony , P . G . Stewards ; E . J . Mills , G . Tyler ; representatives from many subordinate councils , and many private members .

Grand Council having been opened , and the M . W . G . M . saluted , the minutes of the last meeting were taken as read , and , on motion duly proposed and seconded , confirmed . The following report was read by the GRAND SECRETARY ' : The Grand Secretary has the pleasure to report that during the past year the energy and activity of the various councils on the roll have been maintained , and

in the majority of them has resulted in a large increase in our roll of registered members . Among these councils may be honourably mentioned the Concord , at Liverpool ; the Four Kings and the Stewart , at London ; the Veran , at Reading ; the St . Lawrence , at Pudsey ; the Old York , at Bradford ; the W . M . Sewell , at Cockermouth . The thanks of the Grand Council are due to these councils , and to those brethren whose untiring energy has achieved this happy result .

The concordat established between this Grand Council and the Grand Council and Conclave of the Order of the Secret Monitor has resulted in the utmost harmony , and all friction appears to have most happily ceased . The Grand Secretary has to report the death of Bro . Issachar Zacharie , who was the first . Grand Ruler ot the Order of the Secret Monitor . He was well known to several members of this Grand Council , by whom he will be greatly

regretted . The M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to grant a warrant for a new council at Widnes , under the style and title of the Lathom Council , No . 30 , and it has been arranged that the consecration shall take place on the 26 th October , when the Deputy Grand Master , R . W . Bro . Charles Belton , will perform the ceremony , and a large number of brethren well known in the other Degrees of Freemasonry will be admitted under the auspices of Bro . G . Hammond-Danby , the first W . M .

The Grand Master has also been pleased to grant a warrant for a new council at Cairo , Egypt , to be called the Ragheb Council , No . 31 . This council will have the advantage of being presided over as its first W . M . by the M . W . Bro . Idris Bey Ragheb , the Grand Master tf the National Grand Lodge of Egypt , and the R . W . District Grand Master of Mark Master Masons for North Africa , and this Grand Council may have every confidence that our M . W . brother will in every way support the honour and dignity of the various Degrees .

The Grand Master has also been pleased to grant a warrant for a new council at Brisbane , to be called the Duke of York Council , No . 32 , which will have the active supervision and the earnest assistance of the R ; W . Bro . H . Courtenay Luck , District Grand Master of Mark Master Masons for Queensland , and it is confidently expected that a large number of brethren will be received into the various Orders and Degrees of our system .

A council at Capetown is under consideration , and the Grand Secretary hopes ere long to report the application for a warrant . It is greatly to be regretted that the unauthorised Bodies in Devonport and Plymouth have not approached this Grand Council with a view of receiving warrants to enable them to carry on their labours in a legitimate manner , and the

edict of non-intercourse must therefore remain in force . In token of his high appreciation of many services to the Grand Council and to the various Orders and Degrees the Most Worshipful Grand Master has been pleased to confer the rank and dignity of Past Grand Warden on R . W . Bro . H . Courtenay Luck .

The Grand Master has the greatest pleasure in thanking the R . W . Bro . Charles Belton for all his eminent services in the arduous position of Deputy Grand Master , and sincerely hopes that , although his term of office is completed , he may have for many years the benefit of his counsel and advice .

The Grand Treasurer ' s accounts have been audited , and show as follows Balance forward ... ... ... £ 139 4 1 Receipts to date ... ... ... 109 12 3 £ 248 16 4 Cr . By Expenditure ... ... £ 91 15 2

Balance ... ... £ 157 1 2 Audited and found correct . ( Signed ) W . VINCENT , G . D . C J . J . WILKES . 12 th November , 1900 .

Bro . J . H . BARROW , P . G . D ., then moved " That the minimum fee for the admission of a candidate in any Council shall be two guineas , " and Bro . VV . GOODACRE having seconded , a discussion followed , in which Bros . WOODIWISS , VOISEY , BONNEY , Captain HEARN , and others expressed their views , the result being that Bro . Barrow altered his motion to read as

follows : "That the minimum fee for the admission of a candidate in any Council shall be one guinea for the Degrees for which any Mark Master Mason may be eligible , viz ., St . Lawrence the Martyr , Knight of Constantinople , Grand Tyler of King Solomon , and Secret Monitor ; and h » lfa-guinea each for the Degrees of Red Cross of Babylon and Grand High Priest . This resolution not to apply to the Colonies . "

Bro . Goodacre also agreeing , the motion was put and declared to be carried by a large majority . A communication relating to the suspension for 12 months of a member of the Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine having been read by the G . Secretary , Bro . CARRELL , P . G . W ., proposed and Bro . HEARN seconded the re-election of Bro . Gordon Miller as Grand Treasurer , and there being no other candidate nominated , the M . W . G . M . declared Bro Gordon Miller duly elected as Grand Treasurer .

The M . W . G . MASTER said he had the pleasure to appoint as his Deputy R . W . Bro . Abraham Woodiwiss , P . G . W ., and Bro . " Woodiwiss having advanced to the pedestal , was obligated and proclaimed . The Grand Master then appointed and invested the following Grand Officers :

Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P . ... G . S . W . „ J . J . Wilkes ... ... ... ... G . J . W . „ Charles FitzGerald Matier ... ... ... G . Sec . , i Gordon Miller ... ... ... ... G . Treas . „ Rev . V . P . Wyatt ... ... ...} G 0 . „ Rev . C . C . Atkinson , D . D .... ... } l * . Chaps . ,, William Bonny ... ... ... ... G . S . D . , 1 John Smith ... ... ... ... G . J . D . „ William Vincent ... ... ... G . D . C . ( i F . A . Powell ... ... . . . 1 .. A . G . D . C .

Grand Council Of The Allied Masonic Degrees.

Bro . A . Molony ... ... ... ... G . S . B . „ J . A . Braik ... ... ... ... G . Std . Br „ Alfred King , Mus Doc . ... ... ... G . Org . „ G . Hammond-Danby ... ... ... G . I . G . I ! j ? h a n Ha | es PPar . . Z Z . "J G . Stwd , „ E . J . Mills ... ... ... ... G . Tyler .

Grand Secretary having read a letter of regret at his inability , through illness , to attend from Bro . Richard Clowes , then suggested thit a small Committee , consisting of the G . Master , the Dep . G . Master , R . W . Bro . C . Belton , Past Dep . G . Master , and G . Secretary should be appointed to revise the Constitutions and report to the next Grand Council . Bro . LOVELAND seconded , and it was declared carried .

An honorarium to Grand Secretary for his services having been voted unanimously , Grand Council was closed , and a banquet was subsequently held at the adjoining Freemasons' Tavern .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey,

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SURREY ,

A meeting of the Prov , Grand Lodge of Surrey was held on the 24 th ult ., at the Assembly Rooms , Surbiton , when Bro . the Earl of Onslow , Prov . Grand Master , installed Bro . Col . John Davis , A . D . C , as his successor . The number of brethren present was about 350 , and included many Grand Officers , Prov . Grand Officers , and distinguished visitors . Amongst the latter the Corporation of London was well represented by the two Sheriffs and their Under Sheriffs . Amongst the Grand Officers

were : Bros , the Earl of Onslow , P . G . W . ; Col . John Davis , A . D . C . ; Fredk . West , P . G . D ., Dep . Prov . GM . ; E . Letchworth , G . Sec ; Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D . ; Major A . H . Bowles , P . G . D . ; S . G . Kirchhoffer , P . D . G . D . C ; G . L . Eyles , P . G . S . B . ; James , Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I . ; J . D . Langton . P . D . G . D . C ; R . F . Gould , P . G . D . ; Rev .

F . B . N , Norman Lee , P . G . Chap , ; T . J . Railing , P . A . G . D . C . ; Alderman and Sheriff Vaughan Morgan , P . G . Treas . ; T . H . Gardiner , P . A . G . D . C ; Rev , H . W . Turner , G . Chap . ; and F . G . Ivey . Prov . G . Officers : Bros . C . T . Tyler , Prov . G . Sec ; Walter Dennis , Prov . G . Treas . G . F . Roumieu , P . P . G . W . ; W . T . Roberts , P . P . G . Treas ; J . R . Cleave , P . P . G . D . ; A . W . Smith , Dep . Prov . G . D . C ; J . B . Lancaster , P . G . S . B .: and many others .

The Prov . G . Master , Bro . the Earl of Onslow , entered the Prov . G . Lodge , attended by the Provincial and Grand Officers . Prov . G . Lodge was then opened , and the roll of lodges was called . Bro . the Earl of ONSLOW then addressed the brethren . He said that H . R . H . the M . W . G . Master had been pleased to appoint as Prov . G . Master of Surrey Colonel Davis , A . D . C . to her Majesty the Oueen , and the

brethren had met together for the purpose of installing that eminent brother into the position of ruler of the Craft in Surrey . As they were doubtless aware , it was usual for that ceremony to be performed by one of the Grand Officers of England , but in accordance with the wish of his Royal Highness , and also of the Prov . G . Master designate , he had been invited to instal him as his successor . He , therefore , asked their assistance that evening for the purpose mentioned .

The Prov . G . Master designate was announced , his patent was read , and he was duly obligated , invested , installed , and saluted as Prov . G . M . Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., officiated as D . C , assisted by Bro . A . VV Smith , P . M . 463 , Dep . Prov . G . D . C , whilst the following W . Misters formed the deputation to escort the Prov . G . Master into Prov . G . Lod ge : Bros . Bathurst , Cowan , Edis , Grundy , Hancock , and Longworth .

Bro . Fredk . West , P . G . D ., was re-appointed Dep . Prov . G . Master and saluted , and Bro . C . T . Tyler was re-appointed Prov . G . Secretary . The newly-installed PROV . G . MASTER then rose , and said it was impossible for anyone of feeling or thought to take his position in that chair in the old County of Surrey without a high feeling of pride and gratification that his Royal Highness should have chosen him . He onl y sincerely hoped that he should during his term of office be able to perform his duties in a

manner that would please his Royal Highness and that those in the province would feel they had no unworthy successor to the exalted nobleman whom he succeeded . He had known Lord Onslow for a long time and had heard from many his high devotion to duty , and , therefore , it would be no light task to follow in nis footsteps . However , no effort on his part would oe spared to worthily occupy that historic chair and advance their grand and magnificent Order of English Masons . Prov . Grand Lodge was then closed in due form .

After luncheon , the PROV . G . M . proposed " The Queen and the Craft , " and said they all looked up to her Majesty with love altd reverence . By her embodiment of all domestic virtues , and by the high feeling of duty that had actuated her life , she had proved herself the greatest ruler this country had ever had .

In giving "H . R . ri . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " the PROV . G . MASTER referred to the great interest taken by his Royal Hi ghness in Freemasonry . He was indebted to his Royal Highness for placing him at the head of that important province , and also far the great courtesy shown him on all occasions .

The PROV . G . MASTER next proposed " The Grand Officers , " and said that Earl Amherst , Pro Grand Master , was a very worthy representative of his Royal Highness and an earnest Mason . He could say more of the Earl of Warwick , Deputy Grand Master , having been in his company the previous week as one of a deputation to the Grand Lod ge in Berlin . Beyond the Earl of Warwick ' s qualities as a Mason , he had never travelled

with a more genial companion , or one more sympathetic . He was pleased with the manly and delightful way in which the Deputy Grand Master made his speech in the G . Lodge in Germany in giving his Royal Highness ' s royal message to those lodges . He was quite delighted to take that opportunity of saying how much they were indebted to the Earl of Warwick for the way in which he represented English Freemasonry on that occasion . Speaking generally , the Grand Officers would not have baen promoted if his Royal

Highness was not certain they would perform the duties expected of them . There was one officer of Grand Lodge to whom he was indebted for a very great deal , and he would like to say how much he felt the way in which the Earl of Onslow had inducted him , and for the courtesy and kindness shown him whenever they had met . Lord Onslow was not only popular as a Mason and amongst his friends , and a trusted Government servant in a hig h position , but was also respected , as a thorough English gentleman . He