Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Berks And Oxon.

Bro . John O Leary , 247 •... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . B „ A . C . Hewitt , 257 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std , B . „ E . S . Mackrell , 27 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ E . Head , 27 ... ... •... ... Prov . G . I . G . „ T . R . Vowles , 235- ... ... ... ") ,, J . E . Sydenham ... ... ... ? Prov . G . Stwds . „ J . B . King , 225 ... ... ..: )

Bros . W . Hemmings , 235 , and G . Norwood , 55 ' ... Prov . G . Tylers . Amongst other matters that were brought under the notice of Provincial Grand Lodge was an announcement , made by Bro . Binckes , that a Moveable Grand Lodge would be held at Exeter on the 6 th inst ., when Lord Kintore would preside . The Prov . Grand Master-thanked Bro . Stephens for the continued and valuable assistance he gave ; the Earl of Jersey also

referred to the loss the province had sustained by the death of the Duke of Albany . The services rendered to Mark Masonry by the late Bro . D . M . Dewar was recognised , and a vote of £ 3 3 s . was unanimously agreed to in aid of the fund for that brother's widow . The sum of five guineas was voted towards the Mark Benevolent Fund , and a statement made that the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . Pulley , would serve as Steward at the Festival to be held at the Crystal Palace on the following day . Bro . Homann

tendered his services as Steward for the Festival of the same fund in 1885 , and shortly afterwards Provincial Grand Lodge was closed . The brethren immediately repaired to Folly Bridge , where a steam launch was in readiness , and a truly enjoyable trip to Nuneham was indulged in . On arriving at their destination the party inspected the grounds of Col . Harcourt , M . P . for Oxfordshire , and after spending an hour most profitably the return journey was undertaken .

A banquet followed at the Alfred Hall , where the after proceedings were carried put in the same spirit of congeniality that had characterised the work of the day . The musical ability of a capital glee party was well exercised , and the efforts of Bro . ' Rowley , who superintended this feature of the day ' s proceedings , were cordially recognised .

The members of the Alfred Lodge , who conceived and so well carried out the arrangements , deserved , as they received , the thanks of all who were present . ' On the invitation of Bro . D'Almaine it was arranged that the next annual meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge should take place at Abingdon , under the banner of the Abbey Lodge , No . 225 . '

Consecration Of The Henry Levander Lodge, No. 2048.

CONSECRATION OF THE HENRY LEVANDER LODGE , No . 2048 .

On Monday , the 21 st tilt ., a number of brethren assembled ai the Railway Hotel , Harrow Station , to Witness the consecration of the lodge which will perpetuate the name ati'd . services to Masonry in general and Middlesex in particular of Bro . Henry C . Levarider . ' . M . A ., P . G . D ., Prov . Grand Secretary .

The chair was taken at half-past fotir o clock by the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., P . G . W ., & c , who was accompanied by Bro . Raymond H . 'Thrupp , and Bro . H . C . Levander . The R . W . Prov . Grand Master appointed Bro . Fred . Davison , G . SJD ., P ; P . G . S . W ., as S . W . ; Bro . H , A . Dubois , P . P . G . J . W ., as J . W . ; and Bro . F . W . Levander , P . P . G . D ., as I . G .

Amongst the brethren present we noticed Bros . Edgar Bowy ' er , P . G . Std . Bearer ; Rev . Dr . P H . Ernest Brette , P . P . G . Chap . ; Rev . Faussett , Prov . G . Chap . ; T . J . Bird , P . P . G . Swd . Br . ; Cole A . Adams ( Pres . Architectural Association ) W . M . 63 ; F . W . Sillis , J . Hickie , W .. H . Lee , G . Cheek , Seymour Smith , J . Ager , and G . T . ' Carter . The founders were Bros . H . Lovegrove , P . M ., P . Z . ; C . J . Axford , W . A . Scurrah , C . P . McKay , P . M . 720 , P . Cheek , S . Ward , J . Johnson , and S . Stamafei ' .

The petition was recommended by the Citadel Lodge . The ceremony of consecration was ablyperfornied by Sir F \ Bufdett , the oration by Bro . the Rev . Faussett , Prov . Grand Chaplain , being ufiusually good , referring to the history of Freemasonry in the earliest times , and was a most scholarly arid interesting discourse . The Prov . Grand Master , being unwell , was obliged to leave at the

completion of the ceremony , and Bro . R . H . Thrupp , R . W . D . P . G . M ., P . G . A . D . C , performed the ceremony of installation in his usual correct and able manner on behalf of Bro . H . C . Levander , wlio , but for his recent accident , would have undertaken the duty . Bro . Henry Lovegrove , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W ., the newly-installed W . M ., invested his officers as follows : Bros . C . J . Axford , S . W . ; W . A . Scurrah , J . W . } C . P . McKay , Sec . ; P . Cheek

S . D . ; S . Ward , J . D . ; J . Johnson , I . G . ; and J . Very , Tyler . A large number of names were handed in for initiation and' joining . Bro . H , C . Levander presented the lodge with a . very handsome photographic album , containing a very excellent portrait of himself , and presentations . wcre . also made by Bros . H . Lovegrove , W . A . Scurrah , and S . Ward .

On the motion of the W . M .. seconded by the J . W ., votes of thanks were awarded to the brethren who had assisted in the ceremony , and they were elected honorary members . The whole of the musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Seymour Smith , who gave great satisfaction , regret being expressed that his programme after dinner could not be carried out owing to the lateness of the hour . . '

After the excellent banquet the usual toasts were duly honoured , that of "The Guest of the evening , Bro . H . C . Levander , " being especially well and enthusiastically received . The DEI ' PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed "The Health of the W . M . " in flattering terms , and Bro . COLK ADAMS responded •for "The Visitors . "

Thus ended a very successful start of what has every prospect of . being a prosperous lodge bearing an honoured ' name . The collars and jewels were manufactured by Bro . George Kenning .

English Freemasonry Before 1717. —No. Iv.

ENGLISH FREEMASONRY BEFORE 1717 . —No . IV .

I conclude my " study" on this interesting subject to-day with a few remarks as to what seems to be henceforth our imperative duty as Masonic Students and writers . In the first place let us set to work to ascertain what evidences still exist in our . very midst as regards ' English Freemasonry in the seventeenth century . There are numerous indictee of it which we seem to neglect and overlook , we will only in earnestness endeavour t . o bring together our own evidences , we shall soon be

English Freemasonry Before 1717. —No. Iv.

in possession of a vast amount of materials at present useless , forgotten , ignored , never heard of . Many of our lodges do not know what is in their Lodge Boxes . There aremany collections of Masonic documents and the like which have not been opened for years . Such is the apathy as regards Masonic . archaeology on the one hand , and the prevalence of this " laissezaller" system on the other . When we can realize what the extent of our

own evidences is , when we can sift , collate , compare , and weigh them , we shall be in a better position than we are to-day to decide dogmatically , or come to a conclusion on certain moot points . The incident as regards the Duke . of Richmond shews how careful we should be before we pronounce hastily on this or that , or attack Anderson , and accuse him of '¦ " historical

falsification . " He is proved lo be correct as to his facts , on one' point , the second Duke of « Richmond being present , and acknowled ging hisiather ' s claims to be a Master of a lodge at Chichester in the latter part of the seventeenth century as a fact . All this shows the necessity of caution and reserve . Other evidences are accruing , and will accrue , and as they do accrue we shall be the better enabled to judge as to the exact value of

Anderson s statements in 1738 than we are now . One hundred and fortysix years ago Anderson made certain assertions , based , as he states , on lodge minutes and the like . It is useless to say to-day in respect of them , that such minutes do not exist . In the first place as we know the carelessnes as to minute books is almost inexplicable , and in the next , bearing in mind how many have been

desposed of and are in private hands , how Secretaries have taken possession of them and lost them , how many are missing , it is quite clear , that the argument may be used both ways and that the absence of minutes in 18 S 4 , is ^ no criterion of what their evidence might have been in 1738 ! I would therefore impress upon all the readers of the Freemason , to take a vital interest in the question of lodge collections and lodge minutes . I feel- sure , that

industry and perseverance will bring together a very large amonnt of curious and important evidence , now useless and dormant , and that before long the seventeenth century history of English Masonry will stand out in clearer and fuller light , and enable us to connect , as cause with effect , the subsequent and earlier history of English Freemasonry , which is now , to . say tlie east , very obscure , very doubtful , ' and very uncertain . 1 I may say for myself and others , that all we are anxious for is Masonic

truth . We have no favourite fads to air , no preconceived theories to establish , no cherished idols to set up , no paradoxes to overthrow . We want truth , and truth alone , based on the successive steps of an inductive science , and fortified alike by positive evidence and historical accuracy . And here I make my bow . All too long as these disquisitions have been , Ihey may interest some , and then my end is attained . DRYASDUST ,

History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

HISTORY OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

( Continued front f age 363 ) . ' FROM THE OPENING OF THE NEW SCHOOL TO THE ELECTION ol BRO . GEORGE PLUCKNETT AS TREASURER , i 865 r 73 . The proceedings we described in the last chapter must be looked upon as constituting a long and elaborate experiment with a view to demonstrating on the one hand the practicability of maintaining' a school in which the boys

on theestablishment could be housed and educated , and on the other , the ability of the Craft to make the requisite provision for its maintenance without detriment to the other Masonic Institutions , or too exacting demands on the generosity of the brethren . The experiment . as we have seen , proved so entirely successful'from the outset , that the Executive resolved on making a bold appeal to the ' Freemasons as a body , for the funds with which to

erect substantial premises in place of those which had been purchased and adapted to the purpose of a boarding school ) but on a far larger and more commodious scale , the list of applicants for reception into the Institution being at the time invariably a formidable one , and out of all proportion -to the small number of vacancies that were declared front half year to half year . How . magnificently the appeal was responded to

has been made manifest ,- and though . from time to time it has been thought : desirable or found . necessary to make numerous and extensive additions to the premises , the building of which we are all so proud , and in which over 200 youths , mostly orphans , are maintained , and educated with so much kindly supervision , is practically , the same which the then Deputy Grand Master of England , as representative of the Grand

Master ,. opened so ceremoniously on the 8 th July , 1 S 65 . We are far from having described the whole of what the Craft has done for " Our Boys "in the way of building operations , but what has been done since the dale just mentioned , has been subsidiary to the main project then and there virtually completed , and as such will , of course , occupy only a secondary place in what remains to be told . Henceforth our attention will be chiefly occupied

in describing the progresstn the Institution as an educational establishment , nor have we the slightest misgivings as to what will be the result of our inquiries . It is to the credit of our English Freemasonry that it should have founded an Institution for the education of the sons of deceased or decayed brethren ; it is still more to its credit that the Institution should have won so conspicuous a place among the educational establishments of '

the country . It has been already stated that early in 1861 inquiries were instituted into the interior arrangements of the School , and though the Committee appointed for the purpose appear to have been satisfied on the whole with the manner in which the authorities fulfilled their trust , they evidently perceived that something was wanted in order to place the Institution on a

level with others of a similar character . It is impossible the Executive could have chosen a worthier couple than Bro . the Rev . C . and Mrs . Woodward to preside over the School as Master and Matron respectively . But high personal worth is not the only qualification we look for in those occupying such ' positions , and from the advice tendered by the Committee in their ¦ report it seems beyond doubt that Bro . Woodward ' s strength as a Master did not lie in his ability to impart knowledge or maintain that discipline

which is essential to the success of a scholastic institution . The connection of his successor , Mr . Gill , with the School lasted only a few months ; but Mr . Russell , who took Mr . Gill ' s place , held office for close on five years , and though at the commencement of his career he must have worked very successlully—the reports of the Examiners are clear as to the improvement that took place under his auspices—we have good reason to believe that he was by no means a strict disciplinarian . The boys appear to have had too much liberty granted them , and as ' too commonly happens in such cases , to .