Great Priory Of The United Religious And Military Orders Of The Temple.

as G . S . B . ; Edward Armitage and W . Buckler Lethbridge , G . Aide-de-Camps ; Alfred King , Mus . Doc , G . Org . ; Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , G . C . T ., and Rev . C . E . L . Wright , P . G . Prelates ; Richard Clowes , P . G . Constable ; Ralph Gooding , M . D ., K . C . T ., J . E . Le Feuvre , Abraham Clegg , and Clement Godson , M . D ., P . G . Heralds ; C . E . Keyser and Alfred Cooper , P . G . Std . Brs . ; Major T . W . Richardson and R . A . B . Preston , P . G . S . Bs . ; Capt . R . Gresley Hall and

Gordon Miller , K . C . T ., P . G . Aide-de-Camps ; A . H . Bowles , P . G . Captain of Guards ; H . R . Rose , P . G . Org . ; Major C . W . Carrell , K . C . T . ; Walter J . Ebbetts , P . Preceptor , W . J . Songhurst , and H . Wright , Reg ., of 127 ; Alfred Molony , 1 st Constable 163 ; E . M . Morris , H . S . Clutton , P . Preceptor , and Imre Kiralfy , of 26 ; H . Thomson Lyon , P . Preceptor , A . Conyers Haycraft , P . Preceptor , and Ashton Godwin , of 129 ; R . M . Beachcroft , P . Preceptor 131 ;

J . R . Carter and H . Hills , P . Preceptor , of D . ; Col . Mark Lockwood , M . P ., P . Preceptor , G . B . Preston , E . Nash , and F . Gordon Degge Watson , of 128 ; A . F . Church , P . Preceptor , John Strachan , and Rowland Plumbe , 6 ; A . H . Bevan , P . Preceptor 140 ; John Taylor , P . Preceptor 25 ; F . E . Remfry , P . Preceptor 21 ; Hubert G . Giles , E . Preceptor 2 ; Richard Pintner , 7 : F . A . R . Neill ,

1 st Constable 49 , the Rev . Canon John Walker , Preceptor 20 ; P . Colvilie Smith , P . Preceptor 29 ; G . W . Walker , P . Preceptor 79 ; Arthur H . Hebbert , P . Preceptor 67 ; F . Everitt , 1 ; and \ V . C . Rowe , Mount Zion . Past Grand Commander Sir Knight Gen . John Corson Smith , Chairman on Foreign Relations Committee of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar , United States of America , was a visitor .

The knights having formed the arch of steel , the Very Eminent Captain N . G . Philips , Prov . Prior East Anglia , attended by the Great Officers , entered and ascended the throne . The Great Priory was opened in due form . The GREAT REGISTRAR called the muster roll . The minutes of Great Priory held on gth December , 1898 , were read , and declared to be correctly recorded .

The V . E . Knight- General J . Corson Smith , Past G . C . of Knights Templar for the United States of America , was introduced to Great Priory , conducted to the foot of the throne , and presented to the Acting G . Master .

The ACTING GRAND MASTER said : In the name of this Great Priory I greet you well , and invite you to take your place among the G . Officers of our Order . Gen . J . Corson Smith was then conducted to a seat on the right of the Acting G . Master .

The ACTING GRAND MASTER : I have now to announce to you , brethren of the Temple , the termination of the three years for which the Earl of Euston was elected M . E . and Supreme G . Master , and I will now call upon you for nominations for that office . The E . Knight GODSON : Brethren of the Temple , I beg to propose the

re-election of Lord Euston , our popular and our highly esteemed G . Master , who has during the last three years presided over us so admirably , that I am sure we shall all agree that he is the right man in the right place , and I am sure that every brother of the Temple will rejoice to know that he is re-elected to that great office .

V . E . Knight GORDON MILLER , K . C . T . : I have great pleasure in seconding that . The mot on was put and carried by acclamation . Four Knights Grand Cross of the Temple—Rev . Canon Brownrigg , R . Loveland Loveland , Frank Richardson , and Ralph Clutton—were then deputed to acquaint the Earl of Euston with the fact that he had been elected lo the office of V . E . and Supreme G . Master , and requested to accompany him to the foot of the throne .

The M . E . and Supreme G . Master elect having been conducted to the throne , The Ac 11 NU GRAND MASTER said : Most Eminent Brother Knight , I have the great pleasure to inform you that you have been again unanimously elected to the high position of Grand Master of the Temple in England and Wales , and the dependencies thereof I most heartily greet

you in the name of every knig ht of our Order , both present and absent , and I now invite you to enter on the duties of jour office , but first let me ask jou : Do you solemnly agree to renew the vows of fidelity to the Orders into which you entered on the previous occasion ? The GRAND MASTER , having assented , was then invested and installed . The GREAT HERALD proclaimed as follows : By virtue of my office I

proclaim Henry James , Earl of Euston , Knight Grand Cross , Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent of Northants and Hunts , Most Worship ful Pro Grand Master of Mark Master Masons , Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign of the Red Cross of Constantine , Most Worshipful Grand Matter of the Allied Masonic Degrees , Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters , Deputy-Lieutenant for the County of Suffolk , Colonel of the First Volunteer Battalion the

Northamptonshire Regiment , Justice of the Peace for the Counties of Suffolk and Northampton , & c , & c , & c , has this day been enthroned as Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital in England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown . And I call on all Knights present to salute with nine . The G RAND MASTER announced that the next business was to consider the following :

REPORT OF COUNCIL . Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master , Your Council have the honour to report that in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of the Finance Committee the sum of £ 500 , at a cost of , 6540 is ., has been invested in India 3 per cent . Stock on behalf of the General Fund , making the total invested capital ^ 3800 . There is also invested In Metropolitan j ' per cent . Consolidated Stock on behalf of the Benevolent Fund , the sum of ^ 2500 .

Your Council have the utmost pleasure in recording the great advancement and continued prosperity of the Order during the three years of your rule , and they have the satisfaction of knowing that you have again consented to be nominated for re-election . The following reply has been received in answer to the vote of condolence end sympathy on the lamented death of the late Great Prior , the Earl of Lathom :

Lathom House , Ormskirk , " February 7 th , 1899 . " Dear Sir and Very Eminent Knight , " On behalf of my family and myself I beg to offer to the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master and Ureat Priory our most grateful thanks for the sympathetic resolution of condolence that you have forwarded to me .

" 1 am , Dear Sir and Eminent Knight , " Yours fraternally , " LATHOM l ' g Ihe Very Eminent Knight C . !•' . Matier , G . V . C . "

Great Priory Of The United Religious And Military Orders Of The Temple.

The annual conference of the Order of the Temple will be held at Dublin on 14 th April under the auspices of the Great Priory of Ireland , and it is hoped will be attended by a large number of delegates from the various Grand Bodies . You have been pleased to make the following promotions in the Order : To be Knights Grand Cross ( G . C . T . ) : The V . E . Knights the Eirl of Lathom , Frank Richardson , K . C . T . ; and Ralph Clutton , K . C . T . To be Knights Commander ( K . C . T . ) : The V . E . Knights Sir Francis G . M . Boileau , Bart ., the Baron de Ferrieres , J . Balfour Cockburn , M . D ., and Major C . W . Carrell . The patents in each case being dated on the day of St . Patrick , 1 S 99 .

All the Preceptories in England and Wales , with the exception of two , have mads the necessary return , and paid the usual fees enjoined by the Statutes , but as some of these failed to do so before 28 th February , the end of our financial year , their contributions cannot be included in the accounts submitted by the Great Treasurer . The preceptories whose returns are still outstanding are Restormel , Liskard , and St . Cuthbert , Darlington .

The following preceptories abroid are in arrears : Ardvorlich , nine years ; Ascalon , nine years ; Celestial , five years ; Cilpe , four yeirs ; Connaught and Strathearn , two years ; Johannesburg , one year ; Jlelita , one year ; Pembroke , one year ; Royal Deccan , two years ; St . Augustine , one year ; and Vasco de Gama , one year . Your Council recommend that the Ardvorlich Preceptory and the Ascalon Preceptory , being nine years in arrears , be erased from the roll .

The Great Treasurer's accounts have been audited up to 28 th February , 18 99 , and show the following balances , which are in the London and Westminster Bank , Limited , Bloomsbury Branch :

General Fund ... ... ... ... £ 455 8 3 Benevolent Fund ... ... ... 131 13 10 £ S » 7 2 1 The usual motion that the report be taken as read was proposed by the GREAT CHANCELLOR , seconded by the GREAT TREASURER , and unanimously agreed to , after which

The GREAT CHANCELLOR moved , and the GREAT MARSHAL ( Sir Knight Chas . Balton , K . C . T . ) seconded , that the report be receivedand entered on the minutes . This was carried . The GREAT CHANCELLOR : I have now to propose that the report be adopted . On page two will be found a reference to the fact that the annual Conference was to be held at Dublin on April 14 th under the auspices of

the Great Priory of Ireland . I have nov to state for the information of this Great Priory that that Conference was held , and very good work was done for the Order . The knights present will also see further on in the report a reference to the fact that two preceptories had returns outstanding at the date of the report . With regard to this I have to state that we have this morning received the dues from the St . Cuthbert ' s Preceptory , and as

the dues from the Restormel Preceptory were , as stated in the report , received since the meeting of the Council , I have the great pleasure of informing you , Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Mister , that all th ; dues are now paid , and in the hands of the Great Treasurer . As to the other preceptories , it will be seen that the arrears have been outstanding for many years . With these remarks I beg to propose that the report be adopted .

The G . Registrar , V . E . Knight I < RANK RICHARDSON : I beg to second that proposal . The motion was agreed to . The G . CHANCELLOR then formally m oved , as arising out of the report , that the Ardvorlich Preceptory and the Ascalon Preceptory , being some years in arrcar , be erased from the roll . The motion was seconded by the G . REGISTRAR , and carried . The GRAND MASTER : Our next business is the election of a Treasurer ,

It is my privilege to propose that we re-elect our present Treasurer . ( Hear , h ^ ar . ) He has done us such excellent service since 1 SS 5 , that I am sure we should all desire to ask him to continue it . It is not necessary for me to review the great services he has rendered us for a large number of years ; they are known to you all , and I have the greatest possible pleasure in proposing to you that we re-elect our present excellent Treasurer , Sir Knight Ralph Clutton . ( Applause . ) The E . Knight Biron DE FERRIERES seconded the motion , which was carried by acclamation .

The GRAND MASTER : It gives me great pleasure to declare that Sir Knig ht Ralph Clutton is elected Great Treasurer for the ensuing year . I cannot tell you how deeply grateful I am to know that he has your confidence as well as mine . ( Applause . ) Our funds are now in a more prosperous condition than when he took them over , and it must bj a great p leasure to him to have witnessed that improvemjnt , and to loDk back upon and compare it with the time when the Great Treasurer always had to find a certain amount of money .

The GREAT TREASURER : I thank you very much M . E , and Sjprem : Grand Master for this kind expression of your confidence , and for the unanimity with which this Great Priory has elected m : to the pDst of Treasurer . 1 can assure the Knights present that no pains on my pirt shall bs wanting to continue the faithtul discharge of the duties . ( Applause . )

The GRAND MASTER : I have now to announce the Officers for the ensuing year . In the first place , I appoint Viscount Dungarvan to be the Grand Seneschal . He regrets that he is unable to be here to-night owing to the fact that his military duties with his Yeomanry have detained him . The Great Officers of the year were then invested as follows :

Sir Knight Rev . A . W . Oxford ... ... G . Prelate . ,, R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C ., G . C . T ..., G . Chancellor . „ Col . A . R . M . Lockwood , M . P . ... 1 st G . Constable . „ G . C . W . Fitzwilliam ... ... 2 nd G . Constable Ralph Clutton , G . C . T . ... ... G . Treasurer .

,, hrank Richardson , G . L . I . ... G . Registrar . C . F . Matier , K . C . T . ... ... G . Vice-Chancellor „ Charles Belton , K . C . T . ... ... G . Marshal . „ Rev . Canon Walker ... ... G . Almoner . ColGWalton Walker GHerald

. . ... ... . . „ Philip Colvilie Smith ... ... 1 st G . Std . Br . „ A . F . Church ... ... ... 2 nd G . Std . Br . „ A Conyers Haycraft ... ... G . Master ' s B . B

„ Capt . H . G . Giles , R . N . ... ... G . S . B . „ Hubert S . Clutton ... ... 1 st G . Aide-de-Camp . „ F . E . Remfry ,.. ... ,,, 2 ndG . Aide-de-Camp