Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , bjt we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I am sorry to find that though 1 nominated my old friend , Bro . 'John Leach Barrett , P . M . 1201 , and of the Cornish Lodge , London , for the Board

of General Purposes , on which he has served so assiduously for many years , it is quite impossible for me to be present at the Grand Lodg ; on the 7 th June . Bro . Barrett does not believe in canvassing for votes , but the absence of his nominator may look as if he did not desire election , whereas he does , and is prepared to do his best , as before , if be is again elected . —Yours fraternally ,

WM . JAMES HUGHAN . Torquay , May 31 st .

REGISTER OF MEMBERS . To the Editor ot the " Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , W . Bro . W . A . Browser's letter in your issue of 20 th instant has drawn my attention to the notices given in your columns of 29 th ult . and 6 th instant respecting the Register of the Members of the Earl of Mornington Lodge , No . 2000 , recently compiled by him .

Allow me to remark that it is almost identical with a register which I designed and prepared , and which was put into operation at the time of the consecration of this lodge in October , 1897 , except that mine contains , in addition , a record of the Masonic votes held by members of the lodge . As your remarks on the subject appear to have created some interest , you may like to publish my form of register also , for which purpose I have pleasure in enclosing it herewith . —Yours fraternally ,

E . PRINCE , P . P . G . S . of W . Berks , I . P . M . and Sec . 2671 . 68 , Woking-road , Reading . 23 rd May . P . S . —I may say that , concurrently with the register in question , I compiled a simple , yet comprehensive form of account book for the Treasurer , which is in use by him . —E . P .

THE VICTORIA LODGE , No . 2671 . —REGISTER OF MEMBERS . Those marked * are qualified to serve the Office of Master . Column 1 . Name in full , and profession or occupation . 2 . Place of abode .

. 3- Date of joining {%]iZf, (( c ) Initiated , or of taking each of the three Degrees I ( d ) Passed . ( . ( V ) Raised . 4 . Age and date of joining or initiation .

5 . Office held in lodge ( if any ) and date of appointment { S'U . to same . \^ > - &; 6 . Provincial rank in Berkshire ( if any ) , and date of receiving same . 7 . Other Masonic rank ( if any ) . ( In this column the date and other particulars are entered . ) 8 . No . of votes held for Masonic Charities . R . M . Benevolent Boys' Girls' Institution . Institution . institution , F . M . _______ 1 . I 9 . Remarks . ¦ M ^ B ^ MWMMMMI ^ HBMM ^ B ^^ MMH ^ M

Instruction.

Instruction .

ROYAL ALFRED LODGE , No . 7 S 0

The usual weekly meeting of this lodge was held at the Star and Garter 1 lotel , Kew Bridge , on Thursday , the J 5 lh instant , when there were present Bros . Stewart , W . M . ; Ridgway , S . W . ; Ridley , J . W . ; Larkman , Treas . ; Johnson , Asst . Sec . ; Dowling . S . D . ; Hall , J . D . ; Humble , LG . j Dinnis , P . M .: W . Langdon , W . M . Dinnis , Archer , and J acobs . , The ledge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the last meeting read and confirmed . The W . M . vacated the chair in favour of Bro . Ridgway . Lodge opened

in Second Degree , and the W . M . rehearsed the ceremony of raising , Bro . Dennis acting as candidate , and answering the usual questions . Lodge openec in Ihird Degree . Lodge then closed in Third Degree , and then in Second Degree . Bro . Stewart then resumed the chair , and , with the assistance of Bro . Williams , P . M ., worked the 1 st Section ot the First Lecture . The W . M . rose for the first time , when

the dues were collected . The W . M . rose for the second time . Bro . Ridgway was elected W . M . for the next meeting . On the W . M . rising for the third time , it was proposed by Bro . Dinnis , seconded by Bro . Humble , that a vote of sympathy be passed with Bro . Robinson on his illness , which was carried unanimously , and the Secretary was directed to communicate the same . A vote of thanks was passed to bro . Stewart for occupying the chair for the first time , and the lodge was closed .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF ESSEX .

INSTALLATION OF THE KARL OF WARWICK AS PROV . G . M . Since the year 1 SS 3 the Mark Masons of the County of Essex have formed a portion of the Province of East Anglia , under the presidency of Lord Hennikcr , the province comprising the four counties of Essex , Suffolk , Norfolk , and Cambridgeshire , there being in all 13 lodges—seven of which are situate in Essex .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Essex.

Some months ago a meeting of representatives of the Essex Mark lodges was held with a view to consider the advisability of promoting the formation of a separate province for the county , and as the result a petition to H . R . H . the Grand Master was drawn up and unanimously signed , praying that the

Essex lodges might be formed into a province , and recommending the Earl of Warwick as the first Provincial Grand Master . The prayer of this petition having been granted , Wednesday , the 24 th ult ., was fixed for the constitution of the new Province at Colchester , under the banner of the senior Mark Lodge , the Constantine , No . 145 .

The Pro Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , Bro . the Earl of Euston , accompanied by the Earl of Warwick , Col . Lockwood , M . P ., and several eminent members of the Grand Mark Lodge , travelled by the 11 . 45 a . m . train from London , a special saloon being attached to the train for their accommodation . They were met at the

Colchester station by Bros . Claude E . Kgerton-Green , W . M . 145 ; John J . C . Turner , P . M . 145 , P . P . S . G . W . ; Richard Clowes , P . M . 145 , P . J , G . O . ; J . H . Salter , P . M . 145 , P . P . G . D . C . ; and most of the party proceeded to East Hill House , where they were entertained at luncheon by Bro , and Mrs . Egerton-Green .

The Masonic proceedings were timed to commence at 2 . 30 , and by that hour the representatives of the Mark lodges of the county had assembled in the board room of the Corn Exchange , which , under the direction of Bros . Bailey , Eustace , Skingley , and Cheese had been transformed into a very handsome lodge room . On the entry of the Pro G . Master the lodge was formed as follows :

The Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , as Prov . G . Master ; Bros . Sir Reginald Hanson , P . G . W ., as Prov . S . G . W . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . W ., as Prov . J . G . W . ; the Rev . Wm . Cree , P . G . C ., as Prov . G . Chap . ; C . Fitzgerald Matier , G . Sec , as Prov . G . Sec . ; Major C . W . Carrell , G . D . C , as Prov . G . D . of C ; and Rowland Plumb ; , as Prov . G . I . G . ; the other Grand Officers present being Bros . J . Strachan , O . C ., G . M . O . ; Richard Clowes , P . J . G . O . ; A . H . Bowles , P . G . D . ; V . P . Freeman , P . G . D . ; and T . J . Railing , P . G . D .

Prov . Grand Lodge having been duly opened , the Earl of Warwick was escorted into the lodge room by the following W . Ms , of the Essex lodges : Bros . C . E . Egerton-Green , 145 ; J . G . Mackenzie , 342 ; Thos . Humphreys , 37 ; ; James Speller , 461 ; and W . Scott Macdonald , 467 . His lordship was then installed into his office by Lord Euston , and on taking the chair was heartily applauded .

The first official act of the new Prov . G . Master was to appoint Bro . Col . Lockwood , M . P ., as his Deputy , and that popular brother had a most hearty reception on his being installed into office . The roll of lodges having been called by the acting Prov . G . Secretary , Bro . T . J . RAI . LING , and all being found to be fully represented , The Earl of WARWICK addressed the brethren . His lordship

commenced by asking the indulgence of those present , as he had been doing military duty as an officer of the Warwickshire Yeomanry , and as most of their drills had taken place in a gale of wind he had almost lost his voice . Their meeting that day , continued his lordship , marked an epoch in the history of Mark Masonry in the county , and he felt quite sure that the effect of the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge would not only be to strengthen the existing Mark lodges , but also to extend the working of the Degree in

the county . ( Hear , hear . ) He was well aware that for about 16 years the brethren had belonged to the Province of East Anglia , and that they all held in hig h esteem the worthy brother who had during that time presided over them . ( Applause . ) He thought it right to say that this province had not been started with any feeling of antagonism to Lord Henniker —( hear , hear)—they all felt the highest respect for his lordship —( applause)—and he

( Lord Warwick ) would not have been a party to the proceedings of that day if Lord Henniker had not given the movement his fullest sanction . ( Applause . ) In starting a project of this kind there were naturally several matters which required putting on a business footing , and he had , therefore , invited several experienced brethren to form a Board of General Purposes to consider these matters , and their report was in the hands of all the

brethren . He considered that report a most excellent one , and he personally thanked those brethren for the trouble they had taken in the matter . He should like to emphasise one paragraph of that report , namely , the one referring to the forthcoming Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund . He had been honoured by an invitation to take the chair on that occasion , and he

ventured to express a hope that the members of this new province would support him in the way that Essex Masons had always done whenever he made a call upon them . ( App lause . ) He was pleased that the Constantine Lodge was setting a very good example to the other lodges , as they had already collected amongst their members about , £ 30 . ( Applause . )

Bro . RICHARD CLOWES moved the adoption of the report of the Board of General Purposes . He said one of the chief matters that occupied the attention of the Board was the provision of ways and means to provide for the necessary expenses which had to be incurred in starting the province . They had gone very fully into the matter , and trusted the brethren would adopt their suggestion that each lodge should contribute at the rate of 5 s . per member . He was pleased to have to announce that their new Provincial

Grand Master had most kindly contributed 20 guineas to the fund —( much applause)—and that their worthy Deputy had added 10 guineas . ( Renewed applause . ) He thought , therefore , they Ind started under the most favourable auspices , and he hoped it would be found at the next meeting that the province was in a sound financial position . ( Applause . ) The motion having been seconded by Bro . GEOROE GRAVELEV , Lord WARWICK put it to the meeting and it was carried by acclamation .

The next business was the choice of four elective members of the Board

of General Purposes , and the following brethren were duly elected : Bros . F . W . Imbert-Terry , P . M . 377 ; Wm . Shurmur , P . M . 461 ; John J . C . Turner , P . M . 143 ; and A . J . H . Ward , W . M . 413 . Bro . J . H . Salter , P . M . 154 , having been unanimously elected Prov . G . Treas ., The Earl of W ARWICK appointed and invested the first Officers of the

new province as under : Bro . Claude Kt > erton-Green , W . M . 145 ... Prov . S . G . W „ Col . Latidon , W . M . 377 ... ... Prov . G J . W . „ James Speller , W . M . 461 ... ... Prov . G M O „ G . H . Scrutton , I . P . M . 467 ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ John W . Moss , J . W . 145 ... -- Prov . J . G . O .