Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

C . J Br Surrey ; J . Harrison , P . Z . 1556 , P . P . G . P . S . Surrey ; Alexander C Chaplin , H . 137 , P . Prov . G . D . C . Dorset ; H . Massey , P . Z . 619 and 1928 ; N . W Tuck M . E . Z . -201 : Charles J . R . Tijou , H . 1716 ; Wm . Robert Barr , M . E . Z . 1275 , . ' Garson , M . E . Z . 1691 ; Thomas Dutton , M . D ., M . E . Z . 2310 ; and H . E Dehane P . Z . 27 6 , Past Prov . G . Prin . Soj . Essex .

, After the opening of the Grand Chapter , and the reading and confirmation of the minutes of the convocation of November , 18 * 37 , the report of the Committee of General Purposes , was , on the motion of Comp . Sir G EORGE D AVID HARRIS , President , seconded by Comp . FRANK RICHARDSON , G . D . C , taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the

minutes . Permission was given to remove the following chapters : The Fidelity Chapter , No . 269 , from the Old Bull Hotel , to the head-quarters of the ist Volunteer Battalion , East Lancashire Regiment , Canterbury-street ,

Blackburn , * the Britannic Chapter , No . 33 , from Freemasons' Hall , to the Holborn Restaurant , London ; the Lily of R ' chmond Chapter , No . S 20 , from the Greyhound Hotel , Richmond , to the Holborn Restaurant , London ; the Moriah Chapter , No . 34 , from the Freemasons' Hall , to the Cafe Rojal , Regent-street , London .

The Chapter of Prosperi t y , No . zip , Huddersfield , was aulhorised to wear a centenary jewel , the chapter having proved an uninterrupted existence of 100 years . The following chapters were erased * . The Star of Gwalior Chapter , No . 1066 , Ihansi , Bengal , and St . Paul ' s Chapter , No . 1210 , Dinapore . Bsngal ,

these chapters having ceased to work for many years , and hawing lost their charters . The Concord Chapter , No . 60 S . Fort Beaufort , South Africa , Eastern Division , having ceased to work and returned its charter , it also was erased from the roll . Grand Chapter was then closed .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Northumberland And Durham.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM .

FORTHCOMING PRESENTATION TO BRO . R . B . REED PAST D . P . G . M . M .

Por some years past the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Northumberland and Durham has been particularly favoured in having at its head such an enthusiastic and eloquent Provincial Grand Mark Master as Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., whose researches , both literary and arcb-cological , and whose investigations in the Holy Land have been of such immense inlerest to the brethren of his province and of value to Maik Masons

generally . A few years ago , a magnificent portrait was painted and presented to the Rev . Canon Tristram in recognition of his services lo the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge and to Mark Masonry in general . Following upon this , after a period of some years of splendid service given by another devoted North-country Mason , the Deputy Provincial Grand Mark Master , Bro . Richard Bagnall Reed , of Newcastle , the well-known manager of the

. \ cwcastle Daily Chronicle , who , through failing health and infirmity , was last year obliged to relinquish the important ofiice , the duties of which he had discharged with characteristic ability , energy , and common sense , it is not remarkable that the officers and brethren of the Mark in the Province had determined to do honour in recognition of his work , and an excellent painting in oils has just been executed for presentation to Bro . Reed . All

who have been brought in contact with Bro . Reed in the course of their Masonic career , have always felt that his interest in Masonry has been of a remarkable , sterling , and enthusiastic character . He was connected with the old Industry Lodge of Gateshead , which was originally a working Masonic lodge at Swalwell , and was afterwards Provincial Grand Treasurer of Durham , * while in recent years he has acted as Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Mark .

As a permanent memento of his services as Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . R . B . Reed , of Newcastle , is to be presented with his portrait , in oils , at the instance of the Mark Master Masons of the Province of Northumberland and Durham . The commission was entrusted to Mr . C . Kay Robertson , an artist who has greatly enhanced his already high reputation in the last few years by his portraits of the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D . ; Professor Philipson , Mr . Fred . W . Wyndham , and others . Though it is not intended to hand over the nortrait

until the next Provincial Grand Lodge meeting , the work has been completed , and was a few days ago privately on exhibition at the fine art galleries of Messrs . Mawson , Swan , and Morgan , Newcastle . Mr . Robertson has in this latest instance of his gilt of portraiture fully warranted the responsible trust that was placed in him by the Presentation Committee , of which Bro . John Heppell , P . G . Sec , has acted as Secretarv . The artist : fia ** --treated his subiect in a verv simole .

but exceptionally happy manner . Past Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . Richard Bagnall Reed , whose figure is so familiar to Mark Masons and the general public in Newcastle , is pourtrayed seated in an old high-backed carved oak chair , dressed in a •suit of customary black , with turned-down collar , and black tie , Bro . Reed is invested with his apron and chain of ofiice , he appears in an attitude of respon * b ' attention , and is , apparently , just on the point of replying to some remark fnat has been addressed to him . The pose is natural , and the expression of kindly

'merest that the artist has imparted to the features renders the portrait one of the most successful that Mr . Kay Robertson has yet produced . ... When the gift is made over to Bro . Reed it is proposed that the portrait ' !^ ° „ " 'he accompanying inscription : "Presented by the Mark Masons of the I rovince of Northumberland and Durham to Bro . Richard Bagnall Reed , Ueputy Provincial Grand Master of that Province , iSSS to 1897 , as a mark of —cajjcui esieem

... . . una . H n 5 | - Comm , ttee ° f ine Testimonial Fund has for its chairman Bro . the Rev . Th * Tri ? tram * D * - > Canon of Durham , the Prov . Grand Mark Master ; Bro . nomas Purvis , Deputy Prov . Grand Master Newcastle , deputy vice-chairman Jf ° * J . Straker VVilson , P . G . Stwd . Eng ., Treas . j and Bro . John Heppell , ' . ;> Sec . The Committee includes , in addition to these gentlemen , a "umber 0 f influential Mark Masons as members .

, , " | '" tended to supplement the presentation of the portrait with some other f « of respect , the subscriptions to the Fund having considerably exceeded thc ¦ "¦¦ m required for thc painting . I oH ° u R * ' d lnay bc added ' has a long record of association with the Mark - ° ge , having joined it in thc " sixties , " since when he has advanced through all

sued r 1 ^ D" attained the office ol Deputy Prov . G . Master , in which he 1 ondn n ' ¦ ' Y " Strachan i when that gentleman left Newcastle to live in occ-is * ' ** , Refid last year res * gned the Deputy Prov . G . Mastership , and thc cvidV has L been taken by his hrethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge to give uence of their appreciation of his worth and services .

Consecration Of The Union Royal Ark Mariners Lodge, No. 124.

CONSECRATION OF THE UNION ROYAL ARK MARINERS LODGE , No . 124 .

On Thursday , the 27 th ult ., an interesting Masonic ceremony took place at Sunderland , " when a new Royal Ark Mariners Iodge , to be attached to the Union Mark Lodge , No . 124 , was consecrated at the Masonie Hall , Park-terrace . The Consecrating Officer upon the occasion was Bro . Thos . Purvis , P . S . G . D . Eng ., D . P . G . M ., who acted at the request of Bro . Canon Tristram , Prov . G . M .

The other Prov . G . Officers present were Bros . W . F . Carmon , P . P . J . G . W ., P . C . N . ; E . Dunford , P . P . G . O ., P . C . N . ; W . H . Strachan , P . P . G . Stwd ., P . C . N . ; Rev . J . H . Heywood , M . A ., Prov . G . Chap ., * Geo . Harland , P . P . G . R . of M . •J . Barker , P . P . G . Org ., W . C . N . ; J . Heppell , Prov . G . Sec . ; J . D . Todd , P . M ., P . P . G . M . O . , * F . S . Cowper , P . M . 124 , P . P . S . G . D . ; f . E . Greenhough , P . M . Old York ; T . M . Bradford , P : P . G . I . G . ; G . W . Bain , P . G . Treas . ; John Deans , P . P . G . S . of W . ; J .

C . Moor , P . P . G . M . O . ; and E . Lautebach , P . G . S . B . The PRESIDING OFFICER expressed his regret at the absence of the Prov . Grand Mark Master , Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , from whom he had received a letter , a portion of which he read , which congratulated the officers and brethren of the Mark lodges in Sunderland and South Shields , through whose enthusiasm the new Royal Ark Mariners lodge was to be formed . The satisfaction to the founders was shown by the fact of such a

large number that day having been admitted to the Degree , so that they could be present on that occasion . ( Applause . ) He was sure they all shared with him the regret he had expressed at the absence of the P . G . M ., who could not be with them . He ( Canon Tristram ) would like much to have been with them on such an interesting occasion ; but he wrote expressing the hope that their craft would be satisfactorily launched , and he hoped it would ever continue to be successful in Sunderland ( Applause . )

The warrant for the new lodge was read by the Prov . G . Sec , Bro . J HEPPELL , which named the founders and three principal officers to be Bros . G . W . Bain , as W . C . N . ; G . Harland , S . J . ; and J . C . Moor , S . S . The ceremony of consecration and dedication was then impressively performed bv Bro . T . Purvis , D . P . G . M ., assisted by Bros , the Rev . J . H . Heywood , M . A ., P . G . Chap . ; W . F . Carmon , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . H . Strachan , P . P . G . S . ; E . Dunford , P . P . J . G . O . ; J . Barker , P . P . G . O . ; T . E .

Greenhough , P . P . J . G . W . ; and G . W . Bain , P . G . Treas . The new lodge having been dedicated and constituted , Bro . G . W , Bain was duly installed as W . C . N , by Bro . Purvis , D . P . G . M . Bro . Bain afterwards invested the following officers : Bros . G . Harland , J . ; John C . Moor , S . ; S . Peacock , Scribe ; J . D . Todd , S . D . ; John Deans , J . D . ; F . S . Cowper , G . ; E . Lautebach , T . Robinson , G . Harrison , T . O . Todd , T . R . Sanderson , and F . Coverdale , Stewards , * and T . Grieve , Warden .

Afterwards very cordial thanks were expressed to Bro . Purvis , Dep . P . G . M ., and the officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge . In proposing the motion , the W . C . N ., Bro . G . W . BAIN , said they must all feel highly pleased and honoured by the impressive way in which the consecration ceremony had been performed , and they had been particularly struck with the beautiful oration which Bro . Purvis had delivered upon

Royal Ark Mariners . To Bro . Purvis and the other officers they were all indebted for their self-denying efforti in coming that afternoon to consecrate their new Royal Ark Mariners' lodge . Their hearts were full of Masonic rejoicing for the way in which the work had been accomplished , and it was an augury of satisfaction , amity , and goodwill for the future . ( Applause . ) The lodge was afterwards closed .

At the dinner which followed , Bro . G . W . BAIN presided , and proposed " The Queen , " "H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " and " The R . W . the Prov . Grand Master , the V . W . Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Purvis ; and the Officers of Prov . Grand Mark Lodge , " which were enthusiastically received . Bro . T . PURVIS , D . P . G . M ., in responding , expressed his hearty

gratification at the enthusiasm of the Sunderland Union Lodge and South Shields Wouldhave Lodge , who had united to bring abaut the inauguration of the new lodge . He wished them , in common with the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Canon Tristram , every success , and hoped the prosperity of the Mark lodges and the Ark Mariners lodge in their midst would continue unabated and for the good of Masonry in general . ( Applause . ) Other toasts followed .

Ladies' Festival Of The Molesey Lodge, No. 2473.

LADIES' FESTIVAL OF THE MOLESEY LODGE , No . 2473 .

The Molesey Lodge during its short career has achieved many successes , principally owing to the fact that its members are all enthusiastic Masons , and that , therefore , success is always assured ; but perhaps its greatest triumph is the ladies' night . This annual function is looked forward to as one of genuine enjoyment , and the hope \ i abundantly realised . The ladies' festival of 189 S took

place , as usual , at the Hotel Windsor , Victoria-street , S . W ., on Saturday , the 22 nd ultimo . The W . M ., Bro . Walter Dennis , in conjunction with the energetic I . P . M . and Secretary , Bro . E . L . Berry , the Stewards , Bros . E . L . Campbell , J . Harvey , E . Parsons , and A . Bray , and last , but by no means least , Bro . J . R . Cleave , the courteous host , had made every arrangement for the comfort and enjoyment of the guests , and provided a capital entertainment .

The guests assembled in the reception-room , where they were welcomed by Bro . W . Dennis , W . M ., and beguiled a few moments with Edison's Phonograph . An adjournment was then made to the adjoining room , where a recherche repast was well served . After dessert and grace , thc toast list—which comprised but three toastswas proceeded with , the W . M . briefly proposing "The Queen , Prince of Wales , and Royal Family . "

Bro . E . L . BERRY , Prov . G . S . of W . Bucks , I . P . M ., proposed "The Health of the W . M ., " and said that the principal characteristics of a W . M . were that he should be courteous of manner , easy of address , and able to perform all cere-