Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

Grand Lodge were always to him a most powerful attraction , and it has been consequently most difficult in the tenure of the chair , and almost impossible , lo follow such an example . Lord HENNIKER , having becn presented with the jewel , said : I am deeply grateful to you for your kind reception of me on this occasion , and for this very handsome jewel which has been presented to me . I can assure remembrance of three

you I shall keep it and value it as a lasting very happy years of my life when I had thc honour to rule over this Order . I am very sorry indeed—I can tell you it is a matter of very deep regret to me—that I was not able to be present this time last year or December last . This time last year I had met with a very serious accident , which made it necessary for me to remain in a dark room for 10 days , and in December for to tell wh

last other engagements made it impossible me come . I you y I regret I could not come ; because I could not thank you for the kind support you had given me , ancl thc indulgence you had shown me during my years of ofliccfand also to tell you how I look back with pleasure to those three years when I ruled over this Order . I believe , brethren , that I made a < Treat many friends during those three years , that all I can say is thistoo

I hope that those friendships then made may be lasting ones . I hope , , thatdurino- those three years I was successful in leaving among Mark Masons no enemies . I am glad to say that I still rule over a province of Mark Masonry , nnd so I am able to take an active part in the business ol" this Order , in which you will allow me to say I think I have tried to prove to you I take the warmest possible interest . I hope that you will allow me , whether to take in the future

I rule over a province or whether I do not , some part in promoting the welfare of this Order . I may add that any humble services of mine wliich can promote the interests of the Order , or make it more flourishing than it is ( it would be difficult to make it more flourishing ) , will be devoted most willingly . Again , I thank you most warmly for the very handsome present you have given me . Tlie next business was the installation of MAV . G . M . M . M .

Lord HENNIKER said : I have told you already that it was a great pain to me not lo be here last year , and one of my reasons for being sorry was lhat I did not place the Grand Master in the chair , as it was my duty to do . It lakes awav , however , a lillie from my regret to be able now to perform this very pleasing office . I am very sensible of the great services of your M . W . G . M . to this Order , and the help he gave me during my three years

of office . I congratulate you most sincerely on the fact that your secured the Earl of Kintore as your M . W . G . M . Not only docs he bring us , by his high office in Scotland , nearer to our Scotch brethren , but , I believe , that , although there are many members of Mark Masonry who have done much for the Order , there is none better fitted to fill the high position you have given him than the noble brother who sits in the chair of this Grand Lodge .

It is unnecessary for me in his presence to say more than this , because a few sincere words—and my words are purely sincere—are worth a hundred whicli arc not sincere . I hope that the M . W . G . M . during the rest of his term of office may be blessed with prosperity and health , and that this Grand Lodge will prosper under his rule . The Earl of Kintore was then invested by Lord Henniker and saluted .

The Earl of KINTORE , Brethren -. the kind language held by Lord Henniker in investing me as Grand Master a second time and the enthusiastic reception you gave to my investiture demand from me a word , and a word of hearty and grateful thanks . I am no speech maker ; there is nothing which I find more difficult than to open my mouth in the presence of more than two or three people , and not always that ; but I cannot allow

the opportunity to pass without assuringyou how warmly I feel your kindness . If there was any alloy to the regret which I myself felt this time last year at the absence of Lord Henniker when I was for the first time installed , it was that by his absence we were not only able to condole with him on the accident which prevented him coming , but I was given a fair opportunity of framing language in which I tried to express our gratitude for his services , a task rendered perhaps more easy by his not being present at the moment .

I know , as I said just now , that his example is difficult to follow , but for you being good enough to install me in this office a second time , I believe that such " ,- .- I do I do for the best of this Grand Lodge , and that when the time conies for my office to close I may have as many friends and have left behind me no ill will ihe same as he , and that this said lodge will continue to flourish . C , n \ hp motion of Bro . F . D AVISON , G . Treas ., seconded by Bro .

A . F . GODSON , Prov . G . M . of Worcestershire , Bro . James Moon was unanimously elected Grand Treasurer . The Earl of KINTORE expressed the thanks of Grand Lodge to Bro . F . Davison for his services as Grand Treasurer . Bro . F . DAVISON thanked Grand Lodge for its expression of thanks . The following brethren were then invested -.

—Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton ... ... ... G . D . M . „ Marquis of Hertford ... ... ... G . S . W . „ Love Jones Parry , M . P . ... ... ... G . J . W . „ Col . Somerville Burney ... ... ... G . M . O . „ lames Smith Eastes ... ... ... G . S . O . „ Dr . Ralph Gooding ... ... ... G . J . O . „ Rev . Havman Cummings , and T . W . Lemon ... G . Chaps .

„ James Moon ... ... ... ... G . Treas . „ Frank Richardson ... ... ... G . Reg . „ Fredk . Binckes , P . G . W . ... ... G . S . „ R . P . Spice , and Percy Wallis ... ... G . S . D . „ W . Nicholl , and Dr . George Mickley ... G . J . D . „ Robert Berridge , P . G . M . O . ... ... G . D . C .

,, 1 Ienry George , and Alfred Tisley ... ... G . A . D . C . „ R . W . Edis ... ... ... ... G . L of Wks . „ Miles J . Walker ... ... ... G . Swd . Br . „ R . B . Reed , and W . P . Collins ... ... G . Std . B . „ E . J . Home ... ... ... ... G . Org . ,, Geo . Graveley ... ... ... G . I . G .

Bros . W . E . Williams , P . A . Scratchley , D . P . Cama , * ] Midd . and Surrey ; E . Tyson , Cumberland and | Westmorland ; H . Ellis , Cheshire ; H . Stone , | Hants and Isle of Wight ; Capt . McWhinnic , { r e ,-..,-.. ! - Sussex ; W . Rainforth , Lincoln ; G . W . P . Harris , f Awards . Bristol ; T . H . Smith , Warwickshire ; W . B . I Williams , Worcestershire ; and C . A . C . Jones , I Middx . ... ... -. ... J

Bro . C . T . Speight ... ... . ... G . Tyler . The following brethren were nominated by the G . M . lo serve on thc General Board : ' Bros . Rev . Canon Portal , President ; Frederic Davison , G . G . W . ; Alfred William ? , C . li . Pearson , VV . Roebuck , R . P . Spice , and T . CubiU .

Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

The following five brethren were elected to serve on the Board : Bros George Cooper , P . G . D ., P . M . Bon Accord , T . I . ; Charles H . Driver , P G I . of W . _ P . M . 176 : A . F . Godson , Prov . G . M . Worcestershire ; R * Loveland Loveland , P . G . Stwd ., P . M . 63 ; and Tohn L . Mather , P M ' Old Kent , T . I .

On the motion of the M . W . G . M ., seconded by Sir F . BURDETT , a vote was passed expressing the regret of Grand Lodge at the death of Bro . Levander , G . Reg ., and of Dr 7 Hopkins . Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to banquet . After the banquet the usual Mark Masonic toasts were proposed and

honoured ; but these toasts were very few in number , consisting only 0 [ " The Queen and Mark Masonry , " " The M . W . G . M . M . M ., the Right Hon the Earl of Kintore , " "The M . W . Past Grand Masters , "" The R . W . Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Officers , " "Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund , " and "Thc Visitors . "

The GRAND MASTER proposed the first toast in very few words , prefacing the toast with the remark that all Mark Masons were most anxious to honour it , and that nowhere was it received ' with greater enthusiasm than in an assembly of Mark Masons . Past Grand Master Canon PORTAL , in proposing "The M . W . G . M . M ,, the Right Hon . the Earl of Kintore , " said the toast was one which came

nat urally after the toast of the Queen , because the Grand Master was the Masonic sovereign . The song which was to follow was that of " Tom Bowling , " a song which was so connected in their memories with the flag that had braved for so many years the battle and the breeze ; that , like all sailor songs , it suggested a great deal of genuine geniality . They were quite satisfied as to the geniality of their M . W . G . M ., because he would

not allow this toast to be proposed until he saw all the brethren were engaged in smoking . The Grand Master had all his life been engaged in upholding the flag of Freemasonry , and he was now almost at the highest office in Grand Lodge of Scotland and Grand Chapter of Scotland , besides being Grand Master in Grand Mark Lodge of England . He was sure the brethren were all rejoiced that in the person of the Earl of Kintore

the bonds of union were so closely drawn together between English and Scotch Freemasons . It rejoiced him very much , after more years than he cared to look back upon , to find that all Degrees of Masonry were pulling together without any of that jealousy and uncomfortable feeling which in old days undoubtedly did exist ; and although it would be , perhaps , invidious to point to any one Order that had taken the lead in abolishing that

feeling of jealousy , he could honestly say , looking back to the history of their Degree , that it was very much owing to the liberality of the Masonic conduct of the 33 rd Degree in the early days of Masonry and that Degree did much to bring Masonry in England together . That kindly spirit had spread like fire among the stubble , and now they found throughout the

world there was a feeling that all Masonry should stand on a footing of unity and friendship . The noble Grand M . M . M . would always be found in the foremost ranks in cementing that kind and good feeling , and it was as much on that account as on account of the eminent merits he possessed , and the great vigour and enthusiasm he had hitherto thrown into the work of this Degree that the brethren hailed him as Grand Master .

The Earl of KINTORE , in responding , said of all races of men who in his short life he had been privileged to meet , he thought Freemasons were the most long suffering . For no other reason could he account for the brethren ' s kind reception of him . The best he could do he had honestly done . He had tried to hold his office creditably , and with the assistance of the Grand Officers he hoped still to do so . Among these he would like to

mention the services of the Grand Secretary , and the President of the General Board . What had been done during his last year of office ? Charters had been granted for 16 new lodges , and 657 certificates had been issued , and there was £ 6300 invested , Grand Lodge had that day resolved to make up what had been lost to different funds by the failure of the

bankers . He looked forward with interest to the result of the Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund , which would be held under the presidency of the Deputy Grand Master , at the Crystal Palace next month , and he felt sure that next year if they did not give him an opportunity he should find some opportunity of forwarding the interests of Mark Masonry in every branch of his career .

Bro . KELLY proposed " The Past Grand Master , " coupling the toast with the name of Canon Portal , whose immense services to the Order every Mark Master would readil y acknowledge . Canon PORTAL , P . G . M ., replied , and said that all the Past Grand Masters from the time of Lord Leigh to the Immediate P . M ., Lord Henniker ,

had endeavoured to do their best . To none were they more indebted than to Lord Henniker , in whose reign the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Albany became important additions to the Order . He was delighted to be able to state , on behalf of the Grand Master , that there was every reason to believe that Prince Edward of Wales would be admitted under the banner of this Order in the Isaac Newton Lodge , at Cambridge .

Sir K BURDETT proposed " The Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Officers , " and said that under Lord Egerton of Tatton the interests and success of the Order were quite safe . Col . SOMERVILLE BURNEY responded , and said he had belonged to the Order since 1848 . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE proposed "Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund . "

Bro . BINCKES replied , and said it was wonderful how the Mark Degree had prospered since the establishment of Grand Mark Lodge in 1855 or 1856 ; it was marvellous also what had been done in the way of raising Masonic benevolence . He then traced the history of the Benevolent Fund , and showed how it had established an educational branch , which was doing a great deal of good . Bro . D . P . CAMA replied for " The Visitors . "

In the course of the evening some beautiful music was performed by Bros . Egbert Roberts , John Probert , and Thomas Tremere , under I he direction of Bro . Edward J . Hoare , Grand Organist .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

The Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire , Sir Michael Hicks Beach , Bart ., some lime since announced his intention to hold the Prov-Grand Lodge at Wotton-under Edge , under the banner of the Lodge of Sympathy , the members of which lodge were naturally anxious to make the visit a successful one . For this purpose a Committee was formed , consisting of Past Masters Bros . Blake , Turner , and Millman , Bros . Penlv , W . M _