Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.

convinced that as time went on the lodges of Bedfordshire would unite and form themselves into a province . He was doubly gratified that his advice given four or five years ago was that day justified . If they would allow hitn to give them one word of advice , he would say that there should be a thorough combination among all the lodges as regarded that grand principle of Masonry—the support of its Charitable Institutions . He could speak from

experience he had obtained in Norths and Hunts , where , though it was a small province , they had the means by their vote of carrying their candidates four or five times out ot every six on the first application . They might ask how that was done , and his answer was , that it was done by combination , or levelling , making all the votes votes in perpetuitv for the

lodges , and not for individuals , whereby the votes ceased on the individual ' s death . If Bedfordshire did this it would become as strong as Norths and Hunts . Let all the votes go into one hat , for by such a course they would have a larger voting power than if each lodge voted for its own candidate .

Bro . TAYLOR also replied , and congratulated the Grand Lodge on the great success of the meeting . VVhat had been done would advance the interests of Masonry in Bedfordshire . He agreed with Bro . Butler Wilkins in what he had said about the voting power . It was the old story of the bundle of sticks . It was a matter of great importance in the use of Charity votes that the brethren should hang together and unite , also that they should

emulate each other in giving voting power . The Stuart Lodge had done a great deal as a lodge ; but , as far as he knew , it had not done its full share in individual members . Whatever a lodge might do from its own funds as a lodge , if the Charities depended on what lodges did , their success would be very trifling to what it had been . What was wanted was individual action . He believed a Steward should be found , and that many brethren should be

found who would gladly give their services , and if this happened they would be rewarded with success . It was only the other day he received a letter from their Charity Secretary for Berks and Bucks , stating that they had been successful at the late elections . He felt sure that if Bedfordshire had a candidate requiring help , if they tried iheir utmost they would be equally successful as Berks and Bucks had been .

A Suffolk brother also replied , and , alluding to the subject of getting the votes in perpetuity , said that Bro . the Rev , C . J . Martyn , the Deputy Grand Master of Suffolk , had so many votes—300—that the province was so afraid of losing the benefit of them , as they would if he died , that they talked of insuring his life . The Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings , which were highly successful throughout . Bro . George Kenning manufactured the insignia for the Grand Master and his officers .

Installation Of Bros. Lord Jersey & Rev. H. A. Pickard, As P.G. Master & P.G. Supt. Of Oxfordshire.

INSTALLATION OF BROS . LORD JERSEY & REV . H . A . PICKARD , AS P . G . MASTER & P . G . SUPT . OF OXFORDSHIRE .

A meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Oxfordshire was held on Wednesday , the 28 th ult ., for the purpose of transacting the ordinary business of the province , and of installing the Earl of Jersey , who has been appointed Prov . G , Master of Oxfordshire , in succession to the late Duke of Albany .

The meeting was called for 2 p . m ., and by that hour some 200 brethren were assembled in the Convocation House , the use of which had been kindly granted for the occasion by the Vice-Chancellor—the Divinity School adjoining being used for the brethren to clothe in .

Among those present were Bros . Lord Leigh , R . W . Prov . G . M . of Warwickshire ; the Rev . S . R . Wigram , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . H . A . Pickard , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . C . VV . Spencer-Stanhope , P . G . Chap . ; F . P . Morrell , P . G . Deacon ; and Capt . A . B . Cook , P . Asst . G . Dir . of Cers .

Soon after the appointed time the Prov . G . Lodge was opened in form by Bro . Reginald Bird , P . G . D ., Deputy Prov . G . Master , assisted by Bro . the Rev . S . R . Wigram , as Deputy Prov . G . Master , and Bros . E . Prescott and H . Robbins , the Prov . G . Wardens .

After the Prov . G . Master of Warwickshire and the Grand Officers present had been duly saluted , the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed , and then Lord Leigh took the chair for the important business of the day .

After a brief address by his lordship on the pu rpose for which he was presiding over the meeting , the patent of the Prov . G . Master designate was read by the Prov . G . Secretary , and then the Earl of Jersey was introduced by a deputation appointed for the purpose , and the ceremony of his installation as Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire was dul y proceeded with by Lord Leigh .

On the completion of the ceremony the ordinary business of the annual Provincial Grand Lodge was transacted , consisting of reports from the D . P . G . M ., the Prov . G . Treasurer , and the Charity Committee , which showed the affairs of the province to be in a satisfactory condition . A

noteworthy part of the report of the D . P . G . M . was a summary of the contributions by the different lodges in the province to the three Masonic Charities , showing a total of contributions from 1875 to 1885 , amounting to £ 3100 . This for a province numbering under 500 members , was considered a creditable performance .

After the presentation of Charity jewels—bars to those entitled to receive them—and the election of Prov . G . Treasurer , and the appointment of the other Prov . Grand Officers , the Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in due form .

Concurrently with the latter part of the proceedings a meeting of the Prov . Grand Chapter was being held in the University Masonic Hall , at which the Rev . H . A . Pickard , P . G . P . S ., was installed G . Superintendent nf Oxfordshire , by the M . E . Comp . Lord Leigh , G . Superintendent of Warwickshire .

The two bodies then united at the Randol ph Hotel , where they dined under the presidency of the Prov . G . Master . We should add that Bro . Reginald Bird , who has so ably conducted the affairs of the province since 18 74 , was re-appoinied Deputy Prov . G . Mailer , to the great satisfaction of the brethren of the province .

The New Provincial Grand Superintendent Of Oxfordshire.

THE NEW PROVINCIAL GRAND SUPERINTENDENT OF OXFORDSHIRE .

It would have been difficult for rv . s Royal Highness the Grand Z . to choose a worthier successor to his late brother the Duke of Albany as chief of the Royal Arch Masons of Oxfordshire than M . E . Comp . the Rev . Henry Adair Pickard , Past G . P . Sojourner of the Supreme Grand Chapter , and till lately J . in the province he has now been appointed to rule . Comp . Pickard is a Mason of over 30 years' standing . In the course of his

career he has filled several offices of great trust and responsibility , and in all cases he has discharged his duties with credit to himself and to the honour and advantage of Freemasonry . His experience , under these circumstances , is necessarily great , and as he ' enjoysthe confidence and respect of the Craft in Oxfordshire , there is well-found reason to anticipate that , under his able and genial presidency , the Royal Arch Degree in that province will be as successfully governed as in other parts of the country .

Bro . Pickard , like so many other worthy Craftsmen , was initiated in the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , in the year 1851 , Bros , the late Rev . T . F . T . Ravenshaw , G . Chap , in 1868-9 , the Rev . W . F . Short ; G . Chap , in 1870-1 ; the Rev . John Robbins , D . D ., G . C . 1884 ; Reg . Bird , D . P . G . M . Oxfordshire ; and Col . Adair , Past Prov . G . M . Somersetshire , being among his more distinguished contemporaries . In 18 53 he was

appointed a Prov . Grand Steward of Oxfordshire , and the year following one of the Prov . Grand Directors of Ceremonies , his colleague in that important office being Bro . the Rev . J . S . Sidebotham . In 1856 and again in 1857 he was elected to the chair of his lodge , his honours in Provincial Grand Lodge culminating in the latter year , when he had conferred upon him the collar of Grand S . Warden . In 1 S 75 he was for the third time installed VV . M . of

his lodge , and had the honour of appointing and investing the late Duke of Albany as his S . VV . In 1877 , on the death of Bro . the Rev . W . Lake Onslow , Grand Chap ., the Prince of Wales , who as a member and P . M . of the Apollo University Lodge , had full knowledge of Bro . Pickard ' s merits as a Mason , appointed him as the successor of that lamented brother , and in 1878 , as was thecustom in those days , H . R . H . re-appointed him to the same office .

As regards the Royal Arch Degree , which has now become his particular care in Oxfordshire , Bro . Pickard was exalted in the Alfred Chapter , No . 340 , and in 1859 and i 860 successively occupied the chairs of J ., H ., and Z . He is likewise a P . Z . of the Apollo University Chapter , Past Prov . G . J . of Oxfordshire , and in 1882 was appointed G . Pr . Soj . of England .

These are the credentials of our reverend companion , and it cannot be denied lhat one who has filled so many offices in Craft and Arch Masonry has acquitted himself honourably . But they by no means disclose the whole of his claims upon our respect . He is a Vice-President of the Girls '

School and Life Governor of the Boys' and Benevolent Institutions , while the number of Stewardships he has served on their behalf is nine , namely , five for the Girls , three for the Boys , and one for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Such a record as this is in all respects most creditable to the new Prov . G . Supt . of Oxfordshire .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Dorset.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DORSET .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset was held at Portland on Friday , the 30 th ult . The lodge was originally called for the 8 ih * , but was postponed on account of the death of our late illustrious Bro . the Earl of Shaftesbury , K . G ., and Lord Lieutenant of the county , whose funeral was arranged to take place that day . About 100 brethren assembled ,

and the R . W . P . G . Master , Bro . Montague Guest , was supported by the D . P . G . M ., VV . Bro . Hambro ; the P . G . Wardens , Bros . Soppitt and Robinson ; Bros . Rev . C . G . Paget , P . G . Chaplain ; Thornton , P . G .

Treasurer ; Case , P . G . Secretary ; Howard , Crickmay , Rev . VV . M . Heath , Gregory , E . T . Budden , H . C . Burt , VV . D . Dugdale , and VV . Smith , P . P . G . Wardens ; the Rev . T . Russell Wright and Rev . J . H . Scott , P . P . G . Chaplains * , and many other officers , Present and Past .

The lodge was opened in due form , and after some routine business , the Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . C . G . PAGET , delivered a very original and interesting lecture on the moral and social excellence of Masonry , and the privileges and duties of Masons , which he said might be summed up in " loyalty to the State , love to mankind , and reverence for all that is good and sacred . "

The Treasurer , W . Bro . THORNTON , presented his accounts , which were passed , and Bro . Thornton was unanimously re-elected and thanked by acclamation for his efficient discharge of the duties of that office . The PROV . G RAND MASTER , following his annual custom , then addressed the brethren on the " Masonic events" of the past year . Beginning vvith

the initiation of H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor , the eldest son of our M . W . Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , he passed on to the work of the Grand Lodge , noticing the decision of Grand Lodge as to a grant to St . Giles ' s Church—a decision precisely similar to one given in their own Prov . Grand Lodge , two years ago , on a similar application . The motion of Bro .

Stevens , relating to mendicant Masons , was next reviewed , and the opinion expressed that the matter is one for individual lodges , which have ample powers to protect themselves , if they only give proper attention and display firmness of action . After reviewing the blackballing case and suspension of warrant for three months by Grand Lodge , the Provincial Grand Master

reviewed the events and work of his own province during the year—I . The loss by death of the great and good Earl of Shaftesbury , one of the early members of the Apollo Lodge , Oxford , and one of the first contributors

to the Dorset Masonic Charity . They had also lost P . Prov . Grand Master Eliot , at the great age of 91 , who was initiated into Masonry at Weymouth in 1816 , and was Prov . Grand Master from 1824 to 1839 . He continued a subscribing member of All Souls' Lodge , Weymouth , from his initiation ,