Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

Charity jewels were presented to Bros . H . Bratt , P . P . D . G . D . C . ; J . T . App leby , G . G . Kertin , H . G . Small , and W . Ramsden , P . P . J . G . D . ; and Charity bars to Bros . John Clayton , James Cookson , Rev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope , James Salmon , J . C . Thorburn , and R . Newhouse . On the motion of Bro . Col . WILKINSON , P . P . S . G . W ., seconded by Bro . Rev . C . SPENCER STANHOPE , the salary of the Prov . Grand Secretary was advanced to £ 100 per annum , the amount paid to the late Bro . Griffiths . It was stated that the duties had considerably increased of late .

Bro . BENSON , Shropshire and North Wales , was elected the representative of the province on the Board of Management of the Boys' School . Bro . TERRY , Secretary to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , made an appeal to the brethren in connection with it , at the forthcoming Jubilee . Congleton was selected as the place of meeting for the next Provincial Grand Lodge .

The brethren attended Divine service at Runcorn Parish Church . The

service was fully choral , Bro . W . IT . Maxfield , P . P . G . Org ., taking charge of the musical arrangements in the absence through illness of Bro . A . J . Phipps , P . G . Org . Bro . the Rev . T . W . STURGES , P . G . Chap ., preached a sermon from the text , " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this ; to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself

unspotted before tho world . " In this passage the two highest and most extensive branches of a life of morality were expressed , namely , Charity and purity . These words were eminently suitable for their meditation that day , when as Masons they were assembled for worship in a Christian Church . Just as James pointed out , that unless they practised the virtues mentioned in the text , they could not be true followers of

that religion which was pure and undefiled , so it was equally sure that they could not be true F ' reemasons . It would benefit them to be reminded that Christianity and Masonry alike have a soul as well as a body—that there was a spirit as well as a letter to be observed , and that only so far as the ) ' did this were they the better either as Christians or Masonic brethren . It might be said that Freemasonry was not a religion . This was true , in that it was

not a mode or system of religious belief and worship ; but though it was not a religion , its teaching was eminently religious . Even the Catnolic Church itself did not hold in greater veneration the Volume of the Sacred Law , nor strive to impress more fervently upon its members its diligent study , nor urge more frequently its value as a guide through life . They were urged to con - sider it as the unerring standard of truth and justice , and werecharged to

regulate their actions by the Divine precepts it contained . Freemasonry was more universal in its extent than the Catholic faith itself , for it embraced men of all religions , and of none , save that they must acknowledge the existence of God . Its doors were closed to the Atheist alone . Freemasonry was thus the bond of brotherhood , and in this respect alone it was of the greatest

possible value . By their offerings that day in aid of the Provincial Fund of Benevolence , they were helping to maintain the bri ghtness of Masonic fame ; they were illustrating that Charity which was the grandest jewel in the Masonic crown—the distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart ; and they were fulfilling the highest mission of pure and undefiled religion by visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction .

The banquet was held in the Public Hall on the return of the brethren from the parish church , when over ioo sat down to dinner , presided over by Bro . the Right Hon . Lord Egerton of Tatton , Prov . Grand Master . His lordship was supported by a large number of distinguished brethren .

After the toasts of "The Queen , " "H . R . H . the Princess of Wales , " and "The M . W . G . M . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester , " came that of "The Pro Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of Lathom ; the Deputy Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ; and the Officers of Grand Lodge , Present and Past , " all of which were proposed b y Lord EGERTON .

Bro . J AMES TERRY , P . G . S . B ., responded for " The Grand Officers , " and thanked the Prov . Grand Master most heartily for his donation of 50 guineas towards the Jubilee Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Bro . J AMES COOKSON , P . P . G . Treas ., then proposed the most important toast of the evening , namely , "The Health of the Provincial Grand

Master , " and in eloquent terms referred to the firmness and impartiality with which his lordshi p had presided over the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , and all would agree in saying that the Provincial Grand Master was honoured and respected by every brother in the province , from the hio-hest to the lowest . The example of Charity set that day by the handsome donation of 50 guineas to Bro . Terry ' s Jubilee Festival Fund for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was highly to be commended , and a worthy

example to be followed by every Mason . His lordship was most truly a busy man , and very numerous indeed were the public duties thrust upon him , all of which were discharged in a most admirable manner , and very greatly to the benefit of the community at large . The gigantic works of the Manchester Ship Canal , over which his lordship presided , was nearing completion , and would be a lasting memorial , and endear the name of Lord E gerton without doubt to the end of time .

His lordshi p responded , and thanked the brethren for the hearty way the toast of his health had been received . He was very much pleased to see the room so tastefully decorated , and hoped they would all enjoy themselves . The time would not allow lo say very much , as he would shortly have to leave to catch the train . They had no doubt had an opportunity of viewing the magnificent ship canal works in the district , and it would be a lasting structure that would endure long after those now present had passed away .

CANDIDATE . —From the Latin word " candidatus . " All applicants for Masonic privileges are termed candidates . There seems to be some evidence that aspirants for the ancient mysteries were termed '' candidati . " It is said that the word comes from the custom that at a certain period the candidate was " Candida vesteindutus ;" or the word " candidatus " was used alone—for a person clothed in a white garb . Candidati are metaphorically those who seek after anything , and it has been said that

candidatus was derived from " togi Candida aut cretata qua . amicti sunt candidati sive petitores magistratuum et honorum . " Mackey affirms that the same custom applied to applicants for public offices generally . Every candidate tor Freemasonry must be of mature age and sound judgment , strict morals , no atheist , no libertine . He must also be a free man , under no servitude of any kind , and a good citizen and a respectable member of society . He must believe in God , and

be a loyal citizen of the State where he lives . Our Grand Lodge allows of no more than five candidates being received at any meeting , except on special a , spensation . A candidate for Freemasonry must be balloted for in the lodge wherein he seeks admission . —Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Durham.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DURHAM .

The annual meeting of this Prov . Grand Lodge was held on the 29 th ult ., in the Royal Assembly Hall , South Shields , when there was a large attendance of Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past , and Masters and brethren of lodges in the province . The regular meeting of the Charities Committee was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Bro . T . Coulson , Chairman , presiding .

The report read by Bro . IHOMAS BRADLEY was of a most satisfactory character . The receipts comprised a balance from last year ol £ if ] 4 s . iod . ; from subscriptions , £$ 0 9 s . iod . ; fees of honour , P . G . L ., ^ 25 4 s . ; fees of honour , P . G . C , £ 7 ; interest from capital invested , ^ 42 8 s . iod . ; total receipts , ^ 332 6 s . 8 d . ; expenditure , education , and expenses , ^ 103 15 s . ; balance forward , / 28 S us . Sd .

It was resolved , on the motion of Bro . GEO . ROBSON , P . M ., that the report be approved and submitted to the Provincial Grand Lodge . The annual meeting- of the Fund Committee was held at the Freemasons '

Hall , Bro . Victor Williamson , P . G . W . of England and P . P . S . G . W ., presided , and several petitions were considered , Bro . J . Robson Pattison , Prov . A . G . Sec , acting as Secretary , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . R . Hudson , P . G . Sec , who was unable to be present through illness . The Fund Committee voted upwards of ^ 350 to private Charities and to the London Charities .

The Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in the Royal Assembly Hall , the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., presiding . The Prov . Grand Master was supported by Bros . Victor Will amson , P . G . W . of England ; F . Stobart , P . S . G . W . ; C . H . Backhouse , P . P . J . G . W ., as P . J . G . W . ; Rev . J . R . Shortt , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . F . Newsome , P . G . Chap . ; H . A . Massingberd , P . G . Treas . ; E . Milburn , P . S . G . D . ; J . Rose , P . S . G . D . ; T . Farthing , P . J . G . D . ; T . Dunn , P . D . G . D . C . ; J . N .

Taylor , P . A . G . D . C ; T . Bowman , P . G . S . B . ; B . S . Beckwith , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . Mitford , P . G . Std . Br . ; James Tate , P . G . Org . ; J . Robson Pattison , P . A . G . Sec ; John Ostle , P . G . P . ; Hugh Golder , P . A . G . P . ; W . Hardy , j . Joel , F . S . Cowper , T . R . Shortt , D . Cameron , and R . Tulley , P . G . Stwds . ; and Thos . Grieve , P . G . Tyler . The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , the

reports of the Treasurer , Bro . H . A . MASSINGBERD , and of the Fund Committee , read by Bro . VICTOR WILLIAMSON , P . Prov . S . G . W ., were read and approved , the Fund Committee recommending grants to the Masonic Institutions and to private applicants . The Treasurer ' s statement showed , with balance from September , 1890 , ^ 255 6 s ., a total of receipts , ^ 667 ios . 7 d . ; disbursements , . £ 346 5 s . ; balance in bank , , £ 321 5 s . 7 d .

The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir HEDWORTH WILLIAMSON , said it now became his duty to address the members of Prov . Grand Lodge , and in the first place he would thank the brethren of the South Shields lodges for the excellent accommodation they had given them that day . He had attended a great many Prov . Grand Lodges in his time in various towns in the county and was perfectly certain no one would be angry when he said that

he wished he was a magician so that he could always have that hall wherever he went to hold his Prov . Grand Lodge . He expressed his satisfaction with the way in which the hall was lighted by electricity , and again thanked the South Shields brethren . After apologising for the absence of the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . R . Hudson , through indisposition , and of Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., the Deputy Prov . Grand Master ,

he referred to the losses sustained during the past year , and considered that death had been comparatively sparing- amongst their brethren . He thanked Bro . McLeod , the worthy Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , who had come down to visit Provincial Grand Lodge , for his presence . The Provincial Grand Master proceeded to allude , with considerable satisfaction , to his having been at Grand Lodge , and presided on

the throne on the occasion of Lord Lathom being installed as Pro Grand Master of England . He was sure there were no brethren more enthusiastic in their appreciation of Lord Lathom than the brethren of the North . They remembered his presence on the occasion of his ( the speaker ' s ) being installed in the proud position he now held as the Provincial Grand Master of Durham . Referring to the roll of lodges , he said there were now 2367

members , against 2306 when they met last year—an increase of 61 . He had heard , too , that a charter had been granted by the M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , for a new lodge in the rising town of Shildon , to be numbered 2415 , and named the Tristram Lodge , after their excellent Deputy Provincial Grand Master . After referring in detail to certain Masonic matters , he again alluded to the great satisfaction he felt in holding his Provincial Grand Lodge there that day .

Bro . J . H . TURNBULL , P . M . 80 , P . P . J . G . W ., proposed Bro . J . R . Cutter , P . M . 97 , as Provincial Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . Bro . J HORSLEY , P . P . S . G . W ., seconded the motion . Bro . G . W . BAIN , P . P . G . Reg ., proposed Bro . J . H . Penney , W . M . of the Hadrian Lodge , for the Treasurership . Bro . J . G . SMITH , P . P . G . D ., seconded the motion . After a vote of the lodge had been taken the Provincial Grand Master declared Bro . Cutter elected . The Provincial Grand Master then invested the following Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year , namely : —

Bro . H . B . Tristram , D . D ., ... ... ... D . P . G . M . „ C . S . Lane , 7 64 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ E . Nixey , 531 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . W . Bowker , 48 ... ... ... ] D n n , . . „ Rev . H . H . Amott , 1121 ... j Prov . G . Chaplains . „ J . R . Cutter , 97 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ T . D . Marshall , 1970 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ,, Robert Hudson ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . G . Marshall , 97 ... ... ... \ p „ _ „ G . N . Patterson , 424 ... ... ... \ Frov ' blG > D - '

„ H . Lamb , 764 ... ,., ... i / - r- > > " A . H . Peters , 1389 j Prov . J . G . D . ' s . „ W . A . Priestley , 2039 ... ¦•¦ ¦•• Prov . G . S . of W . ,, W . Logan ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . ,, T . Dunn ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . D . G . D . of C . „ G . S . Shaw , 1334 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . ofC „ John Smith , 661 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ j . J . Wilson , 80 ... ... ... ) r > r- c , , ^ „ George Wanless , 94 < Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, W . Swailes , 1650 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ J . Robson Pattison ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ M . A . Lax , 1274 ... ,., ... Prov . G . Purst .