Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire .

Masonry in this province , fosteied as it had been by such Deputy Provincial Grand Masters as Sir Daniel Gooch , in the past , and Sir Gabriel Goldney , in the present , still maintained its position , and showed that their influence on the province had not been impaired by time . He himself felt deeply indebted to those Provincial Grand Officers , more especially to the Provincial

Grand Secretary , Bro . Tombs , who so kindly undertook so much of the labour of the province off his hands ; and he hoped that when he met them again he should be able , thanks to the valuable assistance of those officers , to again congratulate them on the progress of Masonry in Wiltshire . The Prov . Grand Master , in alluding to several matters which had been brought

before them , more especially called attention to that part of the minutes of a preceding Provincial Grand Lodge which expressed disagreement with Bro . Clabon ' s proposition to increase the dues to the Grand Lodge Fund of Benevolence payable by Provincial brethren , and expressed a hope that the

members of that Provincial Grand Lodge would , as far as possible , make a point of attending Grand Lodge when the subject came on for discussion there , in order to support the resolution of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire .

Lord METHUEN then declared all offices vacant . On the proposition of Lord H . F . THYNNE , seconded by the Rev . G . E . GARDINER , Bro . F . H . Goldney was re-elected , by acclamation , as Provincial Grand Treasurer . The Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year were then appointed and invested as follows :

Bro . Henry J . Birch , 1295 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Col . J . H . Ford , 335 Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . Canon Millar , 625 ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ F . H . Goldney ( re-elected ) , 626 ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ Thos . Ponting ( re-appointed ) , 147 S ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

„ Henry C . Tombs ( re-appointed ) , 335 ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ Geo . Lopes , 1626 ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ Edwin Browne , 1295 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ J . H . Chandler , 663 Prov . G . S . of W . „ John Chandler ( re-appointed ) , 355 ... ... Prov . G . D . of C .

„ James Powell , 1295 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . A . D . C . „ T . C . P . Calley , 355 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Fredk . Harding , 3 S 5 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Joseph Goudge , 1295 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purs . „ John Savory ( re-elected ) , 355 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

This ended the business of the meeting and the Provincial Grand Lodge was duly closed . The brethren afterwards dined together at the Goddard Arms Hotel , under the presidency of the R . W . the Prov . Grand Master , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly given and warmly responded to .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF CHESHIRE .

The annual convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Cheshire was held at the Grosvenor Hotel , Chester , on Tuesday , the 17 th ult . There were about 100 companions present . In the absence of the M . E . Provincial Grand Superintendent ( Lord de Tabley ) who is not yet sufficiently recovered from his late illness to be able to take an active part in Masonry , Comp . H . Bulley , P . P . G . H ., officiated as Z ., and was supported by the following Provincial Grand Officers :

Comps . R . Beales , P . G . H . ; C . Dutton , P . P . G . H . ; G . W . Latham , P . G . E . ; W . Johnson , P . G . P . S . ; W . Pritchard , P . G . A . S . ; F . Jackson , jun ., P . G . Treas . ; L . Bradbury , P . G . S . B . ; H . Finch , P . G . D . C . ; E . Cuzner , P . G . Org . ; T . Marwood , P . P . G . H . ; H . C . Lisle , P . P . G . P . S . ; Rev . C . W . Spencer-Stanhope , P . P . G . H . ; F . K . Stevenson , P . P . G . J . ; J . Tomlinson , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . Salmon , P . P . G . I . ; and J . C .

Robinson , P . P . G . T . The usual business of the Provincial Grand Chapter having been gone through , a sum of thirty guineas was voted from the Provincial Grand Chapter ' s funds to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , the same to be placed

on the list of Comp . J . P . Piatt , P . P . G . H ., Chairman of the Committee of Benevolence of the province . Ten guineas were voted towards the expenses incurred by the entertaining chapters—the Cestrian , 425 , and the Grosvenor , 721 . The name of Comp . Marwood , P . P . G . H ., was placed on the Provincial R . A . Committee .

The following Provincial Grand Officers were invested by the Acting Prov . G . Superintendent :

Comp . Walter Milner , 537 ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ John Eyton Williams , 425 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ George Wm . Latham , 321 and 941 ( re-appointed ) Prov . G . E . „ Wallace Lumb , 321 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . N .

„ David Thomas , 721 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . P-S . „ John Peter Bardsley , 322 ... ... ... Prov . G . 1 st A . S . „ William Roger Wass , 758 ... ... .. Prov . G . 2 nd A . S . „ Ferdinando J ackson , jun ., 295 , 321 ( re-elected ) ... Prov . G . Treas . ,, John Cullimore , 321 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

„ Robert Clowes Edwards , 721 ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ Charles Booth , 287 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Herbert Finch , 323 ( rc-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ , John Dutton , 477 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . A . D . C . „ Edward Cuzner , 425 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Mark Allcock , 941 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . On the motion of Comp . BULLEY , seconded by Comp . BEALES , it was resolved that a record should be placed on the minutes of the Provincial

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Cheshire.

Grand Chapter expressive of the deep sorrow of the chapter at the illness of the M . E . Prov . Grand Superintendent ; and that it was the earnest prayer of all Royal Arch Masons in the province that it might please the Most Hi gh to speedily restore him to his usual health . It was announced that the next annual convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter would be held at Runcorn ,

The Warrant.

THE WARRANT .

1 he following is from a recent issue of the New York Dispatch , and is a clear presentation of the author ' s ideas about a subject that is a fruitful source of discussion among brethren , and in regard to which a variety of opinions are held . We think the Dispatch presents the case fairly , and its position is not strained in claiming that a law requiring the warrant to be present at

all meetings of the lodge is a modern one . The rule , however , is fixed in Massachusetts by the Grand Lodge Constitution as follows : Part V . Sec . 11—The Master of a lodge shall have the special charge of its charter ,

and shall see that it is carefully preserved , and is present whenever the lodge is opened . Sec . 12—A visiting brother , having produced his Grand Lodge certificate , or diploma , shall have the right to call for the charter of the lodge he desires to visit .

" A recent discussion in regard to the warrant , at which we were present , has led us to the belief that a few words on this subject might be of interest to our readers , and lead to a better appreciation of the matter than now obtains . During the debate in question , it was evolved that the common law of Masonry is that the warrant must be present at any and every meeting of

a lodge or other Masonic body , or otherwise the meeting will be illegal , and the work done clandestine . So general is this opinion that by many it is claimed to be a landmark , and we have been present when a Grand Master refused to allow a lodge to be opened because it was discovered that the Master had forgotten to bring the warrant with him .

" In the absence of any positive law upon the subject , it is claimed to be the common law of Masonry , by long and unquestioning usage , that the warrant must be present . Let us see . According to Preston , in his ' Illustrations , 'there were no warrants previous to the revival in 1717 ; all that was required being the Sheriff ' s warrant for a meeting , without regard to a special

organisation , so that the persons who formed a lodge one night at the ' Goose and Gridiron ' might the next night take part in a similar ceremony at the ' Apple Tree Tavern , ' and so on through all the places of rendezvous in London , the idea being that the gathering related rather to the house where it was held than to any particular organisation , it being the brethren who

happened to meet at any particular place rather than any one or more who might , as we say now , belong to a particular lodge . The first mention we have of a warrant occurs in the General Regulations , or XXXIX . Articles of 1 7 , in which it is provided that no lodge shall be held without the Grand Master ' s warrant , and it will be easily seen that no such regulation would have been necessary if it had been previously the custom to have warrants .

" From this we may reasonably conclude that the warrant came in with the new formation of the Craft in 1717 , and hence that it is not of immemorial usage , but only an episode of our history since the revival , and from this predicate it follows that the presence or absence of the warrant at

any meeting of a Masonic body is simply a matter of regulation . The constitution and regulations of the Grand Lodge of New York are entirely silent so far as this matter is concerned , and the brethren are left to the government of such ideas as are given them by the Ritual at the time of their initiation .

" It may be said that this is sufficient , and that we should accept any such teaching without argument , but we respectfully submit that the day has gone by when enquiring and educated brethren may be expected to accept any dictum of this sort ; for Masonry is a thing of reason , and has a reason

for all it does or requires to be done by its adepts . Hence , to ask that we shall accept as general or common law a proposition that we know lacks the qualities to entitle it to such a place is a trespass on common sense to which thinking men will not submit .

" So far , so good . But we shall be told that a lodge should always be in position to prove its regularity and its relation to a just and duly established Grand Lodge . Admitted : but is a lodge any more obliged to prove its legitimacy than an intending visitor is to know before applying to be admitted that the lodge is regular or that the corresponding right to apply

belongs to the applicant ? Again , supposing it to be the right of every visitor to see the warrant before submitting to examination , will some one tell us how many out of a hundred are competent to pass upon the validity of the document submitted to them or to know by examining the parchment whether the lodge is regular or not ?

" Our conclusion is that while every lodge or other subordinate Masonic

body must have a warrant from its superior or governing power , it is sufficient that the fact of its existence be recorded and that the constant presence of the document itself is not necessary . We are quite aware that a

great deal is to be said on the other side , and we purposely leave the question here in the hope that some one may undertake a refutation of the ideas herein set forth , in order that both sides may be heard . "—The Liberal Freemason .

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Duke of Edinburgh , and other members of the Royal Family , have signified their intention of honouring with their presence the coming complimentary dinner to be given by the United Service Club to Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour and General Sir Garnet Wolseley . United Service Gazette .