Still Another Old Masonic Manuscript.

The beginning as well as the ending of this version differing slightly from others that have come under my notice , will doubtless be a sufficient excuse for my calling attention to these portions at once , although I hope shortly to be able to prepare a transcript of the whole of the document . Immediately under the Arms , apparently intended to form a base for them is a space ruled off , and therein is written in red ink the words ,

" Fear God and Keep his Commandments ; For this is the whole duty of man " After another space of an inch and quarter , not ruled off , is the following" In the name of the great and holy God of heaven the wisedom of the Son and the goodness of the holy Ghost , three Persons and one God be

with us now and ever , Amen . " Then follows the familiar story of the origin of Masonry , beginning with " Brethren and Fellows , here beginneth the noble and worthy Science of free Masons , or Geometry and in what manner it was first founded and heemn . " etc

After the usual batch of charges to the Master Masons—ending with " That every Master shall truly make an end of his work , task or journey , whither soever it be" is the concluding paragraph , forming a tail-piece .

"These be all the Charges and Covenants that ought to be read at the making of a free Mason or Masons , the Almighty God of Jacob , who ever have You and me in his keeping ^ blesse us now and ever Amen " THOMAS FOXCROFT , jfr ) 0 HF-NRY SADLER .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of East Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF EAST LANCASHIRE .

INSTALLATION OF LORD STANLEY , M . P .

Lord Stanley was , on the 3 rd inst ., installed in the right worshipful office of Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire . The ceremony was performed in the Free Trade Hall , Manchester , in the presence of a large gathering of Grand Officers , Provincial Grand Officers , and brethren representing every lodge in the province , together with many visitors of all ranks in the Fraternity . His lordship was appointed by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., to succeed the late Colonel Starkie , who died in April last , after ruling over the province for 29 years .

Provincial Grand Lodge was opened by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . C . R . N . Berwicke-Royds , acting as Prov . G . M ., with Bro . C . D . Cheetham , P . P . G . W ., acting Dep . Prov . G . M . The Wardens' chairs were occupied by Bros . J . E . Platt and S . F . Simons , and there was a full attendance of Provincial Grand Officers now serving , including—Bros . Rev . W . H . Healey and Rev . J . Aiker , Prov . G . Chaps . ; John Chadwick ,

Prov . G . Treas . ; \ V . F . Farrington , Prov . G . Reg . ; W . A . Boyer , Prov . Dep . G . Reg . ; Josh Braddock , A . H . Smith , and F . R . Cooper , Prov . S . G . Ds . ; Jeremiah Green , J . . \ f . H . Blarney , and B . Derham , Prov . J . G . Ds . ; Robert Peacock Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; A . C . Wilson , Prov . G . D . C ., R . Ilalstead , Prov . Dep . G . D . C ; Henry Hindle , Prov . A . G . D . C ; J . W . Hulley , Prov . G . S . B . ; J . M . MossProv . Dep . G . S . B . ; N . Drimvilleand James Shuttleworth ,

, Prov . G . Std . Brs . ; John H . Greenwood , Prov . G . Org . ; E . H . Flower , Prov . A . G . Sec . ; Thomas Threfall , Prov . G . Purst . ; and George W . Davies , Prov . A G Purst . Past Provincial Grand Oflicers in attendance included among many others Bros . W . Goldthorpe , P . P . G . R . ; N . Earle , P . P . G . W . ; T . J . Hooper , P . P . G . T . ; Capt . J . Barlow , P . P . G . W . ; Dr . D . J . Leech , P . P . G . W . ; und E . G .

Harwood , P . P . G . W . Letters expressing the regret of the writers for their inability to be present were announced from Bros . Earl Amherst , Pro G . M . Eng . ; the Earl of Warwick , R . W . Dep . G . M . ; Earl Egerton of Tatton , P . G . W ., Prov . G . M . of Cheshire j W . L . Jackson , Prov . G . M . of West Yorkshire j Fritz Reiss , P . P . G . W . ; J . J . Meakin , P . P . G . W . ; and Edmund Ashworth ,

P . G . D . The Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , P . G . M . West Lancashire , as Installing Master , entered the hall , accompanied by Present and Past G . Ollicers and visitors of distinction , including the Earl of Radnor , P . G . W ., P . G . M . Wilts ; R . Wylie , D . P . G . M . West Lancashire ; E . Letchworth ,

G . Sec ; Sir Horatio Lloyd , D . P . G . M . Cheshire ; Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., P . G . W . ; Henry Smith , P . G . D . ; Sir J . W . Maclure , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . D . ; John Chadwick , P . G . S . B . ; J . Kenyon , G . Std . Br . ; J . Newton , P . G . S . B , P . G . Sec . ; Wm . Goodacre , P . G . S . B , P . G . Sec . West Lancashire ; Thomas Forrester , P . G Sid . Br ; and Richard NewhouseP . G . S . B P . G . Sec . Cheshire .

, , The INSTALLING M ASTER announc . d the objtct it the gathering , and said it would ill-btfit Hm on an occasion like that noi to think for a short time of their late lamented Bro . Col . Starkie . For many years the province had increased in prosperity , and had gone on increasing in strength , always doing well under Col . Starkis's beneficent rule , and now that it had pleased the Great Architect of the Univerte to call him to the G . Lodge above

he ( the Instilling Master ) trusted that the choice by their M . W . G . M ., the Prince of Wales , of their Bro . Lo : d Stanley might be fully just . fied in the years to come . ( Applause ) He ( Lord Lathom ) congratulated the brethren on tie choice that had been made , and he should , when the time came , ongratulate Lord Stanley most heartily on becoming the ruler of that great and magnificent province . The arrival of the Prov . G . M . elect was reported , and presently he was ushered into the hall , escorted by seven Past Masters and supported by two Denntu Prnu . CiranA Masters , and the nrescibt-d c-: remonv was dulv

nrotceded with in full detail and admirable order , until at length , as Edward George Villiers Stanley , commonly called L ' . rd Stanley , Member of Parliament for the West Houghton Division of Lancashire , a Lord of her Majesty ' s Treasury , Past Grand Warden of Englai d , ai d P .. s Grand Warden of Lai cashire , Eastern Division , he vat fully installed P . G . M . ol the province , and took the chair amid prolor ged cheer 11 g . He w » s addressed by lhe Installing Master , who reminded him that he had been called upon to take the position of a well-beloved and distinguished Mason , under whose pro-

Provincial Grand Lodge Of East Lancashire.

longed rule the province had increased in strength , in numbers , and in power , and he gave it to him in terms cf strong recommendation to keep the province always in the same good way as in inst years . Il war . a province , he said , composed of many lodges and many brethren , and he could assure the most worthy brother that he would find it an excellent and happy province to govern . ( Applause . )

Lord STANLEY ' first duty after installation was the appointment of his Deputy , Bro . C . R . N . Beswicke-Royds . He said Bro . Royds , he knew , felt the choice to be an honour , but he ( Lord Stanley ) and the brethren felt an equal honour was conferred upon them to know that they would have the advantage of a continuance of the experience and ripe judgment which Bro . Royds had given in the past in that position . ( Applause . )

At the close of the installation ceremony , after he had been proclaimed and he and his Deputy had been saluted in ancient form , the PROV . G . M . proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Installing Master for his assistance . He said one must always feel a debt of gratitude to the brother who installed him in a high office , but in the present case his gratitude was all the deeper , in that the Installing Officer was a dearly-beloved relation

, bearing a name well-known in all ranks and societies , but above all in that Masonic society of which they were all members . ( Applause . ) In asking Lord Lathom to officiate on that occasion he sought to have one of the highest of honoured Masonic names associated with the event of that day , believing that his lordship would willingly undertake the ceremony , and that

he would so help to connect , as they always wished to connect , the Masons of East and West Lancashire . ( Applause . ) His lordship would , therefore , take the vote of thanks , which would be put without any seconder being called upon , as meaning not only a token of gratitude to him for his trouble , but also as an evidence of the goodwill existing between the Masons of the two halves of the county . ( Applause . )

The Earl of LATHOM , in expressing his thanks for the vote , which was unanimously adopted , said he had gladly embraced the opportunity of being present , and that he had in fact promised to set aside any other engagement with that object . He had already told their Provincial Grand Master tint

he was glad to think the two Provinces of East and West Lancashire lived in true brotherly love and Masonic friendship . Lord Stanley and he were cousins , and they were knit together in the closer tic of Masonry . They were all related in Lancashire , and East and West stood together . Might it long continue to do so ! ( Applause . )

The half-yearly business of Prov . Grand Lodge followed , including the election of Bros . Lord Stanley and C . D . Cheetham Trustees of the Prov . Grand Lodge funds in place of Bro . the late Colonel S' . arkie and Bro . I . T . Newbold , P . P . G . W . The report of proceedings of the Charity Committee was read and submitted for confirmation . It stated that a candidate was in May last elected to the Masonic Benevolent Fund in London .

This report having been adopted , it was resolved , on the motion of Bro . CiiEETHAM , seconded by Bro . HOOPER , " That the sum of ioo guineas be granted from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . " Bro . CHEETHAM further moved , " That the sum of £ 20 be granted from the Prov . Grand Lodge funds to the East Lancashire Systematic

Masonic Education and Benevolent Institution . " He said that tlie Prov . G . Master had consented to preside at a Festival which would be held on behalf of the Institution in May next year , and that consequently a much larger sum than he now asked for would be proposed as a gift from the lodge at its next meeting-as large a sum , in fact , as their funds would allow . As a memorial of Bro . the late Colonel Starkie , it was intended that 1500 guineas of thc money raised at the Festival should bs subscribed

to the Benevolent Institutions . in London to buy a perpetual presentation on the Old Men ' s Fund , which should be called the Colonel Starkie Presentation . It might be said that their own Institution had plenty of funds . They had £ 20 , 000 invested capital , but it must be remembered that they were doing a great work with the income from that in supporting annuitants and educating children , and that it was only right for them to increase their resources . ( Applause . ) The motion was seconded , and carried unanimously .

Prov . G . Lodge shortly afterwards closed , Lord Stanley having before that promised to consider , with other applications , one wliich ll . o . the Rev . W . H . Healey submitted for the holding of the annual meetm- * - in May next at Radcliffe . In the evening there was a banquet at the Grand Hotel , the newlyinstalled Prov . G . Master presiding over a large company .

In proposing " Ihe Queen and the Craft , " Lord STAN * , said that at no time in the life of most of them had loyalty to the O leen on the part of the country , and of all those dependencies that went tomake up our country , been called more into force than it was at the present moment . ( Applause . ) It was not for anybody to look into the Queen ' s heart , but if that were

possible , and if they could imagine what they would find there , he thought it would be found that she recognised what her bve to the country had done in securing that country ' s love for her . ( Applause . ) What she had done for our Empire ought only too gladly to be reciprocated by those over whom she had for so many years ruled .

In submitting " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " Lord STANLEY said that among the thousands of Freemasons under his sway there was not one who could propose that any one as good or half as gooil could ever take the place of their M . W . G . M . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Colonel ROBINSON proposed "The Officers of Grand Lodge , " which was acknowledged by Bros , the Earl of RADNOR and E . LiiituwoRTir , G . Sec .

The G . SECRETARY sa d that Bro . Colonel Starkie expressed to him the hope that in the event of his death it might please the Grand Master to select as his successor their distinguished brother the noble lord whom they had seen that day installed . ( Cheers . ) " The Health of the Prov . Grand Master , " proposed by Bro . the Earl of LATHOM , was received with the utmost enthusiasm .

Responding to the toast , Lord STANLEY said that as compared with the late Bro . Colonel Starkie he could say of himself in his new office , " The spirit indeed is willing , but the flesh is weak . " ( "No ., ') For -9 years Bro . Colonel Starkie ruled over the destinies of the province , and he could only hope that if he were spared to be his successor for so Ions' a nerioil he

might do something to maintain and extend Us prosperity . lie knew that he had started on the same ground as Bro . Colonel Starkie , in that he had thegoodwill ot the brethren . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . Colonel Starkie w . is ably seconded . He knew that he ( Lord Stanley ) would be ably seconded , and when , in years to come , he appetred before them annuall y to : 11 k for their