Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

, . copy of the regulations with notices of motion , and a report of esent discussion , and to consider the whole subject at the November £ munication of Grand Lodge . rr-AND S ECRETARY reported that of subscriptions to the amount of q intimated , £ 1716 had been paid to this scheme , and Grand Com-$ had resolved to call for immediate payment of all promised

subs crl rin oe ' tition recommended by the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Peter M'Lagan , pit was resolved to transfer the ! Zetland Lodge , No . 391 , Grangemouth , " the Province of Linlithgowshire , to that of Stirlingshire . ! t nn oetition from the local lodges , Grand Lodge appointed Bro . Robert Yrs M . D ., P . M ., to be Prov . G . M . of Trinidad . A charter was ordered for the Argyle Goulbourn Lodge , New South remitted 10 oriimilieeou is 111111 01 l ^ uu ^ ca

, \ i I-c It was me v ^ V . a . u r . u rcpn n an app lication by St . Kentigern Lodge , Penicuik , and Roslin Lodge , M ° 120 . for authority to meet occasionally in West Linton . The G RAND M ASTER made a touching reference to the services of late A . Hay , and , on the motion of the DEPUTE GRAND MASTER , it was lved that the substance of these graceful remarks should be minuted as nart of the proceedings of Grand Lodge . The Grand Lodge was then closed .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Cornwall.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF CORNWALL .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Cornwall was held at the Masonic Hall , Redruth , on Thursday , 26 th ult ., when there was a large attendance . The officers present weren , sir Charles B . Graves-Savvle , Bart ., R . W . P . G . M . ; E . Milford Cock , 73 , P . P . qfUV . actin-r D . P . G . M . ; T . Hicks , 206 , P . P . S . G . W ., acting P . S . G . W . ; J . W . H'Lan < m . P . I . G . W . ; W . K . Baker , S , P . G . M . O . ; N . Gray , 94 , P . G . S . O ; J .

G Kenwood , 351 , P . J . G . D . ; Rev . M . J . Sutton , 94 , acting P . G . Chap . ; W . J . lohn " , 7 S , P . G . Sec ; T . C . Mack , 78 , P . S . G . D . ; J .. M . Richards , 175 , P . J . G . D . ; IS i Trythall , 73 , P . G . I , of VV . ; J . Tonkin , S , P . G . D . C ; T . A . Kistler , 73 , PA G . D . C . j W . Blackvvell , 175 , P . G . S . B . ; R . Rodda , 73 , P . G . O . ; W . H . Roberts , 206 , P . G . S . Stwd . ; and J . Langdon , 78 , P . G . T . The Past Provincial Grand Officers were Bros . F . Crouch , 379 , P . G . D . Eng . ; W . F . Newman , 94 ,

P PS G . W . ; C . Truscott , 275 , P . P . S . G . W . ; R . Parson , 275 , P . P . G . Stwd . ; T * H Lukes , 275 , P . P . A . G . D . C ; F . W . Thomas , 87 , P . P . G . Inspector of Works ; G . B . Pearce , 87 , P . P . G . M . O . ; C . Kent , 101 , P . P . G . M . O . ; W . Guv 275 , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . B . Morriss , 78 , P . P . S . G . D . ; H . Trembath , 175 . PP S . G . D . ; W . Ellis , 175 , P . P . G . I . of W . ; E . A . Davies , 96 , P . P . S . G . D . ; J . A . Collins , 315 , P . P . G . S . D . ; J . de C Treffry , 275 , P . P . G . S . B . ; G . H . B . Reed , 94 , P . P . l . G . W . ; and R . H . Heath , 73 P . P . G . O . The other brethren present were : Bros .

, VV . E . Lukies , S . W . 78 ; James Greenway , S . O . 78 ; J . Sarah , W . M . 73 ; H . P . Vivian , S . W . 73 ; E . T . Pearce , J . W . 73 ; W . R . Erskine , S . O . 73 ; W . L . Clieswidden , J . O . 73 ; T . B . Carlyon , I . G . 73 ; J . C . Burrow , W . M . 87 ; George Williams , S . W . 87 ; Richard Rowe , M . O . 87 ; James Wearne , P . M . 87 ; Robert Williams , 87 ; Jas . Pool , P . M . 87 ; William Vine , S D . 87 ; T . A . Taylor , 87 ; Jas . Lovell , iun ., 97 ; J . W . Jackson . 87 ; John Adams , 87 ; Wm . Huthnance , 87 ; J . M .

Carve , W . M . 94 ; j . Martin , J . D . 94 ; W M . Harrison , D . C . 94 ; R . Mason-Pooley , I . G . 04 ; J . N . Frances , Tyler 94 ; Harry Tucker , 94 ; Geo . Timmins , 94 ; John 0 . Eva , J . W . 175 ; P . L . Morgan , S . O . 175 ; T . B . James , Sec . 175 ; H . Stephens , 175 ; R . Ralph , 175 ; Edward Forbes Whitley , W . M . 206 ; J . R . Evans , J . W . 206 ; W . Nettle , W . M . 379 ; E . Venning , S . W . 379 ; S . Trehane , J . W . 379 ; and John Polkinghorne , Tyler 73 .

Lodge having been opened , apologies were received from Bros . T . Chirgwin , D . P . G . M . ; N . J . West , P . G . Treas . j W . J . Hughan , Past G . W ., and others . The minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Newquay , were read and confirmed , after a short discussion on the increased fees then decided upon .

Upon the minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Liskeard , at the consecration of a new lodge there , the R . W . P . G . M . expressed his regret that illness prevented him attending , and his thanks to Bro . T . Chirgwin tor taking his place . The report of the P . G . Treasurer showed that there is now a balance of £ 12 7 s . od . in favour ol the Provincial Grand Lodge .

The P . G . SECRETARY reported that he had received returns from all the lod ges in the province—11 in number—showing an increase of one lodge . Ihe members number 328—an increase of 40 in the year . Bro . C . TRUSCOTT , acting Steward for the three Masonic Charities for tne province , said the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge had two votes in the Benevolent Institutionbut none for the Boys' or Girls' Schoolsand he

, , asked if the Grand Lodge could support the Girls' School . Bro . TRYTHALL moved— " That 10 guineas be placed upon Bro . Truscotts list for the Girls' School . " Bro . CROUCH urged that the Mark Benevolent Fund had the prior ^ 'm , especiall y as he had been promised two years ago that the Provincial wand

Lod ge would support him . wo . E . MILFORD COCK seconded Bro . Trythall ' s resolution . . J ^ " 0 - C ROUCH moved as an amendment— "That five guineas be voted the Girls' School , and five guineas to the Mark Benevolent Fund . " BAR 0 , C . KENT seconded the amendment , which was supported by Bro

p I COLLINS moved that , ten guineas be voted to the Mark Benevolent a ™ - This was seconded by Bro . T . C . MACK , IU "^ " - ? put to the vote , the amendment of Bro . Crouch was carried , and " £ rs being for Bro . Crouch ' s motion , 33 ; for Bro . Trythall ' s , 24 ; t- h e r . ? pro . Collins' 11 . It was explained that the five guineas voted to "le m ^ ^ °° l would not carry a voce , and it was thereupon resolved , on the GI ° V ^ " ^ AKER < ttlat a further sum of five guineas be voted to Mart " ^ chool > making ten guineas to the Girls , and five guineas to the Br N VoIent Fur > d-Milford ' C "j" ^ hav - r'g resigned the position of P . G . Treas ., Bro . E . h „ D , _ k was elected , nn the . mntinn nf Rrn G . H R . Rppn qprnnrloH

"' " «>¦ NEWMAN . ' -.-.. Bro T ri ° ff officers were then invested—• p uurgwin , 78 ... ... ,., Dep . Prov . G . M . „ TA 0 , ^ > 379 ... Prov . S . G . W . „ T ' ; , ! st'er ' 73 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . " i-fe VeI , . 87 Prov . G . M . O . » EireiV ^ , Prov . S . G . O .

" Rev M T y , 2 oe - - " Pr v- J-G . O . » EMr J , Uon < 94 ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap „ W T i-. ' 73 ¦¦• ••• ... Prov . G . Treas » J . M r * 78 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ., W T V arne , 94 ... i (> Prov . S . G . D . J- trythall , 73 Prov . J . G . D .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Cornwall.

Bro . J . R . Evans , 206 ... ... ... Prov . G . I . of W „ R . H . Shapcott , 351 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ P . L . Morgan , 175 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ T . R . Grylls . 94 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . .. W . E . Lukies , 78 ... ... ... Prov . G . Ore-.

„ A . P . Davis , 325 ... ,.. ... Prov . G . I . G . „ J . Sarah , 73 .,. ... ,., ... Prov . G . Stwd . „ W . Nettle , 379 ... ... ... Prov . G . Stwd „ J . Langdon , 78 ... ... .,, Prov . G . Tyler

An invitation was offered on behalf of St . Ann s Lodge , 351 , for the next P . G . Lodge to be held there . The brethren afterwards sat down to dinner at Tabb ' s Hotel , when the usual Masonic toast list was gone through .

Grand Lodge Seals Of The "Ancients."

GRAND LODGE SEALS OF THE " ANCIENTS . "

BY BRO . H . SADLER . The first mention of a seal in the records of the "Ancients" appears in the minutes of a " Grand Committee on Emergency , 14 th September , 1752 . Resolved Nem . Con ., that Dispensations and Warrants for preserving and augmenting the Ancient Craft shall be issued under the Grand Seal and sign'd by the Grand Secretary . Which warrants nevertheless

must be confirmed by the next Grand Master according to a regulation inserted in front of the Grand Registry . The whole being a case of Necessity . " This " Grand Committee on Emergency " was evidently held for the sole purpose of passing this resolution , for no other business was recorded at that meeting .

It would appear , then , that almost from the commencement of their organization the " Ancients" used an official seal of some kind even before they had elected their first Grand Master , who was not chosen till 15 monthsubsequent to the passing of the foregoing resolution , probably emanating from vvhich is to be found under the head of " Table of the Grand Secre * tary ' s Fees A . D . 1751 , " at the end of the first minute book , a further reference to the Grand Seal ,

" Dispensation for forming a new Lodge and making Masons under the Grand Seal , 2 / 6 . " This " Table'' was apparently written some years after the transaction of 14 th September , 1752 . I have , therefore , given it second place , although in order of date it should have precedence . The first really definite

information on the subject is to be found at the end of the minutes of June 3 rd , 17 61 , "To the Grand Secretary Dermott for a new Seal which he got engraved in the year 1760 , £ 1 lis . 6 d . " The word " new" seems to me to imply that a seal of a different kind had previously been used , for , whatever might have been the character of the former seal it is hardly feasible to

suppose it had become worn out after only about eight years of service , and bearing in mind that up to 1760 the "Ancients" had issued warrants for something like 80 lodges , we may fairly conclude that a seal of some kind had been used . It is quite clear that the seal , of 1760 is the one here given under B , and that it served all purposes until it was superseded in 1775 ,

but with regard to its predecessor we are at present almost in the dark and have but very slender materials on which to base even our opinions . It was chiefly the hope of bringing about an elucidation of this important question wnicn to enter

1760—1775 prompted me upon a discussion of this subject at the present time , although I must confess that I shall be very much surprised if ever we arrive at a satisfactory and definite conclusion . The following item in the minutes of the "Ancients " of the ist March , 1775 , quite satisfies me that the seal made by Kirk was the first of its kind used by that body :

" The Grand Secretary produced a Drawing of the Arms of the Fraternity , andurged many weighty reasons forhavingthem Engraved immediately , to be used in future as the Seal of the Grand Lodge , and also remarked that Mr . Kirk , a person of eminence in that branch , informed him that the expence would be about Fifteen Guineas . After many Debates , the Grand

Lodge order'd that the Arms should be engraved for a Seal in a Masterly manner under the Inspection of Bros . Lau . Dermott , Wm . Tindall , Thos . Carter , Wm . Dickey , and John Ryland , and not to exceed the Sum of Fifteen Pounds , fifteen Shillings . " There can be no doubt that the seal here depicted under letter C is the one ordered to be engraved " immediately , " for I have seen an impression

of it on a warrant dated 2 nd November , 1775 , and many others issued subsequently , as well as on a M . M . certificate of 27 th March , 1779 , and six others of more recent periods . It is , I think , extremely probable that it was used for warrants , certificates ,

and all other documents until the increasing popularity and consequent extension of Royal Arch Masonry rendered a division of labour in the executive department of the Grand Lodge necessary , when , in order to

obviate the inconvenience likely to result from two people living in different part * of London having only one seal between them , a new one was ordered in 1792 . 1 his view

IITITKZIQIQ ls ln a manner substantiated by the printed 1775 1813 . instructions at the end of the quarterly report for 5 th March , 1793 , " Upon all Business respecting Masonry , please to apply or write to the Grand Secretary , No . 28 , Tokenhouse-yard , and for Royal Arch Certificates , & c , to Brother Harper , Jeweller , Temple-Bar . " Thomas Harper was appointed Deputy Grand Secretary on the 27 th December , 1791 ; but the new seal and the new plates for Royal Arch and Craft certificates were not completed before the latter end of 1792 ; and in

March , 1793 , the foregoing direction appeared , and- was repeated in the Grand Lodge circulars with little variation down to the Union in 1813 . There being no material difference between the last mentioned seal and that of 1775 , I have not thought it necessary to present a drawing of it ; those who may be curious on the subject will have no difficulty in making a comparison , should they desire to do so , for doubtless many of both impressions are to be found on existing warrants and certificates .