Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Middlesex And Surrey.

the proprietor of the Bridge House Hotel . When s l'f' . ' ^ ' uet was disposed of , the room was close tyled , and - •having been said by Grand Chaplain , the toasts were proposed . The Provincial Grand Master , in proposing Her M-tjesty ' s health , alluded to thc illness of Prince Leopold , ' Inch had recently been a source of so much concern to

tl , e Queen . In giving "The Health of Earl Percy , G M . M . M ., " he regretted that Earl Percy ' s health had not been < Tood for some time , and he had not been able to ] ireside in Grand Lodge . He believed , on this account , Earl Percy would not allow himself to be put in nomination for another year . In giving " The Health of the Earl of i imerick , Deputy Grand Master , and the Past and Present

Grand Officers , " Colonel Burdett said that the Earl of Limerick was an excellent Deputy Grand Master , and was well up in Masonic working , for he could testify that he was not only able to perform the duties of Deputy Grand Master , but was also expert at installing . This he could say from his own experience , having recently witnessed his lordship ' s performance of the ceremony .

The Rev . D . Shaboe replied , and said that all the Grand Officers were willing at all times to come forward to assist in any way they could in the promotion of the welfare of the Craft . With him Mark Masonry was a degree of great importance . It was peculiarly forward in charity , which was a great point among Freemasons . The Provincial Grand Master said that the next toast

" The Provincial Grand Officers , " was one he proposed with peculiar pleasure , because it seemed to come nearer home to them than any other ; although the other toasts also gave him great pleasure . They were quite aware that the Province of Middlesex and Surrey was a young province . It had however done very well . It was now holding a better position than it had ever done before , but

it must do a great deal better . With the assistance of such officers as it now had , he had no doubt it would . They had all done their duty admirably . The Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Davison , responded , and then proposed " The Health of the Provincial Grand Master . " In the early years of a province , great difficulties were encountered , but thanks to the admirable

skill of Col . Burdett these difficulties in the Province of Middlesex had been overcome . He hoped that they would shortly meet to instal him , and that on that occasion they would have a good muster of the brethren . The Provincial Grand Master replied , and said it was very gratifying to him to hear such flattering remarks from the Deputy Provincial Grand Master . He was inclined to think he had spoken too favourably of him .

He wished very much for the prosperity of the province , and that by their exertions it might be made a great one . There was one subject which was a matter of much satisfaction to Mark Masons , that all the members admitted to the degree were Masons of great excellence . The officers already appointed had exerted themselves very much for the prosperity of the degree , and lie hoped that those who would be hereafter appointed would exert themselves in

like manner . The brethren separated after passing a very pleasant evening .

Obituary.

Obituary .

FUNERAL OF BRO . F . BELL , P . M ., P . Prov . G . S . W . ,

OF THIRSK HALL . On Tuesday , 26 th ult ., the inhabitant of Thirsk and district committed to their last resting place in the parish church-yard , with every sentiment of heartfelt regret aud sincere respect , the mortal remains of the late Bro . F . Bell , or as his neighbours and friends loved more familiarly to call him—Squire Bell , the Lord of the Manor . Bro . Bell

had for years , and since his hospitable occupancy of the llall commenced , been at the head of every movement connected with the old town ( which it was ever his pleasure to be identified with ) that had for its aim its well-being and prosperity , and no good work or deserving object ever failed to receive his heartiest sympathy and most practical support . It was known that the deceased gentleman

suffered from an affection of the heart , still his death , which occurred suddenly last week , at the early age of 44 , was an event which came as a great shock , and was felt to be as much a personal as a general loss . The gloom which , without using a mere figure of language , may be said to have pervaded the community of Thirsk and district since the death of the Squire , culminated on

Tuesday at the funeral , which was one in every respect worthy of the man . The day will long be remembered as one of the most mournful in the local annals . All classes , and parties , and sects joined together towards rendering the burial one which would testify to the universal respect in which the deceased was held , and which would embody the prevalent feeling that in him the town and

neighbourhood is losing one whose place it will indeed be difficult to fill . The funeral took place at noon , the place of interment being in the family vault , at the north-west side of the churchyard . Nearly every shop and place of business in the town was closed , and the window blinds of private houses were all down . Long before the hour fixed for the

funeral cortege to start from the hall , the stream of people churchwards began , and it was to be noticed that in the great majority of instances mourning habiliments had been put on . Had the relatives of the deceased been desirous that the solemn proceedings should be of a private

character , though thc utmost possible deference would doubtless have been paid to their wishes ; still it would have been found impossible to prevent thc assemblage of a large crowd who desired in quietness and reverence to see the remains of one so widely esteemed consigned to the tomb . As it was , never—we ate g iven to understand—

Obituary.

either in respect of the gathering in and about the church and yard , or of the numbers who actually took part in thc burial procession , was there such a scene witnessed at Thirsk . Bro . Bell was , as is well known to the members of the Craft , a Mason , and he had held high office locally and iu thc province . The members of the lodge were invited by the family to visit the remains of their departed

brother , the coffin being removed tc the library , and there the usual grand honours were performed . A good many visiting brethren from Northallerton , Ripon , Darlington , and other places were present , and all were supplied with sprigs of acacia , which they wore on their left breasts , afterwards to deposit in the vault . The present Worshipful Master of the home lodge , the Falcon ( Bro . Bamlett ) , was

unavoidably absent . His duties were discharged by Bro . John Rhodes , the Senior Warden ; Bro . T . J . Wilkinson , the Secretary , acting as Senior Warden . The other members of the lodge present were Bros . G . Anderson , W . Coltman , \ V . Hall , J . Walton , G . Ayre , R . Baines , J . Marker , R . Musgrave , J . Lee , R . Atkinson , VI . Milburn , H . Masterman , R . Barley ( Osgodby ) , W . A . Bourne , C .

Greensides , G . Freeman , A . G . Duncombe , N . C . C . Lawton , G . Dinwoodie , C . Eisley , A . G . Bleasedale . The following from the Anchor Lodge , Northallerton , were present : — Bros . J . Fairburn , W . M . ; G . F . Clarkson , S . W . ; G . Oxendale , J . D . ; E . Wilkinson , J . Wheldon , junior , W . Hardy , W . Waistell , W . A . Hutchcns , J . Walmsley , S . Meynell , and C . Palliser . From the De Grey and Ripon Lodge , Ripon ,

there were Bios . T . H . Broadwell , W . M . ; R . E . ( Alderman ) Collinson , P . G . S . D . ; and F . Bateman , P . M . ; from the Restoration Lodge , Darlington , Bros . J . Bailey , P . Prov . G . J . W . ; R . Chadwick , P . M . ; J . A . Blacklock , S . D . ; F . Ness , and T . Bowman . The above-named having earlier on assembled in the new Masonic Hall , opened a few months ago , took up a position in line from the hall gates to the

time approaching for the start , and thus formed a guard of honour for the corpse , the mourners , pall-bearers , and the rest of those taking part in the funeral . Inspector Nicholson hail a number of police placed at certain points , but there was little confusion to call for interference . Good order and decorum prevailed on thc part even of the most thoughtless .

Thc vicar , the Rev . B . Lamb , headed the procession into the church , he reading with much impressiveness throughout the solemn and effective burial service for the dead The velvet pall covering the coffin was an exceedingly chaste one . It was borne by the following : —thc Hon . G E . Lascelles , Sion Hall ;* T \ fr . T . W . Lloyd , Cowesby ; Mr . John Walker , Mount St . " John ; Capt . Hincks , Brcckenbro ';

the Rev . Canon Johnstone , Sutton Hall ; Mr . Williamson , Richmond ; Mr . C . Mc C . Swarbreck , Sowerby ; and the Rev . G . Scott , Ccxwold . Earl Cathcart was to have been one of the pall-bearers , but he was prevented by indisposition from attending . The chief mourners were Mr . and Mrs . Clifton ( the latter being a sister of Mr . Bell ) , of Clifton Hall , near Nottingham ; Major and Mrs . Sanders

Ingram House , neat 1 Inrsk ( Mrs . Sanders is aunt to the deceased ); Mr . R . Smith and Miss Smith , of the Hall , nephew and niece of the . deceased ; the Rev . Mr . Smith , Kildale , near Whitby ; and Capt . Turton , Larpool Hall . Amongst the friends present were Sir W . Payne Gallwey , the member for the borough ; Capt . Hill , Chief Constable for the North Riding ; Mr . E . Munby , Myton ; Rev . Canon

Coates , Sowerby ; Rev . L . S . Maine , Sowerby ; Dr . Ryott , deceased's medical attendant ; and a large number of the neighbouring gentry . Thc tenantry of the deceased , and the upper and lower servants at the Hall , also , of course , formed up in the procession . Service in the church was begun by the singing by the chorister boys , who were in their surplices , of the

wellknown hymn , " Christ will gather in His own , " from "Hymns Ancient and Modern . " After that , and whilst all were being seated , Mr . Walton , the organist , played upon that instrument in a very effective manner , the " Dead March . " The Psalm—the 39 th—was read , and as the departure into the grave-yard was being effected " Vital Spark " was given upon thc organ . Altogether the service in thc church was felt by all to be very impressive and

appropriate . I he vault in which the remains of the deceased was placed is a brick one , which had previously five occupants . The deceased was placed beside the remains of his uncle , who died in 1851 , and whom he succeeded . The coffin , a massive oaken one , of elegant brass furnishings , and which had been supplied by Mr . J . S . Coulson , of Kirkgate ( Mr . Anderson making the lead coffin ) , had upon it the following inscription , engraved upon a brass shield : —

FREDERICK BELL , Died Jan . 12 th , 1875 , Aged 44 Years . On the coffin were a cross and a number of wreaths composed of white camellias , azaleas , Christmas roses , and other choice flowers . The bells of the church rang out a muffled peal at thc conclusion of the service .

At a full meeting of the Falcon Lodge held 111 the Masonic Hall on the 13 th ult ., Bro . A . C . Bamlett , W . M ., in the chair , the following resolution was unanimously passed : — "That we , the members of thc Falcon Lodge , No . 14 . 16 , of ancient , free , and accepted Masons , in open lodge assembled , have heard with the greatest regret and deepest sorrow of thc painfully sudden death of our most Worthy

and Worshipful Past Master , Bro . Frederick Bell , Past Provincial Grand Senior Warden , who , in the inscrutable wisdom of the Great Architect of the Universe , has been so suddenly called away from amongst us ; and we , remembering his many good and noble qualities , and the great services he has rendered to Freemasonry in founding the

Falcon Lodge , together with his uniform kindness and urbanity to all the brethren , beg to offer our sincere and heartfelt condolence to Mrs . Macbean and the other members of the late Mr . Bell ' s family , under their sad and most distressing bereavement . " This resolution was dul y conveyed , and in most courteous terms acknowledged ,

Bro. Thos. Kinnersly.

BRO . THOS . KINNERSLY .

It is with extreme regret we have to chronicle the some what sudden demise of William Thomas Kinncrsly , Esq ., of Binficld Manor , Berkshire . Our much esteemed brother , though a young Mason , had already made his mark in the Craft , and gave every promise of a long and useful Masonic career . Some five years since , having married a

lady of the island , he settled down at " Les Touillets , " in Guernsey , and at once devoted himself with all the zeal and energy of a strong and vigorous character to promote the welfare and prosperity of the Masonic Institutions of his place , connecting himself more immediately with Doyle ' s Lodge , of which he was W . M . for two years in succession , resigning the gavel so recently as the 29 th of

December , on which occasion he installed the present W . M ., Bro . Randall , in that chair which he had himself so long and so ably occupied . Bro . Kinnersly was a worthy exponent of the great principles of the Order , and though , as the owner of a large property and one of the leading gentlemen of his parish , the calls on his time and his generous nature were by no means few or slight , he never lost sight

of those great educational and charitable institutions of our Order , and the writer has reason to know that it was one of the happiest moments of our late brother ' s life , when a short time back he was privileged , as a Steward of the Annual Festival , to place in the hands of the Secretary one of the largest collections that had ever been transmitted to the Boys' School from this island . The funeral of our late

brother took place on the 28 th ult ., and though , in accordance with the earnestly expressed wish of the deceased , carried out in a strictly private and unostentatious manner , many brethren assembled at the cemetery to pay the last sad tribute of respect to departed merit . Amongst these we noticed Bros . Dr . Hamilton , D . G . M . of Jamaica , 33 ; Colonel Gallienne , D . D . G . M . of Guernsey ; Balfour Cockburn , P . D . G . S . W ., 30 ; Colonel Guerin , Sharp , and others .

Surrey Masonic Hall.

SURREY MASONIC HALL .

Thc annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Surrey Masonic Hall Company was held in a spacious room of thc hall on Thursday , the 4 th inst . There was a good attendance of gentlemen interested in the under * taking . The report of the directors and statement of finance were submitted and discussed . Messrs . Pinder and W , Ramsay were re-elected directors of the company ; Mr . H , A . Dubois was also re .-elected to the office of auditor . The

meeting was afterwards resolved into a special convention , at which a resolution was unanimously passed empowering tlie directors to raise additional capital , thereby enabling them to complete thc work . There being ! no other business to be transacted , the proceedings were then formally closed . The shareholders subsequently examined the lodge and other rooms , and expressed themselves highly

pleased with the stability of the edifice , great care having evidently been exercised by the builder in the selection of materials , & c . The hall is now in a very advanced state , and will constitute one of the handsomest buildings to be found in the Southern part of the metropolis . We hope , ere long , to have the pleasure of chronicling its

formal opening for Masonic and other purposes . We may mention that shares of £ 5 each may still be procured of the Secretary of the Company at 1 , Gresham-buildings , and those who have the interests of the Craft at heart will , we think , not be slow in awarding support to this excellent and most desirable undertaking .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

It is stated that the Right Worshipful Robert Bagshaw , Provincial Grand Master for Sussex , has appointed Bro . Matthew Edward Clark , of London , to be his Deputy P . G . M . This appointment has been vacant since the death of Bro . Andrew Meggy in January 1873 .

Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Shaftesbury , Prov . Grand Master , Staffordshire , has consented to preside at a dinner , on the 18 th March , at Willis ' s Rooms , to raise an enlargement fund for the Royal Infirmary for Children and Women , Waterloo-bridge-road .

WELLINGTON LODGE OK INSTRUCTION ( No . 548 ) . — The fifteen sections will be worked in this lodge , at the White Swan Tavern , High-street , Deptford , on Monday evening next , by Bro . John Shaw , S . W . 79 . Lodge opened at half-past seven precisely . THE APOLLO UNIVHIISITY LOIIGE ( NO . 357 ) . — The fifty-sixth aniversary festival of this lodge will be held

on Tuesday , February 16 th , at 3 . 45 p . m ., for the installation of the W . M . elect , the Rev . H . Adair Pickard , P . M ., P . Prov . S . G . W ., who filled the chair of the lodge in the years 1856 and 18 57 . The following eminent , brethren will , in all probability , attend the lodge : —Lord Skelmers-0

dale , D . G . M . of England ; Col . Adair of the 33 ; P . M . Beach { M . P . for North Hants ) , who will act as Installing Officer ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . Chap , of England ; P . M . T . Mansel Talbot ( Prov . Grand Master , Eastern Division , South Wales ) , with many others , well known in the Craft .

From a circular letter in relation to the " Sind Masonic Association for the Relief of Distressed Widows and Orphans of Freemasons , " we learn : " Twelve months have now elapsed since the idea of forming the above Association was brought forward , and its object and intention have been so fully appreciated by the Masons in Sind , as to

secure the hearty co-operation and generous liberality of oneand all , which is testified by the fact , that at the present moment the Association possesses a capital of Rs . 5 , , and which is invested in Government Paper in the name of Trustees ; the interest of this sum and all subscriptions to the Association forming the available revenue from whence relief is granted . "