Devon Masonic Educational Fund.

DEVON MASONIC EDUCATIONAL FUND .

The annual meeting of this Institution , of which Bro . Lord Northcote , C . B . Prov . Grand Master of Devon , is President , was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Exeter , on the 4 th inst . The chair was occupied by Bro . F . B . Westlake , P . D . G . D . C . England , P . S . G . W . Devon , Patron of the Fund , and there were also present : Bros . J . R- Lord , P . P . G . Treas . ( Hon . Treas . to the Fund ) j J . B . Cover , P . P . G . Sec . ( Secretary to the Fund ); Samuel Jones , 112 , P . P . J . G . W . ; Harry Stocker ,

20 PPG . Treas . ; John Stocker , P . G . Sec ; Rev . W . French , 1125 ; E . H . Shorto ' 39 and 2659 , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . Allsford , 202 , P . P . G . Treas . ; R . S . Purnell , 39 ; R- Hooker , 39 ; W . R . Lisle , 39 and 2659 , P . P . J-. G . D . ; H . C , Perriarr * , 372 ; A . Hope , 39 ; H . Rabbich , 1358 ; C . S . Stebbing , 156 and 1212 , PP . G . Treas . ; Chas . Piper , 1753 , P . P . D . G . D . C ; A . Amand , 1753 ; W . L .

Cocks , 106 , P . S . G . D . ; T . A . Blackler , 328 , P . G . Std . ; Thos . H . Wills , 1 4 , P . A . G . D . C ; H . Gillard , 24 S ; W . Sweet , 1212 and 70 ; P . S . Johns , 159 , P . P . G S B Samuel Broad , 2025 ; Major H . L . Mallet , 1885 ; John Wallis , , 2 « P P . G . Std . Br . ; T . W . Atherton , 24 S , P . P . A . G . D . C ; Jas . Griffin , 2025 , P . P . S . G . D . ; W . A . Stone , 1284 ; G . L . Stile , 1284 ; T . R . Fry , 1284 ; and P . Rousham , 1885 .

The Treasurer presented his annual report , which showed that the balance brought forward from the previous year amounted to ^ 5 84 12 s . 3 d . Subscriptions and donations for 1899 , £ 44- 1 I 2 S - 7 d ., which with £ 33 os . iod . interest on deposit , brought the total receipts for the year to ^ 1059 5 s . 8 d . The total amount paid for children ' s education last year was . £ 370 . The only expenses were Printing and postages amounting to ^ 29 iSs ., which left a balance on the year of ^ 659 7 s . Sd . There were 21 recipients on the fund , and with the three to be elected and the one just added there would be now 2 K receiving each the sum of £ 15 per annum . » -

The C HAIRMAN heartily congratulated the Institution upon the successful report , and expressed the gratitude they all felt to Bros . Lord and Gover for their voluntary and successful work . It had been with them a labour of love , they both made great personal sacrifices to promote its usefulness and benevolence , and when they remembered that every farthing subscribed to

the Charity was devoted to its usefulness , they would more fully recognise the value of the services which Bros . Gover and Lord rendered . A special vote of thanks was accorded those brothers , who were re-elected , and the report was also unanimously adopted . Bro . W . H . Dillon was re-elected Assistant Secretary , and Bros . J . W . Cornish and W . Allsford were elected Auditors .

At this meeting three candidates were to be elected on the Fund , and there were seven nominations , including three who were unsuccessful at the previous election in October and four new candidates . The candidates who brought votes forward were the daughter of a brother of the Jordan Lodge , Torquay , 1032 votes , * a son of a late brother of Dundas Lodge , Plymouth , 484 votes ; and a daughter of a late member of Pleiades Lodge , Totnes , who brought 30 votes forward . The new candidates were the

daughter of a deceased brother of Lodge Obedience , Okehampton ; the son of a late brother of St . John the Baptist Lodge , Exeter ; the daughter of a late brother ol Lodge Friendship , Devonport ; and the son of a brother who , until his death , was a member of St . George ' s Lodge , Plymouth . With reference to the last-mentioned case , it was decided that as the candidate

was 14 years of age he should be placed on the Fund at once without going to the ballot , the standing orders having been suspended for the purpose , and coupled with this unanimous election a sincere vote of thanks was passed to Bro . Frederick Sanders , of her Majesty's Dockyard , Pembroke , for the kindness and interest he had shown in the welfare of the children , he being asked to continue to act as guardian .

The result of the ballot was that the candidate ( Jordan Lodge , Torquay ) who brought forward 1032 votes , polled 333 more , and was elected with 1365 . The candidate from Lodge Dundas , who polled 484 , added 776 to his poll , and was elected with 1260 . The other candidate elected was the daughter of a late brother of Lodge Friendship , Devonport , who polled

1490 votes . The unsuccessful candidates were the nomination of Lodge Obedience , Okehampton , who made a first application , and polled 1032 votes . The candidate from Lodge Pleiades did not increase the poll of 30 brought forward . For the candidate from St . John the Baptist 24 votes were recorded .

The Chairman having declared the three with the highest number of votes to be elected on the Fund , the Guardians for them were appointed as representing the lodges from which the successful candidates were nominated . A vote of thanks was accorded to the Scrutineers , Bros . Gregory , Amand , and Stone , for conducting the election , on the motion of Bro . E . H . SHORTO .

A cordial vote of thanks was , on the motion of Bro . C . PIPER , seconded by Bro . H . STOCKER , accorded Bro . Westlake for presiding , and for the generous and valuable aid he rendered to Masonic nnd Benevolent Institutions .

PROVINCIAL NBWSPAPEKS AT TUB GUILDHALL LIBRARV . —The introduction of daily and evening newspapers into the directory room at the Guildhall his proved so successful that the Library Committee have decided to add several prominent provincial newspapers to the list of journals . Among the Utter are the Irish Times , the Liverpool lost , the Yorkshire Post , the Scotsman , the Western Daily News , the Birmingham I osl , and the Manchester Guardian . The lesult has been that the attendance of the reading public has been increased by many hundreds per week .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Chine Lodge , No . 1884 . On the 29 th ult . this well-known lodge held its monthly meeting in the Masonic Hall , Shanklin , Isle of Wight , and the following were present : Bros . Alfred Greenham , P . M ., P . P . J . G . D ., W . M . ; R . R . Russell , I . P . M . ; A . H . Brown , S . W .: Charles

Carter , J . W . ; F . Cooper , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C , Treas . ; F . C . Taylor , Sec . ; E . D , Jefford , S . D . ; A . Kent . J . D . ; H . Osborne , D . C ; W . T . Deeks , LG . ; W . B , Chase , Stwd . ; W . I . Meu , Tyler ; John Bailey , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C ; R . Young , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C . ; W . H . Willis , P . M . ; G . H . Matthews , P . M . ; H . W . Daws , P . M . ; A . J . Coooer , F . Rayner , S . Clarke , and Rev . Neville Lovett . Visitors : Bros . Wavell Knight , I . P . M ., and J . Knight , P . M ., of 551 .

There was an extraordinary amount of work to be accomplished . The W . M ., Bro . Alfred Greenham , initiated Messrs . Spencer and Scott , the charge being given bv Bro . H . W . Daws , after which Bros , the Rev . Neville Lovett and Meu were passed to the Degree of F . C . Between the initiation and passing ceremonies there was a call off for tea . A letter was read from the mortgagee acknowledging the six months' notice to pay off the debt on the hall .

The lodge having been closed , 26 brethren afterwards sat down to a substantia , banquet . The usual loyal toasts having received due honour , Bro . Davis , P . M ., gave '«« The Prov . G . Master , Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . " He remarked that he did not feel himself at all competent to propose such an important toast . This should have been the duty of the I . P . M ., Bro . R . Russell . They ,

however , all very much admiied and valued the excellent qualities of the veteran' who stood at the head of the Hants and Isle of Wight Province , and they all felt proud of the new honours conferred on him by her Majesty . His Masonic zeal was also much esteemed by all the brethren , and although he had arrived at the time of life when it would only be natural to lay aside some of the maiy claims upon him , he did not shirk any of these duties ( the last remark being made with a meaning look at the I . P . M . ) . He would couple with the toast the name of Bro . R . Young , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C .

Bro . Young said the honour of responding for such a distinguished brother as the Prov . G . Master was overwhelming . He admired him as a grand and a true Mason , and what he knew of him was worthy of imitation by every Mason from the highest right down the scale . Ihe toast was drunk with enthusiasm .

The I . P . M . proposed " The W . M ., " remarking that it was a privilege to come to the lodge and see him work the ceremonies . At the weekly meetings you would always find him at his post to help perfect his officers in their parts . This was how it it should be , and he admired his earnestness and appreciated his labours . Songs—Bros . A . Carter and A . Cooper .

Bro . Greenham responded . He observed that no Master was better served than he was by his ofiicers , and if he was devoted to the lodge he was much stimulated by the able and willing help of those serving under him . He felt all the more grateful to them as he had trespassed largely on their time lately , having had so many initiates ; but he thanked them for their kind words , and was glad of the opportunity to acknowledge th : ir kindness , and hoped , during his year of office , they would still strive to perfect themselves in the ritual , which they all

enjoyed when it was perfectly rendered . The W . M ., continuing , said it was his privilege on the last occasion to propose the health of two initiates , and again it was his privilege to propose the health of two more—Bros . Spencer and Scott—and he was sure he was only echoing their feelings when he welcomed them to Chine Lodge . He hoped the ceremony had impressed them with the valuable tenets of Freemasonry . In asking them to drink their health in the " loving cup . " He should like to remark on his having performed the four ceremonies that evening . He had not often heard brothers who had been installed in the chair st ^ ak with pride as to having all the stages of their

Masonic career performed by one particular brother , whether it happened to be himself or some other brother , and he thought the new initiates might cherish a similar feeling . The toast was drunk with enthusiasm . The initiates suitably replied . " The Visitors " was proposed by Bro . Carter , who remarked that the visits from brethren from the neighbouring lodges had added much enjoyment to the Fourth Degree . The toast having received an ovation , Bro . Knight , P . M ., responded . Bro . Brown proposed " The I . P . M ., " who suitably replied .

Bro . G . H . Matthews , P . M ., proposed "The two Fellow Crafts—Bros . Rev . Neville Lovett and Meu . " He spoke of the important step they had taken that evening in Freemasonry . They had seen by the two ceremonies they had gone through that their noble Order was placed upon a true and lasting foundation centered in Divine revelation , and it was this fact that made him proud of the fellowship of Bro . Rev . Lovett , and from his knowledge of Bro . Meu he was sure he , too , valued the grand principles embodied in the ritual , and he hoped to witness the time when the coping-stone of their Masonic

career would be erected . There were more brilliant heights to attain than even he ( the speaker ) had attained . No doubt they had noticed the brethren in purple—the brilliancy of these heights he had not yet explored ; but that the sun never set with regard to Freemasonry was no paradox , it was based upon the volume of the Sacred Law , and was for ever shining in the hearts of brethren all over the world . This was the basis' of fraternal fellowship . He might tell the new brethren that attempts had been made by

foreign lodges to extinguish this light , by removing that great luminary of truth and justice . He was happy to say this had failed and that it was still shining in all its ancient splendour . The toast was enthusiastically received . Bros . Lovett and Meu ably responded to the toasts . The Tyler's toast having been given the brethren separated , after having sung "Auld Lang Syne . "

Cotehele Lodge , No . 2166 . The instillation meeting of this young , but very flourishing lodge , which took place on the 2 nd inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Calstock , attracted a very large attendance of brethren , the proceedings being of a very interesting character . Among those present were the following : Bros . E . Smale , W . M . ; Dr . Bowhay , I . P . M . ; I . Northam , S . W . ; N . R . Rosekilly , J . W . ; G . Rowe , P . M ., Chap . ; H . Djwn , P . M ., Treas .

R . R . Alford , P . M ., Sec ; W . H . Bjne , P . M . ; W . Grills , P . M . ; W . Coulter , P . M . 5 Major J . G . Shanks , P . M ., K . M . ; R . P . Couth , P . M . ; and many other members of the lodge . Visitors : The W . M . and Wardens of Bedford Lodge , No . 282 ; the W . M . and Wardens of No . 557 ; Bros . G . T . Lakeman , P . M . ; Endle , iSy ; W . Symons , P . M . ; Dymond , P . M . ; J . Goad , and many other distinguished members of the Craft .

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