The Province Of Durham.

annual communication , under the combined auspices of the lodges which are located in Gateshead , on Tuesday , the 26 th ult . Bro . Sir HEDWORTH WILLIAMSON presided , and was supported by his Deputy—Bro . the Rev . Canon TRISTRAM ,

D . D ., P . G . C , Bro . VICTOR WILLIAMSON , P . G . W . England , a very strong muster of Provincial Officers , Present and Past , and the representatives of the lodges , together with a fair

sprinkling of visitors from far and near . That the Province is financially , as well as numerically , strong was shown firstly , by the liberal donations voted to the local and p-eneral Masonic Institutions on the recommendation of

the Provincial Fund Committee , the Durham Masonic Educational Fund being granted 100 guineas and the Central Masonic Schools and the Benevolent Institution each of them 70 guineas ( , £ 73 ios . ) , the total sum thus voted amounting to

£ 325 ios . The Report of the Chanties Committee was 01 a still more encouraging nature . During the year a Festival was held at Durham in behalf of the Educational and HUDSON Benevolent Funds of the Province , the total subscribed being

£ 2314 , and this had enabled the Committee to augment the investments in respect of the HUDSON Benevolent Fund to ^ 3000 , and those of the Educational Fund , which at the present time is providing for the education and support of 20 children

to £ 3093 . To these gratifying evidences of thc prosperity of the Craft in Durham the Provincial Grand Master made a point of referring in his address , and , in doing so , he took the opportunity of drawing particular attention to the long and valuable

services rendered by Bro . ROBERT HUDSON , P . G . S . B . England , who for many years had filled the important office of Prov . G . Secretary ; but more especially did he lay stress 011 the generous self-denial exhibited by Bro . HUDSON , who , when ifc was proposed

to present him with a testimonial , expressed a wish that if a Fund for the purpose was raised , it should be devoted to the establishment of a Benevolent Fund for the Province , a slight personal recognition of his services being the only present he

would consent to accept . Thc other circumstances to which the Prov . Grand Master considered it his duty to refer were of a similarly gratifying character . The number ot subscribing members of lodges in the province had increased during the year by 128 ,

from 302310 3 i 5 i , andas there are 37 lodgeson the roll— -not 3 g , as we stated recently in one of our "Notes "—this gives the unusually hig h average of 85 members per lodge . In fact , as the Prov . G . Master was careful to point out , there has been

steady progress during thc whole of the time he has been in office . In 1885 , when he was appointed , there were in Durham 31 lodges , with an aggregate membership of 2258 ; now the

Returns are , as we have just stated , 37 lodges , with 3151 , while in Royal Arch Masonry there are 13 chapters , with 528 members . Such statements as these must have been listened to with the

greatest pleasure by the numerous and representative gathering of brethren that attended the meeting , and we sincerely trust that the present Prov . G . Master may retain his office for many

years , and that so long as he is able to retain it the proceedings at the annual meetings of his Prov . G . Lodge and Chapter may be at least as conclusive of the progress and prosperity of the Province as they have been this year .

"The Old King's Arms Lodge."

"THE OLD KING'S ARMS LODGE . "

The second half of this century will be remarkable , Masonically , for the number of Histories of Lodges published , as well as for other precise and critical works relating to the Fraternity . By degrees we are being favoured with reproductions of many of the old Records of great value and importance ,

enabling us to judge more accurately as to the personnel and usages of the early lodges , both before and after the inauguration of the premier Grand Lodge 1716-7 . Unfortunately , not a few of these , constituted during the third decade of the last

century , and still on the roll , have lost many of their ancient minute books , so that the histories that have appeared as to their origin and progress , have been more or less deficient in the very period about which we especially desire light and information . Bro . Albert F . Calvert , F . R . G . S ., F . S . A ., & c , the VV . M . of the "Old King ' s Arms Lodge / ' 1898-9 , is determined that

"The Old King's Arms Lodge."

No . 28 ( 14 th in point of age really ) shall have justice done to its proud position as one of the senior lodges on the register , having been constituted in the year 1725 , and so has had printed and published in elegant form , an ably written history , 1725-1899 , dealing with the eventful

career of that venerable Atelier , in a most interesting and entertaining manner . It is appropriately dedicated to the officers and members " in recognition of their kind and generous support during his year of office in the chair , " who , doubtless , warmly appreciate the compliment thus paid them , and are

proud of this achievement of their esteemed Master , who is as much at home in book-making as he is in handling the gavel . Bro . Henry Sadler has' written an excellent introduction , in which he rightly

observes" The prominent position held by the Lodge during the first thirty years of its existence is clearly indicated by the fact that amongst its members during that period will be found the nam as of no less than iwo . who had

filled the chair of Grand Master and seven that of Deputy Grand Master , several of whom also served the office of Master in the Lodge . " Although the introduction is not lengthy , there is no lack of valuable information , and several interesting points are noted which add considerably to the value of the handsome volume .

Bro . Calvert has done his work thoroughly , and has taken no end of pains to make the History all it should be . What is briefly termed " List of Officers , " as an Appendix , must have involved no little labour , as the compilation includes : ( a ) The names of all the officers , from 1725 to 1898 ; { b ) a register of

the members arranged chronologically , with addresses and descriptions for the same period , those joining being indicated by a star ; ( c ) " List of Grand Officers" who were members of the lodge , 32 in number ; ( d ) " Lodge Furniture , Jewels , & c , " acquired and presented , with another list ; ( e ) showing those

still in possession of the lodge ; (/) titles of books , & c , and a list of subscribing members at the present time ; these concluding with a noteworthy address by Martin Clare , M . A ., F . R . S ., December , nth , 1735 , and the By-Laws as revised in 180 S-

There are eight minute books preserved from August , 1 733 , the first , from 1725 to early in 1733 , being missing , which is much to be regretted . As Bro . Calvert observes , " If the present members of the Old King ' s Arms have the loss of Vol . I . of their minutes to deplore , they have much to be

thankful for in that Vol . II . has been preserved to them . The lodge was favoured with several distinguished Craftsmen as Masters ; Sir Cecil Wray , Bart ., D . G . M ., 1 734 , being W . M . for several years ; Lord Weymouth , G . M ., 1735 ; George Payne , G . M ., 1718-1720 ; Sir Robert Lawley , D . G . M ., 1742-3 ; Dr .

Edward Hody , F . R . S ., D . G . M ., 1 745-6 ; Fotherly Baker , D . G . M ., 1747-51 ; and other principal officers of the Grand Lodge were likewise in the chair of the lodge early last century ; also Bro . John Jessie , Grand Treasurer , 1738-52 , and Bro . John Revis , Grand Secretary , 1 734-56 , were members during the

same period . Bro . Martin Clare , M . A ., F . R . S ., who was S . W . in 1730 , does not appear to have served as W . M ., though he was one of the chief members , and was D . G . M . of England in

1741 . About this worthy brother the " History of l" reemasonry in Lincolnshire" ( 1894 ) , by Bro . William Dixon , P . M . 297 , should be consulted . It is a volume of exceptional interest , as Bro , Calvert warmly acknowledges .

The first minute book in existence , which begins in 1733 , refers in that year to Bro . Bentley offering the use of a copperp late for summonses to be sent to " each of the members , both of the Fellow Craft and Masters Lodge" which is one of the earliest notices of the kind extant . Another which should be

mentioned , is dated October ist , 1733 . " Br . Maccollock , Bro . Nerton and Bro . Slahalt made it their joynt Request to the Lodge , that they would be pleased in regard to the Master Lodge was just

opening , that they might have the favours of being admitted to that dignity . * * * In consideration of the promising merits of three such members , this was granted , and they were honoured with that Degree of the Craft , by thc acting Master . "

Evidently this meeting of Masters was held ( as they generally were ) separate from the regular lodge , and on November 4 th , 1734 , it is noted that "An invitation from the Masters Lodge to the Masters of the Constituted Lodge to become Members " was received , and duly " recommended from the Chair . " Other

minutes also confirm this arrangement and independent action . Thc " Stewards' Lodge " sent an invitation , which was read by the Master for the information and " Visit of the Master Masons . " Lord Weymouth and Lord Kilmurray were " admitted Master Masons and paid the fees " in 1734 .