Provincial Grand Lodge Of Banffshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BANFFSHIRE .

The first Quarterly Convmurucalion of the Provinc ' al Grar . d Lodge of Banffshire took place on Wednesday in the St . John ' s Lodge Rooms , Binff . There was a good turn out of brethren . The following were appointed office-bearers for the yrar : Bro . Captain "W . T . Reid of Ardmeallie . ... Prov . G . M . „ "W . F . D . Steuart , of Archlunkart ... D * pute P . G . M . „ Captain W . Arnold , R . A . ... ... Substitute P . G . M .

" R A R R ' 5 1 Prcv . G . Chaps . „ Rev . A . Boyd ... ... ... ) r ,, J . Young ... ... . . ... Prov . S . G . W . ,, G . G . Simpson ... ... ... Prov . J G . W . „ A . L . Gllan ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J-ihn Macdonald ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . .. A . Pennie ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ W . Simpson ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ James Nicholson .. ... ... Prov . G . Stwd . „ A . Wil-on ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G . „ W . Swingler ... ... ... Prov . G . Architect . „ W . J . Marsden ... ... ... Prov . G . Jeweller .

. . T . Smith ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Bible B-. „ J . Smith ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Bible B-. ,, J . Simpson ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ A . Dick ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ D . Srott Robertson ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of M . „ W . Davidson ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br .

„ J . Young ... ... ... " ] prov . G . Auditors . „ Clark ... ... ... ... ) „ W . Paul ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The April meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge will be held in Cullen , the July meeting in D jfftown , and the October meeting in Keith .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Aberdeenshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF ABERDEENSHIRE .

The Quarterly Communication of the above Prov . Grand Chapter -was held in the Masonic Hall on the evening of the 24 'h ultimo , under the presidency of Comp . Sir Allan Mackenzie , Bart ., of Glenmuick , Grand Superintendent . The chapter afterwards vested St . George ' s Chapter , No . 21 , and the Royal Arch Degree was conferred upon two candidates . It was agreed that the chapter should visit Peterhead and Aboyne at an early date .

Ladies' Banquet, Concert, And Ball Of The Scots Lodge, No. 2319.

LADIES' BANQUET , CONCERT , AND BALL OF THE SCOTS LODGE , No . 2319 .

ST . VALENTINE'S NIGHT . The annual ladies' night given by the Scots Lodge , No . 2319 , was appointed this year to be given on the 7 th inst , and on Friday evening last , a company of some 234 ladies and brethren , together with gentlemen who were not Masons , assembled at the Holborn Restaurant to do honour to the occasion . The

Worshipful Master of the year is Bro . James Joseph Whitehead , a son of Bro . John Whitehead , of Aberdeen , the second Master of the lodge . The gathering was one of which any Worshipful Master might be proud , more particularly a Worshipful Master so young in years of life as Bro . Whitehead . With the experience of a ladies' night last year , perhaps the brethren who organised the entertainment might not have had ~ the same trouble in bringing it to a highly successful issue

as if they had been exercising a " prentice hand" on it , but the result showed that they were accomplished Master Masons in the execution of their work . There was not a single hitch or flaw in the whole of the proceedings , and any ftituie committees to which may be entrusted the task of arranging for further similar entertainments will have a very severe one , not only to produce anything superior to it , but also anything to equal it .

A reception took place at half-past six in the evening in the ante-room of the King's Hall , when Bro . Joseph J . Whitehead , W . M ., who was accompanied by Mrs . Whitehead , had presented to him the company of the evening . This included the following members of the lodge 1 Bros . John Whitehead , P . M . John Page , P . M . ; Thomas Grant , I . P . M . j D . F . Gellion , P . M .,- Alex Ritchie , J . P ., C . C , Treas . ; D . A . Ross , Sec . ; James Thomson , S . W . ; Dr . D . M . Forbes ,

J . W . ; D . R . Duncan , S . D . - , E . J . Gordon , J . D . ; David Charteris , A . MacGregor , J . Nirol , T . Sandilands , Wm . Laurie , J . Plenderleith , T . D . M . Burnside , A . D . Arnott , A . J . Macmaster , A . Whitehead , J . M . Barclay , J . Macgregor , Bailey Smith , W . Craig , J . Bennett , W . S . Beaton , and J . Anderson . There were also presented : Mr . and Mrs . Brutton ; Mr . and Mrs . Mullins j Miss Nellie Whitehead ; Mr . Joseph Whitehead , sen . ; Mrs . Hayes , Mrs . T . Grant , Miss Grant ,

Mr . Seton , Mrs ., Miss , and Miss E . Brown j Mr . and Mrs . Bond ; Mr . and Mrs . Crick ; Mrs . and Miss Trinder ; Mr . T . Powley ; Mr . Bullock ; Bro ., Mrs ., and Miss F . Klenck ; Mr . Cooper , Miss W . Porter , Mr . Pankhurst , Miss Wright , Mr . and Mrs . Jenrick ; Mr . W . Bull , Mr . W . Reid , Mr . R . S . Darling , Dr . Brenner , Mr . W . BUir , Mr . and Mrs . Henderson ; Miss Sturgeon , Mr . Mac Carthy , Miss Harrison , Mr . Scott , Miss Mitchell , Mrs . Wade , Mr . Loughborough ,

Mrs . Chatteris , Mr . Whittington , Mr . and Mrs . W . Wade ; Mr . J . L . Wade , Mr . T . Charteris Mr . R . E . Taylor , Mr . J . B . Charteris , Miss Robinson , Mr . and Mrs . Field ; Mrs . D . A . Ross , Mr . Andrews , Mr . S . Wood , Mr . D . Charteris , jun , Mr . Davis , Miss Gilby , Mr . Snewin , Miss Keevil , Mr . Avery , Miss Davies , Mr . Keevil , Miss Avery , Mr . Wade , Mrs . Loughborough , Miss Bond , Mrs . Gellion , Mr . and Mrs . Hayes , Miss Black , Miss L . Johnstone , Miss E . Black , MT . T . Bruce , Mi . and Mrs . M'Kean ; Mr .

Boothby , Mr . R , H . Thompson , Mr . W . Grocott , Mr . W . Hay , Mrs . Burnside , Miss Watt , Mr . Robert Watt , Miss Hay and Miss . M . Hay ; Mr . and Miss Graham ; Bro . and Miss Ellen Massey ; Mr . Baxter , Mr . Bruce , Mr . and Mrs . Macintosh ; Mrs . Laurie , Mrs . Nicol , Miss Hale , Mr . T . Macklin , Miss and Miss E . Plenderleith ; Mr . H . Walls , Mr . and Miss Sandilands ; Mr . and Mrs . Higgs ; Mr . J . P . ar . d Mrs Balfour ; Mrs . D . R . Duncan ; Mr . and Mrs . Bowie ; Mrs . Rlaimatler , Mr . J W . W . Muirison , Miss Hankin , Mr . A . McNeish , Capt . D . M .

Ladies' Banquet, Concert, And Ball Of The Scots Lodge, No. 2319.

Smith , Mr . W . Hay , Mr . B . Grant and Mrs . Grant ; Mrs . James Thomson , Miss Barclay , Mr . J . A . Lambie , Mis Stanbury , Mr . F . Whitehead , Mr . T . Harbey , Miss Roeppa , Mr . and Mrs . S . C . Phillips ; Miss M . Richards , Mr . and Mrs . Brutton ; Mr . B . R . and Mrs . and Miss Chess-am ; Mr . H . R . and Mrs . Hart ; Mr . W . H . and Mrs . Meyrick ; Mrs . Macgregor , Mr . R . C . Stamp , Mrs . Alex . Ritchie , Mr .

and Mrs . Smith ; Mr . Wank ' . ey , Mr . Cockrell , Miss Stella Keevil , Mr . J . Lymirglon , Mr . and Mrs . Macfarlane ; Mr . H . H . and Mrs . Owen ; Mrs . Stamp , Mr . A . and Mrs . Grant ; Mr . and Mrs . Goodacre ; Mr . Sidney Smith , Miss Smith , Mr . Alex . Smith , Mr . and Miss Cruickshanks ; Mr . Aubert , Miss Harris , and Mr . and Mrs . Buxton . The Piper , Bro . Peter Maclean , and the Tyler , Bro . W . Robertson , were in attendance .

At seven o ' clock , after the reception the company proceeded to the Venetian Chamber , where a magnificent banquet was provided , the Worshipful Master presiding , with his wife on his immediate right , and Mrs . Thomas Grant on his immediate lefr . The introduction of the Haggis was a grand affair , for not only was it preceded by the Piper , Bro . Maclean , but by a band of pipers , including several boys from the Royal Caledonian Asylum , all playing on the glorious pipes .

The banquet was succeeded by th ' e proposal of three toasts only , " The Queen and the Royal Family , " "The Ladies , " and "The Worshipful Master . " Bro . J OSEPH J AMES WHITEHEAD , W . M ., in proposing the first of these toasts , said he was sure that not only the Masons who were present , but the company , one and all felt with the Royal Family in their late deep affliction . At the same time he and all present wished that this great Biitish Empire might long be ruled in the same wise and acceptable way as had been the case during the present

reign . Bro . RITCHIE , Treasurer , proposed "The Ladies , " which was practically the toast of the evening . The ladies present would at once admit from what they had seen that the W . M . ruled over the Scots Lodge of London wisely and well , and that he and his colleagues hid done well in making the evening a prosperous one . They could boast that they had the presence ' of the President of the Caledonian Society , who would respond to that toast in the presence of , they would

forgive him for saying , so many young , beautiful , and eligible ladies . He himself was a Past President of the Caledonian Society , and had passed through his silver wedding , and he felt it a very great honour to have been asked to propose that toast . They were not to give him any credit for that grand gathering ; the great success of it had been effected by others , and he asked the W . M . to accept from him a souvenir of that event in the shape of a photograph of a picture of

the Mother Lodge of Scotland . He happened to be in Scotland and saw the original picture , and it was photographed and given to him , when he was told he could not do better than receive it . He thought , therefore , that the best thing he could do was to present it on the ladies' night . He therefore asked the W . M . to accept it . The photograph was then presented .

Bro . Dr . D . M . FORBES , J . W ., in replying to the toast , said he considered it a high honour to be asked to return thanks for the ladies . Would they please , for a time , consider him the ladies' representative in possession of the charm ? of grace , beauty , and syl ph-like form of lovely woman , of whom Schiller hid writtea " To her it is given to garden earth with roses of heaven . " But there were other ideas of woman , and it had also been written of

them—Oh , woman , in our hours of ease , Uncertain , coy , and hard to please , When pain and anguish wring the brow , A ministering angel thou . " But there was something else written of women by a Freemason—and an eminent Freemason—which he thought best of all . VVhen speaking of nature in the creation of thc world , he said :

" Her 'prentice hand she tried on man , And then she made the lasses , oh . " In their name , therefore , he begged to thank Bro . Ritchie for the flittering sentiments he expressed in proposing the toast , and the brethren for the enthusiastic manner in which they received it . The ladies desired him to say that they would continue to be the true and steadfast friends of the brethren , and follow their example in comforting the sorrowing and bringing peace and consolation to the

afflicted . The ladies thanked the members of the Scots Lodge for inviting them that St . Valentine ' s festival of 1896 , which was a proof that they loved the lasses . I The ladies reciprocated the feeling , and would be pleased to receive a similar invitation next year . In the words of a song which was on the programme , they said that the brethren had only to " whistle , and they will come to ye , my lads . " The ladies could not understand why the b -: thren did not receive them as members . He had asked for them the reason why , and he was told by an old Freemason that it was prohibited by the orders of King Solo .-nin , who insisted

that the Temple at Jerusalem should be built noiselessly and silently , and that male labour alone should be employed in erecting the sac .-ed edifice , and would not even allow his wife , King Pharoah's daughter , to go n ; ar it until it was completed . What his ' reason tor it was he ( Bro . Forbes ) could not tell . Ha always had thought King Solomon was a wise mm , but he had alsj thought that , when the lasses were concerned , he was a great fool . King Solomon was too much married . The ladies now thanked the brethren , and reciprocated the ssntiments of the members of the Scots Lodge .

" As cats like kitchen , And dogs like bree , Th ' e lasses like the lads , And the auld wives tae . " Bro .. THOMAS GRANT , LP . M ., proposed "The W . M . " The W . M . was beloved by the members of the Scots Lodge ; he was well known for his skill in working the ritual and for his interest in the cause of Freemasonry and its

charitable Institutions . Masonry and civilisation went hand in hand , and , looking around him that night , he felt sure that the combination was likely to continue to the end of the world . The ladies and brethren did not know with what care and ability the W . M ., and the Secretary , and Committee had worked to make that meeting successful . When they retired from that room they would go to the King's Hall , there where would be dancing , and when they left that spacious building they would only hope to come again next year . In drinking the W . M . 's health , he would wish him a happy and prosperous year of office .

Bro . J . J . WHITEHEAD , W . M ., in reply , said what he had done had been a labour of . love , especially when he was so willingly assisted by the P . Ms ., officers , and brethren . He could assure the company that he and the other members of the lodge were amply repaid by the success of the gathering for any trouble they had been put to . For the unexpected token he had received that night from Bro .

Ritchie and the ladies he begged to express his sincere thanks . Before sitting down , he wished to express his sincere acknowledgments to all the brethren who had assisted him in getting up that festival , not forgetting his dear brother Secretary , Bvo . Ross , who was really mote entitled to their thanks than he ( Bro . Whitehead ) . When toasting him they were toasting all the others engaged with him in that work .

Bro . J WHITEHEAD , before the proceedings at the banquet table ended , said he had received a telegram from Bro . David Murray Lyon , Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , congratulating the Scots Lodge on the gathering-The brethren would remember the hearty reception given by the Scots Lodge to the Grand Lodge of Scotland when members of it were in London . Hc had also