Secret Monitor.

rpmember the friendship which existed between the brethren and himwlf . ThP conclave was opened in the Second Degree , when R . W . Bro . W . J . WatC occupied the chair , and admitted to this Degree Bros . T . F Noakes , Robert n £ „ and Charles Letch Mason . The assembly of Princes was then closed . W . Bro . ¦ ri ^' mas Sheppard , P . G . Stwd ., and S . R . elect , was then presented and regularly ? nstaTled into the chair by R . W . Bro . J . J . Pakes . The S . R . appointed and invested lit officera in the Second Decree as follows : VV . Bros . Robert Roy , A . ; F . W . t . 5 Tj . V I . C . Loder . E .: and I . Lusty , S . The S . R . also appointed and

invested his officers in the First Degree as follow , -: VV . Bros . Robert Rov ; . C . j l < . VV . ffiall G * R . W . Bro . J . Tickle , P . G . T ., Asst . D . R . O ., Treas . j V . W . Bro . N . BrokenshUe , ' P . G . C ., Sec . j W . Bro . F . J . C . Loder , ist V . D . V . W . Bro . | . Lusty . W V ? D •V . W . Bro . J . Kay , 3 rd V . D . ; W . Bros . f . E Huehes , 4 * V . D . ; 1 . F . Noakes , Org *; J . Alford Clarke , Gdr . ; and Bro . J . VV . Freeman , Sentinel . Thp addresses to the brethren were very impressively given by R . W . Bro . J . j . rakes saia mat

The S R in presenting to R . W . Bro . J . R . Reep a handsome r . S . K . ' s jewel , ; t rave him very much pleasure in doing so on behalf of the conclave , as a mark ot Lnnreciation for the services he had rendered to the conclave , and of the estimation in Si he was held by the brethren , and he hoped that he might live many years to wear it in the conclave . R . W . Bro . J . R . Reep suitably acknowledged the presen a T ' h "' conclave was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banqjting room , where . 1 .... „„;„„» , t a magnificent bannuet . and durine the usual toasts a programme of music

arraneed by Bro . T . F . Noakes , Org ., was admirably gone through , the artistes being Bros . Fred W . Stephens and Louis Breeze , and Miss Ada Hunt Smith . The latter s sweet voice was much appreciated .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF KENT .

ANNUAL FESTIVAL .

The annual gathering in connection with the Piovincial Grand Lodge of Kent was held at the Town Hall , Dover , on Wednesday , the 12 th instant . M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . Earl Amherst , Pro G . M . of England , and G . Master of the Province of Kent since the year i 860 , presided , and was supported by the leading Provincial Grand Ollicers , there being a very large attendance of brethren and visitors , numbering altogether between two and

three hundred . . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened , and the chiefs of the province saluted in due form , the accounts of the Provincial Grand Treasurer were received , Bro . William Russell being then re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer . . Bro . R USSELL suitably expressed his appreciation of the renewed confidence reposed in him by the brethren . The following Prov . Grand Officers were then appointed for the ensuing

Bro . James S . Eastes , P . G . D . ... ... Dep . Prov . G . M . „ W . H . East , P . M . and W . M . 199 ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Major V . H . Stallon , P . M . 158 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . S . P . H . Statham , B . A ., P . M . 2195 ¦••} Prov . G . Chaps . Rev . Lawrence Fry , M . A ., P . M . 2499 ... )

„ „ W . Russell , P . M . 77 , P . A . G . D . C ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ A . Spencer , P . M . 1063 , P . G . S . B . ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ E . J . S . Layton , P . M . 2530 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Col . Frigout , P . M . 2041 ... •••)Prov . S . G . D . „ Beauchamp Wadmore , P . M . 1678 ... ... )

„ H . E . Whyman , P . M . 1050 ... - i Prov . l . G . D . „ H . H . Mount , P . M . 31 ... .. ... J V J „ W . Burfoot , P . M . 1223 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ D . T . J . Lyle , P . M . 1063 ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . D . Webb , P . M . 1314 ... ... Prov . D . G . D . C .

„ W . D . Ingall , P . M . 1837 ... . A „ Walter Hope , P . M . 503 ... ... \ Prov . A . G . D . Cs . „ Nicholas Grunwell , P . M . 2200 ... ... J „ Robert Dann , P . M . 125 ... ... Prov . G . S . B .

„ Robert J . Pugh , P . M . 2147 } Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ George Edgar 1 ournay , P . M . 972 ... ... ) „ Edward Wilfred Barclay , P . M . 120 S ... Prov . G . Org . „ James W , Nash , P . M . 1050 ... ... Prov . Asst . G . Sec .

„ Henry Smith Syer , P . M . S 29 ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ George A . Burrell , P . M . 1424 ... ... Prov . Asst . G . Purst . „ Isaiah Turton , P . M . 615 ... ..." ) 11 John W . Farmery , P . M . 1449 ... ... |

1 , bamuel R . Macartney , PM . 1464 ... , „' ip „„ cio , „„ ,, i ,. „ Walter Louis Seyfang , P . M . 1725 \Pmv G ' Slewards ' 1 , John Barnwell , P . M . 2099 ... ... I „ H . M . Kingsland , P . M . 2 G 60 ... ... J „ W . Austin , 1670 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

On the motion of the M . W . Prov . G . M ., Earl AMHERST , Pro G . M ., one grant of £ 10 and six grants of £ 15 each were voted , and , in accordance with the recommendations of the Charities Commission , adopted at the preparatory meeting . Bro . W . RUSSELL , P . G . Treas ., proposed that a Perpetual Presentation to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls be purchased for 1550 guineas ,

and that it be named the Earl Amherst Presentation . The brethren were , he said , well acquainted with the large scheme the province had had in viewer some time past , and which had its completion in the proposition he had just made . It was indeed pleasing for the province to have succeeded in placing the top-stone on a project undertaken originally to mark the appreciation they entertained for their beloved Prov . Grand Master .

The DEP . PROV . G . M ., in seconding the proposition , referred to the great success of the recent Girls' School Festival under the presidency of their beloved Prov . Grand Master , whom they trusted would survive to P 5 jd over the province for many years to come . The motion was carried unanimously , and Earl AMHERST then announced

that H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , VV . M . designate , had been pleased to allow the Kentish Charities Stewards to wear their badges in connection with the recent festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for uirls as long as they continue to be subscribing members of a Kentish 'oage , in recognition of the record contribution made by the brethren of the province .

j- ^ ' Grand Lodge then adjourned lo permit of the brethren attending Divine Service at the Parish Church ol St . Alary the Virgin . Ca US n tlle Church for the occasion was kindly permitted by the Rev . non H . Bartram , M . A ., and service was conducted , and a sermon was preached by the Prov . Grand Chaplain . fo ti ! n ^ " Grand Lod ge being" resumed , votes of thanks were accorded io tne Mayor and Corporation for the use of the Town Hill ; tr > Canon

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

Bartram for the use of the Parish Church ; and to the Prov . G . Chaplain for his excellent sermon . The lodge was then closed , and the brethren subsequently sat down to the annual banquet held in connection with the Grand Lodge , at the conclusion of which the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured , the " fires , " however , being omitted in consequence of the presence of a number of ladies in the galleries of the banqueting hall .

The PROV . S G . W ., in proposing " The Health of the Right Hon . the Earl Amherst , the M . W . the Prov . G . Master , " declared that his powers of speech were inadequate to express the feelings of English Masons , and particularly those of the Province of Kent , towards Earl Amherst . He could say many flattering things of his lordship were he not present , which ,

in his presence , might be somewhat out of place . It was said that when the ears of a person tingled he was being talked about , and if that was the case , the Earl's ears must often burn in consequence of the way his praises were continually sung by his brethren ot Kent . The speaker concluded by praising the way in which Earl Amherst carried out his multifarious Masonic duties .

M . W . Bro . Earl AMHERST , who was received with loud and prolonged applause , commenced by thanking the Prov . S . G . W . for omitting to say all the nice things to his face he was prepared to say behind his back . It was certainly better to have nice things said of him in his absence than the reverse . He had been privileged to reply to that toast for many years past , and he should have felt he did not deserve the thanks he had received on so

many occasions had he not striven to make the Province of Kent what it was—one of the best , as regards Masonry , in the kingdom ; and he felt it had been well worth his while to give time and trouble to attain such a result , especially since his endeavours had been so cordially backed up by the brethren of the province . They had made an effort whereby they had achieved a result on behalf of the Charities no province had ever equalled . He was

particularly gratified the Grand Master had acceded to his request to recognise the success by allowing the Kentish Stewards to wear their badges as long as they remained members of Kentish lodges . It was an honour only twice before accorded in connection with the Charities—on the occasion of the Centenaries of the Girls' and Bays' Institutions . They could not have expected to rival the totals received on either of those occasions , bat

they had done their best , and , although Kent was by no means the most important province of England , they had succeeded in surpassing all previous efforts . On ordinary occasions the Stewards' jewels were probably passed over to the ladies as brooches or other ornaments , but on this occasion they would continue to adorn the manly breasts of the men of Kent . Generally he might say that Freemasonry had gone on with the usual

prosperity of the Province of Kent . They had not consecrated any new lodges in the past year , and only one new chapter , but they had done so much in extending the Order during the last 25 years that he felt there was little more to accomplish without treading on the ground covered by the existing lodges , and that he would never agree to . He felt that not once in his time had a new lodge been created likely to interfere with older ones ,

rather the new ones had added to the prosperity of the older ones and advanced the practice of Freemasonry generally . They had to maintain their prestige in Kent—a high and lofty one—and he could but ask them to keep Kent where she was—the admiration of the provinces of England , They heard no sounds of dissension such as were heard in some parts , and he hoped the same spirit would always prevail among them , so that they

might always be found in the sprnt of the proud motto on their jewel—Invicta . At the end of his 40 years' Mastership he was told that the brethren desired to offer him a testimonial . He replied no better compliment could be paid him than a bumper Festival for the Institution he had promised to preside over . The brethren of his province gave him that support , and for that and all the support they had rendered him in the past he desired to tender his very hearty thanks to his good brethren of Kent .

Earl AMHERST then proposed " The Health of Bro . James S . Eastes , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M ., " observing that since he had selected him to act as Deputy he had frequently given counsel which he ( the speaker ) had never regretted accepting , * and ths effects of which had never caused thebrethren any regret . The toasts of " The Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and " The Visitors " were proposed and duly honoured .

The toast of " 1 he Masonic Chanties " was responded to by Bro . F . R . VV . HEDGES , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . G ., who paid eloquent tribute not only to the benefits conferred on that Institution by Eacl Amherst and the brethren of the Province of Kent , but also to the kindly interest taken in the Institution by the Countess Amherst , and the excellent speech made by her ladyship at the recent School Festival , which had been admired by Masons who had read the report of the speech wherever it had circulated .

The last toast was that of " The Peace and Harmony Lodge , No . 199 , " under whose banner the brethren had assembled , Earl AMHERST specially complimenting the lodge for the hospitality and splendid entertainment they had extended to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent on that

. During dinner a military band rendered a well-selected programme of popular airs , and at intervals iu the toast-list vocal selections were given by Madame Minnie Curtis , Miss Daisy Beyton , Bro . E . Wilford Bunbury , P . G . O . ; ] . Pearson , and xMr . J . E . Ward .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . LORD WANTAGE , P . G . W . We regret to announce that Bro . Lord Wantage died at his residence at Wantage on the ioth instant . Bro . Robert James Loyd-L ' mdsay , K . C . B ., V . C , first Baron Wantage , was a son of the late Lieuten . int-General James Lindsay , nnd was born on April 18 , 1832 . He was educated at Eton , and was formerly in the Scots Fusilier Guards . He served with distinction throughout the Crimean

campaign , acting for a portion of the time as A . D . C . to the Commander-in-Chief . Iiesides" the V . C . he received a medal with four clasps and the First Class Medjidic and Turkish medals . Hc was also made a Commander of the Legion of Honour . Ot fine presence , every inch a soldier , the friend and patron of Volunteers , Bro . Lord Wantage ' s name is inseparably connected with the shooting at Wimbledon and the encouragement of our citizen soldiers . Hro .

Lord Wantage had been in the course ol his career Kquerry to the King when Prince of Wales , Financial Secretary to the War Oilice , Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire , a J . P . for that county and Northamptonshire , Brigadier-General Commanding the Home Counties Infantry Volunteer Brigade , Lieut .-Colonel commanding the Honourable Artillery Company of London , and Commander of the first Volunteer Battalion of the Princess Charlotte of Wales ' s Regiment .