Provincial Grand Lodge Of Staffordshire.

Bro . Woods , 18 3 8 ... •••- ••¦ Prov . A . G . Purst .. Bros . Capt . McBean , 1838 ;; G ., H . Tortoishell ««; J- Beattie , j Q Stwds 726 ; F . Taylor , 726 ; H . Willcock , 419 ; F . Skerntt , 460 j Bro . W . Twist , 419 ... » . - - Prov . G . Tyler . Provincial Grand Lodge was called off at half-past one , for the purpose of

attending Divine service at St . Mary ' s Collegiate Church . The brethren marched to the church in procession . The sermon vvas preached by the Provincial Grand . Chap ., Bro . the Rev . W . F . Bradley , from the words " Man goeth forth to his work : until the evening" ( 103 rd Psalm , 23 rd verse ) . The brethren returned to the Borough Hall in reverse order , and Provincial Grand Lodge was afterwards .

resumed . Bro . J . BODENHAM presented the draft proposed new code of by-laws for the : Provincial Grand Lodge , and moved its adoption . Bro . DERRY seconded the proposition , which vvas then put and carried . Bro . BODENHAM reported as to the four boys from Staffordshire in the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and said his only wish was that all the boys in the : School were as good as the Staffordshire boys .

On the motion of the P ROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER , seconded by the PROVINCIAL . GRAND TREASURER , the following resolutions were adopted : " That this meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge approves and confirms the recent : nomination by the Prov . Grand Secretary of the W . Bro . J . Bodenham , P . A . G . D . C , P . S . G . W ., as representative for the Province of Staffordshire on the Board of '

Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , heartily thanks Bro . Bodenham for his very valuable services , past and present , to that Institution , and . requests that until the Provincial Grand Lodge shall otherwise resolve , the Prov . Grand Secretary will continue to nominate Bro . Bodenham as its representative on the Board of Management , from time to time , as occasion may require . "

" That the sum of £ 21 be and is hereby granted from the funds of Prov . Grand ' Lodge to W . Bro . Bodenham , Past A . G . D . C , P . S . G . W ., in aid of the funds of the-Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , to be presented by Bro . Bodenham , as . Steward , at the forthcoming annual Festival of that Institution . " A telegram was received from the Deputy Prov . Grand Master regretting his . inability to attend Provincial Grand Lodge , and sending his best wishes .

The question of establishing a fund for the relief of cases of distress within the province was raised by Bro . T . TAYLOR , and a Committee was appointed to consider the subject and to formulate a report . The Committee were also instructed to consider the relations of the province with the Masons' Institutions and charitable associations , and to report upon the same .

Votes of thanks vvere accorded the following : The Provincial Grand Chaplain for his excellent sermon ; the rector of St . Mary ' s for the use of his church ; the Staffordshire County Council and the Corporation of Stafford for the use of the halls for the lodge and the banquet . The collection at the church amounted to £ 7 13 s . gd ., which was apportioned as follows : £ 2 IOS . to the County Infirmary , Stafford ; £ 2 ios . to the Provincial Grand Chaplain's Church Fund ( St . Peter ' s , West Bromwich ) , and the balance to the rector of St . Mary ' s , Stafford , for his schools .

Provincial Grand Lodge was thereupon closed , and the brethren adjourned to banquet . The usual toasts were proposed . In proposing " The Queen and the Craft" the PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER said her Majesty swayed the sceptre of the mightiest empire that ever existed since the world began ; but what was a still greater thing to be said of her was that she was a ruler enthroned in the hearts of her own countrymen . Their

affections went hand in hand with their duties , as a token and pledge whereof he asked thebrethren to drink with the greatest enthusiasm the health of the Queen . The PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER in proposing "The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " said tbat last year he made special reference to the habits of punctuality of the Grand Master , and recommended that the brethren of the province should follow his example , although he ( the Provincial Grand Master )

had very little to complain of in that respect . He now made special reference to the Grand Master ' s sincerity . The brethren all knew perfectly well that the aim , object , purpose , and principles of Freemasonry were to cultivate that understanding , elevate the character , and examine the heart . The Prince of Wales had given to the iworld proofs of his belief in these principles , inasmuch as be bad recently completed the dedication of his eldest son to the service of Freemasopry . This , they would easily understand , supplied an incontrovertible answer to all

the sneers and slanders of the outside world . But there vvas one other lesson they had to learn , that his Royal Highness always did his own work . He never vacated the chair when present at a meeting as long as there was any work to do , a lesson to be commended to every brother . In Staffordshire the lesson happily was not needed , for , as he told them in lodge , the work in Staffordshire was admirably performed . Nevertheless , as a little encouragement in well doing as well as for the credit of the Grand Master , this might well be noticed .

Bro . BEVERLEY proposed " The Pro G . M ., the Deputy G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Bro . BODENHAM , P . A . G . D . C , in reply , said it vvas always an honour to respond for officers of the Grand Lodge of England , and he only regretted that they had not with them a member of Grand Lodge whom they so recently saw in Stafford , and to whom they owed a great debt of gratitude , Bro . Sudlow . With

regard to the officers of Prov . Grand Lodge , they certainly could not refer to their works for some time without referring to the death of the Earl of Carnarvon , to which the Prov . Grand Master had so feelingly referred in Prov . Grand Lodge . They were happy , however , to think that although they had had a great loss , there still remained Masons to fill up gaps in their ranks , and they were very glad of the well-earned promotion of the Earl of Lathom , and to greet him as Pro G . M .

They hoped he would fill the office as well and have as distinguished a career as his predecessor . As to the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , he also had a good record , and his services to his province entitled them to think he would rank with his predecessors . As to the other Grand Officers , the M . W . G . M . had appointed Lord -Wantage and Admiral Inglefield , who vvere well known in the Army and Navy , as Grand Wardens . All the Grand Officers hoped to do their duty well . Happily ,

the Grand Officers had during the last few years been drawn from the ranks of provincial brethren as well as London brethren , and now there was no province in England which could not claim to have supplied a Grand Officer , and year by year Masons of position and ability were preferred to office in Grand Lodge , and a link was kept up between head-quarters and the provinces . Having thanked the brethren for the toast , he would call special attention to one Grand Officer , whose

name needed no commendation at his hands—the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Colonel Foster Gough , LL . D . ¦ The toast might have fallen to abler , ' but certainly not to more willing hands . The brethren knew how long Colonel Foster Gough had laboured in the Province of Staffordshire , and many of them also well knew how active and earnest a Mason presided over the destinies of the province , more or less , for the last 20 years . They hoped he

would preside over them for many years to come . From past experience they knew the province was b y him perfectly armed at all points . In the last year he had taken in hand the very important matter of ritual , and they knew how zealously he had laboured , not only by his personal precept and example , but by his attendance at lodges , and bringing the brethren into line with the great authorities of the

Craft , in making them perfect in the whole of the great work . It vvas an open secret that when the ritual was perfect Col . Foster Gough had other aims in view , and ajl the great elections of Masonry would in due course have his attention . He gave his attention to one point at a time , furnishing and fitting up the whole of the moral furniture of the Craft . They had heard him say he had attended 52 Masonic

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Staffordshire.

¦ meetings in the last year , and many of the brethren present had had the pleasure •of welcoming him at those meetings . They had realised the labour and the de . 'votion which was involved in that number of meetings . Bro .. Col . Foster Gou « h -was enthroned in the hearts of all Masons , and he would adapt to him words which were spoken of a very different person :

" He always rules us by our own consent . His laws are equal , and his genial sway Makes it a real pleasure to obey . " The PROV . GRAND MASTER , in responding , said it was not very frequentl y he found himself completely at fault , but really the very overwhelming nature of the praise delivered by Bro . Bodenham in painting an ideal Grand Master as he ( the

Prov . G . M . ) would wish to be , but could not claim to be , and the brethren ' s reception of the remarks were really more than he was able to acknowled ge He could assure the brethren of his very grateful though poor acknowled gments He could not deny that he had striven hard perhaps to do his duty among the brethren . He must candidly tell them that he had met with an exceedingl y rich and comprehensive reward , which he could hardly have expected . On the present

•occasion he vvas inexpressibl y grateful to the lodges which had surpassed his expectations in their attendance at Provincial Grand Lodge , but he wished it to be defi . nitely understood that it would be an additional proof of their loyalty and courtesy if more of the brethren would stop to the banquet . He vvas frequently asked b y outsiders his opinion as to entering into the Craft , and he was on those occasions very seldom able to refrain from giving the result of his own experience , vvhich was that

since the day he joined the Craft he had only had one regret—that he mi ght have joined it two years earlier . That vvas his opinion now . Bro . Bodenham had referred to the fact of his having attended 52 Masonic meetings during the year , but he would not further go into that . He now proposed the next toast— "The Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and the Officers of Prov . Grand Lodge . " He had to thank these brethren for their prompt and loyal support .

That he mi ght say applied specially to Bro . Bindley , the Deputy Prov . G . M ., vvho only required an order from him , and it was at once obeyed , and when asked to visit a lodge he at once did it . Within a few hours he sent him a full and impartial report of all that had taken place on his visit . When he ( the Prov . G . M . ) . had any doubt he referred to Bro . Bindley , and his judgment was thoroughly reliable . He was very popular , and the only lodges where he was not popular vvere

those where the brethren vvere not punctual , or were absent without permission . But he was popular vvith the Provincial Grand Master and all right minded brethren . He referred to Bro . Bindley for the purpose of reassuring him of the brethren ' s continued and heart y wishes that his health might be very speedily restored and would soon be among the brethren again . With regard to the other Grand Officers , they vvere all under his special notice , and he knew they vvere entitled to an honourable place .

Bro . BRADLEY , Prov . G . Chap ., responded , and said he believed there was but one spirit animating the whole of the Provincial Grand Officers—the spirit of perfect loyalty to their Prov . Grand Master , and of true Masonic love for all his most admirable qualities which they had seen in every possible way . The duties of the Prov . G . Officers vvere most arduous , and they had to be performed at intervals vvhich were too far apart . They would like to see more work in the province , so as to have

more opportunities of meeting each other . However , they vvere thankful to meet the Prov . Grand Master ; the present occasion might be the last with some of them , but at all events they vvere at least thankful to be there that evening , and to do all they could to further the cause of Masonry under their distinguished leader . He vvas sorry Bro . Bindley was ill with influenza . Influenza had been the cause of his having had between last Sunday week and . that day to

prepare seven sermons , but that day pressure vvas put upon him not to deliver one of more than three-quarters of an hour . He thought if sermons were somewhat shorter more people would attend church , and their Sundays would be a great deal better . They were all loyal to the Great Architect of the Universe ; but as they were all made up of a large proportion of human nature , the result would be that human nature would have the upper hand . He thanked the Prov .

Grand Master for his kind recognition of his Grand Officers' services . Bro . PEPPER proposed , and Bro . MASSEY replied to the toastof " The Visitors . " Bro . NEWNHAM , Prov . G . T ., proposed "The Masonic Charities , " declaiming against indiscriminate Charity , but approving of what Provincial Grand Lodge had done that day in re-appointing the By-laws Committee for devising means for how they could best help unobtrusive misery . Bro . BARKEK replied .

Bro . DAVIS proposed , and Bro . TAYLOR responded to the toast of The Stewards , " and the T yler ' s toast closed the proceedings . Some capital music was given by the glee party , which was composed of Bros . Alex . Smith ,. W . M ., W . H . Smith , S . W ., and E . W . Smith , J . W ., of the Noah's Ark Lodge , No . 347 , Tipton .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND .

The Grand Chapter of this province was summoned to assemble at the Freemasons' Hall , Whitehaven , on Tuesday , the 5 th inst ., under the banner of Sun , Square , and Compasses Chapter , No . 119 , when , in the absence of the Grand Superintendent , ' Comp . H . Cook , P . Z ., P . G . H ., presided . There vvas a large number of companions present . Provincial Grand Chapter was opened , and the minutes of the former meeting , held at Workington , read and confirmed . The dues from the respective chap ters of the province were paid as c-dled upon ; also fees of honour .

In the absence of the Prov . G . Treas ., Comp . MCKAY read a statement 01 accounts , which showed a good balance to credit account , and Comp . McKay moved that Comp . G . W . Kenworthy be Grand Treasurer for the province . Comp . PATERSON seconded the proposition , and it was unanimously agreed to . Comp . DALRYMPLE proposed Comp . Casson for the office of Janitor , vvhich vvas seconded by Comp . BARR , and carried . The following companions vvere invested by the Acting G . Superintendent Comp . Geo . J . McKay , P . Z . 129 ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ H . Bewes , P . Z . ^ 27 ... ... ... Prov . G . J .

,, Geo . Dalrymple , P . Z . 119 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ J . G . Gandy , 129 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ G . W . Kenworthy , P . Z . 119 ( elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ John Spittall ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg-WCJohnsZ 119 ProvG . P . S .

„ . . , . ... ... ... . " E . G . Mitchell , Z . 371 ... . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' Prov . G . ist A . S . „ Thos . Allinson , J . 119 ... ... ... Prov . G . 2 nd A . _ - ,, James Dickinson , H . 371 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . J . AbbottJ . 371 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br .

„ , ,, Edwin Loach , S . E . 9 62 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Geo . Starkey , P . S . 119 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C „ D . H . Cook ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ John Mills ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . S . k-

,, William Hodgson , 10 73 ... ... ... " ) , „ E . J . Burgess , 327 ... ... ... ... [ Prov . G . Stwds . „ Isaac Dickinson , 9 62 ... ... ... „ John Casson ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . ^ This being all the business before the Prov . Grand Chapter , it was closed , a the companions dined at the Globe Hotel , Comp . H . Cook in the chair .