Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

complete without the presence of Bro . Partridge , who loved Freemasonry , and was loved by the province , and whilst the whole of the province would be delighted to have his portrait for all time , the brethren were absolutely united in the earnest hope that the original would be spared for many

years . As it was hoped that the portrait would be hung in the Freemasons Hall , he asked Bro . Partridge to accept the f ilver salver and an address from Provincial Grand Lodge , that he and his family might have something at home to remind them of the deep esteem and affection in which he was held by the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland .

Bro . the Rev . C . HENTON WOOD , M . A ., P . P . G . W ., P . G . C , who said the portrait wohld be an incentive to the brethren to emulate the zeal , kind ness , and determination of the original , mentioned that Bro . Partridge was the originator of the Provincial Calendar , and said that all were of one accord as to the presentations , and in the hope of a long Masonic future for Bro . Partridge .

The whole of the brethren present frequently evinced the heartiest sympathy with the remarks of Bros . Marshall and Wood , and on Bro . S . S . PARTRIDGE rising to reply , he was received with great enthusiasm . He said Bro . Marshall , officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , and brethren , we are told that out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh , but I fear that mv case will prove an exception to the good old

proverb , for although my heart is overflowing with gratitude , words fail me to express my thanks for the exceedingly great honour this day conferred upon me ; an honour far exceeding anything my Masonic services could have deserved . In the first place , I desire to express my deep obligations to Bro . Marshall , not only for consenting to make the presentation on your behalf , and for the more than kind words with which it has been

accompanied , but also for all the untiring exertions that he , aided by Bro . Holmes and other members of the Presentation Committee , have used in raising so splendid a testimonial . To one and all of you I desire to express my deepest acknowledgments for the honour now conferred upon me . You have in the past , during the 33 years of my Masonic life , bestowed upon me many marks of your appreciation and goodwill . Special ' y would I like to

refer to the great kindness of the brethren on the occasion of my marriage , now more than 20 years ago , when a beautiful Masonic wedding present was offered to me on that most important epoch of my life . The kind wishes then expressed have been very fully realised , and my good wife treasures amongst our most precious possessions the testimonial we then received . The present very artistic production of my friend Mr . Hacker will ever be

valued by me , but that value will in manifold measure be enhanced if you permit it to have a place on the walls of this lodge room , in which many happy hours of my life have been spent , and I have , therefore , to ask Prov . G . Lodge to accept the portrait from me , and I trust it may be permitted to be placed amongst those of other and more deserving brethren now appearing on these walls , and that it may serve to remind you of one who ,

however imperfectly he may have laboured , has attempted to discharge his Masonic duties for the benefit of the Craft and in the interests of this good Province of Leicestershire and Rutland . The further token of your regard in giving me this handsome salver and beautiful Masonic address will always remind me of your kind appreciation , and I trust when , in the

ordinary course of events , I may be removed from amongst you , these beautiful gifts will be prized and preserved by those I may leave behind me . Brethren , I feel that my thanks have been very feebly expressed for all your kindness , but you will quite understand the difficulty I have in giving adequate expression to my deep gratitude , and , I trust , pardon my saying more than once again—Thank you from the bottom of my heart .

Bro . C Bennion was re-elected Prov . G . Treas ., and the Prov . G Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested as follows : Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G . D . C . Eng . ... D . P . G . M .

„ Rev . S . Wathen Wigg , P . M . 1911 , 1764 , . so , - , Pr ( jv SGWi " . " . " j . * -. ... ... ... j ,, Cornelius Gurden , P . M . 279 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . George Estlin Atkins , M . A ., Chap . 279 ... * ) ,, Rev . James Wilson A . Mackenzie , M . A ., > Prov . G . Chaps . Chap . 50 ... ... ... ) „ John Joseph Sharp , P . M . 242 S ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ,, Edward Holmes , P . M . 279 and 2429 ... Prov . G . Sec . „ William Henry Wootton , I . P . M . 1007 ... Prov . S . G . D . ,, Edward Forster Knight , P . M . 1130 ... Prov . J . G . D . „ John Wigg , I . P . M . 50 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of Wks „ Henry Howe , P . M . 1391 ... ... Prov . G . D . C ,, Frtdetick Samuel Waterman , P . M . 2081 ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ John Clifton , I . P . M . 297 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ John VVilliam Bromley , P . M . 1007 ... \ p „ < , , „ „ Frank Lambert , P . M . 1391 ... ... j Prov- U * - * " - •brSl ,, Thomas Williscroft , P . M . 779 ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, Williams Adams Lea , I . P . M . 523 ... ... Prov . G . Purst . ,, Berjsmin Freer , P . M . 1265 ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . ,, Geoige Farmer , I . P . M . 779 ... ... ^ ,

„ Giles Eli Barton , LP . M . 1391 ,, Henry John BlakeOey . F . K . CS ., P . M . 1560 ... ! r - , „ John George Collis , I . P . M . 2028 ... ... f ' ' * - , tWdS „ J .. hn Furley , I . P . M . 1265 ,, Waller Firth Cirnley , LP . M . 2428 ... ,, James Tanser , Tyler 279 ... ... Prov . G . Tyler

Ireland.

Ireland .

GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of the above Grand Lodge was held at Freemasons' I lall , Molesworth-sireet , Dublin , on Thursday , the 7 th inst . R . W . Bro . Sir James Creed Meredith , D . G . M ., presided , supported by R . W . Bros . R . Keatirg Clay , G . Treas ., as acting S . G . W . ; Sir C A .

Cameron , C . B ., as acting J . G . W . ; Rt . Rev . Lord Bishop of Down , G , Chap ' ain ; Chetwode Crawley , as G . D . C ; W . Bro . H . IC . Flavell , Dep . G . Secretary ; Bro . McGcc , G . Steward ; and the other Grand O'licers The R . W . Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim and Wicklow and Wexford were also present .

Ireland.

There was a very large attendance of brethren , as it was understood that Grand Lodge would be asked to depart from its long-established custom of confining its liberality to strictly Masonic objects , and to vote a sum of money to the General Fund for relief of the families of our soldiers and sailors serving in South Africa .

When the minutes of the preceding Communication had been confirmed , The DEPUTY GRAND MASTER adverted , in feeling terms , to the great losses sustained by the Craft in Ireland during the current week . He went on to particularise the decease of W . Bro . Davenport Crosthwaite , LL . D ., and of W . Bro . Edward Hamilton , M . D ., who had both been prominent

Freemasons for nearly half-a-century . Bro . Davenport Crosthwaite had attained Grand Office as far back as i 860 , and had served zealously and faithfully as Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Instruction—a position which his wide and accurate learning rendered him peculiarly fitted to fill . To the present generation of Irish Freemasons he would be best known as Vice-Chancellor of the Order of the Temple in Ireland . He was the first

Vice-Chancellor appointed after the confederation of the Irish and English Templar Bodies in 1873 , and he discharged the duties of that responsible office with zeal and fidelity till failing health compelled him to resign a year or two ago . He died full of years and honours and accompanied to the last by the unfeigned esteem of his brethren . The very next day after Bro . Davenport Crosthwaite's remains had been deposited in the tomb , the brethren were called on to escort to the grave the remains of another

brother equally prominent in the Craft , equally renowned in the realm of science , and of even longer service in the Brotherhood . Our lamented Bro . Edward Hamilton , M . D ., ex-President of the Royal College of Surgeons , and Surgeon-in-Ordinary to the Lord Lieutenant , was a leading member of the Board of General Purposes , and may be said to have died in harness . He was a Grand Officer of the Temple , and had attained high distinction in the Ancient and Accepted Rite . He never spared himself in the interests of Freemasonry , and his departure from among us will leave a gap hard to

be filled . On the proposition of the DEP . G . M ., seconded by the G . TREAS ., sympathetic resolutions were in each case adopted by Grand Lodge and ordered to be forwarded to the families of our deceased brethren . In accordance with the practice of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , which permits the retention of Grand office for three years , the Board of General Purposes recommended the re-election of all the Grand Officers as follows :

M . W . Bro . his Grace the Duke of Abercorn ,,, G . M . R . W . „ Right Hon . Viscount Templetown ... S . G . W . R . W . „ Sir John T . Banks , K . C . B . ... ... J . G . W . R . W . „ R . Keating Clay , J . P . ... ... G . Treas . R . W . „ Right Hon . Lord Castletown ... G . Sec . R . W . „ Rev . Benjamin Gibson , M . A . ... * ) R . W . „ Right Rev . the Lord Bishop of Down , [ G . Chaps .

W . „ William ' G . Huband ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . S . G . D . W . ,, George Drury ... ... ... J . G . D . W . „ William Spencer , CE . ... ... G . Supt . of Wks W . „ James M . Lowry ... ... G . D . of C W . „ William McGee , J . P . ... ... G . Stwd . W . „ George Scriven , M . D . ... ... G . S . B . W . „ Thomas R . G . Joze , Mus . D . ... G . Organist . VV . „ J . Fox Goodman , J . P . ... ... G . I . G .

The Grand Secretary G . L . Instruction had already been re-elected at the June communication . Thebrethren nominated by the lodges to represent them on the Board of General Purposes for 1900 were reported to Grand Lodge and elected . There was no opposition in any case . An appeal by a lodge . against the decision of Prov . G . Lodge was held over , no one appearing to sustain the appeal on behalf of the lodge .

Permission was sought by two Dublin lodges to install as W . M . brethren who had not served as Waiden in any lodge under the Irish Constitution . Buth petitions had been investigated and recommended by the Board of General Purposes . In one case the brother recommended had

served as Warden in a lodge under the English Const itution , and the assent of Grand Lodge was a mere matter of course . Tlie other case evoked considerable discussion , as the brother recommended ( a peer of the realm ) was held to be of junior standing ; but evidence of his services to the Craft having been adduced , his name also was approved .

A recommendation from the Committee of Charity , endorsed by the Board of General Purposes , to contribute 100 guineas to the fund for the relief of the families of our soldiers and sailors engaged in the present war was laid before Grand Lodge by the DEP . G . MASTER in an eloquent and

stirring speech , which elicited much enthusiasm . The proposal was adopted by acclamation , and on the suggestion of Bro . Chetwode Crawley , permission was given lo the lodges applying for it to forward their separate contributions to any approved local scheme for the purpose . The routine business having been transacted , Grand Lodge was closed .

The next communication of the Grand Lodgeof Ireland will take place , according to time-honoured custom , on St . John ' s Day in winter , for which the following summons has been issued :

ST . JOHN'S DAY , 27 th DECEMBER , 1899 . The Grand Lodge of Ireland will meet at high noon , and , at the conclusion of the ordinary business , an address will be delivered by the R . W . Deputy Grand Master , on the progress of Irish Masonry during the year . After the meeting , a hot luncheon will be provided in the Masonic Hall , at the cost of half-a-crown per head , to be paid by the brethren attending , in addition to the cost of any liquid refreshment they may require . All members ol Grand Lodge are entitled to attend .

All Brethn-n attending Grand Lodge shall wear the appropriate full Dress Apron and the Coll u and jewel of his rank ; but no member of the Grand Lodge , or visitor thereto , shall wear any jewel , medal , or device belonging to any order or degree , b * -yonil lhat of Master Mason , in wnich the Jewel of a Past Master i- > included . The Representatives of Foreign Grand Lodges may wear the Insignia of the Lodges they represent . —See G . L . Law 10 . Each member of Grand Lodge attending any Communication thereof shall , before entering , sign his name in a book provided for that purpose : and every