Freemasonry In Staffordshire.

his power in some measure to show them how very highly he appreciated that extraordinary kindness at their hands . At the meeting of the Preceptors before the lodge commenced it was hinted by Colonel Gough that during the interregnum questions might arise in the minds of some Preceptors or brethren in the

province about certain little details of working , and he hoped that whenever any question did arise they would not hesitate to communicate with him either direct or through Colonel Gough , and he should be pleased indeed to the best of his ability to answer the questions fully . He knew that his words had been halting and

poor , but when his feelings were moved deeply , as they were now , he found it impossible to say all that he would say . He therefore asked them one and all to accept from him just a simple expression of his heartfelt thanks . On the motion of Bro . Col . GOUGH , seconded by

Bro . PIERCY , a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Bro . Stanger , P . G . Reg ., for his able services as Treasurer and Secretary . Bro . Col . GOUGH also acknowledged their indebtedness to Bro . Wooldridge , P . G . D . C , and the brethren of the Staffordshire Knot Lodge for placing their

beautiful furniture and room at their disposal . About 30 letters of apology were announced , including expressions of regret from Bros . Col . Bindley , D . P . G . M . ; Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M . Worcestershire ; R . G . Venables , D . P . G . M . Shropshire ; and Naylor , P . G . Sec . Derbyshire .

After the lodge had been closed , the brethren sat down to an excellent dinner provided by Miss Perks . Owing to the pressure of time the toast list following the repast was curtailed . Bro . Col . GOUGH proposed " The Health of Bro . Sudiow " exciting hearty plaudits bv remarking that

he had every reason to believe that he was likely to become a Staffordshire brother . Bro . SUDLOW replied , and proposed " The Health of Bro . Col . Gough , " which was drunk with Masonic honours . The Prov . Grand Master expressed himself highly gratified with the proceedings of the day .

MASONIC BAZAAR AT HUDDERSFIELD . On the 6 th inst ., Mrs . H . F . Beaumont , of Whitley Beaumont , opened a three days' bazaar in the Masonic Hall , Fitzwilliam-street , Huddersfield , in aid of a fund to reduce the debt of ^ 300 on the premises of the Beaumont Lodge , No . 2035 , at Kirkburton . The stalls were very neatly arranged , and were laden with a large

assortment of fancy and useful articles . There was a large company at the opening ceremony . Bro . WILLIAM SCHOFIELD stated that the lodge had had to furnish the premises , and had had to borrow money therefore , which they desired to repay . The lodge had taken the name of Beaumont from Bro .

H . F . Beaumont , M . P ., of Whitley Beaumont , the Member for the Colne Valley Division . Mrs . H . F . BEAUMONT , who was very cordially received , said she had been President of the Bazaar Committee , and she had seen with very great pleasure the wonderful energy and activity which the ladies of

the working party had displayed in working for the bazaar . The time had now come when they ought to meet with the reward of their labours , and she could hardly doubt that their hopes would be more than realised . She concluded by declaring the bazaar open .

Bro . W . H . J ESSOP moved , and Bro . FITTON seconded , a resolution of thanks to Mrs . Beaumont , and it was heartily passed . Bro . H . R . BEAUMONT ( who is a member of the lodge along with his father ) responded on behalf of Mrs . Beaumont .

? BRO . W . B . WILLIAMSON , P . PROV . S . G . W . WORCESTERSHIRE , AND THE LODGE AT WORCESTER , MASS ., U . S . A . During the past summer Bro . W . B . Williamson , P . Prov . S . G . W . of Worcestershire , formerly Mayor of Worcester , who has rendered important services to

the Craft in his province , and who , during his Mayoralty took a prominent part in the Masonic exhibition and fetes held in Worcester , paid a visit to the United States . During the period of his sojourn he made a short stay at the city of Worcester , Mass ., where he met with a most cordial reception

from the Mayor and Corporation , most of whom are members of the Masonic community in that city . He was met on his arrival by Bro . Mayor Harrington and a numerous body of civic officials , and b y them conducted through Elm Park to Newton Hill and other districts . Subsequently he was shown over the

Winslowstreet School , the High School , and Clark University , at each ot which he was most kindly greeted by the Principals , tutorial staff , and students . A : ter dining at the Worcester Club , Bro . Williamson turned his steps towards the City Hall , where the City Fathers were engaged in the discharge of their duties , and where he

was again most enthusiastically received . Nor was the Masonic body unmindful of its duties to their visitor from the Old Country , for the members of the Quinsigamond Lodge not only dispensed to him their hospitality with a bounteous hand and in a truly fraternal spirit , but they presented him with a special jewel , together with an address

Freemasonry In Staffordshire.

signed by the M . W . G . M . of Massachusetts and others , in which they expressed the pleasure they had experienced from the visit of one who had held the honourable office of Mayor of the ancient English city after which their own was named . The circumstances attending his visit were , indeed , of such a gratifying

character that at the recent annual meeting at Tenbury of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Worcestershire Bro . Williamson gave a full and particular acount of his reception , and so struck were our Worcestershire brethren by the hospitalityand kindness he had received from the Quinsigamond Lodge that , on the motion of Bro . Sir

E . A . H . LECHMERE , M . P ., Prov . G . M ., seconded by Bro . A . F . GODSON M . P ., P . G . D ., D . P . G . M ., it was unanimously resolved that the following letter should be sent to the lodge in question , in recognition of their welcome and the greeting they had commissioned Bro . Williamson to convey to the brethren of Worcestershire :

" Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire , Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of England . "To the Worshipful Masters , Wardens , and Brethren of the Quinsigamond Lodge , Worcester , Mass ., U . S . A .

Brethren , —At the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire , held at Tenbury , September 16 , 18 91 , it pleased the brethren to listen to the Worshipful Brother W . B . Williamson , Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden , whilst he gave a description of the fraternal reception accorded to him

by your lodge on his recent visit to the States . " Most cordially accepting the greeting conveyed by him from you to the Province of Worcester , England , it was proposed by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P ., seconded by the Very Worshipful Deputy Provincial

Grand Master , A . F . Godson , M . P ., ' That the best thanks of this Provincial Grand Lodge be conveyed to the Master , Wardens , and brethren of Quinsigamond Lodge' for the kindness and hospitality accorded to Bro . Williamson , together with an expression of the

fraternal regards and best wishes of the brethren of Worcestershire to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in general , and to the Worcester brethren in particular . And that the same be recorded on the minutes of this Provincial Grand Lodge . '

" I have the honour to remain , brethren , " Yours fraternally , ( Signed ) GEORGE TAYLOR , Prov . G . Sec . "

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of Management held their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , Bro . Jabez Hogg , P . G . D ., occupied the chair , and there were present Bros . W . H . Hubbert , C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P . ; James Brett , P . G . P . ; S . Vallentine , A . G . P . ; George E . Fairchild , R . Pittam

Stevens , W . Belchamber , S . C . Haslip , Fred Mead , P . G . S . B . ; C . Kempton , C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br . ; A . A . Richards , Charles Lacey , W . J . Murlis , Hugh Cotter , A . Forsyth , L . G . Gordon Robbins , G . D . ; A . Durrant , A . H . Tattershall , C . H . Webb , Thomas Y . Bullen , P . G . S . B . ; W . H . Making , W . Fisher , A . Mullord , I . P .

Fitzgerald , W . Walker , and James Terry , P . G . S . B . ( Secretary ) . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and verified , the SECKETARV reported the deaths of six annuitants ( four men and two widows ) , and the Warden's report for the past month , as well as the report of the Finance Committee , were read , the latter

being adopted and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Five petitions ( four male and one widow ) were considered , with the result that one was deferred and four accepted , and the names ordered to be entered on the lists of candidates for the election in May , 1892 . A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

A New Masonic Work.

A NEW MASONIC WORK .

Probably there is no other brother in the Masonic fraternity that has obtained such a literary fame in as short a time as W . Bro . John Lane , P . M . of the Jordan Lodge , Torquay , P . S . G . W . of Iowa , P . P . G . R . of Devon , etc . Bro . Lane ' s " Masonic Records , " dedicated b y permission to the M . W . G . M ., the Prince of Wales ,

established his reputation at one bound , and that huge volume of invaluable information is now the recognised standard work on the subject . His " Handy Book to the Study of the Lists of Lodges " has supplemented the great work in no inconsiderable degree , and his " Masters' Lodges " is an interesting contribution to an

interesting question . And now , as a further evidence of Bro . Lane ' s incessant toil amongst the archives of Freemasonry , and his careful painstaking labours , comes " Centenary Warrants and Jewels . " This is an important book , giving an account of all the lodges under the Grand Lodge of England to

which centenary warrants have been granted , together with illustrations of all the special jewels . The importance of the work is pointed out by W . Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . M . of 131 , Truro , P . S . G . D . of England , and P . S . G . W . of Iowa , etc ., in his introduction , where it is stated that " not a few brethren belonging to old

A New Masonic Work.

lodges are quite unaware of their peculiar privileges neither knowing when the centenaries of their lod ges were celebrated , nor the kind of medals the M . W Grand Master had granted permission to be worn . " This ignorance on an important branch of Masonic ceremonial has led to certain irregularities in connection

with the celebration of centennials , which Bro . Lane has discovered and exposed . His fearlessness in stating the truth , and the absolute accuracy of his dates , are inconvertible , and if they serve no other purpose they will doubtless prevent any repetition of similar mistakes The amount of research displayed by the author is

creditable in the extreme , and his actuarial knowled ge has been of much service . The great feature of the work in the minds of many is the illustration of the special jewels . In this respect the West of England shows up well . Of the 13 plates 12 are devoted to special jewels , and amongst those are four of lodges in the

Province of Devonshire . No . 39 , St . John the Baptist Exeter , which , by the way , possesses the oldest warrant in existence , others having been destroyed or lost-No . 70 , St . John ' s , Plymouth ; No . 105 , Lod ge of Fortitude , Plymouth ; and No . 112 , St . George ' s Exeter . These jewels are faithfully delineated , and '

together with the 38 other lodges having special jewels make a most beautiful series of engravings . Some of the designs are very chaste , and a separate descri ption is given of each . They form a unique collection , and Bro . Lane has experienced considerable difficult y in obtaining specimens , and in one case a solitary jewel

was onl y known to exist . Of course there are other centenary lodges in the West country besides those already named , but they are only entitled to wear the regulation pattern jewel , an excellent coloured engraving of which Lodge Fortitude Truro , forms the frontispiece . There are Nos '

75 , Love and Honour , Falmouth ; 131 , Fortitude ' Truro ; 18 9 , Sincerity , Stonehouse ; 202 , Friendshi p , Devonport ; 248 , True Love and Unity , Brixham ; and 251 , Loyal , Barnstaple . Lodge Love and Honour , however , could have had a special jewel had they applied for it in time , their warrant dating from 1751 . As it is they possess a privilege not enjoyed by any

lodge in Devon and Cornwall—that of the W . M . wearing the F . M . H . medal , of which only four exist out of London . It will be seen , therefore , that Freemasonry is of no mushroom growth in the West of England , and also that , apart from the author residing in this part of the kingdom , the work possesses particular interest for Masons of the two westernmost

provinces . The circumstances of the granting of each centenary warrant are set forth , and an historical value attaches thereto . Bro . Lane has wisely limited the issue to 200 copies , and several of these have been disposed of . It has been beautifully printed and bound , and with its 43 illustrations is quite an artistic treasure . — Western Daily Mercury .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

LAYING THE CORNER-STONE OF ST . PETER'S CHURCH , BRITISH COLUMBIA . Recently nearly every one in Comox turned out to witness the imposing ceremony of laying the cornerstone of St . Peter ' s Episcopal Church , which was performed by Bro . Marcus Wolfe , Grand Master , assisted by Bros . J . Frame , as D . G . M . ; W . Stewart , as S . G . W . ;

M . Bate , as J . G . W . ; and W . H . S . Perkins , as G . S . After the conclusion of the impressive ceremony , an address was given by Bro . MARCUS WOLFE , Grand Master , during which he dwelt on the ancient customs of the Masonic fraternity , laying the corner-stones of Christian edifices throughout the world , and showing how the greater part of the cathedrals and important buildings of Europe had been constructed by

Freemasons . Grand Master Wolfe was presented with a very handsome silver trowel by the trustees and officials of the church . In the evening the officers of the Grand Lodge and most of the representative citizens of Comox were entertained at a banquet by the brethren of

Hiram Lodge , 14 , B . C . R . After the wants of the inner man had been satisfied , the Worshipful Master , Bro . YOUNG , proposed the toast of "The Queen and Craft , " which was drunk with enthusiasm , while the orchestra played " God save the Queen . " The next toast on the list was " The Grand Lodge of

British Columbia , " which was responded to by Bro . M . Wolfe , and Bros . Stewart , Bate , Frame , Perkins , and Davis . After this "The Prosperity of St . Peter ' s Church " was drunk , coupled with the names of Rev . J . Willemar and Churchwardens Messrs . Drabble and J . B . Holmes ,

who responded felicitously , the latter afterwards giving some recitations in a very feeling manner . The toasts of " The Hiram Lodge , " " The Sister Societies , " and "The Ladies" were all drunk with honours .

A very pleasant evening was spent , the guests singing and reciting until a late hour . On the following day the new Masonic lodge room was dedicated , and its first officers duly installed , by the same Grand Officers .

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