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Article THE WORCESTER GATHERING. Page 1 of 1 Article WEST LANCASHIRE. Page 1 of 1 Article WEST LANCASHIRE. Page 1 of 1 Article THE GRAND LODGE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Worcester Gathering.
THE WORCESTER GATHERING .
Our Worcestershire brethren , but more especially the members of the lodge which bore the chief part in the proceedings , deserve the utmost possible commendation , both for the arrangements made for the annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge , and the centenary celebration of the Worcester
Lodge , No . 280 , and for the admirable manner in which they vvere carried out . From first to last there appears to have been no hitch . Everything went smoothly . The visitors were delighted with the hospitality of their reception , and the hosts were gratified at finding their efforts vvere so generally and so
cordially appreciated . Bro . J STALLARD , JUN ., won golden opinions from all present by the manner in vvhich he fulfilled his duties as Master of the Worcester Lodge ; his officers and brothermembers supported him most loyally ; and the Prov . Grand Master and his officers , as well as the officers and members of
the other Worcestershire lodges , lost no opportunity of showing how fully they realised the kindness and geniality of their hosts . Many non-Masons and a numerous sprinkling of ladies were also present at the conversazione in the Guildhall on Tuesday , and as a matter of course at the ball , with which the festive portion
of the meeting was brought to a close on Thursday . No effort or expense had been spared in order to ensure the complete success of these , the opening and concluding scenes in the week ' s proceedings . As regards Provincial Grand Lodge , the attendance of brethren was far more numerous than in ordinary
years , while the visitors included Bros . Sir M . E . HlCKS-BEACH , Bart ., M . P ., G . Master of the adjoining Province of Gloucestershire ; the Marquis of HERTFORD , Past Grand Warden of England ; J DERBY ALLCROFT , Past Grand Treas ., and formerly M . P . for the city of Worcester ; and other distinguished
members of our Order . The centenary meeting of the Worcester Lodge was also fully attended , and it is gratifying to know that a history of the lodge has been compiled—and we trust will be published—by Bro . F . G . UNDERWOOD , one of its Past
Masters , and a Past Prov . Grand Officer of Worcestershire . Thus in the more serious , as in the festive , part of last week ' s doings , the Craft in the city and county of Worcester has scored a grand success , and we heartily congratulate them on a result which has proved so entirely satisfactory .
West Lancashire.
WEST LANCASHIRE .
The proceedings of our West Lancashire brethren receive , as they deserve , an especial share of public attention . They constitute the strongest province in England . The number of their lodges is 104 , and their roll of subscribing members 6 5 61 . They have established and maintain in a creditable degree of
efficiency no less than three Charitable Institutions of their own , namely , an Educational Institution and the Hamer and Alpass Benevolent Funds . They are regular , ancl at times munificent , supporters of our central Masonic Charities , nor is there any branch of Masonry or any sphere of Masonic duty in which they
do not acquit themselves in a manner worthy of the strength and influence they necessarily possess . But the annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge in the Public Hall , Preston , on the 1 st instant , appears to have been more numerously attended than usual , upwards of 120 Grand and Provincial Grand Officers ,
present and past , and fully 800 members having been in attendance on the occasion . The proceedings also were more than ordinarily protracted by reason of the long and animated discussions which attended certain matters affecting the Provincial Charities , Provincial Grand Lodge not being closed till after a
sitting of more than three hours , and , as our reporter expressed it , " being characterised by more than the usual liveliness . " However , if strong differences of opinion arose in connection
with questions of local interest , it could not have been in consequence of any weakness or shortcoming on the part of the executive authorities . The comprehensive Report prepared and submitted by the Provincial Grand Secretary makes it clear that
West Lancashire.
in the matter of progress , so far as it can be determined b y increase in lodges and membership , West Lancashire has made great strides during the iS years it has been in charge of its present Provincial Grand Master , the number of lodges constituted during that period being 43 , while the number of subscribing *
members has been augmented from 3016 to 6 5 61 . The accounts , too , under the several heads of Charities' Fund , Provincial Grand Lodge Fund , and the Fund of Benevolence tell their own tale of a prosperity which has been steadily maintained throughout , the sum total of the balances at present standing to the credit of the
several Funds being in round figures £ 1340 . Under these circumstances it is not surprising that Provincial Grand Lod ° "e , before the _ close of the meeting , should have determined on appropriating a considerable portion of this balance to the local and general Charities of the Craft , £ 105 being voted to the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ; £ 52 ios . to the Provincial Educational Fund ; £ 21 to the Hamer Fund ; £ 21 to the Alpass Fund ; and in the event of the Provincial Grand Master undertaking to preside at its Anniversary Festival in 18 91 , the sum of £ 420 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . As
regards the opinions expressed by the Provincial Grand Secretary in his Report , the Provincial Grand Master was especiall y emphatic in his endorsement of the suggestion that in so large a Province the lodges should be more than ever careful in their election of candidates . This is an opinion which will command
the assent of every one , but we imagine there will be considerabl y less favour shown to the other two proposals , namely , ( 1 ) that the rulers of exceptionally large Provinces should have the power of appointing more Provincial Grand Officers than are already allowed to them ; and ( 2 ) that the right to wear the
Charity Jewel should be extended to the supporters of local , as well as of the general , Masonic Charitable Institutions . In respect of the former , we are content to remark , firstly , that the number of officers appointed in our larger Provinces is alread y equal to the number of Grand Officers appointed bv the Grand
Master ; and secondly , that the value of Provincial honours will be lessned in proportion as the offices to be rilled are multiplied . West Lancashire , with its 104 lodges and upwards of 65 uo _ subscribing members , is undoubtedly an immense Province , but its Provincial Grand Master has already just the same '
number of distinctions at his disposal as the Grand Master of England , of which West Lancashire is only a part . As regards the proposal to extend the right to wear the Charity Jewel , we consider it is ri ghtly confined to those who support the central or general Charities whose benefits are open to all duly qualified
candidates . There is no restriction whatever as to the number of brethren who may become entitled to this right , nor does it strike us as being either just or reasonable that a distinction
which was instituted in their behalf , that is to say , with a view to encouraging the brethren at large to promote their interests and extend their benefits should be conferred on the supporters of Charities of lesser importance .
The Grand Lodge Of British Columbia.
THE GRAND LODGE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA .
The published Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia—one of the smallest Grand Lodges on the North American continent—at its annual communication at Vancouver in June last , contain a very favourable account of its fortunes during the past year , Some day no doubt this remote Province
of the Dominion of Canada vvill be thickly peopled and then if the respect in which Freemasonry is held should remain as strong as it is at the present time , its Grand Lodge will preside over quite a number of lodges . Just now , however , it has but 10 on its roll , with a total membership of 6 7 8 brethren . But though weak in numbers , the brethren are evidently imbued with a
staunch spirit of loyalty to the principles of the Craft . They perform their allotted duties admirabl y , and that their lodges are prosperous is shown by a return which appears in the Report of their annual meeting , and which places the aggregate value of their funds and property of all kinds at upwards of 45 , 000 dollars
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Worcester Gathering.
THE WORCESTER GATHERING .
Our Worcestershire brethren , but more especially the members of the lodge which bore the chief part in the proceedings , deserve the utmost possible commendation , both for the arrangements made for the annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge , and the centenary celebration of the Worcester
Lodge , No . 280 , and for the admirable manner in which they vvere carried out . From first to last there appears to have been no hitch . Everything went smoothly . The visitors were delighted with the hospitality of their reception , and the hosts were gratified at finding their efforts vvere so generally and so
cordially appreciated . Bro . J STALLARD , JUN ., won golden opinions from all present by the manner in vvhich he fulfilled his duties as Master of the Worcester Lodge ; his officers and brothermembers supported him most loyally ; and the Prov . Grand Master and his officers , as well as the officers and members of
the other Worcestershire lodges , lost no opportunity of showing how fully they realised the kindness and geniality of their hosts . Many non-Masons and a numerous sprinkling of ladies were also present at the conversazione in the Guildhall on Tuesday , and as a matter of course at the ball , with which the festive portion
of the meeting was brought to a close on Thursday . No effort or expense had been spared in order to ensure the complete success of these , the opening and concluding scenes in the week ' s proceedings . As regards Provincial Grand Lodge , the attendance of brethren was far more numerous than in ordinary
years , while the visitors included Bros . Sir M . E . HlCKS-BEACH , Bart ., M . P ., G . Master of the adjoining Province of Gloucestershire ; the Marquis of HERTFORD , Past Grand Warden of England ; J DERBY ALLCROFT , Past Grand Treas ., and formerly M . P . for the city of Worcester ; and other distinguished
members of our Order . The centenary meeting of the Worcester Lodge was also fully attended , and it is gratifying to know that a history of the lodge has been compiled—and we trust will be published—by Bro . F . G . UNDERWOOD , one of its Past
Masters , and a Past Prov . Grand Officer of Worcestershire . Thus in the more serious , as in the festive , part of last week ' s doings , the Craft in the city and county of Worcester has scored a grand success , and we heartily congratulate them on a result which has proved so entirely satisfactory .
West Lancashire.
WEST LANCASHIRE .
The proceedings of our West Lancashire brethren receive , as they deserve , an especial share of public attention . They constitute the strongest province in England . The number of their lodges is 104 , and their roll of subscribing members 6 5 61 . They have established and maintain in a creditable degree of
efficiency no less than three Charitable Institutions of their own , namely , an Educational Institution and the Hamer and Alpass Benevolent Funds . They are regular , ancl at times munificent , supporters of our central Masonic Charities , nor is there any branch of Masonry or any sphere of Masonic duty in which they
do not acquit themselves in a manner worthy of the strength and influence they necessarily possess . But the annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge in the Public Hall , Preston , on the 1 st instant , appears to have been more numerously attended than usual , upwards of 120 Grand and Provincial Grand Officers ,
present and past , and fully 800 members having been in attendance on the occasion . The proceedings also were more than ordinarily protracted by reason of the long and animated discussions which attended certain matters affecting the Provincial Charities , Provincial Grand Lodge not being closed till after a
sitting of more than three hours , and , as our reporter expressed it , " being characterised by more than the usual liveliness . " However , if strong differences of opinion arose in connection
with questions of local interest , it could not have been in consequence of any weakness or shortcoming on the part of the executive authorities . The comprehensive Report prepared and submitted by the Provincial Grand Secretary makes it clear that
West Lancashire.
in the matter of progress , so far as it can be determined b y increase in lodges and membership , West Lancashire has made great strides during the iS years it has been in charge of its present Provincial Grand Master , the number of lodges constituted during that period being 43 , while the number of subscribing *
members has been augmented from 3016 to 6 5 61 . The accounts , too , under the several heads of Charities' Fund , Provincial Grand Lodge Fund , and the Fund of Benevolence tell their own tale of a prosperity which has been steadily maintained throughout , the sum total of the balances at present standing to the credit of the
several Funds being in round figures £ 1340 . Under these circumstances it is not surprising that Provincial Grand Lod ° "e , before the _ close of the meeting , should have determined on appropriating a considerable portion of this balance to the local and general Charities of the Craft , £ 105 being voted to the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ; £ 52 ios . to the Provincial Educational Fund ; £ 21 to the Hamer Fund ; £ 21 to the Alpass Fund ; and in the event of the Provincial Grand Master undertaking to preside at its Anniversary Festival in 18 91 , the sum of £ 420 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . As
regards the opinions expressed by the Provincial Grand Secretary in his Report , the Provincial Grand Master was especiall y emphatic in his endorsement of the suggestion that in so large a Province the lodges should be more than ever careful in their election of candidates . This is an opinion which will command
the assent of every one , but we imagine there will be considerabl y less favour shown to the other two proposals , namely , ( 1 ) that the rulers of exceptionally large Provinces should have the power of appointing more Provincial Grand Officers than are already allowed to them ; and ( 2 ) that the right to wear the
Charity Jewel should be extended to the supporters of local , as well as of the general , Masonic Charitable Institutions . In respect of the former , we are content to remark , firstly , that the number of officers appointed in our larger Provinces is alread y equal to the number of Grand Officers appointed bv the Grand
Master ; and secondly , that the value of Provincial honours will be lessned in proportion as the offices to be rilled are multiplied . West Lancashire , with its 104 lodges and upwards of 65 uo _ subscribing members , is undoubtedly an immense Province , but its Provincial Grand Master has already just the same '
number of distinctions at his disposal as the Grand Master of England , of which West Lancashire is only a part . As regards the proposal to extend the right to wear the Charity Jewel , we consider it is ri ghtly confined to those who support the central or general Charities whose benefits are open to all duly qualified
candidates . There is no restriction whatever as to the number of brethren who may become entitled to this right , nor does it strike us as being either just or reasonable that a distinction
which was instituted in their behalf , that is to say , with a view to encouraging the brethren at large to promote their interests and extend their benefits should be conferred on the supporters of Charities of lesser importance .
The Grand Lodge Of British Columbia.
THE GRAND LODGE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA .
The published Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia—one of the smallest Grand Lodges on the North American continent—at its annual communication at Vancouver in June last , contain a very favourable account of its fortunes during the past year , Some day no doubt this remote Province
of the Dominion of Canada vvill be thickly peopled and then if the respect in which Freemasonry is held should remain as strong as it is at the present time , its Grand Lodge will preside over quite a number of lodges . Just now , however , it has but 10 on its roll , with a total membership of 6 7 8 brethren . But though weak in numbers , the brethren are evidently imbued with a
staunch spirit of loyalty to the principles of the Craft . They perform their allotted duties admirabl y , and that their lodges are prosperous is shown by a return which appears in the Report of their annual meeting , and which places the aggregate value of their funds and property of all kinds at upwards of 45 , 000 dollars