Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

The annual meeting of this successful and increasing provincial organisation took place at Halifax , en Wednesday , the 2 nd inst . Since the formation of the province perhaps no gathering of Mark Masons of West Yorkshire has bein so large , whilst none more harmonious could have been witnessed than that which assembled in St . John ' s Place , on the date above

named . Fearnley Lodge , Halifax , No . 5 cS on the roll , and numerically the strongest in VVest Yorkshire , acted as host , and' right well did Bro . YV . J . Morris , the popular W . M ., and his brethren discharge their self-imposed duties . Every possible consideration was given to the comfort and convenience of their guests , and the feeling was universal that the Halifax Mark brethren ' s arrangements left nothing to be desired .

At 4 . 30 p . m . the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Charles Letch Mason , who has held his distinguished position since 1883 , entered . He w . is supported by his Deputy , Bro . John Barker , and a large number of Present and Past Prov . Grand Officers .

When the roll was called , which took place immediately after opening , it was found that every one of the 12 lodges constituting the province was represented , some very numerously . The Prov . G . SECRETARY then announced or read apologies for absence or regrets at inability to accept invitation from Bros . A . B . Cook , Prov . G . M . Middx . ; the Hon . W . T . Orde-Powlett , Prov . G . M . North and East

Yorkshire ; W . Kelly , Prov . G . M . Leicestershire ; C . Fitzgerald Matier , G . Sec . ; T . B . Whytehead , P . G . YV . North and East Yorkshire ; J . YYordall Wordall , P . G . Treas . North and East Yorkshire ; John Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . Lancashire ; Richard . Newhouse , Prov . G . Sec . Cheshire ; YV . R . F . Morton , Prov . G . Sec . Lincolnshire ; and from many both Past and Present Prov . Grand Officers .

The minutes of the meeting held at Huddersfield in October of last year , which had been previously printed and circulated , were presented by the Prov . G . Secretary , and on the motion of Bro . Dr . SAMUEL J ACOB , P . M ., P . G . Std . Br ., seconded by Bro . G . H . PVRKK , P . M ., P . G D ., were taken as read and confirmed .

The PROV . GRVNO MASTER then addressed the astembly as follows : Brethren , —My first words to-day shall be to express deep regret at the great loss the Province has sustained by the death of our Provincial Senior Grand Warden , Bro . Thomas William Embleton . Bro . Embleton was advanced to our honourable degree as late as the 17 th November , 1885 ; was elected Worshipful Master of the Portal Lodge , and installed in April , 1 S 92 ; the same year he was appointed Senior Grand Warden of the Province , which appointment hc held at

the time of his death on the Sth November , 1893 . Bro . Embleton joined Masonry late in life , and the energy and enthusiasm with which he threw himself into all that concerned the welfare of our Order was the admiration of all who knew him . He was regular and constant in his attendance at lodge ; his beneficence knew no bounds ; he was ever ready to help and assist where it was needed ; and those who had the privilege of seeing him when he visited our schools in London , gathering round him all the Y ' orkshire children and offering

gilts will not soon forget the beam of sunshine which lighted up the faces of both the giver and the recipients . May we revere the memory of one who has left in so good and noble an example . We have , I am sorry to say , to regret the loss of other worthy and distinguished brethren . Britannia Lodge , mourns the loss of Bro . Eyre , P . M . ; Fearnley Lodge the deaths ol Bros . John Leach and James William Davis ; Integrity Lodge the death of Bro . Richard Flower , and Truth Lodge that of Bro . Thomas Sellars Higgins , P . M . May we with all confidence hope , when t' ess

our departed brothers presented their life-work before the Great Master Overseer , tliey were found worthy to form part of that spiritual temple , that " House not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens . " During the year 18 93 we added one additional lodge to our roll , Legiolium , No . 457 , Castleford , making up our number to 12 . We desire to congratulate the Master and Wardens on the life and activity shown by the members of this new lodge . During its short career 11 brethren have been advanced . From ihe Registrar ' s statement , which will be read

to you , it will be found that during the past year our members have steadily increased ; that notwithstanding six death and 21 resignations , we can still show an increase of 25 on the preceding year . The lodge under whose binner we are assembled to-day has the honour of being the strongest in the province ; it is , howler , closely followed by Britannia , Sheffield , and Copley , Leeds . I desire to congratulate the Worshipful Masters of the lodges upon the decided improvements > n relation to brethren in arrears . Last year there were 24 , now there are only

n 'ne . 1 hope , brethren , at our next annual meeting we may again see a decrease , in all societies no one is allowed to enjoy the privileges of membership unless their subscriptions are paid , and I cannot see why amongst Masons the same rule shall not apply , and if our woithy Treasurers would only collect subscriptions at tne beginning of the year instead of leaving it to the end . 1 feel sure we should nave Uss arrears , as well as fewer exclusions ; for it may with all fairness be ar gued , if a brother cannot pay one year ' s subscriptions his inability to pay two is

»» the greater . The resignations are somewhat large—21 in all . Worshipful Masters should be careful to guard their lodges and watch that resignations , beyond 'nose caused by necessity , such as removals and other like causes , do not come hem anything within the lodge , and that nothing on their part shall cause the numbers to be decreased . The Executive of the province have noticed with great Ph - 'asure the efficient manner in which the work of the various lodges is carried on , JJnich has been amply exemplified in the promptness with which the various * itaries made their annual returns , and announced the meetinrr of this

fovincial Grand Lodge on their circulars . It . is a matier of great satisfaction to ' ??¦ ' tnat there is no note of discord in any of our lodges , and that that harmony lcn ought at all times to characterise our assemblies pervades the whole province .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

The 26 th Annual Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held on the nth day of July next , under the presidency of the R . W . Bro . the Earl of Yarborough , Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire . It has often been my pleasure to call attention to our Benevolent Funds , and I think 1 need not make any excuse for again doing so , as we have recently had a practical illustration of their working and efficiency . One of the members of the Britannia Lodge died , leaving his wife

in poor circumstances . The brethrenof the lodge took up the case , brought it before the proper authorities , and the widow was at once placed on the annuity list and became a recipient of the charity without delay , and without what in many cases is so very trying , anxiety as to the result . I am pleased to know that the Britannia Lodge appreciates this , and congratulates the VVorshipful Master , Bro . Dodsvorth , on ihe support he is receiving as a Steward at thc approaching Festival .

Brethren , I thank you , one and all , for your kind and warm reception to-day . I thank our brethren of the Fearnley Lodge for the care and attention they have paid to the arrangements made for our comfort , and in conclusion would urge upon all to weigh well the lessons that are taught in this our branch of our great Masonic order . If we would only read those lessons aright we should lind they are for our welfare . Let all our work be done in due order ; let our ceremonies be carried

out in no slovenly spirit , but with that dignity which tends so much to impress the minds of all those who aspire to enter our ranks , ever remembering that first impressions are the most lasting . Ours is no mean order ; it has antiquity on its side of which we have ample proof in those grand old monuments which still adorn our land . Ever let us remember that whilst our efforts may not now be appreciated , the day will come when our work and labour will be valued like that of the Craftsman of old , and that the scoffers of to-day will be turned into the adulators of to-morrow .

The D . P . G . M ., Bro . J BARKER , also was exceedingly well received , and whilst he felt that most subjects of interest had been touched upon by the Provincial Grand Master , yet he wished to tell them that during the past 12 months he had visited all the lodges in the province ; that he found a decided and most marked improvement upon the lax working of only a short time ago ; that the Degree was advancing , and greater interest was being

taken in it . He was also pleased to inform them that , following thc example of their lamented Bro . T . YY . Embleton , who died in harness as Senior YVarden , and who endowed the chair he had so worthily filled , another brother had come forward offering to similarly endow the Prov . Grand Master ' s chair in the interest of the Mark Benevolent Fund . That this satisfactory condition of matters was further increased in the fact that the

12 Mark lodges had , by grant and subscriptions , raised a sum which was already , close upon 50 guineas , and would , he felt confident , reach that amount for the purpose of supporting the Prov . Grand Master of the Craft , the Right Hon . YV . L . Jackson , when he presided at the Boys' Festival in June . Bro . Barker said moreover that there were other schemes afoot , which had not yet come to maturity , all showing lhat thc Order of . Mark

Masons in YVest Yorkshire was not going to be backward in the great work of philanthropy , which had so long distinguished Masons whatever their Degree ; and whilst he personally derived the greatest satisfaction from this improvement , it only stimulated dim the more strongly to impress upon the m the dignity of the ritual and the importance and bc-atity of the lessons conveyed by its means .

Bro . A . E . KIRKHAM , 53 , P . O . Reg ., then presented the annual report of the lodges , which contained much valuable statistical information regarding the posilion and progress of Mark Masonry in the province . Bro . G . F . CARR , P . M ., P . G . Treasurer , then presented his balancesheet . After explaining a few details , and pointing out its very satisfactory condition , he moved that it be received , adopted , and entered on the minutes .

On being seconded by Bro . R . YV 11 . 1 . 1 \ . \ isnx , P . M ., this was carried without a dissentient . Bro . CARR , as outgoing Treasurer , then rose to propose IJro . Herbert G . K . Green , P . M . no , as his successor . No name , he declared , could be better or more honourably known than that of Bro . Herbert Green , and no man more fitted for the post could be found in the province . Bro . Green was not only well known and respected in YVest Yorkshire , but also in every provir . ee in England .

The D . P . G . M ., Bro . J BARKER , seconded the election of Bro . Green with great pleasure , and it was carried with acclamation . YVhen the retiring P . G . Officers had received the thanks of the Prov . Grand Master and given up their collars , the new P . G . Officers were conducted to the pedestal by two P . P . G . Wardens , and after being severally

addressed in suitable terms , were duly invested . They were—Bro . YV . E . Smithies , 137 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . YV . „ C . YVoollons , no ... ... ... Prov . J . G . YV . „ V . G . S . Dearden , S 3 ... •¦• •¦• Prov . G . M . O .

„ T . Myers , in ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ R . Hodgson , 58 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . ,, Rev . Ci . H . Stock , 39 S ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap .

„ Herbert G . K . Green , no ... ... Prov . G . 1 tens . „ YV . S . Blackburn , 374 ... ... ... Prov . G . K . of M . „ Joseph Matthewman , no ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . 1 . Martin , m > ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

,, Francis Smith , jun . ( Mayor of Ripon ) , 352 ... Prov . J . G . D . ,, Thos . YVrigley , 14 ... ... ... Prov . G . L of YV . „ Thos . Robertshaw , 58 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Thos . Norfolk ( T . L ) ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ Wm . Cockroft , 14 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Fredk . YVebb , 398 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ John Brook , 137 .., ... ... Piov . G . Org .