Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s account shewed a balance of £ 193 9 s . 8 d . in favour of the Fund of Benevolence . The report of the Board of Benevolence was

then adopted and confirmed . The various lodges in the Province , all of which were represented , then communicated . The returns shewed a total of 1 , 401 subscribing members .

AV . Bro . AVoodall , P . S . P . G . AV ., then , in accordance with notice given , moved : — " That rule V . o the Prov . Grand Fund of Benevolence , be amended , by substituting the word '

representatives' in lieu of'Masters , ' " which was seconded by the AV . Senior Prov . Grand AVarden . AV . Bro . G . Smurthwaite , P . Prov . J . G . AV ., moved as an amendment , " That the following be added to rule V . of the Prov . Grand Fund of

Benevolence : — ' If the actual Master of the year of any lodge cannot atttend , the immediate Past Master may supply his place ; should that brother be unable to attend , some other Past Master of such lodge may act for him ; but in every case the Past Master must be a subscribing member of the

lodge . ' " This amendment was seconded by the AA . Prov . Grand Treasurer , and carried unanimously . The AV . Prov . Grand Treasurer then , in accordance with notice given , moved : — " That the

expenses of any brother who may be deputed b y the Provincial Grand Lodge to proceed to any place on business connected with the Province , be paid by the Prov . Grand Treasurer . " This was seconded by the AV . Master of the Humber Lodge , and carried unanimously .

Bro . Theo . Smith , P . M . 250 , in accordance with notice given , then moved : — " That a member of this Province be appointed to represent those candidates for the various Masonic Charities whom the Board of Benevolence of this

Provincial Grand Lodge recommends to be supported at the respective elections ; and that such representative be paid his necessary expenses in connection therewith ; which are to be audited

by the Board of Benevolence , and paid by the Provincial Grand Lodge . " This was seconded by AV . Bro . J ones , P . Prov . J . G . D ., and carried unanimously . The W . Senior Prov . Grand AVarden then

moved : — "That Bro . John AValker , P . M . 57 , be appointed Assistant Secretary to the Board of Benevolence , in the place of the late Bro . R . J . Chaffer , P . M . 57 , at an annual salary of B £ IO 1 os ., and that in the event of his occasional inability to attend such charity elections in London ,

as he may be deputed by the board to attend , the R . AV . Prov . Grand Master , or his Deputy , shall have power to appoint a brother to act for him . " This was seconded by the AV . Junior Prov . Grand Deacon , and carried . Bro . Theo . Smith , P . M . 2-ro , gave notice of

the following motion : — "That it is desirable the Board of Benevolence meet half-yearly , at such time and p lace as the Prov . Grand Master , or his Deputy , may appoint , previous to the elections for the Masonic Charities in London , to consider the applications for those Charities , to decide

which candidate the Province shall be recommended to support , and on other business . That a report of the proceedings at such meetings be printed , and a copy forwarded to every member of the Board . That every Lodge and Chapter in the province , and all members of the same ,

and others having votes for any of the Masonic Charities , be requested to place such votes at the disposal of the Board of Benevolence , by signing their voting papers , leaving the candidate ' s name blank , and forwarding them to the brother elected to go to London to represent the selected candidates . "

The Acting R . AV . Prov . Grand Master then appointed and invested the following brethren as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year , with the exception of the Prov . Grand Treasurer , who was unanimously re-elected b y the Provincial Grand Lodge . Frederick Bell , Prov . G . S . AV .

Charles AVells , Prov . G . J . AV . Rev . John Gardner , LL . D ., Prov . G . Chaplain . Richard Welch Hollon , ... Prov . G . Treasurer James Ingram , Prov . G . Registrar . Michael Charles Peek , Prov . G . Secretary . Richard Thos . Vivian , Prov . G . S . I ) . Edward Mason , l ' n . y . G . j . D . j

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

George AVilliam Smales , ... Prov . G . S . of AV . George H . AValshaw , Prov . G . D . of C William G . Long , Prov . G . Svvd . B . J ohn Wilkinson , Prov . G . Organist . JohnAVard , Prov . G . Purst . AVilliam Johnson , Prov . G . Tyler .

The six Provincial Grand Stewards are to be nominated by the following Lodges , viz . : — The St . Germain ' s , North York , St . Cuthbert ' s , Royal , Camalodunum , and Londesborough . The Acting R . AV . Prov . Grand Master then addressed the brethren , expressing in the first

place the extreme regret he felt ( and which he doubted not was fully shared in by all present ) at the inability of the revered Prov . Grand Master to attend . He trusted that his Lordship ' s valuable life might yet be spared for many years , and that we should long have the benefit of his

governance and counsel . The harmony and prosperity which exist in the Province was a cause for congratulaaion , and it was exceedingl y gratifying to find by the Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s account that our financial condition was so sound , as regards both the Provincial Grand Lodge and

the Fund of Benevolence ; by means of the latter we had again been enabled to afford acceptable relief to deserving cases . He concluded by exhorting the brethren in these days of innovation and change , strictly to adhere to the antient landmarks , and to practise in their fullest sense the

genuine tenets of Freemasonry . He had received invitations from the three Hull Lodges , and also one from Scarborough , but considering that there had been no Provincial Grand Lodge held in Scarborough since 1865 , he should , with the concurrence of the Prov . Grand Master ,

accept the invitation to hold the Provincial Grand Lodge at the latter place , under the auspices of the Denison Lodge . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed in form , and with solemn prayer .

The annual Banquet , at which the Acting R . AV . Prov . Grand Master presided , was held the same evening at the Town-Hall , when a large number of brethren dined ; due honours to the Craft were observed , and true Masonic feeling prevailed .

Royal Arch.

Royal Arch .

DERBYSHIRE . DERBY . — -CONSECRATION OF THE CHAPTER or TRUTH .

On AVednesday , a new Chapter of Royal Arch Masons , denominated " The Chapter of Truth , " was consecra t ed at the Arboretum Hotel , Derby , in connection with Lodge 73 r . Comp . Jas . Terry , P . Z . 174 and 975 , attended to perform

the ceremony of consecration , and was supported by Companions T . Cox , P . Z ., and J . Crossley , P . Z . The Chapter was duly opened , and Companion the Rig ht Hon . the Marquis of Hartington , R . AV . P . G . M . of Derbyshire , was dul y installed as first Principal , Companion Haughton

Chas . Okeover , R . W . D . P . G . M ., as second Principal , and Companion Charles Robert Colvile , R . AV . P . D . P . G . M ., as Third Principal . The Chapter elected Companion AVright , Treasurer ; Companion Campion , S . E , ; and Companion Burn , S . N . ; and Companion Ilitfe , P . S .

A banquet of the members of the Chapter and the Aboretum Lodge , united , afterwards took place in the Lodge-room at the Hotel , which was very tastefully decorated , and a choice repast was provided by Brother Baldock . The chair was taken by Brother the most Noble the

Marquis of Hartington , supported by Bros . Colvile ; R . AV . P . D . P . G . M . : J . Smith , W . M . ; AVright , T . Cox , G . Treasurer : Campion , S . G . W ., Terry , P . Z . ; Crossley , P . G . S . AV . ; Naylor , G ; Secretary ; and Iliffe , P . M ., 253 . The vice chairs were filled by S . AV . Gee and J . AV . Merry .

: ind there were also present Bros . S . Leech . Hillam , Broughall , T . Roe . jun ., R . Eastwood , Humphreys , Burn , Sheffield , G . AVoodiwiss , Speight , Marsden , Dusautoy , A . Taylor , T . Merry , T . Hall , J . Harpur , AVinter , AVorsnop ,

Burton , Carr , Brookhouse , Hackett , \\ ltton , Holland , Holbrook , AVarner , Carson Fowke , Burnett , J . Brown , J . Thompson , Merchant , Jackson , Knig ht , Dod , Low , Major , Foster , McCombe .

Royal Arch.

The repast over , the Chairman proposed in graceful terms , "The Queen and the Craft , " alluding with much feeling to the outburst of loyal affection which was called forth last year by the illness of the Queen , followed by the still more serious illness of the Prince of Wales ,

which taught the country how deeply loyal it is . The Chairman , in proposing " The most noble the Marquis of Ripon , M . AV . Grand Master of England , " observed that they all knew how active zealous , and energetic their Grand Master , the Marquis of Ripon , had proved himself to be .

Personally he had the greatest satisfaction in giving that toast , for he had long had the happiness and privilege of the acquaintance of Lord Ripon , who was almost the first political chief under whom he ( Lord Hartington ) had the honour of serving , and he then formed a hi gh opinion of his talents and abilities , and had never since

seen reason to alter that opinion . He had still the happiness of being one of Lord Ripon ' s colleagues , and it had been to him a source of continued satisfaction to enjoy his friendship and official communication with him . ( Applause . ) But it was not Lord Ripon ' s qualities as a friend or as a statesman that formed the

reason why they drank his health on that occasion , but his merits as the head of their craft , and , as he had said before , he did not believe they had ever had a more active , zealous , and energetic Grand Master than Loid Ripon had proved himself . ( Applause . ) He hoped to see the noble Marquis to-morrow , or at any rate very

shortly , and was sure that when he told Lord Ripon that he had , for the first time for some years past , been doing a small part of his duty as a Mason he should be better received by him than before . ( Cheers . ) The toast , as those which followed , was drunk with Masonic honours .

Ihe Chairman next gave the toast of " The Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , R . AV . Dep . Grand Master of England , " observing that although he had not the pleasure of the personal acquaintance of Lord Carnarvon , and though politically they were not associated , still in

Masonry that did not make the slig htest difference , for one of its greatest boasts was that however separated they mi ght be in politics or in matters of opinion , they were equally united as members of one common craft . ( App lause . ) Bro . T . Cox then proposed , amidst loud

applause , " The Health of the Chairman , the Right AA'orshipful the Provincial Grand Master of Derbyshire , the Marquis of Hartington . " Bro . Cox expressed the great satisfaction it afforded himself and all his brethren to see their Grand Master amongst them . ( Applause . )

They had not enjoyed that pleasure for some years , but they well knew that whether present or absent the Grand Master had the interests of Freemasonry at heart . ( Cheers . ) It was a great satisfaction that the noble Lord had attended that night at considerable inconvenience to

take the position of First Principal of the new chapter connected with that lodge , and he hoped what had been done that day would form a new era , not only in Arch Masonry , but in Craft Ma-•onry in the province , and that the brethren would heartily rally round their Grand Master .

Applause . ) Lord Hartington , in responding , said the reception given to the toast made him wish that he had been able to be with them oftener than it had been his privilege to meet them for some years past , and he could only trust to their kindness to make excuses for him better than he

could make for himself . They probably knew that he had not been altogether unoccupied for the lastf ew years , — ( hear , hear)—indeed it had been his fate to ( ill one perhaps of the hardest worked posts in the Administration of this country , and though they were not equally

engaged all the year round , it had not happened to him to be in this part of the country lately during the parliamentary vacation , and he could not have been except at considerable inconvenience . ( Hear , hear . ) It was , however , a great

satisfaction to him that his Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Okeover , to whom , by the indulgence of the Grand Lodge , he was able to delegate all his powers , was so eminently able , and so earnestly desirous to do everything possible for the pro-