The Province Of Middlesex.

THE PROVINCE OF MIDDLESEX .

As will be seen from the report we publish in another part of our columns , the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex , which was held at Enfield , on Saturdaylast , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master in person , proved a most successful gathering . The

arrangements for the comfort and convenience of those present gave general satisfaction , the attendance was numerous , and the proceedings of a most harmonious character . In Provincial Grand Lodge , the principal episode concerned Bfo . J . F . H . WOODWARD , Past Grand S . B . England , and lately Provincial Grand

Secretary Middlesex , to whom , in his latter capacity , the Provincial Grand Master , in the name and on behalf of the province , presented a handsome testimonial , consisting of an illuminated address , a handsome gold watch and chain , and a bracelet and locket for Mrs . WOODWARD , in recognition of his

important services to the province at a time when it was not in the best of form , and needed a man of ability , tact , and judgment to set it straight . In making the presentation , Bro . Sir FRANCIS BURDETT , Bart ., congratulated Bro . WOODWARD on the satisfactory results as now manifested of

his efficient administration of the office lately held by him , and expressed the hope that he might still for many years be able to continue to the Province the benefit of his experience and counsel . The Province also voted 30 guineas to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , 15 guineas to the Royal Masonic

Institution for Boys , and 15 guineas to the Benevolent Institution . The senior of the three received the hi gher amount from the fact that the Provincial Grand Master had presided as Chairman at its recent Festival . At the banquet which followed

the lodge the proceedings were of an equally agreeable character , the brethren , from the Provincial Grand Master downwards , having every reason to be gratified at the events of the past year . We trust that future annual meetings of this Provincial Grand Lodge may pass off as satisfactorily .

The East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Institution.

THE EAST LANCASHIRE SYSTEMATIC MASONIC INSTITUTION .

The Annual Report of the General Committee of the " East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution" for the year is pleasant reading , and must in particular be highly gratifying to the brethren of the Province which has established it . The Committee state the income to

the 31 st December last as having amounted to £ 1619 5 s . 3 d . as compared with that for the year to 31 st December , 1 S 88 , which reached only £ 822 4 s . id ., and they attribute— -we dare say not without very good reason—this large increase to the effect

produced by the circular addressed by the Prov . Grand Master to the lodges of the Province , many of which they consider were ignorant of the facts , that is , of the beneficial work done by the Institute in educating the children of necessitous brethren , and

in the assistance rendered them and their families . Certainl y , if we look narrowly into the figures showing the receipts for each of the two years mentioned , we shall be more likel y to accept this opinion as correct . The subscriptions from lodges , chapters ,

& c , in 1888 , amounted to £ 368 13 s . 6 d ., but in 188 9 they were more than double this sum , and amounted to £ 824 10 s . The subscriptions from private individuals , Avhich reached to only £ 188 15 s . in 1888 , realised last year £ 531 4 s . There was ,

however , only an increase of some few pounds in the income derived from investments . As regards the expenditure , which was £ 5 88 os . 2 d ., as against £ 671 17 s . 4 d . in 1888 , the grants for

relief amounted to £ 229 10 s ., and for education to £ 259 6 s ., the number of children among whom this latter sum was distributed being 32 , namely , 17 boys and 15 girls . There was also a sum ° f £ 30 paid to the Almoners , making the total expended in benevolence £ 518 16 s . The establishment charges , including

The East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Institution.

the Secretary ' s salary of ^ 50 , amounted to only £ 6 g 4 s . 2 d ., and there was expended a sum of £ 1013 2 s . 6 d ., in investments which now reach £ 8114 6 s . Sd . There remained a balance in hand at the close of the account of a little over ^ , 347 , as compared with one of nearly £ 310 for the year 1888 . Thus , even in

ready cash , as in capital , and the increased amount of good that is being done , this East Lancashire Institute is able to show an improvement over 1888 , while , in the matter of subscriptions , the increase is marvellous and will fully account for and excuse the smallness of the contributions by East Lancashire to the central

Masonic Charities . It is , indeed , to this and the many other organisations already established or likely to be established in the Provinces , that we must , after all , look for a substantial measure of relief from the ever-increasing pressure on the resources of our principal Institutions . ?

The Order Of The Temple.

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

The Masonic Templar body in England is not , like the Templar body in the United States , a vast organisation , divided into many jurisdictions , and comprising some 70 , 000 subscribing members . It is , on the contrary , somewhat limited as to its membership , and it musters under its Great Priory about 100

preceptories , exclusive of those suspended for default in forwarding annual returns and dues . To judge , however , from the particulars furnished in the Calendar of the Great Priory for 18 90 —1891 , which has just reached us , its proceedings appear to be

well regulated , and its condition , pecuniarily , on the whole prosperous . It is true that , according to the report of the Council , the General Fund is in need of strengthening , but the Benevolent Fund is sound , with an invested capital , of which the annual interest alone is more than sufficient to meet the demands

that are made u pon it , or that are likel y to be made upon it in the future . The Council , therefore , proposed , and Great Priory at its meeting at Mark Masons' Hall , on the 9 th May last , has agreed , that certain simple steps should be taken by which the General Fund would be placed on a firmer

footing , without causing any detriment to the Fund of Benevolence , by appropriating wholly to the former certain fees paid annually for members of a preceptory , and by transferring the payment of 100 guineas , voted in 188 7 to the Imperial Institute , from the General Fund , to which it had been debited , to the

Benevolent Fund , out of which , in the opinion of the Council , it should more properly have been met . Hitherto one shilling out of the 3 s . 6 d . payable annually for a member has gone to the Benevolent Fund and the rest to the General ; but now it has been determined that the whole shall be paid to the latter , while the payment

out of the former of the donation to the Imperial Institute will still leave it the substantial balance in hand of close on ^ 200 . Thus , as the expenditure of the Order cannot safel y be lessened , the Fund which bears them will be in a position to meet it , and the Benevolent Fund will remain , as we have said , ample

to meet all calls that may be made upon it . We notice as regards the preceptories which retain under suspension that three have been in this condition for seven years , two for six years , four for five years , two for four years , and one for three years , irrespective of three , which have been so only for one

year . We like to see the authorities tender in cases of this kind , especially where they have reason to believe that the restoration of a defaulting preceptory to the active list is probable or possible within a reasonable period of time ; but unless this is so , there appears to us to be no advantage to be gained by retaining

preceptories on the roll of Great Priory which have virtually passed out of existence . Perhaps if some of these useless limbs of the Order were lopped off , and a greater amount of activity exhibited by the Templar body generally this highly reputable appendage

to the Craft of Masonry might become more popular , without , however , assuming anything of the character of the American Templar organisation , which appears to be intended more for display than anything else ,