Transactions No. 2429, Leicester.

Reginald Pratt , on " The History of Our Ritual . " The brief resume will be found most useful , and forms a reliable guide to the study of this complicated question for those who desire to know more about the matter than they gather by attendance at ordinary lodges . Tne illustrations this time are the portrait of the Rev . William Peters ,

LL . D . D . Prov . G . M . Leicester , 1793—1814 ( with memoir by the Editor ) , and a photo of two handsome jewels ( which are exceedingly rare and suggestive ) , exhibited by Bro . Thorp on 5 th October , 1 S 94 . There is a List ol the Bequest made by the lamented Bro . W . Kelly , P . Prov . G . M . of Leicestershire and Rutland , including certificates , jewels , and books , some personal and others of considerable general interest .

The catalogue of additions to the library ( in alphabetical order ) , concludes this number , being the third part of the Transactions , each number being complete in itself , and all are of special value and importance . They reflect great credit on all concerned in their production , and are unequalled by any other provincial lodge . W . f . HUGHAN .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cornwall

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CORNWALL

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall was held at Saltash on the 16 th instant . The event was looked upon as one of some importance , the main streets of the town presenting a very gay appearance with the amount of bunting displayed . The brethren assembled at the Star Hall at 10 . 30 in large numbers . Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , D . G . M ., Prov . G . M ., presided , and was supported by

Bros . Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , Bart ., D . P . G . M . ; P . Colville Smith , 331 , P . S . G . W . ; G . H . Reed , 75 P . J . G . W . ; G . G . Ross , 789 , and G . Durin , P . G . Chaplains ; T . A . Kistler , P . G . Treas . ; J . Bazeley , 450 , P . G . Reg . ; E . D . Anderton , 331 , P . G . Sec . ; M . Samson , 121 , P . S . G . D . ; J . Brewer , G . Cassell . and R . Rodda , 5 S 9 P . J . G . Ds . ; W . L . Chegwidden , 589 , P . G . S . of W . ; F . Bray , 1785 , P . G . D . C . * , T . Gatley , 1529 , P . D . G .

D . C ; F . J . Denison , 977 P . G . S . B . ; J . Retallick , 699 , P . G . Std . Br . ; J . W . Richards , 318 , P . G . Org . ; J . H . Hosken , 557 , T . B . Tresize , 1136 , B . Blight , 49 6 , J . T . Letcher , 131 , and W . McLean , S 56 , P . G . Stwds . ; and J . Polkinhorne , P . G . Tyler . There was also a large number of other brethren present ,

After the reading of the minutes , it was stated lhat there had been subscribed to the Chirgwin memorial £ 52 135 . Cd . from Masonic sources , and £ 8 from the general public , which would be sufficient to put in a single light window in Truro Cathedral , and the erection of a tablet with an inscription , which was read .

Bro . Thomas A . kistler , P . G . Treas ., presented his balance-sheet , which showed that after meeting all expenses the balance at the Cornish Bank was £ 146 Ss . Sd ., against £ -U lis . 5 d . at the same period last year . The decrease was attributed to the large amounts voted to Charities . The report of the Cornish Masonic Annuity and Benevolent Fund announced that . £ 244 6 s . 6 d . had been received as donations or subscriptions ,

against £ 230 is . in the sime period in the previous year , and the receipts from other sources brought the total to , £ 676 8 s . id . After meeting expenses there remained a balance at the bank of £ 435 16 s ., against , £ 226 4 s . 7 d . last year . There are six aged Masons , and a similar number of widows in receipt of grants , and £ 100 is also given for educational purposes . Three applications had been received for annuities , and two for educational grants .

The PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY reported that there had been 130 initiations during the year 1894 , and with 37 joining members , the total number was 1771 , against 1702 in the previous year , an increase of 69 . Dispensations had been granted to Mount Sinai Lodge , No . 121 , and to One and All Lodge , No . 330 , for the holding of Masonic Charity balls ,

Four petitions to the Board of Benevolence in London had ben reported on , and the grants obtained to the amount of ^ 130 , as against £ do last year in a similar number of cases . A larger number of the Directory had been ordered than in the previous year . It would greatly assist the Provincial Grand Secretary if all the returns sent out annually were more carefully filled in , and returned within the specified time .

The Committee of Relief had made grants to three brethren and one widow , amounting to £ 27 2 s . The Committee recommended that 90 guineas bc voted to the CM . A . and B . Fund , R . M . I , for Boys , and R . M . Benevolent Institution .

The Prov . Grand Secretary's report referred to some grants made to Cornishmen through London , and Bro . Anderton said there was a feeling in the Metropolis that the status of Masons was not being kept up in Cornwall as much as it ought to be . He suggested that when a man was not admitted into a lodge in his neighbourhood , that when he applied to be received into one elsewhere , inquiries should be made at the place where he came from as to his bona fides

At noon the lodge adjourned in order to attend divine service at the parish church . The brethren , numbering nearly 400 , formed in procession , headed by the Plymouth Borough Band , under Mr . Waterman , and the sacred law was carried by four lads , viz ., T . D . Deeble , S . G . Nincarrow , W . R . Downey , and P . Burns . The sacred edifbe was crowded in every p rt .

The vicar , the Rev . ARTHUR PREEDY , read the prayers , Bros , the Rev . R . F . FRASER FRIZELL , P . G . Chap ., and the Rev . Dr . Ross , P . G . Chap ., the lessons , and the sermon was preached by liro . the Rev . G . DURNOW , Pro / . G . Chap . The discourse was based on I . Corinthians iii ., 16 , " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God . " He compared the building of King Solomon ' s temple to the building of every man ' s character , or the love of God in the soul .

A collection was made during the service , and realised £ j . At the close the brethren re-formed procession and returned to the bdge room , where the business was proceeded with . The four Lewises , who carried the sacred law , were presented with nicely-bound copies of the Oxford bible by the PKOV . G . M ., who said that Freemasons had secrets , but there was one thing they did not attempt to conceal , and that was their respect for thc volume of the sacred law as God ' s word . That was why they had it carried in their procession , and he presented the

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cornwall

lads with those bibles as souvenirs of the part they had taken in that day ' s proceedings , and in the hope that they would be a help to them in their lives . The PROV . GRAND SECRETARY mentioned that they had among them the W . M . and the W . M . elect of the Cornish Lodge in London , Bros . C . Rawle and J . Leach-Barrett , and tbey were accorded a hearty welcome by the Prov . Grand Master .

Bro . RAWLE responded , and said he had looked forward to the privilege of greeting his brethren in Cornwall . It had been his wish ever since he had been in the chair of the Cornish Lndge to attend a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge in the county . His lodge was a young one , but he

was glad to say it had made favourable progress . 11 had had the misfortune to lose Bro . Molesworth St . Aubyn , whom they held in great esteem , and had initiated a good many members , including Bro . Rev . Professor Shuttleworth and that grand old Cornishman , Bro . Passmore Edwards . He hoped they would see many visitors at the Cornish Lodge .

Bro . EDYVEAN , as Chanty Steward , reported favourably on the voting power of the province to the great Masonic Charities during the past year . He received in October , girls 429 , boys 467 , total , 89 6 ; in April , girls 455 , boys 492 , total , 957 ; benevolent , 2190 ; thus making a grand total of 4043 , being an increase of 154 on the previous year . The Benevolent election in May was very keenly contested , there being 63 candidates for 20 vacancies , but , thanks to the energy and assistance of many brethren in the

province , as well as of Cornishmen in London , especially Bro . J . Roberts , they were enabled to poll 413 6 for the province's adopted candidate , Bro . Harris , 131 , which placed him eighth on the successful list , this securing him £ " 40 per annum for life . The votes in April and May being insufficient necessitated their borrowing , and at present they owed 970 benevolent votes , to meet which they had 553 girls votes in hand , in addition to the votes for the October election .

The various officials were re-elected , as was Bro . Edyvean as Charity Representative . The collection at the church was distributed as follows : Two-fifths to Masonic Charities , one-fifth to St . Barnabas Cottage Charity , and twofifths to be placed in the hands of the vicar to disperse as he might think fit among the poor . The Prov . G . M . appointed and invested the Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year as follows :

Bro . Sir C B . Graves-Sawle ... ... Dep . Prov . G . M . „ R . A . Courtney , 510 ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Rev . R . F . Fraser Frizell , 131 and 699 ... Prov . J . G . W . ,, Rev . G . Durno ... ... ... "i D ™ . r * ri ,, « M . o Rev . H . W . Millett j Prov . G . Chaplains .

„ G . G . Bullmore , 1528 ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ T . W . Perry , 856 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ E . D . Anderton ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ T . D . Deeble , 1071 ] Prov . S . G . Deacons . „ J . G . Henwood , 970 ... ... ) " ¦ J ' J ' K ' ! V | Prov . J . G . Deacons . „ J . E . Blight , 496 ... ... ... j -

„ R . A . Newcombe , 9 G 7 ... ... Prov . G . S . of Works . „ T . B . Tresize , 1136 ... ... ] prov G D Cs „ Brendon Parsons , 7 S 9 ... ... J „ G . Timmins , 1006 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ Major W . H . Martyn , 1785 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ J . P . Isbell , 977 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org .

" w M R K ' , r I ) Prov . G . Std . Bearers . ,, W . M . Roberts , 110 4 ... ... ) „ W . R . Rawling , 1071 ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ R . R . Alford , 2166 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ J . Goodfellow , 1954 ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ W . J . Trythall , 587 1

„ J . W . Wilkinson , 456 ... ... I " ? l - TTT' - ° IProv . G . Stewards . „ John Newland , 1544 ... ... f „ N . S . C . Couch , 1151 ... ... 1 „ W . J . M . Gooding , 75 ... ... J „ JohnT . Thorne , 1071 ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . On the proposition of the PROV . G . SECRETARY , the following motions

were agreed to : To insert after the word " meantime " in 17 th line— " In cases of urgency when there is no other business necessitating a meeting of the Committee , the Prov . G . Treasurer , Prov . G . Secretary , the Treasurer of the C . M . A . and B . Fund , and one elected member each from East and West Cornwall , or any three of them , shall have power to grant temporary relief to the extent of £ _ as aforesaid . "

To omit the second paragraph— " N . B . to Form , " and in lieu thereof to add another by-law—•' Petitions must be sent to the Prov . G . Sec . at least a month before the meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge , and unless this rule is complied with , no grant ( other than for temporary relief ) shall be made . ' To alter heading to form of Lodge recommendation so as to read— " To prevent mistakes in the recommendation of petitions , the following form is suggested—which may be altered as circumstances require . " An invitation was received from Penzance to hold the next annual

meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge there . This concluded the business , and the Prov . Grand Lodge was closed in the customary manner . A large number of brethren subsequently partook of luncheon at the Masonic Hall . An excellent repast was supplied by Mr . Cobley , of the Union Hotel , and the way in which it was served reflected the highest credit

upon the caterer . The Prov . G . M ., the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , presided , and was supported by the leading office-holders . "The Queen and the Craft , " " The M . W . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " and " The M . W . Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon the Earl of Lathom , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past ) having been duly toasted , Bro . RAWLINGS gave "The R . W . Prov . Gratia

Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe . " His LoRnsmi' expressed his pleasure that the toast should have been proposed by the son of an old Mason , whom they had respected for m J -j ' years . They had had , he hoped , a successful meeting , and although held at the extreme end of the county , there was a good muster . „ Bro . P . BARRETT gave " The Health of the Dep . Prov . Grand Master , who , he said , was one of the founders of the Prov . Grand Lodge , togeth 6 with the Prov . Grand Master . , Bro . Sir C B . GRAVES-SAWLE , Bart ., in reply , said he had not been abj to give that attention to M isonry which he formerly did , owing to the stat