Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WORCESTERSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire as held on Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., at the Moseley and Balsall Heath Institute , Moseley , under the banner of the youngest lodge of the province , the Masefield , No . 2034 . The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P .,

presided , supported by his D . P . G . M ., Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., and a numerous attendance ol brethren , which included , as visitors , Bros . Col , Foster Gough , acting Prov . Grand Master of Staffordshire ; J . T . Collins , p G . S-B ., Dep . Prov . Grand Master of Warwickshire ; J . Bodenham , P . A . G . D . C , P-G . Treas . Staffordshire ; and others .

Before Prov . Grand Lodge was opened , a ceremony tcok place which is probabl y unique in the annals of P . G . Lodges , namely , the reception in the lodge-room of Lady Lechmere , accompanied by many other ladies , and the presentation by her ladyship of two standards for the use of Prov . Grand Lodge .

Lady LECHMERE , preceded by two Prov . Grand Stewards , and followed by the Prov . Grand Standard Bearers bearing the presentation standards , was introduced by Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., Dep . Prov . Grand Master , and in an eloquent speech , frequently pointed by the plaudits of the brethren , said : —

Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and Gentlemen , —I have come here to-day by your invitation , that I might have the honour of presenting you personally with these standards , which I have had great pleasure in providing for the use of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire . I know that I am permitted a high and unusual privilege in

being allowed to enter the walls of a Freemasons' lodge , and I can assure you that this privilege will not be abused by myself or by these ladies who have so kindly accompanied me here to-dav . We respect the secrets of

your Craft , preserved by you for good and honourable purposes , we admire your ancient Constitution , and we venerate your great brotherhood spread over the whole world , and are ever ready to aid and encour age you in your noble charitable work , carried on as it is without distinction of creed or

nationality . Permit me then to present you with these standards , and to express a hope that they may long adorn the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire , and grace your ce remonies , knowing as I well do that they will never be unfurled save in the cause of all that is good and noble . L ady Lechmere then handed the Standards to the PROV . GRAND MASTER ,

who replied as follows : Lady Lechmere , —On behalf of myself and the brethren of the province , I beg to offer you my own and their very sincere thanks for this very handsome and appropriate gift . We do indeed most gratefully accept these richly embroidered standards , which we shall value not only for their intrinsic beauty , but for the pleasing associations which will ever be

connected with them . We feel that you have already done us sufficient honour by your offer to present them , but that honour has been indeed greatly increased by your personal presence here to-day . It is perfectly true that it is a very exceptional circumstance for ladies to be introduced into a Masonic lodge in which Masons have been , or are about to be at work , and

I had not ventured to suggest what might be regarded as an innovation . ; But the suggestion is really due to no less important authorities than the I Grand Secretary , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , and the Grand Director of Ceremonies , Bro . Sir Albert Woods ( Garter ) , King at Arms , who , when they were informed of your intention , at once suggested that an opportunity

might be afforded on this occasion for the presentation of these standards hy yourself . Greatly as we appreciate the beauty of your gift , we value still more the spirit which has dictated it , and above all the expressions in which you have conveyed to us your interest in , and appreciation of , the principles of Masonry . Brethren , I trust and believe that the honour which

"as been done to us this day will not be lost upon us . Whilst the brilliancy ° f these beautiful standards will enliven our ceremonial , the encouragement which has been given us will , I feel sure , stimulate us to further efforts ' 0 render Masonry in Worcestershire still more worthy of our great Fraternity , based as it is upon the solid foundations of religion , of loyalty to

'he Sovereign , and of brotherly love and Charity to our fellow men . Turning to theW . M . of the Masefield Lodge , Bro . Wm . Thomas , the "ov . G . M . said he and many of the brethren present would no doubt femember the circumstances of his laying the foundation-stone of St . Agnes Church , Moseley , with Masonic honours . That ceremony preceded and

Perhaps had some connection with the foundation of the lodge under whose banner they had met that day . He had in mind a brother who took a very fading part indeed in both those functions , and who since then had been called to the Grand Lodge above . He alluded to Bro . Chas . Williams , ¦ P . S . G . W . On the occasion of laying the foundation-stone Mrs . Williams L , — ' ¦ " * •—j '" 6 ¦• " ¦ - - »«« " »™ II-JIUIII . «» " """ o"i =

J * a presented him with a very handsome trowel . He , as Prov . Grand aster , had treasured it very much , but he thought it could not be in better andsthan those of a lodge which had for its chief founder so eminent and § °° d a Mason as Bro . Chas . Williams . Mrs . Williams had given her full Pproval to this act , and therefore he asked the acceptance of the W . M . J on behalf of the lodgeto the gift then made .

, ^ Bro . W . THOMAS , W . M ., accepted the gift on behalf of the lodge , and Pressed the pleasure the brethren would have in regarding it as a uvenir day fraught with so much honour to the lodge , and as a , ln g remembrance of a brother who was so much beloved by the

memthe p ^ SpeCted by the whole CraFt as Bro" C-Williams- He could assure thf T / 0 V ' Grand Master that that trowel would have a place of honour in the Masefield Lodge . too Lechmere and the ladies accompanying her then left the lodgem amid the plaudits of the brethren .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

The Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened , the minutes of last annual Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Halesowen , were read and confirmed . The Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . GEORGE TAYLOR , read the reply to the address from Provincial Grand Lodge congratulating her Majesty the Queen on the 50 th anniversary of her accession to the throne .

After the muster roll of lodges had been called , apologies for absence were read from Bros . Lord Leigh , P . G . M . Warwickshire ; T . Fenn , President Board of General Purposes ; Lord Hertford , G . S . Tudor , P . P . G . M . Staffordshire ; Rev . W . K . R . Bedford , P . G . Chap . ; Hon . G . Allsopp ,

M . P . ; F . Binckes , Sec . Boys' School ; F . R . W . Hedges , Sec . Girls ' School ; and brethren of the province , including Bros . Masefield , P . D . P . G . M ., and A . H . Royds , P . P . G . M ., whose customary kindly message to the brethren , which occurred this year on the date of his 77 th birthday , was heartily and sympathetically received by the brethren .

The Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s accounts showed a balance on General Purposes account of £ 10 7 s . 3 d ., and on Benevolent account of £ 147 12 s . iod . Bro . A . Green , P . P . G . D ., was re-elected Prov . Grand Treasurer . Reports on the state of Masonry in the province , the Library and

Museum Committee , the Benevolent Committee , and the Chanty Committee followed , the latter embodying the fact that the province had subscribed this year to the Central Charities ^ 846 3 s . — £ 94 ios . to the Benevolent to the

Institution , ^ 693 18 s . Girls' School , and £ 57 15 s . to the Boys ' School ; that the province had three widow annuitants , four occupants of the Girls' School , and three of the Boys' School , and that a large number of votes stood to the credit of the

province-After alluding in words of deep regret to the loss the province had sustained in the death of two of its Past Wardens—Bros . J . R . Buck and Walter Holland—the R . W . Prov . Grand Master appointed and invested his officers as follows :

Bro . W . Waldron , 573 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ J . Foley , 564 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . " S "' w T lg n LaW ;^ * ' S 73 } P ™ . G . Chaps . „ Rev . VV . J . Down , 252 ..-. ... ... } e „ F . G . Russell , 1204 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ A . Green , 49 8 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ ' Geo . Taylor , 874 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec .

„ J . T . Meredith , 377 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ P . Gallimore , 2034 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ A . B . Rowe , 280 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ J . Mossop , 1874 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ J . Fisher , 49 8 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ E . Lay , 560 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br .

„ R . btevenson , 252 f Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ J . J . Sarjant , 529 ... ... ... J „ H . M . Jackson , 573 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ W . Wood , 564 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ T . Price , 573 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ S . Mason , 20 34 ... ... ... "

„ F . E . Hallam , 2034 „ Alfred Green , 20 34 ... ... ... ! D r « p . „ T . H . Daniel , 2034 VProv . G . Stwds . „ J . P . Sharp , 20 34 ... ... ... I ,, A . W . Auster , 20 34 ... ... ... J „ J . Smith , 280 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . „ F . W . Knott , 280 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Tyler . On the motion of Bro . GODSON , D . P . G . M ., seconded by Bro .

WALDRON , P . S . G . W ., a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Lady Lechmere for the handsome presentation she had made that day to Prov . Grand Lodge , and also for the kind words with which she had conveyed her good feelings to the brethren and to the Craft . The PROV . GRAND MASTER appointed to hold his next Prov . Grand Lodge at Stourport , under the banner of the Vernon Lodge , No . 560 .

Provincial Grand Lodge was then adjourned , and a procession formed to Moseley parish church , where an eloquent sermon was preached by the Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . J . KNIGHT LAW , B . A ., from Job xxviii ., 28 v .: " Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom , and to depart from evil is understanding . "

The collection which amounted to £ 15 15 s ., was divided between the Moseley and Balsall Heath Parish Schools . The procession returned to the Institute , and P . G . Lodge was resumed . Votes of thanks were passed to the P . G . Chaplain for his admirable sermon , to the vicar , Rev . W . Colmore , for the use of his church , and to the choir for their valuable aid .

Prov . Grand Lodge -was then closed , and the brethren sat down to a banquet , in the concert hall of the Institute , under the presidency of Bro . Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , P . G . M . Space at command will not afford us opportunity to chronicle here the admirable speeches with which the toasts were given . General heartiness

and enjoyment characterised the whole proceedings of the day , and the brethren separated at their close with every satisfaction at taking part and appreciation of the officers and brethren of the Masefield Lodge for their kind attention and hospitality . We had almost omitted to mention that the four Lewises who carried the volume of the Sacred Law in the

procession to the church were Robert C . Thomas , Francis L . Underhill , Charles F . Jennings , and Fredk . W . Stevens , and they were , in accordance with an old custom in the Prov . Grand Lodge of Worcestershire , each presented with a copy of the "Great Light in Masonry , " bearing a suitable inscription .

BERKELEY HOTEL ( late St . James ' s ) , 1 , Berkeley-street and 77 , Piccadilly , London , VV . First class accommodation for residents , with a Restaurant newlyattached for high class luncheons and dinners , at fixed prices and a la carte , C . DIETTE , Manager . —fJADvr . J