Ar00200

statement made by Bro . C . F . M ATTER , Assistant Grand Secretary , who is its Secretary , justifies the belief that it will go on quite as prosperously in the future . The other circumstances described in the Board ' s Report are of no particular importance , though it may be as well to mention that the Address voted to the Prince and Princess of WALES on the occasion of their

Silver Wedding was beautifully illuminated on vellum by Bro . C . H . DRIVER , Past G . I . of Works and G . M . O ., and having been enclosed in a handsome silver casket , was presented to her Royal Highness , and by her most graciously acknowledged . As regards the proceedings at the halfyearly Communication , at which this Report was submitted , we have already

referred to them briefly in general terms , but it is proper we should record that the Grand Lodge passed a resolution of sympathy with the family of our late Bro . G . P . BROCKBANK , who died suddenly the Saturday preceding the day appointed for the Communication . Both the Pro Grand Master , Bro . Lord EGERTON OF TATTON , and the Grand Secretary , Bro . F .

BINCKES , paid a just tribute of respect to the memory of that distinguished brother , and highly extolled him for the very important services he had rendered to the Mark Degree , and especially to the part he had played in effecting a union of the Mark Lodges of English and Scottish Constitution under the supreme authority of the Mark Grand Lodge of England and

Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown . We may also mention that the appointments to Grand office for the present year gave great satisfaction , and while such worthy brethren as Bros , the Earl of EUSTON , A . DE TATTON EGERTON , C . H . DRIVER , Lieut .-Gen . RANDOLPH , and RALTH GLUTTON are invested with the highest honours , there is little doubt that the Mark Degree will retain its prestige and popularity .

* WE are glad to find from our report of the recent meeting at r . cma . onry g p ^ y Qj ^ prov i jai Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire that Lincolnshire . ^ ; SQ muc h t , vity among the lodges and brethren , that

there was so numerous an attendance on the occasion , and that the financial and statistical reports of the province , as well as those of the Provincial Fund of Benevolence , of the Oliver Memorial and Smyth Scholarship Funds , and of the Provincial Charity Committee were so satisfactory . It must also be very gratify ing to our Lincolnshire brethren to know that the

Sutcliffa Memorial Fund , amounting to iooo guineas ( £ 1050 ) , has been completed , and that a Committee has been appointed to draw up a code of rules and regulations for its government . It is evident also that the province

is bent on taking a more active part in the work connected with our great central Charities . Lincolnshire figured very creditably among the contributories to the Girls' School Centenary , thanks in very great measure to the successful exertions of Bro . II . E . COUSANS , who as Steward for the

William Lodge , No . 297 , raised more than half of the total subscribed by the Province ; and it is satisfactory to know that the same brother has been appointed to act on behalf of the lodges in Lincolnshire generally in

support of the next Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . We heartily congratulate R . W . Bro . W . H . SMYTH , Prov . G . Master , and the lodges and brethren under his authority , on the progress that has been made by them during the past year .

3 £ % * THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of The Prov . Grand _ , . r , r , , , . , . Lodge ot Devonshire , at Ilfracombe , on the 13 th inst ., appears , from Devonshire . t jie rep 0 rt we publish elsewhere , to have been very

numerously attended , and the proceedings to have been of a highly gratifying character . The presence in the chair of R . W . Bro . Viscount EBRINGTON , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , would have given greater completeness and dignity to the gathering ; but his lordship ' s absence was unavoidable , and his Deputy , Bro . W . G . ROGERS , proved a most efficient substitute . The

Report of Bro . the Rev . W . WHITTLEY , the London representative of the Province , which had previously been submitted to the Committee of Petitions , showed that it had a considerable amount of voting strength available for future use , while that of the Committee spoke very favourably of the position of Devonshire towards our principal Charitable Institutions during

the past as compared with previous years . It strongly recommended , however , to the lodges and chapters that they should appropriate a part of their revenues towards these Charities and the FORTESCUE and Devon Masonic Educational Funds , which latter are both doing serviceable work locally . The Report was approved , as also was that of Bro . Major G . C . DAVIE ,

Prov . Grand Secretary , from which it appeared that on the 31 st December , 1 S 87 , there were 2744 brethren on the books of the lodges in the province , of whom 231 had been initiated during the year , and C 6 7 were Past Masters . The Prov . Grand Treasurer reported a balance in hand of £ 204 , while a

statement of account in respect of the FORTESCUE Fund was read , and the Prov . Grand Treasurer announced that two additional annuitants would be elected at the meeting in July . All this is very pleasant reading , and we trust that at future annual gatherings of this Provincial Grand Lodge the reports and accounts submitted will continue to be as gratifying .

* * * IN our review last week of the recent Girls' Centenary Festival , An r ° ctin e d ° we menti ° ried sundry of the larger lists in London and the provinces which had been compiled by individual Stewards , but it was very far from being our intention to suggest that those we

referred to were the only lists which were worthy of being cited on the score of exceptional magnitude . We gave them as illustrations of the more imposing among the items that made up the grand total of £ 50 , 617 which the Festival realised , not as an exhaustive list of such Returns . It is evident , however , that in mentioning the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd and 5 th highest lists in London , but omitting the 4 th highest—the £ 409 10 s . of Bro . FRANK RICHARD-

Ar00201

SON—we must , in appearance at all events , have been guilty of a certain measure of injustice towards that most worthy brother . It is needless f 0 r us to say that we had no intention of withholding from him the praise he so richly merited for his services in this respect , —the complimentary refer , ence later on in the same article to the valuable assistance he had rendered

in connection with the distribution of prizes , summarily disposes of any such idea . But his Return—which , since our remarks were made , has been increased to £ 420—was so nearly equal to that of Bro . Major COOK ' , which stood third and amounted to £ 420 , and was upwards of

£ 50 in excess of the GRAND SECRETARY ' , which stood fifth and reached £ 357 < that we are glad of this opportunity of rectif ying an omission , which as we have already pointed out , was quite unintentional . Moreover , Bro ' RICHARDSON ' list included the contributions of the resident staff of the Institution , and for that reason alone should have been specified .

* * * Welcome to THE Columbian Lodge , of Boston , gave a grand reception English and welcome to the Masonic members of the Honourable •reemasons . Artillery Company of London , on the 7 th inst , The cards and

circulars of invitation , signed by the W . M . ( Bro . ALBERT A . HALL ) and the Secretary ( Bro . W . T . R . MARVIN ) , are works of art , and most appropriate to the occasion . The assembl y took place in the Masonic Temple the special guests to meet the brethren of the Fitzroy Lodge , No . 560 ' London , being the M . W . GRAND MASTER and Officers of the Grand Lod ge '

of Massachusetts , and the Worshipful Masters' Association . The musical arrangements , and indeed all the programme , could not have been excelled and every effort was made to render the reception as hearty and pleasant as possible . We anticipate hearing that our brethren will be glad of another such opportunity , at some future time , to renew their acquaintance with the

Bostonian Craft , and certainly there will be no rest on this side of the " big pond , " until the Fitzroy Lodge has reciprocated the very kind treatment extended to several of their members by the famous Columbian Lodge . We feel assurred that whenever the chance occurs for such to take place , our American brethren will enjoy the fraternal banquet as much as our Craitsmen did on the 7 th inst . ; and we are glad that such Masonic courtesies are of frequent occurrence on both sides of the Atlantic . The ode of welcome we give elsewhere .

West Yorkshire And Royal Arch Masonry.

WEST YORKSHIRE AND ROYAL ARCH MASONRY .

The Grand Superintendent of West Yorkshire has authorised the issue of the new by-laws for that Provincial Grand Chapter , which were adopted at Wakefield , 24 th November , 1 SS 6 , and confirmed at Leeds , 30 th April , 1887 . They are duly signed by Comp . Thomas W . Tew , J . P ., and countersigned by Comp . Henry Smith , Prov . G . S . E ., having been passed by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . E . G . Z ., on the 1 st July last .

These ruks are well arranged and admirably suited for the purpose , besides being printed in excellent form . Our purpose , however , is not now

to refer to their character , save to say that they might well be adopted as a model set , especially as regards their arrangement and copious index . We desire to say a few words about the roll of chapters , and the list which follows the by-laws , as the historical information inserted cannot but prove of interest to companions generally , as well as to the province in particular . The roll comprises 38 R . A . Chapters , ( the last of which was consecrated in

1887 ) , and under the respective columns are enumerated the number in province , the number in Grand Chapter , name , town , place of meeting , day of meeting , date of charter , by whom signed , Grand Superintendent ( at the time ) , date of consecration and by whom consecrated , and history .

We should like to see similar particulars given for the Prov . Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire and of all other provinces , so far as there are records , for such a roll provides a deal of valuable facts for the study of those more immediately concerned , besides preserving information which

may else in time be lost . Then follow the names of the Grand Superintendents , six in number , viz .: Bros . Charles Lee , 1854 ; Dr . George Fearnley , 1858 ; The Marquess of Ripon , 1865 ; Bentley Shaw , J . P ., D . L ., 1875 ; Sir Henry Edwards , Bart , C . B ., 1878 ; and Thomas William Tew , J . P ., from 1 S 85 .

The final , and one of the chief attractions to many , is the "list of chapters in West Yorkshire prior to 1814 . " For this compilation the editor acknowledges his indebtedness to Bro . Hughan ' s " Origin of the Eng lish Rite of Freemasonry , " which , in fact , is the only work available for such an effort , but then there is necessarily much to be desired , owing to the paucity

of records relative to Royal Arch Masonry during the last century . Twenty-three chapters in all were warranted in West Yorkshire by the Grand Chapter of the "Moderns , " established in 1767 , all but two of which were on the roll when the two rival Grand Chapters were united in 1817 . The senior chapter was No . 62 ( then numbered independently ot

the lodges ) , Knaresborough , of 15 th August , 1788 , which , however , did not long survive the " Union , " the next oldest being at Leeds , of 1790 , now No . 306 , and the third is the present No . 61 , Halifax , of the same year , which , however , fell through for some years . Another of the same year is the p * sent No . 154 Wakefield , No . 265 , Keighley , being of 1791 . Another ot

, that year was erased in 1809 , formerly held at Ripon . For 1792 there 1 No . 295 , Huddersfield , and for 1794 there is No . 289 , Leeds , which unite with another chapter of 1802 . The other of 1794 , at Keighley , thoog ™ " ""»'"•' " ,, l " "' iw * .. i . iv- w ,.,. v . vi */ y < H ¦ " »""&—j' - jj d

uwas on the roll at the " Union , " was subsequently erased ; Nos . 290 , « dersfield , and 29 6 , Sheffield , of 1795 , are both active now , thoug h the la does not appear to have been quite continuous - for the period . For 1797 , is No . 307 , Halifax , which united with another of A . D . 1811 , and the two c