A Day With The Grand Lodge Of The Netherlands.

the blare of the trumpets , and some time elapsed before quiet was restored . The parole was then given to Bro . Van Ysselsteijn , who in a speech of much power and interest , rendered in excellent English , proposed " The Health of the G . M . of England , the Prince of Wales . " Once more the familiar strains of our National Anthem rose from the gallery ; once more

the G . M . left his seat to grasp our hands and clink glasses ; once more a frantic " Hoch" almost silenced the orchestra . The whole scene was one of wild enthusiasm , which would have astonished me as much as it evidently did Bro . Gould had I not in my youth assisted at like scenes amongst the lively students of Heidelberg . The fact is that the open-hearted ,

unconstrained , generous , and unstinted expression of one's feelings so common on the continent , is almost incomprehensible to the usually stolid , reticent Englishman , except after long experience . The toasts , as already stated , began directly after the songs , and the only drawback to this arrangement is that , as in our case , the provender on one ' s plate is apt to get cold during

a somewhat protracted speech ; for be it noted that during the address every brother remains standing with his napkin thrown over his left shoulder . The other official toasts were "The Subordinate Lodges , " by the G . Orator , who in the course of an impassioned speech knocked over a bottle

of claret , a contretemps which our reverend brother turned to effective use by explaining that he was offering up a libation according to ancient usage ; " The Visitors , " by the G . D . of C . ; and " Our Sisters , " by the Grand Expert .

By this time we had arrived at the dessert and cigar stage , and the unofficial toasts began . Here it was necessary for a brother to claim the parole , and the first to do so was Bro . Gould , who said that on leaving England a few days before he had experienced some anxiety , owing to his unacquaintance with the Dutch language , but a very short stay in Holland had

convinced him that there were few countries were an Englishman would be received with greater kindness , and none whatever where an English brother would be treated with more fraternal cordiality . As a Past Grand Officer of the Grand Lodge of England it had afforded him the greatest possible pleasure to listen to the highly eulogistic terms in which that body

had been referred to by the Deputy Grand Master of the Netherlands . The worthy and distinguished brother had indeed spoken of slight and passing differences as existing at one time between their respective Grand Lodge . With this , of course , he ( Bro . Gould ) had nothing to do , but neverihe ' ess he could not help being reminded of what had been told him by some

other married men , viz ., that occasionally even husband and wife had a temporary disagreement , and he had likewise been informed that between mother and daughter there might also happen a passing estrangement , which , however , in by far the majority of instances , soon give place to a renewal of that kindly feeling that should always subsist between parent

and child . The latter of these illustrations would be next in point , and of one thing he felt quite sure , viz ., that , had the members of the Grand Lodge of England enjoyed the privilege of witnessing that evening the filial respect evinced on all sides and by all the brethren present , towards the Grand Body from which the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands derived

it origin , it must have resulted in a display of parental affection on the part of the Mother Grand Lodge of the world , by which the loving attachment of its daughter Grand Lodge wo uld have been amply requited . Bro . Gould then went on to say that no Masonic gathering which he and Bro . Speth had ever attended had given them greater pleasure than the assembl y

of that day . They had se ; n a great deal which it would profit them to remember , and they would carry back with them to England an enduring recollection of the exceeding kindness they had met with at the hands of the Grand Officers and members of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands . Many other interesting remarks were made in the course of his speech b y my

compagnon devoyage , the W . M . of the Qualuor Coronati Lodge , but as space in the Freemason is not illimitable I must content myself with recording that cur brother , by our joint desire , spoke for both of us , explaining that in England , when several brethren are included in a toast , it is deemed the preferable custom for one person to respond for all .

Bro . Gould concluded in true coniinental fashion , by himself drinking , and calling upon me to drink with him , to the welfare of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands ; and then , having obtained permission , we edified our Dutch brethren by according them the usual English Masonic Fire , in which

many of those present more or less successfully joined . The orchestra replied with a hearty rendering of the National Anthem of the Netherlands , followed ( for the third time ) by " God save the Queen . " Nor were our brothers slow to evince their gratification by a scene almost as tumultuous as those already described .

Other replies to previous toasts and some extra official healths , occupied the time till coffee and liqueurs arrived , when the " table lodge" was declared closed . Even then we found it difficult to evade further hospitality for we were persistently pressed by various brethren to finish the evening

at their splendid club of the Hague on the "Grande place , " but it being then 10 . 30 , and our arrangements having necessitated our rising at 6 a . m ., and leaving Amsterdam at 8 o ' clock , we reluctantly but firmly put the temptation aside , and expressed , as best we could , our sense of the extraordinary cordiality and warmth of our reception .

of Sali ' aHmy's reception at the Foreign Office on Wednesday , Lady Knutsford ' s reception on Saturday hst , the Baroness Burdett-Coutts ' s garden party at Holley Lodge on Tuesday , the Lady Mayoress ' s reception at the Mansion House the same day , and Bro . tl . e Lord Mayor ' s banquets on Wednesday to the Lieutenants of the City of London , and on Thursday , the 28 th inst ., in celebration of the 51 st anniversary of the Queen's Corona ^ n , have been postponed .

Bros , the Earl of Ravensworth and Sir W . Hart-Dyke , M . P ., were among the guests at a banquet given by the Treasurer and Benchers of Gray ' s Inn on Saturday last , being " Grand Day " of Trinity Term . In corsequence of the death of the German Emperor , the Marchioness

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DEVONSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire wa held on the 13 th inst ., at Ilfracombe , at the Ilfracombe Hotel . Busines commenced with a meeting of the Committee of Petitions . Bro . W . C Rogers , D . P . G . M ., the Chairman of the Committee , was unable to attend and Bro . G . C . Davie , the Prov . G . Sec , presided .

The following officers and lodge representatives were also present : — Bros . J . B . Gover , 70 , P . P . G . Sec ., Hon . Sec . of the Committee ; H . Stocker Prov . G . Treas . ; Rev . W . Whittley , 156 , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . D . of Eng ., the L 0 nd 0 9 ' Reprerentative of the Committee ; Jno . Stocker , 39 , P . P . G . Treas . ; R . Pencil . 70 , P . P . A . G . D . C ; M . Emdon , 105 , P . P . G . D . ; W . L . Cocks , 106 ; S . Jones ?' P . P . J . G . W . ; W . K . Michel ! , 156 , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; H . J . Trethewey , 159 P . P . A . '

, Q D . C . ; Rev . T . W . Lemon , M . A . iSg , P . P . G . Chap . ; H . Welsh , 202 , P . P . G p A W . Browning , 223 , P . P . G . D . C ; R . Ciwsey , 230 , P . P . G . D . ; John . Brewer ,-, ' Prov . J . G . W . ; G . Merrifield , 2 S 2 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; W . Taylor , 32 S ; ' ^' F . King , 421 , P . P . G . Chap . ; H . Arscotf , 4 S 9 ; G . C . Searle , 710 ; C . Watson n-, ' P . G . Stwd . ; H . Cole , 10 9 , P . P . S . G . D . ; li . Aitken-Davies , 1099 , P . P . G . S . of W

E . T . Cox , 1212 ; R . Lake , 1135 , P . P . S . G . D . ; W . Vicary , 113 s , P . P . G . R •vi Powell , 1205 ; J . R . Lord , 1247 , P . P . G . S . B . ; W . E . Warren , 135 S , P . P . G . G . •' cZ Evans , 11 S 1 , P . P . S . G . D . ; F . Sanders , 12 S 4 , P . P . G . Std . B . ; Jno . Lane i » , P . P . G . Reg . ; J . G . Keverne , 1550 ; W . Gregory , 1254 , P . P . A . G . D . C , Auditor •IT ' T . Fulford , 1254 , P . P . G . Treas . ; A . R . Lethbridge , P . P . G . S . of W . ; R . HamM » 1855 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; James Griffin , 2025 , P . P . G . D . ; and H . D . Thomas , Zl ' P . P . S . G . D . ' '

Bro . GOVER , the Secretary , read his report , which was afterwards incorporated with the report of the Committee . Bro . the Rev . W . WHITTLEY , the London representative , submitted that his report , though brief , would not prove unsatisfactory . The report of fast July showed Devon to be indebted to other provinces to the extent of

1745 votes . In October , 1887 , the province sent 49 8 boys' and 241 girls ' votes , or a total of 739 , thus reducing the debt to 1006 votes . In A pril , 1888 , the province contributed 485 boys' and 295 girls' votes , or a total of 781 votes , still further reducing the debt to 225 votes . In May last there

were received from the province 5 S 0 men ' s and 58 9 widow ' s votes , and your representative secured from sources quite apart from the province 261 votes , making a total of 1430 votes , so that , after meeting every claim on the province , there are 1205 votes remaining to your credit , and available for a future election . Thus the Province of Devon is once more free to work on

its own account . The report was adopted . The petitions for relief were then considered . There were three petitions —two from the widows of brethren , one of Brunswick Lodge , No . 159 , and Ebrington Lodge , No . 1847 , an & the other of the St . John ' s Lodge , No ,

1247 , and Erme Lodge , No . 1091 . The third petition was on behalf of a decayed brother of St . John the Baptist Lodge , No . 39 , Harmony Lodge , No . 372 , and Brent Lodge , No . 1284 . A gift of £ 10 to each applicant was recommended . Of applications for the votes of the province to the London Masonic Charities there were 15 ; five from widows , three from decayed

brethren , and seven on behalf of children . It was resolved to adopt a widow , and the applicant selected was the widow of a brother of Metham Lodge , No . 1205 , and St . John ' s Lodge , No . 70 , formerly the London representative of the province . It was then resolved to adopt children , and

a boy , aged seven , the son of a brother of Salem Lodge , No . 1443 , was selected , and in the event of there being sufficient available votes , a girl , aged nine , daughter of a brother of Pleiades Lodge , No . 710 , was selected to be the second candidate .

The following report was adopted for presentation to the Prov . Grand Lodge : The Committee of Petitions have more than ordinary pleasure in presenting their annual report to the P . G . Lodge , because foe the first time for some years they are enabler ! to announce that the province iswith regard to votesnot only free from any

, , obligation , but has about 1200 votes to its credit available for future elections . This result is , to a large extent , due to the admirable management of our affairs by our representative in London , the Rev . Bro . W . Whittley , P . P . S . G . W ., who has spared neither time nor trouble for the best interests of Devon . All the lodges and chapters , save onehave forwarded their voles to the Secretary , and it is also satisfactory that

, much larger amounts have been voted to the London Charities b y the lodges and given by the brethren , than in any former year . The great interest which our justly-esteemed Prov . Grand Master takes in this important part of Freemasonry has in a great measure conduced to this desirablejmprovement . Still much remains to be done . We acea 0 giving to anything like the extent of what we receive , and there are still some lodges

which have given very sparingly . The voting power of the province is increasing , other provinces are also increasing in the number of their votes . The Committee v , 0 ° ' therefore , impress upon the members of the Prov . Grand Lodge the necessity of recommending the lodges and chapters of which they are members to appropriate some P ? " tion of their revenue to our Institutions , not forgetting the Fortescue Fund and t Devon Ma onic Educational Fund , which are both doing good work in directions wnic the larger Institutions cannot reach . The Committee , at their meeting at p TU , " January 30 th , granted £ 5 to the widow of a brother seven years a member or bo E Ebrington , 1847 , Stonehouse , also a member of Lodge Brunswick , 159 , Stonel ] ? ' ., £ 5 to the widow of a brother four years a membei of Lodge Erme , io QI > lv J ' ? ' and thrpfi vearsa mpmhrrof the St . Tnhn ' s Lnrlee . I 2 J 7 . At their meeting held to-u y

they recommend the Prov . G . Lodge to grant the further sums of £ 10 each to widows , and £ 10 to a brother ; and in accordance with the by-laws ot the P ™^ ' sent Lodge , they recommend that the sums necessary to qualify all the lodges wn °£ ?^ ; t ; es , their portion of the money in accordance with by-law 20 for one of the great Ln ^ be voted , and that the available balance of £ 10 105 . be given to the Royal Inst for Boys .

This closed the business of the Committee . . , vas The Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in the Assembly Room , wnic fitted up for the occasion as a lodge . Theie were over 200 brethren p ^^ sent . Viscount Ebrington , M . P ., the Prov . G . M ., was not able to au ' and Bro . W . G . Rogers , the D . P . G . M ., presided . He was supportea j Bros , the Hon . R . M . W . Dawson , P . S . G . W . ; J . Brewer , PJ ^ ' ^ ee their chairs , and in addition to the officers and members of the Corn of Petitions , the following officers were also present : Bros . Rev * . . ' hatr

1181 , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . R . T . Tyacke , 189 , P . G . Chap . ; VV . vy « u- •. 328 , P . G . Std . Br . ; R . Pike , P . G . O . ; R . Lose , jun ., p A stan-T . C . Lewarne , 223 ; G . C . Searle , 248 ; C . Watson , 954 J V-J ' i P . bury , 1099 ; L . E . Bearne , and A . T . Blarney , P . G . Stwdf . ; J- G Phillinc ; 001 . P . P . n . n . nf C . •S . 1 ™ P . P . O . T •T . Yelland , r . r .

D . of C . j J . W . Cornish , 223 , P . P . G . T . ; C . H . Cooper , 105 , P- * Nr ra ' cey . D . Cross , 1205 , P . P . G . T . ; T . Goodall , 1550 , P . P . G . O . ; Major u R . A ., 1247 , P . P . G . Sec , Jersey .