Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WORCESTERSHIRE .

We have more than once had occasion lo note the progress made by Freemasonry in this prox-ince , under the excellent rule of its Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Sir E . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P . For the last fexv years all its operations have been marked by a zeal and

earnestness xvhich has lifted this province from comparative obscurity to a rank amongst the foremost . The aid which Worcestershire , xvith its eleven lodges , has given the Masonic Charities during the past four years is a stirring evidence of the life and interest xvhich can be aroused when the effort is made and encouragement given .

On Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., the annual meeting of this Prov . Grand Lodge was heldat Dudley , under the banner of the Royal Standard Lodge , No . 498 , and a most successful and enjoyable re-union xvas the result , the xvhole proceedings of the day being marked by a completeness and accord most gratifying to those xvho had the pleasure of participating .

The R . VV . Prov . Grand Master opened his Grand Lodge at the Public Hall , being supported by Bros . XV . K . R . Bedford , Past Grand Chaplain ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . P . G . R . Gloster ; Chas . Fendelow , P . P . G . W . Staffordshire ; Rev . VV . Randall , Past P . G . Chan . Warwickshire ; Loxdale VVarren , P . P . G . R . Stafford ; J . Mason , P . PlG . D . Middx . ; and other visitors , xvith a very large number of Present and Past Grand Officers of Worcestershire and neighbouring provinces .

After the customary honours , tlie minutes of the last Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Stourbridge , xvere read and confirmed . Numerous letters had been received , expressing great regret at inability to be present , amongst others from Bros , the R . VV . Lord Leigh , P . G . M . Warxvickshire ; Colonel Machen , D . Prov . G . M . Warxvickshire : Colonel

Foster Gough , D . P . G . M . Stafford ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , D . P . G . M . Suffolk ; Major Tudor , R . W . P . G . M . Stafford ; J . M . P . Montagu , D . P . G . M . Dorset ; Capt . Homfray , D . P . G . M . Monmouth ; W . J . Hughan , P . G . D . ; Hugh D . Sandeman , F . Binckes , P . G . Stwd . ; and amongst others from the P . Prov . Grand Masters of the Province , R . W . Bro . A . H . Royds and R . VV . Bro . H . C . Vernon .

The R . VV . PROV . GRAND MASTER , before proceeding to the other business of the day , appointed and invested Bro . George Taylor , P . P . S . G . W ., as Prov . Grand Secretary . Having pointed out hoxv much he , xvith all the members of Prov . Grand Lodge , xvere indebted to Bro . Taylor for having

so efficiently performed the duties of the office since the lamented death of the late Secretary , Bro . VV . Bristow , the Prov . Grand Master expressed his satisfaction that Bro . Taylor had consented to make those serx'ices of a permanent character ; and he xvas sure that satisfaction xvas shared by every Mason in Worcestershire .

Business arising out of the minutes was then disposed of—one item , consisting of a report on the adminstration of the " Bristow Testimonial Fund , " which had been raised in honour of the late Prov . Grand Secretary , a sum of ^ 531 17 s . fid . had been subscribed , and had been invested , on behalf of Bro . Bristow ' s children .

The muster roll having been called , it xx'as found that all the lodges in the province xvcre numerously represented . The Auditors' report shoxved a balance in hand on the Benevolent F ' und ° f £ cA 3 3 - I 0 d ., and on the General Purposes account of £ 22 3 s . fid .

Ihe same was adopted , and Bro . Albert Brown , P . P . S . G . W ., Prov . Grand Treasurer , who , to the great regret of those present , was prevented by illness from attendance , was re-elected Treasurer . The report on the state of Masonry in the province shoxved an increase of ei ghteen members during the past year .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER , in moving the adoption of this report , took occasion to make further reference to some of its gratif ying features . He was pleased to see that , spite of commercial adversity , the returns showed an increase , rather than diminution , of numbers ; but he was also pleased to note the financial position of the lodges appeared satisfactory . The number of ceremonies worked , and the fact that nearly every W . M . had installed his successor , was evidence of healthy active life . He ( the Prov . Grand

Master ) had noticed that upwards of thirty installed Masters had attended a recent installation at one of the lodges , and it xvas a source of pride and pleasure to him to find txvo lodges at Kidderminster—Hope and Charity , 377 , and the Lechmere , ' 1874—joining in a most Masonic and suitable act of presenting to their Parish Church a set of carillons . Nearly three hundred pounds had been contributed by the members of these lodges , and the chimes xvere noxv being erected—a lasting monument to Masonic zeal and generosity in that town .

T he operations of the Benevolent Fund Committee for the past year having been approved , and three members duly elected , Bro . GEO . TAVLOR , Prov . Grand Secretary , read the following :

REPORT OF THE CHARITY COMMITTEE . Your Committee present their third annual report xvith every feeling of saisfaction at the progressive character of their xvork , xvhich continues to receive the hearty cooperation of the brethren of the province . Each element of the Charity scheme , formed a little more than three years ago , is marked by gratifying results , and the aims and objects of the organization are becoming more xvidely familiar to the brethren of the

province , as xvill be proved by the folloxving facts and figures : At last October elections , immediately folloxving the last annual report , your Committee received all the Girls' and Boys' votes in the province except seventy-four ; the loss of forty of this number xvas occasioned by a mistake , through the absence abroad of Bro . W . ' J . Turney , and twenty-six belonged to persons not attached to any lodge in the province .

At the April elections of the present year , your Committee received all except thirty-four votes , of these txventy-tivo belonged to persons not attached , and hence brethren of the province ' gave their votes elseivhere to the extent of eight votes only in October , and txvelve in April . This manifests a loyal co-operation on their part , which proves a frreat aid to the objects aimed at . A complete register is kept ot every vote received , in the name of the sender , and your Committee have only to regret the almost continuous absence of one lodge from that list .

The Secretary to your Committee received in October 171 Girls'votes , xvhich xvere loaned to South VVales ( E . Division ) . In April 221 Girls' votes , xvhich xvere lost , as , in consequence of the candidates not exceeding the number of vacancies , there xvas no election in April , and they could not be loaned . This unusual circumstance of no election has been thc cause of a rather unpleasant incident in connection xvith one of your loans " -that of 309 Girls' votes—the loan of which was continued , but the contracting party afterxvards tendered payment ; votes , hoivever , then being waste paoer . thev xvere

declined . Your Committee think it xvell to enter into no further particulars on this matter at present , nor to give the name of the province , as correspondence is still going ° n , and they have made an offer to submit the question to arbitration . It is hoped this xvill be agreed to , and , xvhatever the result may be , your Committee xvill embody in their next report . In Boys' votes , 225 were received in October , and loaned to Wiltshire ; 278 Boys ' votes xvere received in April , xvhen your Province had a candidate for the Boys' School ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

Francis William Lexvis . The Secretary of your Committee , who attended the election , was able , by draxving in loans of Boys' votes , together xvith aid rendered by the friends of thecandidate , to poll no less than 2250 votes , and secure the election of your candidate ninth on the list of the successful fifteen . To accomplish this only 171 votes xvere borrowed of Wiltshire . ' The magnitude of these figures xvill shoxv the brethren the result of unity and the necessity for ex'ery . ; possible vote being brought into one channel .

Your Committee have pleasure in staling that the folloxving votes are still oxving the province * . 350 Girls' by Wiltshire , 175 by Lincolnshire , 171 by Eastern Division South VVales , ; 313 Boys' by London Charity Association , 29 by a London brother . Deducting 171 Boys' votes oxving to Wiltshire , it leaves a balance of S 67 votes , or , including the 309 in dispute , 117 G votes .

YourCommitte have adopted Beatrice Emily Knott , daughterof the late Bro . Henry Nicholls Knott , of Worcester Lodge , 2 S 0 , as a candidate for the October election of the Girls' School , and have every confidence in anticipating her safe return . There xvill then be in the Masonic Schools from this province txvo girls and three hoys , all elected since the formation of your organization ; 34 Girls' and Boys' votes have been lost to the province by the lamented death of Bro . Bristoxv .

Coming to the other Institution , that for the relief of Aged Freemasons and Widoxvs , at the annual issue of votes last May , the Secretary of your Committee received 233 Widoxvs' votes and 152 Men ' s votes—the latter xvere exchanged for 94 Widoxvs' votesmaking a total of 327 . All these votes xvere not of the province , xvliich is particularly weak in Benevolent votes , but a large number xvere obtained through the kind assistance of Bro . J . Derby Allcrott , Bro . ' E . J . Mclntyre , M . P ., Bro . A . F . Godson , and Bro . VV . Clement Green , to xvhom the best thanks of your Committee are due .

Your Committee were most anxious to secure the election of your candidate , Widoxv Casxvell ; but your Secretary , xvho attended the election , found it impossible , xvith sixtythree candidates and only thirteen vacancies . He , therefore , threw in his lot with Monmouthshire , Wiltshire , Gloucestershire , Bristol , and Somersetshire , xvho owe your province 4 S 4 Widoxvs' votes and 191 Mens' votes , and stand pledged to assist in endeavouring to secure Widoxv Casxvell ' s election next May . She has received temporary assistance by txvo grants of £ 5 each from the Fund of Benevolence of Prov . Grand Lodge , and is again in great need .

The financial aid from this province to the charities xvhich so greatly contributes to the foregoing results , continues eminently satisfactory . The guinea subscriptions to the ballot scheme , xvhich amounted to thirty guineas in 1 SS 0 and increased to ninety-five guineas in 1 SS 1 , reached in April 1 SS 2 , 120 guineas , and was made up of 13 subscribers from Lodge No . 252 , 19 from 2 S 0 , 11 from 377 , 3 from 49 S , 21 from 529 , 6 from 560 , 4 from 564 , 6 from 573 , nil from 1097 , 22 from 1204 , 11 from 1 S 74 , and from the P . G . M . and P . P . G . M . Vernon ; Life Subscriberships of £ 5 5 s . each going to 2 members of No .

252 , 4 of 2 bo , 2 of 377 , 4 of 529 , 2 of 5 60 , 1 of 573 , 6 ot 1204 , 2 of 1 S 74 , and to the Prov . Grand Master . This sum of 120 guineas has been supplemented by the efforts of the folloxving Stexvards from this province , Bros . VV . Barkley , H . F . Dale , G . H . Williamson , and G . W . Grosvenor to the Benevolent Institution ; Bro . J . F . Roberts , to the Girls' Institution ; and Bros . W . Barkley , H . F . Dale , G . H . Williamson , W . J . Turney , and Geo . Taylor to the Boys ' . Institution , xvith such good effect as to contribute £ 389 ns . from Worcestershire during this year to the Three Masonic Charities , and comoletes a total

for the past four years of £ 1 ( 171 12 s . In viexv of the services rendered by the abox-e mentioned brethren and all xvho serve the province in a similar manner hereafter , and to mark the approbation of their brethren , it is recommended by your Committee , that the Charity jewel shall noxv and in the future be presented by and in Prov . Grand Lodge to all those brethren who by Stexvardships shall render themselves clegible to xvear it , and clasps to all those xvho serve further Stewardships . The expenses of your Committee for the past year amount to £ 13 ? s- 4 d .

Phis report having been received and adopted , The R . VV . PROV . GRAND MASTER rose to propose the re-election of Bro . Geo . Taylor as Charity Secretary . He referred in terms of hi gh praise to the exertions put forth by Bro . Taylor in the formation of the Charity Organisation , and the xvonderful progress it had made under his direction . Bro . Taylor had made the Masonic Charities a special subject , for his energies and his name xvould ever bo identified xvith them in conjunction with

Worcestershire . Whilst fearing to impose an undue amount of xvork upon the shoulders of one , he felt that no one could , at all events at present , be found to take Bro . Taylor ' s place , and they must still further become his debtors by again seeking his assistance . This motion was seconded b y Bro . A . F . GODSON , P . P . S . G . W ., who gave his own experience of some of Bro . Taylor ' s labours , and carried unanimously .

The following brethren xvere then presented by the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , in the name of the Prov . Grand Lodge , xvith the charity jewel i Bros . VV . Barkley , H . F . Dale , G . H . Williamson , and G . W . Grosvenor ; and Bro . G . Taylor a clasp , for last Boys' Stexvardship . The notice of motion brought before Grand Lodge by Bro . Clabon for an increase of dues was then considered .

Bro . TAYLOR , Prov . Grand Secretary , moved—That this increase is very undesirable , and this Prov . Grand Lodge hopes that such proposition will be negatived on its being brought before Grand Lodge . It appeared to him this motion xvas brought forward to permit of larger and more extended grants being made by the Board of Benevolence , and this he deprecated . No doubt , everv care was exercised in rlknpnsinrr tl-iic fi . nrl

but , considering the number and amount of the sums voted axvay , it xvas time to pause before further pledging the Craft to xvhat may assume the shape of a gigantic benefit system , xvhich Freemasonry xvas never designed to establish . In addition to Grand Lodge dues , provincial brethren subscribed to Funds of Benevolence in connection xvith their own Grand Lodges , xvhich possibly was not widely known by London brethren .

The proposition xvas received with unanimous approval , and duly seconded and carried . The R . VV . PROV . GRAND MASTER , said he had noxv a most pleasing duty to perform , and at the same time one mixed with deep reoret . The latter xvas xvell understood when it referred to the resignation of one so hig hly , so deservedly revered as their venerable friend , the Deoutv Prov .

Grand Master , Bro . VVm . Masefield . At the ripe age of eighty-two he felt it incumbent upon him to retire from his official position , a position they all knexv how well and how honourably he had filled . It had been to all of them a source of great gratification to find Bro . Maseficld ' s services in the cause of Masonry recognized by the M . VV . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , on the last appointment of Grand Officers , when Bro . Masefield xvas chosen Grand Standard Rp . nrpr . Tlio hrothror , « f tu .. o ™

, Grand Lodge of Worcestershire had taken the advantage of the occasion to present Bro . Masefield xvith a suit of Grand Lodge clothing , and xvith the hope that he xvould yet live many years to xvear their gift . The Prov . Grand Master moved the folloxving resolution , which he would read from the vellum upon xvhich it was engrossed .

ANTIENT AND HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OK ENGLAND . The brethren of the Province of Worcestershire here assembled in Prov . Grand Lodge , desire to express their fraternal and loving regard for their venerable and esteemed Bro . William Masefield on his retirement from the office of Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and to assure him of their sincere regret that age and infirmity should ' compel his resignation of that ofiice at the end of forty years active devotion to the cause of Masonry .