Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

province , of Bro . William Kelly , P . P . G . M ., F . S . A ., kc , and to establish a fund , for the relief , within the province , of necessitous Freemasons , their widows , or children . The greatest interest in this matter was shown by the large number of brethren present , and there is every probability of it being successfully carr ed out .

Bro . S . S . Partridge , D . P . G . M ., was unanimously elected Provincial Charity Steward for the year , and Bro . B . A . Smith , M . A ., LL . M ., who , owing to other r ' uties , had been compelled to resign his posl as Hon . Secretary to the Provincial Charity Committee , was unanimously elected to represent the province at each of the central Charities .

Provincial Grand Ledge having been closed , the brethren re-assembled in ( aige numbers at the annual Provincial Grand Ledge banquet , which , in the unavoidable abserce of Bro . Earl Ferrers . Prov . Grand Master , was p : e ; id ( d over by Bro . S . S . Paitridge , D . P . G . M .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

INSTALLATION OF COMP . VV . L . JACKSON , M . P . On Saturday after noon , the idth ult ., a special meeting of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Great Georgestreet , Leeds , for the purpose of installing Comp . the Right Hon . VV . L . Jackscn , M . P ., as the Grand Superintendent . Since the death ofthe late Grand Superintendent , Comp . T . W . Tew , the companions of the province have been without a titular heael , and the duties were carried on by Comp . Henry Smith , the Deputy Grand Superintendent .

More than usual interest was taken in the gathering by the companions of the Order , who attended from all parts of the province , as well as from neighbcuiirg d stricts , ard of the 40 chapters in the province , 38 were represented . The new Giand Superintendent is a member of No . 2 S 9 , and last year held the positicn of M . E . Z . lt was intended lhat the ceremony rf irslallaticn should have bcen performed by Ccrrp . VV . VV . B . Beach , M . I ., Grand Supcrinlerdent of Hants and the Ii-Ie cf Wight , but during

last week he icceivcd a severe kick frcm his horse , which prevented his attendance , r . nd tie duty was undertaken by Crrrp . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , Grand Registrar and Grard Supeiintendent cf Essex . The installation was held under ihe tanners of ihe fhe Leeds chapters . —the Fidelity , No . 2 S 9 ; Philanthropic , No . 304 ; Alfred , No . 306 ; Excelsior , No . 1042 ; and Prudence , No . 2059 ; End the Committee consisted of the three Principals of the chapter , with Comp . C . L . Mason as chairman and Comp . C . I . Turner , S . E . 289 , as Secretaiy .

During the installation ceremony Comp . F . A . Philbrick acted as M . E . Z . ; Comp . Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . S . N ., H . ; and Comp . R . Grey , Grand President of the Committee of General Purposes , J . ; and they were assisted by Comps . Majrr J E . Le Feuvre , P . G . S . B . England ; R . Eve , P G . Trias . ; C . E . Keyser , P . G . S . B . ; T . B . Whytehead , P . G . Sid Br . ; f . Chadwick , P . G . Sid . Br . Engl . snd , P . G . S . E . East Lanes . ; M . C . Peck ,

P . G . Std . Br . ; and a large number of ether companions . The ceremony was an impressive one , and at the conclusion , Comp . PHILBRICK , G . C ., addressing the companions , congratulated the province on having such a gentleman as Comp . VV . L . Jarkson as ils Grand Superintendent . Ho added lhat the name of VV . L . Jackson was an

henoured one in Yoikshire , and stood as a symbol of all that was honoui - rb ! e , straightforward , cr . nscieriticus , and truthful ; as a mark of the high cl aracter of ore who was deservedly respected ; and the choice of the Prince of VVales in placing Comp . Jackson at the head of the province was one which was willingly and delightfully acquiesced in by the companions generally .

The GRAND S UPERINTENDENT , after alludirg to the absence of Comp . VV . VV . B . Beach , M . P ., said that r . o cne knew moie than he did low difficult it was to fulfil the grow ing duties which came upon one in the manner one desired to fulfil ihem , but as far as he could bring to bear diligence and faiihfulnei-s in the discharge cf his duties , he shoule ! endeavour to do so wilh

all his heait and zeal . He thanked the companions of Shcllirld for their invitation to Provincial Grand Chapler to meet in lhat city , but it was thcufc htto be ui accorctance with the g / neral convenience that ihe Prov ' rciil Giand Chapler should be held at Leeds . He also acknowledged lie indebtedness of ihe companions ( o the five Leeds chapters for the excellent arrangemenls wliich had becn made for lhat gathering .

At the conclusion of the ceremony of installation , a banquet wns held at the Great Northern Hold , at which the Right Hon . VV . L . Jackson , M . P ., presided . After the usual tcasls had been duly honoured , Comp . F . A . PHILiiuic K , O . C , G . Reg ., proposed "The Health of the Newly-installed Grand Superintendent . " He remarked that there

was an old proverb to the effect—" Tell me what a man ' s associates aie , and I will tell you what the man is ; " and they needed nogreater test of what a man was than when lhey found lhat he was honoured in the place in wh ch hc grew up as a boy , had spent his young manhood , and had devotcd the energes of his riper j ears . That their Grand Superintendent lad dor . e , aud had wen the es ' . ecm and confidence of his fellow-townsmen , ar . d he was sure the Order in the province -Aould prosper under his rule .

The GRAND SITKKINTKNDKNT , who was most enthusiastically received , in leplying to the toavt , reinaiked that he had found during his short life that the easiest course for a man to follow when he saw before him what appeared to be , :. \\ things considered , a clear and definite line of duty , was to follow lhat line , . 11 cl to take the consequences . Afler all , what did it mean ? It meat t , no doubt , the sacrifice of what was called leisure , but a

man can hardly be better engaged than in endeavouring to promote , as far as he could , what appelated 10 be for the general welfare of the community . They had no party politics in thfct gathering ; but they combined the ideas of loth parties of polities , 'ihe duties of citizens fell to all of them , but whatever m'g h > . be their particular politics , and however lhey might have

hceii engaged in paity fights , they recognised there was one object which was eon-noil to all loyal and dutiful citizen ? , to do thc best they could , according to tleir judgment and abilily , to promote the welfare of the comrrnnily by which lhey were surrounded . Dealing with tie ceremony that afternoon , he atlded lhat , with the assistance ol thc companions of VVest Yorkbhiio , he had confidence that he would be able to maintain the traditions of the p ; st .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Staffordshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF STAFFORDSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was held at Wolverhampton on the 1 ith inst . In the absence of the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Col . G . S . Tudor , who was , unfortunately , too unwell to attend , the D . P . G . M ., Bro . J . F . PEPPER , presided , and expressed his regret , which , he was sure , would be shared by all the brethren , that illness had , for the third time , pi evented the Provincial Grand Master being nresent .

A very satisfactory report was received from each of the lodges in the province , and , after the roll of the lodges and Provincial Grand Officers was called , and the Provincial Grand Treasurer elected , the following appointments were made :

Bro . F . VV . Willmore ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ S . Jenkins ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ C . Taylor ... ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ ] . T . Howson ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ VV . Bywater ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . ,, C . A . Newnham ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Trra ? . „ VV . B-llon ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

,, G . VV . Walker ( re-appointed ) ... ... frov . u . bee . „ VV . E . Thomason ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ Eljah Jones ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ J . Dunbar Seen ... ... ... Prov . G . L of W . ' „ V . C . L . Crump ( re-appoinled ) ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ A . Dewsbury ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Tno . Munro ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . ., J . J . Gittings ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, J E . Moorhou e ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G . Tie DEPUTY P ROV . GRAND MASTER having announced that it was his

intention to go up as Steward to the next Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund , the sum of 20 guineas was vo ' . ed from the Provincial Grand Lodge to be added to his list . The sum of ro guineas was also voted for the fund now being raised by the Provincial Grand Master of the Craft—the Earl of Dartmouth—for the Wolverhampton Orphanage .

Afterwards a banquet was held at the Star and Garter Hotel , when the usual Masonic toasts were proposed and heartily responded to . In addition to the above-named , the following brethren were present Bros . G . A . Thomason , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . Candelent . P . P . J . G . W . ; J . Bates , P . P . S . G . O . ; H . Windle . P . P . J . G . W . ; J . B . Morgan , P . P . S . G . W . ; C . G . Elphinstone , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; H . M . Scott , P . P . G . l . G . ; 1 ' rentham , 31 S ; Morris , 318 ; and others .

The Aberdeen "Old Charges."

THE ABERDEEN " OLD CHARGES . "

I have much pleasure in adding to our store of reproductions , that of the " Aberdeen MS ., " of the year 1670 , the property of the old Lodge of Aberdeen , No . 1 iris . The transcript has recently been made for me most kindly by Bro . Alexander M . Munro , Treasurer of that ancient lodge , and has been carefully collated with my reproduction in the Voice of Masonry ( U . S . A . ) for December , 1 S 74 ; and a portion in facsimile , which was presented to me many years ago .

A full account of the document appears in my " Old Charges of British Freemasons , 1895 , " so it will only now be necessary to give a brief Introduction to the manuscript proper , which is buth old and interesting . The text belongs to the extensive " Grand Lodge Family , " which now includes 40 MSS ., this one being numbered D 11 , and is bracketed with

D 9 , forming the " Stirling " Branch ( i ) , for reasons duly explained , and in accordance with Dr . Begemann ' s classification . It is written in what is known as the " Mark Book , " in which is contained the " Lawes and Statutes ordained by the honourable Lodge of Aberdeen , Dec . 27 th , 1670 , " the " Measson Charter , " or " Old Charges , " immediately following , and then the General Laws of the Craft in Aberdeen are recited , these providing

that" the Measson Charter be read at the entering of every Entered Apprentice . " In 1670 the lodge had 49 members , only some 10 or less being Operative Masons . The Master is described as " Tutor of Airth , Collector of the Kinges Customes at Aberdein , " and the roll contained many noblemen and

gentlemen , all of whom had their Masonic marks entered , though Speculalives , that of James Anderson , the transcriber of the MS ., being inserted at the end of the document . The invocation , it will be noted , is styled "A Prayer : befor : the : Meeting , " and the traditional history is addressed to " Good : brcthrcin : and : deacones , "as its fellow MS ., the " Stirling , D 9 , " which was published by me privately in 1893 .

The usual conclusion is lacking in the " Aberdeen MS ., " but the decument is valuable , because two of the unreadable portions ( or blanks ) in the " Stirling " scroll are therein duly supplied . The custodian of this MS . having been the Lodge of Aberdeen for considerably over two

centuries , most satisfactorily accounts for its origin , usage , and operative character in part . Sometimes the is given in the oidinary way , and at other times as ye , and capitals are often represented by the letters being written twice , e . g ., ff as /'' . These are not always noted by the Transcriber . W . J . HUGHAN .

A discourse : hade : before : A : Meeting : of : Meassones : Commonly : caled ; the : Measson : Charter : A Prayer : befor : the : Meeting : The : Might of the father of heaven with the wisdom of the glorious son , and the grace and goodnes of the holy ghost thes three persones in one god head , be with ws in our begtninge and give US grace to governe our selves that wee may live in that bless which shall never have ane ending : Amen : Good : brethrcin : and : deacones :

OLD CHARGES , A . D . 1670