Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

Chap . ; J . T . Burchett , I . G . ; R . G . Spiers , D . P . G . M . ( Oxford ) ; C Saunders ; J . Adams , P . M . ; H . J . Way ; E . Snelling , W . M . ; T . Pike ; G . A . Green , P . M . ; F . F . Hare , P . M . ,-G . A . Gale . P . M . ; J . M . Palmer ; G . H . de

Frame , P . M . ; A . Serjeant , I . G . ; W . Samoda ; J . E . le Feuvre , P . M ., Prov . G . S . ; B . J . Fisher , S . B . ; J . Watson , Tyler ; J . Exell ; G .

Copeis ; W . J . Parks ; J . Hawkins ; J . Wheeler , P . M . ; J . H . Biggs , G , Tyler ; T . Norwood ; W . Kinsev ; J . Smith ; J . Hall , Tyler ; T . Pelham ; T . Cauvin , Tyler ; F .

Binckes , ( Secietary of Boys' School ) ; W . J

Hickman , P . G . A . D . C . or England , & c . The lodge was opened in due form , and the business included the reception of the various reports and communications as to the bnsiness of the province , the election of officers , & c , for the year . Various sums of money were voted

to distressed brethren or their families , and several votes of condolence to the families of deceased members were passed . One of the members pointed out that there was in the accounts a payment of £$ 5 s . made by the Provincial Grand Lodge to the Royal Gloucester

Lodge , on behalf of the Masonic schools , and urged that the money should be vested in the province , and not in the hands of the lodge . It was replied that thirty guineas a year were voted for the Masonic charities—ten guineas in the name of the Provincial Grand Lodge , the other

twenty guineas being divided amongst those who took the office of Steward of any of the Masonic charities in the province , the latter being enabled to place the live guineas to the benefit of his lodge , and by this means persons had been found to accept the office of Steward , whereas formerly

there was a difficulty in filling the office . The charity was not at all impaired thereby . It further appeared that no notice of a motion to effect the proposed change of vesting the interest entirely in the Province had been given , and therefore the question could not be dealt with at this meetin < r . The balance-sheet of the Province

showed a very favourable condition of the funds •—a state of affairs which appears likely to continue . The Provincial Grand Master then proceeded to appoint and invest his officers for the ensuing year . They are as follows : —Bros . J . W . Lamb , 6 94 , Prov . S . G . W . ; J . N . Pocock ,

1 , 30 , Prov . G . J . W . ; Rev . C . R . Pettat , 6 94 , Rev . E . Y . Nepean , 1373 , Prov . G . Chaplains ; M . Frost , 4 8 7 , Prov . G . Treas . ; W . Hickman , J . E . Le Feuvre , 130 , Prov . G . Sees . ; F . F . Hare , . 359 , Prov . G . Reg . ; Doman , , 319 , Prov . G . S . D . ; Sowden , 723 , Prov . G . J . D . - , Horder , XQt , Prov . G , S . of W . ; H . Coles , 3 159 , Prov .

G . Dir . of Cirs . ; E . Snelling , 76 , Prov . G . A . D . of C . j Maltby , Prov . G . S . B . ; J . Hall , 903 , Prov . G . Purst . ; W . Barnes , Prov . G . Org . Prov . G . Stewards : —G . Sales , 4 87 ; W . J . Hickman , 130 ; Stride , 137 , 3 ; G . F . 'Lancaster , 903 ; J . Ikintes , 6 94 ; F . Court , 257 . At half-past three o ' clock nearly 70 of the hrethren assembled at the Town Hall in order to

be present at the customary banquet . It was ptesided over by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Alaster , and was very elegantly served . On the removal of the cloth- — - The Prov . Grand Master gave the Iirst toast at

all Masonic gatherings—the " Health of her Majesty the Queen , " observing that Masonry taught obedience and loyalty as one of the laws binding upon all brethren . —The toast was loyally quaffed , and the Masonic National Anthem was sung by the whole company .

I'he Prov . Grand Master , 111 proposing the health of the Grand Master of England , the Marquis of Ripon , dwelt on the ability and courtesy he had shown since his acceptance of the otlice , and alluded in gratified and gratifying terms to his recent visit to Southampton , which served to intensify the feeling of loyalty which all . Masons would entertain for him under

ordinary circumstances . —Drank with applause . The Prov . Grand Master then proposed the " Health of the Earl of Zetland , " the Past Grand Alaster of Engl antl , who had presided over the Order with signal ability for upwards of aquarter of a century . He alluded to the attachment which the Prince of Wales had ever shown

towards the principles ol l _ -recinasonry . He was ready to come forward to the assistance of itcharities whenever he was asked , and prove

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

himself a strong - supporter and patron of the order [ cheers ] . The next toast proposed by the Prov . Grand Master was the " Health of the Deputy Grand Master of England" ( the Earl of Carnarvon ) , congratulating the brethren on the fact that they

had the Depuuty Grand Master residing within the limits of the county . The very great interest he had taken in Freemasonry led him to attend all Masonic gatherings possible in which he could contribute to the benefit of the craft . He felt personally much indebted to their noble brother ,

because he went purposely to instal him on the occasion of his appointment as Prov . Grand Master of Hampshire , and had never failed to give him the benefit of his advice and assistance whenever he required it . The Grand Officers were always appointed with great judgment ; and

they evinced every anxiety to carry out with efficiency the work of the craft . They were happy in having amongst the company that evening the Past Grand Warden of England ( Bro . W . S . Portal ) , and he hoped to see him again take that active interest in Freemasonry ,

which some years ago he was wont to do [ hear , hear ] . He proposed the toast with the addition of all the other Grand Officers of England ( Bros . Stebbing , Prov . G . D . ; Spiers , Dep . Prov . G . M . of Oxford ; and Hickman , Prov . G . Deacon of Grand Lodge ) , coupling with it the name ofthe

Past Grand Warden to respond [ applause ] . The Past Grand Warden of England responded at some length , observing that the Earl of Carnarvon had intimated to him by letter that he should have been present that day had it not been requisite for him to cruise about in the Channel for the benefit of his health . lt was

highly gratifying to all to hear that in this Province the knowledge and principles of the craft were likely to be further developed . They felt ( those standing up in response to the toast ) that they were only small stars revolving round the grand luminary , and that their noble brother

might one day be called to rule over the craft and still further to develope the principles of Freemasonry [ hear , hear ] . The brethren present would not expect him , especially in the presence of a member of the Press , to talk to them of the secrets of Masonry . But secrets ,

and signs , and symbols they had , which must be kept sacred , yet there were some things which might be known to all the world . One of these was that they began their Masonic knowledge with prayer , and the word of God stood before them , and all Masons were instructed to read it

and study it , and thus to learn their duty to God and their neighbour . He felt extremely pleased when able to be present at these gatherings , for it was one of the greatest pleasures they had of occasionally throwing off the trammels of life and come to such meeting as these , where they

could see a number of brethren banded together for the good of others as well as for the good of themselves—in order to do the greatest amount of good in their power [ hear , hear ] . He hoped time and health in the future would be afforded him to meet his brethren of the Craft more

frequently than he had done for some time past , for ho had been obliged to give up business and pleasures also , and one of those pleasures of which he was obliged to debar himself was the meeting of his jVJa-.-onic brethren [ hear ] .

Bro . S piers next gave the " Health , of the Provincial Grantl Master of Hampshire , " referring to Masonic experiences of the Worshi pful Master in his own and in the neighbouring province of Oxford , where they presented him ( the Worshipful Bro . Beach ) with a magnificent

testimonial ol plate at a large public meeting . He ( Bro . Spiers ) had been Deputy i'rovinc ' al Grand Master of Oxford for 16 years , and therefore knew something of tlie working of Freemasonry . He was therefore enabled to say with confidence that the present Provincial . Grand

Alaster of Hampshire was one who possessed every qualification for the office [ hear , hear ] . He congratulated the members of this province in possessing such a master , antl the province of Oxford in giving to Hampshire a Master of whom they might justly feel proud [ applause ] .

' i'he Prov . Grand Master , in responding , admitted that lie had acquired much of his . Masonic knowledge in the neighbouring province of Oxford , lie acknowledged lhat in those days he

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

took a great interest in Freemasonry , and strove to fulfil the duties of any office which devolved upon him , and he attributed his subsequent elevation to the fact that he never neglected his Masonic duties in those days [ hear , hear ] . He had since been brought into the province of

Hampshire , where he had received the highest honour which the Grand Master of England could bestow upon him . The Office of Prov . Grand Master was one that none could accept without feelings of responsibility attaching to it ; for if he failed in his duty he would not be

able to encourage and develope those principles which he ought to have at heart [ hear , hear ] . He would wish to see Freemasonry thrive under his care , or he would feel that he had not done his best to promote the interests of the craft . He had reason to congratulate himself and the

members of this province that on all sides Freemasonry was flourishing , They saw it with respect to numbers , with respect to the attachment shown , and also in the financial condition of affairs [ hear , hear ] . He believed a vast amount of Masonic ability existed in the lodges of this province , and

that there were many Masons zealously determined to carry out those great principles which they advocated . They saw , too , new lodges springing up , but he would rather check than increase the growth of lodges unless he sawthere was a resonable and firm prospect that any

new lodge would be carried on in a satisfactory manner [ hear , hear ] . If a lodge were merel y established to grant [ offices and honours to a few brethren , and if successors would not be likel y to be forthcoming , and there would be a lack of officers to succeed them , he should regret the

establishment of any new lodge ; but where a desire was evinced to promote Freemasonry , and brethren were found anxious to succeed one another in taking office , which enabled them to propagate their principles , he rejoiced at their establishment , because they conduced to the

prosperity of their glorious order [ applause . ] Since he had presided over this province several new lodges had been consecrated , all of which had succeeded well , and the Masons of this country had reason to congratulate themselves that they formed no insignificant proportion of

the Masonic fraternity [ hear , hear ] . He felt anxious to do all that lay in his power to discharge his duty . He would willingly attend the meetings of every lodge when he had an opportunity of so doing , but they must remember that there were twenty-six lodges in the province

and therefore it would be extremel y difficult for a Prov . Grand Master to attend very frequentl y and as often as he mi ght wish , but , unless he had an opportunity of seeing the working of the various lodges itwas impossible for him to obtain a very extensive knowledge of the various

requirements needed in every part of the province He would , however , do the utmost in his power , hoping to receive that continued kindness and alacrity in atl ' ording him assistance which he had always hitherto experienced [ loudapplause ] . Before resuming his seat , the Right Worshipful

Bro . Beach proposed , in eulogistic terms , " The Health of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Stebbing . " When Bro . Deacon was compelled to relinquish the post , all eyes must have been turned towards Bro . Stebbing as one of the most energetic and properly qualified brethren to fill

the vacancy , and he congratulated himself on having the privilege of appointing one so able as Bro . Stebbing to lie his deputy [ applause ] . Bro . Stebbing responded in a most eloquent speech , dwelling on the grand principles promoted by e ' reemasonry—love to God and man ,

the protection it afforded to the family of members of tlie Order , on its universality , and on the sacred duties of charity which it advocates . He was a true model of a Freemason in principle , whether lie was so in fact or not , who wrote the beautiful lines : —

" Father of all in every clime , In every age adored By saint , b y savage , or by sage , Jehovah , Jove , or Lord . " Several other toasts followed ; but , in

consequence of the lateness of the meeting in the week , it is impossible for us lo find room finally more lengthy report . We may add , however , that one of the subsequent speakers notified the fact that the Ri ght Worshipful Prov .