Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcester Shire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WORCESTER SHIRE .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of the above province was held on Wednesday afternoon , the 14 th inst ., in the National Schools , Halesowen , when there was a large attendance of brethren . Amongst those present were : Bros , the Right Worshipful Sir Edmund A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P . ; W . H . West wood , P . P . S . G . W ., in the D . P . G . M . chair ; Jones , Charity Steward ; Rev . A . R

Timbrell , P . G C . ; Rev . Knight Law , Rev . W . J . Downs , Rev . J . W . Weishaw , G . Taylor , P . G . S . ; Williamson , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . E . Walker , P . S . G . D . j C . E . Bloomer , P . S . G . W . ; W . Somers , P . A . G . D . C . ; A . Pearson , P . P . G . P . ; I . Foley , P . P . G S . B . ; Brown , P . G . P . ; Barhley , P . J . G . W . ; Turner , P . P . G . R . ; A . Buck , P . P . S . G . W .: W . Waldron . P . G . D . C ; F . H . Lloyd , J . Turner , J . Fisher , E . J .

Chambers , C . Bellingham , R- Preece , Roberts , J . Jones , T . Taylor , Vale , De Denne , E , Lowe , Grove , Russell , Parry , T . Brettell , J . Jordan , James Jones , T . Lamb-Smith , P . P . G . D . ; W . Waring , R . Stevenson , G . T . Owen , W . H . Hughes , John Wright , H . Milward , Birmingham ; E . W . Smith , Noah ' s Ark ; T . Troman , Underwood , and J . Wadiam . There were present about 140 .

Letters were received stating regret of absence from Bro . Godson , D . P . G . M ., and others . On the motion of the P ROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER , it was resolved that a loyal address congratulating her Majesty the Queen on the 50 th year of her accession to the Throne be adopted and forwarded to her Majesty by

the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire . Bro . A . Green was re-elected Grand Treasurer . A report on the state of Masonry in the province was presented , and was deemed toba highly satisfactory . The Worshipful Provincial Grand Master appointed :

Bro . C . E . Bloomer ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W , „ W . Bachley ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ W . E . Walker ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ Harvey Preen ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D .

„ T . Troman ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . Taylor ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ,. Rev . A . B . Timbrell ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap .

„ Rev . W . Wilshaw ... - Prov . A . G . Chap „ G . Brown ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ W . Waldron ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C .

It was decided that the next Provincial Grand Meeting be held at Moseley , near Birmingham . The brethren afterwards walked in procession to the parish church where a special service was held . An eloquent and appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev . A . B . Timbrell . The choir rende red in excellent style the anthem , " Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest , " which has been recently composed by Bro . T . Troman , organist of Handsworth parish church . The collection , which was on behalf of the National Schools and

Organ Fund , amounted to 15 guineas . The brethren also dec ided to give a sum of money for the support of orphan children . In the evening the brethren to the number of no assembled in the Drill Hall , w ' nich was handsomely decorated for the occasion . Bro . Sir Edmund Lechmere occupied the chair of King Solomon , and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were observed .

Bro . Sir EDMUND LECHMERE thanked the members 01 the Halesowen Lodge for the excellent provision made for the brethren . During the day the bellringers of the parish church , in honour of the visit of the Freemasons to the town , rang a peal of 2562 changes of grandsire triples , which contained the last half of Holt ' s ten-part peal , in one hour and 20 minutes .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

Lord Egerton of Tatton , Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master of England , Provincial Grand Master of Cheshire , held a Provincial Grand Lodge at the Town Hall , Altrincham , on Tuesday , the 20 th instant . There was a fair gathering of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers , Masters , Wardens , and brethren . The Stamford Mark Lodge , 48 , was opened . The usual formal business having been transacted , Lord Egerton invested the following brethren as officers for the ensuing year : —

Bro . C . W . Spencer Stanhope ... ... ,,. Dep . Prov . G . M . „ Captain Gilbody ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ J . R . Vanderkeste ... ... ,,, Prov . J . G . W . „ The Hon Tatton Egerton , M . P . ... ... Prov . G . M . O . ,, R . W . Banks ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ 1 . F . Edisbury ... ... ... .., Prov . J . G . O .

,, Rev . J . W . Newell Tanner ... ... Prov . G . Chap . ,, F . K . Stevenson ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . Fletcher ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Richard Newhouse ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ G . H . Heapy ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . ., R . H . Middleton ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . ,, John Morris ... ... ... Prov . G . I . of W .

„ G . F . Willis ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ A . Peteikin ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ C . J . Hughes ... ... ... In r- o , r , i ; JohnDaken ; " j Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ Herbert Ems ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . , , S . Smith .........- „ T . Cowley ... ... ... / D r- c , „ H . Capes ... ... ^ Prov . G . Stwds . ,, S . Thompson ,., ,,, ... )

Provincial Grand Lodge Of New York Under The "Ancients."

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK UNDER THE "ANCIENTS . "

By BRO . G . B . ABBOTT . Thus far I have shown ( a ) that even it there is no evidence obtainable from the Minutes of the ' - 'Ancient ' '' Grand Lodge of England of a Provincial Grand Lodge Warrant having been granted for New York , there are three several entries in those minutes in which certain brethren are

described as the Prov . G . Principal Officers elect , the P . G . M . elect and P . S . G . W . elect being specified in all three , and the P . J . G . W . elect in two out of the three ; ( b ) that even if the Duke of Athole is wrongly described as the fourth instead of the third Duke , the date of the 5 th September , 1781 , everywhere assigned to the said alleged warrant of

Constitution , comes within the seventh year of the Grand Mastership of the Duke of Athole , who was Grand Master of the "Ancients" on that date ; ( c ) that even if the Duke of Athole , who was G . M . on the aforesaid 5 U 1 September , 1781 , is misdescribed as fourth instead of third Duke—and I have shown that it is not necessarily a misdescription after all—it is only in repetition of

a mistake made in a still more important letter written on one ol the most momentous occasions in the history of the "Ancient" Fraternity , and that too much stress , therefore , must not be laid on a mistake made owing to ignorance—excusable ignorance in the case of such men as Dermott , Dickey , and Bearblock—or through a slip of the pen or other cause ; and ( d ) that

the absence of the Grand Master ' s signature from the Warrant is to be explained by the fact that , though there was a Grand Master when the said warrant is alleged to have been granted , there was none when it was issued for use by the New York brethren . I will now present further evidence from

the minutes of the " Ancient " Grand Lodge , which will fully account for any irregularities—whether apparent or real—in connection with this alleged Warrant , and which , in my opinion , ought to go a very long way towards convincing those who have condemned it as a forgery , that they have been over-hasty in formulating that judgment .

On the 5 th September , 1781 , the day on which the Duke of Athole was re-elected Grand Master , Charles Bearblock was re-elected G . Secretary , and on the 6 th February , 17 B 2 , when the the "Ancients" found

themselves without a Grand Master , the said Charles Bearblock was solemnl y installed in office " according to Ancient Custom . " On the 6 th March , 1783 , Bro . Bearblock addressed a letter to G . Lodge , in which he slated , "for the reasons therein mentioned that he could not attend the Grand

Lodge , "and on motion duly carried he was discharged from office , Bro . Robert Leslie being appointed his successor . On the 3 rd March , 1784 , the Dep . G . Master ( Dermotl ) having ascertained that Secretary Leslie had received neither accounts nor papers from his predecessor , and that Bearblock had been summoned 10 render them , but had taken no heed of the summons , it

was "Ordered thata Committee of Nine Masters of the Warranted Lodges be now chosen and appointed finally to receive , take , and examine the accounts and papers of Chas . Bearblock , late G . S . with the Grand Lodge , and of all monies and transactions concerning the same , and do report their proceedings to the Grand Lodge—any li \' e LJ be a quorum , and proceed to business—And that Bro . Bearblock be simmo-T-d to attend the said

Committee , and to produce all letters , papers , luok . ' ^ counts , and writings , in his power or pos ' son belonging to and conceri .. -. the Grand Lodge , the Committee to meet at the Rose Tavern , Old Bailey , on acct . Bro . Bearblock's attendance "—Bro . Bearblock lived at 53 , Old Bailey . " The Lodge then proceeded to the choice of said Grand Cimmittee , and the W . Masters

of Nos . 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 31 , 77 , 194 , 195 , an J 221 were severally chosen and approved , and agreed to meet . " T . i . said Committee met as appointed on the 15 th March , Bro . Dagnia being in the chair , and all the Worshipful Masters being present as well as the Grand Secretary and Bro . Bearblock , who , in reply to the earlier questions that were

put to him , declined to produce any account or furnish any information unless certain of the Grand Lodge books were given to him for the purpose . We then read ; "The Secretary then stated and referred to several Omissions of the year 1781 , particularly two sums reed , of Lodges 219 and 218 being the two first referred to . Mr . Bearblock acknowledged

these were Omissions amounting to £ 6 us ., and that there might be more for the said year 17 S 1—the Secy ., Leslie , stated and referred to Omissions amounting to £ 30 for the year 1781 ; " and " Mr . Bearblock being asked if he wd . acct . for those sums or any others he had reed ., he ansd . No he wd . not and the Secy , or Committee might get or come at them as they

cd . " The proceedings of the Committee were shortly afterwards closed , and on the 29 th March , Grand Lodge having first read and confirmed the Minutes of its Committee , it was " Proposed and Ordered that Bro . Bearblock settle with the Grand Lodge finally on or before the first day of June next , upon pain of Exclusion , and the Grand Secretary to give him Notice

of this Resolution . " On the 2 nd June , Bro . Dermott , D . G . M ., being in the chair , it is recorded that "Bro . Bearblock having sent in no accounts or any person to explain , " the D . G . M . excluded him for ever from the Society , and ordered " that the present Secretary give notice" of such exclusion " to the several and respective lodges in England , Scotland , Ireland , and America . "

It is evident from the statements I have quoted above that Secretary Bearblock was a consummate rascal and fully merited the punishment awarded him by the Grand Lodge . But what mostly concerns us in relation to this present inquiry is that the solitary admission he permitted himselt

to make in answer to Secretary Leslie ' s inquiries had reference to this very Prov . Grand Lodge Warrant which Bro . Findel has over-hastily dubbed a «' veiy equivocal Constitution . " Leslie had inquired of him as to " several omissions of the year 17 S 1 , particularly two sums reed , of Lodges 219 218 , " and Bearblock at once " acknowledged these were Omissions amount-