The Approaching Election Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

group of 26 widows commenced their candidature in 1889 , the following amongst them having obtained such a number of votes as will materially strengthen their prospects of success next month—No . 3 ' ( London ) , 137 8 votes ; No . 3 6 ( London ) , 1095 votes ; No . 38 ( London ) , 2143 votes ; No . 40 ( Cheshire ) , 1197

votes ; No . 41 ( London ) , 2929 votes ; No 46 ( London ) , 8 77 votes ; and No . 51 ( Suffolk ) , 318 7 votes ; and there are one or two others who have polled 400 and 500 votes each , which , if their supporters work well , may be of considerable benefit . The next group of 17 widows—from Nos . 55 to 71 , both

inclusivewere candidates for the first time in 1890 , and of these Nos . 57 and 5 8 , both of London , bring forward 724 votes and 850 votes respectively , No . 6 i , London , 2036 votes , and No . 68 , Oxfordshire , 1420 votes . Of the ten new cases—Nos . 72 to 81—four hail from London ,

namely Nos . 72 , 79 , 80 , and 81 , and the rest from the Provinces of Sussex , South Wales East , Cornwall , East Lancashire , Somersetshire , and West Yorkshire . As regards the husbands when living , a fair proportion of them achieved distinction in lodge , chapter , and province , many of them were supporters of

the Masonic Charities , and had acted in the capacity of Stewards in their behalf , while 41 had been subscribing members of a lodge or lodges for periods ranging from 20 years upwards , two of them having subscribed for 40 years , and one for the exceptionally long period of 56 J years . — - ?

Bro. Sadler's New Book.*

BRO . SADLER'S NEW BOOK . *

A general consensus of opinion will doubtless prevail that the " Life of Thomas Dunckerley" is by far the best and most valuable of Bro . Sadler's books . The information he has compiled is simply invaluable to all Masonic students , especially to those who take an interest in the history of the old lodges . In

fact , the records of these lodges are to me the chief attraction of the volume , and I have no hesitation in stating that the information given is of great worth , historically considered . I do not mean that the subject is exhausted , but in these 300 pages Bro . Sadler has accumulated the results of very much labour and

research , for which he is entitled to our hearty thanks . He will , I think , find that the lodge at Portsmouth ( p . 5 8 ) was never actually erased , the order for erasure being in respect of another lodge in the same town—No . 234 , formerly No . 291 , of 2 nd November , 17 62 ( " Masonic Records , " p . 84 ) . Grand Lodge

ordered the latter lodge to be erased on 23 rd April , 1773 ( Consts . Appendix , 177 6 ) , but one of the officials evidently struck out the Lodge No . 20 by mistake from the Engraved List , as pointed out in my " Handy Book , " p . 80 . The error , however , was discovered and rectified , I consider , without any intervention on the part of Dunckerley .

One of the most interesting portions of the book is the record of the early history of the lodge held at the " Caslle at Highgate , " the notorious No . 79 . It confirms , unmistakeably , the position maintained by me in the discussion some years ago with Bro . Jacob Norton—that not only was there a Lodge No .

79 previous to that at the " Castle at . Highgate , but that subsequently { i . e ., after its erasure in 1733 ) another , and altogether distinct lodge , occupied the same position on the list—No . 79—meeting at the " Two Angels and Crown , Little St . Martin ' slane . " The date of constitution of No . io . b is now

ascertained to have been 27 th June , 173 ij which may be noted in . " Masonic Records , " page 29 . Another fact on which I have previously insisted is also incidentally proved , viz ., the date of the Third Manuscript List in the G . L . Minutes , which although formerly stated to be of the year

1730 , was undoubtedly much later , namely of 1732 . When the lodge at the "Castle at Highgate" was constituted on 29 th June , 1731 , Bro . Edward Price was Master , and Bros . Moor and Crawford Wardens . On 29 th April , 1732 , the election of

a new Master took place , and " Bro . Thomas Moor , Esq ., Senior Warden , was duly elected for the ensuing half year as Master , who appointed Bro . Thomas Crawford to be his Sen . Warden & Bro . Chandler his Jun . Warden . "

In the MS . list above referred to " Thos . Moore , Esq ., Mar ., " heads the list of members , followed by " Mr . Thos . Crawford " and " Dr . Philip Chandler . " Hence it is evident that the list must have been compiled after 29 th April , 1732 .

Bro . Sadler deserves to have this edition of " Thomas Dunckerley" speedily exhausted . The volume should be in every Masonic library , as well as in the possession of all who value and appreciate the records of the lodges of last century . 1 very cordially commend the book to all Masonic students . JNO . LANE .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

A Provincial Grand Lodge of the Province of West Yorkshire was held in the Masonic Hall , Huddersfield , on Wednesday , the 15 th inst ., under the banner of Lodge Huddersfield , No . 290 , when there were present—Bros . Thomas William Tew , J . l ., Past G . D . of England , Prov . G . Master ; Henry Smith , Past G . D . of England , Deputy Prov . G . Master ; Thomas Bateman Fox , J . p Prov . S . G . W . ; Thomas Crossley , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . C . A . Lambert , M . A . , as Prov . G . Chap ; Rev . Benj . Mayou , M . A ., Prov . G . Chap . ; Thos . Harrison , P . G . Treas . ; Harold Thomas , Prov . G . Reg . ; Flerbert G . E . Green , Prov . G Sec ; J . B . Wostinbolm , Prov . S . G . D . ; William Flenry Jessop , Prov . S . G . D .-

W . Risard Massie , P . J . G . D . ; Wm . Watson , P . P . G . S . of W ., as Prov . G . S . of W H . T . K . Holmes . P . G . D . C ; W . E . Tomlinson , Prov . Dep . G . D . C . ; Thomas Lang- ' Prov . Asst . G . D . C ; John James Rutherford , P . P . G . S . B ., as P . G . S . B . ; Thomas Riley , P . G . Std . Br . ; John Throup , P . G . Std . Br . ; George Carbert , P . G . Org . ' ; Joseph Matthewman , Prov . Asst . G . Sec . ; Robt . Henry Armitage , P . G . Purst . ; John

Shoesmith , Prov . Asst . C Purst . ; John Hunt , P . C btwd . ; Joseph ihos . Walker , P . G . Stwd . ; Capt . Arthur Tupman , P . G . Stwd . ; Fred . Rand , P . G . Stwd . ; Robert Thompson , P . G . Stwd . ; Joseph Wilson , P . G . Stwd . ; Samuel Barrand , P . G . Tyler ; Thomas Leighton , Prov . Asst . G . Tyler ; and a large number of Past Prov . Grand Officers and representatives from the lodges in the province .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , and The Prov . Grand Master and the D . P . G . M . were saluted according to ancient custom , as were also the Worshipful the Mayors of Wakefield and Dews , bury , Bros . J . Haslegrave , P . M . 1019 , and James Walmsley , P . M . 827 . The roll of lodges was called , and it was found that 73 out of 75 were represented . The roll of Provincial Grand Officers was called ; only two were unavoidabl y absent , and they sent substitutes .

The minutes of Provincial Grand Lodge , holden at Halifax the 15 th October 1890 , were taken as read , and confirmed . The Right Worshipful PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER then delivered the following address : —

Brethren , —By the cordial invitation of the Worshipful Master and brethren of Lod ge 290 , Huddersfield , we are assembled here to-day , and I am gratified to know that no pains have been spared to provide for our comfort and convenience . The ori g inal warrant ot this lodge bore the date of 1793 . This is the 202 nd meeting- of this Provincial Grand Lodge , the 40 th time it has assembled in this town , and the fifth under the banner of Lodge 290 . I desire to express the obligations of myself and Deputy for the salutations accorded to

us and to the officers of the province this afternoon , as well as for the £ 100 subscribed to the Boys' School and Annuitants' Funds . It is our most anxious desire to encourage the prosperity of the Craft in the 42 towns in which the 75 lodges are located under our administration , and to render these meetings attractive and popular , in order that all may feel the desirability of attending them , and may have individually an interest in the affairs of the Craft . The Masonic Charities and their administration grow more

important every year , and we are most desirous to maintain both our present pleasant relations with other provinces , as well as our influence in the Grand Lodge of England . The annual returns of the lodges to the 31 st December last show considerable variations . There have been 300 initiations and joinings ; 113 resignations ; 6 9 deaths ; 36 exclusions ; and i ( 5 t brethren in arrears . The total number of active members on the roll is 3611 , showing an increase of 71 members . The fees and contributions have come to

j / , 417 gs ., being an increaseof £ 5 . In iSnoyou were generous enough to contribute £ 643 4 s to the annuitants , £ 393 19 s . to the Girls ' , and £ 77 8 6 s . to the Boys' Schools , making a total of £ 181555 . This is exclusive of grants made to various necessitous persons , a state of things which we may consider satisfactory . A conference of influential brethren of the northern provinces was held at Leeds , in the Masonic Hall , Great George-street , on the 6 th February , to discuss the new laws relating- to

the Board of Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and the equitable distribution of representation on that Board . It also considered the desirability of giving substantial support to Lord Lathom ' s presidency at the annual Festival of this Institution , to take place on the 24 th June next . i \ ine provinces , containing 440 lodges , were represented at this meeting , and the brethren agreed to support . the proposal that the 15 northern provinces , with 560 lodges ,, should claim to occupy six seats upon the Board .

the northern provinces have cordially co-operated with us in this matter , and without this concerted action it would have been impossible to secure that representation to which we are entitled . 'Ihe Charity report says the provinces , for the first time , have equal representation with the London brethren on the Board , there being 15 provinc ' ul and 15 London lYfasons elected . The Boys' School has been completely reorganised , and from the report recently issued by the Provisional Management Committee , we may conclude

that it is now in a very much improved and more satisfactory condition . The balancesheet issued by this Committee has been somewhat severely criticised by writers in the Masonic journals , but their strictures appear to have arisen through lack of discrimination between abalance-sheet on the one handand an income and expenditure account on the other . VVe , in West Yorkshire , are supporting Lord Lathom most heartily . The amount already subscribed to the Festival is over £ 1600 . and we are not without hope that it will

eventually reach the handsome sum of £ ' 2000 . Your Provincial Grand Master was invited to preside at the Girls' Festival this year , but having committed ourselves to the Boys ' , it was considered better to defer it for the present . Sir John Monckton hopes , however , that your Prov . Grand Master will take this position in 1 S 92 , and the conference at Leeds expressed their willingness to support us on this occasion . With your generous assistancebrethrenI should be glad to accede to this request . We hope that the 15

, , northern provinces will assemble next year in Leeds or elsewhere , as we are convinced that such conferences will be productive of great advantage , whilst . 1 and my Deputy cannot help feeling regretful that the lapse of time has brought about a change ^ in the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Charity Committee . ; Bro . Smithson , G . O . of England , who has been a member of it for the past 15 years , the last five of which were eiecccu

as Chairman , has retired , and' Bro . I . Bateman Fox , on the 21 st March last , was in his place , whilst Bro . W . C . Lupton succeeded Bro . Fox as Vice-Chairman . I hope there may be recorded on our minutes to-day a resolution of thanks to Bro . Smithson for the noble exertions hehasmadeforthesuccessofourCharities . Mayhebelongspared tojfive to this Committee the advantages of his experience , his tact , and his great business capacity-On the lamented death of our esteemed brother , Edward Tozer , the collar of P . ti- " -

became vacant . This I bestowed upon our worthy Chairman of the Charity Committee . Bro . T . Bateman Fox . As considerable misunderstanding exists as to the status or honorary members of lodges , I have obtained the ruling of Grand Lodge on this question , which our Registrar will shortly read to you . This will also be pl . ced upon the minutes , so that every member of this Prov . G . Lodge will receive a copy . As to the initiation 01 minors , which question has recently a isen , we are advised that in London it is ""?' 1

permitted , and unless under very excep . ijnil circumstances , it shjuld not bi alloweu the p . evinces . I want Post Masters and Worshipful Masters to use their influence t prevent the discussion in public of matters relating to the affairs of their lodge . « j ¦ destructive of administrative harmony to allow unauthorised persons to listen to such u •-cussions . Since we last met much mischief has been caused by the meddlesome : int - f- rence of those who , not being members of a lodge , have yet endeavoured to "j ""™ r its proceedings , and such conduct cannot be too strongly deprecated . During trip 1 iSgo Grand Lodge issued 7 S 4 S certificates to new members . If more discriminac were exercised in the selection of candidates , and objectionable persons P | r „ _ , i Lraici

joining us , I am convinced it would be to the advantage of the ^ would materially lessen the friction which from time to time has arisen in our' ° = j The Wakefield Masonic Literary Society , under the guidance of Bros . Matthewman ^ Childe , has quietly continued its useful career . Amongst the recent lecturers 1 numbered Bros . K . I «\ Gould , Edward Macbean , and other distinguished Masons . ^ Librarian has worked hard to obtain some choice works for the Masonic library . ^ ei succeeded in securing an unique copy of the 16 S 7 MS ., which Bro . Hughan has _ n " The VV . Watson MS ., " a copy ot which has been sent to every lodge . A brot ^ Egypt has forwarded to me a humorous tale of Old Egypt , of the year 1315- ! ^ and Grand Masters to inculcate a desire in brethren to avail themselves of the llbK \ 4 nt " lectures , and make our Masonry something more than a Charity club or a '' ^ , varioi | S Society . To my Deputy and Officers 1 owe many thanks . They have attende"