The Annual Provincial Meetings.

THE ANNUAL PROVINCIAL MEETINGS .

While the bulk of the London lodges are enjoying- the rest from labour to which they are so justly entitled , the brethren in the Provinces have been busying' themselves in holding or preparing for their annual meetings , the number of Provincial Grand Lodges and Chapters which have been held during the past few weeks being very considerable , while in thc course of

the next few months many more are due , of which it will be our privilege to furnish reports more or less ample and interesting . One of the earliest of these meetings to which it seems desirable to call attention was that held at Cirencester on the rst inst ., when the Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire met under the presidency of its Prov . G . Master , Bro . the

Rig ht Hon . Sir M . E . HICKS-BEACH , Bart ., M . P . This Province , though , as our readers are aware , it is a comparatively small one , is nevertheless imbued . with an amount of zeal in thc performance of its duties which reflects on it the greatest credit ; and as its respected chief will a few days hence preside as Chairman at the Boys' School Festival , there was a fuller

attendance than usual . The annual reports , especially those of the Provincial Grand Treasurer , were in all respects satisfactory , and on thc motion of the D . P . G . M ., Bro . VASSAR-SMITH , it was unanimously agreed that a sum of ioo guineas should be voted towards the funds of that Institution . On the same day was held at Wellington the Provincial Grand Lodge

of Somersetshire , the chair being occupied by Bro . Viscount DUNGARVAN , Prov . G . Master , who must have been extremely gratified both by the number of brethren who were present and the favourable nature of thc reports of the principal executive officers of his Province . On the 2 nd instant the town of Bedford was the scene of a numerous and important gathering of

the Cralt , the day and place having been appointed for the installation of Bro . Lord AMPTHILL as Prov . Grand Master of Bedfordshire , in succession to Bro . Col . WILLI AM STUART , who , when in 1885 his Royal Highness thc Grand Master was pleased to constitute the county of Bedfordshire as a Masonic Province , had thc honour of being chosen to fill the office of Provincial

Grand Master . On this occasion the ceremony of installing Bro . Lord AMPTHILL as Bro . Col . STUART ' S successor was performed by Bro . the Karl of LATHOM , Pro Grand Master , and , though the Province is a small one , with but six lodges on its roll , the proceedings of the day were such as to justify the hope that its career under its newly-invested chief will bc

exceptionally prosperous . On the ioth instant a special meeting of thc Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex was held in thc Town Hall , Twickenham , for the purpose of enabling the brethren to express their sympathy and condolence with Lad y BURDETT and her family on the death of Bro . Col . Sir FRANCIS I ' I'RDETT , Bart ., who received his patent of appointment as the first

Provincial Grand Master of Middlesex on thc ist December , 1 S 69 , and under whose auspices the province had so largely increased both in number and importance . A reference to our issue of the 27 th February last will show that at a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Middlesex and Surrey , which had been held a few days

previously at the Criterion , Piccadilly , an illuminated address contained in a silver gilt casket , was presented to Sir FRANCIS , partly in commemoralion of thc Provincial Mark Lodge having been constituted rather more than 21 years previously and so attained its majority , but chiefly in recognition of his many and important services during that period . On that occasion

the Provincial Secretary read a short descriptive account of the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge since its constitution , which concluded with these words" l-ong may Sir FRANCIS BURDETT live to be our Provincial Grand Mastcr a » d share in thc prosperity of this Provincial Grand Lodge ! " Unhappily , 'he wish thus cordially expressed , and as cordially echoed by all present ,

as well as by all who had the privilege of knowing our late distinguished Brother , has not been fulfilled , and he who was able to preside at thc meeting referred to , and in spite of his weight of years , take an active part in the proceedings , has gone for ever from our midst , to thc deep and enduring regret ° ' all the lodges and brethren over whom he had presided with such ability ai

'd kindness for so longa period . Thus the special meeting at Twickenham a fortni ght since was one of grief and sorrow for the loss of their beloved cll | ef , of whom his Deputy , Bro . RAYMOND H . THRUI ' , spoke no more than | '' e truth when he said lhat Bro . Sir FRANCIS BURDETT was " earnest and lrni in purpose , determined to discharge all the important duties connected

Wl | h his office conscientiously and well , and exerting all his power to P'oniote the welfare and prosperity of the Province , and the comfort and "Ppincss of the brethren , rewarding merit , encouraging the younger brethren ,

cspecia ]] y inculcating the princip les and tenets of the Craft . " The " 'dcas were expressed in the letter of condolence which thc meeting solv « l on addressing to Lady BURDETT , and in which stress was laid on le jud gment and tact and thc gentle sway " with which their late ruler

The Annual Provincial Meetings.

had presided over them , but more especially on the fact that " while firmly maintaining the dignity of his hi gh office , he was ever ready to extend the right hand of brotherhood to the humblest member of the Province , thus endearing himself to all who knew him . " These few expressive words cannot fail to prove a strong consolation to thc lady they were addressed to ,

while the feeling which prompted this genuine tribute of respect will no doubt influence the tone of the annual meeting which will bc held at Teddington to-morrow ( Saturday ) , when for the first time in the history of Middlesex as a Masonic Province , thc chair their beloved chief was wont to fill will be vacant .

1 here are three other meetings of a similar character which have been held . On the gth instant the brethren of Northants and Hunts met at Stamford under the banner of the Lodge of Merit , No . 466 , and Bro . the Earl of KUSTON had the pleasure of congratulating them on the progress made during the past 12 months . His lordship announced that a further

addition would be made to the Province in the shape of a new lodge at Kingsley Park , Northampton , and also expressed thc hope that as he had been invited to preside at next year's Festival of lhe Girls' School , the brethren would rally round and support him as they had done when Chairman of the Benevolent Institution . On the same clay the Provincial

Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire assembled at Newark , the main business being to instal Bro . Lieut .-Col . NEWTON , who had been appointed to thc office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master in place of the late lamented Bro . the Rev . F . VERNON BUSSELL . Here , at the outset , the chair was occupied by Bro . LETCHWORTH , Grand Secretary , and thc patent of

appointment having been read , Bro . Lieut .-Col . NEWTON was duly . installed in office , and received the hearty congratulations of thc brethren . Subsequently a handsome testimonial and address were presented to Bro . H . GEORGE for his valuable services to Freemasonry in the Province . The other meeting took place at Exeter on the 6 th instant , when the Provincial

Grand Lodge of Devonshire met , under the presidency of Bro . Viscount EBRINGTON , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master . The statistical returns showed a substantial increase in the number of subscribing members , of whom there were reported to be 3254 distributed amongst 52 lodges . The position of

the Provincial Educational lumd was spoken of very favourably , but it was resolved that steps should be taken to strengthen the FORTESCUE Annuity Fund—the merits of which do not appear to be sufficiently known— -by circulating thc last report of its Committee of Management among the members of thc Province .

From this brief summary of the proceedings at sundry Provincial Grand Lodges held during the present month , it is manifest that : in the Provinces as in London the Craft is growing stronger and more prosperous every year , nor have we any doubt that this statement will be fully conlirmed by the reports wc shall publish in due course of other Provincial gatherings which arc on thc eve of being held .

The Province Of Lincolnshire

THE PROVINCE OF LINCOLNSHIRE

The centenary celebration of the establishment of the Provincial Grantl Lodgeof Lincolnshire , which was held at Grantham on Thursday , the <) ll . inst ., passed off with very considerable eclat . There was a very full attendance of Provincial Officers , Present and Past , as well as of the 24 lodges on the roll , and sundry visitors , among the most prominent brethren

present being the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , D . G . M . ; Bro . Major William H . Smyth , J . P ., D . L ., Prov . G . M ., and Bro . Jas . Fowler , J . P ., D . P . G . M . The meeting took place under thc banner of the Doric Lodge , No . 3 ( 12 , which met on this auspicious occasion at the Theatre Royal . In the Iirst instance , the brethren assembled at the Guildhall , whence , after partaking

of light refreshments , they marched in procession to the Theatre , where Provincial Grand Lodge was held under the presidency of Bro . Major Smyth , and thc business proper to such occasions was transacted . But thc main attraction of the meeting was the perform / nice by a select choir and orchestra of brethren of Mozart's Masonic Cantata which was composed iu

1792 , and most successfully rendered throughout . . Subsequent ) )' , Provincial Grand Lodge attended Divine service in St . John ' s Church , Spiltlcgale , while thc proceedings were brought to a conclusion with a banquet at thc Exchange Hall , the usual and the special toasts being duly honoured by the large and enthusiastic array of guests . We do not

think the event could have been more appropriately celebrated , and we heartily congratulate our brethren of Lincolnshire on the success of the gathering . They have been busying themselves of late years with all kinds of Masonic work , but most especially with that which is associated with Benevolence and Charity . Formerly they had amongst them one of the