Provincial Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

J . Martyn , P ! G . Chap , of Eng land . The officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge were present in full strength . The minutes having been read by the Prov . G . Sec ., Bro . J . WINTERBOTHAM , they were confirmed ; and the Prov . G . Treasurer , Bro . NELSON FOSTER , gave his report , which showed a balance in hand . In the absence of the Charity Secretary , Bro . Sumner , his report was read

by Bro . BRYAN . Bro . Nelson Foster having been re-elected Treasurer , the Charity votes were resolved on . The roll of the lodges was called , and the Provincial Grand Master appointed and invested his Officers as follows :

Bro . J . Bruton , 839 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ A . R . Grieve , 702 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . .. Rev . G . L . ThorDe . 106 ? ... ... Prov . G . Chap .

„ D . J . Dutton , 270 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Nelson Foster , 8 39 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . B . Winterbotham , 82 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . .. H . L . Cnoke . «) 2 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ J . C . Hill , 839 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . » S-P-Ry'and , 246 ... ... - "I prov . G . D . Cs . „ A . F . Turner , 900 ... ... ... ) M Pkilnnf OAnl ... ... PrOV . G . S . B .

' ' S-Bloodworth , 761 ... ... •] Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ W . Spencer , 100 7 ... - ... ) „ L . Evans , S 2 ... ... ... Prov . A . 'G . Sec . .. F . Fortv . 24 . 6 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org .

„ F . Cullfs , 100 5 ... - ... Prov . G . Purst . „ W . Window , 855 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . ,, J . G . Coleman , 900 ... - •¦ ... ") „ A . T . Price , 270 ... ... ... [ Prov . G . Stwds . „ W . C . Hardman , 1003 ... ¦•• ...

The banquet was served in a marquee in the Sharpness Pleasure Grounds , by Mr . J . A . Fisher , confectioner , of Gloucester . The brethren were conveyed thither in breaks , provided by the Loyal Faith and Friendship Lodge . The Prov . Grand Master presided .

The usual Masonic toasts , interspersed with enjoyable music , under the direction of the Prov . Grand Organist , Bro . Forty , were heartily honoured . Bro . the Rev . V ENN CHILDE , P . P . G . Chap ., proposed " The Health of the Provincial Grand Master , " in graceful terms , and it was drunk with much enthusiasm .

Bro . Sir MICHAEL HrcKS BEACH , in returning thanks , referred to the difficulty in arranging for Prov . Grand Lodge to visit distant lodges , and said the success of that day's visit was convincing proof of the appreciation felt by the brethren of the plan that the Prov . Grand Lodge should circulate throughout the Province . For himself , they knew how glad he was to escape more arduous duties , and join his Gloucestershire brethren . He hoped he should long be able to do so . Other toasts followed .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

In our last issue we briefly reported the annual meeting of the above Institution , with a list of the candidates elected . The following were unsuccessful at the poll : —

MALES . NAME . VOTES . NAME . VOTES . George Robson 2492 George Henry Clements S 7 Francis Dinnis 2442 Henry Windsor 82 Edwin Pickering 22 S 0 William B . Graham 45 William James Childs 1727 John Priests 38 George Thomas Brown 13 S 6 Benjamin Robinson ( Removed ) ... 31

George Whitley 1112 Robert William Hubbard 30 John Kilshaw 979 Robert Pitts 30 Joseph Eastabrook 923 John Comyn 29 James Long 636 Peter Valentine Hatton 20 ames P . W . Gillard 526 Frederick William Wilkins ( dead ) ... 17 ohn Musham 505 Dennis Sullivan 14 William Henry Hawkins 462 David Clark 13

Henry Miller 329 Gilbert Henry Burton ( dead ) ... 7 Robert Nichol 312 ! Joshua Gomersall ( Withdrawn ) ... 5 John Collie 279 j Joseph Pearson 1 John Moxon 24 S ! Thomas S . Stockman — William John McLean 237 ¦ Solomon Kessell — - James Hill 122 Thomas Stanford ( dead ) — ames Mott 99 William Brown ( dead ) —

WIDOWS . NAME . VOTI-S . NA . MR . VOTES . Sarah Barter 4996 Ann Catherine Huxham 151 Hannah Da ) son 498 s Jane Salisbury 12 S Esther Whitehouse 4907 , Elizabeth Olive Sg Hannah Rolfe 3954 j Annie Cartledge 73 Elizibeth Best 3746 I Elizabeth Clarke 42

Eliza Ann Foottitt 2205 Elizabeth Ionn 33 Juliet Htlmes 2034 Margaret Vernon Randal 30 Sarah Rigarlsford 1171 Clara lames 28 Ann Stanton 790 Ann Neville 25 Elizabeth Anna Sutton ... ... 7 SO Ruth Schollield 22 Harriet Kinsey 542 Arabella Deller 15 Sarah Blight 332 Hannah Binns Yates 15

El za Emma Dickinson 277 Mary Ann Snart 13 El z . Atkinson Mannington 270 Ann Banning 5 Katherine E . Wagner 270 Margaret Miller j O . via Russell 242 Phoebe E . Cole Gosby j Mary Ann Foot 230 Charlotte Lemon 4 Nancy Cowell 188 Harriet Emma Nichol ( dead ) ... — Sarah Meader ... 152 Sarah Jane Scargill

—The Secretary of the Institution , Bro . James Terry , read the following epart of the proceedings of the past year : — The Annual Festival was held by direction of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., Grand Patron and President , on Wednesday , the 28 th February last . The chair was occupied by the R . W . Bro . Colonel G . Noel Money , C . B .,

Provincial Grand Master of Surrey , and the Board of Stewards which supported him , consisting of 299 members , had the very great satisfaction of raising a total of donations and subscriptions amounting to , £ 12 , 658 14 s ., which has since been increased by the receipt of outstanding lists and additions to lists to £ 13 , 086 6 s . 6 d . 'This result , though it falls short of what has been accomplished at many previous Festivals , is all the more gratifying , as it shows that the reaction which was

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

inevitable after the munificent contribution towards the Jubilee Festival in 18 92 has already expended the greater part of its force , and fully justifies the hope that henceforth the Festival Returns will realise , if indeed they do not exceed , the average of the years more immediately preceding 1892 . Be this , however , as it may , the total obtained at the recent anniversary is larger than had been expected ,

and the Committee is anxious to p lace on record its deep sense of gratitude to the Chairman , the Board of Stewards which so loyally and so laboriously supported him , and the lodges and chapters , as well as the donors and subscribers individuall y , who so generously responded to the appeals addressed to them for support ; the Chairman's Province of Surrey in particular being entitled to recognition by reason of the great and successful efforts it put forth on the occasion .

At the election in May , 1893 , there were upon the two Funds of the Institution 434 annuitants , of whom 194 were men and 240 widows , while the number of approved candidates was 115 , namely , 60 men and 55 widows . To-day there are 119 candidates , of whom 65 are men and 54 widows , but the Committee has no reason to suppose that the slight increase as compared with last year which has taken place in the number of those whose claims to be admitted to the benefits of the Institution have been recognised is assignable to any special cause .

The Committee , at its meeting in February last , declared the number of vacancies to be filled at this election to be as follows , namely , on the Male Fund , 19 immediate and three deferred ; and on the Widows' Fund , 11 immediate and three deferred , one of the vacancies on the former fund having been caused b y the removal of one of the annuitants from the established list . Since then , however , there have been reported the deaths of five men and two widows , and the Committee recommends that these vacancies also shall be filled up at this meeting .

Thus the total number to be elected to-day will be 27 men and 16 widows , the three deferred being included in each case . There will , however , be an alteration in the strength of the male establishment as compared with what it was after last year ' s election , caused by the purchase by Bro . Geo . Heaton of a Perpetual Presentation , and the number of male annuitants will be 195 instead of 194 , the amount of the annuity being in each case £ 40 per annum , but the widow annuitants

will remain at 240 , the amount of each annuity being £ 32 per annum , the total strength of the two funds being as already stated , 435 , and the amount distributed annually amongst them £ 15 , 440 . To this must be added the further sum of £ 66 o divisible under Law 9 of the Male Fund , among 33 widows of recently deceased male annuitants , so that the total sum to be expended in annuities during the current year will be £ 16 , 100 .

The Committee is desirous of expressing its very sincere thanks to United Grand Lodge for the continuance of its annual grant of £ 70 towards providing the annuitants resident in the Asylum at Croydon with coal during the winter months , and also to the Supreme Council for their gifts of periodicals , and donation to the summer entertainment . The Committee is likewise desirous of returning its heartfelt thanks to the

Hon . Surgeons of the Institution , J . Wayte , Esq ., M . B ., and R . Percy Middlemist , Esq ., for their kind and unremitting attention to those among the annuitants , whether resident at Croydon or non-resident , who , during the past year , have been unfortunately compelled to seek their advice and assistance ; and also to H . J . Strong , Esq ., Honorary Consulting Physician , for the readiness with which he has given the benefit of his long and varied experience to all who needed it .

The Committee has the satisfaction of announcing that the premises at Croydon are now in a perfect state of repair , both internally and externally , and will only need usual care and attention and that small expenditure of money which will suffice to maintain them in that condition . The audited statement of account for the year ended the 31 st December , 1893 ,

is appended . It has been most carefully prepared by the Auditors , and has under , gone a rigorous examination before being finally approved and passed , and the Committee is not without the confident hope that when the Governors and Subscribers have carefully examined the various items of expenditure they will be satisfied that the Funds of the Institution have been administered witli scrupulous care and a strict regard to economy .

In conclusion , the Committee has no hesitation in expressing its full confidence in the generosity of the Craft in London , the Provinces , and abroad , and its firm belief that so long as the affairs of the Institution continue to be administered in accordance with the principles by which the Committee has been invariably actuated in the discharge of its important duties , the means necessary to maintain it in its present high state of efficiency will be readily and regularly forthcoming . A statement of the receipts and expenditure during the past year , together with full particulars of the permanent income of the Institution , was also presented to the meeting .

Consecration Of The De Percy Chapter, No. 636.

CONSECRATION OF THE DE PERCY CHAPTER , No . 636 .

The consecration of the De Percy Chapter , No . 636 , took p lace at the Masonic Hall , Morpeth , on Tuesday , the 24 th ult . The interesting ceremony was performed in a most impressive manner by Comp . Lieut .-Col . Bentham , P . P . G . H ., Prov . G . S . E ., assisted by Comps . J . Cartnell Ridley , Prov . G . H ., as H . ; Rev . John Walker , P . Z ., as J . ; Thos . Purvis , Prov . A . G . S . E ., as S . E . ; George Spain , P . P . G . H ., as D . C ; and Jacob Barker , P . Z ., as Musical Director . There was a large number of

companions present during the ceremony , amongst whom we noticed Comps . John Straker Wilson , P . / .., P . P . G . H . ; Thos . Blenkinsop , P . Z ., P . P . G . H . ; Richard Cummings , P . Z ., P . P . G . H . ; Henry Loden Bird , P . Z ., P . P . G . | . ; Wm . Percy , P . Z ., Prov . G . J . ; John Nesbit , P . Z ., Prov . G . S . N . ; James Eadington , P . Z ., P . P . G . J . ; E . Forster , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . B . ; Wm . Davidson , M . E . Z . elect 636 ; John Watt , H . elect 6 3 6 j Thos . Appleby , J . elect 636 ; Beall , 24 ; Thompson , 24 ; Turner , 481 ; and others .

1 he chapter having been opened , the Consecrating Officer , Comp . Lieut .-Col . BENTHAM , addressed the companions on the object of the meeting , and referred in very feeling terms to the great loss which Arch Masonry hao 1 sustained in the province through the d : ath of the late Grand Superintendent , Comp . Col . Potter , C . B .

The ACTING GRAND S . E . then read the warrant from the Supreme Grand Chapter , and the ACTING J . delivered a most eloquent and impressive oration . The chapter was then formally consecrated , dedicated , and constituted , after which the Principals , who had already been obligated in the Oi Swinburne Chapter , No . 24 , some time ago , were invested with the insignia of

office , and duly installed in their respective chairs as follows , viz : Comps-Wm . Davidson , B . A ., M . E . Z . ; John Watt , H . ; and Thos . App leby , JOn the proposition of the M . E . Z ., a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Consecrating Officer and the companions who had assisted in the consecration ceremony , and they were unanimously elected honorary members of the chapter , a compliment which the CONSECRATING OFI- ' ICEK accepted on behalf of himself and colleagues .

A number of candidates for exaltation having been proposed , the chap !' was closed . An excellent banquet then took place at the Black Bull Hotel , presided over b y Comp . Davidson , M . E . Z . The usual loyal and Masonic toast * were duly proposed and honoured ,