Masonic Literature.

social elevation to the "lowest ebb of poverty and distress . " Hence there is ever , and must be ever , a call on our Masonic Charity , and compassion , and

we have every reason to hope and believe , that remembering the past and judging from the present , the Freemasons of to day will not be behind hand ever , in obeying and carrying out in

the fullest power , the abiding and sacred dictates of sympathy , relief and benevolence . But there is another characteristic of healthy Freemasonry , namely , intellectual activity and

study . In this last department , we fear that our good English brethren are somewhat behind , nor do they manifest , as a general rule , a sufficient

patronage of literary efforts , or an enlightened appreciation of archaeological studies . It isa very rare thing , for instance , to find attached to a lodge , ( there are some , we know , but very few ) a

reading room or library , where the brethren can peruse our English Masonic journal , The Freemason , or the Masonic Magazine , or any of the French , or American , or German Masonic

serials , whieh , [ assiduously read abroad , are hardl y known by name in England , and are seen only by a few humble students . Even our own Grand Lodge is a great

culprit in this respect . There is a nominal reading room , and there is a nominal library , but the one is a reading room in which nothing is ever read , and the other is a library in which

the books are never opened . Some years ago we made an inquiry of an excellent official as to the library . " Well , " he said , " there are books ; that is all I can tell you ; but no one ever reads them . "

Is it toomuchtohope , that , inthisanprovingage , we may yet hail the day , when there is attached to our Grand Lodge , a library and a readingroom , which we can use with pleasure , and

which we can show to the foreign student , without discredit ? There is an immense collection of books and MSS . yet to be made , as regards the history ,

archneology and ritualism of Freemasonry , the attacks upon her fair fame , the defence made by many an unknown brother , which though familiar to the casual inquirer , and the little band of

English Masonic students , are entirely unknown to the great mass of our English Freemasons . There is another branch , too , of intellectual study , which though begun from time

to time , has never been continuously carried out , or systematically arranged in England . We mean " Lectures , " and in which we are altogether beaten out of the field by our German and American brethren .

There is no reason whatever why each lodge should not Jiave its regular system of lectures from able and careful brethren , which , touching upon the various points of our history or object ,

archasology or literature , our outward organisat'on , or our inner ritual , may develope a taste for Masonic literature among our younger brethren , and greatly enhance the value and the

blessing of Freemasonry to us all alike . There is , we know , a great deal of latent talent > n our lodges , which only requires to be evoked , in order to be of much and lasting benefit to our Order in every way .

Masonic Literature.

Is ours , then , an unreal or visionary anticipation , with which we close this article to day ? Is it really too much to hope , that the time is close at hand , when all our lodges will feel , that ,

having improved in this and amended that , they should now turn their efforts to literary and mental culture , and endeavour , by their lodge library or reading room , to develope a healthy

desire for Masonic knowledge and study , amongst our younger brethren especially r Then a better and brighter day will dawn on those who , amid many discouragements , seek to

supply Freemasonry with a sound and wholesome literature . Then will our Order rise to the full consciousness of its historical , its practical , and its intellectual teaching , and no longer

confined to a few zealous students , or painstaking adepts , a general taste for Masonic literature and study will gradually spread itself over the wide surface of our English Freemasonry .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

By command of the Right Hon . Lord De Tabley , R . W . P . G . M ., of the Province of Cheshire , the annual Provincial Grand Lodge of that division was held at the Literary Institute , Altrincham , on Thursday , the iSth inst ., for the purpose of transacting the annual business of

the province . In obedience to his lordshi p ' s commands , and to show the sincerity of their respect for his able , generous and judicious rule the brethren came from all parts of the province in strong force , and the result was one of the largest and certainly the most influential and

imposing gatherings seen in Cheshire for several years . This is all the more remarkable , because Altrincham is not so conveniently situated for the majority of the brethren as many other towns in the province . A large section of brethren from Birkenhead ,

Rock Ferry , & c , travelled by special saloon from Lime-street Station ofthe L . and N . W . R . ; while a strong contingent from the same places , Liverpool , & c , went from James ' s-street , and travelled by the new line , forming a district route from

Liverpool to Manchester , in connection with the Midland , Great Northern , and Manchester , Sheffield , and Lincolnshire Railways , each of the passengers by the latter route being delighted with the arrangements of the manager , Mr . English , and the pleasant nature of the new

journey . The Masonic gathering caused the greatest excitement in the pretty town of Altrincham . There were about 320 ofthe brethren present on

this occasion , amongst whom were an unusually large number of W . M . ' s , P . M . ' s , and officers of the different lodges within the province , and probably the display of the purple on the platform with his lordship , was never more striking

nor numerous . THE LODGE BUSINESS About half-past one o ' clock , the Provincial Grand Lodge was announced , and having entered and encircled the hall , while music was furnished by Bro . Kirk , P . G . O ., the Right Hon . Lord De

Tabley , R . W . P . G . M ., took his seat on the throne , placed on a raised platform , and proceeded at once to open the Provincial Grand Lodge . Amongst those with him on the platform were the following P . G . Ollicers , past and present : — Bros . Fawcett , R . W . P . G . M . of Durham ; C

Dutton , P . G . S . W . ; Captain C . J . Howard , P . G . J . W . ; Rev . R . Hodgson , P . G . C . ; E . H . Griffiths , P . G . Sec ; J . T . Lea , P . Prov . G . S . W . ; E . Friend , P . G . J . D . ; J . Tomlinson , P . G . S . B . ; S . Gilbert P . G . P . ; Rev . E . D . Garvin , P . Prov .

G . C ; T . Piatt , P . Prov . J . G . D . ; W . Fair , P . Prov . G . S . B . ; J . Birch , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; T . Davies , P . Prov . J . G . D . ; W . Wainwright , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; B . Cooper , P . Prov . G . P . ; H . Bulley , G . S . B . of Eng . and P . Prov . J . G . W . of Cheshire ; J . H . Piatt , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; T . Smith , P . Prov . J G . D . J . Hampson ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

P . Prov . J . G . D . ; J . Skeaf , P . G . O ., W . L . j J . Beresford , P . Prov . G . D . C . 3 T . Bowers , P . G . A . D . C ; Rev . J . W . N . Tanner ,

P . Prov . G . C ; F . Jackson , jun ., P . G . D . C , ; Rev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope , P . G . C . R . M . Smith , P . G . Treas . E . L , ; C . H . Hitchen , P . Prov . G . S . B . ; W . H . Sproull , P . G . Sec , N . W . and Salop ; Captain R . Cope , P . G . S . B .

( acting D . P . G . M . ) ; J . Wood , P . G . Reg . ; G . W . Latham , P . G . D . ; Rev . J . Lomax , P . G . C . ; C . Goddard , P . Prov . G . S . D . ; T . H . Kirk , P . G . O . ; and the Rev . H . G . Vernon , P . G . C . W . L ., and Cheshire .

Amongst the prominent members of the Craft in the bod y of the hall were the following : —Bros . J . M . Radcliffe , W . M . 605 ; J . Griffiths , W . M . 477 ; Ellis Davies , S . W . 605 ; T . Leighton , P . M . 132 , Sec . 60 $ ; E . J . Haddon , J . W . 6 oy , w- L '" Ie , J . W . 477 ; T . Dixon ,

Sec . 477 ; D . Fraser , I . G . 477 ; W . M . Asher , D . of C . 477 ; Dr . Spratlev , P . M . 537 ; R . Gracie , P . M . 477 ; E . Harb ' ord , P . M . 477 ; H . Moore , W . M . 5 . 37 ; Dr . Wilson , S . W . 537 ; A . Lowe , J . W . ; M . Stafford , P . M . 361 ; J . Twiss

P . Prov . G . O . ; A . Kay , W . M . ; W . Hardie , P . M . 428 ; H . J . Jackson , P . M . 300 , & c ; W . Hague , P . M . 830 ; J . Salmon , P . M . 425 ; R . W . Worrall , P . M . 721 ; W . Goodacre , P . M . 104 ; T ; Drinkwater , P . M . 1166 ; R . Newhouse , P . M . 1045 ; S . Gosling , W . M . C 98 ; C . Pepper ,

W . M . 104 ; J . Knowles , W . M . 830 ; J . Shaw , W . M . 324 ; J . Roberts , P . M . 324 ; S . Coburn , S . W . 361 ; J . Ingham , P . Prov . G . S . ; W . Davies , P . M . 1218 ; J . W . M Gill , W . M . 368 ; W . C . Connell , P . M . 13 ' , ; C H . Hill , P . M . 724

and 1276 ; A . Pott , P . Prov . G . S . ; R . Ferguson , J . W . 1 045 ; J . Williams , S . W . 267 ; S . Beresford , J . D . 721 ; J . L . Owen , I . G . 1045 ; J , Blentler , P . M . 941 ; J . Taylor , Sec . 461 ; G . Brown , P . M . 721 ; W . H . Wakefield , S . W . 104 ; S . Blackshaw , S . W . c . 33 ; W . Blackstone , P . M .

and Sec . 533 ; W . Chadwick , P . M . 1408 ; J . Hulme , P . M . 3 68 ; J . Tomlinson , J . W . and Sec . 368 ; W . H . Francis , Treas . 1276 ; G . Eadshead , Sec . 89 ; G . H . Wilson , S . W . 537 ; J . Nield , P . M . 287 ; J . G . Williams , P . M . 42 . 5 ; J . Travis , Org . 324 ; H . A . Irwin , S . W . 368 ; A .

Ogden , S . W . 8 9 ; J . Hartley , J . W . 89 ; J . F . Lawton , S . W . 1218 ; J . Willan , W . M . 10 . 54 ; Brown , W . M . 425 ; H . Briggs , S . W . 320 ; J . S . Mort , P . M . 104 , ' ; H . S . Adshead , S . D . 368 ; C . Cooke , S . D . 104 ; J . Radcliffe , P . M . 830 ; J . P . Bardsley , W . M . 322 ; J . Chetham , S . W . 322

G . H . Holden , S . W . 295 ; J . Buckley , J . W . 1126 ; R . Weston , P . M . 1045 ; and others . The R . W . P . G . M . opened the lodge in due form , after which the Prov . G . Sec . called the roll of Prov . Grand Officers and Lodges , when it was found that every one of the 37 lodges in the province was represented , the Stamford , No .

1045 by jo members . The P . G . Sec . also intimated that he had received letters of apology for non-attendance from Bro . G . Cornwall Legh , M . P ., R . W . D . P . G . M . ; Nicholas Le Gendre Starkie , R . W . P . G . M . for East Lancashire , and several other distinguished bretheren .

Bro . Griffiths then read the minutes ofthe previous Provincial Grand Lodge , at Crewe , and of the committee of the Fund of Benevolence , which were confirmed unanimously . In the absence of Bro . J . Bland , P . G . Treas-, the P . G . Sec . also submitted a statement of

accounts , from which it appeared that there was a balance to the credit of the Fund of Benevolence of £ 1278 19 s . 4 6 ., and to the Provincial Grand Lodge the sum of £ 291 14 s . After the accounts had been passed unanimously , Lord De Tabley moved the re-election

of Bro . James Bland to the office of Treasurer , and in doing so referred to the satisfactory state of the funds and the admirable manner in which the P . G . Treas . had performed his duties . The re-appointmeut was seconded by Bro . C Dutton , P . S . G . W ., and carried by acclamation .

Bro . Lord De Tabley , P . G . M ., then said that he would , as usual , now have the honour and pleasure of addressing a ^ ew wordstothe brethren of the province . It had been well remarked

that that country was happy which had no history ; and if that were true , then , Freemasonry in the province of Cheshire was particularly happy , as there had been no striking events during the past year , although the stream