Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

they were entertained vvith a musical melange , consisting of glees , & i \ , ably rendered by Bros . Richardson , Ferry , Ord , and Sinclair . The usnal list < f loyal and Masonic toasts was included in the programme . MANCHESTER .-Virtue Lodge ( No . 131 ) . — The usual monthly meeting eif this lotlge was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Cooper-street , on Friday , the iqth inst .

There were present Bros . Wm . Hollins , W . M . j Wm . [ affray , S . W . ; G . C . Williams , J . W . ; C . Harrop , Treks . ; Bonehill , D . C ; R . F . Brewer , Sec . ; E . A . Priest , Org . ; J . Nicholson , I . G . ; G . V . Blaikie , J . D . ; James Wright , Steward ; T . R . Stephens , W . R . Williams , Charles Kay , and B . Nitscke . Visitors : Breis . E . Cummins , S . W . 1459 ; Murray Thomson , 163 ; Wm . Bidgood , 261 ; D . A .

Murray , 204 ; and R . R . Lisenden , 317 ( Freemason ) . As will be seen the attendance cf members was not very ercat , most of them being enjoving the salubrious air of Blackpool , where a grantl fete was being held . The lodge was opened at 6 45 , antl the minutes of the last meeting read and confirmed . There being no work the lodge vvas raised to the Second and Third Degrees , and afterwards lowered

to the First . Following the announcement made on the circulars , the bye-laws were read by the Secretary ( in the absence of the Chaplain ) , vvith a view to alteration , if necessary . A portion of the provincial bvc-lavvs was next read , bearing upon the intimation made by the R . W . P . G . M . with respect to joining members throughout the

province , the particulars of which are hy this time doubtless well known by the brethren in East Lancashire . This last matter terminating the business , and " Hearty good wishes " having been expressed by the visiting brethren , the lodge vvas closed in peace antl harmonv soon after 8 o'clock . The brethren afterwards assembled at the sccial board and spent a couple of hours together , separating at ^ o o'clock .

Royal Arch.

Royal Arch .

KENNINGTON CHAPTER ( No . 13 81 ) . —\ meeting of this recently-constituted chapter was held at the Surrey Club House , Kennington Oval , nn the 13 th inst . There were present among others Comps . Geevge Everett , M . E . Z . ; W . Mann , P . Z ., ( ., and acting H . in the unavoidable absence of Comp . E . Page ; T . C . Walls ,

P . G . D . C . Middlesex . S . N ., acting J . ( Freemason ) ; Henry Higgins , S . E . ; Binjcmann , P . S . ; Speedy , ist Assistant ; "Webb , 2 nd Assistant . The minutes of the previous convocation having been read and confirmed , the M . E . Z . reported that the bye-laws of the chanter had been dulv approved by the ; Grantl Chapter . He then directed the S . E . to furnish each member present with a copy of them ,

which was accordingly done . There were two brethren down on the agenda of business for exaltation , but through unavoidable circumstances they were prevented from attending . There being no other matter before the convocation , it was duly closed , antl the companions adjourned to a collation . There were no toasts , and the companions separated at an early hour .

METROPOLITAN CHAPTER ( No . 1507 ) .-An emergency meeting of this chapter was held at Metropolitan Club , King's Cross , on Thursday , the 18 th instant . There were present Comps . Willing , M . E . Z . ; T . Adams , 'P . Z ., as H . ; Ferguson , J . ; W . M . Stiles , Scribe F . ; Edmonds , as H . ; H . Siiles , as P . S . ; Side , ist P . S . ;

Barnes , J . ; Deller , Siliis , Clemow , Holt , Humphreys , and others . Letters of apology were received from Comps . "Stacey , H . ; Douglass , P . S . ; Hudson , S . N . ; aiid others . 'A ballot having been taken for Bro . A . N . Clemow , which proved unanimous , hc was regulirlv introduced and

impressively exalted into Royal Arch Freemasonry . Thc M . E . Z . then proposed that , in view of the lease of the present premises being disposed of , the chapter be removed . This was cariied unanimously , and the committee appointed to make arrangements . The companions immediatel y on closing the chapter separated .

SUNDERLAND . —St . John ' s Chapter ( N < -. 80 ) . —The regular convocation of lhe above chapter was held in the Masonic Hall , Towand-road , on Tursd ey . the 16 th inst . Present * . Ex . Comps . H . Maddison , / . ; M . Douglass , H . ; H . P . Turnbull , J . The chapter was opened by the Three Principals . The minut-s of last

convocation were read and confirmed . The circular was read convening the meeting . IVstntoii the dais Ex Comps . Crookes , P . Z . ; Hudson , P . Z . ; Comp . Lova , P . Z . ; Ex . Comps . Cla ) , Z . of Chapter de Lambton ; Frampton , J . ; Henderson , P . Z . The ballot w . v then taken for Bro . T . W . Birnlett , a candidate for exaltation , auel Comp . Munroe , of Chapter 487 , who were duly elected . The

election of officers for the ensuing year th-11 took place , when the following were elected : Ex . Comps . Maddison , re-elected , Z . ; Turnbull , H . ; Comps . Lowes , J . ; Nicholson , E ; Beattie , N . ; Kinmona , P . S . ; Craven , T . j Thompson , J . Auditors elected , Comps . Godfondson and Nicholson . All business being done the chapter was closed in due and solemn form .

EAST HARTLEPOOL . —St . Helen's Chapter ( No . 531 ) . —The regular convocation eif this chapter was held in the Masonic Hall , Regent-square , on Friday , the 12 th inst ., at 6 p . m . There were present Ex . Comps . R . Hudson , Z . ; M . Douglass , H . ; and G . Moore , J . The

chapter was opened by the I hree Principals , and the minutes of last convocation were reatl and confirmed . The circular was read convening the chapter . There being no exaltations , Ex . Comp . Hudson , Z ., proposed to give the Symbolic Lecture , which was done in a most impressive manner , giving great satisfaction to the companions .

Royal Arch.

Comp . Spofforth pre posed Bro . R . H . Lynn , uf St . Helen's Lodge , for exaltation , seconded by Comp . Ilemter . " Hearty good wishes" were given by Ex . Comp . Maddison , Z . of St . John ' s Chapter , No . 80 , and Ex . Comp . Lova , Chapter uf Strict Benevolence . No . 97 . AU business being done , the chapter vvas closed in due and solemn form .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

Ancient and Accepted Rite .

MALTA . —Rose of Sharon Rose Croix Chapter ( No . 33 ) . —A regular meeting of this chapter was held at the Masonic Hall , Valetta . There were present Comps . A . M . Broadley , M . VV . S . ; Capt . Blake , R . A ., as Prelate ; C . Ricchclman , ist General ; Surg .-Maj . Mackinnon , as 2 nd General ; Lieut . Coffey . R . A ., Raphael ; Maj . Evving , Otganist ; W . J . Jones , Captain of Guard and acting Recorder-, together with a large attendance of

members of the chapter . A ballot was taken for the following candidates : —Capt . A . Finch Noyes , A . P . D . ; Capt . Hodgson , 10 th Regt . ; Lieut . McLaughlin , R . e \ . ; and Surgeon Walker , A . M . D . These brethren being present , were duly peifected by the M . W . S ., as S . P . R . C . of H . It was decided to change the election meeting from January to March . The labours of the evening being ended , the princes adjourned to a banquet .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

HUGHAN'S " OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS , " & c Brn . Gould having so kindly alluded to one of my pets (" Oltl Charges of British Freemasons" ) I vvriie at once to pledge myself to a reprint of the work as soon as circumstances permit . The fact is , I cannot afford to undertake more than one work at a time , and having a portion of

mv Inst . "The Numerical and Mcdallic Register of Lodges , " still on hand , it depends mainly on the biethrcn how soon the reprint is maele . Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford and I have agreed to bring out another edition of the " Old Charges , " anil that brother has already done a good part towards it in publishing in the " Masonic Magazine " an annotated transcript of thc " Halliwell MS , " which w ' nl

be available for the promised reprint . Of Bro . " Cooke's MS . " I believe Bro . Walter Spencer has still a number on sale . Though out of print , I am often able—by watching sales and catalogues—to meet with copies of the "Old Charges of British Freemasons , " and have two by me now . Bro . Gould's reference to the " Holy Martvrs Foure , " of the

seventh century , is a most important one , and I should like much to know in what MS . they occur . As to Charles Martel ' s name being in either Halliwell or Cooke ' s MSS ., it will require more than the authotity of Bro . Fort to authenticate it , for , as a matter of lact , the name does not occur . Bro . Fort , unfortunately , has not well studied our old MSS . Vf . J . HUGHAN .

MELROSE LODGE . In regard to Bro . W . J . Hughan's announcement in the Freemason of the 13 th inst ., that I have unearthed an old MS . charge at Melrose , I am happy to say that I have transcribed the whole of it from a copy in the possession o the old lodge at Melrose , which has evidently been mad about the beginning of last century from the old one I

first discovered . It is a very imperfect copy , some words having been altogether mistaken by the transcriber , and some left out altogether where hc could not deci pher them . The name " Euclyde " proved a sore stumbling block , so he copied it exactly as it is written , so that it looks like some mysterou-i hieroglyphic , and no doubt it was so considered hy the scribe . Having got this elocument copied

into my note book , on my next visit to Melrose 1 will compare it very carefully vvith thc original so as to get a verbatim copy , which I will forward to Bro . Hughan as soon as complete . Iti reply to Bro . Woodford ' s query anent the minutes ol this old lodge , I he-g tosav that as soon as I have leisure and opportunity I will lave them up and make extracts of . 'mv

that may prove of interest to the Craft . From a cursory inspection of onc ofthe hunks I noted that the first minute bore the date 16 7 8 . A faithful transcription ofthe ancient charges , however , will be my fir > t c ue ; after I have obtained that , I vvill trace out the history of this ancient lotlge as far as it is preserved in these oltl record-- . It is well known that Melrose has never acknowledged

the authority of Grand Lotlne til Scotland , consequently we are not permitted to receive Melrose Ma ; ons in our lodges , or indeed , to recognise them as brethren . This is to be regretted , as it places the members ; of this ancient lodge in a false position with other brethren . I trust it is nut too late for this old lodge to own allegiance to the governing body in Scotland—such a procedure would be

honourable to the lodge , and at the same time it woultl be an honour to Grand Lodge : to enrol in its ranks this most ancient lodge . The Lodge of Kilwinning in Ayr . called in Scotland " Mother Killwinning , " held aloof until the year 1807 , when Grantl Lodge conceded ii the privilege demanded , that of being registereel as the oldest lodge in Scotland , anil No . 1 being alieady allocated to

the Lodsre of Edinburgh , Marv ' . s Chapel , Kilwinning , was made No , o . As Melrose claims a history as old as either of these lodges , and claims its esta ' ilUhm'Mit from "time immemorial , " woultl it nut he possible in justice to its claim , whicli I think may be

fairly established , to give it a position as honourable as the others , antl number it ia or even ai ? This arrangement would not affect the numbers of the other lodges as they stand on the roll of Grand Lodge of Scotland . W . FRED . VERNON .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

In obedience tn ibe command of Bro . the Right Hon . Lord tie Tabley , R . W . P . G . M ., an immense gathering of the brethren from every section of the Province of Cheshire a * scmbled at the Mechanics' Institution , Stockport , on Wednesday , the 17 th inst ., to assist in the transaction of

the annual business rt the Provincial Grand Lodge . The latge and influential gathering clearly indicated two facts —the continued popularity of Bro . Lord de Tabley , and the unabated vitality of the Order in this Masonic division of the kingdom—and thc meeting was generally voted

the most successful which has been held since his lordshi p was appointed to his high and important office in 186 5 hy the late Earl of Zetland . The last meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge in Stockport was in 1866 , but so long ago as I 8 , * 3 the town was honoured by a visit , when lhe late Bro . Lord Ceirr . bermerc held the reins of Masonic

government . There are altogether five Masonic lodges in Stockport , but one of the-se—the Egerton Lotlge , held at the George Hotel—belongs ti the West Lancashire Province . The four Stockport lodges in the Province , of Cheshire are , St . John , No . 104 , held at Ashton House , Greek-street ; Unanimity , No . 28 7 , Dop and Partridge , Chur : hgate ;

Lodge of Peace , No . 322 , Warren Bulkcley Arms Hotel , Warren-street ; and Concord , No . 323 , Florist Hotel , Shaw Heath . There are thirty-six lodges in the province , with a total membership of upwards of 1700 . Bro . the Right Hon . Lord de Taplcy , P . G . M ., was received in due form by the assembled brethren , amongst the P . G . Lodge Oflicers present being Bros . G . W . Latham

Past G . W . of England , acting as D . P . G . M ; R . Beales , P . P . G . J . W . ; A . E . Cockayne , P . G . * S . B . ; Llewellyn Makin , P . G . J . D . ; J . Tomlinson , P . P . G . S . B . ; Rev . R . Hodgson , P . G . C ; W . Nicholls , P . G . P . ; J . Cavanagh , P . G . A . D . C ; Rev . Augustus A . Bagshawe , M . A ., P . G . C , and P . P . G . S . W . Derbyshire ; G . A . Femley , P . P . G . J . W . ; J . Hibbert . P . P . G . J . D . ; J . P . Piatt , P . P . G . J . W . ;

Captain J . W . Arrowsmith . P . P . G . S . B . ; R . C , Mellor , P . P . G . J . D . North Wales and Salop ; Rev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope , G . Chap . ; H . C . Lisle , P . P . G . S . D . ; W . Matthews , P . P . G . A . D . C . ; J . Samuel , P . G . P . j T . Smith , P . P . G . J . D . ; J . Salmon . P . P . G . S . D . ; J . Wood , P . P . G . R . ; T . Marwood , P . P . G . J . W . ; J . H . Sillitoe , P . P . G . D . of C . E . Lancashire ; F . Smith , P . P . G . S .

of W . ; T . H . Kirk , P . P . G . O . ; G . P . Brockbank , P . P . G . S . D . E . Lancashire ; J . Beresford , P . P . G . D . C . ; J . W . P Salmon , P . P . G . D . C . E . Lancashire ; J . Beech , P . P . G . P . ; S . Wilkinson , P . P . G . S . D . ; J . Twiss , P . P . G . O . ; B . Taylor , P . P . G . D . C . E . Lancashire ; T . Chesworth , P . G . D . C ; T . M . Lockwood , P . P . G . S . of W . ; W . Greatrix , P . P . G . P . ; J . C Cheetham , P . P . G . S . B . ; P . Wadsworth , P . P .

G . A . D . C ; J . E . Anderton , P . G . R . E . Lancashire ; J . Howard , P . P . G . J . W . ; E . H . Griffiths , P . G . Sec ; F . Jackson , P . G . Treas . ; | . Chadwick , P . G . S . E . Lancashire ; E . Harden , P . P . G . S . D . ; C . Dutton , P . P . G . S . W . ; H . Bulley , P . G . S . B . of England ; Rev . J . W . Newell Tanner , P . P . G . C ; and others . Letters of apology for non-attendance were acknowledged

by the P . G . Secretary ( Bro . E . H . Griffiths ) from Bro . the Hon . W . Egerton , D . P . G . M . ( who has gone to Italy ); Bro . Horatio Llovd , P . P . G . S . W . ' ; Bro . Le Gendre Starkie , P . G . M . of East Lancashire ; and a number of other Provincial Grand Lodge Officers . The roll of lodges was then called over , and it was found that all were represented , the total attendance being about 450 . The minutes of the

previous annual meeting , held at Nantwich , were read and unanimously confirmed . Bro . the Right Hon . Lord de Tabley , P . G . M ., who was received with loud cheers , said that he had again to thank the G . A . O . T . U . for being once more permitted to preside over the P . G . Lodge of Cheshire . He did so with very sincere gratitude , and especially when he again found

himself , after a lapse eif thirteen years , in the good old town of Stockport , where he hatl always met with a cordial and htarty reception . ( Applause . ) The Masonic gathering whicli lie hail now the honour to address in no way lost its previous reputation , or fell short of what he had reason to expect . He thought that no P . G . Master ever addressed so large antl influential a meeting as that which

was there assembled . ( Cheers . ) Every lodge had answered ti its name , and several of them were most largely represented . What was still more satisfactory to his feeling * , and must he to every Mason , was the fact that during the year every lodge hatl nobly done its duty in promoting the noble antl sacred cause of charity . ( Hear , heir . ) It would pethaps be invidious for him to

particularise anv individual lotlge , but hc felt lhat he must mention the Lodge of St . John , No . 104 , Stockport , as being prominent iii its support of the Girls' School in London during the last year . Other lodges , however , had nobly done their du'y . tend the result was that during th ; year their success hatl been unprecedented . They carried their three candidates foe the Girls' School and the Royal

Benevolent Institution on the first application . Besides this , £ 10 had been voted by the Fund of Benevolence to a distressed brother at Hyde , antl £ 10 which hatl been voted to another distressed brother had been increased to £ 40 through thc efforts of one of their brethren . ( Hear , hear . ) His lordship then rt ferred to a case in which the daug hter of a deceased brother was a candidate lor the Girls School or , the representation that her father belonged to

the Province of Cheshire , but he desiretl to state that this was not the fact , because , although her father had been initiated in Cheshire , he actually had been a subscribing brother in Wiltshire . He would , therefore , ask the brethren to reserve their votes till the next spring election , when thev would have thiee bona-fide Cheshire candidates for the Charities , whose election he trusted they would secure through the same excellent arrangements which