Provincial Grand Lodge Of South Wales (Eastern Division).

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISION ) .

CONSECRATION OF THE BARRY LODGE , No . 2357 . On Thursday , the nth inst ., the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Wales ( Eastern Division ) , was held at Barry , and as the programme included the consecration of a new lodge , a large attendance of brethren from this and the adjoining Province of Monmouth was the result . The consecration ceremony vvas fixed for 12 noon . The Deputy Prov . G . Master , Bro . Marmaduke Tennant , in the absence of the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir George Elliott , performed the ceremony , and was assisted by Bros . Homfray , Guthrie , Adye , Thomas , and Neale .

An oration on the nature and design of the Institution was delivered b y Bro . Dr . WALTERS , who referred to the chief objects of Freemasonry , and remarked that not the least of these was that of benevolence , shown in the fact that the provincial lodge had sent up to the last Masonic Festival of Girls , per Bro . J . R . Davies , the sum of - £ 400 .

The new lodge , which is named the Barry Lodge , and stands No . 2357 on the registry of the Grand Lodge of England , is the 17 th lodge of the province . It was then consecrated by Bro . Tennant . The ceremony of installing the new Master vvas then proceeded with , and Bro . George Thomas , a P . M . of the Glamorgan Lodge , was duly installed in the chair of the lodge , and he proceeded to appoint his officers . The usual congratulations

were exchanged , and prior to the close of the newly-constituted lodge , several nominations of membership vvere made . The officers of the new lodge are as follows : Bros . John Guthrie , I . P . M . ; George Neale , S . W . ; J . Jewel Williams , J . W . ; H . Chappell , Treas . ; T . Higman , Sec . ; W . P . Phillips , S . D . ; W . L . Edwards , J . D . ; F . P . Adye , D . C . ; T . Ewbank , I . G . ; and J . Spickett and Sidney Davies , Stewards .

Subsequently Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the same building , when Bro . Tennant again presided . Bro . W . WHITTINGTON read the minutes of the last annual meeting , and , these being confirmed , the report of the Provincial Grand Committee was read , in vvhich it was recommended that the following sums should be voted : Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution , 40 guineas ; Provincial Masonic Educational Fund , 25 guineas ; Victoria Widows' Fund , 25 guineas . In connection with the Educational Fund the Treasurer reported that the balance to credit was £ 564 is . Sd ., and of this sum ^ 521 3 s . 6 d . was bearing interest . It was resolved that ^ 500 be invested in Consols . It was stated that several grants had been made during the past year , and others vvere recommended for the ensuing year .

The report was agreed to , and Bros . Rogers and Simons were re-elected Treasurer and Secretary respectively . The PROV . GRAND TREASURER reported the sum of ^ 127 i 8 s . 2 d . to the credit of the Victoria Widows' Fund , and most of this amount it was agreed should be placed on deposit account . The following were then appointed officers of Provincial Grand Lodge for the

ensuing year : Bro . Adye , 1754 ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ George Thomas , 3 6 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Dr . Walters ... ... ... ... } D „ . Rev . W . Williams , Wye Lodge ... ... j Prov . G . Chaps .

„ George Jones , 3 64 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . W . Lloyd , 237 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Walter Whittington , 364 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec ; „ Adam Boelte , 1 754 ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

„ J . H . Simkin , 1 754 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ Sir Morgan Morgan , 36 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ Hugh Vaughan , 1827 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . C . Coath , 1752 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ E . W . Wright , 651 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ W . R . Parker , 1323 ... ... ... ¦¦¦ In / - c D " Ernest Grant / 364 j Prov . G . St . Brs . „ George Abraham , 6 79 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ E . H . Howard , 1578 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec .

„ S . Sandbrook , 110 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ Thomas Payne , 1822 ... ... ... } p . „ Thomas James , 960 ... ... j Prov . A . Cr . Bursts . .. E . G . Prichard ... ... ... ... 1

„ Morgan Williams ... ... ... ... J- Prov . G . Stwds . „ Wm . Watkin Jones ... ... ... ... J „ George Bullerwell ... ... ... ... Prov . G . T y ler .

A vote of condolence on the death of the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master , was passed , and prior to the close of the Prov . Grand Lodge a collection for local charities was made . The brethren subsequently dined at the Wenvoe Arms Hotel , Cadoxton-juxta-Barry , vvhen the usual Masonic toasts were duly honoured . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

Consecration Of St. Martin's Mark Lodge, Alfreton.

CONSECRATION OF ST . MARTIN'S MARK LODGE , ALFRETON .

Mention has been freely made of the rapid growth of Mark Masonry in Derbyshire . Indeed , so marked has been the development of the Degree during the past few years that purely personal reasons alone stands in the way of an application to the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., for the constitution of a Derbyshire Province . At present the county is allied with Leicester ,

Northamptonshire , and Rutland , and presided over by the venerable and accomplished Bro . W . Kelly , F . S . A ., F . R . H . S ., and the most enthusiastic local promoters of the Order would hesitate to take any steps calculated to undermine the prestige of his long and honourable career in Mark Masonry . The latest addition to the

Mark lodges of Derbyshire has been made in the pleasant town of Alfreton where for many years there has existed a flourishing Craft lodge , viz ., the Royal Alfred No . 1028 . The warrant of constitution was obtained under the auspices of the Derb y Mark Lodge , No . 302 , the petitioning brethren being Bros . Percy Wallis

P . G . D . England , P . P . S . G . W . j A . Schofield , W . H . Fisher , Holland Rowbottom , ind J . R . Fielding . The ceremony of consecration took place on the 9 th inst ., and was made the occasion of an interesting and instructive gathering . The promoters vvere exceedingly fortunate in being able to secure the attendance , as Consecrating * Officer .

of Bro . Charles Fitzgerald Matier , P . G . W . England , and Grand Mark Secretary , who , with Bro . Robert Berridge , P . G . W . England , G . D . of C , journeyed expressly from London to conduct the proceedings of the day . In the natural order of events , the Derby Lodge exhibited a kindly and practical interest in the well-being

Consecration Of St. Martin's Mark Lodge, Alfreton.

of what may be regarded as its offspring . Bro . Abraham Woodiwiss , G . M . O . Eng ., P . P . S . G . W ., undertook to carry out the important preliminary work , and he was supported by the following members of No . 302 : Bros . Thomas Cox , D . P . G . M . ; Percy Wallis , P . G . D . Eng . ; C . Webster , P . M . ; E . Home , Prov . J . G . W . ; W . J . Piper , A . Frazer , E . J . H . Hoskyns , W . H . Wheeldon , and W . L . Dodd . There were also present Bros . George Fletcher , Rev . C . W . Groves , P . P . G . Chap . ; J . H . Cook , the Hon . C . W . Trollope , S . D . 246 ; A . Schofield , W . M . designate ; H . Fisher , H . Rowbottom , J . R . Fielding , and others .

Lodge having been opened , a number of brethren were advanced to the Degree of Mark Masonry . The Grand Officers ( reinforced by this time by Bro . Rev . S . Wathen Wigg , P . P . G . Chaplain , Prov . G . Sec . ) syerethen admitted , and the elaborate ceremony of consecration was performed . Bro . Matier carried out the ceremony with singular fidelity and impressiveness , receiving both from Bros . Berridge and Wigg such valuable assistance as could alone be rendered by sympathetic and experienced Masons .

Bro . WIGG delivered an eloquent oration , setting forth in glowing terms the principles and aims of the Mark Degree . He skilfully made capital out of the fact that the new lodge had been christened the " St . Martin" ( after the parish church of Alfreton it may be mentioned ) , contending that the generous and high-souled man whose deeds of charity and love were thus commemorated vvas a pattern for all true Masons

to imitate . The history of St . Martin proved that he so loved his fellow men—and especially those of them who vvere reduced lo poverty and distress—that he was ever ready to sacrifice self to the promotion of their comfort and happiness . Bro . Wigg related vvith thrilling effect the pathetic and well-known story of St . Martin and the beggar , and added that the moral of it might be

accepted as a beautiful illustration of the truest and loftiest principles of the ancient Order . He went on to urge upon his listeners the duty of giving the widest possible application to their belief in the virtue of Charity . Let them be charitable in every p hase of life , not less so amongst their friends in the world than amongst their brethren in Freemasonry . The address was followed with the closest attention , and cordially appreciated .

Subsequently the important task of installing the first W . M . was admirably discharged by Bro . Percy Wallis . The honour was conferred upon Bro . A . Schofield , the worthy and popular host of the George Hotel , who has been long and honourably known as a Craft Mason in Derbyshire . Bro . Schofield duly appointed and invested his officers in the following order :

Bros . P . Wallis , acting P . M . ; W . H . Fisher , S . W . ; Holland Rowbottom , J . VV . ; J . R . Fielding , M . O . ; Knowles , S . O . ; Diamond , J . O . ; Wild , Treas . ; H . Basil Boag , Sec ; Clarke , R . of M . ; Hoskyns , S . D . ; Lee , J . D . ; and Taylor , LG . Occasion was also taken to appoint the brethren honorary members of the lodge ; Bros . Matier , Berridge , W . Kelly , A . Woodiwiss , T . Cox , Wigg , and E . Home .

The brethren afterwards adjourned to a splendid banquet , which was most liberally catered for by the worthy host , Bro . Schofield , W . M ., vvhen the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured—that of " The Worshipful Master , " eloquently proposed b y Bro . C . FITZGERALD MATIER , being most enthusiastically received . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

The Proposed New Code Of Laws For The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE PROPOSED NEW CODE OF LAWS FOR THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

( Continued from Page 125 . ) Law XLII . provides that" every extraordinary vacancy " on the Board , that is to say , " one occurring through death , disqualification , or resignation , " shall be filled up " by the Council , " not by the Quarterly Court , such vacancy , if occurring among the London members being filled by the election of a London brother , and if

among the Provincial members " by the election of a brother whose name shall be on the list of Provincial members nominated b y the Provincial Grand Secretaries . " In both cases the brother thus elected " shall hold office for the same term as his predecessor , " which we understand to mean that he shall serve for so long as will be necessary to complete the full term of three years from a particular date for which his predecessor was elected .

Law XLIII . enacts that if a member of the board is absent "from the regular monthly meetings " for " more than six months ( except through illness or other sufficient excuse in the opinion of the Council ) , " he shall be declared to be " disqualified at the next meeting of the Council , who shall at once proceed to fill up the vacancy caused by his disqualification . "

Taking these various laws , vvhich determine by whom and in what manner the Board of Management shall be elected , and extraordinary vacancies occurring thereon filled up , we are of opinion that it will cause less confusion if the election of the Board is vested in the Council as it is now vested in the General Committee . We consider the one Board of 30 members , one half being London and the other half Provincial brethren , a great improvement on the existing two Committees of 12

and nine members respectively , without any restriction as between London and the Provinces ; but seeing that though the Quarterly Court will elect the whole Board in the first instance and afterwards the one third annually , it is the Council which will fill up extraordinary vacancies , and determine when a member becomes disqualified through non-attendance ; and as it is the Council vvhich receives the Reports ofthe Finance and Petitions Committees , decides upon their

recommendations , and orders payment of the accounts approved by the Finance Committee , we consider it would be preferable to leave the election in the hands of the Council , just as the election of the House and Finance and Audit Committees is now in the hands of the General Committee . It must , moreover , be borne in mind that the existing laws ot the Institution have been framed neither hastily nor in the main unwisely . In considering them carefully , it will be noticed that

the powers possessed by the General Court and the various Committees respectively have been very nicely adjusted so as to ensure to each the full exercise of the authority vested in it in such a manner as to cause the smallest possible amount of friction . Thus the General Court is entrusted vvith the supreme authority . It makes , amends , and abrogates the laws of the Institution ; appoints the more responsible officers , namely , the Treasurer and Trustees ; confers distinctions on

the brethren who are held to have rendered special services to the School ; determines the number of children to be elected from time to time , approves the candidates for election , and elects the children by ballot . The General Committee transacts the ordinary business ; receives and examines the petitions of candidates , and recommends them for acceptance to the General Court ; elects , suspends , and removes the Secretary , and , with certain exceptions , the

paid officers ; receives and decides upon the recommendations contained in the reports of all other Committees , and orders payment of all those accounts which have been passed by the Finance and Audit Committee . This General Committee , however , being a large and scattered body , consisting of many thousands of Life Governors , is unable to carry out the more immediate and responsible parts of its duty , and , therefore , so far as the administration of the School is

concerned , it entrusts it to a House Committee consisting of 12 elected Life Governors with the Treasurer and Trustees , while , as regards the financial business it entrusts this to a Finance and Audit Committee consisting of nine Life Governors whom it elects annually . Thus the General Court and General Committee , with the House and Audit Committees , together form a complete and graduated system of government , each having its separate duties and degrees of