Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons Of England And Wales, &C.

GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF ENGLAND AND WALES , & c .

The following is the business to be transacted on Tuesday , the ist proximo : 1 . Read and , if approved , confirm minutes of Quarterly Communication of ist September , 18 9 6 . 2 . Report of the General Board .

3 . A motion will be made that the report be taken as read . 4 . A motion will be made that the report be received and entered on the minutes . 5 . Recommendations arising out of the report—( a . ) That the thanks of Grand Lodge be given to the Pro Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master , for the gift of a table on which to

place the Consecrating VesseN . ( A . ) That the thanks of Grand Lodge be given to Capt . Geo . Hearn for the gift of two trophies of Chinese Spears ; ( c . ) That the thanks of Grand Lodge be given to the President of the Board for the gift of Japanese Adzes , Tomahawks , and Ancient

Knives . ( d . ) Fund of Benevolence—Grant recommended . ^ 25 to a brother of Lodge St . Andrew , No . 34 . 6 . A motion will be proposed that the report be adopted . 7 . Nomination of the M . W . Grand Master for lhe ensuing year 8 . Nomination of Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cambridgeshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE .

The annual meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Guildhall-street , Cambridge , under the auspices of the Isaac Newton ( University ) Lodge , No . 859 , on Monday last . Present : Bros . Col . R . Townley Caldwell , P . G . M . ; Rev . J . H . Gray , D . P . G . M . ; J . V . Pryor , 88 , P . S . G . W . ; H . T . Trevor-Jones , 859 , P . J . G . W . ; Rev . H . S . Cronin , 859 , P . G . C . ; W . W . Rouse Ball , 859 , P . G . Treasurer ; J . Taylor , 441 , P . G

Registrar ; Major Oliver Papworth , 88 , P . G . Secretary ; J . R . Bambridge , 809 , P . J . G . D . ; James Catling , 441 , P . G . S . of W . ; F . Dewberry , 441 , P . G . D . C ; J . G . Chennell , 2107 , P . A . G . D . C ; J . H . Moyes , 88 , P . G . S . B . ; H . Davis , 809 , P . G . Organist ; T . Byron Hope , 859 , P . G . Purst . ; and Dr . M . R . Roper , 441 , E . B . Bellairs , 809 , and C O . E . Nicholson , 859 , P . G . Stewards . Visitors : Bros . H . Le Strange , P . G . D . England , D . P . G . M . Norfolk ; J . T . Railing , P . G . Sec .

Essex ; J . J . Turner , P . P . S . G . W . Essex ; J . Mason , P . P . S . G . D . Middlesex ; C Kent , 699 j W . H . Lomas , 1741 ; A . E . Chaplin , W . M ., B . Chennell , P . M ., F , Piggott , P . M ., W . P . Spalding , P . M ., J . Bester , F . J . Moden , T . W . Allsop , A . R Hill , E . S . Wood , and W . Treadway , of 88 ; W . R . Roper , W . M ., J . S . Young man , P . M ., T . Watts , P . M ., P . H . Young , P . M ., E . W . Harry , P . M ., F . R . Leach , L . Hosegood , G . R . Barnes , W . H . Berridge , P . Body , G . F . Ward , W . T . Bow

man , J . C . M . Skinner , S . Wheaton , and R . J . Fuller , of 441 ; J . R . Bambridge , W . M ., W . Bray , P . M ., A . Bothamley , P . M ., J . H . Foster , and W . Gilling , of 809 ; T . B . Hope , W . M ., H . C . Knott , P . M ., A . Hill . P . M ., W . J . Fernie , G . I . Bland , J . H . C . Dalton , Rev . G . B . Finch , H . T . E . Barlow , W . A . J . Archbold , W . B"gg s . John Briggs , and S . W . Burgess , of 859 ; C . H . French , W . M ., J . R . Green , P . M ., and C . E . Broughton-Leigh , P . M ., of 1492 ; and J . Turner , W . M ., W . Hutchinson , P . M ., G . Simpson , G . Barrow , J . W . Carr , J . C . Laxton , and F . H . Potts , of

2107 . Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , and the P . G . M . and the D . P . G . M . saluted , the minutes of the last annual meeting were confirmed . The roll of the P . G . Officers and the roll of the lodges were c tiled .

The Auditors' report of the Treasurer ' s accounts was presented , Bro , ROUSE BALL stated that , although , they had increased their contributions to the Masonic Charities this year , their credit balance was larger than it had been for 11 years . The report was adopted . The Registrar , Bro . Joshua Taylor , P . M ., presented the return of the lodges for the past year . The return showed the present number of members to be 424 , against 437 last year .

Bro . W . W . ROUSE BALL , Treas ., proposed , and Bro . F . DEWBERRY , D . C , seconded that Bro . Thomas Watts , P . M . 441 , be P . G . Treasurer for the ensuing year . Carried unanimously .

The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and invested the Provin cial Grand Officers , as under : Bro . H . C . Knott , P . M . 859 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ W . W . Rouse Ball , P . M . 1492 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . G . B . Finch , 859 ... .,. ... \ D n n , „ Rev . H . T . E . Barlow , 859 ... j Prov . G . Chaps . ,. T . WattS . P . M . _ i _ ll ... ... Prnv fi T ™ =

„ T . Hunnybun , P . M . 88 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Oliver Papworth , P . M . 88 ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . Sec . „ P . H . Young , P . M . 441 ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ T . B . Hope , W . M . 859 ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ E . B . Bellairs , W . M . 809 ,,. ... Prov . G . S . of W .

„ b . Dewberry , P . M . 441 ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . D . C . „ C . H . French , P . M . 1492 ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ W . J . Fernie , S . W . 850 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . it A . W . Aldrich , 2107 ... ... .., Prov . G . Org . 1 , John Bester , Chap . 88 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ F . J . Moden , J . D . 88 ... .., ,.. \

„ L . Hosegood , S . D . 441 ... ., W . Gilling , S . W . 809 ... .,. ... I _ __ , ,, F . C . Begg . 859 ... ... f Prov . G . Stewards „ W . B . Pike , 859 ii J . W . Carr , J . D . 2107 ... 11 C . H . Ellis , 859 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cambridgeshire.

The brethren having saluted the Prov . Grand Officers , The 13 th annual report ol the Province ol Cambridgeshire Mason ' c Charity Association was read by Bro . OLIVER PAPWORTH , Hon . Secretary . The members were congratulated upon a successful year . The province was represented at the anniversary Festivals as follows : Aged and Widows , by Bro . W . P . Spalding , P . M . 88 . who took up . £ 91 5 > . ; the Girls , by Bro . S . H . Sharman , P . M . 441 , £ 63 ; the Boys , Bro . O . Paoworth , P . M .

83 , £ ? S 15 s ., and Bro . the Rev . H . S . Cronin , W . M . S 59 , ^ 89 5 s . ; and at all three Festivals by Bro . W . Briggs , 859 , who subscribed 10 guineas to each Institution . The contributions through Stewards from the province during the years 1883 to 1895 , both inclusive , to the three Masonic Charities amounted to £ 3881 , and the £ 353 15 s . taken up this year made a total of £ 4234 15 s . The recipients in the province of benefits from the Charities were three boys , one girl , and two benevolent .

The report was adopted , upon the motion of Bro . W . P . SPALDING , P . M ., seconded by Bro . H . T . TREVOR -J ONES , P . M . Bro . F . PIGGOTT , P . M ., as a member of the Committee of the Masonic Charity Association , proposed— " That Provincial Grand Lodge tenders its heartiest thanks to Bro . Oliver Papworth for the arduous services he has

rendered to the Masonic Charity Association of the Province since its establishment in 1883 , and especially congratulates him upon his successful efforts in procuring the election of each and every candidate for the several Masonic Charities who have from time to time been approved and supported by our Masonic Charity Association . " ( Applause . )

Bro . B . CHENNELL , P . M ., seconded , and the motion was carried unanimously . Bro . PAPWORTH , in reply , observed that if his services had given satisfaction he was amply repaid . He trusted members would not only send their voting papers , but would spare trouble by sending in their subscriptions promptly . The PROV . GRAND MASTER then presented a Charity jewel to Bro . Wi

Bripgs , 859 , and Charity jewel clasps to Bros . Oliver Papworth , P . P . S . G . W ., Prov . G . Sec , and S . H . Sharman , P . P . S . G . W . Upon the motion of Bro . W . W . ROUSE BALL , the sum of 15 guineas was voted to the Cambridge Masonic Charity Association for current expenses , and the sum of 10 guineas to one or more of the Royal Masonic Institutions .

Bro . H . C . KNOTT , P . S . G . W ., proposed "That the action of the Board of Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys as to the proposed removal of the Boys' School to a more desirable locality commends itself to this Provincial Grand Lodge as worthy of the hearty and liberal support of all subscribers to the Institution and of the Craft generally . " He spoke from personal knowledge as an Examiner . Bro . J OSHUA TAYLOR seconded and the motion was pgreed to .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed votes of thanks to those brethren who had served as Stewards to the different Masonic Charities during the year , which were adopted , and the Prov . Grand Lodge was closed . At the banquet which followed in the Masonic Hall , The PROV . GRAND MASTER , in felicitous terms , gave "The Queen and the Craft , " and "The Grand Master of England . " He observed that

during her Majesty ' s long reign , the Craft had prospered more than in any previous period of its history . In submitting the toast of "The Grand Officers of England , " the PROV . GRAND MASTER remarked that there were many questions affecting the welfare of the Craft , which had to be solved with the advice and assistance of these officers , and the Craft was indebted to them for these and

other services . Bro . HAMON LE STRANGE , P . G . D . of England , D . P . G . M . Norfolk , and an honorary member of No . 859 . acknowledged the toast , and spoke of the good example set the Grand Officers by the Grand Master . Freemasonry would go on and prosper so long as they had such good working Masons at the head of the Craft , all of whom did their best to deserve the

honours conferred upon them . The Province of Cambridgeshire was not numerically large , but it comprised a University lodge , from which Freemasons went out through the length and breadth of the land ; and , although a small province , they showed up well in the Charities . He had never been present with them without seeing a jewel or bar bestowed . The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed "The Health of the Prov . Grand Master , " which was received with the utmost cordiality . The

province prided themselves on two things —( 1 ) in being happy and united , always working together with the greatest cordiality , and ( 2 ) they were uncommonly proud of their Prov . Grand Master . ( Applause . ) ft certainly would be impossible to find a more genial and consistent Master under whom to work . The Province of Norfolk had enjoyed 20 years of Lord Suffield's rule , and he hoped Colonel Caldwell would preside 20 years or more over the Province of Cambridgeshire . Long might the province flourish under his kindly rule ! ( Applause . )

The PROV . GRAND MASTER said he deeply felt the honour of presiding over the province from his first appointment by the Prince of Wales , and that feeling was heightened the more he came to know the brethren who composed it , as he could safely and confidently rely upon their kind co-operation and good advice in any difficulty that might arise . 'He was especially fortunate in having such an excellent Deputy Prov . Grand Master and such

a methodical and painstaking Prov . Grand Secretary . True , the province was not large ; but small though it was , they would find members of it scattered over the whole face of the globe—illustrative of the wide range of Freemasonry itself . Go where they would , they would come across a member of it . This had happened to himself whilst travelling in Carthage and Tunis , and also in Corsica . And wherever found , they might rely upon

the kir . d advice , co-operation , and support of these brethren . The PROV . G . MASTER , in proposing "The Health of the D . P . G . M , and the rest of the Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past , " said he knew the eagerness with which this annual gathering was awaited . They were fortunate in having a larger number of purple collars bestowed than could

possibly be the case in larger provinces . At the same time it was difficult to make the selection from amongst the deserving brethren who hard worked well in their respective lodges . But through the kindly advice and thoughtful consideration of their ubiquitous , observant , and painstaking D . P . G . M ., his task was rendered easy ; and he knew that whoever was appointed , would prepare himself to discharge his duties in a satisfactory manner .

The DEPUTY PROV . G . MASTER , after congratulating his friends in the S . W ., J . W ., and Chaplain's chairs , pointed out again that the weak places in the province were Ely , March , and Chatteris . He hoped Bro . Bellairs ( the Mayor of Wisbech ) and other brethren in the Isle of Ely , would lay the foundation of future lodges in the towns he had mentioned .