Masonic Notes.

Master of North and East Yorkshire . The lodge will be opened in the Congregational School Room at 2 . 15 p . m ., and the brethren will march thence in procession to the site of the building , returning at the conclusion of the ceremony . A cold collation will be served in the Public Rooms at 3 . 45 p . m .

» » * We are indebted to the courtesy of Bro . W . Thi rsk , Treasurer and Secretary of the Masonic Charitable Association connected with this lodge for copy of the balance sheet . From this it appears that the total sum received by the Association was £ 17 $ 13 s . 7 d .,

of which all but £ 1 10 s . for Entrance Fees and £ 1 5 s . id . for' Bank Interest , was in the shape of subscriptions . Of these £ 57 15 s , was paid over to the Girls' School ; £ 10 10 s . to the Boys' School ; £ 685 s , to the Benevolent Institution ; and £ 3417 s . 6 d .

to the North and East Yorkshire Educational Fund , while the expenses for Printing and Postages amounted to £ 3 1 os . The small balance of 16 s . id . was handed over to the Alexandra Lodge Benevolent Fund . » » a

We could not have better evidence of the spirit by which the members of the lodge are actuated than such a statement of account . The lodge was founded as recently as 18 74 , and musters only 38 subscribing members , yet these figures show that , through the instrumentality of this Association , £ 171 7 s . 6 d . has

been paid over to the Central or local Masonic Charities , the former having been benefited to the extent of £ 136 10 s ., while the latter received the balance of £ 34 17 s . 6 d . A lodge that does such signal service as this deserves every encouragement , and we sincerely hope that the function which has

been appointed to take place to -day ( Friday ) will help to promote still further the interests of the Alexandra Lodge , No . 1511 . The Provincial Grand Master and the brethren generally of North and East Yorkshire must be proud to be associated with a lodge which has so praiseworthy an idea of its duties and responsibilities .

» * » A special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire will be held at the Freemasons' Hall , St . Andrew ' s-road , Exmouth , on Wednesday , the 9 th prox ., at 4 p . m ., for the purpose of constituting the new " Rolle " Lodge , No . 2759 The customary

banquet will take place at the Imperial Hotel , at 6 p . m ., tickets for which—price 5 s ., exclusive of wine—must be applied for to Bro . J . E . Brooks , 1 , Strand , Exmouth , on or before Saturday , the 5 th prox . On the following day , the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at the Drill Hall , Tiverton , at 3 . 30 .

On this occasion the Committee of Petitions will meet , by command of the Prov . G . Master , at the Town Hall , at 1 p . m ., and at 2 p . m . there will be luncheon at the Public Schools , St . Andrew-street . Tickets—price 3 s . 6 "d ., exclusive of wine—to be had on application to Bro . J . W . A , Pleass , Angel Hotel , Tiverton , on or before Saturday , the 5 th prox .

» » » We have much pleasure in adding that the Great Western and London and South-Western Railway Companies have made arrangements for the issue to individual brethren of return tickets , first , second , and third-class , at a fare and a quarter , and at single fare ,

first-class , to parties of not less than 30 ; and second and third-classes to parties of not less than 50 , from any one station distant 30 miles or more , on producing their Masonic clothing at the time of booking , such tickets being available from the day before to the day after the meeting .

* * * We have very great pleasure in announcing that Ewart Richardson , one of the boys retained for higher education in the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , has passed in the First Division of the London University Matriculation at the examination held recently .

Richardson's success is the more creditable , as he was entered for the examination in January , but could not sit on account of ill-health at that time , and since leaving the School has had no tuition . Six boys have now passed in the First Division and one in the Second Division during the past four years .

» Another new lodge in the Greenwich District to which , if for no other reason than that it bears the honoured name of " Lord Kitchener of Khartoum , " we wish all possible success , was consecrated at the Ship Hotel on Monday , the 17 th instant . It ranks as

No . 2707 on the roll of Grand Lodge , and has been founded for the convenience of those brethren in the neighbourhood who are known for their musical attainments or Jove of music . The ceremony of consecration was performed by Bro . E . Letchworth , the Grand Secretary , who was assisted in his task by Bros ,

Masonic Notes.

Ralph Gooding , M . D ., P . G . D ., and Lieut-Col . G . J . Parkyn , P . G . S . B ., as Wardens ; Bro . the Rev . Canon Brownrigg , Past G . Chap ., as Chaplain ; Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., as D . of C ; and Bro . Walter Martin , P . A . G . P ., as I . G . Subsequently Bro . R . Petter ,

P . M ., was installed as W . M ., and the officers having been invested , Bro . Lord Kitchener , who apologised through the G . Secretary for his inability to be present , and the Consecrating Officers , were

unanimously elected honorary members , and presented with founders' jewels . There was a numerous gathering of visitors , and , after dinner , an admirable programme of vocal and instrumental music was successfully carried out .

* » We are pleased to learn , from our report of the proceedings at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey , on the 21 st instant , that the Masonic Vagrant was not entirely lost sight of , and

that an Almoner having been appointed in each town , a considerable check has already been put upon the abuses of Masonic Charity in consequence of the adoption of this step . This is very creditable to Surrey ; but how about the adjoining Provinces which

not improbably have been overrun to a still greater extent than ever by these pests ? Masonic vagrancy , like rabies in dogs , will not be stamped out until precautionary measures have been adopted throughout the whole country .

* * * The Harringay Lodge , No . 2763 , was successfully inaugurated at Freemasons' Hall , on Tuesday , the 25 th instant . The ceremony was performed , as usual , by Bro . Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary

who was assisted by Bros . W . H . Bailey , Past G . Treasurer , as S . W . ; J . D . Langton , Past D . G . D . C , as J . W . ; the Rev . Canon Brownrigg , Past G . Chap ., as Chaplain ; and Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., as D . C . When the lodge had been constituted , Bro . C . E .

Wetton , P . M . 208 7 , was installed as the first W . M ., and the other principal officers designate invested—Bros . E . F . Barnes , S . W . ; and iV . E . Poynton , ] . WThe list of founders comprises some two dozen brethren , among them being several who are Installed

Masters or have held office in other lodges . We hope to give a full account of the proceedings next week , but in the meantime we wish the lodge , which has started on its career under such auspicious circumstances , a long and prosperous career .

* » * We acknowledge with thanks copy of a new work from the pen of Mr . Arthur Lovell , author of "Ars Vivendi , " "Volo , " and "The Ideal of

Man . " It is entitled " Imagination and its Wonders , " and , we doubt not , will prove worthy of the author ' s reputation , and even enhance it very considerably . We shall take an early opportunity of reviewing it .

« » We must remind our readers that the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hert fordshire is appointed to be held to-day ( Friday ) , under the auspices of the Stortford Lodge , No . 409

at the Parish Room , Windhill , Bishop ' s Stortford . Prov . Grand Lodge will be opened at 3 . 45 p . m ., and will be followed by the customary banquet . We understand that there is every prospect of the attendance being somewhat larger than usual , and that

among the visitors will be found many prominent members of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Essex . Seeing that Hertfordshire headed the list of contributing Provinces at the recent Boys' School Festival , we anticipate that the meeting will be a great success .

It is gratifying to learn that the Freemasons ' Benevolent Institution of New South Wales is steadily progressing . Our contemporary , Masonry , of Melbourne , publishes a full report of the proceedings of the eighth annual general meeting of this Institution ,

and from this we gather that whereas in 18 92 the income amounted in round figures to £ 260 , and the assets to £ 2067 , the figures for the year ending 30 th April last showed an income of £ 1470 , and assets , after clearing off £ 500 for Masonic Hall shares , £ 502 2 . In 1802 there were no annuitants and no

disbursements for relief ; during the last year there were 28 annuitants—being a temporary reduction ol one—and £ 465 was expended in relief . Thus , in this brief period , the income has been increased about fivefold , and the assets considerably more than doubled . * *

Of the special efforts to which this progress is in great measure due the annual ball appears to be most productive . This was instituted in 18 94 and

Masonic Notes.

yielded £ 257 , while the proceeds of the ball held in the Town Hall , Sydney , on the 28 th July , 1898 , reached £ 578 reduced , by presentation to the Hon . Secretary , to £ 527 . The day fixed for the annual function for 18 99 is Thursday , the 27 th instant , the Town Hall , Sydney , being chosen for the locale .

* * » As regards the brethren to whose personal efforts and influence the Craft in New South Wales is principally indebted for the progress which their Benevolent Institution has made , the foremost seem to have been Bro . J . C . Remington , P . D . G . M ., who had held

the office of President for the last seven years , and Bro . G . H . Marsh , the hon . Secretnry . The former , in his retiring address , expressed the opinion that it was not well for the same brother to remain in officethough annually re-elected—in perpeluo , and for this reason he had come to the conclusion that it was his

duty to resign and make room for another , the brother chosen to succeed him being Bro . T . Spencer . As regards the post of Hon . Secretary , Bro . G . H . Marsh was re-elected , notwithstanding his declaration that he is no longer able to d evote the whole of his time to the duties . Hence , to enable him to discharge them , assistance will be found for

him , our contemporary observing that Bro . Marsh ' s " supervision and experience will be invaluable , " and that " it is matter for general congratulation that he accepts the duties , even in the new form . " The Treasurer of the Institution is Bro . Ellis Robinson , who was re-elected ; while the vacancy on the Committee , caused by the election of Bro . T . Spencer as President , is filled by Bro . J . G . Moon .

# * * We learn with extreme regret that The Voice of Masonry has ceased to exist , after a useful career of some 35 years . It was one of the most valuable of our exchanges , and to its " Masonic Gleanings" we were indebted for much of the news relating to

Freemason ry in the United States which appeared in our columns . Its reviews of the annual reports of the different Grand Lodges were ably and concisely written , nor did the Editor , at any time or in any case , refrain from expressing his opinions very courteously , but , at the same time , freely and clearly on

matters of policy to which exception might properly betaken . Its articles , too , were excellent both in tone and character , nor can we conceive how such an admirable periodical as our late friend The Voice can have been allowed to die without a supreme effort being

made to ensure its continuance . It was published at Chicago , and it is very far from being to the credit of the Michigan brethren that they should have allowed what we do not hesitate to describe as a catastrophe to Masonic periodical literature to occur .

? » * The Pacific Mason , of Seattle , Washington , to which we are indebted for our information , refers in complimentary terms to our late exchange , briefly describing it and the lately deceased Freemason's Repository as having been " for many years most

powerful exponents for the good of Freemasonry , " It was an honour to the Craft in the States that it should possess two such genuine " exponents" of Masonic principles and opinions , and , as we have remarked already , it is the reverse of creditable that they should have been allowed to die .

* * * We are further indebted to the Pacific Mason for the announcement in its June number that Sir Knight Thomas H . Caswell , who has been Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Cali « fornia for the last 21 years , has resigned his offtee and

been succeeded by Sir Knight William A . Davies , Past G . C . We are further informed that Judge Caswell has resigned the Grand Secretaryship of the Grand Chapter of California , and that Comp . William T . Reynolds , Past G . H . P ., has been appointed in his

stead . The retirement of so experienced an officer , even though successors of recognised ability have been appointed in his place , cannot be regarded as otherwise than a serious loss by the Grand Commandery and Grand Chapter of the State affected .

» » » The annual Prov . Grand Lodge and Prov . Grand Chapter meetings of the Province of Durham have just been arranged to be held—the Prov . G . Chapter meeting at Stockton-on-Tees , at 3 . 45 p . m ., on Wednesday , September 16 th ; and that of the Prcv . Grand

Lodge at the Town Hal ) , Gateshead , on Tuesday , September 26 th . Bro . Sir Hcdworth Williamson , Bart ., will preside at both meetings . The annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Mark Lodge of Northumberland and Durham is announced to be held at the

Freemasons' H JII , 18 , Grainger-street West , Newcastle , on Thursday , the 3 rd prox ., the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., presiding . The lodge is expected to be honoured with the presence of M . W . Bro . the Earl of Euston , Pro Grand Master , on the occasion .