Provincial Grand Chapter Of West Yorkshire.

F . Simpson , P . Z . 1019 , and A . Leach , P . Z . 495 , P . P . A . G . S . Es . ; C . Stokes , P . Z . 139 , and A . Cocker , P . Z . 12 S 3 , Prov . G . Stewards ¦ Thos . Chester , Janitor 904 , Prov . G . Janitor ; and acting Principals , Past First Principals , and companions of the following chapters -. Nos . 61 , 139 , 154 , 208 , 242 , 265 , 275 , 289 , 290 , 296 , 302 , 304 , 306 , 307 , 308 , 337 , 380 , 387 , 408 , 448 , 4 S 8 , 495 , S 2 i , 600 , 603 , 652 , 904 , 910 , 974 , 1001 , 1019 , 1042 , 1042 , 1214 , 1239 , 1283 , 1462 , 1645 , 2069 , 2261 , and 2491 .

The following chapters were unrepresented : Nos . 25 S , 264 , 827 , 837 , and

Apologies were received from Comps . the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., G . Supt . ; J . C . Malcolm , P . G . S ., P . P . G . H . ; W . F . Smithson , P . G . S ., P . P . G . D . C ; W . C . Lupton , P . Z . 974 . P . P . G . J . ; J . H . Simpson , P . Z . 208 , Prov . D . G . Reg . * , T . H . Vernon , P . Z . 139 , Prov . and A . G . S . ; Ben Stocks , P . Z . 290 , Prov . G . S . B . ; Wm . Senior , P . Z . 1513 , Prov . A . G . Std . Br . ; Wm . Towers , P . Z . 306 , Prov . A . G . S . E . ; E . Wales Smith , P . Z . 2 R 0 , Prov . G . Steward ; and 163 Past Prov . G . Officers , P . Zs ., and

companions . The PROV . G . S . E . read the following apology from the Grand Superintendent : Allerton Hall , Leeds , 19 th November , 18 99 . Dear Comp . Green , „

I am extremely sorry to find myself unable to attend Prov . Grand Chapter on Wednesday next ; but a Royal Commission on Indian Expenditure , which has been sitting for some years , and is now engaged in formulating its report , is to meet on Wednesday , and the business is so important that I feel I ought to be present . E . Comp . Richard Wilson has very kindly come to my assistance , and promised to act in mv absence .

Pray convey my extreme regrets to the companions present at the Prov Grand Chapter . Vours very truly and fraternally , W . L . JACKSON .

H . G . E . Green , Esq . Comp . Richard Wilson , P . Z . 289 , P . G . S ., acting G . Supt ., accompanied by the Prov . G . Officers , entered at 3 . 30 , and Prov . Grand Chapter was opened in form . The actine Grand Suoerintendent . the Prov . G . H ., and the Prov . G . I .,

and the Prov . Grand Oflicers were saluted . The roll of chapters was called . The roll of Present and Past Prov . Grand Officers was called . The Prov . G . Scribe E . presented the minutes of the annual meeting , held at Dewsbury , on Monday , 15 th May , 1899 , when it was moved , seconded , and resolved ; " That the minutes be taken as read and confirmed . "

The ACTING GRAND S UPERINTENDENT , addressing the companions ,

said—On behalf of Provincial Grand Chapter , and the founders of the Armitage Chapter , my first duty is to welcome all the companions who are here to day . Some six months ago the Grand Superintendent of West Yorkshire bespoke for me a very great measure of your confidence in the position to which 1 was then called , and it is my duty , as well as it is my pleasure , to acknowledge that this confidence I have received to the full , in everything I have had to do in the province . The Grand Superintendent , when speaking to me on the subject of

this meeting , stated that he knew of nothing to note in the province ,- and I know nothing of striking importance to bring before you , but there is one fact which will be of interest to the companions , and has somewhat struck me , and that is , that so far as the provinces are concerned with the Royal Arch , we in "West Yorkshire stand second to none . We have an idea that we are very lax in trie matter of this Degree , and that we are not making the progress we should do . That may be so , but in spite of that we have more chapters in the province

than any other province , with one exception . I have obtained some figures which show that in West Yorkshire there are 45 chapters , while in West Lancashire there are 46 ; in East Lancashire 41 ; and in Devon 30 . The number of Craft lodges in West Yorkshire is 81 ; in West Lancashire 122 j in East Lancashire 113 , with only 41 chapters ; and Devon has 59 Craft lodges , and 30 chapters . Then again in West Yorkshire we have 4142 members of the Craft , with 1559 members of the chapter ; in West Lancashire there are 8125 members of the

Craft , and only 1446 members of the chapter ; in East Lancashire , 4800 in the Craft , and only 1100 in the chapter ; and in Devon there are 38 S 7 members of the Craft , and 96 9 of the chapter . I think such a comparative statement will be of encouragement to the companions who have spent so much time and labour to advance the interests of Royal Arch "Masonry . I will brielly mention one subject engrossing to us all , and that is the War Fund . In Leeds there has been an appeal made by the Lord Mayor , and I have no doubt that such an appeal , in one

shape or another , has , and will continue to come to us in many shapes . At the same time , I think these appeals will go straight to the heart of every Mason . If our fellow-men are called out to South Africa , to carry out orders in a quarrel which we think to be right , the best thing we , who stay at home in peace , can do , is to see that their families do not suffer ; and last , but not lu .-st , on behalf of those who have been made widows and orphans , because their relatives have been sent out to fi ght for us , we should do what we can , and nothing should be loo great for us in that respect . That is the feeling of Freemasonry ; it has received

the encouragement of the Prir . ce of Wales , and appeals to all the brethren , even to the newly-initiated Mason , so that we cannot do too much . Although it was late when 1 issued the circular , and many of lhe brethren had already subscribed , the response has brought into my hands , up to the present , the sum of £ 260 , and 1 have no doubt of getting ^ 100 or ^ 150 more . With respect to the same subject , I am glad to know that the citizens of Bradford have such esteem for and confidence in the chairman of our Charity Committee ( Comp . W . C . Lupton ) that they have made him the Mayor of that city . The brethren are marking that event by contributing- towards the Mayor cf Bradford's fund ; and the

Provincial Grand Chapter Of West Yorkshire.

appeals on behalf of the sister funds t am sure will deservedly meet with a liberal and a warm response . With regard to Milnsbridge and the consecration of the Armitage Chapter , I may say that so far as my knowledge of the district is concerned , it is in connection with the Luddite Riots . I had friends living at Dalton—I cannot tell wheie it is , but it cannot be far away . I had friends , who , in my youth , used to give instances

of what occurred during the Luddite Riots . It was at Milnsbndge House , where Mr . Joseph Ratcliffe resided , that the persons who were charged with the murder ot Mr . Horsfall , while going from Huddersfield Market , were taken for examination , and they were afterwards removed to York , tried , and hanged . For his services and loyalty during tbat period he was made a baronet , and the successors ot Sir Joseph Radcliffe now live at Rudding Park . One of my late partners married Sir Joseph ' s daughter , and one of my present partners is his grandson .

When Sir Joseph Ratcliffe left , his successor became Mr . Joseph Armitage , the father of our esteemed Bro . and Comp . Edward Armitage , who has been a subscribing member of the Harmony Lodge , No . 275 , Huddersfield , for close on 60 years , and from him the lodge and chapter have taken their names ; and his son , Comp . Alfred Armitage , is one of the founders of this chapter . That was the connection between the chapter and the Armitage family , and we feel glad to take part in any ceremonies that are intended to do honour to such an illustrious brother . I am glad to be with you to-day .

Comp . R . SHEARD , in accordance with notice , moved that the salary of the Prov . G . Scribe E . be increased to 40 guineas . He stated that he had made a modification in his proposition , which originally was to increase the salary of Comp . Green to 5 ° guineas . It was 20 years since the salary was given , and since then Comp . Green ' s duties had been considerably

increased ; not only was that tne case , but he understood that Comp . Green gave more than 10 per cent , of his salary to the three great Charities belonging to Masonry . In comparing the salaries paid by other provinces he found that Comp . Green received only about one-half that paid by West Lancashire , and considerably less than in other provinces , Comp . Green ' s position was a very responsible one .

Comp . W . DYSON , in seconding the proposition , spoke of the carefulness , promptitude , and attention with which Comp . Green had always carried out the duties of his office .

The motion was supported by Comps . J . BARKER , HARROP , PARKE , and the ACTING G . SUPERINTENDENT , and carried unanimously . Comp . GRE » N briefly thanked the companions , and said he hoped by deeds , not words , to prove his gratitude to them for their unanimous vote .

Comp . C . L . MASON moved that a grant of two guineas be made by Prov . G . Chapter towards replenishing the working tools for the carpenter ' s shop connected with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . He said the shop was greatly appreciated , had turned out good work , and it was the intention of the boys to make the forms for the new Masonic School .

Comp . W . BLACKHURN seconded the motion , and said that they had had 28 boys learning carpentry , and now there were 64 , so that they would not only require the tools to be replenished , but also new tools . It was stated that Comp . Chas . Stokes , of Sheffield , had sent , £ 10 ros ., collected at the Paradise Chapter a day or two ago , and the Mayor of Bradford £ 5 towards the fund .

Comp . HARROP said that it was the late Bro . I . W . Embleton who generously presented a large box of tools , about seven yeari ago , to help the movement originated by Bro . W . F . Smithson .

This being all the formal business before Prov . G . Chapter , the Acting G . Superintendent proceeded to consecrate the Armitage Chapter , No . 2261 , in accordance with the printed programme , and afterwards installed the Principals , as follows : Comps . Walker Dyson , P . Z . 290 and 1645 , M . E . Z . ; C . H . Crowther , P . Z . 290 , H . ; and Herbert Shaw , S . E . 290 , J . The M . E . Z . then invested his officers .

During the course of the proceedings Comp . C . L . MASON , in place of the ordinary oration , read a paper on " The Degrees of Freemasonry and the Royal Arch . " The ACTING G . SUPERINTENDENT proposed the thanks of Prov . G . Chapter to Comp . C . L . Mason , for the perseverance and patient research which he had exercised in compiling the paper . This was seconded by Comp . J . L . ATHERTON , and carried unanimously . Comp . C . L . MASON briefly acknowledged the compliment .

A vote of thanks was passed to the Acting G . Superintendent and the other Prov . G . Officers for consecrating the Armitage Chapter , and the three Acting Principals were elected honorary members of the chapter for their services . Prov . G . Chapter was then closed . About 60 companions afterwards sat down to tea at the Conservative Club , Comp . Walker Dyson presiding , supported by Comp ; Richard Wilson , Prov . G . H ., Past G . Soj ., Acting G . Superintendent .

PRKSBNTATION TO LORD ONSLOW . —As a memento of Bro . the Earl of Onslow ' s civic work on the London County Council , from which he bas now retired , an illuminated album has been presented to his lordship . The ceremony took place at the India Office . It contained the resolution , unanimously passed at a meeting of the Moderate party in the London County Council , expressing their regret at his lordship ' s

retirement , and their appreciation of his services to London . The presentation was made by Mr . Beachcroft , Colonel Legge , and Mr . R . A . Robinson , on behalf of the party . Bro . Lord Onslow acknowledged the gift in generous terms , and subsequently wrote a letter expressing his gratitude and the hope that , though no longer a member of the Council , lie may from time to time have the opportunity of conferring with his late colleagues on any matter which may be likely to promote the welfare of Londoners .

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