At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

At the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Norfolk , held at Norwich on the 23 rd June , presided over by the Prov . Grand Master , R . W . Bro . Hamon le Strange , after the customary opening formalities had taken place , the Prov . G . Registrar read a return showing the membership

of each lodge , and particulars concerning the number of initiations , resignations , Grand Lodge fees , & c . This statement showed that the number of subscribing members has now reached a total of 9 82 . The R . W . Prov . Grand Master expressed the hope that next year the total of a round

thousand might be reached . A satisfactory balance sheet was presented by the Treasurer , and the Prov . Grand Secretary read the report and recommendations of the Board of General Purposes . Various sums were voted to the Masonic Charitiesand substantial assistance was granted to

, some deserving cases in the province . Bro . B . Barwell read a lengthy report detailing the work which had been carried out by the Charities Committee during the past session ; the Charity Stewards , Bros . G . E . Ward and W . H Jones , also gave an account of the results which had attended their

efforts on behalf of the local charity scheme which was recently inaugurated . Bro . William Bassett Turner was elected Treasurer .

© © < s > At the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire , held at St . Helens on the 8 th June , the Earl of Lathom presiding , the Provincial Grand Master congratulated the brethren on the province having passed through another successful year . He was pleased to note

that the funds of their Charities were in good order . He added that in the case of hospitals in London he had noticed that much more support was given to those institutions when the expenditure was below the income than when they had large funds in hand . His advice was that they should

spend their charity funds freely , but wisely , and that they should not put too much money into capital that was needed for present use . © < s > © As to the proposed Lathom Memorial Chapter House of the Liverpool Cathedral , his lordship said that the resolution

adopted with so much unanimity at a large gathering of brethren in December last had already borne fruit . They had reason to expect that the offer to raise the sum of ^ 10 , 000 in five years would meet with the success which it deserved , and that the Craft would raise a memorial which

would show to future generations the love and regard in which their late Provincial Grand Master was held by those over whom he ruled so wisely and so well .

© O « 3 > It was reported that there were 10 , 000 subscribing members of the Order in the province , grants were made to Masonic Charities to the amount of 270 guineas , and a sum of 100 guineas was voted towards the fund being raised to build a chapter house for the new Liverpool Cathedral as a Masonic memorial to the late Earl of Lathom .

¦ ©> < 2 . ® The decision of the authorities of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk to depart this year from the time immemorial custom of attending church on the occasion of the annual meeting , has given rise to some mild excitement and caused much comment in the district . A local journal

asserts that more than one resignation has been sent in , and they understand others will follow . In place of Divine service arrangements were made for the newly-appointed Chaplain to deliver an " oration" in the ' lodge , which is thought by some to be an adoption of a French custom . The public procession to the parish church of brethren in

their badges and regalia was always a picturesque and imposing sight , and was a complete refutation of the unfounded suggestion that eating and drinking were the main objects of the Craft . O ^ O It appears , however , that sufficient reason for the new

departure was found in the fact of the distance of the church from the place of meeting . The rev . brother who delivered the address remarked that hitherto it had been the custom for the brethren to assemble in the parish or some other church in close proximity to the lodge for Divine

servicea custom which he felt sure met with the generous and hearty approval of all the brethren . It was a public recognition of God as the foundation of all true Masonry ; it was an answer to the oft-repeated sneer that their

assemblies were nothing more or less than meetings for feasting and revelry . No greater calumny could be uttered against the ancient Order , and one felt naturally jealous that anything should seem to give support to it . When he saw in the public Press that a change was to be made he felt strongly ; but , having the greatest confidence in the Prov .

Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master , he was confident that there was some special and good reason for so great a change . The answer which he received was to the following effect—that the great distance of the lodge from the parish church , the fact that several of the brethren had to leave

early to catch their trains , and the assurance that the order of to-day was not to be a precedent for future years . He felt that the answer was quite satisfactory . © © ©

The Provincial Grand Chaplain proceeded to deliver an eloquent discourse on the origin of Freemasonry , its principles , and its life , and in doing so dwelt especially upon the strong connection of religion with the Order . The offertory was taken at this stage for the Gorleston Cottage Hospital , and amounted to £ 10 .

« s > < 3 > . © Lord Leigh , Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire , on tne 22 nd June laid the foundation-stone of a new church at Maney , near Sutton Coldfield . The ceremonial was carried out with full Masonic ceremony , and was largely attended by members of the Craft and others . The church ,

which will be erected in the Gothic style of architecture , from designs of Messrs . Cousins , architects , of Birmingham , is estimated to cost nearly . £ 7000 , towards which about half that amount has been subscribed . The ancient office of Lord High Steward of Sutton Coldfield recently was revived in Lord Leigh .

© © © Bro , E . C . Mulvey will , we are informed , be nominated for the office of Grand Treasurer for 1905 . Bro . Mulvey is well known as an energetic and zealous worker of the Craft and Royal Arch ceremonies in the metropolis . He is a Preceptor of no less than five lodges of instruction , and was for many years a member of the Board of General Purposes and of the Finance Committee of that Board .

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