Provincial Grand Lodges.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES .

LONDON , SATVBDAT , OCTOBFB 5 , 1861 .

"We now resume our retrospect of tlie proceedings at tie various Prov . Grand Lodges of the year wliicli we commenced in om- number of the 31 st August , when we concluded with that of Essex , which brought the month of July to a close , since which several important meetings have heen held .

We now , therefore , commence with the Prov . Grand Lodge which was held in the Assembly Rooms , Norwich , on the 2 nd August , when , as usual , the various local charities experienced the benefit of the princelymunificence of the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Cabbell ; a collection at the

cathedral after an excellent sermon by the Prov . G . Chaplain , the Rev . Bro . Hodgson , also added to the funds of the Jenny Lind Infirmary . We notice that at this Prov . Grand Lodge most of the officers were re-appointed , a bad practice , as it not only

deprives the other brethren of a fair share of the honours , but is apt to make them negligent of their duties , believing that hissing goes too much by favour , and more especially to prevent their attendance at Prov . Grand Lodges . This however , may also be , in a great measure , owing to the fact that there is no D . Prov . G . M ., and

the age and health of the Prov . G . M . unfortunately prevents his giving that close attention to the business of the province thatis requisite to promote its prosperity . As regards the banquet , enough and too much has already appeared in these columns , and we , therefore ,

shall not further refer to it , excejiting to notice the remarkable fact that the Prov . Grand Master for once forgot the existence of the EBEEMASOSS' MAGAZINE , and did not honour us by those hindlij notices to which we have been accustomed .

There Avas one gratifying circumstance alluded to , though but briefly , that the Prov . G . M . has become the proprietor of the assembly rooms in which the brethren met , and it is believed that he is about to dedicate them solely to the purposes of Masonry . Indeed he went so far as to say

" He hoped the time would not be far distant when it might be in his power to provide a place where the brethren might meet without having recourse to public places , their assembly at which led the world , from a want of a due appreciation of the virtues of the Order ,

to believe that they met merely for conviArial purposes . " Such a desideratum cannot but conduce to the prosperity of the Order , and Avill form a noble monument to the excellence of a brother whom—though we have often disagreed with him on questions of policy—we are bound

to admit has always proved himself a valuable and sincere friend to the Order and its Charities , Avhich will sustain a severe loss whenever he is taken from amongst us . On the 7 th the brethren assembled in goodly numbers at Ashford , in Kent , to meet their Prov . G . M ., Viscount Holmesdale , for the second time , in Prov . G . Lodge . In the course of the proceedings £ 3110 s were

granted from the Grand Lodge Eunds for each of two lodges , Deal and Eaversham , to make them Life Governors of the Girls' and Boys' Schools . £ 10 given to the orphan children of a deceased brother . The system of Kent in making their various lodges Life Governors of the different Charities works well—there

now only remaining one lodge in the province , that at Erith , which has not been placed on the list of Governors to each oi the Schools—and we trust that the Prov . G . Lodge may long continue in the same course . The brethren afterwards proceeded to the church , where a

collection was made on behalf of the Masonic Charities and the Ashford Schools , in the premises of which Prov . G . Lodge had been held . An , elegant banquet followed the business of the day , over which Viscount Holmesdale , the Prov . G-. M .,

presided with great good taste , being most ably seconded by his deputy , Bro . Dobson , Avho , by-the-bye , does perform his duties , and visit the various lodges in order to look into the working , and make a report of the state of the lodges , and the qualifications of the brethren , who , in his opinion , should receive provincial honours .

"Where everything went off so well , it may almost appear ungracious to make any complaints ; but as Bro . Dobson expressed a hope that if the brethren saw any cause for blame in the appointments they would attribute it to him , we shall take the liberty of asking him ujion what principle the Prov . G . Supt . of Works was

appointed , as it was certainly not for his knowledge of architecture . We hold that it would be better that the office should be left vacant than that it should be given to other than architects ; and we should be glad to be informed how the Prov . G . Supt . of Works would proceed ,

should the brethren of Kent ever take into hand such a work as that by which the brethren of Bristol have of late so honourably distinguished themselves . On the following day the Provincial Grand Lodge of Herts took place , when £ 10 10 ;? . each were voted to the Boys' and the Girls' Schools—not bad for so small a province . The only notable event of the day was the

appointment of Bro . Erancis , P . D . Prov . G . M " . of Surrey , as D . Prov . G . M . of this province , iu the jilaee of Bro . Ward , who has resigned after long and honourably fulfilling the duties of the office . Bro . Erancis is a good and energetic Mason , and we doubt not that the province will soon feel the advantage of the appointment .

On the 27 th there was a most gratifying gathering of the brethren of Bristol—the only city that possesses the distinction of a Prov . Grand Lodge of its own—for a truly noble and Masonic purpose , the laying the foundation (?) stone of the works for the restoration of the

Lady Chapel of the noble church of St . Mary RedclifFe , one of the glories of Bristol , wliich has been carried out solely at the expense of the Freemasons , and what is more , under the personal direction and superintendence of Ereemasons : Bro . Godwin , F . R . S ., being the architect , and Bro . J . A . Randall ( Prov . G . S . of Works ) superintending the works , shoAving that the brethren of