Provincial.

To consider the propriety of providing jewels and undress collars for the use of the Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodgo daring their year of office , and , if approved of , to pass a resolution to that effect . To vote the usual gratuity to the Prov . G . Tyler . To vote contributions to the Masonic Charities . _ The R . W . the Prov . G . M ., Prov . G . Officers , visitors of distinction , and brethren generally , will attend diviue service at

St . John ' s Church , when the Prov . G . Chaps , the Rev . John David D . ivies , M . A ., and the Rev . David Thomas , M . A ., will officiate . The brethren will afterwards return to the lodge-room , when the collection for charitable purposes will be made . The Provincial Grand Lodge will then be closed in due form . At the meeting every lodge in this large and important province was numerously and influeiitiallrepresented . Several

y distinguished officers of Grand Lodge , and of the provinces of Oxford , Somerset , Bristol , and elsewhere , honoured tbe occasion by being present , and the general assembly of the brethren exceeded 300 in number . The Provincial Grand Lodge was held in tbe spacious and handsome assembly room of the Town Hall , under the banner of tbe oldest lodge of the province , the Glamorgan ( No . 3 G ) , and was suitably and comfortably arranged for the reception of

the brethren . By special permission all Master Masons were permitted to be present , proper accommodation being provided for them . The Provincial Grand Officers , visitors of distinction , & c , assembled in an adjoining apartment , and at half past twelve o'clock formed in procession , and entered the Provincial Grand Lodge , which was at once opened in due form by the R , W . the Prov . G . M . for OxfordshireLieut .-Col . Henry Atkins Bo-. vyer .

, Among those present were , Bros . A . W . Adair , Prov . G . M . Somerset ; Victor A . Williamson , J . G . W . ; Rev . C . R . Davey , G . Chap . ; John Symonds . P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; R . J . Spiers ., P . G . S . B . and D . Prov . G . M . Oxford ; E . H . Patten , P . G . S . B . ; W . Donne Bushell , P . D . Prov . G . M . Bristol ; Dr . Bryant , P . Prov . S . G . AV . Bristol ; Col . Evan Morgan , D . Prov . G . M . South Wales ( E . D . ); J . Russell , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; M . Moggridge , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; R . F . Langley , P . Prov . ij . G . W . ;

Thos . G . South , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; W . J . Gaskell , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; J . G . Hall , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; Georc-e Allen , P . Prov . 0 . Sec . ; if . J . Dyke , P . Prov . G . Sec ; W . LI' . Powell , P . Prov . J . G . D . ; Thomas Roes , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; P . H . Rowland , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; F . 1 ) . Michael , P . Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; W . Cox , P . Prov . G . Org . ; Richard Eve , P . Prov . G . Purst . ; J . Richardson , G . S . ; R . Spencer , P . G . S . ; W . Smith , C . E ., P . G . S . ; and Bros . J . W . Hallam , Bird , Longdon , Chalinder , P .

Prov . G . Stewards ; with the W . Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of the various lodges . The minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Cardiff on the Kith of August , 1 S 6 I-, and those of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Emergency , held at Neath on the 22 nd of September , 186-1 , were read and confirmed . The R . W . the Prov . G . Master for Oxfordshire , as installing Provincial Grand Master , then announced that the R . \ A " . the

Prov . G . M . for South Wales ( Eastern Division ) , Bro . Theodore Mansel Talbot , was in attendance to receive the benefit of installation , and appointed seven Past Masters to conduct him into Provincial Grand Lodge , Bros . Moggridge , Russell , Michael , Powell , Stroud , Langley , and Thomas being selected for the purpose . The R . W . the Prov . G . M . was introduced in proper form by Bro . Moggridge with an appropriate address . The patent of appointment signed by the M . W . the Grand Master

was then read by the acting Prov . G . Sec , after which the R . W . the Prov . G . M . having signified his assent to the ancient charges , he was duly obligated and placed in the chair amid the acclamations of the brethren . The R . W . the Prov . G . M . having been saluted according to usual custom , addressed the Provincial Grand Lodge with much feeling , in an eloquent speech , thanking the brethren for their he . irty reception .

The AV . the D . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Edward Jarne ? Morris , was then introduced by Bros . Michael and Cox , Past Masters , and presented by the former in the usual manner . The patent of appointment signed by the R . W . the Pr v . G . M . was then read by the acting Prov . G . Sec , after which the usual obligation was administered , and tho \ A . the D . Prov . G . M . was duly installed amid loud applause , and was saluted in usual form . The acconnts of the Prov . G . Treas . for the past year were then received < uul adopted , printed abstracts being freely

circulated among the brethren , by which a balance of £ 148 14 s . appeared in favour of the Provincial Girand Lodge . On the motion of the R . W . the Prov . G . M . the AV . Bro , Nicholas Bowen Allen , P . M ., was unanimously re-elected Prov . G . Treas . for the ensuing year . Tho R . W . the Prov . G . Master then proceeded to appoint and invest the Prov . G . officers for tho year , as follows : — Bros . F . D . Michael . 237 Prov . S . G . AV . „ P . K . Rowland , 361 „ J . G . \ A .

„ J . D . Davies , 237 „ 0 . Chaplain . „ I ) . Roberts , 3 G „ G . Registrar . „ AV . AVhittington , 3 G 4 „ G . Secretary . „ AV . H . Martin , 960 „ S . G . D . „ II . L . Prichard . 833 „ J . G D . ., J . D . Perrott , G 51 „ G . Supt . of Works „ E . G . Thomas , 3 G , G . Dir . of Cers . „ , T . Wiltons , 960 „ G . Sword Bearer .

„ R . J . Fisher , 3 G „ G . Organist . „ H . AV . Williams , G . Pursuivant . „ John Probett „ G . Tyler . „ T . G . Glass " 1 „ M . Williams | „ —Cross . ' G . Stewards . „ —Cresswell j „ —Rich | ,. John Felton )

On the motion of the R . W . the Prov . G . M ., seconded by the AV . the D . Prov . G . M ., a vote of condolence with the M . W . the Grand Master on his recent bereavement was unanimously adopted , this being the first opportunity afforded the Provincial Grand Lodge of expressing its feeling . This was followed by a vote of regret on the retirement of the late Prov . G . M ., Bro . C . K . Kemeys-Tynte , and a vote of thanks to the R . W . the Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire , Lieut .-Col . Bowyer , for

his courtesy in attending to perform the ceremony of installation—most enthusiastically carried and gracefully acknowledged—after which the officers of the Grand Lodge were thanked , and their names ordered to be recorded in acknowledgment of their attendance . The report of the late Charity Committee was then read , which , referring to the recent success which had attended the efforts of the first Steward from this province to the Boys '

Festival in March last , by which £ 200 had been collected for this excellent Charity , and thereby the election of the candidate from tbe province ensured , recommended the discontinuance of the old system , which has not worked so well as was anticipated , and the adoption of the system of Stewardship representation . The following is the report of the Chanty Committee , which we give in cxtenso : — The charity committee have to report that the balance in the

hands of the Creasurer at last meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge amounted to £ 9 16 * . 7-J-d . ; that there has been received since £ 11 15 s .: making a total of £ 51 lis . 7 ld . The following payments have been made : —To the Girls ' School , £ 21 ; to the Boy ' s School £ 10 10 s . ; tho incidental expenses , 14 $ .: leaving a balance in the Treasurer ' s hands of £ 19 7 s . lid . Total , £ 51 lis . 7 Id . The sums paid to the two schools are in continuation of the

scheme adopted at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Emergency , held at Neath , on the 5 th of August , 1859 ; the object of which was to attach life governorships of tho two Charities to the chairs of the several lodges of the province . In August , 18 G 4-, Edwin Price Jones , the son of a late esteemed member of the Indefatigable Lodge , was a candidate for admission into the Boy ' s School at the October election . The whole available voting strength of the province was called

up , and exercised iu favour of the candidate , but the votes obtainable in the province proved utterly inadequate to secure his admission , the number recorded being only 107 , of which , no less than 50 were obtained by personal canvass , from brethren in London , Birmingham , Brighton , and elsewhere . The consequence of this failure was to reopen the question frequently discussed during the last few years , as to the simplest and be 9 t mode of supporting the various Masonic Charities .

Opinions were formed that the system hitherto in operation had not be so successful in its working as might have been anticipated . Many brethren advocating a trial of the system adopted in most of the influential provinces—viz .: that or contributing subscriptions and donations throug h a Charity