The Masonicmirror.

906 Jullunder Lodge , Jullunder , Punjab , Bengal 911 Keith Lodge , Hillsburg , Nova Scotia 925 Lodge of Fidelity , Darjeeling , Bengal 929 Lodge of Arakan , Akyab , East Indies S 32 Queen ' s Lodge , Queen ' s County , New Brunswick 934 Shefford Ledge , AA ' aterloo , County of ShefTord , Canada East 938 Hoyle Lodge , La Colle , County of Huntingdon , Canada East

A resolution of the Committee of Management of the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their AVidows , acknowledging the receipt of £ 50 voted by the Grand Lodge in . June for the purchase of coals for the inmates of the asylum at Croydon . NOTICE or MOTION .

By Brother J . Rankin Stebbing , P . M ., No . 152 . "That this Grand Lodge desires to offer its most cordial thanks to the late President of the Board of General Purposes , the AA ' orshipful Brother John Havers , P . S . G . D ., for his unremitting attention to the important duties of his late offiee , for his indefatigable devotion to the business and successful efforts in facilitating

the labour of the said Board , and especially for his long and valuable services to Freemasonry . " That this vote of thanks and acknowledgment of tho Worshipful Brother Havers' services be written on vellum and framed and glazed , and presented to Brother Havers in the name of the Grand Lodge . "

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

BERKS . MAIDENHEAD . —St . John's Lodge ( No . 1097 ) . —The ordinary meeting of this lodge occurred on Tuesday the 20 th of this month ' In the nnavoidable absence of the AA' . M ., Bro . Venables , the chair was occupied by the S . AV ., Bro . Henry Garrod , who so perfectly ¦ performed the work of the evening , that it must be no inconsiderable gratification to the members of the lodge that by their votes

they have elevated him to the Master's chair for the ensuing year . Dr . Plumhe , or Maidenhead , was balloted for and approved , hut his professional avocation prevented his attendance for initiation . Bro . John AVebb Shackel was , after due examination , passed to the degree of F . C , and Bros . Florentin , Delmas , and Clement Stephens were raised to the Master Mason's degree . An excellent repast was provided by Bro Skindle , to which the assembled hrethren did ample justice . Bro . Garrodwhilst proposing as one

, of the routine toasts " The Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , " took occasion to make some very pertinent remarks on the truly anomalous position in which the important province of Berks ai ' id Bucks has now so long continued , that of being without a head—¦ a state of things detrimental alike to the province in particular and the Craft in general , and an injustice which he trusted that those in authority will lose no time in remedying .

DURHAM . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE . It is some ten years since that prosperous lodge the St . Helena Hartlepool , was honoured by a visit from the Prov . G . Lodge of Durham ancl , it was with no small pleasure that its members heard that the choice had again fallen upon No . 774 , to entertain the Prov . G . S ,

On Tuesday however , some hundred and fifty members of the various lodges of the province , attended the annual meeting of the Prov . G . Lodge , the lodge room having been recently altered and improved , so as to do due honour to the occasion , and to give , the brethren a reception worthy of the event . The lodge was opened in ancient form , and with all that ceremonial necessary to keep up the dignity of the Order , and we must own it was an imposing sight , and calculated to inspire with Masonic ardour the

breast of the ambitious neophyte . All the lodges in the province were well represented , with oue exception , that of the Wear Lodge , Chester-le-street , which has been , now for some years , in a torpid , condition . Among the brethren present were Bros . John Fawcett , J . P ., R . W . Prov . G . M . ; Henry Fenwick , M . P . for Sunderland , D . Prov . G . M . ; Sir Hedworth AVilliamson , Bart ., Prov . S . G . AV . ; Wm . J . J . Wilson , Stockton , Prov . J . G . AV . ; the Rev . du Pledge , Chester-le-street , Prov . G . Chap . ; Rev . John Cundhill , Durham , Prov . G . Treas . ; AA * . H . Crookes , Sunderland , Prov . G . Sec ; John

Dobson , Newcastle-on-Tyne , Prov . G . Supt . of AA ' orks ; Alfred Davis , Newcastle , Prov . G . D . C . ; the Rev . James Milner Elton , P . Prov . G . S . AA ' . ; E . D . Davis , Newcastle , P . Prov . S . G . AA * . ; J . G . AVilson , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; H . A . Hammerborn , P . Prov . G . D . C . ; AA . J . Hodgson , P . Prov . G . D . ; C . J . Banister , P . Prov . S . G . D ., Prov . G . P . of Northumberland , and Prov . G . D . C . of AA ' est Lancashire , and Sparks , Prov . G . Organist , who officiated on the occasion in that capacity , & c . The ordinary business of the province was

then transacted , and from the reports of the Treasurer and the Fund Coinmittee , it appeared that the province in its collective capacity is in a highly prosperous condition , Avith a considerable fund in reserve which is increasing year hy year , and which now amounts , we are given to understand , to something like £ 1100 . The reports of the AV . M . of each lodge tended to show that this was the happy condition of all , and the various Masonic Charities and individual eases brought before them reaped the benefit of this

prosperity . The R . AV . Prov . G . M . in remarking on the report of the AV . M . of St . Helen's ( No . 774 ) , took occasion to compliment the brethren on the possession of a hall of their own , for their use , and in which they could accommodate their brethren , the members of the Prov . G . Lodge , when they visited them . The hall was remarked as being one of the best and most complete in the province , and was the subject of not a little admiration ,

The brethren afterwards proceeded to the election of a Treasurer , when the Rev . John Cundhill was again unanimously chosen to fill that important position . The R . AV . Prov . G . M . then appointed and invested the officers for the ensuing year , as follows : —Bros . Henry Fenwick , M . P ., D . Prov . G . M ; Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart , Prov . G . S . AV . ; George Moore , Hartlepool , Prov . G . J . AV . ; Rev . Du Pledge , Prov . G . Chaplain ; Rev . J . CundhillP . G . Treasurer ; J . J . Wilson ,

, Prov . G . Reg . ; AV . H . Crooks , Prov . G . Sec . ; Alfred Davis , Prov . G . D . C ; John Dobson , Prov . G . Sup . ' of Works ; John Sutclift ' e , AA ' est Hartlepool , Prov . G . S . D . ; J . Buckland , Prov . G . J . D . ; R . Benson , Darlington , Prov . G . S . B . ; D . Clarke , Prov . G . P . ; T . Laws , Prov . G . Tyler ; and Messrs . Heward , Wooler , Hedley , Jopling , Lambton , and another brother whose name we did not learn , — Prov . G . Stewards .

After some conversation on the subject of the noble charities supported by the Craft , in this county , with particular reference to what had been done in the Province of Durham on their behalf , the Prov . G . Lodge was closed in due form . At 3 , p . m ., between eighty and ninety of the brethren sat down to a banquet served at the King ' s Head Hotel . If there were anything to detract from this part of the day ' s proceedings , it was the Masonic tone given to the dinner , which was , to use the happy phrase

of a celebrated Irish M . P ., " More conspicuous . from its absence . " Thatthe brethren should not dine in clothing , seemed only reasonable when one considered the value of some of the jewels and investiture , and the freedom and ease which one requires , but cannot enjoy when bearing on these occasions the costly insignia of office ; hut why the Masonic toasts should not be given with Masonic honours we were at a loss to imagine . Our Correspondent adds : —AVe believe it has obtained that at

Poovincial Grand Lodge banquets , in this province at least , the lodges have all dined together , each lodge to itself ; why this is done we cannot tell , unless it be to maintain the principle of exclusiveness , and prevent that freedom of intercourse which we consider to he essential to tho welfare of Masonry . AA'e can understand that at the meeting of the lodge the Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . should marshal the brethren under their respective banners ; and

here , for many reasons , it is necessary and convenient ; but why the same principle should he introduced at the banquet , we cannot pretend to understand , and must own that it appeared to us an arbitrary and invidious arrangement . Brethren were prevented from making new friends or acquaintances , and were forced , much to their dissatisfaction , to content themselves with the restrictions put npon their sociality by the otherwise considerate and courteous Prov . G . D . C . We offer , these few remarks for the benefit of

Brother Davis , whose courtesy we will not question , and hope on a future occasion the principle of equality and freedom will be admitted , and the brethren left at liberty to choose their neighbours at the feast . After the cloth was removed , the worthy chairman and R . AV . Prov . G . M . proposed the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , adding to each a few appropriate remarks— " The Queen ; " " the Prince of AA ' ales , " " Prince Consort , " and the rest of the Royal Famil the "M . AV . G . M . of England" "R . W . D . G . M" the

y ; , , " R . AV . Prov . G . M . of Durham , " "The three great Masonic Charities , " and a multitude of other toasts being all given and received with an enthusiasm ancl empressement suitable to each . Several brethren , amongst others , Bros . Sparkes and Hodgson ( Sunderland ) , and Bro . Huntley ( Hartlepool ) , enlivened the proceedings by their vocal efforts , and the evening was spent in that conviviality and good fellowship so essentially a characteristic of Masonic gatherings .