Provincial Notes.

PROVINCIAL NOTES .

THE anniversary meeting of the Albert Victor Lodge of Mark Master Masons , No . 70 , was held at the Masonic Hall . Ipswich , on the l !> th inst . Bro . II . J . Wright was installed W . M . for the ensuing year by the D . P . G . Mark Master , the Rev . Bro . C . J . Martyn , in a large assembly of brethren . The installation

banquet was held under the presidency of the newly installed W . M . In the course of the evening Bro . C . F . Matier , P . G . W . and Secretary of the Mark Benevolent Fund , responded to a toast proposed in its honour , and effectively pleaded the cause of that excellent charitable institution .

AT the Masonic Club , Plymouth , a series of smoking concerts has been inaugurated . Bro . D . Cross , one of the directors of the club , presided at the first of these on the 20 th inst . The concert was in charge of W . Bro . W . Hearder , P . M .. P . G . O . It was attended by JI numerous body of Freemasons and their friends , and gave general satisfaction .

THE annual banquet of the Metham Lodge , No . 1205 , was held on the l !> th inst ., at the Devon and Cornwall Masonic Club , Plymouth . There was a large attendance , and covers were laid for ninety . A choice musical entertainment was a great feature of the evening , in the course of which an elegant and valuable P . M . jewel was presented to W . Bro . H . E . Sitters , for his services during the past year .

AT the installation meeting of the Nyanza Lodge , No . 1197 , at Ilminster , Somersetshire , on the ll ) th inst ., Bro . T . Bryant was installed W . M . by W . Bro . R , C . Else , D . P . G . Master , in the presence of a large number of brethren , and subsequently the brethren dined together at the George Hotel , under the presidency of the new W . M .

THE memorial window erected in the Parish church of Cheltenham by the Freemasons of the Province of Gloucestershire , to the memorjr of their late Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . John Brook-Smith , was unveiled and presented to the rector of the parish , the Rev . Canon Bell , D . D ., on the 20 th inst ., by the Grand Master of the Province , the Right Hon . Sir Michael * Hicks-Beach , Bart .. M . P ., in

the presence of a large number of members of the masonic craft , wearing the insignia of the order . The Rector expressed his pleasure in accepting the gift , and said the window would not only be an adornment to the venerable church , but would serve as a memento of the liberality of the Masonic Order , and of the Freemasons' love and esteem for their departed brother .

THE installation meeting of Lodge Metham . No . 1205 , was held at the Masonic Rooms , Stonehouse . Devon , on the l ^ th inst ., when W . Bro . Archelaus Tout was installed W . M . for year ensuing . There was a large attendance of Provincial Grand Officers and brethren , and the entire proceedings were of a most satisfactory nature .

- A LODGE of Royal Ark Mariners , in connection with the Albert Victor Mark Master Masons' Lodge , No . 70 , was consecrated at the Masonic Hall , Ipswich , on the l ' Jih inst ., under the name and tit ' e of the Henniker Lodge . Bros . Lord Henniker , P . G . M . M . ; the Earl of Caithness ; C . F . Matier , P . G . W . ; the Rev . C . J . Martyn ,

D . P . G . M . M .: B . R . Bryant , Robert Berridge , P . G . M . O . ; N . Tracy , Rev . R . O . Davies , and other notables in the degree were present . The impressive consecration ceremony " was admirably performed by Bro . Matier , and the oration was delivered by Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn .

ON the 13 th inst ., a dinner , tea , and entertainment were given at Foresters' Hall , Margate , by the Union Lodge . No . 127 , Bro . J . Healing , W . M . The chair was taken by Bro . the Rev . Taylor Jones , P . G . O . A very substantial repast was provided by Bro . IIume for 250 aged poor . The entertainment comprised songs and recitations and instrumental music , the last being under the direction of Bro . J . Moore . On passing out , each guest was presented with lib . of tea , the gift of a London brother .

Bno . THOMAS BARNES has been presented by the Coleridge Masonic Lodge , at Clevedon , with a silver goblet , in celebration of his Masonic jubilee , he having been initiated at Barnstaple in 1838 .

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . "

We so entirely agree with the following remarks of our contemporary , The Frrcwa-wn'n Chronicle , that we have no hesitation in submitting them to the earnest consideration of our readers . " Judging from the supply , the demand for Masonic books is on the increase and such , no doubt , is really the case , but we cannot help thinkwg , when we look at the magazines and the periodical literature of

years ago , that the Masons of the past must have been more liberal patrons than are their successors of to-day . Taking the older issues ° f the Free in a . fon \ i lleeiew and the Freciiirix » it' . i Jfat / az / iu : for instance—it matters not whether the Quarterly , Monthly , or weekl y parts are considered—we find work which compares favourabl y with anything that is attempted at the present time , and this notwithstanding the fact that the influence of Freemasonry and the number of individual Masons is now far in excess of what it

^ 'as then . Our predecessors in the work of Masonic journalism must have been better supported than are the caterers of to-day , or they could not have continued year after year , as they did continue , the reall y interesting' and voluminous serials of their time . It is rue the present is an age of cheap literature , and many persons are apt to consider a few halfpence should be sufficient to pay for all their requirements of a literary character . They forget that class

Our Trestle Board

journals cannot compare in regard to circulation with those or a cosmopolitan character , and on this account they cannot understand why a small class paper should cost more than a larger general one . But such is the case , and if those who attempt to snpplv the

demands of the present day fail to do all that is required of them the reason is , in all probability , that the Craft does not contribute its fair share towards the undertaking ; in other words the members of the Order do not support their journals as they might be expected to do . "

The columns of other Masonic papers published in our colonies often contain reference to the above referred to requirement for support , and frequently descant unreservedly on tin ; apathy and indifference of the great bulk of the members of our Order . The Canadian ( "raftsman thinks that a " rough ashlar" is a

Mason who does not subscribe tor a Masonic paper or read a Masonic book . Very crude , we should say , if not rough ; and putting such men up as Master—the representative of wisdom—is , as Bro . Drummond says , " foolish , poor and simple . " In other words , the last would have a simple A . B . for Master . To this cause may we not trace the want of interest in our Lodges . '

¦ n- * « = x = y ? The editor of the ' ¦ Installing Master ' s Companion " has written to us with an extract from the report of a Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge at which the Grand Registrar said , in the course of a disous-: iou on another topic . ' It is as bad as opening a Board of Installed Masters , which is directly contrary to the mode of business authorised by the Grand Lodge at the Union

in 1813 , and would be an entirely new object of departure . " It would , we feel assured , be interesting to many of our readers if they could possibly learn what was "' the mode of business authorised , & c , in 1813 , " and we should ourselves be thankful to see i ; chapter and verse " for things which we do , as well as for what we leave undone , in respect of Masonic working .

Obituary.

OBITUARY .

We record with great regret the deaths of no less than five distinguished members of our order which have occurred during the present month . They are those of—BRO . E . SIMPSON ' , P . P . G . P .. of West Lancashire , the oldest Past-Master of Lodge Fortitude , No . 281 , who died on the 12 th inst ., in the seventy-second year of his age , and who was interred in the

presence ot some forty brethren on the 15 th , in Lancaster Cemetery . BRO . JOHN WATSON , J . P ., P . G . D . of England , and D . P . G . M . " of Nottinghamshire , a Mason of long standing , having been initiated as far back as 1833 in the Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 102 , Nottingham . By the death of this distinguished brother , the craft generally loses one of the brightest and most capable exponents of its principles .

BRO . J . A . BIRCH , P . P . G . J . W ., East Lancashire , and Chairman of the Charity Committee of that province , who had been a member of our order for over 21 years , having been initiated in the Stamford Lodge , No . 10 ( 59 , Manchester , on the Kith January . I , S ( i 5 , succeeding to the chair of W . M . in 1808 . He was connected also with other Manchester Lodges and Royal Arch Chapters wherein particularly

his loss will be deeply felt . BRO . R . BROWN , P . P . G . treasurer , West Lancashire , a member of the firm of Brown , Barnes and Bell , photographers , of Liverpool , who was initiated in the Merchants Lodge , No . 211 , Liverpool , about twenty years ago . In addition to his connection with several Lodges and Chapters in the craft , and also with higher degrees in

Freemasonry , he was Hon . Secretary of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institute , and to his earnest services much of the success thereof is mainly due . His remains were interred in Anfield cemetery on the 18 th inst . amidst general expressions of regret . Buo . W . NOTT . P . P G ., J . W ., of Wiltshire , who was initiated in

the Wiltshire Lodge of Fidelity , No . ( 5 ( 53 , Devizes , in 18 ( 51 , and held many important offices in his province in several masonic degrees . Bro . Nott also edited the very excellent calendar for the province of Wiltshire , and outside masonic service was a prominent volunteer held in high esteem as major of the second battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment . His funeral wa * largely attended , there being

some thousands of spectators who witnessed the assemblage of Freemasons , Volunteers , and representatives of public bodies to pay their " last sad tribute of respect to departed merit . " Over his remains his comrades in arms fired three volleys , and sounded the first and last " posts ; " his brethren in masonry deposited " acacia ;" the Odd Fellows sprigs of thvme , as emblems of immortality , and

his sorrowing relatives and friends wreaths and crosses of choice and beautiful flowers . The town of Devizes was in mourning throughout the day . The masonic burial service was read at the grave by the V . W . Bro . the Rev . J . A . Lloyd , Grand Chaplain , and tht ; re were many of the most distinguished freemasons amongst the large number of craftsmen who were present .

THE BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE held its monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on the 20 th inst ., W . Bro . Robert G rey , P . G . D ., presiding . There was a large muster of members and brethren . An acknowledgment from a brother at New Zealand of former assistance which had enabled him to advance his prospects in life was read , and gave much satisfaction . Recommendations which had been made to the Grand Master for grants amounting to £ 380 were confirmed . Fortyfour applications from London and the nrovinces for relief werr >

considered . Of these , four were dismissed . Five others , in consequence of further necessary information being required , were deferred . Thirty-five cases were relieved , of which one was recommended to Grancl Lodge for £ 100 , and eight for . C 50 each ; three were recommended to the M . W . G . M . for £ 10 , and seven for £ 30 each ; there were ten grants of £ 20 each , five of £ 10 each , and one of £ 5 ; the total of the evening ' s grants being £ 1 , 085 .