Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

THE Quarterly Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter will be held at Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C ., on Wednesday next , 7 th February , at six o ' clock in the evening , punctually . BUSINESS . The Minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation .

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the Accounts from the 18 th October 1899 , to the 17 th January 1900 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows :

To Balance , Grand Chapter - - £ 1 , 633 3 9 „ ,, Unappropriated Account - 248 16 0 „ „ Subsequent Receipts - - 504 18 7 £ 2 , 386 18 4

By Disbursements during the Quarter - £ 419 6 4 Balance - - - 1 , 711 19 0 ,, ,, Unappropriated Account - 255 13 0 £ 2 , 386 18 4

which Balances are in the Bank of England , Law Courts Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following Petitions : — 1 st . From Companions William Norwood Cheesman as Z , Thomas George Pursey Barlow as H , Joseph Frederick Watson as J , and seven others for a Chapter to be attached to the St . Germains Lodge , No . 566 , to be called " The Salebeia Chapter , " and to meet at the Masonic Rooms , The Crescent , Selby , Yorkshire .

2 nd . From Companions John Kilham as Z , John Bowen Owen Evans as H , John Whiteley as J , and twenty others for a Chapter to be attached to the Southern Cross Lodge , No . 1315 , to be called " The Southern Cross Chapter , " and to meet at Toowoomba , Queensland .

3 rd . From Companions William Hayman Cummings as Z , William Henry Thomas as H , William John Batho as J , and six others for a Chapter to be attached to the Guildhall School of Music Lodge , No . 2454 , to be called " The Guildhall School of Music Chapter , " and to meet at the Holborn Restaurant , London .

4 th . From Companions The Right Honourable The Earl of Euston as Z , The Right Honourable The Viscount Dungarvan as H , Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale as J . and eight others for a Chapter to be attached to the Grafton Lodge , No . 2347 , to be called " The Grafton Chapter , " and to meet at the Mark Masons' Hall , London .

The foregoing Petitions being regular , the Committee recommned that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee have also received a Memorial from Companions William Gayton Z , William Francis Darnell H , Percy Fletcher Holmden J , and the Members of " The Chapter of Hope and Unity , " No . 214 , Chingford , / or a Charter of Confirmation , the original Charter having been lost .

The Committee being satisfied with the reasonableness of the request , recommend that a Charter of Confirmation be granted . The Committee have likewise received Memorial * , with extracts of Minutes , for permission to remove the following Chapters : — " The Eliot Chapter , " No . 1164 , from the Masonic Hall , St . Germains , to the Masonic Hall , Millbrook , Cornwall .

" The Chaucer Chapter , " No . 1540 , from the Bridge House Hotel , to Anderton's Hotel , Fleet Street . " The Derby Chapter , " No . 1055 , from tha Victoria Hotel , Manchester , to Chester Bank , Prestwich . The Committee being satisfied themselves of the reasonableness of the requests , recommend that the removal of these Chapters be sanctioned .

A Memorial having been received from the Principals and Companions of " The Andrew Chapter , " No . 834 , London , requesting that the name be altered to " The Ranelagh Chapter , " your Committee recommend that the request be acceded to , and tha name of the Chapter altered accordingly . Your Committee have also received a Memorial from "The Phcenix Chapter , " No . 914 , Jamaica , ordered by the last Grand Chapter to be removed

from the Roll of Chapters , stating that the Chapter had been resuscitated , prior to the action of Grand Chapter coming to their knowledge , that Principals had been installed and several Candidates Bxalted , for whom fees have been remitted , and praying that- the Chapter may be restored to its position , and your Committee having fully considered the explanations given by the Chapter , recommend that under the peculiar circumstances of the case the Chapter be restored to its position on the Roll .

( Signed ) GEORGE DAVID HARRIS , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C ., 17 th October 1900 .

Bro . G . Mackenzie , the Bard of the Thistle and Rose Lodge , No . 73 ( S . C . ) having written a poem of half-a-dozen verses on "Christmas igoo , " sent a copy to Her Majesty the Queen , which has been graciously acknowledged . The verses and facsimile of the note of thanks from Buckingham Palace have been neatly printed on card for circulation anH m ™ K »

had for one shilling from Bro . A . Mackenzie , 134 Buccleuch Street , or Messrs . Coutts and Gilfillan , Candleriggs , says the "Glasgow Evening News . " The printing is a contribution by the latter firm , and the money produced by the sale of the cards will be handed over to the Lord Provost ' s War Fund . Already some ninety shillings have been secured in return for the cards .

Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

URMSTON LODGE , No . 1730 . nnHE annual meeting and festival of St . John in connection with this JL Lodge took place at the Victoria Hotel , Urmston , on Saturday , 13 th ult ., Brother James Shaw Whitley Worshipful Master . There was a good attendance of members and visitors , proceedings commencing at the early hour of 3 o ' clock .

As the date of meeting had been changed a dispensation was necessary , and-this was duly read , Bro . Whitley afterwards installing his successor Bro . Hedley Herbert Jones S . W . into the chair of K . S . The willing services of several Past Masters had boan enlisted , who rendered Bro . Whitley very valuable assistance , and the ceremony was performed without a hitch .

The following is a list of Officers for the ensuing year : Bros . Arthur Hawkins S . W ., W . H . Ashworth J . W ., Edwd . L . Littler P . M . P . P . G . P . Treas ., R . Swindells P . M . Seo ., J . F . Mends S . D ., A . Edwards J . D ., Geo . A . Myers P . M . P . P . G . D . C . D . C ., John Bowers P . M . P . P . G . P . Organist , J . Goodwin I . G ., R . Appledore , W . Proudfoot , F . Taylor , R . Cochrane , G . Franklin , R . L . Hatteriley Stewards .

Bro . John Slyman P . M . P . P . G . S . R . still retains his position as Charity Representative . The festival of St . John took place in the large room of the Hotal , which had been specially decorated for the occasion . It was a most successful function , and the banquet reflected the greatest credit upon the host Bro . John Walton P . M . and his large and efficient staff of assistants . Loyal and

Masonic toasts were proposed and honoured , these being interspersed with songs , recitations , & c , the contributaries being Bros . J . H . Marsh P . M . P . P . S . G . D ., J . S . Whitley I . P . M ., Walter Bowers P . M ., W . Brocklehurst W . M . 317 , Thos . Sewart W . M . 1814 , Alfred Hibbert P . M . 325 , Edward Roberts P . M . 1459 , John Adey 1166 , Reuben Cochrane , and others . Brother John Bowers P . M . P . P . G . P . was the Musical Director .

The outgoing Master proposed the health of Bro . Jones W . M ., paying a high tribute to his worth . The speaker did not think there was anyone in the room so well qualified as himself to propose this toast , seeing that the whole of their Masonic life had been spent side by side . His successor was initiated , passed , and raised on the same evenings as himself . The Brethren would find him earnest and sincere in all he undertook , and he thought he was voicing the feeling of the Lodge when he wished him a happy and successful year . He did this with the conviction that the post which Bro . Jones now occupied would lose none of its lustre at his hands .

Bro . Jones W . M . responded , expressing his gratitude for the kindly remarks made about him , and also for the honour which the Brethren had conferred upon him , hoping at the same time that he might prove to be an efficient follower of Bro . Whitley , and make himself thoroughly agreeable to the Brethren . Bro . Jones proposed the health of the retiring Master , and , in tha course of a very excellent speech , referred to the finished way in which the ceremony

of installation had been performed . Bro . Whitley had been an exemplary Master , and none of the Brethren conld possibly find fault with him , indeed , it would be difficult for them to say too much or think too much of his merits . He was glad in having a pleasing duty to perform , that of presenting to Bro . Whitley , on behalf of the numbers of the Urmston Lodge , a Past Master's collar and jewel , gifts which were fully deserved . The jewel bore an inscription as follows : —

Presented by the Brethren to BRO . JAMES SHAW WHITLEY P . M ., as a mark of fieir esteem . 13 th January 1900 . Bro . Whitley made a suitable reply , in which he thanked the Brethren for tha present . He had listened to the eulogy from Bro . Jones W . M . and gave him credit for sincerity ; judging also from the applause of the Brethren he felt he must have given satisfaction . He was glad of this—it was what he

had aimed for , although business and other worries might have slightly interfered with his work . Taken altogether though , he had spent a very happy year in connection with his Masonic duties . He might be called away from them in the near future , but would visit the scene ot his success as often as possible . When absent from them in . the past his heart had been with them , and this would be so in the time to come . To the Past Masters and Officers , who had supported him most loyally , he tendered his sincere and heartfelt thanks . Bro . Whitley's remarks were received with the greatest enthusiasm . Other toasts followed .

Among the principal Visitors were Bros . W . Bowdeu P . M . P . P . G . Reg ., Hy . Nail P . M . P . P . G . Treas ., Wm . Woodeson W . M . 1773 , Rd . J . Brew 2554 I . P . M . 222 , J . Boon I . P . M . 104 , Wm . Mosley P . M . 1773 , John Lyness J . D . 941 , 0 . Hattersley I . G . 2584 , and others .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

UNITED MARINERS LODGE , No . 30 . rriHE installation meeting of this Lodge was held at the Frascati , Oxford JL Street , on Tuesday , 16 th ult ., when Bro . George Fagg was placed in the chair as ruler for the year . The ceremony of the day was performed by the W . M . Bro . Louis A . 0 . Steingraober , who carried out the concluding work of his term of office in most praiseworthy manner , and was cnmplini'juted on the completion of his year ' s presidency over the Lodge .

After the completion of the work in Lodge an adjournment was made to the banquet room , where the party , to the number of about forty , sat down to an excellent repast . Following this the usual ton , st list was honoured , tha various sentiments being interspersed witli v . ical and instrumental selections . The W . M . is working as a Steward on boh .-ilf of the Benevolent Institution , and during the evening an appeal was made to the Brethren in support of his list , with results which will enable Bro . lAt , .. ; u make a good show when the Festival takes place at the end of the month .

Among the Visit > rs were Bros . John Patch P . M . 2278 , S . J . Peckham W . M . 1423 , W . J . R . Littlcwood S . W . 1602 , O . F . Parsons I . G . 2041 , F . H . Sewcll I . G . 1339 , H . Hearse Steward 2105 , F . G . Mussetit 1922 , W . H . J , Dixon 27 , E . Nelson 200 , W . S . Phelps 917 , & c .