Suffolk

The Grand Superintendent of the Province then appointed and invested his Officers , as follow : Comp . A E . Smith II . B . S . Bradbeer J . N . Tracy Scribe E . G . P . Price - Scribe N .

3 . M . Canova Treasurer . C . H . Youngman Registrar Bev . J . H . Pilkington Principal Sojourner R . J . Carthew 1 st Assist . Sojourner F . Spashett - 2 nd Assist . Sojourner

G . F . Hawkins Sword Bearer H . C . Ranee - - - ---- - Standard Bearer 3 . M . Franks - - - - - - Director of Ceremonies A . Cocks Assist , Dir . of Cers . A . Spalding Assist . Scribe E . Geo . Gould Janitor .

Comp . John Thompson , 225 , superintended the musical arrangements of the service , and presided at the organ . After the closing of the Provincial Chapter the ceremony of consecrating the St . Edmund ' s Chapter was proceeded with , the Rev . C . J . Martyn being the Consecrating Officer . After the ceremony of dedication and constitution Comp . A . E . Smith P . Z . 376 P . G . H . Suffolk was installed M . E . Z ., Comp . E . M . U . Adnams H ., and Comp . G . H . Garrett J .

In the evening , a banquet was held at the King ' s Arms Hotel , to which the Provincial Grand Officers and Officers and Companions of St . Edmund ' s Chapter sat down . After dinner , the usual Arch and other toasts suitable to the occasion were duly honoured .

West Lancashire.

WEST LANCASHIRE .

THE Reverend T . Barton Spencer Past Grand Chaplain presided on Thursday night at a meeting of Past Masters of Preston Lodges , held at the Masonic Rooms , Bull Hotel , Preston , to receive a report respecting the installation of the Earl of Lathom as Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire , in succession to the late Earl .

Brother Oakey reported that Lord Lathom had fixed 1 st June for the ceremony , and had accepted an invitation to the Public Hall , Preston , where the Earl of Amherst Pro

Grand Master would perform the ceremony at two o'clock , Lord Lathom being previously installed as Grand Superintendent at one o ' clock . The report was received with gratification .

The Chairman and ten representatives of the five Preston Lodges were appointed a Committee to make local arrangements , sub-committees being formed for each installation and the subsequent banquet , of all Past Masters of the Preston Lodges , with auxiliaries to act as Stewards .

The Provincial Grand Master-elect has already served as Provincial Grand Senior Warden . He has selected Preston Public Hall for a ceremony usually seen only about four

times in a century in each Province—because the Hall is the most central in the largest English Province , which extends from Liverpool to Barrow-in-Furness , or along the whole coast of Lancashire , and half way across the county .

New Hall At Portland.

NEW HALL AT PORTLAND .

ON the 20 th ult . the handsome new Hall which the Brethren of Portland have built near the Railway Station was formally opened . The local Lodge is in a flourishing condition , the membership having increased so rapidly that it became necessary to erect new buildings to

carry on the work . The large hall will be available for public meetings and entertainments , and will thus supply a long-felt need in the Underbill district , thanks to the public spirit and enterprise of the promoters .

1 here was no formal opening , but a regular Lodge meeting was convened to which invitations were extended to the other Lodges in the Province , with the result that a gathering of some 150 Masons assembled to inaugurate the new building , including the Deputy Provincial Grand Master

Bro . Col . Brymer , M . P ., and other Provincial Officers present and past . The chief business was an initiation ceremony , and Mr . A . C . Higgs , auctioneer , of Weymouth , had the distinction of being the first candidate initiated in the new Lodge . The W . M . Bro . R . Score performed the ceremony , assisted by Bro . E . Mills .

Subsequently the Brethren adjourned to the Hall below for the banquet , for which Bro . Sandbrook , of Weymouth , was the caterer . The W . M . occupied the chair , and the usual toast list was gone through .

New Hall At Portland.

In proposing the health of the W . M ., Bro . Brymer referred in eulogistic terms to the energy which Bro . Score had displayed in connection with the Lodge scheme , of which he has been the mainspring , and on behalf of the visiting Brethren wished the . Lodge , every success in the future .

The W . M ., in replying , expressed his pleasure at the completion of the work , and acknowledged special gifts to the Lodge from Bro . Brymer ( who gave the handsome tesselated carpet ) , and Bros . Middleton , Freeman , Mills , Gregory , Wallis , and Dovey , also thanking Bro . Elford , the Hon . Architect .

Knight Templary.

KNIGHT TEMPLARY .

A PRIORY of the united religious and military orders of the Temple and of St . John of Jerusalem , Palestine , Rhodes , and Malta , was held at the Central Hall , Acresfield , Bolton , on Thursday , the 20 th ult ., under the command of Sir Knight Clement Robert Nuttall Beswicke-Royds Prior

of the County Palatine of Lancaster , & c . The whole of the Preceptories of the Province were represented , a good muster being the result . An appointment of Officers took place , the same being duly invested by the Very Eminent Prior .

A Priory of the Order of Malta was afterwards held , under the banner of St . James of Jerusalem Preceptory , there being six candidates for admission . These proceedings over , an adjournment was made to the Angel Hotel , where an excellent banquet was provided , the chair being occupied by the Very Eminent Prior .

Following an example set by " old boys , " particularly in the north , the " old boys" of the Royal Masonic Institution held an inaugural dinner recently in Manchester , under the presidency of Bro . John Slyman , since elected Vice-Chairman

of the Stretford Urban District Council . The personnel of the gathering was excellent , and did credit to the efficient training received in the magnificent establishment at Wood Green .

The Kingsland Lodge attained its majority last month ; and Bro . Arthur White , who is W . M ., scored best of all with the charity box . There was a banquet , of course ( at the Holborn Restaurant ) , at which nearly a hundred Brethren assembled ; and they netted just £ 52 in charity money to add

to the other £ 48 . This was decidedly good , thanks muchly to Mr . Otley ( a brother Pressman ) , who is Mr . White ' s sonin-law ; and to Mr . Porter , of the Aldersgate Ward , who scored twenty-one to make the century in pounds . Even Bro . Anthony broke his honej'moon to be present at this

auspicious function ; and Bro . Dimes , who follows in the chair , agreed that he had something to beat . And may I add , for the satisfaction of the ladies , that there is to be a repetition of their especial night before Worshipful Master

White vacates the chair . Music there was of excellent quality , not the least of the contributors to which were Bro . Herbert Linwood and Bro . Potter . A real "King ' s Land . "The " Merrie Villager , " in "Islington Gazette . "

The other day a gentleman called at the vestry of a church where a Masonic Service was announced , and told the vicar he was particularly desirous of attending . When the reverend gentleman promptly handed him a card the stranger drew close to him and whispered " I think it right to

tell you that I am not a Freemason myself , although I am a great admirer of the Order , and I believe there is a secret password required . May I ask you how it can be got ?" The vicar seized the humour of the situation at once . " Ah yes , " he replied ; "that's a rather difficult point . Still , it

would be a pity to deprive an earnest inquirer of the opportunity of attending an inspiriting service for want of a password . Let me just whisper to you . If you are challenged by anyone when you present this card , murmur into his right ear the word ' Backsheesh , ' and if he looks at

you with amazement in his eyes , pass on , for that proves that he knows it is all right . " The gentleman repeated the word several time to make sure that he had it correctly , and then went away uttering profuse thanks to his Masonic Mentor . When he turns up at the Service he will probably be taken for a lunatic .