Cheshire Charity.

CHESHIRE CHARITY .

A MEETING of the Committee of Benevolence of the Province of Cheshire was held on the 29 th ult ., at Crewe , Colonel Dean presiding . Several petitions for relief were favourably considered . On the suggestion of Bro . Byrom it was resolved to recommend the Charity Representatives ot the various Lodges

in the Province to bring before their members the desirability of increasing the Benevolent Fund so as to have more annuitants on the foundation , it being remarked that by a further gift of two guineas from each Lodge the fund would be increased by £ 100 a year .

The chairman referred to the death of the ex-chairman Bro . John Clayton , who , he said , occupied a most unique position in the Craft , and who was most energetic in . the cause of Charity Institutions , not only in the Province of Cheshire

but throughout England . He was Hon . Solicitor to the Charity Educational Committee . The Prov . G . Sec . was instructed to send a letter of condolence to Bro . Clayton ' s family .

A meeting of the Cheshire Masonic Educational Committee followed , Colonel Dean again presiding . Bros . F . M . Lockwood , C . Hibbert , H . Matthews , J . Clarke , Thomas Lockett , W . Wood , and Gordon Small were elected

Life Governors . Bro . F . K . Stevenson , of Liverpool , said they had forty-nine children to educate and clothe , for which the Committee had voted £ 488 . They were still in need of funds , and he appealed to the Lodges to assist them in their work . The various Officers were appointed .

Devon Charity.

DEVON CHARITY .

THE annual meeting of the Devon Masonic Education Fund , of which the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart , C . B ., M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Devon is President , was held at the White Hart Hotel , Okehampton , on Wednesday , 5 th inst , under the banner of Lodge Obedience ,

No . 1753 , for the purpose of electing a child on the funds of the Institution . It has been usual to hold the meeting in connection with the Institution alternately at Exeter and Plymouth , but last year there was a departure from this

custom , and the meeting was held at Torquay , the object being to secure greater interest in the work in Masonic centres . This year the Committee decided to hold the annual meeting in North Devon , and Okehampton was selected .

Prior to the meeting being held the Executive Officers of the Institution and representatives of various Lodges were entertained by Bro . G . J . Gibson W . M . of Lodge Obedience , and the Brethren of the Lodge , Mr . and Mrs . Heywood catering in excellent style in the dining room of the Hotel .

A cordial vote of thanks was passed , on the motion of Bro . C . Mutten , seconded by Bro . Stebbage , to the W . M ., and Bro . Charles Piper Charity Steward , and the Brethren of the Lodge , for their hospitality and the arrangements they had made for the meeting . The compliment was suitably acknowledged by Bro . Gibson .

The Treasurer ' s report showed that the balance brought forward from last year ( 18 97 ) was £ 595 6 s 5 d , and the subscriptions , & c , amounted to £ 329 19 s 8 d , the interest on deposit account £ 32 10 s , making a total of £ 957 16 s . The subscriptions and other receipts were £ 529 8 s 4 d . There

was a regrettable falling off of nearly £ 200 as compared with the previous year . This was in a great measure due to the failure of the annual concert at Plymouth . There was in the bank on current account £ 558 , and this , with £ 26 in the Treasurer ' s hands , brought the total up to £ 584 . There was

on deposit account £ 1 , 300 , and with the cash account of £ 585 , the value of the Fund amounted to £ 1 , 885 . Bro . Allsford said he had no doubt that his action in advising that the proceeds should be divided had led , in a great extent , to the falling off in the receipts to the amount of £ 100 or more .

He felt now that it was a mistake , and he would endeavour to rectify his error . The Chairman ( Bro . E . H . Shorto P . M . P . P . G . W . ) said he was very sorry to hear that the Fund was £ 200 worse off than it was in the previous year . There was no

necessity tor him to impress the value of the Institution ; they were convinced of it by the interest they had taken in it by their presence that day . He hoped his remarks would reach outsiders . The Fund was wisely managed and administered , and he felt confident that in the coming year they would make up the leeway and convince all the Brethren

Devon Charity.

of their duties to the Charities . He would move the adoption of the report , and commended the unselfish labours of the Treasurer Bro . Lord , and the Secretary Bro . Gover , whose

work was a labour of love . Bro . Powell seconded the adoption of the report , which was agreed to . The guardians of their children having presented their report a hearty vote of thanks was passed to them .

The following Officers were then thanked for their services and re-elected : —Treasurer Bro . J . R . Lord , Secretary Bro . J . B . Gover , Assist . Sec . Bro . W . H . Dillon . On the motion of Bro . Charles Piper , seconded by Bro .

C . Mutten , the Secretary was tendered the sincere thanks of the subscribers for the services he had rendered the Fund , of which he was one of the founders , and for which , with Bro . Lord , he had done so much . The motion was carried .

Bro . Gover , in reply , said his heart was in the work , and he felt proud of what the Institution had accomplished . He had held his present post for twenty years , and thanked the Brethren for his re-election .

Bros . Allsford and Stanbury were elected Auditors . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . Davie and the Provincial Grand Secretary Bro . John Stocker were elected on the Management Committee .

Bro . C . Mutten moved , and it was resolved , that the sum of £ 5 be granted towards the advancement in life of a child , the son of a Brother . It was reported that there are twentythree children on the Fund , the guardians of each being paid an annual sum of £ 15 .

The Brethren then proceeded to elect a child on the Fund . There were two candidates , both of whom were unsuccessful at the last election . The candidate nominated by the Ilfracombe Lodge was the son of a late Brother , and brought forward 1 , 086 votes , and the candidate supported by

the Torquay Lodge , a daughter of a Brother who died last year , brought forward 470 votes . The result of the voting was that the Ilfracombe candidate was elected by 2 , 085 votes , bringing the total up to 3 , 171 . The unsuccessful candidate

secured a total of 1 , 401 , which will be carried forward to the next election . The Scrutineers reported that 3 , 304 votes had been issued , but that 144 papers could not be counted , as they were hot filled out .

Bro . Gover moved a vote of thanks to Bro . Gibson and the Brethren of his Lodge for their reception and hospitality . He said the Institution was under a debt of gratitude for what they had done . Bro . Powell seconded , and the motion

was carried . Bro . Gibson expressed the pleasure it gave him to receive the representatives of such an Institution . His Lodge felt honoured by the visit , and he trusted they would pay Okehampton another one .

Bro . Gregory moved , Bro . Allsford seconded , and it was supported by Bros . Cornish and Piper , and agreed , that a hearty vote of thanks be passed to Bro . Shorto for presiding and for the interest he had taken in the Institution . The Chairman suitably responded , and a very successful meeting terminated . — " Devon and Exeter Gazette . "

The monthly meeting of the Star Mark Lodge of Instruction , No . 499 , will be held on Wednesday evening next , 12 th inst ., at the Six Bells Hotel , Queen Street , Hammersmith ( two minutes walk from either of the Hammersmith Railway Stations ) , at 8 . 30 precisely , to which all Mark Master Masons are cordially invited .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

ON Monday afternoon there was a crowded attendance at Ripon Cathedral , on the occasion of the funeral of Bro . J . R . Calvert , who died on Good Friday , in his fifty-first year . Deceased was S . D . of the De Grey and Ripon Lodge , and the W . M . Bro . W . Steel attended , with a number of the

Brethren , representatives being also present from the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows , -Druids , Mechanics and Church Institutes , and Cathedral Schools , with which Bro . Calvert was connected . The Mayor of Ripon ( Aid . Wells ) , magistrates , and principal citizens , were also present . Along the route to the Cathedral blinds were drawn . The service

was choral , the clergy present being the Dean of Ripon , Archdeacon Waugh , Rev . S . Reed ( precentor ) , Rev . W . J . Newton ( minor canon ) . The last rites at the graveside were performed by the Rev . S . Reed , the Freemasons afterwards

depositing their emblem on the coffin , on which also were numerous wreaths and crosses . As the procession returned through the Cathedral Dr . Crow ( organist ) played the " Dead March " in Saul .