Prov. Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

needed extension of the School Buildings . The result was most satisfactory , for at the Festival , which took place at the Albert Hall , on the 7 th of June last , nnder the presidency of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , an

approximate sum of £ 51 , 48 . i 18 s was realised . To this Wiltshire contri . buted £ 340 8 s fid , through the medinni of six Stewards , viz .: —Tlie Eight Worshipful the Provincial Grand Master Lord Methnen , Bros . W . J . Mann £ 285 6 s 6 d , William Nott £ 10 10 * , the Rev . the Hon . Sidnpy Meade £ 10 10 s , F . S . Hancock £ 10 10 s , R . W . Merriman £ 23 128 .

All the ordinary votes of Lodges and private subscriber- , are now , with but nominal exceptions , regularly placed at the disposal of the Charity Organization Committee of the Province , whilst extra votes to a considerable extent are also frequently sent in , principally through the medium of Lodge 626 .

The Votes which have during the last three years been rendered available for the work of the Committee have reached the following numbers : — 1886 . 1887 . 1888 .

ORDINARY VOTES . Royal Masonio Institution for Boys - - 560 637 652 Girls - -. 467 472 597

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for aged Freemasons 223 223 243 Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution for Widows 212 218 250 EXTEA VOTES . For Boys and Girls 240 116 1462 1790 1858

It will be noticed that the above figures show a steady and satisfactory increase from year to year . The Report was approved , and a vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . W . Nott for tho same . The P . G . Sec .

was requested , in conveying the vote of thanks to Bro . Nott , to assure him of the deep regret which the brethren entertained at his absence from the P . G . Lodgo , through illness , and the unanimous expression of their hope for his

speedy recovery . Bro . H . C . Tombs drew attention to the fact that some of the Lodges in the Province did not subscribe to the P . G . Benevolent Fund , and expressed a hope that they would give the matter serious consideration ,

as he thought it was the duty of every Lodge in the Province to support this Fund . He gave notice of a proposition on the subject to be brought before the next meeting of P . G . L . Bro . J . A . Lloyd Grand Chaplain , gave

notice of his intention at the next Prov . Grand Lodge to propose an amendment to the Bye-Laws , by providing that every Brother advanced to Provincial rank shall receive a Certificate of his appointment without paying any further

fee beyond the fee of honour provided by the Bye-Laws . Bro . Sir Gabriel Goldney then addressed the brethren , exp laining the absence of Bro . Lord Methuen , and expressing liis regret at Bro . Nott ' s illness . He referred with much

gratification to the fact that Bro . Lloyd , a P . G . Chaplain of the Province , had been appointed Grand Chaplain of England , and after alluding to the presence in the Provincial Grand Lodge that day of Bro . C . N . P . Phipps , the

High Sheiiffof Wiltshire , in his capacity of W . M . of the recently founded White Horse Lodgo , No . . 2227 , at Westbury , concluded a most interesting address by refei'ring to the inquiry now pending with regard to the Boys' School ,

in which he believed the brethren to tako great interest . Bro . F . H . Goldney was unanimously re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . John Savory ( who has held the office continuously since 1860 ) was re-elected Tyler . Bro . Wm . Dean

the Tyler of Lodgo 355 , was appointed Assistant Tyler . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master then declared nil offices vacant , and approved and invested the Officers for the ensuing year , as follows : —

Bro . J . Campbell Maclean 355 and 1295 - Senior Warden Edward Bavoratock Morrimau 1533 Junior Warden Rev . W . N . C . Wheeler 1271 - Chaplain F . II . Goldnev 62 G - - - Treasnrer

Benjamin Hicks Watts 335 and 026 Registrar Harry Bevir 355 - - - Secretory Walter Hi . go No , d 2227 - - Senior Deacon Henry Kemble 355 - - - Junior Deacon

J . Howard Foley fi 32 and 2227 - Superintendent of Works John Chandler 355 - - - Dir . of Coernonies W . Lynd Mai tin 355 - - Assist . Dir . of Cers .

Francis Barton 1271 - - Sword Bearer W . H . Brinkworth G 2 G - - Orcranist E . E . Barthtt 5 SG - - - Pursuivant

A . U . Lapham 626 - - - Standard Bearer John Savory 355 - - - Tyler The business of the Provincial Grand Lodge being

concluded , the brethren adjourned to a banquet , at the Goddard . Arms Hotel , Swindon , which was presided over by Sir Gabriel Goldney , and attended by about sixty brethren , and a very pleasant evening was spent .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the "Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE WILLIAM PRESTON LODGE AND LECTURE .

To the Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I did not fail to notice with interest yonr report of the installation meeting of the William Preston Lodge , No . 766 , held on the 22 nd nit ., and whioh appeared in the last number of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , but it was more that I was

interested in that part of the report containing the observations of Bro . Major Lambert in reference to the Prestonian Lecture . Now , that is a subject which , for a long time past , has occupied my attention , and you , Mr . Editor , have often given publicity to my remarks , articles frequently appearing in your Journal ; therefore I say that

what recently fell npon the subject from Bro . Major Lambert was by no means new to me or uncalled for . As far as ray humble abilities permitted me to bring this matter under the notice of the entire body of our Craft ! did my best , bnt , unfortunately , I entirely failed in bringing any information to the light of day as to what had

become of the Prestonian Lecture , or the money which had been bequeathed by its benevolent founder for its annual celebration and delivery . I had the satisfaction of being present , with a great number of other Masons , many years ago , on , I believe , the last occasion when the Prestonian Lecture was delivered , by the late Brother

Henry George Warren , and I well recollect the attention that waa paid to the beautiful precepts and symbolic teachings inculcated therein , and which , up to that time , had been a matter of annual recurrence , some of the most eminent members of the Craft undertaking the task of its delivery . I know not whether those members

of the Masonio body who performed this annual duty received payment for their services or not , I shonld rather incline to a negative proposition , but upon that point I will for the moment concede that they did . But I wish to know , considering the many years whioh have passed over since the "Lecture "has been consigned to

oimmeranic darkness , and nothing has been heard of it , what has become of the interest arising from the £ 300 Consols invested by Bro . William Preston , of the Lodge of Antiquity , in the name of that Lodge in 1819 ? On former occasions I have endeavoured to extract , by published articles , some information from the Lodgo of Antiquity , a

Lodge that prides itself upon its position and antiquity , as to what has been , and is , doing with the interest accruing from this fund , and how ifc is disposed of , bnt up to the present moment have been unable to obtain tho slightest glimmer of light , and it appears to me that there is no inclination to give any information upon the subject .

Well might Bro . Major Lambert say , that " ifc was a matter of deep regret to him , and he might say to many other members of the Craft , that the Prestonian Lecture had been allowed to lapse for so

many years . But I certainly think they ought to know the reason why the Lecture lias been discontinued , and what , during . *! long lapse of years , has been done with the money that was left for its endowment . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yonrs fraternally , P . M . 177 .

[ In the report of the William Preston Lodge , which appeared in our last issue , we wish to draw attention to an error we unwittingl y committed . We stated that Brother Grcc nslade was appointed Junior Deacon ; we should have

said Br-other J . . F . Haden . Ifc was Brother Jiadcn who conducted the candidate through ( lie initiation ceremony , and it was likewise to him that the eulogistic remarks of Brother Heck , in his reply to the boast of tlie Officers , had

such special reference . —ED . F . C ] The C-ono' ft ! ( . onniilt ' . e of . ' ir R . iy . il . \ l . i _ . ' i . _ ie Instil ution for ] j . > y .. held their usual ino-itlily lui'i . t'iig at . Freemasons '

Hall , on Saturday last . Bro ; her W . Roebuck , P . G . S . B ., Vice-Patron and Trustee , occupied tho chair , and there were present Bros . Walters , Hogard , Rev . R . Morris , M . A ., T T . T _ " !__> ___! . _ ... 3 /"_!_ O . 1 / " * Ml -1 l- _ LLDRichardson SaundersGillard

.., , Gregory , , , Dr . Mickley , Maple , Morgan , Glasse , Imbert-Terry , Webb , Scurrah , Stiles , Andrew Motion , Gladwell , Waee , Cumberland , Mather , and Frederick Binckes ( Secretary ) . The

minutes of the previous irn-eiing having been read and verified , and those of the House Committee road for information , nine petitions wore successivel y taken into consideration and dealt with , the result b __ in < r that six

were accepted , and tho names directed to bo entered on the list of candidates for the election in April 1889 ; two were deferred , and one was rejected . The proceedings terminated with the customary vote of thanks to the Chairman .

rjP . O THE DEAF . —A Person cured of Deafness and noisfis in the JL head of 23 years' standing . 13- a simple remedy , will send a description of it riiEE to any Person who applies to Nicnoi . sos . 31 I _ ed _ o _ d-sq ., London , W . C ,