A Call To Action.

—_______— - < . . -... . i . ¦ ¦ . - . - ~ ^ r = — ...... . ¦ ¦ .... i | ^ - English Brotherhood has nobly discharged its duty in this direction in years gone by , and even if the members show a slight disposition to shirk their responsibitities on the coming occasion no one could

really condemn them , but in view of the many counter claims being made just now we hope there will be no attempt at such a course , and we feel that if all who

are in a position to do so will respond to the call of the Chairman , the Secretary , and the Stewards , there will not be any insurmountable difficulty to overcome so far as the near future is concerned .

Without making any invidious distinctions we think it is now generally recognised that the Benevolent Institution has the first and foremost claim upon the

sympathies of English Freemasons , and this feeling must continue until the State takes the same responsibility in regard to the provision of old age pensions as it has done in the matter of the education of the

young ; but even apart from this outside distinction there is a growing feeling in our midst that it is far better to provide funds for direct financial assistance to those who really need it , than to give money to be

spent on expensive "brick and mortar" schemes . Fortunately most of the old folks of Freemasonry are happy in their own districts , if they only have enough

to live upon , and consequently there has been no need to erect stately edifices to accommodate them ; had it been otherwise we are convinced it would not have

been our privilege on this occasion to have appealed for so many as nearly 500 annuitants , and surely in this respect quantity counts for much , especially when , as we see it in connection with our Benevolent Institution , it is combined with such excellent quality as the ^ 40 annuity given to each Aged Brother , and

the £ 32 to each Widow . Our aged garrison is in sore straits , and the siege must be raised for the coming year . Ample funds contributed to the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution to be held in February

next will accomplish all that is required , and we fraternally ask every reader of these lines to make an effort to do something for the good of the cause—it is

a worthy one , and one which , in years to come , may repay anyone of us a hundred fold should we be so unfortunate as to need it .

Dorset.

DORSET .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge took place at Blandford , on Monday , 27 th ult , when there were Brethren present from all parts of the Province . The Provincial Grand Master Bro . Montague Guest appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing year , as follow : —

Bro . Sir Cuthbert Edgar Peek , Bart . 665 - Senior Warden G . E . Turner 1266 - Junior Warden Rev . Ernest Borradaile 2689 - - Chaplain R . D . Thornton 417 .... Treasurer F . P . Kitson 1367 - - - - Registrar Robert Case 417 •- - - Secretary

H . R . Jesty 1266 .... Senior Deacon R . H . Groves 1266 - - - - Junior Deacon 0 . F . Yearsley 386 - - - - Superintendent of Works S . Pond 1266 .... Director of Ceremonies H . Saunders 137 - - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers .

C . T . Stride 622 - - - . Standard Bearer W . B . Wildman 1168 - - - Organist F . A . K . Hounsell 11 * 6 - - Pursuivant H . W . Soratchley 137 - - - \ G . J . Hunt 417 TGPinney 472 - -

. . - - « . , C P . Turle 622 - - f Stewards J . Vye 1146 T . E . Vincent 1168 - - - - / S . 0 . Vye 386 .... T „ ler .

After the business the Brethren adjourned to the Crown Hotel , where the banquet was held . The usual toasts were honoured .

Norfolk.

NORFOLK .

Presentation to the Provincial Grand Master . MEMBERS" of the Craft assembled in strong numbers at the Masonic Rooms , Bt . Giles ' s Street , Norwich , on

Thursday of last week—the meeting night of Lodge Cabbellto witness the presentation by the Lodge of the armorial bearings of the Hamon le Strange family to the Provincial Grand Master .

In asking Bro . Hamon le Strange ' s acceptance of the gift , Bro . S . G . Barnard W . M . explained that the idea of this offering originated with Bro . W . R . Weyer , who had voluntarily executed the work , while the other members of the Lodge had defrayed the cost of the frame .

The Provincial Grand Master cordially thanked Bro . Weyer and the Brethren of Cabbell Lodge for their kindness , and expressed a hope that the Masonic Temple might be further beautified by similar artistic adornments . The heraldic achievement is designed and carried out on

the strict lines of German Renaissance . It shows a border in spandels which contain the arms of Hamon le Strange and his wife ( Austin ) in the dexter and sinister respectively . The arms of Hamon le Strange contain nine quarterings , chief of which should be mentioned LeStrange Stuart ( Scotland ) ,

Astley ( Hastings ) , Vernons , Carmois , Vaux , Haydon , and others ; the supporters are lion rampant gules , and the white hart with lion ' s maws , this being one of the few private families in the country entitled to supporters , marking

ancient and noble lineage . The crest is a lion passant or , signifying nobility ; the motto " Mihi parta tueri " ( What is mine I defend ) , which was assumed by the family about i 195 , speaks eloquently of the family attributes .

The after proceedings were of a most enjoyable character . The Prov . Grand Master , responding to the toast of his health , again expressed his gratitude for the kindly thought

which had prompted the gift of the beautiful heraldic work which would find a place among the arms of the Grand Masters who had preceded him . He then went on to give an eloquent discourse on the subject of heraldry .

Bro . Weyer ' s health was heartily pledged , and in the course of his reply he gave the following interesting particulars concerning the le Strange family . This distinguished family dates back to a very remote time . A John Lord Strange held a knight ' s fee at Hunstanton so far back

as 1165 ,. and sometime earlier , in the reign of Henry I ., a Roland Extranens witnessed a deed of grant to Castleacre Priory , and this Roland is supposed to have been the father of Lord John . It has been suggested that Roland "the foreigner" was perhaps a native Briton from the Welsh

marches , and certain it is that the " Le Stranges " in the time of Henry II . held much property in Shropshire , and kept state at Knockyn Castle , near Oswestry . In 1195 a later John Le Strange held five knights' fees in Norfolk , at Hunstanton , Ringstead , Snetterton , and Tottington . It is

supposed that the first Church at Hunstanton was built by Roger Le Strange , and his wife Matilda Le Brun early in the 12 th century . The present church was founded by a Hamon Le Strange in the first half of the 14 th century . It is

very noticeable how certain christian names recur again and again in this ancient family , such as Guy , Hamon , John , Roland , Roger , and Armine , the last being borne by both male and female scions from the earliest records . The Le

Strange ' s were always prominent people . By marrying Ivan de Somery , an heiress of the powerful D'Albinis , one , Lord Le Strange , became possessed of the fees of Rising Castle , for which he performnd the duty of " Castle Guard , " and a tower of that castle was always known as Strange ' s or Hunstanton Tower .

The story of the family tells of mighty Castellans holding castles at Bridgnorth , Montgomery , Shrewsbury , Chester , Bruges , and elsewhere . They are found in the ranks of the Crusaders , in the wars with France and Scotland , and sometimes defying the Pope , as John Le Strange , Knight of Bath , signed a declaration against Boniface VIII .

The immediate ancestor of Le Strange of Hunstanton was Sir Hamon , third son of John , fifth Baron Strange of Knockyn , in Shropshire , who was enfeoffed of Hunstanton in 1309 by his eldest Brother John , sixth Baron Strange , his tenure being held by a yearly payment of a white rose . The

Le Stranges have become allied by matrimony with the most noble families of England—Vernons , Carmois , Hastings , Stuart , Vaux , Wodehouse , Heydon , Southwell . One of the ladies was wife of the celebrated antiquar ) ' and historian , Sir Henry Spelman . As Sheriffs and members for the County of Norfolk the Le Stranges have figured frequently and