South Wales (Eastern Division).

wide and 30 ft . high . A large proportion of the chairs have been presented by different Brethren—the Senior Warden ' s by Brother O'Neil , of the Tennant Lodge , and the Junior Warden ' s by Bro . C . Carey Thomas . The total cost of the building , alterations and upholstering , we are informed , will be between £ 7 , 000 and £ 8 , 000 . — "Western Mail "

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — NORTHUMBERLAND .

THE annual meeting of fche Provincial Grand Chapter will be held at the Masonic Hall , Maple Street , Newcastle , on Tuesday , 22 nd inst ., under the presidency of Comp . the Bight Hon . Sir . M . W . Bidley , Bart ., M P ., Provincial Grand Superintendent .

NORTH LONDON CHAPTER OF IMPROVEMENT .

THE meetings were resumed at the Railway Hotel , Highbury Corner , on Monday , 7 th inst ., Comps . Edmonds M . E . Z ., W . George H ., Snelling J ., J . Osborn S . E ., Galloway S . N ., E . Payne P . S ., Ironside Candidate , R . Walker , Tuck , Eddie , and others . The ceremony of exaltation was rehearsed . Comps . Eddie and Ironside were elected Members . Chapter closed in perfect harmony .

The Companions adjourned to a choice supper , served by the genial host , Companion Tuck , in a most admirable manner , and eliciting the highest praise .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — SOUTH WALES .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of South Wales took place at the Masonic Temple , Cardiff , on Thursday afternoon , 3 rd insfc ., Brother the Eev . J . Marsden , B . D ., acting as Prov . G . M ., when Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested .

An interesting ceremony in connection with the meeting was the presentation to Brother J . M . Gerhold I . P . M . of a handsome jewel in recognition of his services as W . M . of the Langley Lodge . The jewel had engraved on the front a picture of the new Masonic Temple , it being the first presentation made in fche new building , while on the reverse were the words : —

Presented by the Brethren of the Langley Lodgo of Mark Master Masons , No . 28 , to WoBSinpFun BBO . J . M . GERHOLD P . M ., for his faithful services as W . M . of the Lodge , 1894-5 .

The presentation was made by Brother the Bev . J . Marsden , B . D ., in the presence of a large number of Brethren . Brother Gerhold appropriately acknowledged the kind recognition of his services . In the evening a banquet was held at the Queen ' s Hotel .

GORDON LODGE , No . 364 . THE regular meeting of this Lodge was held on the 1 st inst ., at the New Falcon Hotel , Gravesend , when there were present : —Brothers Charles Cobham W . M ., J . P . Whito P . M . 455 as I . P . M ., R . J . Beamish P . M . R . M . P . P . G . S . B . as S . W ., R . C . Fowle J . W ., F . Kitchens S . O ., E . B . Wilks S . D .,

G . Masters I . G ., W Barlow P . M . as M . O ., J . Simpson J . O ., J . Solomon Std . as J . D ., and J . C . Biggs P . M . P . P . G . S . B . as D . C . The Lodge was in mourning for the Prov . Grand . Master , and Brother George R . Cobham P . M . Sec . Votes of condolence were passed to their representatives .

Bro . J . Davis , of Freedom , 77 , was then advanced to the Degree by Bro . White P . M . and the charge was given by Bro . S . Dea . The Brethren afterwards adjourned to a banquet , when thc usual Loyal and Mark toasts wore honoured .

ROYAL SAVOY LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 355 . rilHE first meeting of the season was held at the Cock Tavern , Highbury , X on the 6 th . Bros . Humphries W . M ., McDowall S . W .. Walter George J . W ., J . Collins M . O ., M . Tuck S . O ., J . Robinson J . O ., G . W . Knight I . G ., and others . The ceremony of advancement was rehearsed .

The election of Officers resulted as follows : —Major McDowall Treasurer , Collins Secretary , Edmonds Preceptor . Proposed by Bro . G . W . Knight that the ( Lodge meet at 7 instead of 8 o'clock . Several Brethren of the Highbury and Duke of Connaught Lodges

were made Jicmoers . ljoctge closed until idtd inst ., vvnen iirotrrer Major McDowall will officiate as Master . All Brethren of the Mark Degree arc kindly requested to visit the Royal Savoy Lodge of Instruction at its commodious and convenient quarters .

A special Masonic service was held afc the Kilkeel Parish Church on the 29 th ult ., on behalf of the Dublin Masonic Orphan Boys School . There was a large attendance of Brethren , ancl a substantial sum vyas collected after an eloquent sermon by Bev . Bro . Mervyn .

Instruction.

INSTRUCTION .

BROMLEY ST . LEONARD LODGE , No . 1808 . ON the 9 th inst ., at tho Bromley Vestry Hall , Bow Road , Bro . William Joss W . M ., U . Holland S . W ., G . H . Fennell J . W ., De Casseres P . M . Preceptor , F . Thornton Secretary , Boyce P . M . S . D ., F . A . Slater J . D ., Kenney I . G ., also Brothers V . T . Goddard , W . H . Goddard , Marchant , Shadrack , F . J . Cumine .

After preliminaries Brother V . T . Goddard answered tho questions leading to second degree , was entrusted , and the ceremony of passing was rehearsed by the W . M . Lodge resumed to tho first degree , ancl the Brethren assisted Brother De Casseres P . M . to work the first , second , third , and fourth sections of

the Lecture . Brother W . H . Goddard of tho St . John ' s Lodgo , No . 2511 , and Brother F . J . Cumine W . M . of the Priory Lodgo , Southend , No . 1000 , became members . Brother Holland having been elected to the chair for Wednesday next the Lodge was closed .

CITADEL LODGE , No . 1897 . THE usual weekly meoting was held on Friday , 4 th inst ., at the Farleigh Hotel , Amhurst Road , Stoke Nowington , Bros . George Kebbell W . M , A . E . Mason S . W ., C . H . Ditchman J . W ., Fred Duncan P . M . A . G . D . C . Middx . Preceptor , Harry Willsmer Secretary , I . Abrahams S . D ., Jackson J . D ., Jeanos I . G ., and Bros . Ladlor , Witte , 1 . P . Cohen P . M ., Millin , Rusby , Piatt , Geo . Clark P . M ., J . Bunker P . M ., F . Kebbell , and Wortzel .

The ceremony of rnitratron was rehearsed , Bro . Rusby acting as candidate . Bro . Preceptor , assisted by the Brethren , worked the first , second , and third sections of the lecture . Bro . Johnson , of tho New Concord Lodge , was elected a member , and Bro . A . E . Mason W . M . for the ensuing week . ,.

Bro . Sir Simeon Stuart , Bart ., the City Marshal , was , on Monday evening , installed as Worshipful Master of fche Justicia Lodge of Mark Masfcer Masons , No . 476 , at Mark Masons' Hall , by his predecessor in office , Bro . H . Thompson Lyon , says the

" City Press . " The outgoing Master was presented with a handsome Past Master ' s jewel . Sir John B . Monckton , an honorary member of the Lodge , was among the Brethren present .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

rpHE Bev . Charles William Spencer Stanhope , M . A ., vicar of 1 Crowton , Northwich , Cheshire , and formerly curate of Ashbourne , and of Bishop ' s Hadfield , died at Crowton on the 24 th ult ., after a long and painful illness . Our Eeverend Brother was an old member of the Order , and on account of his

services was appointed by the Prince of Wales in 1879 as one of the Grand Chaplains of England . In 1885 he received the office of Assistant Grand Sojourner in Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons , and at the time of his death he was Grand Superintendent of the Cheshire Boyal Arch Masons . As early as 1868 ,

when Brother W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., was Grand Master of English Mark Masons , the Bev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope was made Grand Chaplain in the Mark Degree . He was a strong

supporter of the Masonic Chanties , enthusiastic as a I ' reemason , and very genial in disposition . In the days of his health he was a regular attendant afc the quarterly meetings of Grand Lodge and Graud Chapter , bnt latterly his visits were not so frequent .

r FlHE remains of Bro . Thomas Rix , of Colchester , who for 1 _ twenty-tliree years had been Secretary oi the United Lodgo , No . 697 , and was a Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer Essex , were , on Wednesday , accorded a Masonic funeral . The procession was met at the church doors by the Rev . J . R .

Corbett ( vicar ) and the Rev . W . O . E . Oesterly , and the Masons , on foot , led the procession to the cemetery , where on the conclusion of the burial service they dropped into the grave sprigs of acacia . The Brethren sent a very beautiful wreath , having on

the card attached to it the words , " A token of high esteem ami sincere regard from the W . M ., Officers and Brothers of the United Lodge of Freemasons , No . 697 , of which Bro . Rix waa the trusted Secretary for nearly twenty-three years . "

BRO . JOHN MORRELL , of Dartington , died on the 4 th inst . He was Worshipful Master * of the St . Oswald Lodge , No . 910 , and had passed through the various other Offices of the Order before reaching that important position . In addition to

Bro . Morrell , the St . Oswald Lodge has lost no less than four Past Masters during the present year . The members of the Lodge , over whom Bro . Ellis Foulds , I . P . M . is the acting W . M ., took part in the funeral .

THE funeral of Bro . S . Cross took place on Saturday , 28 th ult ., and was attended , among others , by between 20 and 30 members of the Brotherly Love Lodge , Yeovil , of which the deceased was a member . At a meeting of the Lodge , held afterwards , a resolution of condolence with the family was passed .