Thankgiving Service In St. Paul's.

THANKGIVING SERVICE IN ST . PAUL'S .

AT the installation banquet of the Gallery Lodge , held on Saturday night , Bro . Lionel Gowing , the new Worshipful Master , in the chair , Bro . the Venerable Archdeacon Sinclair said that Masons would be pleased to hear that the

Grand Master the Prince of Wales , and Lord Roberts , on his return from South Africa , purposed attending a service at St . Paul ' s , to return thanks for the success of the British arms . The Archdeacon said the date had been provisionally fixed for Thursday , 3 rd January next .

Lancashire Charity.

LANCASHIRE CHARITY .

r I mE Committee of the fifty-second annual Masonic JL . Festival and Hall in aid of the West Lancashire Educational Institution met on the 7 th inst , in the Town Hall , Liverpool , the Lord Mayor ( Bro . A Crosthwaite ) presiding .

1 he Festival was fixed tor 1 uesday , 15 th J anuary next , and will be held under the banner of the Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1389 , the use of the Town Hall having been granted for the occasion . The Chairman of the Committee is Bro .

Thos . E . Withington , J . P ., P . P . S . G . W ., of the Marquis of Lome Lodge , No . 1356 , Warrington . The Hon . Secretary Bro . Douglas Greame announced that he had already received the names of seventy-four Patrons and thirty-five Stewards . The President of the

Festival is Bro . the Earl of Lathom Prov . G . M ., the Vice-Presidents , the Earl of Derby P . G . W . Eng ., the Lord Mayor of Liverpool , R . Wylie D . Prov . G . M ., John Houlding P . G . D . Eng ., S . G . Sinclair P . G . D . Eng , E . G . B . Watts P . P . G . W , and L . S . Cohen ex-Lord Mayor of Liverpool .

Charity In Belfast.

CHARITY IN BELFAST .

IT is announced that a concert in aid of the Masonic Boys Orphan School Century Fund will take place in the Ulster Hall , on Wednesday evening , 16 th J anuary nextthe date after the installation of the Earl of Shaftesbury as Provincial Grand Master of Antrim . The concert is being

promoted under the auspices of St . John Lodge , No . 88 , and will have the patronage of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim . His Grace the Duke of Abercorn , K . G , M . W . Grand Master of Ireland , and many other prominent Masons have signified their intention of being present . ,

Concert At Plymouth.

CONCERT AT PLYMOUTH .

A VERY successful concert , under the conductorship o : Bro . W . Willoughby P . P . G . O . was given u Plymouth uundhall , on the 5 th inst , in aid ot the Devoi . Masonu : Educational Fund , i he principal attraction was a nautical operetta , composed and produced by Bro . Willoughby , with lyrics by G . V . K . The title of it was " The Crew ot the 4 . 7 "

, and it was redolent of Ladysmith and PI . M . S . Powerful . The orchestra was made to represent the deck of the Powerful , the scenery having been painted at the Theatre Royal , thanks to the kindness of Bro . C . F . Williams , the lessee . Brother Willoughby had admirably trained a choir of about a hundred

children , all dressed as sailor boys and girls , the principal characters of the operetta being H . R . H . the Princess ( Miss Adelaide Endeau ) , the Captain ( Miss Ethel Eden ) , Lieutenants ( Masters Crocker and L . Heard ) , and an A . B . ( Miss Carrie Venning ) , all of whom had solo parts assigned then )

Concert At Plymouth.

Brother Willoughby had written several bright and pretty choruses , with plenty of action suited to them , and the whole piece was presented with considerable dramatic force and spirit ; but it was the drills and dances introduced into the

operetta which seemed to most delight the audience . The drills were arranged by Bro . Brockman , R . N . ; the dances were under the direction of Miss Plalfpenny , and were performed with much grace and cleverness .

' At the conclusion of the operetta Bro . Willoughby and the principal performers were metaphorically " called before the curtain" and heartily applauded . The Brethren are much indebted to Bro . Willoughby for the time and trouble

it must have cost him to provide so excellent a concert for so good an object . Of the Concert Committee Bro . J . R . Lord was Treasurer , and Bros . J . B . Gover and W . H . Dillon Hon . Secretaries .

Surrey.

SURREY .

AN important meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held -on Saturday , 24 th ult , at the Assembly Rooms , Surbiton , when the Earl of Onslow Prov . G . Master installed Bro . Col . John Davis , A . D . C , as his successor . The number of Brethren present was about 250 , and included many Grand Officers , and distinguished visitors .

The Earl of Onslow entered the Prov . G . Lodge attended by the Provincial and Grand Officers . Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , and the roll of Lodges was called . The Earl of Onslow then addressed the Brethren . He

Sciid that H . R . H . the Most Wor . Grand Master had been pleased to appoint as Prov . G . M . of Surrey Colonel Davis , A . D . C . to Pier Majesty the Queen , and the Brethren had met together for the purpose of installing that eminent Brother into the position of ruler of the Craft in Surrey . As they

were doubtless aware , it was usual for that ceremony to be performed-by one of the Great Officers of England , but in acordance with the wish of H . R . FI , and also of the Prov . G . Master designate , he had been invited to instal him as his successor . He therefore asked their assistance that evening for the purpose mentioned .

The Provincial Grand Master designate was announced , his patent was read , and he was duly obligated , invested , installed , and saluted as Prov . G . Master . Bro . Frank Richardson P . G . D . officiated as D . C , assisted by Bro . A . W . Smith

P . M . 463 Dep . Prov . G . D . C , whilst the following Masters formed the deputation to escort the new Prov . G . Master into Prov . G . Lodge .- Bros . Bathurst , Cowan , Edis , Grundy , Hancock , and Longworth .

Bro . Fredk . West P . G . D . was re-appointed Dep . Prov . G . M , and saluted ; and Bro . C . T . Tyler was appointed Prov . G . Secretary . The newly-installed Prov . G . Master said it was impossible for anyone of feeling or thought to take his position in that

chair in the old county of Surrey without a hip-h feeling of pride and gratification that H . R . rf . should have chosen him . He sincerely hoped he should during his term of Office be able''to perform his duties in a manner that would please H . R . H ., and that those in the Province would feel they had

no unworthy successor to the exalted nobleman whom he succeeded . He had known Lord Onslow for a long time , and had heard from many his high devotion to duty , and

therefore it would be no light task to follow in his footsteps . However , no effort on his part would be spared to worthily occupy that historic chair ; and advance their grand and magnificent Order of English Freemasonry . After other business the Prov . G . Lodge was rlowrl in , due form ,