Prov .G.Lodge Of Devonshire.

PROV .G.LODGE OF DEVONSHIRE.

MARK MASONRY

THE annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons for the Province of Devonshire was held on Monday afternoon , the 17 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Torquay , under the banner of the Jordan Lodge , No . 319 . The Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Sir Stafford

Northcote , C . B ., M . P ., presided , and was strongly supported . The Secretary read numerous letters of apology . He reported that the brethren appointed to office at the last Provincial Grand Lodge had assnmed their rank and paid their fees of honour . During the past year there

had been fifty-six advancements , and after allowing for losses by death and resignation there had been an increase of nine subscribing members , the number in the Province being 508 , aa against 499 last year . Brethren in arrear were not included in the number given . He

would remind the W . M . ' s of the Lodges of the intimation given by the Provincial Grand MaBter last year that no brother would be appointed to office in Provincial Grand Lodge unless tbe return for the Lodge had been sent to the Provincial Grand Secretary before 81 st March . More

than one Lodge had neglected this duty during the past year . In November last the Provincial Grand Master consecrated the second new Lodge in the Province during his term of office , viz .: the Duncombe Lodge , at Kingsbridge . He was assisted by the Deputy Provincial Grand

Master , Provincial Grand Wardens , and loyally snpported by a large number of Provincial Grand Officers and brethren from various parts of the Province . Bro . ; Hon . H . V . Duncombe was installed as W . M . of the Lodge , and from the interest evinced by the Worshipful Master and the

members of the Lodge there was little reason to doubt that it would reflect credit on Mark Masonry in Devonshire . A request from the members of Lodge Huyshe , No . 91 , Devonport , to alter the name of the Lodge to

Fidelity-Huyshe had been acceded to . In conclusion he thanked the Provincial Grand Master for the unvarying courtesy and attention to Masonic matters , and for the zeal and ability with which he had striven to advance the interests of the degree in Devonshire .

The Provincial Grand Treasurer ( Bro . J . Oldfield ) reported that the reciepts amounted to £ 62 5 s 8 d , and there was a balance in hand of £ 28 18 s 9 d .

The Provincial Grand Secretary said the sum of £ 5 5 s was voted on the last meeting to the Mark Benevolent Fund , and the Provincial Committee proposed that £ 10 10 s be voted to the Mark Benevolent Fund , £ 5 5 s to the Devon Masonic Education Fund , and £ 5 5 s to the Fortescue Annuity Fund . These sums were voted .

Bro . J . Lane pioduced the revised Bye-Laws , and moved that they be adopted . Bro . J . Gover seconded tbe resolution , which was carried . The Provincial Grand Master endorsed the remarks of the Provincial Grand Secretary that the Committee were entitled to their best thanks for

the care and attention they had devoted to revising the Bye-Laws . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master in moving that Bro . Sir Stafford Northcote be again recommended to the Grand Master for the office of Provincial Grand Master for

the ensuing three year 3 , said they required an energetic Mason and one who took a de 3 p interest in the work for the office of Provincial Grand Master . In Sir Stafford Northcote the / had the right man in tho right place . Bro . Oldfield seconded the resolution , which was supported by

Bro . T . Woi ledge and Bro . Shorto and carried with acclamation . Sir Stafford Northcore , who was cordially received , referred with feelings of pride and satisfaction to the fact during the time he had held the office of Provincial Grand Master Mark Masonry in Devonshire had

gone forward . Bro . Shorto moved the election of Bro . John Taylor , of 319 , as Provincial Grand Treasurer . Brother W . Taylor seconded , and Bros . Dodge , Gover , and Stocker snpported .

The motion was unanimously agreed to . Bros . John Lane and W . Taylor were elected Auditors . A special vote of thanks was accorded to tho Provincial Grand Secretary for the untiring zeal and ability with which he had carried out the duties of his office during the past year . The Provincial Grand Master then appointed and

Prov .G.Lodge Of Devonshire.

invested the following brethren as his Officers for the yoar ensuing : —

Bro . G . Strode Lowe 50 ... ... Deputy Master The Hon . V " . Duncombo 438 ... Senior Warden J . Russell Lord 50 Junior Warden J . F . EUerton 187 M . O . Sholto H . Hare 35 ... ... S . O . T . H . Wills 319 J . O . The Rev . T . C . Lewis 438 ... Chaplain John Taylor 319 ... ... Treasurer

C . H . Folford 15 ... ... Registrar H . Stacker 15 ... ... 8 eoret » ry W . G . Watson 64 ... ... Senior Deacon W . F . Westcott 66 ... ... Junior Deacon A . W . King 169 ... ... Inspector of Works G . W . Hancock 16 ... ... Director of Ceremonies Parnell Haanaford 76 ... ... Assistant Dir . of Cers . W TT T . anHnr 21 R ... ... Sword Bearer

John Squire 23 ... ... Standard Bearer A . W . Searley 319 ... ... Organist W . Rontledge 91 ... — Assistant Seoretsr / A . S . CoytelOO I . G . Jas . Gidley 169 Tyler G . Dansterville 35 ... ... " ) H-K % f ^ 383 ( stewards . E . H . Shorto 15 ... ... t D . Carwithen 16 ... ... J

The Provincial Grand Master offered a cordial welcome to Bro . C . F . Matier , Grand Secretary , which was sup * ported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Grand Secretary . Bros . Lane , Gover , Crouch , and J . Stocker were elected on the General Purposes Committee .

A hearty vote of thanks to the brethren of Jordan Lodgo for their excellent arrangements for the reception of the Grand Lodge and the hospitable way in which they had entertained the brethren closed the meeting . The annual dinner was afterwards held at tho Victoria and Albert Hotel . Sir Stafford Northcote presided ^

CHELMER LODGE , No . 342 . THE members met at the Corn Exchange , Chelmsford , on Tuesday , the 11 th inst . The Auditors' report and balance-sheet were r « t 3 ivci . Bro . R ibart Cook , of Goo 3 Fellowship Lodge , No . 276 , was ballotted for , approved , and duly advnnoed . Bro . Harry Parnell Hav S . W . the W . M . elect was then installed , the ceremony being p 3 rformed by Bro . F . P . Sutthery W . M ., and the former afterwords

applint 1 am . invested his Oflioers , as follow : —Bros . F . P . Sutthery I . P . M . and Secretary , A . J . Pitts S . W ., E . J . Wick J . W ., W . S . Emden ' M . O ., W . Howard . Flanders S . O ., F . J . Snell J . O ., Rev . T . MoD iugii' 1

Mungle Choplain , G . W . Pascall Trensu-er , W . Metcilfo Kegi « trur of Marks , J . P . Lewin Dir . of Cers ., F . J . Carter S . D ., J . E . Pegram J . D ., J . G . Maokenzie I . G . A banquet subsequently toik place at th - White Brvt Hotel , excellently set ted by Mrs . Barbar , tie hostess .

The following are the unsuccessful candidates at the election of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , held at Freemasons' Tavern , on Friday , the 4 th inst .: — Brought Total forward . Polled . Polled .

Cunat , Louis Clement — 1479 1479 Shaw , Horace James — 1476 1476 Davis , Vernon Gordon — 1085 1085 Howes , George Albert Valentine — 1067 1067 Good , Benjamin Horace 341 498 837

Cottrill , Harry Frank Foster 541 98 639 Castle , Frederick Herbert — 631 631 . Hobden , Frank Edward — 270 270

Blaokler , William John Robert Woodgate 42 18 60 Jay , Reginald Branwhite 27 10 37 Goss , Edmund Percy Mabin — 33 33 Todd , Harold George WinBlow — 2 2 Gray , Reginald — — —

The Board-room and upper Lodge-room at the Masonio Buildings , George Street , Edinburgh , have just been appropriately redecorated and otherwise improved . Bro . P . L . Henderson , the Grand Architect has remodelled the ventilation of both rooms , while the decorative part of the work was entrusted to another loyal Mason—Bro . Thos . Bonnar , George Street . Iu the decoration of the Lodge-room , the

scheme carried out suggests a tent or tabernacle , opw above to the aky , whioh is represented by a blae star-spangled ceiling . Hangings , painted on the walls and draped in conventional folds , represent the sides of a tent—the drapery being bound with golden rope and diapered with Masonio emblems . Above the door is a panel on which

is depicted the " All-seeing eye . ' The whole of the east wall ia occupied by the painting of an Egyptian temple , designed by David Roberts , R . A ., and in the centre of the north wall there is a painting of Isis as Ceres , supposed to be by A . Runoiman . These paintings have been carefully preferred ,