West Yorkshire.

time he had appeared in Sheffield since his Installation , as a practical token of the interest he took in local Masonic life , and said that this was a proof that he

entered fully into the spirit of Freemasonry , and was prepared to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor , Bro . Tew , whose retirement through continued ill-health they all so much lamented .

The Provincial Grand Master , who met with an enthusiastic reception , deprecated the personal allusions of the proposer of the toast , and preferred to appropriate as a representative of Masonry the very flattering remarks which had been made about himself . He

exhorted the Brethren to live up to the high standard which Masonry set before them , knowing as he and all of them did , that the more faithfully they carried out its

precepts the better men they were certain to be . To the Worshipful Master and the Brethren of the Wentworth Lodge he tendered his sincerest thanks for their kind and lavish hospitality .

Brother W . H . Brittain proposed the health of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . Henry Smith P . G . D . of England , and the Provincial Grand Officers present and past . He referred to times past , when

Brother Smith occupied the office of Provincial Grand Secretary , and said that the present flourishing position of the Province was in a very large measure due to his exertions .

The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , in responding , said that all he had done had been done from a sense of duty , and that his efforts had met with so much

appreciation was most gratifying to him . The interests of Masonry had always been very near his heart , and he could assure them that so long as life remained , he should never lose any of the interest he had always felt

in the Craft . The toast of the Visiting Brethren was proposed by Bro . Jeremiah Eobertshaw P . M ., and acknowledged by Bros . F . Cleeves , H . G . E . Green , and W . H . Cowper . Bro . Isaac Ellis P . M ., in most felicitous terms gave the toasfc of the W . M . and Brethren of the Wentworth

Lodge . Bro . C . Stokes , in responding , said they had reason to congratulate themselves on the issue of the day ' s proceedings . He and his Brethren had had the co-operation

and support of every Lodge in Sheffield , and they had had a very large attendance of Provincial Grand Officers from all parts of West Yorkshire . For their assistance he thanked them , for it had tended in no small degree to the success of an occasion which must ever remain a

red letter day m the history of the Wentworth Lodge . Brother E . E . Holiday P . M . proposed the Masonic Charities , which Bro . T . Bateman Fox , chairman of the Charity Committee , and Bro . J . M . McLeod Secretary of

the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys suitably acknow ledged .

The speeches were agreeably interspersed with a musical entertainment , under the direction of the Organist Bro . J . A . Eodgers , fco which Bros . C . Stokes , M . T . Miner , T . E . Barker , J . Eobertshaw , H . J . Garnett , and A . E . Drury contributed . — " Sheffield Independent . "

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — DEVONSHIRE . THE Annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter took place on the 16 th inst ., at the Assembly Eooms , Eoyal Seven Stars Hotel , Totnes , when there was a large attendance .

The Chapter having been opened by Comp . W . G Eogers as 1 st P ., the Bev . Dr . Lemon 2 nd P ., and J Lane 3 rd P ., the minutes were confirmed .

Comp . Davie P . G . S . E . reported that he had purchased the new collars with which the Officers would be

invested for the first time that day . The P . G . Treasurer stated that the funds were in a most satisfactory state , and admitted of twenty guineas each being voted to the Devon Masonic Educational Fund ancl the Fortescue Annuitant Fund . Eegret was expressed that indisposition prevented the Grand Superintendent ( Lord Ebringtonj attending .

Royal Arch.

The Provincial Officers were invested as follow Comp . W . G . Rogers 112 - - H . Captain Quinn 954 - - J . Major G . C . Davie , J . P ., 251 - S . E .

J . Taylor , J . P ., 710 - - S . N . W . Bennett Mayo 710 - - Treasurer R . Loosemore 1125 - - Registrar E . H . Littleton 230 - - Principal Sojourner G . H . Selleck 70 - - - 1 st Assistant J . Horsham 303 - - - 2 nd Assistant F . Crouch 1205 - - - Sword Bearer

Popem ? - - - } Standard Bearers J . R . Lord 1247 - - - Director of Ceremonies R Blight - - - J " Assistant Dirs . of Cers .

F . Luget 112 - - - Organist R . Harper 847 - - - Assistant S . E . H . Shooter 112 - - - Janitor .

Comp . John Taylor M . E . Z . 710 suitably replied to a vote of thanks given to the Pleiades Chapter , 710 , for the comfortable arrangements which they had made .

Perseverance Chapter, No. 300.

PERSEVERANCE CHAPTER , No . 300 .

A MEETING was held at the Pitt and Nelson Hotel , Ashtonunder-Lyne , on Tuesday , the 16 th inst . Present : —Comps , John Preece Z ., Alfred D . Rayner S . E ., Samuel Newton P . S ., Hy . Lees , J . B . Pownall , Henry Shaw , George H . Coop . Visitors : —Dr . Thomas D . Foreman P . Z . P . P . G . D . C , Ernest Moss P . Z . P . P . G . Swd . B ., Edward Roberts ( FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) . After the confirmation of minutes , Bros . William Pollitt and

John Hague Coop , both of the Fidelity Lodge , No . 430 , were exalted , the ceremonies being performed by Comp . Dr . Foreman . Following this was the election of Officers , the result being : Comp , Geo . Newton M . E . Z ., Samuel Newton J .

At the festive board , the toast of the newly-exalted Comps . was proposed and responded to in felicitous terms . Other toasts followed , that of the Visitors being proposed by

Comp . Preece , who took the opportunity of reverting to the prospects of the Chapter , making the admission that they were of a very hopeful character .

Sir G . Macpherson Grant recently laid , with Masonic honours , the foundation-stone of a new iron bridge across the Spey at Kingussie , which is to replace an old timber structure .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

rp ^ HE world insurance has sustained a grievous loss t by the death , which took place on Thursday , 18 th inst ., of Brother Colonel Harding , the much respected and able general manager of the Accident Insurance Company , with whose interest he had been associated for very nearly a quarter of a century . In civic circles

the deceased will be sadly missed by a large number of friends , to whom the sad news will come as a painful shock , as only a little more than a week before his death , though then evidently suffering severely , he was at his accustomed place in St . Swithin ' s Lane . Deceased , who was in his sixty-first year , owed his introduction to the

insurance world to Mr . Arthur Scratchley , M . A ., the eminent actuary , at whose hands he received the training that in after years enabled him to place in the very forefront of insurance the office which now mourns his loss . The late Bro . Harding succeeded the late Mr . Cornelius

Walford as manager and ex-officio director of the Accident Insurance Company ( Limited ) . The title of Colonel he earned by virtue of his connection with the Auxiliary Forces , in which for the greater part of his life be took

a keen interest . For several years he served as a member of the Council of the Eoyal United Service Institution . He was , apart from his volunteering associations , a Fellow of the Eoyal Statistical Society ,

a Fellow of the Eoyal Geographical Society in 1864 , and a member of several other learned and scientific societies , as well as of several well-known clubs , including the City Carlton . He was also an old member of the court

of the Needlemakers' Company , and a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in Freemasonry , having been appointed to the office in 1885 . The Colonel , it may be added , was a man of marked literary tastes ,

and in his earlier days was a frequent contributor to current literature , both in prose and verse , while be also acted for some time as dramatic critic for several wellknown journals . His funeral , at Hampstead Cemetery , on the 22 nd inst ., was largely attended .