Grand Lodges Next Week.

GRAND LODGES NEXT WEEK .

r I iHE most important item of business to come before - ¦ - the Craft Grand Lodge on Wednesday next is in relation to the action on the part of the Grand Lodge of Peru , which has removed the V . of the S . L . from its Lodges , and eliminated all reference to the Bible from

its ritual . The Grand Master suggests stringent action similar to that meted out to France some years back under like conditions , and no doubt the Craft will acquiese in that course .

The election of members of the Board of General Purposes , of Grand Lodge Auditor , and of representatives for the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will take place . A much needed reform in the enlargement of the

Temple of Grand Lodge , and other structural alterations are proposed by the Board of General Purposes , the initial cost—for the land and existing tenaments—being upwards

of £ 7 , , but such an outlay is far more desirable than anything in the form of a complete change of locality , with a cost running into stupendous figures .

Sir John B . Monckton proposes a grant of 500 guineas to the Boys School Centenary Festival , and Bro . Farnfield the usual contribution of £ 70 to provide the inmates of the Benevolent Institution at Croydon with coal for the winter months .

we cannot understand the appeal of Brother Walter James , in face of Rule 191 of the Constitutions , which reads " Every Lodge must receive as a member , without

further proposition or ballot , any Brother initiated therein , " as it seems to us , from , the meagre details given , that the case comes directly under this Rule .

In the Mark Degree the Grand Festival will follow the meeting of Grand Lodge on Tuesday , and here we may direct the attention of our readers to the correspondence

and official decision in regard to Confirmation of Minutes , as set out in the Report of the General Board , of which we publish a reprint elsewhere .

The consecration of the King ' s Court Lodge will take place on Thursday next , 2 nd June , at Gillingham ( Dorset ) . Divine service will be held at the Parish Church at 3 . 45 , when the sermon will be preached by the Rev . Rowland Hill Prov . G . Ch ., Rector of Lyme Regis . The Westminster singers have kindly consented to assist in the musical part of the service .

Dr . Beresford Ryley W . M . of the Bushey Hall Lodge , No . 2323 , is . among the Brethren nominated for a seat on the Board of General Purposes , the election for which will take place on the occasion of the Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge on Wednesday next . Our worthv Brother is

nominated by that Masonic veteran Bro . Thomas Fenn , and is supported by other well known leaders in Grand Lodge , including Bros . Loveland Loveland , Walter Martin , James Stephens , and others .

Grand Lodges Next Week.

The Provincial Grand Chapter of Wiltshire was held on Wednesday , 18 th inst ., at Salisbury , the Earl of Radnor Prov . G . Superintendent presiding .

An emergency meeting of the Sir Charles Bright Lodge , No . 1793 , was held on the 18 th inst . Our report of the proceedings is crowded out this week .

We are sorry to hear that Bro . H . Roberts late Sec . of the Hugh Owen Lodge is in a critical condition . We wish him a speedy recovery , and hope to report better news in our next issue .

The annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Mark Lodge of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire was held on the 24 th inst ., at Hereford , under the presidency of Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith Prov . G . M . M .

Bro . H . T . Brickwell , the Lessee and Manager of the Garrick Theatre , was elected a Vestryman in the Long Acre Ward of the royal parish of St . Martin ' s-in-the-Strand , on Monday , 16 th inst .

There was a large gathering at Chipping Norton on Friday , 20 th inst ., when a special meeting of the Prov . G . Lodge of Oxfordshire was held , and the foundation stone of a new Masonic Hall was laid by the Prov . G . M . the Earl of Jersey . We shall give fuller particulars in our next issue .

The official Directory for the Province of Cornwall has now entered on its twenty-seventh year of publication . The little volume , which has been issued for 18 98 , contains a deal of valuable information which has been compiled by Bro . T . C . R . Crewes P . M . 13 P . P . S . G . D .

The Holhngworth Lodge , No . 2702 , was consecrated on Thursday , 12 th inst ., at Oldham , and makes the fifth Lodge working it that town . An addition was also made to the adjoining Province of West Lancashire , on the nth inst ., by the consecration of the Imperial Lodge , No . 2711 , at Sefton Park , Liverpool .

The proposal in Scotland , to facilitate the wish of Lodges to build halls for . meeting places by the aid of the funds of Grand Lodge , granted on sufficient security , has been approved by Grand Committee , and we may consecmentlv

look for an extension of the already large number of Masonic Halls to be found north of the Tweed . What action would our Grand Lodge take if a similar proposal was submitted to them . ?

Fidelity Lodge , No . 230 , of which Bro . A . J . Williams is W . M ., is face to face with a very important question . The Brethren have the Ebringtoh Masonic Hall , in Granby Street , Devonport , on a lease , the time for the renewal of which has

about arrived . At the next regular meeting the matter will be brought before the Lodge for consideration , and a decision will have to be arrived at as to the future of the Hall , whirh

some of the Brethren are in favour of purchasing outright . This they have the opportunity of doing , the option having been granted them b y the lord of the manor .