Meeting Of Grand Lodge.

MEETING OF GRAND LODGE .

THE Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge , to ., be held on Wednesday next , is likely io prove of exceptional interest , and -will probably be very largely attended ,

primarily on account of the steps that will then be taken to give expression to the gratitude of the Craft that Her Majesty the Queen has been spared ' to rule over the Empire for the unprecedented period of sixty years .

It is proverbial that the work of Freemasonry is done in & quiet , unostentatious way , yet in a thoroughly businesslike manner , and we think the initial note of gratification to be sounded' on Wednesday next may be instanced as an

exemplification of this idea . There is no preliminary fuss , no attempt at display—merely the barest recital of the fact and the proposal to vote £ 8 , 000 from the general funds of Grand L ' odge , in commemoration of the auspicious event of the

Diamond Jubilee . Sir John Monckton , who is the sponsor of the proposition , has learnt by this time that no words are necessary in order to ensure the heartiest reception for any reference to the Diamond Jubilee of our sovereign , but

however much that may be the case , few would have blamed him if he had added a little of that suave complimentary colouring of which he is so accomplished a master . He has spared us the infliction , and we venture to think the Craft

will never know what he really thinks in this connection ; for the mere proposition of the vote on Wednesday next may be expected to call forth such a hearty outburst of applause as" will render' any lengthy remarks out of place , and probably

even impossible . The vote is agreed to by the Craft before it is submitted , and the representatives of the Lodges assembled next week will only give voice to the general

feeling of gratification that exists throughout the country at the auspicious event we are about to celebrate . As we said last week , the different Funds it is intended to support are all of them worthy of the recognition suggested .

The other business on the Agenda will probably occupy but little time , although it may be possible that the suggestions of the Committee appointed to consider the additions and alterations in the Book of Constitutions in regard to the

formation and recognition of Independent Grand Lodges will meet some opposition—as old fashioned ideas and prejudices die hard—but in other respect the work before the rulers of the Craft is purely formal , and will doubtless be treated as such .

We must not forget a reference to what has been termed the " good old hardy annual , " the proposition of Bro . J . A . Farnfield to vote £ 70 to provide the inmates of the Eoyal Masonic Institution at Croydon with coals for the winter

months . That , too , is sure of being agreed to , as the heart of Grand Lodge would have to be very greatly hardened before it would even think of refusing this annual contribution to the sacred cause of charity . The number of new Lodges for which Warrants have been granted during the Quarter is somewhat below the

Meeting Of Grand Lodge.

average , the additions being twelve only , but it is noteworthy that among that number there are no less' than five new Lodges for the London district . Five of the remainder are to meet in the Provinces , one in Ceylon , and the other in the colony of . Western Australia .

Staffordshire.

STAFFORDSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , 26 th inst ., in the Guildhall , Lichfield . The Provincial Grand Master the Earl of Dartmouth presided ; supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Lieut-Colonel John Allen Bindley , and other Brethren , numbering about 400 .

The Treasurers accounts showed that there was a balance from last year of £ 78 odd , while there were receipts during the past twelve months amounting to £ 252 18 s 2 d , making a total of £ 331 2 s 7 d . The expenditure had amounted to £ 291 lls 8 d , andthere was thus a balance in the bank at' the present time' of £ 39 10 s lid .

Eev ! Bryon Holland 1520 - - - j Chaplams C . A . Newnham 419 526 ... Treasurer Dr . George Greenslade 156 - - Registrar Lieut .-Col . G . W . Walker 5261838 - Secretary G . L . Blackhall 624 - - - 1 a -H , G . Baker 526 - - - - Semor Deacons . . . - ,,.

The Provincial Grand Master invested Officers' for the ^ ensuing year as follow : Bro . Lieut-Col . J . A . Bindley 624 - - Deputy J . W . Bromley 546 ... Senior Warden W . A . Wood 1039 ... - Junior Warden EevAEBriscoe-Owen 2487 - )„ - ¦ ¦

Arthur Horton 696 - - - I T T » James Eardley 637 - - - } ^ nior Deacons John Pierpoint 98 - - - - Superintendent of Works Enoch Wood 662 ... - Director of Ceremonies Geo . Haynes 1039 - - - - Deputy Dir . of Cers . Walter Webster 1941 ... Assist . Dir . of Cers .

Lieut . Franklin Cross 1792 - - Sword Bearer David Jones 418 - - - - ) n ± a n T > Edwin Phillips 966 - - - } Standard Bearers J . E . Thomason , Mus . Bac , 482 - - Organist S . W . Page 526 - - - - Assistant Secretary Edwin Berry 419 .... Pursuivant W . Brickell 1587 ... - Assistant Pursuivant Thomas Cox 1039 - - - - \

John H . Dewes 1060 - - - „ , John E . Evans 726 - \ Stewards J . T . Marson 726 - - - - J W . Davis 539 Tyler . The Provincial Grand Master moved a vote congratulating her Majesty on the celebration of the sixtieth year of her reign ,

and in doing so said they were apt to congratulate themselves on the great advance which had been made during the last sixty years in every direction—political reforms , social advance , and the great and increasing area of the empire and the growing number of her Majesty ' s subjects . But they were apt to forget how much of that progress was due to the influence of her

Majesty . There was hardly an important document which went out which was not seen and signed , and its contents digested , by her Majesty . The sovereigns of other countries made a greater show , but they did nob do so much of that real work as did the Queen for the welfare of her people . When the history of the last sixty years came to be written , credit for the great progress

which had been made would not be given to a party or a class , but to her Majesty . The brethren then walked in procession from the Guidhall to the Cathedral , where Divine service was held , the sermon being preached by the Chaplain Eev . A . E . Briscoe-Owen . The collection amounted to £ 14 15 s : £ 7 10 s was given to the Cathedral Eestoration Fund , and £ 7 5 s to Stowe Schools .

After the service the brethren returned in processional order , and subsequently partook of a banquet at the George Hotel . — " Birmingham Daily Post . "