Prov. G. Lodge Of East Lancashire .

PROV . G . LODGE OF EAST LANCASHIRE .

A MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire waa held , on the 21 st inst ., at the Central Sail , Oldham Street , Manchester . Colonel Le Gendro N . Starkie Prov . Grand Master presided , aud there were also 3 resent Bros . G . Mellor D . P . G . M ., J . 0 . S . Thursby

P . G . S . W ., Captain Lingard P . G . J . W ., G . Hunt P . G . . Treasurer , and J . Chadwick P . G . Secretary , a large number jf Present and Past Provincial Officers , and about 200 members of Lodges in the Province . The roll having been jailed and some formal business transacted , Bro . J . Heelis

P . P . G . S . W . proposed a resolution to the effect that the Trustees of the Provincial Grand Lodge be authorised to pay the income of the Annuity Funds standing in their name to the East Lancashire Systematic Institution so long as that Institution maintains an annuitant at an

annual cost of not less than the annual income of the Fund . He explained the reasons which led him to make the proposition . Bro . W . Forrest ( Bolton ) seconded the resolution , which , after some discussion , was passed . Bro . E . G . Harwood P . P . G . J . W . then moved that , in accordance

with a suggestion thrown out by the Provincial Grand Master at the last Provincial meeting held at Burnley , that the Charity Committee of the Province should select some Charity for further donation from the Provincial Graud Lodge Funds , the sum of 100 guineas ( as proposed

by the Chairman and seconded by the Vice-Chairman of the Charity Committee ) be given to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys—50 guineas to be in the name of the P . G . S . W ., and 50 guineas in the name of the P . G . J . W .

Bro . Harwood said he desired to amend the resolution by adding that an additional 50 guineas be given to "ho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and a like sum to the Royal Masonic Institntion for Girls . Brother J . H . Sillitoe P . P . G . J . W . seconded the resolution . He said

there were in the Province of East Lancashire fourteen aged men and nine aged women receiving the benefits of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , equivalent to an annual sum of £ 940 . In the two great Masonic

Schools , East Lancashire had seventeen children , equivalent , as far as it conld be estimated , to a sum each year of £ 870 . They would be getting very good interest for the money they proposed to invest , and he might also add that the Province could well afford to make the donations .

The Provincial Grand Master , in supporting the proposition , said that while they had their own Systematic Benevolent Institution , it was the dnty of the members of that Provincial Grand Lodge to support those excellent Charities in London , which were such an ornament to their Society ,

and from which they in East Lancashire received snch benefit . The resolution was passed unanimously . The report of the Charity Committee was read and adopted . An invitation to hold the next meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge at Bolton was received and accepted . Bro . Jaffrey

( Manchester ) chairman of a committee which organised a Masonic garden party at the Botanical Gardens , Old Trafford , dnring the summer months , handed to the Provincial Grand Master a cheque for £ 150 , as the proceeds of the entertainment , to be devoted to tho Charity Fund .

The Provincial Grand Master expressed his great gratification at the success of the * undertaking , and proposed a vote of thanks to those brethren who had initiated and carried it out . The motion was" passed with acclamation . Brother Sillitoe handed to the P . G . M . a cheque for 30 guineas

received from the Starkie Portrait Fund Committee , for the Charity Fund of the Province . The Earl of Carnarvon Pro Grand Master having died since the last meeting , tho Provincial Grand Master proposed a resolution of condolence with the family of that deceased nobleman , who , lie

said , would ever be remembered in the senate of this country , by the world at large , aud by the members of the Masonic Fraternity . The motion was seconded by the

Deputy Provincial Grand Master and passed , and the Lodge was then closed . A meeting of the Court of Governors of the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution was afterwards held .

At the last meeting of the Israel Lodge , No . 205 , a sum of Five Guineas was voted from the Lodge Funds to be devoted to the "Serpent" Relief Fund . This example will , doubtless , be followed by other of our Lodges where the " Exchequer " is in a flourishing state .

The Masonic Bazaar.

THE MASONIC BAZAAR .

THE grand bazaar , organised by the members of the Aberdeenshire Province of Freemasons , was opened at noon , on the 21 st iust ., by Colonel Sir Archibald Campbell , Bart ., M . P ., Grand Master Mason of Scotland , in the presence of a very large attendance of ladies and gentlemen . Amongst those present at fche opening ceremony were : —Lord Saltoun , Dr . P . Blaikie Smith , the Very Rev . Dean Webster , Dean

of Guild Maodonald , Rev . C . C . Macdonald , Councillors Tulloob , Reid , Findlay , Pratt , Mr . David Byres , Mr . Henry Peterkin , advocate , Rev . R . Semple , Rev . D . Beatt , Mr . P . Crombie dentist , Dr . Profeit , Balmoral , Baillie Duff , Mr . William Boyd , Peterhead , General Rutherford , Provost Wyness , Inverurie , Mr . Thomas Ogilvie , hatter , Rev . H . M . Smith , Nigg , Mr . Andrew Stott , Mr . John T .

Clark , Mr . Dumolo , & o . Most of these gentlemen occupied seats on the platform , where Lady Saltoun , Mr . F . Lawson , of Pifcfour , and Miss Bancerman , of Critnmonmogate , were also accommodated . Lord Saltoun proposed that Mr . William Boyd Provincial Grand Master of Aberdeenshire ( East ) , should take the chair , and introduce Sir Archibald Campbell .

The Chairman having made a few introductory remarks , Sir Archibald Campbell rose to formally open the bazaar , and was received with applause . He explained that the object of the bazaar , whioh ia supplementary to that to be held in Edinburgh , is to aid the Benevolent Fund of the Grand Lodge ; and he spoke iu terms of high appreciation of tbe magnificent display of goods in the bazaar , the

great energy shown with regard to which , he was confident , would assure the great success of the undertaking . The interest of the fund to be provided , it would be observed , would go to the benevolent purpose of supporting the widows and children of indigent Masons , and indigent Masons themselves . He continued—At the present moment those Masonio brethren who are here present are aware thafc

we have considerable funds at tbe disposal of the Grand Lodge . The finances of the Grand Lodge have been so re-arranged and reorganised that now she is able to take her place in the proper position which she occupies as head of a large benevolent institution , the Ancient Order of Freemasons in Scotland . Half the free income of the Grand Lodge is devoted to the purposes of the benevolent

funds . One-half of that—that is to say , one-quarter of fche tree income of the Grand Lodge—is given actually in annuities . The other quarter is invested yearly , so that the interest of the money may accrue , and go to increase the fund from whioh we are able to relievo the indigent . At the present moment over seventy persons are being relieved at an

expense of about £ 700 a year . Applications for relief this year amounted to something like 300 , so you will see how very neosssary it is to supplement the sum WH have at our disposal at the present moment by the sum of £ 10 , 000 , which I hope wo shall be able to raise from tho two bazaars whioh we are holding , the one here and the other in Edinburgh . This sum will be deposited , and the interest

used entirely for tbe relief of those whom we may find necessitous aud deserving . All tho Lodges send io , as the cases may necessitate , and us they think proper , the names for relief , with their recommendations , to a Committee that sits four times a year in Edinburgh Grand Lodge , whioh considers each case on its merits , and if we have funds afc our disposal we give a certain number of grants , ranging iu amount from

£ 10 to £ 15 a year . These cases are all very carefully gone into , and there ia no money wasted by officials or buildings . The whole of the money will go to the relief of these poor people , and therefore I can recommend thoroughly to you the object whioh we have all in view , and I trust and hope that the exertions whioh you have made on this occasion will redound not only to the credit of fche Provinces

holding sway in and near Aberdeen , bufc also to the credit of Freemasonry generally in Scotland . I must thank Lady Saltoun and all the ladies here for their very great kindness . Looking round I see what energy you must have displayed , and what an immense amount of trouble you must have taken to bring such an enormous quantity of goods together . I feel sure that although you have had a very great deal of trouble in carrying out

and bringing to perfection this large and magnificent bazaar , yet I feel sure you will consider that in contributing to this fund you are doing a good work , aud will not regret the labour you have bestowed on this undertaking . I now declare this baaiar open , and I trust it will meet with the success I am sure it deserves . Rev . C . C . Macdonald said—I am entrusted with a very honourable duty . To those of us who dwell in tha mystic circle of Masonry the sight of the Grand Master Mason of Scotland is sufficient to evoke and

to inspire respect . We look upon him very much as loyal subjects look upon their Sovereign . "There ' s a divinity that doth hedge a , king , " and to us Masons tbe Grand Master ia wrapped in a kind ot awe . Sir Archibald Campbell is hero to-day , not to bestow a smile upon his admiring subjects , nor even to inspire us , if that were possible , with a deeper sense of the honour aud dignity of our and

Craft , but the Grand Master is here to-day to promote to secure tbe success of an undertaking which , I venture to say , will set Masonry side by side with the noblest Benevolent Institutions ot fche country . He is not an ordinary bazaar-opener . That is becoming pretty much , I fancy , a profession . The ordinary bazaar opener ia an outsider . He comes and he goes . His function is merely to turn

on the tap of benevolence and to set the machinery agoing . But in our Grand Master we have ono who is at the he'irt—I may venture to say , is the very heart—of this splendid enterprise . He is hero to-day , not merely to open a bazaar , bufc , as I understand it , to open to Masonry the door to a still more honourable career . Therefore , h aim 11

move now a vote of thanks to onr Grand Master , whose hig w to lead his brethren to tbe summit of their profession , and to exhibit Masonry to Scotland as an example of charity . Sir Archibald replied , and proposed a vote of thanks to tae chairman . Mr . Boyd , iu acknowledging the compliment , expressed hia ff » ' «