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Mark Masonry. Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

MARK MASONRY . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

A PROVINCIAL Grand Lodge of the Mark Master Masons of West Yorkshire was held on the 20 th instant , at the Masonic Hall , Great George Street , Leeds , under the banner of the Copley Lodge , No . 111 .

The R . W . Bro . Charles Letch Mason , Provincial Grand Mark Master of West Yorkshire , presided , and there were present—V . W . Bro . Rev . T . C . D . Smyth , D . D ., Grand Chaplain as D . P . G . M ., Bros . Geo . Althorp Prov . S . W ., H . Prance P . P . G . W . as P G . J . W ., W . F . Tomlinson

Prov . G . M . O ., G . H . Radcliffe P . P . G . R . as Prov . G . S . O ., John Turner Prov . G . J . O ., Rev . W . Dunn Prov . G . Chap ., W . R . Massie Prov . G . Registrar , W . Cooke P . P . G . O . Prov . G . Secretary , Geo . Hill Prov . G . S . D ., James G . Lee

Prov . G . J . D ., H . A . Stynng Prov . Grand Superintendent of Works , E . J . Massie Prov . G . Dir . of Cere ., Charles Greenwood Prov . G . Sword-Bearer , R .. Hodgson as P . G . S . B ., G . F . Carr as Prov . G . Organist , Fred . Barber Prov . G . I . G ., William Ackroyd , G . H . Locking and

James Dewhirst Prov . G . Stewards , S . Barrand as Prov . G . Tyler , J . W . Monckman P . P . G . W ., Richard Nelson P . P . G . O ., H . S . Holdsworth P . P . G . R ., Thos . Robertshaw 58 , Henry Oxley 110 , Thomas Myers 111 , W . Flockton 111 , McGill 357 , and others . The Provincial Grand Master in acknowledging the salutations of the brethren said : —

It gives me great pleasure to meet the members of the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge in Leeds . This is the fifth time during the last ten years that we have met here , at the invitation of the Copley Lodge . Since we met at Sheffield we have added another to our list of West Yorkshire Lodges , the St . Chads , No . 374 , which is named

after tbe Saint to whom the Chnrch is dedicated , of which its esteemed Master is the Vicar . Assisted by my Provincial Grand Officers and Deputy Provincial Grand Master it was my privilege to consecrate the Lodge in February last , and toinstal our V . W . Brother the Eev . Dr . Smyth , Grand Chaplain of England , as its first Master .

I am sure it is very gratifying to ns aa Mark Masons to know that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has appointed our worthy Brother Grand Chaplain of England of the Craft for the ensuing year , thus enabling our honoured Brother to hold at the same time the office of Grand Chaplain of England both in Craft and Mark Masonry . I am sure I

am only re-echoing the wishes of all here when I offer him our hearty congratulations , and express the hope that it may please the G . A . O . T . U . to grant him health and strength long to enjoy the honours showered upon him . I may say that our Halifax brethren bave petitioned for an Ark Mariners' Lodge , to be attached

to their Mark Lodge , and that the Grand Master has grauted the petition . The Lodge will be consecrated by Brother C , F . Matier , on the 16 th May . We are on the eve of celebrating the completion of Her Majesty the Queen ' s fiftieth year as Sovereign of these realms , and I have thought it well to put upon the agenda for

this meeting a resolution of congratulation . As Englishmen and as Masons we have much to be thankful for . During Her Majesty ' s reign Freemasonry has made wonderful progress ; not only have our Lodges multiplied , but also our Charitable Institutions have made rapid strides . We have been free from the opposition that has

assailed our Order in other lands—whether it be the anathema of the Pope , whether it be the uprooting of the Landmarks as in France , or the persistent and ever recurring assaults as in America . Let our loyalty to our Sovereign and our Grand Master , to whom we owe so much , be shown by a consistent carrying out of the great principles of

the Order . I have recently received a letter from my Registrar , Bro . Redyard Massie P . M ., making two valuable suggestions , for which I thank him very sincerely . First he recommends that aa we have begun the quarterage system , we should require each Lodge to keep an Official Register , as in the Craft , wherein shall be entered

copies of the yearly returns of Master , Past Masters , and Officers ; and second , he recommends that when a brother seeks to join from another town whero there is a Mark Lodge inquiry shonld be made of such Lodge before ho is admitted . Those of us who have endeavoured to draw up the history , or obtain information about our

Lod ges in the past , have found how very useful copies of the lists of Members have proved . We cannot be too particular as to our records , and I heartily recommend tho Provincial Grand Registrar ' s sn ggestious for your adoption . May I , before I sit down , say a few words , which appeared very recently in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE

"~ words I am sure that ought to havo the most careful attention of every earnest Mark Mason . Speaking of Past Masters that Journal says : "A useful Past Master is one who is diligent in his attendance at Lodge , one who did not go through the chairs pro formd , but who was iu truth as well as in name—Master . His growth as a Mason

Mark Masonry. Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

continues until the day of his death . He is a teacher who ia always a learner . His education as a Mason he feels is never completed . . . . . The purely ornamental Past Master is one who loses uot his interest in the Lodge sufficiently to bo absent from it , but who when present is content ; to sit perfectly quiet ... He occupies his place

but does not fill it . He wears the title , but does not wear himself . " Brethren , Freemasonry ia an Institution founded upon and growing out of the necessities of men , as social , intellectual and religious beings . It has proved its capacity for adapting itself to these wants in all ages . Amid the rivalries and antagonisms of actual life there is a

longing of the soul for union and brotherly love , and for snob necessities as will satisfy the longings of our social nature . It is upon this principle that our Order is founded ; hence it cannot fail to exist . It must grow and prosper with the development of man ' s

better sentimeuts . It is not aggressive , it is not obtrusive , it makes no issues , it sets np no rivalries with other Institutions ; bat gathering up the ages it recognises the inner cravings of the soul and the universal brotherhood of man , forgetting all else in its devotion to hi 3 higher and better needs .

The acting D . P . G . M . also very feelingly acknowledged tbe salutations and warm approval that had been shown in his appointment in the Grand Lodge and the Grand Mark Lodge . On the roll of the Lodges being called the

whole of those in the Province were found to be represented . On the motion of the Provincial Grand Master the following address was adopted , with acclamation : —

May it please Your Majesty , —We , the members of the Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire , of Mark Master Masons of England and Vv ' ales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown , in Grand Lodge assembled , humbly crave permission to approach Your Majesty , and sincerely tender our loyal and dutiful congratulations on

the attainment of the 50 th year of Your Majesty ' s happy and prosperous reign . We most earnestly pray that it may please the Great Architect of the Universe long to spare Your Majesty to reign over your vast Empire , and to grant to all the various races of mankind , who gratefully enjoy Your Majesty's beneficent rule , continued happiness , prosperity , and peace . Leeds , 20 th April 1887 .

The V . W . Dr . Smyth then delivered the Lecture on Mark Masonry . On the motion of the Provincial Grand Registrar it was agreed that each Lodge in the Province be required to keep an Official Lodge Register , in which

should be copied the returns to the Grand and Provincial Grand Lodges , and also that when a brother seeks to become a member in another town than that in which he

resides inquiry should be made of the Mark Lodge in that town . An invitation from the Lodge at Barnsley , to hold the next Provincial Grand Lodge in that town , was accepted . The Provincial Grand Master said that at the

last Lodge he had had the pleasure of presenting to each Master of a Lodge a copy of the Book of Constitutions to lay upon the pedestal , he now had pleasure in supplementing

this gift by a copy of Provincial Grand Lodge Bye-Laws . Cordial thanks having been expressed for this gift , Lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to high tea .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

A QUARTERLY Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter will be held at Freemasons' Hall , London , on Wednesday , the 4 th day of May next , at six o ' clock in the evening .

BUSINESS . The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation . Installation of Principals , and Appointment and Investiture of Officers for the ensuing year . THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL PURPOSES .

To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committeo of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 19 th January to the 19 th April 1887 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows : — £ s d £ s d

Balance Grand Chap- \ Disbursements during ter - - 320 9 0 tho quarter - 2 u'l 12 0 . . . Unappropriated Balance - - 178 11 6 Accoent - 205 0 1 „ Unappropriated Subsequent Receipts- ill 17 0 Account- 207 2 7

£ 9-17 0 1 , £ 947 6 which balances are in the Bank of England , Western Brauch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following Petitions : — 1 st . From Companions Captain Hugh McLellau as Z ., Francis