Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

of the brethren would be to him a labour of love . The other Officers were then invested , as follows : —

Bro . Thomas Hnmphrevs W . M . 1437 ... S . W . G . H . Pinoh I . P . M " . 2005 J . W . Andrew Durrant P . M . 276 ... Treasurer "R . Shedd P . M . 27 fi ... ... Registrar

T . J . Balling P . G . A . D . C . England } Secret P . M . and Secretary 51 ... ) J G . R . Dawson I . P . M . 1000 ... S . D . H . King W . M . 1280 J . D . J . E . Horn W . M . 1457 ... ... Snperintendent of Works A . Lucking P . G . P . England P . M . and J Director f Cereinon ; eg Secretary 1000 ... ... )

W . M . Foxcroft W . M . 2063 ... Assistant Dir . of Cer . J . R . J . Lightowlers I . P . M . 1817 ... Sword Bearer a 0 . Potter LP M . 1343 . ... J ^^ Bearera William Groom Treasnrer 050 ... > T . W . Noble Organist 1543 ... Organist R . H . Scott P . M . 1799 ... ... Assistant Secretary

J . Poller W . M . 1312 ... ... Pursuivant R . J . Warren P . M . 1437 ... ... Assistant Pursuivant H . Finer W . M . 1799 E . J . Acworth Treasnrer 2077 OTLewis WM 2184 1

.. .. CT ¦ ' ' u nir ' iiofr '" '" Stewards Burronghes P . M . 1437 ... ... - Beeson P . M . 1437 G . B . Gilbey J . D . 1437 T . S . Sarel 276 ... ' ... ... Tyler

On the motion of Bro . White , seconded by Bro . Salmon , it was resolved thafc Bro . G . H . Finch I . P . M . 2005 , Prov . G . J . W ., be elected a member of the Charity Committee , in the room of Bro . H . E . Dehane P . P . G . S . D ., who retired

by rotation . Testimony was borne to the highly valuable services rendered by Bro . Dehane to the Committee , and a hope was expressed thafc those services might be in some

way retained , even though by the laws it was provided that the Committee must be represented by a Grand Officer for the year . Bro . Finch returned thanks for his appointment .

The Provincial Grand Treasurer proposed thafc the sum of ten guineas be given to the funds of each of the three Masonic Charities . Of this ten guineas would come from the Prov . Charity Fund , and twenty guineas from the

Prov . Grand Lodge Fund . In reply to fcho Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Dnrranfc paid the finances of the Province would allow of these grants . Tho motion was seconded by Bro . Clever Prov . Grand Standard Bearer ; and Bro . F . A .

White P . P . G . R . hoped Prov . Grand Lodge would allow of these sums being placed on the lists of tho Stewards of the Liberty of Havering Lodgo , under whose banner they had met . The resolution was carried unanimously .

On the motion of Bro . Turner , seconded by Bro . Clowes , ifc was resolved that five guineas be given to the United Railway Officers' nnd Servants' Benevolent Association , of which the Earl of Lathom was one of the trustees .

Bro . White proposed , and Bro . Manning seconded , thafc ten guineas be voted to the funds of the Royal Cottage Hospital , which i . s being erected in commemoration of the Jubilee year . This was also agreed to .

The Prov . Grand Treasurer asked for , and received , the sanction of Prov . Grand Lodce thafc fifteen guineas should be granted from the funds towards the expenses of the day .

A vote ot thanks was , on the motion of Bro . John Corbie , accorded to the Charity Committee for fchcir services during tho pasfc year ; and the vote was duly acknowledged by Bro . Frederick Wood . The Prov . Grand Master trusted the announcement he

had to make would be satisfactory , namely that it was proposed to hold tho next Prov . Grand Lodge at Colchester . He looked back wifch very agreeable feelings to the last . time he was there in connection with Freemasonry , when

they did him the honour of supporting him when lie was installed as their Prov . Grand Master . At the same time thafc reminiscence wns tinged with sadness , inasmuch as His Royal Highness the Duke ol' Albany , who installed

him , was no longer amongst them . He felt sure , however , they would agree with him thafc in going to Colchester they were taking a , place which was of greafc importance in tho connty , and that ifc would be acceptable to all members of Prov . Grand Lode-e .

Business being concluded , Prov . Grand Lodge was closed in due form with solemn prayer . The banquet was held in the Corn Exchange , u-fu ' eh was prettily decorated for the occasion with shields , trophies of flags , & c . and

festooned curtains of white lace . Over th * Chairman ' s seat waa a draping of colours , red , white and bine , embroidered with white lace , surmounted by a fan of flags , with the Square and Compasses underneath , bearing tho number of the Libei tv of llavcriin' Lndire . An

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

excellent and well-served repast was mnch enjoyed , the arrangements of the Committee being in every respect admirable . In proposing the Qneen and tho Craft , the Prov . Grand Master said ifc wonld certainly be odd if , this year of all others , they did not receive the health of Her Majesty with the greatest enthusiasm .

No one wonld gainsay that there never waa a wi » er Sovereign than Her Majesty , who had the hononr of reigning for fifty years over one of the most powerful empires ever known in the world . They were all most pleased to have tho opportunity of testifying their loyalty to the Throne as Freemasons . Speaking of the M . W . Grand Master ,

and repeating what he had said in Lodge as to the Albert Hall Gathering , he said the result of that meeting , adding more than £ 6 , 000 to the funds of the Masonic Charitiea must have been eminently satis , factory to H . R . H . as well as to all who listened to him . The next toast was thafc of the Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master

and the rest of the Grand Officers Present and Pasfc . They had had the honour of receiving the Earl of Carnavon in Essex , when he installed his ( the speaker ' s ) lamented predecessor . The Earl of Lathom

had also been in the connty , where he was much appreciated . His Lordship again referred to the honour conferred upon the Prov . Grand Secretary , and said no ono conld be mora worthily selected for distinction than Bro . Kallincr . Bro . tho Rev . Thos . Cochrane P . G . C .

responded , and spoke in felicitous terms of the number of Pasfc Grand Officers who wero present on tho occasion when Romford had tho honour of welcoming Prov . Grand Lodge .

Tho Deputy Prov . Graud Master , assuming tho gavel , said by the emblem of authority entrusted to him they would know his rising meant that be waa abont to propose a toast which would be received with the utmost enthusiasm . It was the health of their

esteemed Prov . Grand Master , Lord Brooke , and if the eloquence of a Demosthenes were at his command he could not say too much as to the appreciation in which his Lordship was held by the brethren over whom ho so well presided . Lord Brooke had spoken in terms which they all appreciated of the manner in which the M . W . G . M .

ruled over the destinies of the Craffc in England ; and he ( the speaker ) might say that every word the noble Lord had spoken respecting the Princo of Wales applied equally to himself in the Province of Essex . He watched over thera with care , presided over them with judgment ; said what he had to

tell them with directness and precision , nnd was not afraid to give them ad vice whieh struck straight homo to their hearts and minds . Lord Brooke thoroughly merited their confidence , which he was sure all the brethren accorded to him in no grudging or reserved manner . During his reign over tho Province of Essex their numbers had

increased and their Lodges multiplied , even in times of unexampled depression . They had not only bold their own , but a little more , and their progress might bo said to be thoroughly assured . If this result had nob boon attained by "leaps and bounds , " it was none the less to bo valued because it had beon more steady , and gave assurance

that tho foundations so deeply and deliberately laid down would be abiding and permanent . They had nofc been nnmindfnl of one great cardinal principle of their Ord ° r , for no Province with the same number of Lodges , the same number of brethren or material resources , had done moro for Masonic Charity than Essex had done . They

might indeed be proud that Essex had a record to show such as ho had endeavoured to point out . Ho would not detain thorn longer , but must refer fco the reception given to their Prov . Grand Master only lasfc week , in tho adjacent Province of Herts . Although there was nothing in tho world warmer than an Essex welcome , yet they

gave his Lordship a most hearty reception ; and the Prov . Grand Master of Herts himself gavo utterance to the sentiment that a ! 'hough hia heart was in Herts ' , yet if he were severed from fchafc Province he knew of nowhere ho shonld like to go so well as Essex , ft was gratifying to them to know thafc those whom they respected

and esteemed were held in such high estimation elsewhere . They owed a debt of gratitute to the M . W . G . M . for having selected Lord Brooke to preside over thafc Province . Many present would remember fcho wot day fchey had afc Colchester when he was installed , bufc

they all felt brighter days svere in store for them , and the promise had borno fruition . Long might his Lordship live to preside over a happy , contented , and prosperous Province , and enjoy , as he did now , tho best wishes of every brother in ifc .

Lord Brooke , who was received with greafc cheering , said it was very difficult to return thanks in appropriate terms , so as to do justice to the way in which they had received the toast of his health on thitf occasion . He was sure he yielded to no man in true Masonic feeling of tbe deepest and fullest nature towards them all , bat he

was afraid he must yield in one thing to his Deputy , and that was the eloquence which he had so ably cultivated in the past , and which he wa ~ i able , when occasion required , to pour forth upon fchem all . He felfc cntii ly overwhelmed with the oloqnence of which he had beon tho object ou this occasion , and with the hearty reception which

they had accorded him , as they always did when ho bad the pleasure of meeting them . He felt most fully tho responsibility and importance of presiding over so distinguished a Province as that of Essex . He had heard ifc paid by those outside their Province how much Essex vvas looked up to and esteemed by other Provinces in its immediate

neighbourhood . When they came forward and supported him so loyally at the Festival of tho Girls' School in London , it was an object of nniveival admiration and commendation amongst Freemason ? . Ho bad ventured thafc day in Grand Lodgo to allude fco the manner in which he thought thev might conduct their Masonic

business in tho Province . Ifc was nofc for him to dilate further upon matter ;; of that description , but there was a small point , albeifc an important one , for which he must p lead their forgiveness for nofc having called their attention . Thafc was , they ought to have g iven thoir hearty than ! : ;; to the magistrates and others who had so kindly

aff . irdod them tho opportunity of holding their meeting in fcho Court House . Ho asked them to give instructions to the Prov . Grand Secretary to convey those thanks , and to record fchem on the minntes of Prov . Grand Lodge . He had said that day they had tho hononr during the past year of seeing two new Lodges added to the Prov'iuoe .