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IT has been known for some time past that Bro . Lord DE The Master P * G * TABLEY , who a few months since resigned the office of Prov . of Cheshire . ' ( 5 ranci Master of Cheshire , vvhich he had held with so much credit to himself , and so greatly to the advantage of the Craft , for the last

twenty years , would be succeeded by his worthy Deputy , Bro . Lord EGERTON of TATTON . The latter has now been officially notified of his appointment to the vacant post , and preparations have already begun for his installation . It is even rumoured that endeavours are being made to induce H . R . H . the GRAND MASTER to be present at , and conduct the important

ceremony . But whether these endeavours succeed or not , we must take leave to congratulate Cheshire on the selection His Royal Highness has been pleased to make of a successor to so distinguished and popular a ruler as Bro . Lord DE TABLEY . Lord EGERTON , as D . P . G . M ., is already well known to the lodges of the province , and he has had considerable

experince as a Provincial ruler in Mark Masonry . He is esteemed and respected wherever he is known , and vve are confident that under his auspices Cheshire will continue as successfully in the path of progress as it did under those of his predecessor . We have no difficulty in anticipating that the gathering on the occasion ol his lordship's induction into office will be worthy both of the Province and its new Provincial Grand Master .

* * * IT is always in very questionable taste for a journal to attack A Critic a Society of whose interior management it has little or no knowledge . The Echo , in noticing that the capital of our Fund of Benevolence has been reduced during the past four years from £ 50 , 000 ,

to £ 41 , 000 is sceptical as to the cause assigned for that reduction being the right one , and charitably hints that our lodges do not contribute as much now as they did formerly . "It may be , " writes our contemporary , "that the reduced fund and the reduced revenue which accompanies it , are due to other causes " than " the increased aid given to the needy . " The

Echo is right to this extent , that it is the increased number of applicants which have mainly brought about the reduction . But it continues , " One would like to know what the contributions of lodges are now compared with a few years ago , " and it adds , " Many lodges consume nearly the whole of their revenue in feasting , and allow Charity to shift for

itself . " To this we reply that our lodge contributions or quarterages to the Fund of Benevolence remain the same as they vvere " a fewyears ago " and long previously to that ; and that lodges are quite right in spending their income as they please . But it is a paltry inuendo to suggest that a Society , which for several years past has raised over £ 40 , 000 a year , by voluntary

contributions , for its three Institutions , irrespective of the between £ 9000 and £ 10 , 000 annually disbursed by its Fund of Benevolence , allows Charity " to shift for itself . " All our lodges and members may not do their duty to its fullest extent but the Society , as a whole , tries to make its practice

harmonise with its professions , and the world at large—if not the Echo—considers it has not wholly failed in its attempt . The least we have a right to expect under the circumstances , is that Freemasonry shall not be held up to obloquy , because some of its members fall short of their duty .

* * * OUR remarks respecting the confirmation of minutes , and the Confirmation . , , , ., ,. , , P ., ¦ ¦ .. of right to reconsider or negative the votes of the preceding meet-Minutes . j ng . f i 0 (] geSj have been called in question by Bro . BELLEW We based our observations on the custom of Grand Lodge , so lucidly

explained by the President of the Board of General Purposes ( Bro . THOMAS FENN ) . The final decision of the Grand Lodge as to certain grants was agreed to be deferred on ist December , 1847 , and the votes in question of two sums of money were negatived on March ist , 1848 , though carried earlier in the previous year . On September 7 th , 1870 , an amendment to

non-confirm a portion of the minutes vvas duly proposed , seconded , and voted on , and , though not successful , the right to negative was , of course , admitted by the vote being taken by the Grand Lodge . Others might be given ; but these instances will suffice to establish our position . The mild illustration offered by Bro . BELLEW should be extended , if worth anything ,

to the declaration that the members of a lodge , so long as there is no bylaw to the contrary , may vote away , there and then , the whole of the available funds to some object ( worthy or unworthy ) , even if only a few brethren are present ! so that , according to this view , at thenext meeting , with a large number of members in attendance , they are powerless to reverse the decision

of a small minority , whose vote was taken at a sparsely attended assembly . Surely , in the light of the Grand Lodge usage , no brother would justify the Master of a lodge refusing to put an amendment to negative such a vote of money . At all events , we feel assured that if Bro . BELLEW , or any other brother , declined to put such a proposition of non-confirmation , the Grand

Lodge , on an appeal , would utter no uncertain sound on the subject . For the welfare of the Craft generally , it seems to us very far from desirable that the members present at any particular lodge should have the irrevocable power to dispose of the funds as they may think fit , or to do aught else of a possibly injurious character , that cannot be reconsidered and set aside

by the brethren at the next meeting . To maintain that " no lodge proceedings , except those specially reserved , are subject to review by a subsequent meeting , " is to open the door to grave abuses , which would be entirely prevented by the usage of Grand Lodge being followed by individual lodges .

* * * Death from * ' s a sat * story which was recorded in the morning Cold ami papers of Monday as to the body of a Bro . HUTTON

"' ' "• having been found dead under a furze-bush on Plumstead Common . A certificate in the deceased ' s pocket testified to the fact of his having been a member of Union Waterloo Lodge , No . 13 , Woolwich , and from the evidence of his brother , THOMAS HUTTON , who was present at

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the inquest and identified the body , it seems the poor fellow , vvho had been both Secretary and Warden of . his lodge , had latterly been in poor circumstances and that for some weeks his friends had seen nothing of him . It was , no doubt , from a feeling of pride that Bro . HUTTON had held himself aloof from the associates of his more fortunate days , but the feeling had ,

unfortunately , been allowed to prevail too far . Had he but given a hint of the terrible state of destitution he was in , vve are convinced his brother Masons would have assisted him readily , but they vvere denied the opportunity of fulfilling their duty , and novv he is beyond the reach of earthl y help and sympathy . We trust that in the hard times yet to come , there will be no repetition of this pitiable tale .

* # * Grand Lod e THE Grand Master of Maryland ( M . W . Bro . T . J . SHRYOCK ) of has kindly sent us an early copy of his address delivered re-Maryian . cently at a Communication of his Grand Lodge . He tells us "that almost coincident vvith the birth of the Republic was first instituted the

Grand Lodge of Maryland . " From 178 7 to now , that Body has held some 200 semi-annual Communications , and in May , 1887 , the Centennial Celebrations are to be held under most distinguished auspices . The Grand Master considers that this great Celebration should be " of such a nature as not only to reflect credit upon our institution but to bring

together as large a number of Blue Lodge Masons as was ever gathered in one place . " It would seem as if our esteemed brother ' s most sanguine expectations are to be realized , for even for this preliminary assembl y ( so to speak ) , there was no room in the Masonic Temple of sufficient proportions to accommodate the brethren , and a still larger Hall had to be

selected elsewhere . We trust that as there are sure to be invitations sent to this country that one or more of our representative brethren vvill be able to attend in honour of the occasion , and to duly convey the good wishes of the "Mother Grand Lodge" to one of her most flourishing and happy

offspring . The Historian of Maryland ( Bro . SCHULTZ ) has published vol . 2 of his great work , thus completing his labours for the period 1783-1840 . It is intended to bring the History down to 1887 , if the support of the fraternity is equal to the strain , which vve trust it will be , as Bro . SCHULTZ has done his work well , and deserves the hearty support of his Grand Lodge .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Derbyshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DERBYSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire was held on Monday , the 13 th ult ., at the Masonic Hall , Gower-street . The attendance was exceptionally large , every lodge in the province being substantially represented . When the Prov . G . Lodge had been opened , the beautiful hall was quite full in every part , and presented a singularly bright and animated appearance . The Provincial Grand Master , Bro . the Marquis

of Hartington , M . P ., vvas not present , but his distinguished and indefati ggable Deputy , the R . W . Bro . Haughton Charles Okeover , P . J . G . W . of England , was at his post , and presided over the business of the P . G . Lodge with his accustomed geniality and tact . The D . P . G . Master took his seat at three o ' clock , and was supported by an influential company of visitors , and Past and Present Provincial Grand Officers . Bro . F . Campion ,

P . P . S . G . W ., acted as Dep . P . G . M ., and amongst those present we noticed Bros . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., R . W . P . G . M . of Middlesex ; G . T . Wright , P . S . G . W .: W . L . Ball , P . J . G . W . j the Rev . Herbert Price , P . G . Chap . ; Thomas Cox , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Treasurer ; Wm . Naylor , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Secretary ; S . Robinson , P . S . G . D . ; C . D . Hart , P . J . G . D . ; Percy Wallis , P . O . D . C ; Wm . Barnes , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . Silver Hall , P . G . A . Sec . ; Vernon Greenhough , P . G . Purst .: John

Smith , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . H . Marsden , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . B . Coulson , P . P . S . G . W . ; Henry Hitlam , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . Walters , P . P . S . G . W . ; Frederick Binckes , P . G . Steward England ; John Chadwick , P . G . Sec . East Lane . ; W . Boden , P . P . I . G . W . W . Whittaker , P . P . G . Reg . ; E . R . Ward , P . P . G . Reg . ; J . Bland , P . P . J . G . D . ; the Rev . Thomas Orel ! , P . P . G . Chap . ; S . Steele , P . P . G . Purst ; J . Worsnop , P . P . G . Purst ., * J . H . Richardson , P . P . A . G . Sec ; W . L . Dodd , P . P . G . Org . ; E . Thompson

P . P . G . Org . ; Edgar Home , W . M . 731 ; W . J . Piper , W . M . 802 ; J . Webb , W . M . 353 ; H . Pollard , W . M . 506 ; W . Swire , W . M . 625 ; Watkin Davis , W . M . 681 ; E . J . H . Hoskyns , W . M . 7 S 7 ; J . Cholerton , W . M . 1739 ; W . J . Allen , W . M . 1739 ; D . Upton , VV . M . 1324 ; j . E . Harrison , W . M . 1235 ; J . Heathcote , W . M . 1952 ; A . J . Waller , P . M . ; J . Copestick , P . M . ; P . R . Littleton , P . M . ; J . Holmes , P . M . ; K . Greenhough , P . M . ; and a great many others .

After the transaction of formal business , the W . M . ' s of the various lodges in the province presented their reports , all of which gave evidence of activity and prosperity . Bro . H . HILLAM submitted the report of the Masonic Hall Committee , vvhich mentioned that divers plans were under consideration for enlarging

the building and rendering it adapted to the requirements of the various Degrees of Freemasonry , and vvhich made reference to a particularl y generous offer on the part of the Rose Croix Chapter to assist in the work of extension and improvement . It was also stated that the demand of the Committee for increased rents had been received in the most liberal spirit by every lodge and chapter meeting in the building .

Bro . J . B . COULSON announced that the official report of the audit of the Prov . Grand Lodge accounts was , unfortunately , not forthcoming ; but he knew sufficient about their financial affairs to be able to say that they were in a fairly satisfactory condition . Bro . G . T . WRIGHT , Chairman of the Charity Committee , " reported that

they had had no candidate , for admission into the Schools of late , but they would shortly present a deserving case for the assistance of the brethren . He added that the great demands upon their voting power last year were rapidly being made up . Incidentally Bro . Wright pressed upon the sympathetic consideration of the brethren the duty of extending an increased support to the Benevolent Institution .

Bro . NAYLOR , P . G . Sec , presented the report of the Bye-law Committee , which recommended several alterations and improvements . It was recommended that the proposed changes should be printed and circulated amongst the brethren , with a view to their consideration upon a future occasion .

On the motion of Bro . F . CAMPION , seconded by Bro . J SMITH , Bro . Thomas Cox vvas re-elected Prov . Grand Treasurer unanimously and amidst applause . Bro . Cox , in acknowledging the compliment , thanked the brethren for electing him a member of the Prov . Grand Lodge for the twenty-second time . ( Cheers . )