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WE congratulate Bro . FRANK R ICHARDSON , P . G . D ., on his Richardson , safe return to England after a voyage round the world , underp . G . o . taken ( or the benefit 0 f his health . Bro . RICHARDSON ' S absence from home was necessarily a somewhat protracted one , but not only has he achieved the purpose of his journey ; he has likewise had many opportunities

of seeing for himself how our English Masonry comports itselt in the colonies , how hospitable the brethren are in welcoming visitors , and , above all , how great is the respect they entertain for the Grand Lodge which rules them

and its Grand Officers , both Present and Past , among whom our respected brother is by no means the least distinguished . He has had many a hearty welcome in our colonies and in foreign States , and it is meet that he should receive one equally cordial on his return home .

* * * IT seldom happens that a Masonic meeting takes place which A C Ma " onic '' " is so entirely representative of the cosmopolitan character of our Meeting . Society as that of the Constantine Council of Royal and

Select Masters , which was held in the Masonic Hall , Red Lion-square , on Saturday last . On this occasion all the five great sub-divisions of the earth —Europe , Asia , Africa , America , and Australasia—were represented . It

is fortunate , however , that the brethren who had thus come together from such distant and opposite directions were all English-speaking Masons , so that the ceremony of reception was not lost upon them . We congratulate the Council and its cosmopolitan friends on the day's success .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKS AND BUCKS .

By a happy and judicious arrangement , the annual gathering of the Berks and Bucks Freemasons in the Jubilee year was held in the Royal borough of Windsor , on Monday , while the handsome decorations were still intact , and her Majesty wasstili engaged in receiving and entertaining a portion of the distinguished visitors who had come to England to participate in the rejoicings . Although the festivities of the previous week had involved

a heavy call upon the time of most of the leading inhabitants of the various towns in the two counties , the Masonic lodges sent a good number of officers and brethren to the Provincial Grand Lodge , which was opened at the Albert Institute , Sheet-street , by the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., assisted by the V . W . Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . the Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , P . G . C . ; Bros . Stewart , Prov . S . G . W . ; H . Martin ,

Prov . J . G . W . ; the Revs . H . F . Oliver and R . F . Harnett , Prov . G . C . 's ; Chailes Stephens , Prov . G . Treasurer ; Doran Webb , Prov . G . Registrar ; Robert 'Bradley , Prov . G . Secretary ; Black well , Prov . G . Dir . of Cer . ; Arrowsm ' uh , Prov . Assistant G . Dir . of Cer . ; Apted , Prov . G . Swd . Br . ; F . Edginton , Prov . G . Org . ; Pocock , Prov . A . G . P . ; Major Taylor , Toitle , and Valentine ; and other Prov . G . Officers . The platform was filled by a large number of Past Prov . Grand Officers .

Before the business was proceeded with , the brethren rose at the call of the Prov . G . D . C , Bro . Blackwell , and accorded to the Prov . Grand Master and the Prov . Grand Officers the accustomed honours .

The PROV . GRAND SECRETARY then called over the list of the lodges in the province , when it appeared that the whole of them were represented . The minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Aylesbury last year , having been printed and circulated among the brethren throughout the province , were taken as read , and were duly confirmed and signed .

The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER explained that it had been intended to adopt an address to her Majesty the Queen ; but it had since been ascertained that it was the wish of Grand Lodge that the address adopted at the great meeting held in the Albert Hall on the 13 th inst . should embod y the loyal sentiments of the whole of the Masonic lodges , and thus avoid the necessity of a number of separate addresses being sent . Under these

circumstances , a resolution had been prepared to be entered upon the minutes , which he had the honour of proposing , as follows : "That this Provincial Grand Lodge records upon its minutes the expression of devoted loyalty to her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , who for 50 years has protected and advanced the interests of our Craft , and of every institution calculated to promote the welfare of her subjects . " ( Applause . )

Bro . the Rev . R . P . BENT , P . G . C , seconded the motion , which was adopted by acclamation . The financial statements were then presented . The general account showed that the total receipts for the past year amounted to ^ 226 6 s . id ., and that , after the usual disbuisements , there remained a balance in hand of

£ 106 9 s . 46 . The Charity Fund account showed that the total receipts were £ 136 12 s ., and that the balance in hand amounted to £ 26 7 s . Three cases had been brought forward by the Charity Committee during the past year , and in each instance the candidate had been elected .

The PROV . G . SECRETARY then presented his report of the lodges in the province , from which it appeared that the membership at the present time represented a total of 794 , including 199 Past Masters . During the past year 157 regular lodges had been held , 19 brethren had joined , and there had been 42 initiations .

The sum of £ 26 5 s . was voted out of the General Fund to the Charity Fund , and sums of ^ 10 10 s . and £ 2 5 s . respectively were voted to the various lodges contributing to the Charity Fund , these sums to be used for the benefit of the great Charitable Institutions connected with the Order . On the motion of the DEF . PROV . G . MASTER , seconded by Bro . DIXON , the brethren unanimousl y re-elected Bro . Charles Stephens to the office of Prov . G . Treasurer , and Bro . STEPHENS expressed his thanks for the honour again conferred upon him .

The Prov . Grand Master then appointed and invested the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year as follows : —

Bro . John Tomkins , 945 ... .,, ,., Prov . S . G . W . „ G . L . de Major Taylor , 1886 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . R . F . Harnett , S 40 ... ,,. ... ) r > r- i-i _ „ Rev . Henry Lewis , 945 ... ... j Prov . G . Chaps . ,, Charles Stephens . A id . ... ... ... Pmv f , TrMC

„ Robert Bradley . 414 ... ... ,,. Prov . G . Sec . „ Henry Daily Marshall , W . M . 771 ... ... Prov . S . G . D , „ George Tottle , 1501 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . ,, William Ravenscourt , 1101 ,,, ,,, Prov . G . S , of W .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

Bro . John Cheeseman , 178 7 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of C „ H . S . Harrington , 574 ... ... ,,, Prov . A . G . DC ' „ E . J . Shrewsbury , 1566 ... ... ,,. Prov . G . Swd Br „ Henry Perks , 209 ... ,,, , ) „ Thomas Slatter , 1770 ... .,. j Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, F . W . Summers , 771 ... ... Pmv . r , n- »

, „ J . R . H . Fowler , 591 ,,. ... ,,. Prov . Asst . G . Sec „ G . B . Valentine , J 639 ... ... ... p . G . Purst ' „ Sydney Payne , 1887 ¦• ¦ ¦•• ... ) „ Henry John Stollery , 209 ... ... ,., \ „ George Henry Charsley , 18 94 ... ... 1 riuv

„ C . H . Tench , 20 43 .., ... „ . f - u- oiwas . „ John Lyne , 1 4 .., ... ... j ,, Joseph Greenaway , 1101 ... 1 „ W . Hemmings ... ... ... Prov . G . T yler

The PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER then addressed the brethren , alluding to the gratifying circumstance of their annual gathering being held in the Jubilee year , under the very walls of Windsor Castle . Her Majesty knew lull well that among her loyal subjects none were more loyal , or more devoted to the Throne , than the great body of Freemasons , and it was a most gratifying spectacle which was presented in the Albert Hall a fortnight ago , when some 6000 Freemasons assembled to adopt an address of conm-atulal

lion to her Majesty . It was also very pleasing to see how nobl y and satisfactorily their Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , performed his duties on that memorable occasion . ( Applause . ) It was also most gratifying to the brethren of this province to see that the Grand Lodge ol England recog - nised the long and valuable services of their able Provincial Grand Sec retary ( Bro . Robert Bradley ) , by conferring upon him Past Grand Lod ge rank .

( Applause . ) They in that province had appreciated Bro . Bradley ' s services lor many years past , and he was sure they all entertained the hope that Bro . Bradley might be spared for many years to come to hold the office which he now filled so worthily . ( Applause . ) They were also pleased to see , on the same eventful occasion , that the Grand Master confei red honour upon their Senior Grand Warden , Bro . Stewart , whose zeal in the cause of Charity well known to them all

was . ( Applause . ) Referring to the progress made in this province during the past year , Sir Daniel said there had not been any great increase in the membership , but they had done good work in supporting the Charitable Institutions of the Order , and he hoped the brethren would make a point of sending in all their votes to the Charity Committee so that they might be utilised for deserving cases to the best possible advantage . ( Applause ) .

The following brethren were invested by the Provincial Grand Master with the Provincial Charity jewel , which is only presented to those who had acted as Stewards to two at least of the Masonic Charities ; Bros . H . J . Stollery , W . M . 209 ; R . C . Mount , P . M . 414 ; W . Fenton , J . D . 795 ; E , Margrett , P . M . IIOI J W . Ferguson , P . M . 1101 ; and H . Warden , 1566 .

'Ihe remaining business having been transacted , Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in due form . The banquet was held immediately afterwards , under the presidency of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , in the unavoidable absence of the Provincial Grand Master , the caterer being Mr . Darke , of the Castle Hotel .

The DEP . PROV . GRAND MASTER eloquently proposed the first toast' ¦ The Queen and the Craft , " which was drunk with great enthusiasm , as was also the next toast— "The Health of the M . W . G . M . of England , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ; " the Deputy Prov . G . Master remarking that those who were behind the sctr . es in Grand Lodge could testify to the value of the work performed by his Royal Highness the Grand Master ,

whose office was no sinecure , as every mailer ol importance was brought under his own cognisance , and received his own personal attention , ( Applause . ) The Grand Master evinced a k ? en interest in everything that concerned the welfare of the Craft , and they could only entertain the hope that his Royal Highness might long be spared to fill the office of Grand Master . ( Applause . )

The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER next proposed " The Health of the Most Worshiplul the Pro . Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Right Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; and the Grand Officers of England , Present and Past . " ( Applause . ) He offered

the congratulations of the brethren to Bro . Bradley , Bro . Stewart , Bro . Binckes , and Bro . Terry , on the well-deserved honour bestowed upon them by the Grand Master at the Albert Hall on the 13 th inst ., and coupled with the toast the names of Bro . the Rev . R . P . Bent and Bro . Stewart , who severally responded .

The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER then proposed " The Health ol the Right Worshipful the Prov . Grand Master , Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart , " observing that all the brethren present must feel excessively gratelul that at a time of great anxiety and great trouble , and accumulated business supervening from temporary absence , Sir Daniel should have found time to have presided over the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he was sure they must all

leel great regret that their Provincial Giand Master was not with them at the banquet , although he was no doubt wise in not over-taxing his strength , and in asking leave of absence from this part of the day ' s proceedings . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . the Rev . OLIVER GRACE , Past Grand Chaplain , then proposed , in eulogistic terms , "The Health of the Very Worshipful the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , the Past Deputy Prov . Grand Masters , and the Past Grand Officers of the Province . " ( Applause . )

The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER suitably returned thanks , and proposed " The Health of the Visitors , " remarking that they were honoured that day with the presence of two distinguished brothers , one being the Past District Grand Master of New York City ( Bro . Theodore H . Tilton ) , and the other the Lord Bishop of New Westminster ( Dr . Acton W . Sillitoe ) , Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of British

Columbia , but unfortunately the last-named brother had been compelled to leave to catch the train . He felt sure the Prov . Grand Lodge would accord to Bro . Tilton the enthusiastic welcome which his position and his Masonic qualities merited . ( Loud applause . ) Some present were probably unaware o ( the important position which Masonry occupied in the United States 0 t

America , there being no less than 48 Grand Lodges , all exercising separa and independent jurisdiction . In the Key State of the United ^ ^ ^ namely that of New York , Bro . Tilton occupied the rJosition corresponding with that held by the Prince of Wales in the Grand Lodge of Eng lano . ( Applause . ) It was very gratifying to them all , as Englishmen , to have rea of the enthusiasm shown by the citizens of the United States in connects