Freemasonry In 1896.

on resigning the office of Treasurer to the Kennington Lodge , and in May the friends of Bro . J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . I , for Boys , who had been honoured with Past rank in Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , met together and presented him with his

Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter clothing , and there being a balance over and above the amount paid for these , it was placed at the disposal of Mrs . McLeod , in order that she might purchase for herself a souvenir of the occasion . The following month

Bro . Sir W . N . Abdy , Bart ., P . G . D ., received an address of congratulation on his elevation to Past Grand Office in Grand Lodge and a Past Master's jewel from the members of the Easterford Lodge , No . 2342 , Kelvedon , for whom he has done

so much , while in August Bro . Rev . W . C Hubbard , G . Chap , of New York , who was visiting this country in order to present , on behalf of the Masons of Rochester , N . Y ., a processional cross to the Cathedral of Rochester , received at the hands of Bro . the Dean of the said Cathedral an address of welcome from the

lodges located in the venerable city on the river Medway . Many other brethren have been similarly honoured , and had we space at our command we should gladly enumerate them all , but there is one which stands out most conspicuously , and which , therefore , cannot be passed over unnoticed . We allude to the

testimonial presented to Bro . Henry Smith , Past G . D . England , and till recently the Dep . Prov . G . M . of West Yorkshire , whose services to that Province have extended over many years , and it is almost needless to say have been of the greatest importance in strengthening and extending its interests . On its becoming

known that Bro . Smith intended to resign the office of Deputy , a Committee was formed for the purpose of raising a testimonial that should be worthy of him and of the Province he had served so long and faithfully . Accordingly , at the annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , which was held at

Doncaster , on the 22 nd April , Bro . the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., after announcing that in accordance with Bro . Smith ' s wishes a sum of 200 guineas had been allocated to each of the three Masonic Charitablelnstitutions for the purpose of endowing the chair of DP . G . M . in perpetuity , handed Bro . Smith an

illuminated address , a gold chronometer , and a barometer , together with a cheque for the balance of £ 43 remaining over and above after defraying the cost of the endowment and personal gifts . In doing this the Prov . G . Master laid great stress on the value of the services which his late Deputy had rendered , while Bro .

Smith , in acknowledging the honout that had been done , announced that he had devoted the surplus of the Testimonial Fund to the purchase of a set of silver-gilt consecrating vessels , which , in his turn , he tendered to Provincial Grand Lodge and which he trusted the brethren would honour him by accepting .

The gift was at once acknowledged by the Prov . G . Master , and this part of the duties which had been set down on the agenda was brought to a conclusion . It should be added that all the

lodges—then 77 in number—took part in the subscription , and that their contributions were swelled by those of the Royal Arch chapters , Knight Templar preceptories , and individual brethren , the total received falling very little short of £ 800 .

Among the remaining incidents in Craft Masonry which deserve a place in this summary are the annual general meeting , at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the month of March , of the National Masonic Veterans' Association ; a ball given by the Woodgrange Lodge , No . 2409 , in Stratford Town Hall , in aid of the

West Ham Hospital ; the annual Festivals , in February and March respectively , of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement and the Woking Emulation Lodge of Improvement , the Chairman at the former being Bro . Lord Skelmersdale , P . G . Warden , and at the latter Bro . Richard Eve , Past G . Treasurer ; lectures

by Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., in the Lodge of Research , at Leicester , at Gateshead , and elsewhere , on questions connected with the early rise and development of Freemasonry and the the Old Charges or Constitutional Rolls , and by Bro . Henry Sadler , G . Tyler and Sub-Librarian of Grand Lodge , in the Israel Lodge of Instruction , on " Operative and Speculative

Masonry ; " the appointment of Bro . C R . N . Beswicke-Royds , Past G . D ., to be Dep . P . G . M . East Lancashire ; the visit of the Moira Lodge , No . 92 , to St . Paul ' s Cathedral ; the presentation of a new banner to the Rose of ltaby Lodge .

No . 1650 , Staindrop ; the initiation of a West African Prince in the Empress Lodge , No . 2581 ; and the various entertainments to the poor given by our lodges at Cleckheaton ,

Weston-super-Mare , & c . Last , but not least , may be mentioned the entertainment at dinner in Middle Temple Hall of the Chancery Bar Lodge , No . 2456 , by Bro . Sir Gainsford Bruce , J . G . W ., W . M ., and the members of the Northern Bar Lodge , No . 1610 .

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY .

It would certainly appear that our foreboding of last year has turned out lobe true as to the new law by which the

qualifying period for the exaltation of a Master Mason was reduced from 12 months to one month , having proved a failure . At all events , whatever may have been its effect in strengthening the membership of existing chapters , it clearly has done somewhere about less than nothing as regards the number of applications for

warrants . In 18 94 , there were granted warrants for 22 new chapters , namely , for six in London , nine in the Provinces , and seven Abroad . Last year only 17 were granted , namely , for two in London , II in the Provinces , and four Abroad . This year the number has been still further reduced to 16 , and of these six

are located in London , eight in the Provinces , and two Abroad . As a set off against these additions , we find that in two cases the warrants have been returned , while in a third , a chapter which has not met for some years has been called upon to show cause why its name should not be removed from the roll . The

London six are the Eccentric , No . 2488 , which was consecrated by the G . Scribe E . on the 18 th February , with Comp . W . E . Chapman as first M . E . Z . ; the Chapter of Fellowship , No . 2535 , consecrated by the same officer on the 30 th March , with Comp . W . H . Bailey to preside over it as First Principal during the

first 12 months ; the Southern Star Chapter , No . 1158 , which started on its career on the 27 th April under the auspices of Comp . Block , M . E . Z . ; the St . John at Hackney Chapter , No . 2511 ; the Earl of Zetland Chapter , No . 1364 ; and the Military Chapter , No . 2621 . Of the eight located in the Provinces , two

have been p laced on the roll of the Prov . G . Chapter of Kent , namely , the Chapter of Sympathy , No . 483 , Gravesend , and the Alfred Wootton , No . 127 , at Margate . Both these were ushered into existence by Comp . Earl Amherst , G . Superintendent , the former on the Sth June , with Comp . W . Russell , P . Prov . G . J ., to

preside over it as M . E . Z ., and the latter on the 4 th November under the auspices of the companion from whom it takes its name—Comp . Alfred Wootton , P . Prov . G . J . One has been added to the roll of West Yorkshire , namely , the White Rose of York , No . 2491 , which , in the absence of the G . Superintendent ,

Comp . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., was consecrated by Comp . Ensor Drury , P . Prov . G . H ., and placed in charge of Comp . John Hunt as its premier First Principal . The Prov . G . Chapter of Buckinghamshire , which is exceedingly fortunate in having so energetic a Mason as Comp . the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg to preside over

it as G . Superintendent , has acquired two , namely , the Studholme Brownrigg , No . 2421 , located at Amersham , and having Comp . T . H . Roberts for its first M . E . Z ., and the Wycombe Chapter , No . 1501 , High Wycombe , with Comp . J . Bliss as First Principal . Both these were consecrated by the G . Superintendent in

person , the former on the nth April and the latter on the 9 th July , the day appointed for the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Chapter . The remaining chapters are Hope , No . 574 , Newbury , in the Province of Berkshire ; Truth , No . 1458 , Manchester , at which the role of Consecrating Officer was filled by Comp . Le

Gendre N . Starkie , G . Supt . for E . Lanes ., and of which Comp . Buckley Carr is the first M . E . Z , ; and St . Augustine ' s Chapter , No . 1941 , Rugeley , in the Province of Staffordshire . The new chapters Abroad are the Mount Everest , No . 2429 , Darjeeling , in the District of Bengal ; . and the Tyrian , No . 1628 , at

Bundeberg , in the District of Queensland . Of the proceedings of Supreme G . Chapter there is rarely , if ever , a long account to give . In February , a sum of £ 50 was voted to the Boys' School Scholarship Fund . In May , when the new Grand Officers were appointed and invested , it was announced that Comp . Earl

Amherst , G . Superintendent , had succeeded Comp . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe as Grand H ., and that Comp . Robert Grev having intimated a desire no longer to retain the office of President of the Committee of General Purposes , Comg . Sir George D . Harris had been appointed in his stead . Moreover , in

commemoration of his Royal Highness , the Grand Z ., having held that office for 21 years , 21 companions had conferred upon them the distinction of Past G . Officers . At the August convocation a well-deserved compliment was paid to Comp . Robert Grey , on the recommendation of the Committee of General Purposes , which

at their meeting on the 28 th May , had unanimously agreed to a resolution expressive of their regret at his retirement from the office of President , and tendering him their most hearty and sincere thanks for the very courteous and dignified manner in which he had presided over them for the lengthy period of 10

years ; at the same time assuring him that he carried with him into his retirement " their highest esteem and most sincere friendship . " The Committee further expressed a desire that their resolution should be engrossed and illuminated on vellum and presented , together with an appropriate jewel , to Comp .

Grey . The recommendation of the Committee was at once and unanimously adopted , and Comp . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., the presiding Grand Z ., presented the jewel to Comp . Grey , accompanying the presentation with a few complimentary remarks , a id at the same time declaring that it afforded him