Provincial Grand Lodge Of Buckinghamshire.

Bro . H . P . HARRIS , Prov . S . G . W ., responding for " The Provincial Grand Officers , " expressed their best thanks . Those who had received the honour of Provincial rank owed a special debt of gratitude , and all would do their best to secure for the province large meeting ¦ and every success . Bro . J . STEPHENS . Prov . J . G . W ., also responded , and said he could not but be deeply sensible of the second honour conferred upon him in the

province in so short a period . Evidently his i fforls in the cause of Chirity oig . nisalions had had some lillie to do with it , and had given satisfaction . They had been told by their b hved Deputy Prov . G M . that the province was progressing by Waps and bound * . Hi wished he could say the fact also applied to the Masonic Charity Committee . He had been recently told

that Berkshire had again beaten them , and such was unfortunately the case , for they had recently arq ihcd in the person of their esteemed Bro . Kejser a tower of str < nglh in regard to the Masonic Institutions . He hoped the Province cf Bicks would take heed of the remarks made in Provincial Grand Lodge , and combine , for unity was strength , and they would make themselves felt as a tower of strength .

"The Health of B o . Passmore Edwards having been given by the PROV . GRAND MASTER , the DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed " The Grenville Lodge , " to which Bros . MITCHELL and Bennett replied . " The Provincial Grand Treasurer and Secretary" was acknowledged by Bros . TAYLOR and BOWEN , and the Prov . Grand Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MIDDLESEX .

PRESENTATION TO BRO . H . H . ROOM , G . S . B ., PROV . GRAND SECRETARY .

The annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Middlesex was held at the Town Hall , Harrow , on the 27 th ult ., under the presidency of the Prcv . Grand Master , Bro . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., and was attended by over 200 brethren .

The brethren present included Bros . Raymond H . Thrupp , P . A . G . D . C , Deputy P . G . M . ; T . Fenn , P . P . B-wd of General Purposes ; W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas . ; Sir Trueman Wood , J . Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I . ; Horton Smith , Q . C , D . G . Reg . ; Rev . P . Henderson Aitken , Prov . G . Chap . ; Rev . S . T . H . Saunders , P . P . G . Chap . ; R . J . Jacobs ,

Prov . G . Treas . ; Howard H . Room , P . G S . B , Prov . G . Sec . ; H . Sipsworth , Prov . G . S . B . ; W . H . Lee , P . P . G . D . ; G . R . Langley , P . P . G . D . ; J . H . Gaskin , P . P . D . G . D . C ; Dr . A . E . Sinsom , P . P . G . W . ; Dr . Garson , W . Vincent , P . P . G . D . C ; A . H . Scurrah , P . P . G . S . of W . ; Dr . J . Beret ford Ry ley , P . P . G . D . ; and many others .

Prov . Grand Lodge was opened , the minutes confirmed , and the Audit report , showing a balance of ^ 171 in hand , was received and adopted . On the motion of the PROV . GRAND MASTER , a cordial vote of thanks was accorded the Prov . Grand Treasurer , Bro . Jacobs , and was duly acknowledged .

The report of the Charity Committee , which was ncxt adopted , showed that three applications for relief were assisted with grants amounting to £ _ o . Four candidates had been elected to the various Masonic Institutions , the number of votes polled amounting to 13 , 748 . The PROV . G RAND SECRETARY said it would not be right to let that

matter pass without saying that these results cjuld not have been achieved but for the assistance of the special Secretary for elections—Bro . G . Langley , P . P . G . D . —who had done so much by getting votes outside the province . He should be sorry for the day to arrive *« h * 2 n cases were brought forward in Middlesex for election , and Bro . Langley ' s assistance was required elsewhere .

The PROV . G . MASTER moved a hearty vote of thanks to Bro . Langley , and the D EPUTY PROV . G . MASTER , in seconding the resolution , which was carried unanimously , said their success at elections was undoubtedly due to Bro . Langley , whose courtesy enabled him to induce the brethren to send in their votes . It was a proud thing to know the province had been able to carry every case on the first application .

Bto . G . R . LANGLEY , P . P . G . D ., returned thanks and said he was as pleased as any brother in the province at their success , and trusted they would all assist the provincial cases in order lhat they should not fall back on the recoid achieved . A letter was read from Bro . Col . Blunt , Treasurer of the Elthorne and

Middlesex Lodge , which was some time ago moved outside the boundary of the province , offering a donation of five guineas to the Charity Fund and an annual subsetipiion of £ 1 is ., to show the interest the members still took in their old piovince . This was heartily accepted and acknowledged by a vote of thanks .

Bro . G . R . LANGLEY , P . P . G . D ., in proposing Bro . A . Blenkarn , P . M ., fo- eleclion as Prov . G . Treasurer , said that brother was a founder and first J . W . ' of the Bushey Park Lodge , No . 2381 , and was now a P . M . and Tieasurer , a P . M . of two London lodges , P . Z . and Treasurer of a chapter and Prov . G . Treasurer in the Royal Arch , Vice-President of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Insiitution , Life Governor of both Schools , and had served on the Board of General Purposes for five years .

Bro . Dr . SANSOM , P . P . G . W ., seconded the nomination , which was unanimously agreed to . In re-appointing Bro . Raymond H . Thrupp , P . A . G . D . C , as Deputy Prov . G . M ., the PROV . G . MASTER referred to his invaluable services in the province for so many years past . The following Provincial Grand Officers were appointed and invested :

Bro . Guy G . Replon , 770 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . ,, E R . Bartley Denniss , 2548 , 1460 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ,. Rev . S . T . H . Saunders ... ... ) Pr „„ n r . Rev . C . V . P . Keene j Prov * G * Cha P *

,, Arthur Blenkarn , 23 S 1 ... ... ... rrov . O . 1 rcas . „ Edwaid Swain , 1293 ... ... ... Piov . G . Reg . ,, Howard H . Room ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . M Wohlgemuth , 946 > Prov . S . G . D * . „ C . J . Davison , 1897 ... ... ... J

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

Bio . R . C Read , 1309 ... ... •¦ . ') r > T / - r . „ W . W . Lee , 2 i 8 r , 1897-. j Prov . J . G . Ds . ,, G . J . Thomas , 1194 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of VV . „ C . G . Hatt ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D , C ,, Trios . Thomson , 1597 ... ... ... Dep . Prov . G . D . C . „ C . E . Talbot , 1310 ... ... ... "" 1 „ D . Hart Davis , 1423 ... ... ... [ Prov . A . G . D . Cs . „ W . Middleweek , 1793 ... ... ... ) f

,, Captain , rry , 1503 ... ... ... Frov . G . S . B . ,, Major Weatherall , 1 549 ... ... * > p „ _ „ E . J . Everdell ... ... j I rov . Lr . bid . Brs . ,, Swinford Smith ... ... ... Prov . G . O . g . „ W . W . Lee , 2381 , 1 S 97 ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ R . M . Surridge , 204 S ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ ] . W . Clarke , 1512 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ Ral ph D . M . Littler , Q . C , P . D . G . Reg . ... "" ) ,, Col . Thornton ... ... ... j .. E . Hislon ... ... ... ... ! „ .

i , H . H . Chatterton j-rrov . U . btwds . „ H . W . Smyth ... ... ... 1 ,, T . Sheppard ... ... ... I „ J . Gilbert ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . Past rank was conferred on the following brethren : Bros . Sir William Howard Russell , Past P . S . G . W . ; Dr . J . G . Garson , Past P . J . G . W . ; Capt . Seyton Scott , Past P . S . G . D . ; and A . G . Fleming , Part P . Dep . G . D . C

The PROV . G . MASTER then said he had a very pleasant and interesting duty to perform , which , for reasons they all understood , was not on the agenda paper . Last year it was a great gratification to them when Bro . Room , their Prov . Grand Secretary , was appointed an officer of Grand Lodge . There were many brethren who were desirous of availing themselves of that opportunity of presenting to him some testimonial , the original idea

being that it should take the form 01 Grand Lodge clothing , but , although the subscriptions were limited , the sum obtained was very far in excess of the amount necessary . After consultation , they came to the conclusion that the balance could not be better invested than in the purchase of a 6 o-guinea valch . He ( the Prov . G . M . ) need not refer to the work Bro . Room had done , for he had held the office of Prov . Grand Secretary for upwards of

eight years , and each successive year their good opinion was raised and their estimation increased . It was not merely that Bro . Roam was most zealous and arduous in the discharge of his duty , but he combined authority wilh urbanity to as great an extent as anybody he ( the Prov . G . M . ) ever met . Bro . Room was also an excellent administrator , and his work had tended to the efficiency of the province . To give two instances , it was

mainly due to Bro . Room that the Charity Organisation was started , and he had also provided a most useful Masonic calendar , which was of great utility . They asked Bro . Room to accept their gift as a token of their sincere regard and admiration for him , with an earnest hope that for many years to come he would remain one of the pillars of F ' reemasonry in the Province of Middlesex *

Bro . HOWARD H . ROOM , P . G . Std . Br ., Prov . G . Sec , said he need hardly tell them it was with" thegreatest feelings of gratitude that he accepted the gift , the value of which was enhanced immensely by the kind sympathy of the Prov . Grand Master . He ventured to think the practice of presenting Grand Lodge clothing , although an exceedingly kind one , was becoming a severe tax upon the brethren , especially this year , when 21

additional officers were appointed . Last year , when he heard he was appointed to Grand Office , he took certain steps in lodges and chaplers to prevent anything being done in that respect , but when he heard the Deputy Prov . Grand Master had been kind enough to suggest to the brethren that this was an opportunity for marking their appreciation , he felt it would be ungracious and ungrateful to take any further steps to prevent it . He was

not going to repeat the stereotyped expression and say he did not think he deserved it . In the first place , it smacked a little of hypocrisy , and , secondly , it rather slighted the wisdom and excellent judgment of those who were good enough to think it desirable to make the presentation . He was very much surprised at the large dimensions ( o which the presentation had grown . It would have been impossible for him to have gained their approbation without the assistance he had received from the Prov . G . M ., Deputy

Prov . G . M ., Bros . Lee and Langley , and the Secretaries of all the lodges . He thanked all the brethren most sincerely for this expression of their approval . When he was appointed Prov . Grand Secretary hc made two resolutionsfirst , lhat he would do everything in order , and secondly , that he would never do anything calculated to disturb love and harmony . From his heart he thanked them one and all for their handsome present and their kind appreciation of his services , and the generous disposition always evinced towards him .

Bro . J . TERRY , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I ., presented the Prov . G . M ., on beh If of the Committee of the ' Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , with a handsomely-illuminated volume containing a resolution recently passed , thanking him for his kindness in presiding at tha Festival in February , when ^ 3726 was raised in the Province of Middlesex . The PROV . GRAND MASTER , in accepting the book , said his family would treasure it for years to come .

A sum of 15 guineas was voted to each of Ihe Masonic Institutions , and a donation of five guineaes towards the Boys' S ; hool Scholarship Fund . A letter was received from the Secretary to the Royal Masonic Institution for Bojs , stating that A . E . Bailey—who had been elected from that provincehad been retained at the School beyond the ordinary limit of age for the purpose of receiving higher education .

The roll of lodges was called , all being represented , and a vote of thanks was accorded the Herga Lodge for the use of furniture , and B ros . Bartley Dennis and Fisher for their assistance in the arrangements .. An oration was delivered by Bro . Rev . S . T . H . SAUNDERS , Prov . G . Chap ., and Prov . Grand Lodge was formally closed . A banquet was held at the Assembly Rooms adjsining the King ' s He id Hotel , and was followed by ihe usual toasts .

In giving " Ihe GranB Officers , " the PROV . GRAND MASTER said lh . it a great body such as Freemasonry could not exist without effective organisation , and they were well satisfied with the manner in which the alTiirs were conducted .

Bro . HORTON SMITH , Q . C , Dep . G . Reg ., said that , in rising torelurn thanks , he would detain them but a very few minutes . That toast -ft * - ** always well ric ived , expressive , as it was , of that kindly feeling and that respect for constituted authority , which was pre-eminently the characteriii ' *