Grand Mark Lodge.

During the three months ending 3 ist December , iSgr , there have been issued : — Mark certificates , 329 ; total number registered , 29 , 08 s . Warrants for new lodges , 2 viz . : — "' No . 43 S , Duncombe , Kingsbridge , Devon . „ 439 , Gloucester , Gloucester .

Royal Ark Mariner certificates , 56 ; total number registered , 3528 , and a warrant for the Abraham Lodge to be attached to the Aubrey Saunders Lodge , No . iofJ . The Right Worshipful Capt . S . G . Homfray , J . P ., has been re-appointed Provincial Grand Master for Monmouthshire for a further term of three years .

By command of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master , a Special Grand Lodge was held on 27 th January , 1892 , which was presided over by the Right Hon . the Earl of Euston , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , in the unavoidable absence of the M . W . Pro Grand Master , Most Hon . Marquess of Hertford , through serious indisposition . The lamented death of H . R . H . the Duke ot Clarence and

Avondale , K . G ., was alluded to in the most feeling manner by the Earl of Euston , Grand Master in the chair , and the following loyal and respectful votes of sympathy and condolence were unanimously passed to her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales , and to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., Most Worshipful Grand Master :

" To the Queen ' s Most Excellent Majesty . " May it please your Majesty , We , the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown , in Grand Lodge assembled , humbly beg to approach your Majesty , with the expression of our most sincere sympathy and deep grief at the loss which

your Majesty has sustained by the untimely death of our dearly beloved and much lamented brother his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , K . G . " During his connection with the Degree of Mark Master Mason his Royal Hig hness always took a most lively interest therein , and by his gracious and brotherly kindness had endeared himself to every member .

" We humbly pray that the Great Overseer of the Universe may bestow on your Majesty fortitude to support you in the hour of your affliction , and that He may vouchsafe to you a continuance of that health and strength which is so precious to all the loyal and faithful subjects of your Most Gracious Majesty . " ( Signed ) " HERTFORD , Pro G . M . " 27 th January , 1892 . " " C . F . MATIER , G . Sec . " To her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales .

May it please your Royal Highness , We , the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown , in Grand Lodge assembled , beg to express to your Royal Highness our profound sorrow at the great loss you have sustained by the untimely death of your beloved son , our much esteemed and greatly lamented brother , his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , K G .

" In this sad hour of your grief we humbly beg to offer you our most sincere condolence on that loss , which we , as Mark Master Masons , most deeply deplore , and ive pray that the Great Overseer of the Universe may support and comfort your Royal Highness in this , the time of your great affliction . " ( Signed ) " HERTFORD , Pro G . M .

27 th January , 1892 . " " C . F . MATIER , G . Sec . " To his Royal Highness Albert Edward , Prince of Wales , K . G ., & c , & c , & c , & c , Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown .

"We , the Pro Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , Grand Officers , and members , in Grand Lodge assembled , crave permission to approach your Royal Highness , with our heartfelt expression of the deepest sorrow at the untimely death of your Royal Highness ' s beloved son , the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , K . G ., Past Grand Warden , and our most sincere and loyal sympathy with your Royal Highness . We are deeply conscious of the great loss which the whole

nation has sustained in the premature removal from amongst us of one whose most earnest desire was to promote the welfare of his fellow men , and who ever took a lively interest in the Degree of Mark Master Mason . "We humbly pray that the Great Overseer of the Universe may soften this crushing blow to your Royal Highness , and that He may ever protect your Royal Hi ghness and the members of your Roval House .

" ( Signed ) " HERTFORD , Pro G . M . " EUSTON , Dep . G . M . 27 th January , 1892 . " < ' Q . F . MATIER , G . Sec . The Board having considered a serious irregularity in the Lawrence Lodge ^ O ' S ^ i Chorley , find that Bro . Joseph Hopkinson was installed at a lodge of emergency . andinconsequenceonlyservedumonthsinthechair . hissuccessorhaving been installed on the day appointed by the by-laws . The Board have directed that the lodge be fined two guineas , and recommend that Bro . Joseph Hopkinson » e confirmed in the rank and privileges of Past Master .

Bro . T . Ormiston having been installed in the Cumberland Lodge , No 60 ^ -arlisle . at a lodge of emergency , the Board have directed that such installation M cancelled , and that Bro . Ormiston be re-obligated and reinstalled at a reeular meeting . b

FUND OF BENEVOLENCE , f . r ^ ; ; Ommittee on Education have carefull y considered the annual reports m , , k r ? f ters and Mistresses of the schools at which the various pupils in t " . t , unda J re being educated , and have awarded the silver medal for proficiency in studies and general excellence to Grace Waugh Burns , educated at Girls ' > -ouegiate School . Cambridge House Newhuru z > nA ianm \* u c ..: u ~ „ J ... _ .. J ""¦¦

, * the Higher Board School , Halifax . » — •< "" - " »« -. ™" viz RT ° « , ., ~ elected withoul a P two candidates for the Annuity Fund Al » v J Vi ¦ Trebeck and Alexander Rowe , and have to report the death of exander Mole , who was the first annuitant elected on the Fund . Seven brethren and four widows are now in receipt of annuities .

Ihe Board have relieved the following cases : Bro . B . R ., No . 72 ... £ 20 0 0 Mrs . E . W . T ., widow of a brother of No . « 10 o o Bro , H . M . C , No . 6 b ... ... 5 ... ° ° ° ( Signed ) A . B . COOK , President ,

FRANK RICHARDSON , Vice-President , . C . FITZGERAI . D MATIER , Grand Secretary . the ill . "' , io' : of Bvo - Co 1 ' A . B . COOK , seconded bv Bro . BEKKUKJE , ' ( -commendation respecting Bro . Hopkinson was adopted . M . vt ™ . ' : „ T 7 . iraI \ , ARK » - » i then said : Most Worshi pful Grand 'iinketh , chair , and brethren , - | rise with a great deal of pleasure to meetinVr r ° ! l ° - wh , ch ' l uitc Sl" ' " acceptable to you all at this our Mrtiw ! - , F ° P 0 Se Ilis Hoy ' Highness the Prince of Wales as 1 * in thr . , ° !* P > l 9 rand Master for the ensuing year . It may perhaps * b ° attenH ^ r ° S 0 ? e of lhose ' Gra , 1 ( 1 ^ ge this evening , and ago , wh I ^ , tllc , f fe ular meeting of Grand Lodge some three months \? nL ,, ' J . "ad the honour of nominatinrr his Rnv .-il H ;« lmn ^ - -.=

alluded , 'P Graiul faster for the ensuing twelve months , that I then which wnr CV

Grand Mark Lodge.

illness , and secondly , the proposed union of his Royal Highness ' s eldest son , the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , with a beloved English Princess . That joy and that happiness , as 3-011 all know , have been turned into mourning , and Mark Masons , together with the whole nation , have mourned and continue to mourn with their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in the irreparable loss which they and we have sustained by the death

of the Duke of Clarence . But , brethren , it is unnecessary for me , I think , further to allude to this painful subject . We have already in Grand Lodge , in those feeling addresses which the Grand Secretary has just read to us , expressed our sympathy and condolence with his Royal Hi ghness in his great bereavement . In making this proposition that I am now about to submit to Grand Lodge , although it may seem only an act of formality , yet it is one

I feel which will require no words of mine to commend it to your favourable notice , but that it will meet with your hearty and unanimous reception . It would be unbecoming of me and quite unnecessary to dilate on his Royal Highness ' s sterling good qualities and the great interest he always takes in Freemasonry ; but perhaps I may illustrate what I say by reminding the brethren that only last week when we were celebrating the Jubilee Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution his Royal Hi ghness the Prince

of Wales , surrounded by his own family circle and in the midst of his great sorrow and grief , yet found time to think of his brethren and to send a telegram to convey to the meeting his heartiest good wishes for its success . ( Applause . ) This , I think , must , if it were necessary , be conclusive evidence of the interest his Royal Highness takes in the Craft . With these few words I beg to propose that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales be elected Most Worshipful Grand Mark Master Mason for the ensuing year .

Bro . ALFRED F . CHURCH , P . G . Steward : I have the great honour of seconding the proposition . The motion was carried unanimously , and Bro . Robert Berridge , G . D . C ., proclaimed H . RH . the Prince of Wales , & c , kc , & c , duly elected . Bro . GORDON MILLER , Grand Treasurer : I have very much p leasure in proposing the name of Bro . Sir Augustus Harris as Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . He is an old Mark Master , advanced

in the Old Kent Lodge , he has served the office of Grand Treasurer in the Craft Grand Lodge and in the Grand Chapter , and at the present time he holds the position of Master of the Grafton Mark Lodge , and has served many Stewardships for the Charities . I am sure that in proposing Sir Augustus Harris for the post of Grand Treasurer of the Mark Degree , I am proposing one who will do honour to the office . He is a thorough Mason in every respect , and I am sure he will give us every attention during his year of office .

Bro . Major CARRELL P . G . Stwd ., W . M . 431 , seconded the motion , which was carried unanimously . Grand Mark Lodge was then closed .

Records Of The Old Grand Lodge Of York.

RECORDS OF THE OLD GRAND LODGE OF YORK .

" Notes on the Old Grand Lodge of York , its records , " Sec , was the subject of a lecture delivered in the Masonic Hall , Duncombe-place , York , on Monday evening , the 15 th instant , by Bro . J . Todd , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., Treasurer . The W . M ., Bro . E . VV . Purncll , presided over a large audience , including his officers , as follows : Bros . J . Sampson , S . W . ; A . Jones ,

J . W . ; Rev . C . Lin ley , Chap . ; J . Todd , P . M ., Treas . ; C . Anderson , Sec ; M . Bryson , J . D . ; A . Sample , P . P . G . O ., Org . ; S . Gramshaw , I . G . ; A . Procter , D . C . ; W . N . Stimpson , Steward ; T . S . Brogden , I . P . M . ; S . Border , P . M ., P . P . G . R . ; A . Buckle , B . A ., P . M ., P . P . G . D . ;

G . Kirby , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . ; and H . Foster , P . M . Visitors : Bros . J . F . Watson , W . M . 566 ; H . B . Anderson , 6 yi , P . P . S . G . D . ; Mark Scott , 566 , P . P . J . G . W . ; J . Loam , J . W . 630 ; and \ V . Bean , 1611 . The minutes having been read and confirmed , the W . M . called on Bro . Todd to deliver his lecture , remarking that from the great knowledge of the lecturer , he anticipated they would carry away with them some interesting reminiscences of ancient Freemasonry .

THE OLD GRAND LODGE OF YORK AND ITS RECORDS , Sec . To brethren who first saw the light of Freemasonry in the ancient city of York , the records of the Grand Lodge of All England , which had its home in this city until the close of the last century , cannot fail to be of exceptional interest , inasmuch as the records relate chiefly to the history of the Craft in York , and its progress and vicissitudes in by-gone years , and the subject

is also one of general interest to members of the Fraternity . These records , along with many valuable relics which formerly belonged to this Grand Body , were handed by its surviving members to the York Lodge for safe custody , and other documents originally in the archives of the Grand Lodge have since , at various times , come into the possession of this lodge where they now remain .

Undoubtedly Freemasonry had an early existence in York which has been generally considered as the ancient seat of Freemasonry in this country , and it may be said with regard to this city that there is no place in England more instructive to the Masonic student as being the centre where the earliest meetings or assemblies of the Craft are said to have been held in this country , and a city which has attached to it a world-wide Masonic reputation .

As to the date when the old Grand Lodge of York first sprung into existence we have no absolute evidence , neither is it likely at this distance of time that any will now be forthcoming . There is , of course , the well-known tradition as to Prince Edwin having obtained a charter and convened all the Masons of the country to a general assembly at York , where it is said he made Masons and issued laws in the year 026 for the government of the

Craft , and although much doubt has in recent years been thrown upon the trustworthiness of this tradition ; it is a remarkable fact that all , or nearly all , the ancient Masonic Constitutions which have down to the present time been discovered in this country , some of them upwards of 300 years old , mention York as the place where the general assembly of Masons was held , and some of a very early date in Scotland also contain the same interesting statement .

Whether the York Grand Lodge was the outcome of the assemblies or meetings said to have been held in this city centuries ago or not , it will , I think , be admitted that long before the time of which Ve have any record , a lodge , society , or organisation of Masons existed here , and as evidence to some extent of this I produce an interesting relic , formerly belonging to the

Old Grand Lodge , in the shape of a mahogany rule or gauge , bearing the date 16 G 3 , and containing thereon the names " William Baron of Yorke , John Drake , and John Baron , " with Masonic emblems . 1 have not been able to trace the two brethren of the name of " Baron , " but as I had an impression that the John Drake whose name also appears on the gauge