Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

effect . They were assisted by Mr . G .. VV . Robson , a very fine tenor , and Mr . W . Butcher ( bass ) . An excellent and appropriate sermon was delivered by the Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . G . HODGES , from the text rst Chronicles xxii .,

2 verse . ' On returning to the lodge room the D . P . G . M . proposed a vote of thanks to the Prov . Grand Chaplain for his eloquent and appropriate sermon . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Half Moon Hotel , where an admirably served banquet was partaken of . The D . P . G . M . presided , and proposed the customary loyal and Masonic toasts .

Bros . Dr . SEDGWICK and HAMON LE STRANGE responded on behalf of " The Grand Officers . " The . D . P . G . M ., in eulogistic terms , proposed " The Health of the Prov . Grand Master , the Right Hon . Lord Henniker . " Bro . General CECIL IVES proposed "The V . W . D . P . G . M ., Bro . the Rev . C- J . Martyn , " a toast which was received with the greatest possible enthusiasm .

Bro . the Rev , C . J . MARTYN , in response , referred to the great kindness he had always received from the brethren in Suffolk , and although he felt that he was unable now that he was living some 200 miles from the province to discharge his duties as satisfactorily as he should like to , as circumstances mig ht render it necessary that he should hold the office for some little time he should be happy to be at their service as long as he possibly could . In conclusion , he proposed " The Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past . "

Bro . R . B . WRIGHTSON , P . J . G . W ., responded for the Present Officers , and Bro . N . TRACY , P . P . J . G . W ., and Bro . Gen . CECIL IVES , P . P . S . G . W ., for the Past Officers . Bro . C . H . VINCENT proposed "The Masonic Charities , " for which Bro . A . T . GRIMWADE responded in an admirable and practical speech .

The D . P . G . M . proposed "The Visiting Brethren , " for whom Bros . HAMON LE STRANGE , Colonel HERBERT , and the Rev . J . G . POWELL responded . Bro . HAMON LE STRANGE proposed "The W . M . and the Secretary of the Royal Clarence Lodge , " and referred to the great exertions Bro . Stokoe had made to ensure the success of the meeting .

Bro . BARDWELL , in response , said as soon as it was known that the Provincial Grand Lodge would meet at Clare the Royal Clarence Lodge determined to g ive the brethren a right hearty welcome . Bro . T . STOKOE also responded , and acknowledged the indebtedness of the lodge to Bro . Col . Herbert , who had kindly lent them the whole of the drapery and carpets for the lodge room . ' The remaining toasts were " The Worshipful Masters of Lodges in the Province , " and the Tyler ' s toast .

Consecration Of The Clarence Lodge, No. 2462, At West Hartlepool.

CONSECRATION OF THE CLARENCE LODGE , No . 2462 , AT WEST HARTLEPOOL .

On Tuesday , the 25 th ult ., there was a large gathering of brethren at the new Masonic buildings in Hart-road , West Hartlepool , to assist at the interesting , important , and impressive function of consecrating a new lodge . Thc brethren of the Hartlepools thought there was a necessity for another lodge , and therefore it was that a number of them petitioned H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales , K . G ., Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , for a

foundation charter , the petitioners including , amongst others , Bro . F " . H . Bennett ( St . Helen and Stranton Lodges ) , W . M . designate ; Bro . R . W . Simpson ( Stranton Lodge ) , I . P . M . designate ; Bro . John Suggitt , S . W . designate ; Bro . John Wood , J . W . designate ; and several other brethren . The petition was endorsed by the Stranton Lodge , and a charter was granted by his Royal Highness the Most Worshipful Grand Master . The ceremony ,

which was performed by Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Prov . Grand Master of Durham , was the consummation , then , of the wishes of Bro . Bennett , his petitioning coadjutors , and other local brethren . It was fitting that thc new lodge should be housed in a new and more commodious building than the brethren of West Hartlepool have hitherto occupied . The progress which thc Craft is making in West Hartlepool

emboldened the brethren , almost a twelvemonth ago , to venture on thc erection of a new building which would more adequately serve the prime purpose of Freemasonry , and also , in a subsidiary sense , serve their social purposes . These desires have been well achieved , for a very handsome building has been erected by a company of brethren on a good site at thc junction of Hart-road and Laudcr-street . The edifice has been designed and carried out with every regard to Masonic requirements , and will be

extremely convenient to the brethren in supplying them with commodious lodge and club rooms . The building is well and tastefully furnished , and the lodge room furniture , with insignia , & c , given by generous brethren of the Craft , are of a particularly handsome character . At the head of the day ' s ceremonial , of course , was Sir Hedworth Williamson , P . G . M ., than whom no one takes a more abiding interest in Freemasonry , who is held in the highest esteem amongst the brethren . The other Prov . Grand Officers present were :

Bros , the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . Prov . G . M . ; B . Boulton . Acting D . P . G . M . ; Hill Drury , S . W . ; W . R . Staveley , J . W . ; Rev . V . ' . Gore-Browne and Rev Alfred Boot , Chaps . ; R . Hudson , Sec . ; C . J . Seamen , S . D . ; J . W . Chater , J . D . ; D .. Cameron , J . D . ; S . Wilkinson , Supt . of Wks . ; Thomas Dunn , D . C . ; W . Barlow , D . D . C . ; T . Banks , A . D . C . ; W . C . Barron , S . B . ; W . Richardson , Std . Br . ; J . R . Pattison , Asst . Sec ; G . B . Hall , Purst . ; T . Grieve , Tyler ; . Mark Scott , P . P . J . G . W . North and East Yorkshire ; S . Read , and G . W . Hudson .

The following Past Provincial Grand Officers of Durham were also on the dais : Bros . J . VV . Cameron , Cecil F " . de Pledge , Edward Hudson , J . H . Jackson , Metcalfe , Tate , Carter , Mayson , J . C . Moor , J . Stonehouse , M . Harrison , A . Farmer , Nixey , and others . Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram was unavoidably unable to be present at the earlier part of thc ceremony , and his p lace was taken by Bro . B . Boulton .

There was a large assemblage of Past Masters and Master Masons from . all parts of the province , a number from thc North and East Yorkshire and Northumberland Provinces , and a few brethren , sojourners in the town , from more distant lodges .

Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , the P . G . M . being saluted in Masonic form . Then proceeded the ceremony of consecration , which occu-. pied some considerable time , being ably done by the Acting Provincial Grand Officers , and was of a most impressive character , music finel y rendered by the choir lending additional imprcssiveness to the occasion .

Consecration Of The Clarence Lodge, No. 2462, At West Hartlepool.

After the ceremony of consecration , Bro . C . D . Hill Drury , P . S . G . W . ably installed Bro . F . H . Bennett , P . P . J . G . D ., in the chair of K . S . as the first W . M . of the Clarence Lodge . Bro . Bennett then appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . R . W . Simpson , P . P . J . G . D ., I . P . M .-J . Suggitt , S . W . ; John Wood , J . W ,. ; W . P . Oldfield , Treas . ; T McCarthy , Sec . ; John Wiley , S . D . ; T . W . Stockal , J . D . ; A . H . Phelps , I . G . ; and J . T . Garth and W . G . Passman , Stwds .

On the motion of the W ORSHIPFUL MASTER , the . Prov . Grand Master and the Deputy Prov . Grand Master were elected first hon . members of the new lodge . The PROV . GRAND MASTER congratulated the brethren on the

foundation of the lodge , and expressed his great satisfaction at the manner in which the solemn ceremony of consecration had been carried out . The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER referred to his old connection with Freemasonry in the Hartlepools , and the pleasure it gave him to notice this further extension of the Craft .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER expressed his thanks to those brethren who ( like himself , it may be mentioned ) had given furniture , insignia , and ornaments to the lodge . The lodge was then closed , and subsequently a largely-attended banquet was held in the dining hall .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Northumberland And Durham.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was held on Monday , the 31 st ult ., in the Masonic Hall , West Hartlepool . The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., presided , and was supported by—Bros . R . B . Reed , P . G . S . B . England , D . P . G . M . ; C . F . Matier , P . G . W . England , G . Sec . ; Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., W . M . 346 , J . G . W . England ;

A . B . Cook , P . G . M . Middlesex ; C . D . Hill Drury , P . S . G . W . ; Hans B . Olsen , P . J . G . W . ; C . S . Lane , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . D . England ; Rev . Canon Kynaston , P . G . C . England ; T . Purvis , P . G . T ., P . G . D . England ; J . D . Todd , P . G . M . O . ; J . Heppell , P . S . G . O . ; H . Lamb , P . G . R . of M . ; C . B . Ford , P . G . Sec ; W . Richardson , P . S . G . D ., acting , P . G . D . C ; E . Hudson , P . P . S . G . W . ; F . S .

Cowper , P . G . Std . Br . ; J . H . Bentham , P . G . S . B . ; Jacob Barker , P . G . O . ; R . Wilson , Dr . S . Gourley , R . B . Harpley , Thomas Bell , J . Sinclair , W . Davidson , John S . B . Bell , G . Carter , J . C . Moor , W . M . Lyon , R . S . Benson , Rev . R . Coulton , W . Atkinson , J . W . Woodall , P . P . G . M . North and East Yorkshire ; and other P . P . G . Officers .

The P . G . M ., Bro . the Rev . Canon TRISTRAM , in addressing thc Prov . Grand Lodge , commented upon the steady and prosperous growth of Mark Masonry in the province . He subsequently expressed his pleasure at reappointing Bro . R . B . Reed as his Deputy , and the great honour it gave him to appoint Bro . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., as Senior Grand Warden of the year . He was greatly p leased that Sir Matthew had done them the honour to attend on that occasion amid his very many public and other duties .

The Committee of General Purposes recommended that next year , on the completion of 21 years' service as P . G . M . by Bro . the Rey . Canon Tristram , the annual meeting should be held at Newcastle , a recommendation thc P . G . M . had pleasure in complying with . The following were appointed the other Provincial Grand Officers for the year :

Bro . J . S . B . Bell ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ ) . Newby-Taylor ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . ,, J . A . Armstrong ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ T . F . Pearce ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . ,, Rev . A . F . Sim ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ T . Purvis ( re-elected ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ George Robson ... ... ... Prov . G . R . of M . ,, C . B . Ford ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ,, F . S . Cowper ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ C . E . Moore ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . ,, Thomas Dunning ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ S . Bousfield ... ... ... ... Prov . G . I . of W . „ T . R . Short ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ W . Barlow ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ J . E . R . Hurworth ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ S . M . Harris ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G . „ J . Appleyard ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

Bros . J . S . Bell , F . S . Cordcr , C . S . Lane , and W . Brown were appointed the Committee of General Purposes , and Bros . Seymour Bell and J . C Moor were appointed Auditors . The meeting afterwards terminated , and in the evening the banquet was held at the Royal Hotel , under the presidency of Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D .

Freemasonry And The Army.

FREEMASONRY AND THE ARMY .

The connection between the Army and Freemasonry has been a long ami close one , a relationshi p honourable in every respect . The first record wc have of a soldier Mason , apart , of course , from the Knight Templars , is found in thc diary of Elias Ashmole , in which the entries extend from the year 16 33 to 1687 , and curiously enough this is the very earliest printed record ( the diary was printed in 1717 ) there is of the existence of Speculative Masonry . Thc entry above referred to runs as follows and is dated 1646 :

" October 16 , 4 hours 30 minutes post merid . I was made a Freemason at Warrington in Lancashire , with Colonel Henry Mainwaring of Karticbani in Cheshire . " We have to come to thc last century before we have undoubted record oj a soldier Mason . This was a Captain Joseph Elliot , who was the lirst Gran " Warden of the first Grand Lodge of England , in 1717 , Mr . Anthony Saycr being the first Grand Master .

in 1729 a dispensation was granted to Captain Ralph Farwinter >' lS Prov . G . M . of East India in Bengal . He returned to lingland in ' 73 ' and we find him attending Grand Lodge as Prov . G . M . of India . After this date soldiers came fast and thick . It is not long before «' c find thc interest thc Army took in F ' rcemasonry by the formation of rcf ! ' " mental and military lodges , but even before this we find them carrying l " English system of Freemasonry abroad . The first lodge warranted out of England was founded and met at t' , e