The New Province Of Berkshire.

over which the Dukeof CLARENCE will doubtless be proud of presiding , and as Berkshire has on all possible occasions given evidence of its being imbued with the principles of Loyalty and Charity , which H . R . H . the M . W . G RAND MASTER has rightly

described as the watchwords of our Order , we shall doubtless find it continuing in the same course and doing its utmost to surpass its previous efforts to uphold and extend the interests of Freemasonry . . . « .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , when there was a very large attendance of the brethren . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . for Hants and the Isle of Wight , presided , in the unavoidable absence

of the M . W . G . M ., and Pro G . M ., and D . G . M . Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Prov . G . M . for Durham , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Bro . Thomas W . Tew , Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire , as Past Grand Master ; Bro . Lord Cremorne , P . S . G . W ., acted as S . G . W . ; Bro . Lord Alfred S . Churchill , J . G . W ., occupied the chair of J . G . W . ; and there was a large attendance ot bretnren .

Grand Lodge having been formally opened , the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of March 5 th and of the Grand Festival of April 30 th were read and confirmed . Bro . BEACH said he had great pleasure in announcing that the M . W . G . M . of Canada had done the brethren the honour of attending that Grand Lodge as a

visitor . The M . W . G . M . of Canada , Bro . Richard Walkem , Q . C , was then , under the direction of Bro . Sir Albert Woods ( . Garter ) , G . D . C , saluted as a Grand Master , according to ancient custom . Bro . RICHARD WALKEM , M . W . G . M . of Canada , then rose and said -. M . W .

Grand Master in the chair and Brethren , —Without desiring to occupy your very valuable time this evening , I feel that it would be very ungracious in me not to say a word or two , at any rate , for the honour you have done me this evening . It has been my very earnest desire since I was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada to have the opportunity of attending the mother Grand Lodge of England ,

and , in pursuance of that desire , it was that I proceeded here this evening , and that I in England for the first time am amongst you , because I am an entire stranger in England , for I was carried out of the country at two years of age . I have settled in the Province of Canada , and I may say I am thoroughly and outand-out a Canadian . At the same time , brethren , I cannot forget the tie , and the

remembrance of it will always be present to me . I acknowledge that , though in Canada , I am a son of a brother of this soil , and in pursuance of that idea and that thought it was that I determined , occupying the position of Grand Master of Canada , to come over and attend the Grand Lodge of England . Brethren , just a word before I sit down with regard to our brethren

in Canada . You , perhaps , are not all of you aware of the circumstances under which our Grand Lodge of Canada was formed . You will understand outside of England , Scotland , and Ireland , in all countries under the jurisdiction of the British Crown , what is called outside territory is regarded as common ground . Accordingly , Canada is considered common ground . In 1855 , when Grand Lodge

of Canada was formed , there were in existence in Canada lodges holding charters from England , Scotland , and Ireland . For reasons which I will not mention at the present time , but reasons which have been amply justified by the course of events since , they declared their independence in Canada , and accordingly , in 1855 , 41 lodges met in Ontario , and declared their independence and erected a

Grand Lodge of Canada , of which I am the Grand Master at the present time . The course they adopted was fully acquiesced in , I am happy to say , by the Grand Lodge of England , because their independence was acknowledged b y Grand Lodge under the Earl of Zetland in 1858 . Since that time we have expanded from 41 lodges , which constituted Grand Lodge of Canada in 18 55 , to

355 lodges , which was the number I presided over just a fortnight ago ; and out of a population of slightly over 2 , 000 , 000 , of which Ontario is composed , we have 20 , 000 Masons , of the best men and true in that province . You may have an idea of the enormous influence of 20 , 000 Masons—20 , 000 of the best men of the population of 2 , 000 , 000—exercise in the province of Ontario ; and I need hardly say , among those

who are Masons of Ontario , we have men who occupy the highest position . It has lately occurred to me to come over to England to Grand Lodge to see the brethren and the working of the mother Grand Lodge of the world , and compare it with the lodges of which our Grand Lodge is composed . Our Grand Lodge is composed of the best men in the country , and I find in England the lodges are

composed of the bone and sinew of the English nation . And , brethren , it is exactl y so in the United States ; and wherever Anglo-Saxon institutions obtain and flourish , there we find Masonry flourishes as well side by side , thus showing that the teaching and practice of Masonry are consonant with loyalty to our Queen and

tbe maintenance of civil and religious liberty . It is a great pleasure to me to visit you this evening . Our lodge meets in the month of July , and I shall have to hurry back to attend it ; but I assure you that to the last day of my life I shall esteem as a great honour the cordial way in which I have been received among you . ( Applause . )

Bro . BEACH then said : Brethren , —I have to announce to you that the Most Worshipful Grand Master has again appointed Bro . Thomas Fenn as President of the Board of General Purposes . ( Applause . )

Bro . Fenn advanced to the Throne for investiture , and Bro . BEACH said : Bro . Fenn , I have very great pleasure in investing you by placing this chain on your neck once more , and I am sure I can place it on no neck that is more worthy . ( Applause . )

The Scrutineers of votes for the election of the Board of General Purposes were then appointed and obligated , and the balloting papers were collected . The Scrutineers thereupon retired . Bro . BEACH announced that there would be no contest forthe Colonial Board ,

but that the members were Bros . Col . Frederick Gadsden , P . M . 434 , James Brett , P . M . 177 . Reginald St . A . Roumieu , P . M . 1537 , Albert Escott , P . M . 1539 , Capt . Thomas Charles Walls , P . M . 141 , John Speight Cumberland , P . M . 2128 , and Lennox Bowne , P . M . 2108 .

List of brethren nominated forthe Committee of Management for the Royal Masonic lkn-volent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons ; Bros . Stanley J . Attenborough , W . M . 234 8 , Charles Alex . Cottebrune ,

United Grand Lodge.

P . M . 733 , Hugh Cotter , P . M . 554 , Charles George Dilley , P . M . 1155 , Lieut .-Col . Alfred Durrant , P . M . 569 , Charles Kempton , P . M . 1287 , Alfred H . Tattershall , P . M . 140 , Isaac Dixon , P . M . 1567 , Robert Griggs , P . M . 228 , and William Henry Hubbert , P . M . 1625 . The confirmation of the following recommendations of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter was carried , on the motion of Bro . ROBERT GREY , seconded by Bro . HENRY GARROD :

A brother of the St . Michael's Lodge , No . 211 , London ... £ 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Corinthian Lodge , No . 120 S , Dover 75 o o The widow of a brother of the Lodge of Emulation , No . 299 , Dartford ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Lily Lodge of Richmond , No . S 20 , Richmond 100 o o A brother of the Zetland Lodge , No . 1005 , Gloucester ... 50 o o

Bro . Sir J B . MONCKTON next moved—That the sum of £ 500 be voted from the funds of Grand Lodge for the purpose of placing a stained glass window in the " Centenary Hall , " now in course of erection at the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , as a memorial of the auspicious occasion on which H . R . H . the M . W . Grand Master presided at the Centenary meeting of the Institution , at the Royal Albert Hall , on the 7 th June , 1 SS 8 , when H . M . the King of Sweden , Grand Master of Masonry in that country , honoured the meeting with his presence .

He said he felt that very few words need be said upon the subject . The brethren would remember the grand * occasion , two years ago , when , by their generosity , the finest collection that ever was made in the cause of Charity in this country was made for the Girls' School on its completing the hundredth year of its existence . The result might be looked upon as good in every respect . A large addition had been made to the number of children in the Institution , a larger accommodation

had been accomplished , and he was certain that when the brethren , from time to time , came to see it , they would approve of it . In the great hall that was being built were a number of windows , and instead of letting those windows be plain it had been determined that they should be memorials as far as possible . Various lodges—in fact , the lodges generally—had given them , and Grand Lodge of England had been invited to contribute to various panels . Lodges were to receive

votes in exchange . There would be armorial bearings , or what would represent armorial bearings , which mig ht be seen by all those who belonged to lodges which contributed to them . In some cases whole windows had been taken . The Province of Shropshire , the Supreme Council , which was only known b y hearsay in Grand Lodge , the Prince of Wales ' s Lodge , and the Studholme Lodge had windows . But there was a grand central window , which it was thought should be

given by Grand Lodge . It was not proposed that the money should come out of the Fund of Benevolence , but out of the ordinary work-a-day fund of Grand Lodge , and he thought all members of Grand Lodge would rejoice to see the memorial at the Girls' School , the grand Charity which had been amply supported by Grand Lodge ever since it had been established . He , therefore , moved the resolution with all cordiality and in all sincerity , and with these words he commended it to the notice of the brethren .

Bro . THOS . W . TEW , Prov . G . M . of W . Yorks , said that , with the Acting Grand Master ' s gracious permission , he asked to be allowed to second the motion . He did so on this ground that representing the large and important province of West Yorkshire , which was closely associated with many of the Northern provinces he might say that the question had been thoroughly discussed there , and they were entirely in favour of it . It would be a worthy memorial of a great occasion that this stained glass window should be put up to commemorate that occasion . The motion was carried nem . con .

The following report of the Board of General Purposes was taken as read , received , and ordered to be entered on the minutes .

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board have to report that their President , Bro . Thomas Fenn , has expressed a desire to present to Grand Lodge a valuable silver inkstand , formerl y the property of the late Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , to whom it had been presented in the year 1876 by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , on his completion of 30 years' service as Treasurer .

At his death he bequeathed it to Bro . Thomas Fenn , and it was used b y H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master , when signing the address from Grand Lodge to her Majesty the Queen at the great Jubilee meeting held in the Royal Albert Hall on the 13 th June , 1887 . Bro . Fenn feels that an article to which an historical Masonic interest is thus attached should become the property of Grand Lodge , to whom he , thereforenow

, offers it . To the report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 16 th day of May instant , showing a balance in the Bank of England ( Western Branch ) of £ 7 6 7 6 12 s . 4 6 . , and balance of annual allowance for library ^ 40 4 s . { id ., and

in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash ^ 100 , and for servants' wages £ 100 . ( Signed ) THOMAS FENN , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 20 th May , 1890 .

At the meeting of the Board held on Tuesday , the 20 th of May , after the ordinary business had been disposed of , the following resolution was passed , viz .: — " That the cordial thanks of the members of the Board of General Purposes be given to V . W . Bro . Thomas Fenn , the President , for the very able and courteous manner in which he has presided over the meetings of the Board during the past year . "

( Signed ) THOMAS HASTINGS MILLER , Vice-President . Bro . THOMAS HASTINGS MILLER said there was a paragraph in the report referring to a presentation made by the President of the Board to Grand Lodge . The presentation was of an inkstand which bore a Masonic value . The inkstand had been the property of the late Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , to whom it was presented , as mentioned in the notice of motion . He was sure he was only reiterat ' . ng the feeling of every member of Grand Lodge when he said the Grand Lodge would receive with grateful thanks the gift of Bro . Fenn .

Bro . ROBERT GREY said he had great pleasure in seconding the proposition . Bro . BEACH said , in putting the motion , that Grand Lodge most heartily accepted the munificent gift made to them . The motion was carried . Bro . THOMAS FENN said he had thought it right to present that inkstand to

Grand Lodge . It was presented to Bro . Hervey , one of the great instructors in Freemasonry in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , by the Earl of Carnarvon , on which occasion Sections were worked by Past Grand Officers , and their names were inscribed on the inkstand . Although it was bequeathed to him by the late Bro . Hervey , his very beloved friend , he was sure Bro . Hervey would not have wished it to have a better resting place than in Grand Lodge .

The following report of the Colonial Board was adopted on the motion of Col . Haldane . To the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Colonial Board have to report that they have had before them for the last two or three years numerous complaints from members of the Lodge La