Provincial Grand Lodge Of Buckinghamshire.

Bro . J . W . BURGESS , P . P . G . D ., proposed Bro . Hubbard , Prov . G . S . of W ., and said that North and South Bucks having supplied a P . G . Treasurer , he thought it was now the turn of Mid-Bucks . A ballot was then taken , and the Scrutineers retired to count the votes . The Prov . Grand Master appointed and invested the following Prov . G . Offi ers :

Bro . Carlile , M . P . ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . ,, J . Hattersley ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ,, Rev . F . G . Kiddle ... ... ... ) n „ n n , „ Ii C . E . Roberts j Prov . G . Chaps . ,, Beachcroft ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

,, J . E . Bowen ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ,, Hambling ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ A . E . Billing ... ... ... Prov . j . G . D . „ E . I .. Berry ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . Wks . ,, Attwood ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Le Gros ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . ,, Reader ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B .

» Cajladine ... - ] Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, Pulman ... ... ... ... J ,, Hobbs ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ E . W . Hattersley ... * ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, Hobson ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst .

„ Ball ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G : Purst . „ Sherwin ... ... ... ,.. ^ | „ Fry ... ... ... ... | " ^ , \ ••• - - L Prov . G . Stwds . ,, Priichard ... ,, Holland ,, Batley

The PROV . G . MASTER announced that Bro . Hubbard had secured 46 votes for Prov . G . Treasurer and Bro . Simcox 30 votes , and invested the former with lhe collar of the office . Bro . HUISBARO , Prov . G . Treas ., returned thanks for his election , and said he hoped to give satisfaction to the province .

The Audit Committee was re-elected , and Charity jewels and bars were presented lo those entitled , including Bros . Stephens , Sherwin , J . J , Thomas , R . B . Wright , Simcox , and Taylor . The DEP . PROV . G . MASTER referred to the appointment of the Prov

G . Sec , Bro . Bowen , as a Past Grand Officer , and proposed that the fulldress clothing should be presented to him in token of his arduous and successful labours in bringing the province to its present state . Amongst the Jubilee honours conferred none would bs more deserved or more generally welcomed .

Bro . J . W . BURGESS , P . P . G . D ., seconded the proposition , which was unanimously carried . Bro . J . V .. BOWEN , P . A . G . D . C , Prov . G . Sec , in returning thinks , said he had been Prov , G . Sec . for six years , and had not expected to be honoured with the Grand Lodge honours . The circumstances surrounding Ihe presentation enhanced the pleasure of receiving it .

Letters of regret for non-attendance were announced from Bros . Lewis Morgan , P . G . D . , * Viscount Dungarvan , Prov . G . M . Somerset ; Vassar Smith , P . GD . , * Earl Carrington , I . L . Wilkinson , and J . Martin , P A . G . D . C .

Bro . J . STEPHENS , Dep . G . D . C , referred to the fact that Bucks as a province had done very little for the Masonic Charities , and as there was a balance in hand of ^ 140 , and the Centenary Festival of the Boys' School would take place before their next meeting , he proposed that a sum of 20 guineas should be voted .

Bro . J . J . THOMAS , P . G . S . B ., seconded the motion , which was unanimously carried . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . A barquet was subsequently held under the pi osidency of the Provincial Grand Master .

lhe first toasts proposed by the P . G . M . were " The Ojeen and the Craft " and " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . " " In giving " The Grand Officers , " the P . G . M . referred to the presence of Bro , Keyser , P . G . D ., who had a claim upon all their hearts for his unbounded Charity .

Bro . C . E . KEYSER , P . G . D ., said the Prov . Grand Master had set an example of brevity , and he would not trespass on that excellent rule . It would not be necessary to dilate upon the excellent qualities of the Pro Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master , both of whom were so well known . O . ie of his most pleasant duties in responding to the rest of the Grand Officers was to remind the little Province of Bucks that the roll of

Grand Ollicers had been increased by four in the present year . There were Bros . J . J . Thomas and Jas . Stephens , both pattern Masons , who had done good working in the Craft and the Charities . There wa ; al ; o Bro . II . N . Price—who was not present that day—and last , but certainly not least , thc Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . Bowen , whose Masonic virtues must be measured by his personal stature . No appointment was more popular than

that of Bro . Bowen to Jubilee Grand honours , whilst in the sister Province of Berks the sime might be said of Bro . ] . W . Martin , thc Prov . Grand Secretary . When Bucks and Berks were separated there were grave doubts expressed as to whether they could stand alone , but there were hardly any provinces which could compare more favourably . He returned thanks for the kind way in which the toast had been p- * opised and received . Bro . Rev . I . S . BROWNRIGG , Dep . Prov . G . M ., then rose and said it

was obvi < us what his duty was . He was getting to be an old man and his certificate told him that it was 37 years ago since he was initiated . During those years he had known a great many Prov . Grand Masters , not merely in Burks but in olher provinces , but he had never known a Prov . Grand Master do his wrrk so thoroughly as the present Prov . Grand Master of Buiks . Lord Addington was not merely an ornamental figure head but was interest ! d in all their , work . He gave them " The Health of the R . W . Prov . Grand Master . "

Bro . Lord ADDINGTON , Prov . G . M ., in response , said that when his hea ' th vvas propostd he returned thanks on behalf of the province . The strength of a Prov . Grand Master was the loyalty of the members , and if he was able to follow Lord Carrington it was because he had succeeded to the great tiaditions of this hard working county . It was with pride that in lhe old town of Wjcombe he had to thank tt * eni for drinking his health as Provincial Grand Master . Before he sat down he would ask them to drink to the health of a most dis'inguished citizen of Wycombe—the Mayor—

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Buckinghamshire.

whose health it was a peculiar pleasure to propose . History told them that in the old d iys the world was always fighting about the chair . The chair of St . Peter ' s made many wars in old days . Wycombe found a seat for a man who made a great statesman , the man who first thought out the Empire of India—Mr . Disraeli—and now it found thousands of chairs for all the world .

Bro . RUTLAND , P . M . ( Mayor of Wycombe ) , said that in his short experience I 15 had met many surprise packets , but that night he had the surprise of his life . He was most delighted to take his seat in Prov . Grand Lodge and witness the working , and also most pleased to take his seat at the centre banqueting table , but a great honour was done him in asking him to the top table . An additional honour had now been done him by

proposing that toast , and words failed him to adequately convey his appreciation . Theirs was an old borough of great importance in the country . The P . G . M . had been pleased to refer to the late Lord B ? aconsfield whose memory was honoured in Wycombe which furnished him with his first chair and which chair was now owned by their host , Bro . Bowden . They did not make seats for citizens , but for nations and peoples , but in nothing did they

excel in more than in the true spirit of Masonry . They were proud of the company of the Prov . G M . that day and hoped he had been pleased and would come again . He trusted that when the Prov . G . M . did visit them again the mayor would be one of themselves and would feel as highly honoured in responding to the toast as he had been that day . Bro . J . T . THOMAS , P . G . S . B ., said the Prov . G . M . had entrusted him

with an important toast which had taken him by surprise . The toast they would all welcome with acclamation was " The Dep . Prov . G . M . " Bro . Brownrigg was so well-known for the great interest he took in the province and the various lodges . If the brethren had anything to ask they had only to apply to the Dep . Prov . G . M . and his ever ready response contained the desired assistance and information . Long might he live to hold his distinguished position and enjoy the company of the Bucks brethren .

Bro . the Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG , Dep . Prov . G . M ., in response , said there was no brother he would more gladly thank for proposing the toast than Bro . Thomas . The Deputy Prov . G . M . had extremely difficult work to do , for it was all the disagreeable work of the province . He had

never shirked his work , which was to have as little friction as possible . He was often called upon to decide some point of law , and was , in fact , the atttorney-generat of the province . He always tried to decide at once and then stuck to his opinion , and he ventured to think that was an English quality for which they would pardon him .

The PROV . G . M . next proposed " The Visitors , " and read a letter from Bro . W . Long , M . P ., expressing regret . He coupled the names of Bro . T . Jones , P . G . D . —who belonged to that rare class of Englishmen who had endeavoured to make English law intelligible to the people of India—aid Bro . Murdock , M . P . for Reading .

Bro . T . J ONES , P . G . D ., P . D . D . G . M . Bengal , responded , and said that was his first visit to a Provincial Grand Lodge in England , as for over 40 years his duties had been carried on under the District Grand Lodge of Bengal . But Provincial and District , he said , were very much alike , particularly Buckinghamshire and Bengal . The meaning underlying that observation was patent , for , however distant the great centres of Masonic

jurisdiction might be , the atmosphere of Masonry was all pervading one , and the same everywhere . Referring to the observations made by the Provincial Grand Master , it had been his ( Bro . Jones ' s ) very agreeable endeavour to make Masonry more generally intelligible to the natives . Within the past 20 years the native brethren hid increased very greatly in number , and one of the oldest lodge *? in India was now composed almost entirely of Hindoo

brethren , many of them most zealous and devoted to their Masonic studies and duties , while many among the Parsee and Mahommedan communities were equally deserving of commendation . It was his good fortune , during a period of furlough , 17 years ago , to be present at an annual meeting of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement in London . Bro . Fenn presided , and the observations he ( Bro . Jones ) then made formed the key to the problem

how best to utilise and encourage the growing earnestness and ability which characterised the native brethren then rising . to prominent positions in Masonry . On his return to India , and with the co-operation of the leading members of the Craft , the Calcutta Emulation I . odge of Improvement was established . For 10 years he had discharged the duties of Preceptor , and the precision of working which

now distinguished every one of the lodges was a result which had amply verified the expectation formed by him when Lodge Emulation was started in 1880 . As a rule , every W . M ., before his first appointment , graduates ( so to speak ) in the Eastern chair of this lodge of improvement , and it is interesting and gratifying to observe the true spirit of emulation which seems to animate one and all , Europeans and natives alike . Bro . Jones referred to the state of Masonry in India in former times , and said that it had been his

privilege to be W . M . of a Calcutta Lodge during the two eventful years of thc -Indian Mutiny . He was full of hope that in the ensuing winter season he might revisit the scenes of his labours for so many ycirs past . The honour which had been conferred upon him by the M . W . Grand Master would spur him on to * renewed exertion , and he hoped he would thus very soon become better known thin at present among his brethren at home . He thanked the Prov . Grand Master and brethren for their attention , and for the kindness with which he had been received .

Bro . MURDOCK , M . P ., also replied , referring to the fact that in Bucks there was an increase in the number of members , and that the province was taking a distinguished position . In the sister County of Berks they were making considerable progress . In this utilitarian age , when some were wont to scoff at old Institutions , it was a remarkable thing that Masonry had not only held its own , but had increased in a marvellous manner . That was

proof that deep down in the hearts of all Masons there was a determination that never should this distinguished Craft languish or die , but that its future should be even more prosperous than its past . He was made a Mason at Malta in 1855 , before going to the front in the Crimea , it was considered a good thing too and one of deep importance for young officers to become members of the Craft .

Bro . J . HATTERSLEV , Prov . J . G . W ., replied for "The Prov . Grand Officers , " after which th *; PROV . G . MASTER gave " The Prov . Grand Treasurer and Prov . Grand Secretary . " Bro . HUIIIJARD , Prov . G . I ' reas ., brielly returned thanks , and Bro . BOWEN , Prov . G . Sec , having also replied , proposed " The Wycombe Lodge . " Hc said that all possible arrangements had been made for the convenience of Provincial Grand Lodge and their best thanks were due to Bros . J . J . Simcox and Bliss .