Provincial Meetings.

After other business had been transacted , the lodge vvas closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet . An excellent programme of music vvas provided , under the direction of the Organist of the lodge , Bro . F . Cambridge , P . P . G . Org .

PETERSFIELD . Lodge Of Friendship ( No . 928 ) . —The installation meeting vvas held on Alonday , the Gth inst ., at the Masonic Hall , when there vvere present Bros . Rev . G . Andrew , P . G . C . W . M . ; T . Mells , LP . M . ; W . B . Edgeler , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W ., Treas ., S . W ' . pro tem . ; H . H . Atkinson-Grimshavv , P . M ., Sec . pro tem . ; R . G .

Cross , S . D . ; C Wills , P . M ., I . G . pro tem . j VV . Brightwell , Org . ; T . G . Gammon and W . J . Chapman , Stwds . ; J . J . Bettle , W . M . elect ; H . Warren , H . AL Brownfield , H . B . Pullen-Bury , J . P . Cordery , D . H . Watney , C F . Hulford , J . Parnell , VV . J . Stubbington , and A . Head , Tyler . The following visitors vvere also present : Bros . W . Stewart , W . AL 142 S ; C . R . Hendy , Sec . 106 9 ; T . Hall

55 S ; and H . Siebert , Org . 342 . The lodge was opened by Bro . Rev . G . Andrew , P . G . C , W . M ., and the minutes of the previous meeting vvere reatj and confirmed . The retiring W . AL , Bro . Rev . G . Andrew , P . G . C , most impressively installed Bro . I . J . Bettle as his successor in the chair of K . S . The newly-installed W . AL appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . Rev .

G . Andrew , P . G . C , I . P . M . ; D . H . Watney , S . W . ; R . G . Cross , J . W . ; W . B . Edgeler , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W ., Treas . ; H . H . Atkinson-Grimshaw , P . M ., Sec ; T . G . Gammon , S . D . ; W . J . Chapman , J . D . ; C . Wells , P . M ., D . C . ; J . Chadwick , LG . ; W . G . Boul and H . M . Brownfield , Stewards j and A . Head , Tyler . A cordial vote of thanks vvas accorded to the Installing- Alaster in

appreciation of the efficient manner in vvhich he had carried out the ceremony of installation . At the close of the ceremony the brethren adjourned to the Dolphin Hotel , where the banquet vvas admirably served by the proprietor , Bro . C . Wells , P . M ., D . C , at vvhich the usual loyal and Masonic toasts vvere duly honoured , and ** Hearty good wishes " expressed to the W . AL , who presided , for a successful year of office .

SALFORD . Newall Lodge ( No . 1134 ) . The regular meeting of this lodge vvas held at Adelphi House , on Tuesday , the 7 th inst . Bro . E . Webb , W . AL , presided , and opened the lodge , every officer being at his post . The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . Bro . A . R . Holden was passed , the ceremony being performed by the

W . M . in a most perfect and impressive manner . The business being completed , the lodge vvas closed . The following brethren vvere present : Bros . E . Webb , W . M . j G . S . Smith , I . P . M . j B . Eckersley , S . W . j C Driver , J . W . j John Holroyd , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W ..

Treas . j John Waring , P . AL , Sec . ; H . Waterhiuse , S . D . j John Ogden , J . D . j A . H . Duffin , P . M ., D . C ; Martin , I . G . ; | . Mainwaring , P . AL ; J . Simpson , A . K . Boothroyd , W . H . Browne , Flett , Atkinson , J . AL Williams , John Green , and A . R . Holden . Visitors : Bros . Hume and A . L . Boothroyd .

SOUTHPORT . Starkie Lodge ( No . 1070 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge vvas held on Monday , the Gth inst ., at the Masonic Rooms , when there were present Bros . John Fletcher , W . AL j Councillor Geo . Austerfield , S . W . ; J . H . Barrow , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Sec ; J . Hesketh , P . AL , J . D . j James Piatt . P . M ., P . P . G . D . ; W . Piatt , P . P . G . Treas . ; Rev . C . Hesketh Knowlys , P . M ., P . P . G . Chap . ;

J . T . Callow , P . AL , P . P . G . Treas . j J . Rigby , P . AL j G . Bailey , P . M . ; J . VVitham , P . AL ; Albert Smith , C E . Hiscock , and John C . Robinson , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C . Visitors : Bros . S . R . Stott , P . M . 2325 ; VV . I . Worden , P . AL 2325 ; W . Taylor , W . ALj VV . Foulkes , P . AL , P . P . A . G . Sec . j and Isaac Platts , P . M . After the lodge had been opened and the minutes read , the VV . AI . elect , Bro . Geo . Austerfield , vvas presented to Bro . John Fletcher , the Installing Master , who performed the ceremony in a most efficient manner . The following

brethren vvere then appointed and invested : Bros . Albert Smith , S . W . j JohnC . Robinson , J . W . ; Rev . C Hesketh Knowlys , Chap . ; James Piatt , Treas . ; J . H . Barrow , Sec ; J . Rigby , S . D . j J . Hesketh , J . D . j W . Piatt , Org . j G . Bailey , I . G . j and Geo . Rocklifle , Tyler . After the sum of 20 guineas had been voted to Charity , the lodge vvas closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet room , where a most enjoyable evening vvas spent .

Royal Arch.

Royal Arch .

Kennington Chapter ( No . 1381 ) . —This chapter met for the dispatch of business at the 1 lorns Tavern , Kennington Park , on the 2 nd instant . Amongst those in attendance were Comps . Dowling , Al . E . Z .: Austin , H . j Sims , J . j Henry Higgins , P . Z ., P . P . G . D . C , S . E . j Smith , S . N . ; George Everett , P . Z ., P . G . Treas ., Treas . j Dennis , P . S . j Colwell , 2 nd A . S . ; Capt . Walls , P . Z . j

C . H . Kohler , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . B . j H . J . Lardner , P . Z ., P . P . G . Std . Br . j and H . Salter , I . P . Z . The minutes of the previous convocation having been read and confirmed , the election of Principals and officers for the year ensuing took place , with the following results : Umps . Austin , Al . E . Z . j Sims , H . j Dennis , J . j H . Higgins , P . Z ., S . E .: Smith , S . N .: Geo . Everett . PA / ..

Ireas . j Buxton , P . S . j Colwell , ist A . S . j Lingley , 2 nd A . S . ; and Patrick , Janitor . A Past Principal ' s jewel was voted to the M . E . Z . The conclave was then closed , and the companions adjourned to the banejuet . The usual loyal toasts vvere duly proposed . Comp . George Everett , P . G . Treas ., responded on behalf

° t ' Ihe Grand Officers , Present and Past , " in a neat and effective speech . " The M . E . Z . " having been duly toasted , responded in appropriate terms . ,., ' r P . Austin and Sims replied as "The Second and 1 bird Principals . "

Ihe Past Principals" vvas given in very kindly terms oy the Al . E . Z ., who said that No . 13 S 1 owed a great deal ' 0 the exertions of that talented body . Among so many it was difficult to choose one in particular , but as Comp . p . rdner had been most indefatigable in assisting all the nncipals and officers in their respective duties , he should "wple his name vvith the toast .

Royal Arch.

This pledge having been duly honoured , Comp . Lardner acknowledged the compliment in a few modest words . "The Scribe E . and Treasurer" followed . In the absence of Comp . Higgins , S . 1 C , Iwho vvas indisposed , Comp . George Everett responded . He said he vvas very sorry to see that their old and respected friend and

Companion Higgins vvas not at all well that evening . He vvas a most careful and painstaking officer , and it vvas a pleasure to work vvith him . Personally , he vvas always anxious to enhance the affairs of the Kennington Chapter , and the enjoyment of its members in every conceivable way . The toast of "The Officers " terminated the proceedings . In the intervals of the toasts some excellent selections of music vvere given .

YORE :. Eboracum Chapter ( No . 1611 ) . —The installation meeting of this chapter vvas held at Freemasons ' Hall , St . Saviourgate , on Tuesday , the 7 th instant , when Comp . T . B . Whytehead was placed in the chair of M . E . Z . for the fourth time by Comp . J . Todd , P . Z . Comp . Whytehead then installed Comps . W . N . Cheeseman and

Dr . Longford as H . and J . respectively , the other officers being invested as follows : Comps . J . Kay , S . E . ; VV . Storey , S . N . ; G . Lamb , P . S . ; T . G . P . Barlow , ist A . S . ; J . L . Spetch , 2 nd A . S . ; J . Blenkin , P . Z ., Treas . ; G . A . Chapman , Org . ; A . Archer , Steward ; and P .

Pearson , Janitor . Bros . Dr . Buchanan , B . Kilvington , and Rev . E . Richardson vvere duly exalted , and a sum of £ 10 ios . vvas voted to the decoration fund of the Eboracum Lodge . The chapter vvas then closed , the companions dining together in the banqueting room , under the presidency of the M . E . Z .

Mark Masonry.

Mark Masonry .

Prince of Wales Lodge ( No . 4 ) . —The election meeting of this lodge was held at Alark Alasons ' Hall , on the 23 rd ult ., Bro . R . G . Brighten , P . M ., P . G . I , of VV . in the chair , supported by Bros . E . W . Lewcock , S . VV . j | H . Lovegrove , P . AL , P . G . L of W . and P . P . S . G . W . Middx . and Surrey , Treas . ; Chas . Palmer , P . G . I . G .,

Sec ; Alash , P . M ., * Axford , P . AI . j and others . Bro . Lewcock vvas elected W . M . for the ensuing year , and Bro . H . Lovegrove was re-elected Treamrer . It vvas decided . to remove the lodge , and a Committtee vvere elected to settle on the p lace . The brethren afterwards dined at the Holborn Restaurant .

LANCASTER . Moore Lodge ( No . 146 ) . —The regular meeting of this lodge was held at the Alasonic Rooms on Monday , the 30 th ult ., when there vvere present Bros . James Ellershaw , W . M . j James Bennett , S . W . j and several Past Masters and officers . After the preliminary business had been transacted , the

ballot vvas taken for W . AL for the ensuing year , and resulted unanimously in favour of Bro . James Bennett , S . VV . Bro . William Hall , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., vvas re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . Hamer , Tyler . At the conclusion the brethren adjourned to supper , at the invitation of the W . M ., and a very enjoyable evening was spent .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence vvas held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . R . Grey , P . G . D ., President of the Board , presided . The Senior Vice-President , Bro . James Brett , P . G . P ., and the Junior Vice-President , Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., held their usual positions ; the G . Sec , Bro . E . Letchworth : the Asst . G . Sec , Bro . A . A .

Pendlebury ; Bro . W . Dodd , and Bro . W . H . Lee represented Grand Secretary's office . The other brethren present were Bros . George Everett , J , E . Le Feuvre , W . M . Bywater , David D . Mercer , S . V . Abrahams , William Vincent , E . Vallentine , Henry Garrod , W . P Brown , George A . Pickering , Charles Dairy , George Graveley , George R . Langley , S . H .

Goldschmidt , T . W . Whitmarsh , A . C . Woodward , Walter Martin , James Bunker , S . R . Baskett , J . Charters White , Arthur Digby Green , Joseph Levey , H . W . Nicholson , J . B . Scriven , S . J . Weston , Geo . Allen , F . Wood , W . Belchamber , W . F . Lamonby , G . W . Burridge , Alfred Pipe , Chatham Ellis , E . Canderlier , Leopold Weil , F . Tennant Pain , George A . Read ,

Philip Francis , D . T . Keene , E . C . Symmons , W . J . Trappett , J . H . Pullen , A . Mearing , W . H . Dresden , Ernest M . Coombe , William E . Willby , Henry Kent , T . W . Smale , T . D . Long , John Matteys , F . P . Baxter , Frank E . Bailey , Thomas H . Hobbs , H . T . Wright , J . Cockram Taylor , William Grellier , Edward Humphry , A . F . Casperd , A . G . Beale , Francis J .

Hannan , M . D . ; W . T . Buck , Robert Jackson , Henry Slyman , C . J . Smith , Joseph Bruton , A . B . Norman , A . Lundie , C . Sweeting , A . G . Duck , Edwin Hill , H . Massey , and H . Sadler , G . Tyler . The Board of Masters vvas first held , and the agenda paper for next Grand Lodge vvas submitted to the brethren . At the Board of Benevolence the brethren

first confirmed grants recommended to the Grand Master to the amount of , £ 500 . There were 29 cases on the new list , vvhich were qualified through lodges in London , Newport ( I . of W . ) , New York , Aldershot , Falmouth , Cardiff , Chorley , Boston , Richmond , Great Stanmore , Secunderabad , Peterborough , Bombay , Uxbridge , Huddersfleld , Ipswich , Rochford ( Essex ) , Endbury ( Suffolk ) , Hull , Brighton , and Combermere ,

N . S . W . Two of these cases vvere deferred , and one case vvas dismissed . Thc remaining cases were voted a total of , £ ciio . The amount vvas comprised of one recommendation to Grand Lodge for £ 60 and one for £$ 0 . The recommendations to the Grand Master were one of ^ 40 and eight of , £ 30 each . Five grants were made of , £ 20 each , two of , £ 15 each , three of , £ 10 each , and two of £ 5 each . _

The Newly-Discovered Dumfries Mss.

THE NEWLY-DISCOVERED DUMFRIES MSS .

( Continued from page Soj . The Oath is not at the end in this branch , but inserted after the Edwin legend , and it is much more extensive than in the usual form . The text is not quite identic in both MSS ., but , on the whole , they agree together . I give it from the Harris MS .: " These charges wch vveel now rehearse to you . and all other the Charges ,

Secrets , and Mysteries belonging to Free Masonry , you shall faithfully and truely keep together with the Councel of this Lodge or Chamber . You shall not for any Gift , Bribe or Reward , favour or Affection , directly or Indirectly , for any Cause whatsoever divulge or disclose [ the same ] to either Father or Mother , Sister or Brother , Wife , Child , friend , Relation ,

or Stronger , or any other person whatsoever . So help you God , your Holy doom , and the Contents o £ this Book . " Instead of the words or passages in italics , the Dumfries MS . reads as follows : Charges is missing— -free masons—of ye Assembly or lodge , or auy other lodge , or brother , or fell 010—or disclose are missingcither is missing—brother or sister , son or daughter ,

¦ wife , kindred , or relation me ye holy lord—senlance . There is another form of the oath at the end of the Buchanan MS .: " These charges that you have received you shall well and truly keepe , not disclosing the secrecy of our Lodge io man , -woman , nor child : Sticke nor stone : thing moveable nor immoveable soe God you helpe and his holy Doome . " You may also

compare the Oath of the Sloane MS ., No . 3329 , where we read : " Your attenders shall bid you keep secret from Man , Woman , or Child , Stock or Stone and never reveal it but to a brother or in a Lodge of Freemasons "; in the same Oath we find twice the words "directly or indirectly , " that are also in the Oath of the Roberts print and the Harleian MS ., No . 1942 .

The old word "hallidom" or "halidom" has been illtreated by the scribes in most of the MSS ., that have preserved the same , namely the Grand Lodge , Phillipps No . i , Killwinning , Cama , Dowland , York No . 6 , Phillipps No . 3 , Stanley , Hub , Buchanan , Atcheson-Haven , Melrose , Harris , Dumfries No . 3 , Alnwick , Wren , Watson , Scarborough MSS ., and the Spencer

Family ; it is also in the William Watson MS . At the end of the Admonition , which is omitted in the Dumfries MS ., the Harris MS . names the Holy Bible , the York MSS . Nos . 1 , 2 , and 5 having the holy Scripture , whilst the other MSS . cite only a Book . The are some peculiarities in the Charges , for instance in the seventh , where vve read : " Any fewer

number than Seven ( which number is Tcrm'd a Lodge ) , or Six at the Least with the Consent of a Seventh tho ' absent -whose consent must appear under his Hand Writing to the Lodge to make any man a ffree mason . " —In the eleventh Charge we meet with the word lewis , which Bro . Speth laid stress upon in the Freemason ( 1888 , August 25 th ) ; but if vve compare other

manuscripts , vve are immediately taught that it must be a mistake of a scribe for a layer or rough layer , vvho was called a cowan in Scotland . Perhaps the mysterious loses in the Alelrose MS . is also nothing but an error for layers , for what is said there about the meaning of the word is almost the same as in the Harris MS . We read in the Melrose MS . as follows : " They ( the

prentices ) that are lawfully taken , after they come out of their prentissshipe , ought not to be named loses , but they ought to be named frie men from their Mr or fellows , if they have their Mrs Discharge , and all other yt arc not lawfully taken , are to bc named loses . " The Harris A 1 S . reading : " a Lewis is such an one as hath served an Apprentiship to a Mason , but is not

admitted afterwards according lo this manner and custom of making Masons , " i . e . not lawfully . Therefore loses are layers , as a lewis is a layer , for whom no mason shall make any Mould , Square , or Rule , and who shall not hew any Mould-stones within a Lodge or without , as we read in most of the MSS ., while the Melrose MS . says that no mason shall let them know

the privilege of the Compasses , Square , Level , and Plumb-rule , vvhich is quite the same thing . —The 12 th Charges deals very extensively with " Trespasses and Transgressions" and the manner of determining , redressing , correcting , and amending them . —The 22 nd and the following Charges are superscribed ' Practiser ' s " in the Harris MS ., the Dumfries MS . not having a marginal note here .

After the Charges vve find a second admonition , which agress with that at the head of the Charges in the usual copies . But at the end there is quite a peculiar passage , that the person , which has been made , shall choose a mason of the Lodge , who is to instruct him in those Secrets which must never be committed to writing , which mason he must always call his Tutor . Then this Tutor shall take him into another room and

show him the whole mistery , that at his return he may exercise with the rest of his fellow masons . We know these instructors from Scotch Lodge Records , where they are called intenders or intendents ; in the Sloane MS ., No . 3329 , in the Oath they . are named attenders .

It is a pity that I could not yet compare the Harris AIS ., No . 2 , which does not seem to be a mere transcript of the Harris MS ., No . 1 , as I conclude from the particulars in the Freemason ( 1888 , July 7 th ) , but a copy from another document of the same branch .

W . BEGEMANN . [ This interesting communication respecting the lately discovered MSS . of the "Old Charges" was sent to Bro . W . J . Hughan , Torquay . —ED . F . MA ]