Freemasonry In 1900.

Davis , A . D . C , the ceremony on this occasion being performed , and verv ably performi-d , bv Lord Onslow . Among the numerous meetings of Prov . G . Lodges which have been held , must be mentioned in particular , that which took place in Buckinghamshire on the 18 th Juiv , when Lord Wantage , V . C , G . Alaster of the

Province , held the annual meeting at his seat—Lockinge Houseaud having discharged his duties a . s Prov . G . Alaster , took upon himself the roleoi host , and entertained those present atthe meeting with his wonted hospitalitv . At tin- Cheshire meeting on the Sth August , Earl Egerton of Tatton announced his approaching

resignation of ollice , and though an attempt was there and then made to induce him lo change his mind , he has held by his original intention . At Plymouth , on the 28 th of the same month , at the annual gathering of our Devonshire brethren , occasion Was taken to present Bro . F . B . Westlake , Past Dep . G . D . C . of

England , who has rendered signal service to the Province , with a testimonial , whieh , at his request , took the form of such a subscription as would make him a Patron of our three Charitable Institutions . At Maryport , on the 14 th September , Lord H .

Bentinck , AI . P ., Prov . G . Alaster of Cumberland and Westmoreland , in taking the chair for the first time since his return from the seat of war in South Africa , was welcomed with a most cordial greeting ; while-at Durham , a few davs later , the Prov . G . Lodge

clothing of his rank was presented to Bro . B . F . Edyvean , P . A . G . D . C , in recognition of the invaluable services he had rendered to the Province as Prov . G . Secretary . Il should also be mentioned that 011 the lolh September the John Lane Memorial Library , which had been purchnscd In * the Jordan

laid . eail .. . IOHN I'AVlS , A . !> . (' ., I ' . li . M . SCIlllKY . passed , in respectful silence-, a vote ol condolence wilh the wielow and family oi llieir late chief—Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart . At the meeting of the Prov . G . Lodge of Cornwall , at Camborne , on the 23 rd October , a gill of the Grand Lodge

Lodge , No . 1402 , 1 uri'uav , was unveiled by Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., his great friend and Alasonic collaborator in Alasonic literature . In the month of January a notable gathering of distinguished brethren look place under the banner of the Empire Lodge , No . 210 S—which was founded in 1885 for ( he

convenience ol biethrcn hailing Irom or connected witli our Colonies—among ( hose present being Bro . George Richards , Dist . G . AL of the Transvaal , and Bn > . Sir W . Peace , P . M ., the Agent ( iein-ral of Natal . On the ioth April the Masonic members of the National Union of Teachers then assembled in

York were mosl hospitably enlerlained bv the York Lodge , No . 236 ; while , on the 5 U 1 Maivli , Bro . R . F . Gould , P . G . D ., at the installation meeting of ihe Fortitude and Old Cumberland

Lodge , No . 12 , read one ol his mosl valuable and lucid papers , in which he demonstrated that ihis lodge i . s in fact , if not in number and position on tlie register , one of the ' . ' Four Old Lodges" which founded lhe Grand Lodge of England in 1717 ;

and by way of asserting ils claim to being No . 3 of said "Four Old Lodges " which , in our opinion , Bro . Gould has succeeded in establishing , the lodge determined on celebrating , with * all possible eclat , the foundation of the Grand Lodge of England on

St . John ' s Day , or , rather , as that fell on a Sunday , on Monday , the 25 th June . The meeting proved a grand success , and ; we trust , in future years the anniversary ot the foundation of the mother of all Grand Lodges will be commemorated "as successfully .

Among other notable events that remain to be chronicled are the annual Festivalof the Emulation Lodgeof Improvement , which was held on the 2 nd Alarch . The Earl of Warwick , Dep . G . Master , Prov . G . Alaster of Essex , had arranged to preside , but at the last moment illness prevented his lordship from fulfilling tha

engagement , and his place was taken bv his respected Deputy P . G . M . Essex , Bro . Col . Lockwood , AI . P ., P . G . D . There was , as is invariably the case al this meeting , a formidable muster of the Craft , over 600 brethren , including a host of Grand Officers , being present . The Second Lecture was worked in the lodge in

a manner that could not be surpassed , and at the banquet which followed , the Chairman ancl the rest of tbe speakers were loud in their praises of the perfection of our " Emulation " working ,

In October , a staled meeting of the Alfred Newton Lodge , No . 2686 , was held by dispensation at the Alansion House , when , in the presence ofa numerous gathering of Grand Officers and other visitors , * Bro . H . K . Newton , W . M ., the Lord Mayor's son ,

DUO . II . K . XHWTUX , » . M . liliiSlj . initiated three candidates in a manner which won him many encomiums . Later in the evening , when the lodge was closed , the Lord Alayor , Bro . Alderman Sir Alfred Newton , Bart ., P . G . D ., after whom the lodge was named and vvho presided as first W . M ., entertained the' whole- of the : members and their visitors at

dinner in the Egyptian Hall . This occurred on Saturday , the 13 th of the month , and on the Monday following , his lordship , accompanied by the Lady . Mayoress and the Sheriffs , visited in stale the : Royal Alasonic Institution for Girls at Battersea Rise . We may also nii'iition the visit paid by the Earl of Onslow , Prov .

G . Alaster of Surrey , to the : Gatwick Lodge , No . 2592 , Horley , on the 23 rd , and the installation of his lordship ' s son , Viscount Cranio ) ' , as W . M oi the Wcyside Lodge , No . 1395 , Woking , on the 16 th October , nor must we pass unnoticed , the formal unfurling of two lodge' banners , of which one was presented to

the Norman Lodge , No . 1334 , Durham , by Bro . VV . Gray , P . M ., Treasurer , Prov . J . G . W . Durham , while the other was presented to the SaviJe Lodge ' , No . 1231 , Elland , by Bro . A . H . Law , P . AL , and unfurled by Bro . W . C . Lupton , J . G . Deacon of England , on the 30 II 1 October . On the 271 I 1 June , a memorial to the

late Bro . W . A . Tinney , P . M , Seerelary of the ] Asaph Lodge , No . 1319 , was unveiled in Brompton Ceine-tery , by Bro . C . R , Powell . W . AL , while on the 4 th July , a tablet , which had been

placed by tin : Lodge , No . 1549 , in the : Parish Church of Great Stanmore , in commemoration of the virtues oi the late Bro . Charles Veal , P . AL , Secretary , was unveiled by Bro . F . S . Winkley , W . AL

Among tlu : numerous prcse-ntalions which have been made during the year , eilln-r in recognition of services rendered to the Craft or as tokens of the respect in which the recipients '