Freemasonry In 1900.

the only other noteworthy circumstance being the election of Comp . H . A . Tobias , P . G . Std . Br ., on the Committee of General Purposes , vice Comp . George Graveley , deceased . Not many changes have taken place . Two Grand Superintendents have

died during the year—Comps . the Earl of Radnor ( Wiltshire ) , and Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart . ( Durham )*—and Comp . Canon Tristram , D . D ., has been appointed to the last-named vacancy , and was only prevented by illness from being installed in office at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter on the rst instant .

What other events have occurred in this branch of Freemasonry may soon be told . In February , a meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Hertfordshire was held at Watford , at which Comp . F . Sumner Knyvett , Past G . S . B ., was installed

Prov . G . H , and Comp . the Rev . 0 . C . Cockrem appointed Prov . G . S . E . At the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire , at Bradford , on the 16 th Alay , Comp . Richard Wilson , Prov . G . H ., who , in the unavoidable absence of Comp . the Right Hon . VV . L . Jackson , M . P ., presided as

1 -li . Ml * . W * . l „ . lACKSUN , M . I ' ., ( I . SCI" !' . VVKxT V ( HIKMI 111 I * . Grand Superintendent , emphasised the : remarks of his chief at the annual meeting of the previous year , by again most earnestly impressing on those present tbe * importance : of doing all in their power to encourage Craft Alasons to take a deeper

interest in Royal Arch Masonry , expressing his belief tbat , though in West Yorkshire they vvere strong in the latter as compared with many other Provinces , they ought not to rest content until at least one-half of the * Craft brethren had been exalted .

Oilier Provincial Grand Chapters have also met , as usual , but , though the proceedings have been in the main satisfactory , there is an ' apathy about them which is greatly to be : regretted , ancl which , we trust , will al no distant date be overcome .

MARK MASONRY . The present year has been one of well-nigh unequalled prosperity in this branch of our Alasonic system . Quite a number of new lodges , both Mark and Royal Ark Mariner , have been warranted , and an old T . L Lodge : of the former Degree ,

which had held aloof from the Mark organisation , and , curiously enough , was last year declared irregular—owing , no doubt , to its introduction of the : worel " ( irand " into ils title—has been reconstituted , and assigned a place on lhe register according well with the rights and privileges it seems lo he fairly entitled to claim . There has also been a large- addition lei the number of registered

members , while , above all , in respect of the great event of the year—the Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund—there has been established a record which it will be difficult to equal and still more difficult to beat . Including there-constituted Ashton District Time Immemorial

Lodge , there have been added 15 lodges to the roll of the Grand Mark Lodge , of which one—the Empress , No . 533—meets in London , eight in the Provinces , and six Abroad . The Provincial eight comprise the Rose Lodge , No . 534 , Camberwell , in the Province of Surrey ; the Wythenshavve , No . 532 , Northenden ,

and the Ashton District Lodge ( T . L ) , Dukinfield , in the Province of Cheshire ; the Bronte * Lodge , No . 535 , Haworth , in West Yorkshire ; the Philanthropic , No . 538 , King ' s Lynn , in East Anglia ; thc South Devon Union Lodge , No . 540 , Ilfracombe , in Devonshire ; the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , No . 541 ,

Stafford , in the Province of Staffordshire ; and the Unity , No . 544 , Liverpool , in thc Province of Lancashire . The following are the new * Alark Lodges yVbroad , namely , the Orient Lodge , No . 531 , Hovvrah , in thc District of Bengal , which was consecrated by Bro . E . G . Sinclair , Past Dist . G . W , on the 17 th February , with

that well-known zealous Mason , Bro . H . M . Rustomjee as the first occupant of the chair of A . ; the Lodges of Friendship and Union , Nos . 536 ancl 537 , respectively , in the District of North Africa ; the Bundabcrg Lodge , No . 539 , in Queensland ; lhe Davoren , No . 542 , Wellington , in the District of Madras ;

and the Bassein Lodge , No . 543 , in that of Burma . Of the above lodges the majority have entered upon their career with , we are glad to say , every prospect of success , the most important of them all—the Ashton District Lodge—¦ having been consecrated and re-constituted by the Earl of

Euston , M . W . Pro G . M . M ., at a Movable Grand Lodge held for the purpose at the Board Schools , Dukinfield , on the 17 th February , in thc presence of a very numerous . gathering ot brethren , amongst whom were some 20 Grand Officers , many of the Prov . Grand Oflicers of Cheshire and other Provinces . Before

the ceremony commenced Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , AI . P ., Prov . G . AL of Cheshire , re-obligated 53 members of the old lodge , and when Lord Euston had performed his duty , Bro . C F . Alatier , G . Alark Secretary , installed Bro . Dr . T . D . Foreman , who had previously had conferred upon him the rank of

Past G . O . of England in recognition of his . services in assisting to bring about the union of the lodge with the Grand Lodge , in the chair of A ., the officers werc invested , ancl the customary banquet followed . On the 17 th Alarch Bro . C . L . Mason , Prov . G . M . M . of West Yorkshire , consecrated the Bronte Lodge , No . 535 ,

Haworth . In September , the opportunity afforded by the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Mark Lodge of Staffordshire was taken io consecrate the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , No . 541 , Stafford , the ceremony being performed by Lord Euston , and Bro . J . F . Pepper—who has since been installed Prov . G . M . M .

in place of the late Bro . Cot . G . S . Tudor—installed as the ( irst W . M . It should also be mentioned that the old Fortescue Alark Lodge * , No . 9 , of South Molton , in the Province of Devon , which had been in abeyance for 14 years , was resuscitated , with every likelihood of success , on the 29 II 1 May , vvith Bro . the Rev . T .

Russell as VV . M . In addition , however , lo these Alark lodges , there have been warranted seven Royal Ark Mariner Lodges , of which ( he Star i . s attached to the Mark Lodge oi thc same name , No . 4 9 , in London ; the Elnie : te , attached lo the Copley Mark

Lodge , No . in , Leeds , ancl consecrated by Bro . C . L . " Alason , Prov . G . M . M ., on the 21 st March ; the Wilbraham , attached to the Alark Loelge , No . 523 , of the same name , at Widnes , in the Province of Cheshire ; the United Service , attached lo Alark

Ad00902

UrgentDistress:WrecksandLossoflife. " There is Sorrow on the Sea . " SHIPWRECKEDMARINERS'SOCIETY, WITH OVER 1 , 000 AGENCIES ; 10,6kSPersonsRelievedEastYear. The Rescued Sailor , Fisherman , & c ., instantly cared for on the spot and sent home ; the Widow , Orphan , & c . of the drowned immediately sought out , the distressed seafarer of every grade at once charitably assisted , Ration ; HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN" ( since 1839 ) . Cla-. iirmnn of Commitlcc : ADMIRAL E . S . ADEANE , C . M . G . Contributions , which nre ni-gvnl Iy needed , will be lliaiikl ' idlv received by iho Secretary—G Eli ALI ) E . MAUDE , Esq ., 20 , SulTc-lk-street , Pall Mull East , S / W .