Provincial. Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

Bloxvficld , J . W . Dover , W . Summers , T . B . Linscote , Doran Webb , Christmas , Volckman , VV . Humphreys , H . H . Hodges , M . Wheeler , Belcher , A . C Hewett , VV . Hemmings , J . Watts , and others . The PROV . GRAND MASTER first called upon the P . G . Secretary , xvho read the list of the lodges in the province , upwards of 20 in number , and it appeared that , xvith the exception of the Watling-street and Vale of White Horse

Lodges , all xvere represented . The Prov . Grand Secretary said he had received letters from General Brownrigg , Prov . Grand Master for Surrey , and Col . Shadxvell H . Clerke , Grand Sec , regretting their inability to attend . The Prov . Grand Secretary next read over the roll of Prov . Grand Officers , after xvhich it xvas agreed , on the motion of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , that as the minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Windsor

last year had been printed and circulated they should be taken as read . The financial statement of the Prov . Grand Treasurer xvas then presented , shoxving a balance in hand of £ 130 8 s . iod . The report of the Charity Committee xvas also read . The receipts had amounted to ^ 17 6 7 s ., and after making the usual grants to various lodges for charitable , purposes , there remained a balance in hand of £ 66 2 s . The PROW GRAND SECRETARY read an interesting

report as to the condition of the different lodges in the province , giving details as to the number of meetings , - initiations , votes for charitable purposes , & c The present membership numbered S 15 .. Sir DANIEL GOOCH , addressing the brethren , referred to the report just read by Bro . Bradley as a very satisfactory one , shoxving , as it did , that the lodges generally xvere . in . a good condition , and that Masonry in'the province xvas

prospering . ( Hear , hear . ) During the past year , as Bro . Bradley had informed them , the brethren of the Alma Mater Lodge—most of xvhom xvere members of Cambridge University—had petitioned to have their lodge removed to Cambridge , and therefore the Alma Mater Lodge had ceased to belong to this province . Sir Daniel said he could not conclude the fexv remarks he had to make xvithout alluding to the great loss Masonry had sustained by the

lamented decease of H . R . H . the Duke of Albany , xvho xvas . not only a very excellent Mason , but xvho also distinguished himself in every position of life , and there could be no doubt that his untimely death xvas a great and severe loss not ¦ onl y to Masonry , but to the country generally . ( Hear , hear . ) It xvas then proposed by the PROV . GRAND MASTER , seconded by the DEP . PROV . GRAND MASTER , and carried

unanimously , that the sum of 25 guineas be voted out of the Provincial Fund to the Charity Fund . and also that certain sums , xvhich xvere agreed upon , should be granted to various lodges in the province toxvards the support of the Charitable Institutions of the Order . The DEP . PROV . GRAND MASTER said it afforded ' him much pleasure to propose that Bro . Charles Stephens be re-elected as Prov . Grand Treasurer .

The PROV . . G . S . W . seconded the motion , xvhich xvas supported by the PROV . GRAND MASTER , who said he felt sure the brethren could not do better than re-appoint Bro . Stephens to the office , as he had for some years looked after their funds in a most satisfactory manner . ( Hear , hear . ) Th . e motion having been put' and carried unanimously , Bro . STEPHENS returned thanks for the hohour that had been done him , remarking that he should feel much

pleasure in again accepting office . ( Applause . ) The Prov . Grand Master then proceeded to invest the folloxving brethren xvith the Provincial Charity jexvel : Bros . Walter T . Toms , P . M . 574 ; H . D . Marshall , 771 ; Richard Puttick , 1501 ; and S . G . Kirchhoffer , P . M . 1 S 99 . The brethren appointed by the Prov . Grand Master to fill the various offices in the Provincial Grand Lodge during •the ensuing year were then invested xvith their insignia of

office as folloxvs : Bro . C Terry , 1410 ... Prov . G . S . W . I „ XV . Morris , 1566 Prov . G . J . W . „ Rev . F . G . Kiddle , 17 S 7 ID . ™ r ru ~~* " Rev . j . Atkins , 574 A ..., Plov- G' Cha Ps " „ Chas . Stephens , 414 Prov . G . Treas . „ B . Challenor , 945 Prov . G . Reg . „ R . Bradley ; 414 Prov . G . Sec .

„ J . Andrexvs ; 209 Prov . G . S . D . ,, J . Goddard , 771 .. ' . Prov . G . J . D . „ S . Wheeler , jun ., 414 Prov . G . S . of W . „ D . Stevenson , S 40 Prov . G . D . C . „ W . W . Ridley , 401 Prov . G . A . D . C . „ H . Joxvett , 591 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sxvd . Br . » £ ' £ ""< » ' 5 ° ' I Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ Capt . Goldmg , 1 S 99 j

„ H . L . Harris , 948 , ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . VV . Dixon , 209 Prov . G . Asst . Sec . „ F . Weedon , 1687 Prov . G . Purst . Bros . J . Christmas , 17 S 7 ; H . Martin , " ) 591 ; M . J . Withers , 414 ; Voivles , f p G o . . noi ; D . H . Witherington , , A "ov . U . btxvds . and T . Linscox , 795 ; . ) Bro . XV " . Hemmings Prov . G . Tyler .

The nexvly-appointed Prov . Grand Officers having been conducted to their respective places , xvere saluted xvith the usual honours , and the lodge xvas then closed in due form , the PROV . GRAND MASTER stating that , in accordance with the arrangements made some time since that the lodge should be held alternately at Windsor , Wycombe , Reading , . and Aylesbury , the next Provincial Grand Lodge would take place at Reading .

At three o ' clock the brethren sat doxvn to an excellent banquet at the Red Lion Hotel , Bro . Puttick catering in his best style , to the entire satisfaction of the company . The menu xvas most complete , and the . xvines of the best quality . Through the kindness of Bro . Dick Radclyffe , of the xvcllknown firm of florists in High Holborn , the tables xvere adorned xvith a beautiful collection of fioivers , arranged xvith much taste . The pleasure of the party xvas also enhanced by the admirable vocal performances of Bros . VV . F .

Summers and T . Smith , and Messrs . Gaivthorp and Shepley . The PROV . GRAND . MASTER successively proposed the toasts of "The Queen and the Craft ; " "'Ihe Most Worshipful the Grand Master of England , H . R . H . the . Prince of Wales ; " and "The M . W . the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ; the R . W . the D . G . M ., the Earl of Lathom , and the Grand Ollicers of England Past and Present , " associating xvith the latter the name of the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , Past Grand Chap . In responding , Bro . BROXVNRIGG referred to the labours of Grand Lodge in connection xvith the new Book of Con-

Provincial. Grand Lodge Of Berks And Bucks.

stitutions , observing that in the discussions xvhich had taken place the provinces had fairly held their oxvn , and he hoped that the nexv Book of Constitutions would be generally approved . He xvent on to say that the honour noxv devolved upon him of proposing what he felt sure they xvould all regard as the toast of the evening , namely " The Health of their much esteemed Prov . Grand Master . " ( Cheers . ) Nothing nexv xvas to be said in reference to this

toast , and nothing nexv xvas needed , because they all knexv Sir Daniel to be a most excellent Prov . Grand Master , alxvays ready to promote the interests of Freemasonry , and preside over their Provincial Grand Lodge in an able and genial manner . ( Cheers . ) Sir DANIEL GOOCH , in reply , thanked the Deputy P . G . M . for the kind xvords-he had given utterance to , and he also thanked the brethren for the heartv manner in

xvhich they had drank his health . It xvas alxvays a pleasant and agreeable duty to attend Provincial Grand Lodge and spend a fexv hours xvith his Masonic brethren in Berks and Bucks . In conclusion , Sir Daniel proposed "The Health of the V . W . the Deputy P . G . M ., the Past D . P . G . M ., and Past Grand Officers of the Province , " for xvhich the PROV . GRAND TREASURER suitably responded . Sir DANIEL GOOCH next proposed " The Visiting

Brethren from the surrounding Provinces . " Bro . E . L . HAXVKINS , Prov . Grand Sec , Oxon , in reply , acknoxvledged the kind assistance he had received from Bro . Bradleyj in carrying out the duties of P . G . Sec . in Oxfordshire , xvhere Masonic matters had been somexvhat neglected . He also expressed the pleasure he felt in seeing the admirable manner in xvhich the affairs of the Berks and Bucks province xvere conducted .

The toast of "The Masonic Charities" xvas then proposed by the PROV . GRAND MASTER , xvho said he felt very pleased they had xvith them that day Bro . Terry , the Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , an admirable Charity for xvhich Bro . Terry laboured to the best of his ability . ( Hear , hear . ) The Masonic Charities xvere well supported but considering xvhat a large and influential body the Masons xverethey ought not to feel

satis-, fied xvith xvhat they accomplished already , as there xvas in his opinion plenty of room for extension as regards supporting those Charities . A vast deal of money xvas expended in less satisfactory xvays , and he sincerely hoped , that , although the help given to the great Masonic Institutions at the present time xvas creditable to the Masons as a body , those Charities might be supported to a still greater extent . ( Cheers . )

Bro . TERRY , in reply , said that in this province it xvas almost unnecessary to advocate the cause of the Masonic Charities , inasmuch as they xvere supported by the Berks and Bucks Freemasons in a very systematic and business , like xvay . It xvas very kind of Sir Daniel , to suggest that the brethren might accomplish still more than they had done for the Charities , and he ventured to hope , that those lodges xvhich had not already decided to send up Stexvards

to the Festivals xvould take the hint . The amounts subscribed for the Charities during 1 S 83 exceeded the most sanguine expectations , and the total amount brought in had been greater than any previous year . The amount given for the Benevolent Institution xvas about £ 13 , 000 , xvhile £ 10 , 000 had been subscribed for the Girls' School , and £ 23 , 000 for the Boys' School , xvhich xvas certainly a most noble response to the appeals made in behalf of those

Chanties . It xvas impossible for them to make an appeal outside their oxvn limited circle , and none but members of the Craft xverc solicited ; therefore it seemed almost as if a special Providence over-ruled the Masonic Institutions , inasmuch as , xvhile many other institutions depending upon voluntary support xvere lacking pecuniary funds , the Masonic Institutions had been so xvorthily assisted that they had been enabled to open their borders and admit an

increased number of children to the School , and also provide for a larger number of annuitants . He xvent on to point out , that if every Mason under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England xvould give but five shillings annually to each of the three great Masonic Institutions , and if each lodge xvould contribute one guinea'to the same , they xvould have an income of £ 70 , 000 or £ 80 , 000 a year , and be in a position to provide for all deserving candidates

xvithout delay , trouble , and expense of contested elections . The Benevolent Institution Festival held some 14 or 15 years since xvas presided over by Sir Daniel Gooch , and he ( Bro . Terry ) xvas looking forxvard hopefully to the time xvhen Sir Daniel xvould again occupy that position , and he trusted that xvhen the occasion arrived the brethren of Berks and Bucks xvould heartily support their Prov . Grand Master , and send up a sum of not less than £ 1000 . ( Hear ,

hear . ) Bro . Terry concluded by an earnest appeal on behalf of the Masonic Charities , urging xvhat he considered the prior claims of the Benevolent Institution , xvhich looked after the xvelfare of needy Freemasons and their xvidoxvs in advanced years . He heartily thanked the brethren present for the liberality xvith xvhich they hadsupported theCharities . ( Applause . ) The PROV . GRAND MASTER then proposed "The Health of the W . M . and Officers of Wycombe Lodge , "

thanking them for the cordial reception they had given to the . Provincial Grand Lodge . ( Cheers . ) Bro . HUNT , ' I . P . M ., returned thanks . The PROV . GRAND . MASTER then proposed "The Health of the Provincial Grand Treasurer and Prov . Grand Secretary . " Sir Daniel Gooch acknoxvledged the valuable services of Bro . Stephens , and also bore his personal testimony to the zeal and ability of the indefatigable Secretary ,

Bro . Bradley , observing that no province could be better served as regards the ofiice of Prov . Grand Secretary than that of Berks and Bucks . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . BRADLEY returned thanks in appropriate terms , assuring the brethren that anything he did in the cause of Freemasonry xvas a labour of love . ( Cheers . ) " The Healths of the Provincial Grand Stexvards " was then proposed , and Bro . MARTIN having responded , the Tyler ' s toast xvas given and the company rose .

Bro . the Marquis of Hartington has just made an abatement of 10 per cent , to the tenants on his Hardxvicke estate . The Prince of Wales has accepted the Presidency of the Executive Committee of the Frere Memorial Fund . The Rt .. Hon . W . H . Smith , M . P ., and the Rt . Hon . Sir Thomas Dyke Acland , Bart , M . P ., have also joined this Committee , whose office is at 11 Henrietta-street , Covent Garden , W . C ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SURREY .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey took place on June 16 th , at the Albany Hall , Kingston-on Thames . The R . W . Bro . General Studholme Broxvnrigg , C . B ., Prov . Grand Master , presided , and xvas supported by his Deputy , Bro . the Rev . C VV . Arnold , M . A ., Past Grand Chaplain , and a very large gathering

of present and past Prov . Grand Officers and members of the province , xvith visitors from metropolitan and many of the neighbouring districts . The . reception and entertainment of the Prov . Grand" Lodge had been entrusted to the members of the Broxvnrigg Lodge , No . 163 S , and the xvay in xvhich the arrangements xvere carried out gave the most unqualified satisfaction to the large body of Craftsmen xvho took part in the proceedings of the day .

After Prov . Grand Lodge had been duly opened , the roll of lodges xvas called over , and xvith but one exception all xvere represented . The report of the Finance and Audit Committee showed a very satisfactory balance to the credit of Prov . Grand Lodge , and the several recommendations for grants to the Charities , viz ., £ 10 ios . to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 10 ios . to the Royal

Masonic-Institution for Boys , and £ 10 ios . tothe Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , xvere cordially assented to . A further sum of £ 10 ios . xvas voted in aid of the fund for the restoration of the Parish Church at Kingston , a xvork that is noxv being vigorously pushed forward . Bro . George Price xvas then re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer , and the thanks of Prov . Grand Lodge tendered him for past

. The PROV . GRAND MASTER before formally investing his officers , alluded in graceful terms to the hearty co-operatidn and assistance he received from the Deputy Prov . Grand Master . Bro . Arnold xvas invariably so attentive to the business of the province , and , moreover , so universally appreciated and esteemed by the brethren , that he felt assured he could not do better than ask him to continue

his services as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . General Broxvnrigg then stated that it had been his intention to . confer the collar of Senior Grand Warden on Lord Onslow , but this brother was unable to be present that day , and as he pade it a rule only to give the collars to those who xvere in attendance , he must pass Lord Onsloxv over for this year . The folloxving brethren xvere then formally invested as officers for the next txvelve months : —

Bro . Rev . C- W . Arnold , M . A ., P . G . C D . P . G . M . „ Henry C . Lee Bennett , 139 ... Prov . G . S . W . „ Stainslaus Makooski , 416 Prov . G . J . W . „ Rev . G . P . Merrick , 1 S 2 G Prov . G . Chap . „ Hugh J . Day , 1556 Prov . G . Reg . . „ C Greenxvood , P . G . S . B Prov . G . Sec . „ Abel Laurence , 1638 Prov . G . S . D . „ Cuthbert C Gibbs , 1 S 72 ... ... Prov . G . J . D .

„ Frederick Flood , 1149 Prov . G . S . of VV . „ Thomas Pulley , 1714 Prov . G . D . ofC „ John Mexv , 13 G 2 Prov . G . A . D . C . „ Alfred Nuthall , VV . M . S 89 ... Prov . G . Sxvd . Br . „ S . P . Catterson , 1981 Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Frederick Cambridge , 4 C 3 Prov . G . Org .

„ W . R . Church , 1347 Prov . G . Purst . „ C E . Oldridge , 1638 Prov . G . A . P . „ C T . Speight ... Prov . G . Tyler . ' Bros . H . Saxelby , 4 63 , J . H . Jarvis , SSg , ~ X S . Parsons-Smith , M . D ., 1556 , E . (? ~ _ ,, . •Nicholls , 1714 . John Youlden , 19 S 1 , f Prov' G * Stwds * A . Steele , . 1082 J

General BROXVNRIGG , in the course of his remarks , spoke of the loss the nation , and especially the Craft , had sustained by the death of the Duke of Albany . At the time when this sad loss was fresh in the minds of all , he had had it in contemplation , in accordance with xvhat xvas being done elsexvhere , to summon a meeting of the members of the province . Grand Lodge , hoxvever , took the matter up , and he thought their action might be accepted as

embodying the views of the entire Masonic body . He should not , therefore , suggest that any special letter of condolence , either to the Queen , the Duchess of Albany , or to the Most Worshipful the Grand Master , be entertained . He desired , hoxvever , that the sad event should be recorded on their minutes of proceedings , and that an expressicn of the sentiments of Prov . Grand Lodge might be recorded thereon . Reference xvas next made by General Broxynritrir

to the progress Freemasonry xvas making in Surrey . When he succeeded to the Provincial Grand Mastershi p / there xvere but nine lodges , noxv they had twenty-six . For his own part he did not desire to see a further increase in their number . He preferred that those already in existence should be solidified and strengthened . A feature he desired to see universally carried out he xvould now allude to . Some of the Secretaries throughout the province were in

the habit of occasionally sending him their summonses ; he wished they xvould invariably do so . He sometimes had a fexv spare hours , and nothing gave him greater pleasure than noxv and again to pay a flying visit . By this means he could get an accurate idea- of hoxv the work of the several lodges xvas being conducted . He thanked the brethren for the xvay in xvhich they had supported him on the present occasion , and said he looked forxvard to another

pleasant meeting on the 9 th of July , at Redhill , xvhen the Most Worshipful the Grand Master had it in contemplation to lay the foundation stone of the chapel of the Royal Asylum of St . Anne ' s Schools . Owing to the Prince of Wales ' s absence from England the arrangements hitherto had not been matured , but notice would be given , and he trusted he might be xvell supported by the members of the province . The P . G . Master then formallproposed that

y Prov . G . Lodge vote a sum of txventy guineas in furtherance of the objects of the St . Anne ' s Schools . This proposition , as xvell as the one in regard to the record on the minutes , referred to above , xvas seconded by the Rev . C . W . Arnold , and carried nem . con . Amongst other matters to xvhich reference xvas made , xvas a proposition to the effect that the yearly returns from the several lodges should be made up to a fixed date , say to the end of April . This

elicited several expressions of opinion , but in the end the suggestion xvas adopted . The practice of the members of the province , xvith regard to the utilisation of its voting powers , xvas next reviexved . Bro . Arnold explained the steps hitherto adopted by those xvho desired a concentration of the strength of the province in this direction . He urged on those who had the privilege of votes to place them in the hands of the Prov . Grand Secretary , in order that they might be made available for the candidate or candi-