Provincial Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons Of Middlesex.

Bro . Col . A . B . COOK , Prov . G ' . M ., thanked the brethren very much for tins ie eved confidence ihey proposed lo place in him , and if it should please the Grand Master to re-appoint him , he could only assure them that he would do the best he could in the future as he had done in the past . The fact had already been alluded to lhat since they met last year their province exceeded everything that had been done before

for the Alark Benevolent Fund and he need not say how proud he was .. He took this opportunity ol thanking them all in the province for their hearty support . He was g lad to say that this year the province was not far behind in its contributions . The Province of Middlesex was going on in a satisfactory way . Unfortunately , he had not been well and on this account had given himself a rest from visiting the lodges as frequently as lie had ii

the past . He was now better and hoped to visit them as frequently as formerly . He had been asked to lay a foundation stone with Mark Masonic honours , but found theie was no precedent for such a thing . It was , in fact , dreided . Dine years ago that Mark Master Maions should not lay stones with Mark honours . There was , however , a custom in other countries for Mark Masons , when the building was sufficiently far advanced , to adjust the key stone of an arch . In the spring of next year such an arch would be

built'in connection with a building in the Province of Middlesex and the brethren would have an oppartunity , for the first time in lingland , of witnessing that ceremony . He thought it would be in April or May and he hoped he should be well supported by his officers . A Committee of General Purposes was elected , letters of regret for nonattendance were read by the PROV . G , SECRETARY , and Provincial Grand l . odge was closed .

I ) mner was then served , the worthy host having made every arrangement possible for the comfort of the brethren . The customary toasts were afterwards appropriately honoured . Bro . W . M . STILF . S , G . Treas ., having replied for "The Grand Officers" in suitable terms , proposed "The Health of the R . W " . Prov . Grand Master . " He said the Prov . G . M . had alluded to thc presence at their

last meeting of the Pro G . M . and Deputy G . M ., which was doubtless attributable to the fact lint Bro . Col . Cook was about to take the chair for the Mark Benevolent Fund . They were glad to support the Prov . G . M ., knowing the services he had rendered to the province in the past . Ha regretted exceedingly that Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , the Dep . P . G . M .,

was not present lo propose that toast m his usual genial way , but it afforded him the greatest pleasure to . submit the toast of so true a friend and so courteous a gentleman as Bro . Colonel Cook . They had deeply deplored the fact of Colonel Cook ' s recent illness , and now could express their pleasure at seeing 1 im present again .

Bro . Cclonel A . B . COOK , Prov . Grand Master , in his response , said that probably one of lhc pleasures of being ill was the pleasure of getting better . He ppprecialed the kindl y feelings with which they had received him on his return . ' He had not much to say to them , having addressed them iu the lodge . He would again thank them for the compliment paid him in proposing his re-appointment . As far as the Mark Bsntivolcnl Fund was

concerned , he was not like Lord Fusion , who had said that he would take the chair again if his record was beaten . It was no disgrace for anyone to preside cue year and be beaten in the total next . His next duty was Vo propese "The Deputy Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Grand Officers . " B o . Sir Reginald Hanson , the D . P . G . M ., was a busy man and had off red to attend their meeting and then go on to another place .

Knowing his regular attendance at the Committee meetings they would excuse his absence . He iihs Prov . G . M I lnpcd that next year the Provincial Grand l . odge would be held at ils usual time in the year . Hc was obliged to those brethren who had accepted Grand Oilice lor the year and hoped they would be in their places should the interesting ceremony he had referred to take place .

Hro . . Spi : \( I : R MORRIS , Prov . J . G . W ., replied , alter which Bro . Dr . STI : \ V \ I * r BKOW . V , PIOV . G . Sec , gave "The W . Ms , of Lodges in the Province , " which was responded to by Bro . MH . I . NER Jrrsi'M . Bro . G . GH . IVEI . EV answered for "The Mark Benevolent Fund , " after which the Tyler gave the concluding toast .

Consecration Of The Royal York Lodge, No. 2709, At Nailsworth.

CONSECRATION OF THE ROYAL YORK LODGE , No . 2709 , AT NAILSWORTH .

1 he lillie town of Nailsworlh , in the Stroud Valley ) was thc scene , on Thursday , thc oth inst ,, of two interesting Masonic ceremonies . The lirst had an especial interest for members of the Craft , it being the consecration of a new Freemas > ns' lodge ; and the second had importance from a more public point ol view , the laying of a foundation stone of a new parish church , apart from the novelty of a Masonic ritual , marking an important step in the cllorl lo provide much-needed church accommodation for the

township . In honour of this latter event and of the visit of the Char cellor of the Kxchcquer and the distinguished Masons who accompanied him , the lillie town was gaily decorated with Hags and Mowers and may be said to have been en file . Decoration was certainly not necessary to make . S ' ailsworth pretty ; it scarcely added to its picturesqueness ; but the many coloured bunting gave a bright gala appearance to the scene and showed that the people were in sympathy wilh the occasion .

The name of the new bdge is the Royal York , and it is No . : ;>> , on the roll of Grand l . odge . It is the 17 th lodge under the banner oi the Province of Gloucestershire . The lodges of Gloucestershire were formed into a province in the year i S ^ o , there being then only live lodge : ; in the county . Of these the Lodge Foundation is by far the oldest , lt was founded , it is said , in Cheltenham , in the year 1 ; . - , .. , though moved the same

year to Burton ' s Coffee House , in London , whence , after one or two othc . changes in the interval , it returned to Cheltenham in the year 1 S 1 ; . his now No . A . ' , but while il takes precedence on thc roll ol Grand Lodge , it Ins two senior lo it on the roll of the province , the l . ojge Faith and Friendship , having beentransfcrred to Berkeley in th- ; year i -Au , and the Lodge

koyal I mon , j \ o . . * | ii , having been founded at Cirencester in 1 S 1 ; and removed lo Cheltenham seven years later . The Lod ge Lebanon was founded on the ashes o ( an older lodge at Ciloiiri- ' . lr-r in 1 ;¦ j j ; ml | i ) ,,. l . odge Cotteswold was started at Cirencester in iS-, 1 . These were Ihe lodges exi . ting in 1 S . 5 6 . Since that date no less thau 12 lod ges have been added to the roll , ami tmet cl these have been founded since th ; year 1 ^ 10 , and since the

Consecration Of The Royal York Lodge, No. 2709, At Nailsworth.

present Prov . Grand Master , Bro . the Right Hon . Sir M . E , Hicks-Beach , succeeded the late Bro . Lord Sherborne as ruler of the province . These are the Lodge Hicks-Beach , No . 2407 , founded at Stroud in 1891 . the St . Andrew , warranted at Avonmouth in 1 S 24 , and the Lodge Royal York so successfully inaugurated on Thursday .

The consecration ceremony commenced at 11 30 , the schoolroom in which the proceedings took place being crowded . The Prov . Grand Master , Bai . Sir M , F . Hicks Beach , Bart ., was the Presiding Officer , the various offiAs being filled by the Prov . Grand Officers as follows : Bros . R . V . Vassar-Smith , D . P . G . M . ; A . Baker , S . W . ; S . W . Hadington , J . W . ; Rev . F

W . Morris , Chap . ; F . Hannam Clark , Reg . ; Jimes Bruton , Treas . ; J . B . Winterbotham , Sec . ; E . W . Prevost , S . D . ; F . H . Sare , J . D . ; W . If . Godby , Si * pt . of Works ; Conway Jones , D . of C ; L . Pullin , S . B . ; A . F . Bailey and P . A . Pike , Std . Brs . ; H . Rogers , Org . ; Llewellyn livans , Asst . Sec ; W . C Ferris , Purst . ; H . C . Bailie and C . C . Moore , Stewards ; and W . Window , Tyler .

The ceremony observed was strictly iu accordance with the prescribed ritual , and was admirably performed . Bro . the Kev . F . W . MORRIS , Prov . G . C , delivered an eloquent address on FVcemasonry . The lodge was furnished by Bros . George Kenning and San , Li' . tle Britain , London , E . C

Consecration Of The Lodge Of Light, No. 2721.

CONSECRATION OF THE LODGE OF LIGHT , No . 2721 .

The Lodge of Li ght , No . 2721 , a new lodge for the London District , was consecrated on the 14 th inst ., at the Holborn Restaurant , by Bro . IvJward Letchworth , F ' . S . A ., G . Sec . Assisting him were Bros . Sir John , Braddick Monckton , P . G . W ., as S . W . ; James Stephens , P . D . G . D . C , as J . W . ; Ven . Archdeacon Stevens , P . G . C , as Chaplain ; Frank Richardson , P . G . I ) ., as D . of C . ; and T . A . Bullock , P . G . S . B ., as I . G . The Founders of the lodge , all of whom attended , were Bros . George Inskipp ,

Ross Robinson , W . R . Barr , E . K . Newnham , J . M . Klempner , A . E . Pridmore , CC . ; J . T . Sweet , Frank Davies , W . H . Parker , D . R . Milch , J . S . Hall , Horace W . Harrison , Edward Pope , Walter Chapman , A . P . Craddock , li . Kalla , H . K . Paxton , Harry Meredith , and Joseph Simpson . Amongst other brethren present were Bros . W . A . Bell , P . J . G . W . Scotland ; Henry Sadler , G . Tyler ; the Ven . Archdeacon Dunbar , W . A . Parker , P . P . G . S . of W . Stafford ; and G . F . Smith , P . G . Org . Bro . T . C Kdmonds acted as Tyler .

The musical portion of the ceremony was under the direction of Bro . George Smith , P . G . Org . Alter the lodge had been opened , Bro . LETCHWORTH said : Brethren , it is not necessary that I should occupy your time for many moments by any words of my own on the present occasion . We are gathered together , as you all well know , for the purpose of starting a new lodge , and adding one more to the long list of lodges on the register of the Grand Lodge of

England . The lodge we are about to constitute this evening will be known hereafter as the l . odge of Light , a singularly appropriate title , and I venture to hope that ibis lodge may have before it a career of great usefulness , and be the means of advancing thc best interests of Freemasonry in the Metropolis . Brethren , this lodge , like all other lodges , is about to be dedicated to the service of God , and therefore I will call upon the Rev . Brother the Chaplain to cive us the benefit of prayer .

The Cn . M'i . AiN having offered prayer the ceremony proceeded , and the Rev . Brother then delivered the oration which he commenced by referring to the appropriateness of the title " Lodge of Light , " li ght being the predominant wish of the heart of a Freemason . Tney were about to consecrate this lodge that its members might shine as lights in the world , and display virtues of brotherly love , relief , and truth . Masonry did not assert that

these were the only virtues which went to make perfect light , but they guided on to something they might grasp . The virtues were to be found in the Volume of the Sacred Law which was to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths . The lights of brotherly love , relief , and truth were lights which went to make up the light of Heaven ; blend them with other lights that came from other sources aud they would get nearer to the Great Light . This lodge would have to let its light shine not only in the lodge but out of

it . It must be distinguished for its working ; but in a certain way Masonry was judged from without as well as from within . It would be watched by the outer world , and therefore let their light shine be ' ore men so that their lodge might take ils place among the best of the lodges . It took upon it a great responsibility ; therefore its light must radiate to the world around . 1 Ie besought them to support the great Charities of Masonry and show the world what the true character of FVcemasonry was .

After the lodge had been duly consecrated , dedicated , and constituted , the patriarchal benediction was pronounced , and Bro . J . M . Klempner was installed as the first W . M . of the lodge . Bro . A . E . Pridmore , P . M ., was invested to act as I . P . M .

The remaining oflicers wore as followi . - Bros . J . T . Sweet , S . W . ; 1 ' . Davies , J . W . ; W . R . Barr , Treas . ; W . H . Parker , Sec . ; D . R . Milch , S . D ; Ross Robinson , J . D . ; H . Williamson , I . G . ; G . Inskipp , D . C . ; J . S . Hall , A . D . C . ; Kdward Pope , Steward . ; and T . C Edmonds , Tyler .

A Committee , consisting of the VV . M ., the LP . M ., the S . VV ., the J . VV ., the Treasurer , and the Secretary , was elected to frame the by-laws , names ol numerous candida'es lor initiation and joining were proposed and seconded , and a vote of thanks , with the honorary membership of the lodge , was unanimously conferred upon the Consecrating Officers , on the motion of the W . M .. seconded uy the acting I . P . M .

liro . K . I . i . ic insURTII acknowledged thc compliment , and the lodge was then closed . An exceptionally choice banquet followed , and the usual consecration leasts were honoured , thc speeches being enlivened with a beautiful musical entertainment under the Past Grand Organist , Bro . George F . Smiths direction . . . .

Bro . Sir J ll . MOMKTO . V , P . G . W ., responded lo the toast which ir eludes " The Grand Officers , " and in doing so informed the brethren that * lie consecration ceremony had never been better performed than it had been it at day by the Grand Secretary . The W . M ., too , was to the manner porn and did his work right well . Although the lodge was the Lodge of Lignt ,