Consecration Of The Lodge Of Light, No. 2721.

he did not think its work would be light judging from the number of propositions for initiation . Now was the most interesting time of the year for Masons on account of the Charity elections . He was glad to see the polling was high because it showed the subscriptions were good aud that the interest

in the Institutions was undying . He was glad to hear that the W . M . was going to be Steward for the Girls' School . The present year had been a grand year for the Boys . It was a very good beginning for the Lodge ol Light that the W . M . was going to be a Steward , and he hoped the brethren would give him a good send-off .

Bro . J . M . KLEMPNER , W . M ., proposed " The Consecrating Officers , and said it had been quite his intention to make a most elaborate speech in his own way on the subject , but , whatever he had wanted to say , Bro . Sir John Monckton had taken the wind out of his sails . There was one thing they could not get away from—the ceremony they had taken part in that afternoon was most striking and beautiful . ( Hear , hear . ) It had beeu his

fortune to be present at other consecrations performed by Bro . Letchworth , but he might inform the brethren that on this occasion Bro . Letchworth was at his best . Whenever he ( the W . M . ) listened lo the ceremony he was most deeply impressed . Bro . Letchworth was assisted by some of the most prominent Masons , and the lodge owed all of them its hearty thanks for the very excellent way the ceremonies had been carried out by them .

Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec , in acknowledging the toast , said it had afforded one and all of the Grand Offhers the greatest possible pleasure to be there that evening , and to assist in starting the existence of a new lodge , of which he felt confident there was a great future before it . It had been begun under the most favourable auspices , and he was sure under the able rule of . Bro . Klempner it would not fail to be a great accession to the lodges of the Metropolis . He sincerely trusted the lodge would have before it a

very prosperous and a very happy future . Hc would now propose " The Health of the W . M ., " the brother he had had the great honour to install that evening . He most heartily congratulated the lodge on having for its first Master a brother of such experience , and one who had shown how well he was able to discharge the duties of the chair , and under whose skilful and genial rule the lodge could not do otherwise than prosper . He was sure all the brethren wished Bro . Klempner a most happy and prosperous year of office ; he was certain it would be a great success .

Bro . J . M . KLEMPNER , W . M ., in responding , said : Let me , first of all , express my heartfelt thanks to our brother Grand Secretary for the very flattering way he proposed the toast of my health , and also you for the very cordial manner in which you have accepted the same . . I feel very proud to be placed by you in this exceedingly high and honourable position . I shall

do my best to make this lodge a success . ( Hear , hear , and " We shall all help you . " ) I am sure it will not be for the want of the assistance of the founders if it is not . I intend to make this not only a Lodge of Light , but a lodge of light and leading . You will accept these very few words ; again accept my very cordial thanks for the way you have drunk my health . ( Cheers . )

Bro . W . H . BULL , P . J . G . W . Scotland , replying to the toastof " The Visitors , " said this was the first time he had had the privilege of attending an linglish lodge , and it was a great satisfaction to him to have been at such an important function as the consecration of one . The ceremony of consecration of this new lodge had impressed him greatly ; he had seen nothing in the north to surpass it , and he should carry away with him the strongest , deepest , and most pleasant recollection of the evening he had spent in the English brethren ' s midst .

Bros . J . 'IOLUVORTHY , P . M , - ' 625 , and E . WINTERDOTTOM , also responded . Bros . W . H . PARKER and W . R . BARR respectively responded to thc toast of " The Treasurer and Secretary . " " The Officers " having duly responded , the Tyler ' s toast terminated the proceedings .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

There was a large attendance of brethren at the half-yearly meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge held on Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., in the Town Hall , Huddersfield , under the banner of the Truth Lodge , No . ' 521 . The P . G . M ., Bro . William Lawies Jackson , M . P ., J . P ., presided , supported by the following officers of Provincial Grand Lodge :

Bros . J . D . Kay , 289 , P . S . G . W . ; VV . Watson , < 5 i , acting P . J . G . W . 1 Rev . W . H . Stanfield , 1221 , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . J . Maxon Walton , 307 , P . G . Chap . ; G . P . Longden , 226 S , P . G . Treas . ; A . H . J . Fletcher , 375 , I ' . G . Reg . ; II . G . li . Green , 1019 , P . G . Sec ; P . B . Coward , 904 , P . S . G . D . ; V . G . S . Dearden , 1263 , P . S . G . D ., * W . D . Shoebridge , 44 S , P . S . G . D . ; W . W . Clayton , 1 3 , P . J . G . D . ; VV . O . HinchliiT , 101 S , P . J . G . D . ; B . Stocks . 2035 , P . G . S . of VV . ;

VV . P . Raynor , 290 , P . G . D . C ; G . Hesketh , 14 ( 12 , P . D . G . D . C ; W . Nutt , 1545 , P . A . G . D . C ; ] . R . Mellor , 6 52 , P . A . G . D . C ; J . W . Tanner , 337 , P . G . S . B . ; H . Beaumont , 1 3 , P . G . S . B . ; J . J . Green , 1283 , P . G . S . B . •J . N . Hardy , 495 , P . G . Org . ; J . R . Barton , 306 , P . A . G . Sec . ; W . Butierworth , 1302 , P . A . G . Purst . ; W . Crowther , 1645 , A . Holmes , 1 5 22 , J . J . Parker , 264 , VV . Greenwood , 439 , and J . P . Hewitt , 1239 , P . G . Stwds . ; T . Leighton , 139 , P . G . Tyler ; and T . Chester , 904 , P . A . G . Tyler .

The eight Sheffield lodges were represented , and on the calling of the roll , only six lodges of the province failed to answer . Among the apologies for absence one was from Bro . Henry Smith , P . D . P . G . M ., whose detention in London on Masonic business prevented his attendance at Provincial Grand Lodge for the first time for 30 years . The minutes of the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge in Sheffield on April 6 th , having been confirmed ,

The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . VV . LAWIES J ACKSON , delivered his customary address . Having alluded to the absence of Bro . George 1 'Vanklin , Prov . J . G . W ., Lord Mayor of Sheffield , who would have been present but for the meeting of the City Council , the Prov . G . Master expressed his sense of obligation to the Mayor of Huddersfield , Bro . W . H . Jessop , and to the W . M , and members of the Lodge of Truth for their

hospitality . Huddersfield was , he said , interesting from a Masouic point of view . In no part of thc province was displayed greater zeal , belter order and regularity , and a keener sense of generosity and hospitality . This was the twelfth time within the last 25 years that Prov . Grand Lodge had mci there . Huddersfield had the honour of initiating into Freemasonry the Marquis of Ripon , who acted as Prov . G . Master of West Yorkshire , and

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

substquently as Grand Master of England , and though that nobleman for reasons which he felt overpowering , had seen fit to secede from Masonry , Huddersfield had supplied many distinguished members of the Order . Alluding to the celebration of the Centenary of the Boys' Institution , the Prov . G . Master alluded to the fact that the occasion , on which the M . W . G . M . the Prince of VVales presided , constituted a record in Masonic

charity , the brethren contributing the enormous sum of £ 134 000 . If any doubt existed amongst the ignorant as to the charitable sympathies of the Order , that contribution , he contended , was sufficient answer . The Province . of West Yorkshire contributed the sum of / , ' 6 iio , the largest amount ever subscribed bya single province to any single charity , and eclipsing the previous record of VVest Lancashire , which , some years previously , gave £ 6025 to

the same institution . The amount contributed , in his opinion , spoke volumes for the generosity of the brethren of West Yorkshire . This contribution had largely increased the voting power of the province , which now stood far ahead in influence at elections , the result of many years' careful { and systematic work . The Prov . G . M . referred in sympethetic terms to the accident vvhich had befallen the M . W . G . M ., the Prince of Wales , and expressed his

gratification at his ability to announce , on the authority of one who had it from the Prince's own lips , lhat his Royal Highness was making good progress , and was already enabled to use the injured limb with some amount of success . After brief allusions to several matters of purely Masonic interest , the Prov . G . M . stated that in accordance with the general feeling to which expression was given at Prov . Grand Lodge at Shipley a year ago , the offices

of the Secretary and Librarian had been removed from Wakefield to Leeds . The important question of providing a central home for the Province of Leeds , in the shape of a Masonic Hall , with provision for the Prov . Grand Officers , had been considered by a Special Committee , which he appointed some time ago , and a proposition would be submitted to that meeting for the approbation of the province generally . The opinion appeared to prevail

that it was desirable to obtain suitable head-quarters , and no place could be better than Leeds , with its easy accessibility from every part of the province . The PROV . G . REGISTRAR read the report of this special committee , which stated that a site for a Masonic Hall and suitable offices had been provisionally acquired , at a cost of £ 10 , 000 , having an area of 1397 square yards , and possessing frontages to Park-lane , Park-street , and Oxfordstreet , Leeds .

Bros . RICHARD J ACKSON and THOMAS WYNN spoke in favour of the suggested scheme , and Bro . J . COOPER MALCOLM , D . P . G . M , proposed— "That the report received be adopted , and that the special committee be re-appointed , with power to add to their number , to draw up a scheme for the utilisation of the site , and to lay the same before a future meeting . "

Bro . VV . H . JESSOI * ( Mayor of Huddersfield ) seconded , and the proposition was carried with only one dissentient . Bro . W . C . LUPTON , Chairman of the Charity Committee of West Yorkshire , submitted the half-yearly report . He detailed the work accomplished , and congratulated the brethren on the eminently satisfactory position of the province as regarded the three great Masonic Institutions .

A new record had been established by the recent election of two aged Freemasons and three widows at a cost of 26 , 256 votes , a total not likely to be eclipsed by any other province , or rivalled even by VVest Yorkshire , for many years to come . There was no special appeal to make to the brethren at present , though shortly there might arise the occasion to invite the brethren to rally to the support of the Prov . Grand Master in connection

with one of the great Charitable Institutions . The newly-established West Yorkshire Benevolent and Educational F ' und was in a flourishing condition . A large amount had been subscribed , and there had as yet been no claim upon it . Several claims were , however , pending , and Bro . Lupton , in conclusion , urged upon the brethren the desirability of a continuance of hearty

support of the Charities , instancing particularly the West Yorkshire Fund and the Institution for Girls . There being no other business , Prov . Grand Lodge was closed . A banquet , which was attended by a large number of those present at the meeting , was subsequently served at the Freemasons' Hall .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . D . D . Mercer , Senior Vice President , presided in the absence of Uro , J . H . Matthews , President , Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , Junior Vice-President , occupied the chair of Senior Vice-President , and Bro . C . J . R . Tijou , P . A . G . P ., held the chair of Junior Vice-President . Bro . Wm , Lake , A . G . Sec ., Bro . W . Dodd , Bro . G . S , Recknell , and Bro , Henry Sadler , G . Tyler ,

represented the Grand Secretary's department , The Board was numerously attended . The brethren first confirmed two grants of . £ 30 each , which the Grand Master was recommended at the September meeting to sanction , and the Board afterwards dealt with 32 new cases , which were qualified through lodges in the London district , and at Alexandria , Cape Town , Hertford , Hampton Court , Uxbridge , Bangor , Sunderland , Hadleigh , Jarrow , Aylesbury , Kingsbridgc , Lewes , Bristol , Jhansi , Aldershot , Risca , and Meltham .

Ol this list two cases in it were deferred , and one was dismissed . A total of _ £ 7- * 5 was voted to the remainder in sums of £ 5 , £ 10 , £ 20 , £ 30 , £ 40 , and . 650 . Grand Lodge was recommended to sanction three grants of . £ 50 each and the Grand Master was recommended to approve of a grant of . £ 40 in each of five cases , and of . 630 in each of four cases . The sum of . £ 20 was voted in nine cases , £ 10 in seven cases , and £ 5 in one case .

Ladies' Night Of The Prince Of Wales Lodge, No. 1648.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES LODGE , No . 1648 .

PRESENTATION TO BRO . C . N . WOODCOCK , W . M .

On Friday evening , the 14 th instant , the above lodge held their annual ladies' night , at Freemasons' Hall , Bradford , which was attended by about 30 of the brethren and their wives , who sat down to a most excellent dinner . An interesting feature of the occasion was the presentation by the brethren to Bro . C . N . Woodcock , W . M ., of a silver cradle , to commemorate the birth of a son during his year of office .

The presentation was made by Bro . the Rev . J AMES BKOWN ' K , Chaplain to the lodge , who , in a very impressive speech , handed the cradle to the W . M . Bro . WOODSTOCK responded in a feeling and appropriate manner . Thc cradle , which is of solid silver and a beautiful work of art , was handed round lor inspection , and was greatly admired .