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l ^^^^^ H ^ SATURDAY . J 23 , iqoo .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

We havc received copy of a new work entitled " French Prisoners' Lodges , " from the pen of Bro . John T . Thorp , P . M ., P . Prov . G . W . Leicestershire and Rutland , in which that able brother has collated , with great pains and labour , a mass of information from various sources concerning the lodges established from time to time in England and elsewhere by French

prisoners of war . I lie existence of sundry of these lod ges has been known to students of our history , but lu Hro . Thorp belon ^ i the credit of having treated the subject seriously and at length , and in doing this he has broug ht together much that has been unknown even to the Masonic student . True , as he says , this '" formation is fragmentary , but he has done his work

Masonic Notes.

of piecing it together in a manner that deserves commendation , and it will afford us great pleasure to describe more fully in our columns the contents of . this most interesting volume . In the meantime we may state generally that the book—which , by the way , is

dedicated to Bro . W . J . Hughan—is well printed , and contains a number of illustrations , which materially enhance its value . Only a small edition has been issued , and the price to early subscribers is five shillings , post free , direct from Bro . Thorp , 65 , Regents-road , Leicester .

The annual meeting , at Gloucester , on the 5 th instant , of thc Prov . G . Lodge of Gloucestershire appears , from the ample report of the proceedings we published last week , to have been a most successful function . Our Gloucestershire brethren go about their Masonic business very quietly , but they do it well .

They do not seem to be much given to innovation , but stand by the ancient ways , and discharge their duties conscientiously , and in the manner to which they have been accustomed for years past . They look upon attendance at Divine service as a part of the day's labour that cannot be dispensed with , and they attend , not forthe purpose of exhibiting themselves in

their paraphernalia , but to illustrate to the world the connection which naturally exists between religion and Freemasonry . They have the further advantage of being presided over by one of the most enlightened Masons of our day—Sir Michael Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P ., who . notwithstanding the cares which weigh so heavily upon him just now , still finds time to devote to his duties as Prov . G . Master .

On this occasion the brethren , after listening to an organ recital and inspecting the monuments in the Cathedral under the guidance of the Very Rev . Dean Spencer , Past Grand Chaplain of England , marched in procession into the sacred edifice and had the pleasure of hearing a most admirable discourse by the

Dean , in which he traced our modern Freemasonry to the College or Guild or architects , which flourished in the best days of the Roman Empire . On resuming business in Provincial Grand Lodge , the brethren voted a contribution to the South African Masonic Relief Fund , and subsequently , resolved on carrying out

the restoration of Tewkesbury Abbey at a cost of . £ 520 . towards which the Tewkesbury brethren agreed to contribute , £ 200 in addition to what they had already personally given . The usual banquet followed under the presidency of the Prov . Grand Master , the number of brethren present being about 150 . » * *

Thc meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire , at Boston , on the 7 th instant , under the Earl of Yarborough , Prov . G . M ., was also a great success , the brethren who attended numbering upwards of 3 So . Here a sum of 50 guineas was voted to the

South African Masonic Relief Fund , in accordance with the recommendation of the Benevolent Committee of the Province , and here also the proceedings terminated with the usual banquet , at which the Prov . G . M . occupied thc chair .

» * * The Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , will hold a stated meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Monday , the 25 th instant , when the W . M . —Bro . T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B . —will read a paper on " The Relics of the Grand Lodge at York . " The brethren will afterwards

dine together at the Holborn Restaurant . The summer outing , as we have previously announced , will take place early next month—from Wednesday , the 4 th , to Sunday , the Sth , prox . —to Gloucester and neighbourhood , where we may be sure the visitors will meet with

a most cordial welcome . All who intend joining in the excursion are requested to forward their names to the Secretary—Bro . G . W . Speth , La Tuya , Edward-road , Bromley , Kent—without delay . * * *

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent was held at Gravesend , under the auspices of the Lodge of Freedom , No . 77 . The Prov . G . M . - Earl Amherst , M . W . Pro G . M . —was in the chair , as usual , and there was a large attendance of Present and Past Grand Officers , and of thc representatives and

members of the lodges . In the course of the proceedings—which included attendance at divine service in the parish church—the Prov . G . Master congratulated thc Province on the progress that had been made of lit' - years , and at his instance a sum of 100

guineas was voted to thc South African Masonic Relief Fnnd . His lordship also announced that hc had consented to preside at the Girls' School Festival next year , and expressed the hope that the lodges and brethren would give him all the support in their power .

Masonic Notes.

Those English and Scottish members of the Association of Municipal Corporations who recentl y attended the meeting of that body in Dublin , and who are also members of our Society , had a great treat on Whit Monday , when they attended a special communication of the Grand Lod ge of Instruction of

Ireland , and had the pleasure of witnessing the initiation of Mr . Gilbert Smyly , M . A ., Fellow Trin . Coll ., and one of the most popular dons of Dublin University . The Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Sir James Creed Meredith , presided , and the ceremony was performed by Bro . Dr . Chetwode Crawley , P . G . D ., Grand

Secretary for Instruction , and Bro . the Right Hon , Lord Justice Fitzgibbon . Subsequently in their new banqueting hall Grand Lodge entertained their visitors , who numbered over 100 , and who were not only struck with the splendour of the hall in which they were

assembled , but also delighted beyond measure with the kindness and cordiality of their reception . We wish there were many more such meetings to record , for close as are the bonds which unite the brethren of the three jurisdictions in the United Kingdom , we should then find them drawn closer and still more close .

* » * It is evident from the report of the Quarterly Convocation of the Supreme Grand Chapter of Victoria , on the iSth April last , which is published in the Australasian Keystone of the 26 th of that month , that we do not stand alone in our apathy in respect of the

Royal Arch . The account of the proceedings , which only occupies a column , includes a Report of the Committee of General Purposes ; the nomination of a companion for the office of Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year ; a statement as to the Grand Treasurer ' s balance amounting to a certain sum ; the

announcement that on a certain day in May Comp . the Rev . Doctor J . Abrahams would deliver a lecture on the Banners and Bannerettes used in the Royal Arch ; and an appeal by the Acting Grand First Principal to the companions present " to induce the other members of Grand Chapter to be present and take an

interest in the proceedings of Grand Chapter . " This does not say much ior the condition of the Royal Arch in Victoria when it is considered necessary to urge upon Grand Ollicers to discharge their duties as such and take an interest in the proceedings of a body of which they are held to be the bright particular stars for the time being .

* » * We are glad to find from the report , which appears elsewhere , that the new Mark Province of Essex is so firmly established at the close of its first year . Numerically , it remains pretty much what it was at the outset , but it has had one new lodge added to its roll ,

though it will take time for the lodges to improve in thc matter of membership . Bro . Col . Lockwood , M . P ., D . P . G . M . M ., who presided , in the unavoidable absence on military duty of Bro . the Iiarl of Warwick , Prov . G . M . M ., was in a position to congratulate the meeting on the success of their first year as a separate

Province , and also informed them that those of them who ranked as Past Prov . Grand Ofiicers of East Anglia would retain the rank , dignity , and precedence to which they were entitled , so long as they continued to be subscribing members of a lodge in the Province oi Essex .

# * # It is not often that we find so much zeal and activity displayed in an outlying District of the English Craft , as it has been our privilege to record in connection with the District Grand Lodge of the Argentine Republic , South America , during the last

two or three years—indeed , since Bro . C . T . Mold was appointed District Grand Master in July , 1896 . A quarterly communication of this District Grand Lodge was held in Buenos Ayres on St . George ' s Day ( 23 rd April ) under the presidency of the District Grand Master , and the brief paper of Agenda having been

dealt with , District Grand Lodge was closed , and the brethren to the number of 107 dined together in honour of thc occasion under the presidency of their respected chief , due honour being paid to the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , with the result that a most enjoyable evening was spent . ?

« * This is'indeed good news . The District is not a large one , the number of lodges on the roll being only seven , of which three are located in the capital of the Argentine , and the other four elsewhere . But the Dist . G . Master appears to be a brother of energy and

extremely popular , and has gathered about him men of his own standard as his principal and executive officers . Moreover , they appear to be proud of their position as a District of our Grand Lodge , and in the course of the business portion of the proceedings a telegram of congratulation was despatched to the Prince of Wales on his escape from assassination , and

on his completing 25 years' service as M . W . G . Master . In addition a committee was appointed with reference to the South African Masonic Relief Fund , so that in respect of their duties towards the brethren , as well as in all other respects , the District G . Lodge of the Argentine Republic is to be congratulated on its work .