Freemasonry In 1891.

and Hunts , of Bro . Viscount Dungarvan as Provincial Grand Master of Somersetshire , in succession to the late Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon ; of Bro . Col . G . N . Money , C . B ., as Provincial Grand Master of Surrey , in succession to the late Bro . General Brownrigg , C . B ., the ceremony being performed at Croydon by the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; of Bro . the Earl of Radnor as Provincial Grand Master of Wiltshire , in

succession to the late Bro . Lord Methuen in October , when H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught acted as the Installing Master , and the ceremony was performed at Salisbury ; and of Bro . Col . R . TI Caldwell , as Prov . Grand Master of Cambridgeshire , in succession to Bro . the Earl of Hardwickc , resigned , the ceremony being performed at Cambridge by Bro . Lord Henniker , Prov . Grand Master of Suffolk . On each of

these occasions there was a large gathering of brethren from far and near , and the greeting accorded to the newly-installed rulers was of a most enthusiastic character . Passing to events of lesser importance , but still worthy of being noted , we find that in January the Duke of Connaught was installed W . M . of the Irish Rifles Lodge , No . 2312 , while the Duke of Clarence and Avondale was presented with a founder ' s jewel by the brethren

of the Albert Victor Lodge , No . 2328 , of York . In October the Duke of Connaught presided in person at the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Sussex , and announced his intention of acting as Chairman at the next Festival of the Girls' School . In April , Bro . Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of Northumberland , laid the foundation-stone of a new Masonic Hall at Wallsend , and

similar functions were performed at Paignton , by the Deputy Prov . Grand . Master of Devonshire in August , and at Frome , in October , by Bro . Viscount Dungarvan . Some few lodges , notably the Percy Lodge , No . 198 , the Lodge of Amity , No . 2 S 3 , Haslingden , and the Albion , No . 196 , Barbados , have had the satisfaction of celebrating the centenary of their constitution , and the Churchill Lodge , No . 47 8 , Oxford , commemorated

the jubilee of the same event . There have also been sundry presentations to brethren more or less distinguished in the Craft , the most prominent cases being those of Bro . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire , to whom on the 27 th November a handsome gift of silver plate was made and an address presented in open Provincial Grand Lodge in commemoration of his services as ruler of the Province for , 21 years ; of

Bro . the Earl of Lathom , to whom at the Boys' School Festival , at which he was Chairman , the brethren of West Lancashire presented a full suit of Grand Lodge clothing and a gold chain of office as Pro Grand Master ; and Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., to whom , at a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , his portrait in oils by Mr . Ouless , R . A ., was presented by the brethren of his province

in token of the respect the ) ' entertain for him , and the estimation in which they regard the services he has rendered to the Province during the 21 years of his Provincial Grand Mastership . Nor must we omit to mention that a presentation was made to Bro . R . C . Sudlow , P . G . Std . Br . of England , by the brethren of Staffordshire in recognition of that brother ' s able assistance in connection with the organisation of lodges of instruction

in the Province , and the instruction he had personally afforded them in the ritual of Freemasonry . We are pleased also at being able to announce that in the course of the year three persons of high rank have been enrolled as members of the Order , namely , the Earl of Yarborough the Hon . E . G . V . Stanley , and the Earl o ! Portarlington . hi the case of the firstmentioned initiates , the fact of their having become members of

our Order is the more gratifying , because in that of the Earl of Yarborough , his grandfather and great-grandfather were both of them distinguished Masons , while the Hon . E . G . V . Stanley is son of Bro . Lord Stanley of Preston , the present Governor-General of Canada , a P . G . W . of England , and P . D . P . G . M . of West Lancashire . Lastly the QuatuorCoronati , the Anglo- American , and the Empire Lodges haveyetagain

had each of them the opportunity of exhibiting to great advantage both the useful and the ornamental sides of their character b y entertaining sundry distinguished Craftsmen from the United States and the British Colonies who have visited this country during the past 12 months , the most prominent among these visitors being Bros . Clifford P . McCalla , P . G . M . of Pennsylvania , and Bro . H . H . Ingersoll , P . G . M . of Tennessee , and Bro . the Hon . Chief Justice

Way , Pro G . Master and Past G . Master of the Grand Lodge of South Australia . 'I hese visits and the welcome extended by these lodges to those who make them cannot but exercise a most beneficial influence on the friendly relations already existing between the brethren in the United States and under independent organisation in our Colonies on the one hand and the Craft in England on the other .

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY . In ordinary circumstances the stream of Royal Arch Masonry flows placidly enough , but this year there have been a few ripples on its surface , just sufficient to show there is an under-current of vitality in this branch of constitutional Freemasonry . The number of new chapters for which warrants have been issued is 21 , as compared with 15 in 1890 , while the number

of Provincial rulers has been increased . Of the new chapters three are attached to London lodges , namely—the Southwark Chapter , No . 879 ; the Kingsland , No . 1693 ; a "d the Savage Club Chapter , No . 2190 , which started on its career with Comp . Edward Terry as its M . E . Z . The Provincial chapters are 11 in number , and of these the Province of Kent is m a position to claim two—the Grays Valley Chapter , No . 2147 , meeting at St .

Mary Cray , and the Military Jubilee , No . 2195 , at Dover . The Prince Edward Chapter , No . 2109 , iicaton Moor , and the Baldwin , No . 1398 , Dalton-in-Furness , have been added to the roll of East and West Lancashire respectively , The Chapter of Unity , No . 1247 , Plymouth , is an addition to the roll of Devonshire ; the Tynwald , No . 1242 , Douglas , to that of the Isle of Man ; the Halsey , No . 1479 , St . Albans , to that of

Hertfordshire ; the Plume , No . 1024 , Maldon , to that of Essex ; the Bisley , No . 2317 , Bisley , to that ol Surrey ; and the Doric , No . 362 , Grantham , to that of Lincolnshire . The remaining seven are located abroad , three being attached to as many different lodges in South Africa , two to lodges in India , one to the senior lodge in the Island of Cyprus , and one to the junior lodge at Cairo . To be more explicit as to detailsthe Transvaal Chapter , No . 1747 , meets in Pretoria , South

African Republic ; the Sir John Brand , No . 1778 , at Harrismith , in the Orange Free State , and the Prince Alfred Chapter , No . 956 , at Pietermarilzburg , in the District of Natal . The Palmer , No . 9 S 8 , is quarlercdat Scalkote , in the Punjab , and the Chapterof Harmony and Fidelity , No . 438 , at Cawnpore , under the District Grand Chapter of Bengal . The Star in the East Chapter , No . 1355 , illumines the Craft in the ancient city of Cairo , and the St . Paul ' s , No . 2277 , which is attached to the lodge bearing " the same name , mcetsjat Limassol . j ^ To one chapter—that ofj Judea , No . 265 ,

Freemasonry In 1891.

meeting at Keighley , in West Yorkshire , —his Royal Highness , the Grand Z ., has been pleased to grant a centenary warrant , and there have been the usual removals . The number of new Grand Superintendents is five . Comp . J . Montague Guest , M . P ., has succeeded Comp . J . M . P . Montagu , resigned , as chief of R . A . Masonry in Dorsetshire , and Comp . Col . G . N . Money , C . B ., is Grand Superintendent of Surrey , vice the late Comp . General

Brownrigg , C . B . As regards the old Province of Berks and Bucks , the arrangement adopted in Craft Masonry has been followed in the Royal Arch , and Comp . J . T . Morland is now Grand Superintendent of Berkshire , and Comp . the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , of Bucks . There is also a new Province , Comp . Lord Kensington having been appointed to preside over the chapters

in the Western Division of South Wales . As regards Supreme Grand Chapter , the noticeable proceedings are the appointment of the Earl of Lathom as Pro Grand Z ., and of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe as Grand PL , while at the convocation in February , Grand Chapter conferred on his Royal Plighness the Duke of Connaught the rank and status of Past Grand Z ., and presented him with the clothing appropriate to his rank .

MARK MASONRY . Fair progress has been the order of the day in this Degree , though as the communications are now held quarterly instead of half-yearly , the evidences of this progress may not be so generally apparent . The number of lodges added to the roll is 15 , and of newly-registered Mark Masons 1406 ; while four Mark lodges have had Royal Ark Mariner lodges moored to them , and there

have been issued 332 certificates of membership of that Degree . Of the 15 lodges , the Hibcrnia , No . 431 , and the Britannic , No . 433 , meet in London . The following six lodges have been added to the Provincial roll , namely , the Sarnian , No . 425 , Guernsey ; the Brighton , No . 426 , meeting in the town of the same name , and belonging to the Province of Sussex ; the Nene , No . 427 , Sutton Bridge , Lincolnshire ; the Broxbourne , No . 428 ,

Broxbourne , Hertfordshire ; the Lodge of Charity , No . 430 , Birmingham , on the roll of Warwickshire ; and the Stuart , No . 431 , Bedford . The other seven are located in foreign parts , name ! }' , the Keystone , No . 423 , King William ' s Town ; the Panmure , No . 435 , East London , and the Pyramid , No . 437 , Barkley East , all meeting in Cape Colony ; the Ashlar , No . 424 , Johannesburg , South African Republic ; the

Frontier Lodge , No . 429 , Peshawur , in the District of Bengal ; the Moonta , No . 432 , in South Australia ; and the Edaljee Khory , No . 436 , Singapore , in the Straits Settlements . Of these lodges the Brighton had the honour of being"consecrated by the Duke of Connaught , while Bro . Major-General Sir Charles Warren officiated at the consecration of the Edaljee Khory . The four new Royal Ark Mariners lodges are the Euston , No . 399 , the Camden ,

No . 41 S , the St . George ' s , No . 103 , and the Croydon , No . 198 . At the March Communication Grand Lodge , following the example of the Craft Grand Lodge , conferred the rank and status of a Past Grand Master on the Duke of Connaught , and presented his Royal Highness with the clothingappropriate to his rank . Among other events we note that the Duke of Connaught was installed in office as Provincial Grand Mark Master of

Sussex in the month of March , and that later in the year he presided at the annual meeting at Chichester of his Provincial Grand Lod ge , while on another occasion he was elevated to the Degree of Royal Ark Mariner and subsequent !) - enthroned as W . C . N . In June Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith was installed at Cheltenham by the Pro Grand Master , the Marquis of Hertford , as Provincial Grand Master

of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire , in succession to Bro . Baron de Ferrieres , whose term of office had expired , while amongst the changes in the leading personnel of the Order wc have to mention the appointments of Bro . C . R . Martin to be District Grand Master of Victoria , Australia , in place of the late Bro . II . W . Lowry ; of Bro . the Hon . Judge D . Grant McLeod to be District Grand Master of Burmah , in place of Bro . G . P . Travers-Drapes ;

and of Bro . Col . John Elliott , C . B ., to be District Grand Master of the West India Islands . But the most important annual occurrence in Mark Masonry is the Anniversary Festival of its Benevolent Fund , which is rendering such signal services in its general , educational , and annuity branches to poor Mark Masons and their families . This Festival was celebrated at the Freemasons' Tavern on the 22 nd Jul ) -, under the presidency of Bro .

Viscount Dungarvan ,. P . G . W . On this occasion the Board of Stewards was composed of 148 ladies and brethren , and the total of the donations and subscriptions reached £ 1858 , as compared with £ 2354 in 1890 , when the Board consisted of 179 ladies and brethren . This shows a decrease in the amount of about £ 500 , but wc console ourselves with the reflection that such

fluctuations are inevitable , and that , though the fluctuation in this instance has been in the wrong direction , there will sooner or later be a change for the better , especially when our Mark brethren learn that the funds they raise or contribute are not only being thankfully received , but at the same time useful !) ' applied . CinvAi . Ric AND HIGH GRADK MASONRY .

Among the organisations which are included under this head the most prominent and unquestionably the most prosperous is the Ancient and Accepted Rite , which has upwards of 100 Rose Croix chapters on its rollirrespective of those which have surrendered their warrants or are in abeyance—and which is able to boast of a most complete and well-ordered administration . The estimated value of its property , including investments ,

library , i * cc ., exceeds £ 19 , 000 ; its receipts are considerable , and its expenditure , which includes liberal contributions to the Masonic Institutions and / or charitable purposes generally , is well within its income . During 1 S 91 two Rose Croix chapters have been added to the roll , that of Albert Victor , meeting in the town of Reading , having been consecrated b y Bro . H . D . Sandeman , Grand Secretary General , and its first M . W . S . being Bro . 0

Viscount Valentia . In the constitution of the Supreme Council , 33 ] which presides over Ihe Rite , there have been some notable changes . Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke is now Grand Chancellor , vice Bro . J . M . P . Montagu , resigned , and Bro . Frank Richardson , Grand Treasurer General in place of Bro . Major-General H . Gierke , resigned , an J there arc two new officers in the persons of Bro . Lieut .-Col . Hugh S . Somerville Burney , Grand Marshal ,

and Bro . Col . G . N . Money , C . B ., Grand Chamberlain . Bro . J . H . Matthews , 33 ° , has taken the place of Bro . Lieut .-Col . Burne ) - as Inspector General of the South-Eastern District . It should be added that the Degree of Rose Croix was conferred on Bro . the Hon . Chief Justice Way in the Adoniram Chapter , No . 101 , the ceremony of perfection being performed by

Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke . As regards the Order of the Temple , its financial position is sound enough , and it is possible that greater activity has been noticeable in the provinces , where the Provincial Priors appearto have bestirred themselves , especially in Kent , Lancashire , Devonshire , Yorkshire , and elsewhere . But the Order does not seem to have become much stronger , and there is still quite a number of preceptories under suspension . The