Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

thing that the average Mason enjoys so much as a good , dinner , and so it was only natural that Bro . Jackson's installation should be followed by a banquet . This was held in the Victoria Hall , when at least 6 od guests sat down to an excellent repast , provided by Mr . Powolny . Bro . the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., in his new capacity of Prov . G . M ., occupied the chair , and among those present were Bros , the Earl of

Lathom , G . C . B ., Pro G . M . ; Robert Grey , P . G . D . ; Edward Letchworth , G . Sec . , * F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . Reg . ; Samuel Cochrane , G . Treas . , * Canon Bullock , G . Chaplain ; Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., Prov . G . M . Northumberland ; Thomas F . Halsey , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Hertfordshire ; Sir Joseph R . Bailey , Bart ., M . P ., Prov . G . M . Herefordshire ; and Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , D . L ., Prov . G . M . East Lancashire .

The gathering in the hall was a brilliant one , the usual sombre attire of an exclusively male gathering being relieved by the parti-coloured regalia and Masonic clothing which the majority of those present wore . A canopy of blue silk hung behind thc most distinguished visitors , while the orchestra had become ' for the . moment a huge conservatory , almost concealed in which was a band , which , under the leadership of Mr . J . Sidney Tones , discoursed

p leasing music . The dinner , too , had but little of the formality of the usual gathering , the solid "matter of factness" of eating being- varied by the request , first of the Chairman , then of the Earl of Lathom , and other high officers ' , to drink first with the brethren on their left , and then , with those on their right , and it waseamusing to hear one side and the other

testing the respective powers of their lungs in cheers of friendly rivalry , Brethren at one table drank fraternal greetings to friends at another , and however jealous the Masons may be of allowing the gentler sex to become acquainted with the mysteries of their Order , a hearty round of applause greeted the arrival of a number of ladies who , by special dispensation , had been invited to witness the post-prandial proceedings .

The CHAIRMAN gave the toast of " Her Majesty the Queen , at once their Sovereign and their Patron . " During her long reign the prosperity of the kingdom had , he said , progressed by leaps and bounds . For the great body of Masons in * this country he could say that the Queen had no more loyal subjects under her rule . "" The toast having been drunk with musical honours .

The CHAIRMAN proposed " The M . W . the Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G . " They owed , he said , a great debt of gratitude to thc Prince , not only for the part he took in the administration of the affairs of the nation , but for the high example he had set to members of their Craft . He asked them to drink the toast of their M . W . Grand Master with cordiality and enthusiasm . D-.. \\ 7 » - Olln ., pn- » . Ur . ..... r . C II f ~ l . r . A DI ...... . 1 ... C ' ...... _ f \ I 7 _ I _ - If - BroWmRiley the air of "God Bless the Prince of Walesin

. . sang , " singing the refrain of which the company joined with great heartiness . ¦ . The next toast on the list was " The Most VVorshipful the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; the R . W . Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " In proposing it , the CHAIRMAN said that they in West Yorkshire were deeply gcateful to Lord Lathom arid the other officers of the Grand Lodge who had taken part in that day ' s ceremony . It waste any province a great advantage that their relations with

the Grand Lodge should be of an amicable and satisfactory character , and so far as West Yorkshire was concerned , nothing should be wanting to de T serve the respect of every officer of the Grand Lodge . He trusted that every time they , receiyed a visit from the members of the Grand Lodge , they would send them back to London not only with the feeling that they had done service to Yorkshire , but wilh ' a desire to quickly return to that county .

In . asking for Lord Lathom a true Yorkshire welcome , the VVorshipful Grand Master said that no man had done more to make Masonry a living ind vital force in the social Ijfe of the country . . ; Bro . Lord LATHOM , who met with a most cordial reception , acknowledged the compliment , and expressed the willingness of the officers of the Grand Lodge at any time to come down and give their advice and assistance in

any movement for the benefit of Masonry . It was at the installation of their last Grand Master in 1885 that he came amongst them as an unknown man , but now he felt as if he were among old friends . For 21 years he had been the Prov . Grand Master of VVest Lancashire , and it was in 1856 that he was first initiated into Masonry , a step which he had never regretted for a single moment . He need not tell them how heartily glad

he was to know how Masonry had prospered throughout the country , while , what was more to the purpose , they werc getting hold of the right sort of brethren , not people who joined their ranks simply with an . idea of the benefits they would get out of it . The idea of the Craft being merely a benevolent institution was , he was glad lo say , rapidly dying out . ' Thc PRO . GRAND MASTER then proposed "The Health of the Right

Worship ful the Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , " and in doing so expressed the pleasure he felt in having been allowed to take part in lhat day ' s ceremony . . Their new Grand Master was one whose record would carry him very far , for he had done well in everything he had taken up , while he had a great deal before him yet . He wished him a long reign

amongst them , and on Iy asked them to back him up and help him to keep up lhe ascendency of Masonry which had been won by such Provinces as West Yorkshire , and . East and West Lancashire . Let the country see what they could do , as he was sure they did things in the north infinitely better than Ihey did in the south . The toast having been drunk with musical honours .

The CHAIRMAN , in acknowledging the toast , said he attributed the warmth of their reception , not so much to his own personal virtues , as to lhe fact that he embodied in his person an officer whom they always delighted to honour . Lord Lathom had not overestimated his appreciation of the hig h office to which they had called him , and which 110 effort on his part should be wanting to uphold . So far as the Province of West Yorkshire was concerned , there should be no slackening in the effort to maintain

the high traditions to which Masonry had attained . They loved Masonry for its high principles , and tried , he hoped , to carry out those high principles i'i their daily lives . Otherwise it was no use joining the Order . They must make Masonry a real , social force , which would tend to raise the standard ° f every member of the Craft . If only every member joined with him to carry on the work of the office , he should have all courage and hope as regarded the future . The other toasts were " The Deputy Prov . Grand Master and Prov . Grand Oflicers , " "The Visitors , " and " The Masonic Charities . "

The Institute of Journalists held their annual dinner at the Crystal Palace , on Saturday evening last . Mr . Charles Russell , the newly-elected President of the Institute , occupied the chair , and among- the guests were the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress , "to . Sir Edward Lawson , M . Emilc Zola and Madame Zola , Bro . Sir Augustus and Lady i ! . 's , the Prince de Cassano , Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , and Bro . Sir Somers and Lady Vine ,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST LANCASHIRE .

By command of Bro . the Ri ght Hon . the Earl of Lathom , G . C . B ., Pro G . M ., Prov . Grand Master , the annual meeting of thc Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire ( which now comprises upwards of . 100 lodges ) was held on the 20 th inst . at the Botanic Gardens , Old Trafford , where there was an attendance of about 800 Prov . Grand Lodge Officers , Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , officers and members of the Craft . The successful meeting was held under the banner of the Talbot Lodge , No . 2231 .

The Prov . Grand Master , together with the Grand Officers and Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past , entered the fine hall in procession , and , after the Prov . Grand Lodge had been opened , the Prov . Grand Master and Grand Officers were saluted .

The Prov . Grand Sec , Bro . VV . GOODACRE , read the roll of the Prov . Grand Lodge , when it was found that all were represented ( several very largely ) with the exception of the Lodge of Loyalty , No . 86 . The minutes of Prov . Grand Lodge were , on the motion of Bro . S . GIBSON SINCLAIR , Grand Deacon , P . P . G . W ., seconded by Bro . J . BELS ADAM , P . P . G . W ., taken as read and passed .

The accounts of the Prov . G . Treas ., Bro . W . Savage , P . M . 1609 , were also passed nem . con . From the financial statement it appeared that the balances from last year amounted to ^ 794 19 s . Sd . ; receipts from fees of honour from Prov . Grand Officers , £ 33 is . 6 d . ; fees from lodges , ^ 774 18 s . ; total , with other items , £ 1639 14 s . 4 d . The payments from the Charities ' Fund amounted to £ 84 ; Prov . Grand Lodge Fund , £ 300 5 s . id . ; and

Fund of Benevolence , £ 333 19 s . 4 d . ; total , £ 718 4 s . sd . The balances in hand of the three schemes were respectively £ 179 ios . 4 d ., £ 268 9 s . id ., and £ 473 ios . 6 d . —total , £ 921 9 s . lid ., making a grand total of balances and payments amounting to £ 16 39 14 s . 4 d . Bro . GOODACRE , P . G . Sec , in the course of his annual report stated that the peaceful condition of the lodges of the province to which he referred

in his last report remained undisturbed . It was onl y to be expected that in so large a province with so many brethren differences would arise occasionally , but he was happy to say that all such had been peacefully arranged . There had been two new lodges —St . Annes , No . 2457 , at St . Annes-on-the-Sea , and Bootle Wilbraham , No . 2463 , at Knotty Ash , the latter of which commencsd its career by devoting all its initiation fees to benevolence . The

roll of members for the 107 lodges of the province numbered 7160 , an increase of ' 403 during the year , and an increase of 2572 during the past nine years . The Provincial Charitable Institutions were flourishing , and were now worth considerably over £ 30 , 000 , of which the Educational Institution owned £ 22 , 000 , and the * Hamer and Alpass nearly £ 5000 each . He ventured to suggest that by means of some readjustment * of their

educational system they might extend the usefulness of their Institutions . The annual meeting . of the Alpass Fund was to be held at Southport on October 5 th , and was to be presided over by Lord Skelmersdale . He hoped that there would be a large attendance of members to show their appreciation of the interest being taken in Freemasonry by thc son of the Provincial Grand

Master . After describing ' Avhat had been dorfe in the direction of readjusting the boundary line of the two Provinces of VVest and East Lancashire , thc report expressed satisfaction that six additional collars had this year been placed at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Master , thus enabling him to recognise the merits of this additional number out of so many worthy brethren .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER said that it afforded him intense satisfaction to find that the Secretary had left htm so little to say . It was pleasant to find everything going on . so happily and so well in this great province . They had increased the number of lodges by two , and he must say that he was not anxious to see a large increase , although now that the new boundary-was established there might be an opening for one or two new lodges . The to the increase of

report as members was most gratifying as showing that , notwithstanding the bad times through which they had passed , so many were forthcoming to join their Brotherhood . He was glad to hear a good report of the Charitable Institutions . He hoped that the next meeting of the Alpass would secure good results . With regard to what the Prov . G . Sec . had said as to their Educational Institutions , he would suggest the advisability of forming a Committee of brethren to ijo thorouehlv

into the question . He thought that at a time when every child should be educated free . or nearly so , it was perfectly possible that some of their funds might be wasted . He , therefore , thought a thorough revision to be absolutely necessary . In conclusion bis lordship expressed his intense gratification at the fact of the Grand Lod ge having adopted their views , and given him the honour of conferring six more collars upon deserving brethren .

Bro . J . D . MURRAY , P . G . Treas . Eng ., proposed , and Bro . J . SLYMAN , P . P . G . D ., seconded that Bro . George R . Lloyd , Urmston Lodge , No . 1730 , be elected P . G . Treas . Bro . J . MOULDING , P . P . G . Reg ., supported the proposition , and , no other candidate being proposed , Bro . Lloyd was elected .

On the motion of Bro . J . D . MURRAY , Bros . Johnson , Lambert , Piatt , Callow , and Savage were appointed Auditors . The P . G . M . moved— "That a hearty vote of congratulation be passed to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Grand Master of England , on the marriage of the Duke of York , and that such vote be duly engrossed and sent to his Royal Highness . "

Bro . R . WYI . IE seconded the motion , which was carried by acclamation . Bro . R . WYLIE then' moved , in accordance with notice of motion" That from the ist October , 1893 , the Prov . Grand Secretary be paid thc sum of £ 400 a year , inclusive of all travelling expenses connected with his office . "

Bro . J . DE BELS ADAM , P . P . S . G . W ., seconded the motion , which was supported by the Karl of LATHOM , and unanimously adopted . Bro . WYLIE then proposed "That the sum of 150 guineas be voted from the Provincial Grand Lodge Charities' Fund to the three local Institutions , viz ., 50 guineas to the VVest Lancashire Alpass Institution , 50 guineas to

the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , and 50 guineas to the VVest Lancashire Hamer Benevolent Institution ; and Lord Skelmersdale having kindly consented to preside at the forthcoming festival of the the Alpass Benevolent Institution on thc 5 th October next , the sum of 100 guineas be voted from the Prov . Grand Lodge Fund of Benevolence to that Institution . " Bro . T . FORRESTER , P . G . S . B . England , seconded , and the proposal was adopted .