The Prov. Grand Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

There has been a Provincial Grand Chapter since 1877 , when the Earl of Bective was installed Grand Superintendent , and continued in office until his death . The present head of the province is Colonel Sewell , who has eleven chapters under his rule , three of them in Westmorland . The oldest

chapter is the St . John ' s , at Wigton , founded in 1825 . In the minutes of the Sun , Square , and Compasses Lodge , No . 119 , however , it is shown that the Royal Arch was conferred in that lodge in 1804 , also the Cryptic Degrees and the Knights Templar . The Mark Province was founded in 1872 , with

Lord Bective as Provincial Grand Alaster , succeeded by Lord Henry Bentinck , Colonel Sewell being D . P . G . AI . There are ten lodges in the province , the oldest the Cumberland ,

No . 60 , at Carlisle , warranted in 1863 . In the Lodge of Perseverance , No . 371 , Alaryport , minutes , in 18 44 , however , it is recorded that several brethren "took the Degree of Mark Master Alason , and had their Marks duly registered in the Book of Marks . " This procedure is on a par with the

lodge in Cheshire that about two years ago got itself into trouble , in fact , had been working the Alark under the ajgis of its Craft warrant , without let or hindrance , for very many years . In Cumberland there are also a Rose Croix chapter at Keswick , a preceptor } " of Knights Templar at Carlisle , and

a conclave of the Knights of Rome and Constantino at Whitehaven , the latter , by the way , being one of the very few subordinate bodies of that moribund Order now working .

The Masonic Boer Prisoners At St. Helena

The Masonic Boer Prisoners at St . Helena

( St > ccuilltf plialatimplti'U far " THK MASONIC II . I . VSTI :. \ TKI > " lit ) lira . Pick )

TTTE have received an interesting communication from a \/ y Freemason , who , in common with many members of the Order , mostly hailing from lodges under the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , is a prisoner of war at St . Helena . He expresses his thanks for a copy of "THE

AIASONIC ILIXSTRATED , " which had been forwarded to him , and which he is good enough to say is the most interesting periodical that has reached him in his exile . The contents , he says , are read with the greatest avidity , both by himself and many other fellow Craftsmen who are unhappil y in a

like position , especially the items haying reference to South Africa , which are , of course , subjects of special comment . We quote the following from his letter : — " You notice a relic picked up on the battlefield at Paardeberg , viz ., a beautifully-designed and very heavy

sterling silver snuff-box . The Air . J . J . Raaff referred to is at present a refugee at Port Elizabeth , and two of his sons are prisoners here . They gave me the history of the box ,

and as Air . Raaff is a P . AI . of the Harrismilh Lodge , Orange Free State , and a prominent member of my mother Lodge , the Star of the Rand ( N . C . ) , Johannesburg , he may feel disposed to ask you to put him in communication with the present holder of it .

" Existence here is exceedingl y dull , and a few of us are indebted to the local lodges for being enabled to spend a few pleasant evenings in town at the lodge meetings . There are two lodges in St . Helena , viz ., the St . Helena Lodge , No . 4 88 , and the Old Rock Lodge , No . 912 ( both working under

the E . G . ) , of which Bro . G . Finch and W . Bro . W . Harrison are the W . AI . ' s for the present year , and whatever our political differences are , we have had no reason to complain of our fellow Craftsmen in St . Helena , who have in a most generous way extended to many of us the right hand of

fellowship and welcome . A few of us have been allowed parole , through the courtesy of Bro . Lieut .-Col . A . L . Paget , our esteemed Camp-commandant , to accept invitations to