Masonic Missions.

declining . The return of its members , in 1856 , was tlurfcyfcwo ; in 1857 , twenty-two ; and , in 1858 , seventy-seven . In 1859 , Bro . H . Bown was Worship ful Master . Tlie small town of Alcester is the scat of a Lodge , No . 378 , the Apollo , of some standing , having been founded in 1794 . It meets on the Monday near full moon , but afc an inn . The Chapter attached to itcalled the Chapter of Temperance ,

, meets at the same place . The number of members of the Lodge is small , being only about a dozen , and the Chapter camiot be considerable . In 1857 , Bro . Overbury was Worshipful Master ; in 1858 , Bro . J . W . Hance ; and , in 1859 , Bro . George Wyman . Although fche Lodge is small , it has been conducted with vigour , and its hospitality is freely

extended . Oa 28 th April , 1858 , the Worshipful Master , Bro . Hance , proposed a plan of giving essays or lectures on Masonry , which he began by an essay , which will be found in the Freemasons' Magazine , vol . iv ., p . 851 . The Lodge at Nuneaton is No . 625 , ancl is sfcyled the Abbey Lodge , meeting at a tavern . It was founded in 1836 .

It is a Loclge with about twenty members . In 1856 , Bro . E . Mason was Worshipful Master . The Lodge at Rugby was only founded in 1844 , and meets in a tavern . It is called the Lodge of Rectitude . In 1855 , Bro . J . Bromwich , P . Prov . G . S . B ., was AVorshipful Master ; and , in 1856 , Bro . Raymond R . Smyfchies . In those years , the Lodge was actively conducted , ancl in 1856 six members

were initiated , and the Lodge subscribed to the J'reemasons Magazine . The number of members is rather above twenty . The Stoneleigh Lodge , at Kenilworth , is one of the creations of the new Provincial Grancl Master , Lord Leigh . He became the first Worshipful Master for 1857-8 , and was succeeded in 1858-9 by Bro . C . W . Elkington , P . G . S . B . ancl P . Prov . S . G . W . The Loclge was so supported that in 1858

it had already fifty-three members , being , therefore , a first class Lodge in the province . The consecration of this Lodge on the 10 th of February , 1858 , was naturally an event in the province , and will be found fully recorded in the Freemasons' Magazine , vol . iv ., p . 322 . Of late years the province has been successively governed

by the E . W . Bro . Earl Ferrers ; by the E . W . Bro . Hall when G . Reg . ; when R . W . Bro . Earl Howe was appointecl Provincial Grand Master . "Under his rule were founded the Howe Lodge and Chapter , which have done so much for Masonry in the province . During this time , and for ten years ( from 1848 till 1858 ) , the office of Deputy Provincial

Grancl Master was held by Bro . J . W . Boughton Leigh , and on his retirement , an address was presented to him b y the Masons of the province in 1859 . Dr . Bell Fletcher , a distinguished Mason , has likewise held this office . On his retirement to assume the Grand Mastership of Leicestershire , the E . W . Bro . Earl Howe ' s services were recognized by the subscription of a Howe Testimonial Fund , which was devoted to the Masonic charities .

Ihe R . W . Bro . Earl Howe was succeeded in 1856 by the R . W . Bro . Lord Leigh , on the recommendation of the former . He had been initiated in the province in the First Lodge of Light , No . 689 , and in whicli he served the office of Worshipful Master , in commemoration of which he received a Past Master ' s jewel . During his short rule he has displayed

great zeal for his province . In 1858 he had the gratification of adding a new Lodge to Birmingham , ancl iu the same year he consecrated what we may call his own Lodge , at Kenilworth , as just recited . In the present year he has added to the list of Lodges , a few weeks ago , another new one , the Bard of Avon . On the 12 th of April ,. 1859 , he laid the first stone of the Leamington Hall Schools , with Masonic ceremonial . Lord Leigh is Grand Master of the Marie Masons of England .

In 1858 , the Prov . Grand Lodge was held at Alcester , it being the practice to hold it in inns in the several towns oi the province . On the 23 rd September , 1850 , the R , W . Bro .

Lord Leigh , held the Prov . - Grand Lodge at Rugby , Bro . Kettle being Prov . Grand Secretary ; and Bro . C . W . Elkington , Prov . Grand Dir . of Cers . At this Grancl Loclge it was resolved to form a Provincial Benevolent Fund . On the 28 th October , 1857 , the R . W . Bro . Lord Lei gh held his Prov . Grand Lodge at Nuneaton . Of the proceedings of 1858 we have to record that the Prov . Grand Lodge was

, held October 13 th , and for the first time was able to meet in a Masonic hall , being the noble foundation of the Howe Lodge at Birmingham . At this Grand Loclge , Bro . Chandos Wren Hoskyns , late high sheriff , was appointed Deputy Grand Master , in the place of Bro . Boughton Lei gh ; and a jewel presented to Bro . Dr . Henry Hopkinsof No . 51 .

, About a hundred brethren sat down at the banquet . Among the Prov . Senior Grancl Wardens of late years have been Bros . Elkington , F . Dee , M . Newton , Kettle , Cohen , J . W . Lloyd , Bingham , Dr . Hopkins , and Blenkinsop , We shall now give a return of the members of the

WARWICKSHIRE LODGES . Comparative numbers of Members in the years 1856-7-8 . No . 1856 1 S 57 185 S St . Paul's 51 Birmingham 44 35 44 Athol SS Do 34 40 3 G Trinity 31 ( 5 Coventry 20 19 23

Shakspeare 356 AVarwick no return 57 59 Apollo 378 Alcester 11 12 9 Guy ' s 556 Leamington 32 22 17 Abbey * 625 Nuneaton 16 19 19 Light " : 6 S 9 Birmingham 49 56 54 Faithful 690 Do 22 30 25 Rectitude 739 Rugby 25 21 22

Unity 828 "Warwick ,,, no return IS no return Howe 857 Birmingham 45 58 5 Sj Stoneleigh 1027 Kenilworth — — 58 Temperance ... 1041 Birmingham — — - 21

From this document we get the following results :-Population . Masons Birmingham 232 , 841 223 Coventry 36 , 812 23 Warwick and ") 22 765 9- ' - Leamingfcon y '" ~ ' ~' ' ' * Rugby 6 , 317 22 Nuneaton 4 , 859 19 Alcester 2 , 027 9

Kenilworth we exclude as exceptional . From the above figures we arrive at these conclusions— : that in a large town one in 1 , 000 is a low average for the number of Masons , ancl that in smaller towns it reaches one in 200 , which ought to be the number in all towns . On account of the large share the population of Birmingham forms of the provincewe cannot institute a comparison

, of the present ancl possible condition of the province as we could desire ; but we may observe that , iu our opinion , there should he at least four more Lodge towns ancl a larger number of halls .

The following is the relative position of Warwickshire , as compared with the provinces already recorded : — Lodge 5 f « efc in Population . Towns . Lodges . R . A . R . C . Hall- ; . Taverns Devon 567 , 093 18 25 12 — 10 12 WAEWICK ... 475 , 013 8 14 5 1 1 11

Norfolk 442 , 714- 5 8 2—0 7 Suffolk 337 , 225 10 12 2 — 0 10 Berks and ... 170 , 065 } _ _ , _ , . Bucks 143 , 492 ) u ' Derby 296 , 048 8 9 2—09 Notts 270637 3 5 1—0 3

, Leicester 230 , 308 3 4 2—12 Dorset 184 , 207 9 9 4 13 2 After deducting the population of Birmingham , and then placing Warwickshire alongside of districts of corresponding population , we consider this province decidedly backward ,