Mark Masonry.

The Prov . Grand Ledge having been opened , Bro . Clephane , acting as Prov . G . Sec ., rend the patent from the Hight Hon . Lord Leigh , Grand Master of the Order in England and Wales and the Colonics and possessions of the British crown , dated June 28 rcl , 1858 , appointing Bro . William Kelly to be Prov . Grand Master of Mark Masters , in the county of Leicester ; and that Brother having been installed , took the chair , and proceeded to make the appointments of Prov . Grand Officers . The Prov . Gram ] Master having announced in complimentary terms , that lie had appointed Bro . Joseph Underwood ( ex-mayor of Leicester ) W . M . of the Howe Lodge , No . 21 , to be Deputy Prov . Grand Master , the patent of appointand Underwood invested and installed in the chair of

ment was read , Bro . was Deputy Prov . Grand Master . The Prov . Grand Master then expressed the sense which he entertained of the honour conferred upon him , by the noble peers , in being permitted to appoint as his Senior and Junior Grand "Wardens , Bros , the Right Hon . Earls Howe and Ferrers , who , in the kindest manner , had at once accepted those offices . Tlie following Brethren were then appointed to the other offices , and those who were present were duly invested : —Bros . Pettifor ( elected ) G . Treas . ; E . Clephane , G . Sec . ; E . Morris , G . Reg . ; W . J . AVindram , G . M . Overseer ; "WIhu'ilyGSOversecvJJluntonGJOverseerGBankavtGS

. , .. , . . , .. ; . , .. Deacon ; IL Kinder , G . J . Deacon ; R . Brewin , G . Dir . of Cers . ; W . Miliican , G . Sword Bearer ; W . S . Bithrey , G Organist ; A . Cummings , G . Pursuivant ; and Bros . W . Weare , J . Holland , jun ., J . D . Paul , II . E . Emherlin , T . Sheppard , and C . J . Willey , G . Stewards . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark blasters was then closed in due form . HOWE LODGE ( NO . 21 . )—A quarterly meeting of this recently established Lodge of Mark Masters was held at the Bell Hotel , Leicester , on Wednesday , the 9 th February . The chair was taken by Brother Kelly , who stated that he had been requested by the W . M ., Bro . Underwood , to apologize for his unavoidable absence in London , and a letter was read from Bro . Windram , J . AV .,

apologizing for his absence on account of indisposition . A ballot was taken for Bros . John Sloane , M . D ., Thomas Herbert , and Henry Gamble , all of Leicester , and Members of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 34 S , and the two former , being in attendance , were duly advanced , as were also Brothers Martin , Nedham , and James Bouskell , of the same Lodge of Masons , who had been balloted for at the fivsfc meeting . A ballot was also taken for Bro ., the Right Hon . Earl Howe , G . C . IL , Prov . G . M . for Leicestershire , as a candidate for the Mark Degree , on the 15 th instant . The by-laws proposed at the former meeting having been adopted , the Lodge was closed in harmony . A Lodge of Emergency was held at the Bell Hotel , Leicester , on Tuesday , the loth February , for the advancement of the Right Hon . Earl Howe , G . C'JL , ( who , as Provincial Grand Master for Leicestershire , had at an earlier hour laid the corner stone of the Freemasons' Hall , Leicester ) : the appointment of officers , which , owing to the absence of the W . M . had been postponed from the last " meeting , and other business . The Lodge was then closed with the

usual ceremonies . FCWKB LODGE ( NO . 19)—A meeting of this Lodge was subsequently held at the same place ; present Brother Kelly , Prov . G . M . M . and W . M ., in the chair , the Right Hon . Earl Howe , and other brethren . The minutes of the last Lodge having been read and confirmed , a ballot was taken for Brothers the Right Hon . the Earl Ferrers , John H , Garner , and John Willis Goodwin , of the John of Gaunt Lodge , No . 7 GG , as candidates , all oi whom were duly elected . Bros . Earl Ferrers and Garner were duly advanced as Mark Masters , after which , and the delivery of the lecture of the degree by the Prov- G . M . M ., the Lodge was closed in due form .

Masonic Charities.

Masonic Charities .

ROYAL FREEMASONS' GIRLS' SCHOOL . A Quarterly General Court was held at the offices , Great Qneenstreet , on Thursday , January 13 th , Bro . John Udall , V . P ., presiding The minutes having been read and confirmed , Bro . Binckes moved as a substantive law of the institution , that all petitions from the provinces be forwarded to the Secretary at the office , at least a week before the meeting of the general committee , with every certificate ( correctly ) filled in , so as to make the absolute

laws and the regulations of the Committee of Management agree . Bro . Adlard seconded the motion , which was carried unanimously . The report of the Audit Committee was then read , showing a balance in the Treasurer's hands of £ 577 10 s . 3 d ., out of which the quarterly accounts , amounting £ 501 7 s . 8 d ., were ordered to be paid . It was then announced that there would be five vacancies in the school in April , to fill which there were five candidates , viz ., E . J . Fitzgerald , of Woodbridge ; R . Cook , of Ipswich * , and M . C . Saunders , L . M . Bradley , and M . E . Harvey , London , who , being

approved by the committee , are recommended for election . ROYAL FREEMASONS' BOYS' SCHOOL .. A Quarterly Court was held at the offices , on Monday , the 17 th January , Bro . JohnHervey ^ P . G . D ., presiding . The minutes having been read and confirmed , a resolution was brought up for consideration , as recommended by a sub-committee , that the collector should be paid five per cent , on all subscriptions and donations received by him , excepting upon the amounts subscribed upon the Stewards' lists at the annual festivals , upon which he shall only receive three per cent . This was agreed to with an addendum , to the effect that the three per cent ,, was to apply to all sums upon such lists .

Bro . G . Warriner gave notice of a motion for the next meeting , " That on and after the 1 st July , 1860 , ten pupils be received into the institution on the payment of £ 30 per annum each ; the admission of such pupils to be subjected to such rules aud regulations as the General Committee may determine upon . " A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings . The following Analysis of the Subscriptions to the two Schools is extracted from the respective Lists last published . Under the head of " neuter , " are included : —1 st . Brethren whose residences are partly in London and partly in the country , or whose addresses are not stated : 2 nd . The Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter Subscriptions .

London . Country . Neuter . Totals . GIRLS' SCHOOL . Subscribers , Subscribing Lodges , & c . ... 1048 307 113 1468 Votes to which the Amounts contributed by the above entitle them 2188 481 273 2942 BOYS' SCHOOL . Subscribers , Subscribing Lodges , & c . ... 667 236 69 972

Votes to which the Amounts contributed by the above entitle them 1810 456 277 2543 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOE BOYS . At a Meeting of the General Committee of this institution , held at the office , Great Queen Street , on Saturday , Feb . 5 , Bro . John Hervey , V . P ., P . G . S . D ., in the chair , the report of Bros . Lyall and Symonds on provincial organization was presented ; authority was

given to the sub-committee to print and circulate the same ; and it was resolved that the report should be taken into consideration at a Special Court , to be held on' Thursday , 31 st March , immediately after the close of the Special Court of the Girls' School . EOYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . The first Biennial Festival of this most deserving institution was held at Freemasons' Tavern , on the 26 th of January , when over 200

Brethren were present . The chair was ably filled by Bro . Wyndham Portal , J . G . W ., and the subscriptions amounted to the unprecedented sum of £ 2 , 300 . There can be no reason why this excellent charity should not have an annual festival . The . Charities' Committee of Wilts have recommended that the following scale of payment towards the charity fund be made by each Lodge and Chapter : —For each member , two shillings per annum ; the \ V . Master on his being installed into a chair in the province , ten

shillings and sixpence per annum ; the Senior Warden , ditto , five shillings per annum ; the Junior Warden , ditto , five shillings per annum ; each chair in the Chapter , five shillings per annum ; each other officer two shillings and sixpence per annum ; each candidate on his initiation , five shillings per annum . The above payments to be made at the end of each year to the Provincial Grand Treasurer , at the same time as the dues to tho Provincial Grand Lodge are paid . The Treasurer to open a separate account for the charity fund . That for the year 1858 , the dues for members only be paid ; all other dues to be paid from the first of January , 1859 .

Provincial.

Provincial .

From the Masonic Mirror . BERKSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE . On the 7 th of May , 1852 , a Grand Lodge was held at Beading , and , after a lapse of six years and a half , the Brethren were again called together on Monday , December 20 th , at the Town Hall , Windsor : and , after all , came to a " stale , flat , and unprofitable conclusion . " The time and season were alike inconvenient for Brethren who have to travel long distances . At three o'clock there were assembled

about forty Brethren , who , on the arrival of the officials , were marshalled with considerable ceremony to advance in due order . The V . W . Bro . R . Gibson , D . Prov . G . M ., occupied the throne , and informed the Brethren that , in consequence of an accident , the Provincial Grand Master was unable to attend ; and he had directed that the Prov . Grand Lodge was to be adjourned till the 23 rd March , when it would be held at Reading , and that then the appointments to office would be made . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then opened in form—such as it was—being in strength in the west and established in the south ; each officer having on his pedestal his responses in writing . A code of by-laws , which had been ordered at a previous meeting , was read .