Provincial.

provincial grand officers . Every lodge in the province was represented , about 200 brethren being present . The statements of the Prov . G . Treas . Bro . C . M . Nosbitt : the P . G . Reg . strar . Bro . II . Watson : the P . G . Secretary , Bro . B . Vickers ; and . the P . G . Steward . Bro . II . E . Cousens , having been received , the Grand Master announced that the office of Denuty Provincial Grand

Master had been rendered vacant by the resignation of Bro . Major E . Locock . whose failing health compelled him to relinquish the duties . lie had intended investing Bro . Sissons with the office , but a family bereavement had rendered that impossible , and ho had therefore selected Bro . James Fowler , of Louth , as his deputy . Bro . J . Fowler having been duly installed into the office , was

presented with the hearty good wishes of all the lodges in the province . It was resolved to present Bro . II . E . Cousens with a jewel . in recognition of his services as charity steward during a period of two years . Bro . C . M . Nesbitt was re-elected treasurer It was decided that ihe Girls' Institution should be ihe charity to receive the support of the province during the year , and Bro . H . T .

Bellamy and Bro . J . Ward were elected Prov . Grand Stewards . The Prov . Grand Master then appointed and invested the prov . grand officers for the ensuing year . It was announced that Prov . Grand Lodge would next . year be held at Sutton Bridge . Bro J . B . Morton , the W . M .. and ihe officers of the Pelham Pillar Lodge , No . 792 .

entertained the visiting brethren in a most' hospitable manner . By the permission of the Prov . Grand Master the brethren were tubsequently grouped and photographed in their masonic clothing . The usual banquet took place in the Town Hall , 178 brethren being brethren .

NORTHUMBERLAND . —NEWCASTLE . —The Blagdon Chapter of Royal Arch Masons , No . G 59 , was consecrated at the Masonic Hall . Maple Street . Newcastle , on Monday the 27 th ulto ., by Ex . Comps Col . Addison Potter , C . B .. G . Supt ., as Z . ; George Spain . P . G . H .. as H . : G . F . Charlton , P . G . J ., as J . ; Joseph H . Bentham , P . P . G . H ..

as S . E .: J . S . Wilson , P . P . G . H ., D . C . ; and John Nicholson , P . P . G . O ., Musical Director . The Principals installed were Comps . James Eadingtrn . Z . ; Edward Forster , II . ; and James Carmichael , J . The incidental music was rendered by Comps . John Nicholson , Walker . Whitehead , and Nutton .

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE . —The Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire will be held under the Presidency of W . Bro . the Earl of Euston , at Huntingdon , this day , the 13 th inst . SHROPSHIRE . —WHITCHUI cir . —The consecration of the St . Alkmund Lodge , No . 2311 . took place at the Town Hall , AVhitchurch , on Thursday last . The Provincial Grand Master the R . W . Bro . Sir Oftley Wakeman . performed the ceremony , and was assisted by

W . Bros . Rowland G . Venables , P . G . A . D . C , and AV . H . Spaull , P . A . G . D . C .. who subsequently installed the W . M . designate of the new lodge , AV . Bro . C . L . Crump , P . G . Treas . After the appointment and investiture of officers , and the despatch of routine business , the Prov . Grand Lodge officers , together with the members of Lodge No . i . 'ill , and their visitors assembled at a banquet , which was presided over by Bro . Crump .

GRAND MARK LODGE . —Bros . Berridge and Driver , the architects for the alterations of ihe premises , lately Bacon ' s Hotel , Great Queen Street , for the purposes of the Grand Lodge of Maik Master Masons , have received and submitted tenders for the work ranging

in amount from £ 5 . 873 to £ 4 , 1 ) 43 . The latter , which is that of Mr . Lawrence , has been accepted . The improvements to the old premises comprise inter alia a hall capable of accommodating about 4 ( 10 brethren , and there will be numerous private Lodge rooms throughout the spacious building .

Bro . the Rev . P . H . Ernest Brette , Treasurer during the past ten years of the Thames Valley Lodge , No . 14 G 0 , was presented on the 1 st . Inst , by his Lodge , with a handsome Queen Anno chased silver Cup in token of high appreciation of regard , and the esteem in which his important services to the Lodge are held by his brethren .

THE altar is an indispensable portion of the furniture of a Masonic Lodge . On it lies , ever open in the Lodge , the volume of the Sacred Law , and the square and compasses . As a general rule it should be about three feet high and of similar ru-oportions as to length'and breadth . But the situation varies a little in the different

rites . Usually it is m the East , in front of the Master ' s chair . It is a mistake to call the altar the pedestal , which is purely the Master ' s desk , and such a confounding of two distinct things is a remnant of ifche slovenly working of the early part of this century . —Kenn inq .

THEY HAVE NOT LIVED IN VAIN !—That Masonry , professionally embraced , does not reward the laborers in her vineyard with earthl y treasures we have a forcible illustration in two of the most prominent Masonic characters of our age , who have given their whole life and spent all their mental energy to promote the welfare of the Craft . AA e refer to Theo . S . Parvin , Grand Secretary of the

Grand Lodge of Iowa , and J . W . Simons , late editor of the Masonic Department of the New York DISPATCH . Rsally touching are their remarks on this point . We let them speak for themselves . Bro . Theo . S . Parvin says : li Should our life be spared ( June 7 , 1887 ) to see the Ides of March , ' we shall have then rounded out a full half century of Masonic service—more extensive and varied than has

over fallen to the lot of man . Becoming a Mason in tho third lodge organized west of the Alleghany Mountains ( 1791 ) in March , 1838 , we were the night we became a M . Mason elected secretary of the lodge , in which we were the only youthful member—under thirtyfive years of age . From that night , save the two years' interregnum , till the organization of Des Moines Lodge , No . 1 ,

Burlington , Iowa , in 1848 , of which we were a charter member and officer , we have held a prominent office and served the brethren . Forty-eight years of active and official service in Iowa ! A member cf the conventions which organized the Grand Lodge , Grand Chapter and Grand Commandery of Iowa ; first Grand Secretary and later Grand Master ; first Grand High Priest and lirst Grand

Commander ; we have never missed a session of the first , and only two ( when absent from the State ) of the latter , in all these years , AVe became a member of the national bodies—General Grand Chapter , and the Grand Encampment—in 1 S 5 G , and for fifteen of these years an officer in the latter and serving on important committees in both . AVhcther our labors in thcs 3 and other

fields have served m any way to enrich our brethren and the order , 'deponent saith not , ' but Ave do say we have impoverished ourself , and sacrificed therein time and talent which had they been devoted to the profession ( law ) of our early manhood , would have enriched us and those now depenelent upon us . In some respects our life has been a signal failure , and it is too late in old age to remed y the

follies of youth . " On which M . E . Comp . John AV . Simons animadverts : ' AVe presume that most of the Elders—the writer among the number—have had a somewhat similar experience ; yet now old , poor and sick , we have no shadow of regret for the labors to which we have devoted the best part of our manhood ; for we believe that

we have done something for humanity in promoting the stabilty and influence of our institution , and that when in the not far distant future we are laid away o : i the hill-side near our country home—which we sometimes look at with longing—the brethren will bear us in kindly remembrance and that we shall not have lived in vain . "—New York JOisjyatch .

Metropolitan Lodge And Chapter Meetings For The Current Week.

Metropolitan Lodge and Chapter Meetings for the Current Week .

"All Lodges held within Ten Miles of FREEMASONS'HALL , LONDON , are LONDON LODGES . "—General Laws and Regulations . L ^ ' ™ NAME OP LODGE AND CHAPTER . PLACE OP MEETING . Lodge SAME 0 P L 0 DGB Ks ^ C HAPTER . P LACE OP M EETING .

( THIS DAY ) ( 2 nd ) THURSDAY , JUNE 13 th . 1076 Capper Guildhall Tav ., Gresham Street , E . C . SU 33 University of London F . M . 11 . 20-17 llcckcnham Public Hall , Bcekcnham P .. A . C . 65 Prosperity Guildhall Tav ., E . C . f 6 ) Diillioustc Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet Street , E . C .

for Koval Alljcrt „ . White Hurt Tav ., Abchurch Lane , E . C . B . C . 97 Ro . ^ c and Lily 33 , Golden Square , AV . ( 2 nd ) FRIDAY , JUNE 14 th . 134 : Caledonian I Ship and Turtle , Leadcnhall Street "SO U"val Alfred ' Star and Garter Hot ., Kuw Bridge R . A . C . . ' I Willis

C : Friendship | ' s Rooms , St . James ' s , W . ( 3 rd ) SATURDAY , JUNE 15 th . 1115 Lewis King ' s Arms Hot ., Wood Green , X . 1641 C ' riehton Surrey M . 11 ., Camberwell Mark . 205 Ileaconsllcld Chequers Hot ., AValthamstow 357 Chiswlck Star and Garter Hot ., Kcw Bridge

( 3 rd ) MONDAY , JUNE 17 th . 123 S Gox-h I Albany Hot , Twickenham 15 D 0 White Horse of Kent Holborn Viaduct Hotel R . A . O . 1 . ( 19 Asaph F . M . II . Mark . 239 P . ovalX . val 8 a , Red Lion Square , AV . C . 294 Ho .-al N . val College Sh p Tav ., Greenwich K . T . . 131 Holv Sanctuary 33 , Golden Square , AV ,

j ( 3 rd ) TUESDAY , JUNE 18 th . BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES , AT 4—F . M . H . 1333 Stockwell Surrey M . H .. Camberwell 1 G 95 New Finsbury Park Cock Tav ., Highbury , N . 2191 Anglo-American Criterion , Piccadilly , AV . R . A . C .

U Enoch F . M . H . ISO Industry Ditto 933 Doric Anderton ' s Hot ., E . C . 1348 Ebury F . M . H . 2021 Queen ' s Westminster Holborn Rest ., AA ' . C . R . C . 43 Oxford & Cam . Universities ... 33 , Golden Square , AV . ( 3 rd ) WEDNESDAY , JUNE 19 th .

BOARD OF BENEV-OLENCE , AT 6—F . M . H . 700 Nelson M . H ., William Street , Woolwich 1382 Corinthian George Hoc , Cubitt Town , E . 1716 All Saints 117 , High St ., Poplar 2140 Huguenot Criterion , Piccadilly , AV . R . C . 105 Ceour do Lloa 8 a , Red Lion Square , AV . C .

( 3 rd ) THURSDAY , JUNE 20 th . HOUSE COMMITTEE , GIRLS' SCHOOL , AT 4 . 30 . 1320 Blackheath Trafalgar Hot ., Greenwich 1081 LondcsboiV Cafe Royal , Regent Street , AV . R . A . C . 63 St . Mary ' s F . M . II . 733 AVcstbounic Ln-d ' s Hotel , St . John ' s Wocd