Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

— : o : — OXFORDSHIRE .

THE annual Provincial Grand Chapter was held on the 12 th , at Oxford . There was a large attendance of Companions , including the Earl of Jersey , Viscount Valentia , the Eev . H . A . Pickard Grand Superintendent , and E . Letchworth Grand Scribe of England . Eev . H . A . Pickard having resigned fche office of

Grand Superintendent of the Province , which he had held since the death of the Duke of Albany , installed Lord Valentia Grand Superintendent in his place . Comp . F . M . Davies was elected Provincial Grand Treasurer in place of the late Comp . A . E .

Drinkwater , and Comps . E . E . Baynes , M . A ., Christ Church , and E . L , Shepherd , of Abingdon , were respectively appointed First and Second Principals , and Companion C . M . Taphouse Organist .

West Yorkshire.

WEST YORKSHIRE

ON Saturday afternoon a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Great George Street , Leeds , for the purpose of installing the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., as the Provincial Grand Superintendent .

Since the death of the late Grand Superintendent Comp . T . W . Tew , the Companions of the Province had been without a titular head , and the duties were carried on by Companion Henry Smith Provincial Grand H . More than usual interest was taken

in the gathering by Companions of the Order , who attended from all parts of the Province , as well as from neighbouring districts , and of the forty Chapters in West Yorkshire , thirty-eight were represented . The new Provincial Grand Superintendent is a member of

the Fidelity Chapter , No . 289 , Leeds , and last year held the position of First Principal . It was intended that the ceremony of installation should have been performed by Comp . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Grand Superintendent of Hants ancl the Isle of Wight , but during last week he received a severe kick from his

horse , which prevented his attendance , and the duty was undertaken by Comp . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , Grand Registrar and Provincial Grand Superintendent of Essex . The installation was held . under the banners of the five Leeds Chapters , the Fidelity

( 289 ) , Philanthropic ( 304 ) , Alfred ( 306 ) , Excelsior ( 1042 ) , and Prudence ( 2069 ) , and the Committee consisted of the three Principals of each Chapter , with Comp . G . L . Mason as Chairman and Comp . C . I . Turner S . E . ( 289 ) as Secretary .

During the installation ceremony Comp . F . A . Philbrick acted as First Principal , Sir J . B . Monckton P . G . S . N , as Second Principal , and E . Grey President of the Committee of General Purposes Third Principal ; and they were assisted by Comps .

Major J . E . Le Feuvre P . G . S . B . of England , R . Eve P . G . Treas ., C . E . Keyser P . G . S . B ., T . B . Whytehead P . G . Sfc . B ., J . Chadwich P . G . St . B . S . E . of the Provincial Grand Chapter of East Lancashire , and M . C . Peck P . G . St . B .

The ceremony was an impressive one , and at the conclusion Comp . Philbrick , addressing the Companions , congratulated the Province on having such a gentleman as Comp . W . L . Jackson as its Grand Superintendent . He added that the name of W . L . Jackson was an honoured one in Yorkshire , and stood as a

symbol of all that was honourable , straightforward , conscientious and truthful ; as a mark of the high character of one who was deservedly respected ; and the choice of the Prince of Wales in placing Comp . Jackson at the head of the Province was one which was willingly and delightedly acquiesced in by the Companions generally .

The Provincial Grand Superintendent , after alluding to the absence of Comp . W . W . B . Beach , said that no one knew more than he did how difficult it was to fulfil the growing duties which came upon one in the manner one desired to fulfil them , but as far as he could bring to bear diligence and faithfulness in

the discharge of his duties , he should endeavour to do so with all his heart and zeal . He thanked the Companions of Sheffield for their invitation to Provincial Grand Chapter to meet in that city , but it was thought to be more in accordance with the general

convenience that the Chapter should be held at Leeds . He also acknowledged the indebtedness of the Companions to the five Leeds Chapters for the excellent arrangements which had been made for that gathering .

At the conclusion of the ceremony of installation , a banquet was held at the Great Northern Hotel , at which the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., presided .

After the usual toasts had been duly honoured , Comp . F . A . Philbrick proposed the health of the newly installed Provincial Grand Superintendent . He remarked that there was au old proverb to the effect , " Tell me what a man ' s associates are , and

West Yorkshire.

1 will tell you what fche man is ; " and they needed no greater test of what a man was thau when they found that he was honoured in the place in which he grew up as a boy , had spent his young manhood , and had devoted the energies of his riper years . That their Grand Superintendent had done , and had won the esteem and confidence of his fellow-townsmen , and he was sure the

Order in the Province would prosper under his rule . The Provincial Grand Superintendent , who was most enthusiastically received , in replying to the toast , remarked that he had found during his short life that the easiest course for a

man to follow when he saw before him what appeared to be , all things considered , a clear aud definite line of duty , was to follow that line , and take the consequences . After all , what did it mean ? It meant , no doubt , the sacrifice of what

was called leisure , bufc a man can hardly be better engaged fchan in endeavouring to promote , as far as he could , what appeared to be for the general welfare of the community . They had no party politics in that gathering ; but they combined the ideas of both parties of polifcics . The duties of citizens fell to all of them ,

but whatever might be ttieir particular politics , and however they might have been engaged in party fights , they recognised there was one object which was common to all loyal and dutiful citizens , to do the best they could , according to their judgment

and ability , to promote fche welfare of the community by which they were surrounded . Dealing with the ceremony that afternoon , he added that , with the assistance of the Companions of West Yorkshire , he had confidence that he would be able to maintain the traditions of the past . — " Leeds Mercury . "

The annual installation meeting of the William Shurmur Chapter , No . 2374 , will be held at the Royal Forest Hotel , Chingford , ou Thursday next , the 28 th insfc ., when Comp . F . A , Philbrick Grand Superintendent of the Province of Essex has promised to preside . The Officers elected are Comps . James Speller Z ., John Byford jun . H and Ben Johnson J . An account of the ceremony will appear in due course .

PATRIOTIC CHAPTER , No . 51 . THE installation meeting took place on the 14 th , at Colchester , when Comps . J . G . Renshaw and-A . J . H . Ward were respectively installed as Z . and J . Comp . E . Gowers was to have been installed as H ., but owing to serious illness he could not attend . The Officers were invested , and the Companions afterwards dined together at tho Cups Hotel .

FRIENDSHIP CHAPTER , No 202 .

THE annual meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Devonport , on the 14 th inst ., when the Officers were installed . The ceremony was ably conducted by Comps . E . J . Knight , W . Allsford , and J . Bray . After the formal business the Companions adjourned to tho dining hall , where supper was served .

Tho meeting of the Brunswick Chapter , reported in a previous issue , was held at the Brunswick Masonio Hall , Hobart Street , Stonehouse , and not at Plymouth as stated .

MAEK MASONRY .

ST . GEORGE'S LODGE , No . 15 . ON the 13 th inst ., iu succession to Bro . E . H . Shorto , recently appointed Prov . Grand Treasurer , Bro . A . Hope P . Prov . G . Treas . was installed W . M . by Bro . Henry Stocker Prov . G . Sec . P . G . D . Eng . In the evening the installation banquet was held at the Globe Hotel .

SINCERITY MARK LODGE , No . 35 .

THE usual monthly meeting was held on Monday , 4 th inst ., at East Stonehouse , Plymouth , Bro . H . W . Mayne in the chair . Immediately after closing , the Royal Ark Mariners' Lodge , which is attached to Sincerity Mark , was opened , Bro . George Dunstcrville W . C . N , presiding . Bro . John Parker was elected W . C . N ., and Bro . Charles F . Dunstervillc re-elected Treasurer for the ensuing tear .

ST . DAVID LODGE , No . 38 . rilHE annual installation , on tho 13 th inst ., attracted a large number to the A . Freemasons' Hall , Llandudno , tho W . M .-elect Bro . T . B . Farrington P . G . M . O . North Wales being very popular with the Brethren . The Installing Master was Brother Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Warren D . P . G . M . M . North Wales .

FIDELITY-HUYSHE LODGE , No . 91 . rilHE annual meeting was held at Ebrington Hall , Devonport , on Wednes-JL day , 13 th inst ., when Bro . E . H . Littleton was installed W . M ., Bro . J . R . Lord P . P . G . J . W . being the Installing Master . After the Lodge business the Brethitn adjourned to the Refectory , where a substantial supper was piovided by thc W . M .