The Province Of Devonshire.

The following figures will exhibit the progress of the Fraternity in the county , as they refer to the numerical state of the lodges immediately before the installation of the last three Provincial Grand Masters : — Lodges . Members .

1866 ... 2 j ... 1 , 400 1 879 ... 47 ... 2 , 350 18 9 6 ... 52 ... 3 , 400 There are now ( 1901 ) sixty lodges at work in Devon , returning full y 40 C 0 members , so that from the appointment

of the late Rev . John Huyshe as Prov . G . M . in 1866 to now the lodges have nearly doubled , and the membership has increased threefold . It is the fifth largest Provincial Grand Lodge in England , so that to rightly manage the secretarial department of such an extensive organisation involves considerable labour and requires a great deal of time , energy ,

and patience to conduct the enormous correspondence and duly attend to all the returns , & c . These duties are being most efficiently discharged by Bro . John Stacker , J . P ., P . M . 39 ( Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies of Fnglaml ) , whose membership of the Craft dates from 1872 , and who served as W . M . of his mother lodge , No . 39 , Exeter , for the year 1878 .

In the Prov . Grand Lodge he was elected Prov . Grand Treasurer in 1881 and appointed a Prov . Grand Warden in 18 90 , his investment of the important office of Prov . Grand Secretary dating from 18 9 6 . The brethren gratefully remember that he continues to serve the province as Prov . Grand Sec . and Scribe E . without any charge or

remuneration whatever . His portrait ( photo by Heath and Bradnee , Exeter ) will be welcomed by many who , like the writer , much appreciate his services , as well as the kindly manner in which he always attends to the wants and requests of the brethren .

Advantage was taken of the meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge at Honiton ( 14 th August ) to indicate in some measure the esteem the brethren had for their Prov . Grand Secretary ( who was appointed an Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies of England b y H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , M . W . G . M ., in April last ) by presenting him with the Grand

Lodge regalia for that honourable effice , a cheque , and an album containing the names of the numerous brethren and lodges who subscribed . The acting Provincial Grand Master made the presentation and voiced the general feeling of the province by rejoicing in being the medium of thus handing to Bro . Stacker such visible tokens of the brotherly love and respect cherished for him throughout the county .

The Charitable Institutions of the province are well looked after , and are managed by several zealous brethren , all of whom give their time and labour quite freely ( even the secretaries , who receive neither remuneration nor commission ) , so that , save the trilling expense of printing , the whole of the subscriptions and donations are devoted to the sacred

object of Charity . The doyen of the secretaries of these funds is Bro . John B . Cover , who was initiated in Lodge No . 70 , Plymouth , in 1854 , was its W . M . in 18 58-9 , and has been its Secretary , in succession to the revered Bro . John Brewer , from 1868 . In

fact , at one time , he was Secretary of three lodges , was Secretary of the Committee of Petitions in 18 70 , when first started , and still continues , and , moreover , has been the Secretary of the " Devon Educational Fund " from its origin in 1879 . What these offices have involved , and particularly

as secretary of the latter institution , few know , or can adequately realize , but at any rate it may be said that no brother is more honoured , trusted , and esteemed in the province for his unwearied and constant devotion to the

MASONIC HALL <>!• ' lil-. NKVOLENCK LODGE , No . 18 !) , BIDKFOUn . ( LOOKING EAST ) .