The Province Of Cheshire.

returned 28 subscribers , headed by "Coll . ffra . Columbine , Provincial Grand Master ; Sand . Smith , Deputy ; Coll . Herherl Laurence and Cap / . H 11 oil Warburlon , Wardens ; Hczckiah Hall , Batchelor of Physick , Ma' - with Edwd . Glei M and Kiffin Williams , Wardens . The roll is notable generally for the high social position of the brethren .

CIIESTKIt-K . 'XCl C' 1 A ; : LI ' 'S' TOW'HK . —( fly l-iuil / u-rmimioii of / hi- l'litlucli route Co . )

The second lodge likewise had 28 members , and the third four less ; the only officers noted in both instances being the Masters and Wardens . The W . M . of the junior lodge was appointed Prov . J . G . W . in 1727 . An interesting letter , cited by Bro . Henry Sadler , in an

article on " Early Chester Masonry" ( Freemason , June 12 th , 1886 ) , proves the truly fraternal spirit that animated the Cheshire Brotherhood , and occurs in the records of Grand Lodge . It is dated " from the Castle and Falcon Lodge in Chester , 15 th April , 1727 . "—

" Kt . Worshipfull Grant ! Master , " At die request and in the name of the whole Fraternity of Masons in this province , we are to express to your Worship , as far as we are able , the full sense we have of the great honour done us by your Worship ' s most affectionate Lre [ letter ] , and the kind visitation of our lodges by your most acceptable Deputy , which

likewise Bro . Comberbach , Provincial Grand Warden ( the bearer hereof ) is authorized and required to do in person . " Were it possible for Masonry to receive an additional lustre , it could never have greater advantages than under the inlluence and protection ol" two such eminent and industrious ornaments of it . " Our whole Kralernity are resolved in our strenuous endeavours

to deserve such high compliments , by improving ourselves in all Masonic accomplishments , and by showing our most chearfull obedience and extensive gratitude lo our superiors in London and Westminster .

' pttr ourselves tn particular we shall in our respective stations contribute our utmost efforts towards the well ordering and advancement of Masonry amongst us , for wu ' ch purpose we shall make the . great application and oilier perfections in Masonry which are Iranscendant in your Worship the most conspicuous pattern of our imitations .

" We are , with hearts as full of integrity as Masonry can inspire , "My Lord , " Your Worship ' s most obliged , most obedient , and most faithful brethren , " // . Warhnrloii , P . G . M . "Snuil . Smi / li , D . P . G . M . " Rosier Coiuhcrhiicli , P . G . W . " Joan Colciloii !> li , P . G . W . "

The fourth lodge constituted in the city w as started officially on February 1 st , 1739 , the fee for " constitution " being jiaid on April 13 th following . It made a brave extort to keep on the roll , but had to succumb in 18 3 8 , having been previously erased in 1786 and reinstated in the following year . Some score of places of meeting are registered 1739-183 8 ,

and eight different numbers under the several enumerations . No name is known to have been selected until 1758 , when the " Assembly House " is noted ( being the then place of meeting ) , and in 178 7 the " Royal Chester" was chosen . The first minute book preserved refers to a resolution

agreed to January 8 th , 173 8 , so that the brethren met prior to its regular constitution . Bro . Armstrong states that " the lodge of which Hezekiah Hall , B . M ., was Master in 1725 \ fhc senior of the trio ' ] had met for years , perhaps for centuries before this time , by its

own inherent right , had further elected a Prov . Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , and Wardens , from time immemorial , to rule the Brotherhood in the City and County of Chester , of which Col . Columbine and his associates are simply the lirst whose names we have . With such a record

it was only natural that they should demur to place themselves under the Grand Lodge of London , then in its infancy . They kept aloof and remained aloof until 1739 , when they paid two guineas for a constitution , and came under the wing of Grand Lodge at the bottom of the roll , as was the custom ,

being numbered No . 180 instead of T . I . without a number , for undoubtedly this No . 180 had been in existence generations before any of the T . I Lodges in London , which united to form the Grand Lodge of 1717 . "

This deliciously cool claim to great antiquity , is , I fear , more amusing lhan interesting , but in the same valuable work there are plenty of facts to balance this extraordinary declaration . In the early extracts , 1738-1743 , one for the last year noted , states that two brethren were elected respective ! ) ' as

" Master ' s Dcaeon and Warden ' s Deacon , " being the earliest instance that I remember of such officers in a " modern " lodge in England , though met with in Ireland long before , as also regularly with the "Ancients" after their origin in 1751 . W . J . Hl / GHAX . [ 7 " o be eon 11 lined . ]

United Grand Lodge Of England.

United Grand Lodge of England .

THE Quarterly Communication of Grand Lwdgc was field at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday September 7 th . R . W . Bro . Sir Augustus F . Webster , Prov . Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , presided as

M . W ' . Grand Master , and ( he R . W . Bro . Sir Borradaile Savory , Bart ., P . G . Chaplain , and Bro . the Rev . H . R . Cooper Smifh , D . D ., P . G . Chaplain , acted respectively as Deputy Grand Master and Past Grand Master .