Festival Of The Mark Benevolent Fund.

A . R . Carter and Major Clifford Probyn , the total from the five brethren being £ 3 6 15 s ., while in 1890 there were five Stewards who together returned £ 26 5 s .

KENT did admirably , as it always does , there being nine Stewards , of whom Bro . the Rev . Hayman Cummings , D . P . G . M ., did duty for the Province o-enerally , and handed in the very excellent list of ^ 94 9 s ., while Bro . R . Main was Unattached , and the other seven brethren represented seven out

of the 18 lodges in the Province . The total reached ^ 178 3 s ., the other principal lists , besides that of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , being those of Bro . Colonel Vansittart ( Excelsior Lodge , No . 226 ) , for ^ 23 ios ., and Bro . R . J . Emmerson ( Granville Lodge , No . 390 ) , for ^ 17 4 s . In 1890 there were 11 Stewards , who together raised ^ 117 is ., so that KENT has good reason to be satisfied with the increased assistance it has rendered on this occasion .

On the other hand , in the case of the important Province of LANCASHIRE , there is a very considerable diminution in the total , the eight brethren who took charge of its interests compiling only £ 57 15 s ., whereas last year ' s fro 11 But is not to be

Return was ^ 195 5 s . m Stewards . this wondered at after the grand work achieved by the Province in support of Bro . the Earl of Lathom ' s Chairmanship at the Boys' School Festival on the 24 th ult ., when his lordship ' s division of the county raised upwards of ^ 6000 , and East Lancashire supplemented this with about / 900 .

LEICESTERSHIRE and the other counties which are presided over by the veteran Bro . William Kelly as Prov . G . Master , figure very satisfactorily in the Returns , the number of Stewards being ten and the amount they obtained £ S 6 15 s ., the joint list of Bros . G . Butcher and H . Mansfield , representing the Simon dc St . Liz Lodge , No . 245 , Northampton , reaching ^ 30 . Last year there were six Stewards and the sum they raised was - £ 115 ios ., Bro . Mansfield , who did

duty for the same lodge , being well to the fore with ^ 42 , while Bro . Woodiwiss , as Steward for the Derby Lodge , No . 302 , secured £ 52 ios ., but was Unattached on this occasion , and appears to have been content with a personal donation of ^ 5 5 s . LINCOLNSHIRE , which was represented by Bro . Cousans is entered for £ 26 5 s ., while in 1 S 90 , five Stewards compiled a total of ^ " 43 is . The very large and important Province of

MIDDLESEX AND SURREY , which musters some 37 or 38 lodges , was worthily represented by no less than 25 Stewards , whose lists totalled up the large sum of ^ 328 5 s . 6 d ., the hig hest amount raised by a single Steward being that of Bro . E . Davis , of the Grosvenor Lodge , No . 144 , for ^ 43 is ., while Bros . Col . A . H . Bircham and Lieut .-Col . E . Ball , as Stewards for the Onslow Lodge , No .

361 , together handed in ^ 34 7 s ., of which Bro . Col . Bircham ' s share was ^ 29 2 s . Bro . W . Gribbon , Tenterden Lodge , No . 251 , compiled a total of ^ 29 Ss ., and there were excellent Returns from Bros . E . Pocock ( Earl of Carnarvon , No . 211 ) , for ^ 27 4 s . 6 d . ; Bro . F . West ( Croydon Lodge , No . 19 S ) , for £ 25 14 s . 6 d . ; Bro . Jabez Church ( Macdonald , No . 102 ) ,

^ 24 3 s . ; and Bros . J . Barnett , jun ., and H . Cox , as joint Stewards for the Henniker , No . 315 , for ^ ' 21 ios . 6 d . Bro . the Rev . J . Cater , for the Province , figures for ^ 21 . Last year the number of Stewards was 41 , and the total £$ g $ 3 s . 6 d ., while in 1889 there were 35 Stewards , and the total of their Returns , was £ 411 3 s .

The four Provinces of NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM—Bro . C . D . Hill-Drury , Steward ; NORTH WALES—Bro . Sir Love Jones Parry , Bart ., Steward ; NOTTINGHAM—Bro . J . M . McLeod , Steward ; and SOUTH WALES—Bro . T . Remfry , Steward , contributed ^' 27 6 s ., ^ 5 5 s ., £ 11 11 s .,

and £ w ios . respectively , while last year NORTH WALES and NOTTING - HAM were unrepresented , NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM figuring for £ 57 15 s ., and SOUTH WALES for ^ 52 ios . In the case of these four , therefore , there is a decrease of ^ 55 13 s . SUSSEX , three Stewards , sent up £ 5 5 - > the same number last year making Returns amounting to ^ 38 17 s .

SOMERSETSHIRE , of which Bro . Viscount Dungarvan , the Chairman of the day , is Craft Provincial Grand Master , was represented as a whole by his lordship , whose list of £ 115 ios . is the hi g hest individual Return , while two of its ten lodges , each represented bv two Stewards , and Bro . F . T . Elworthv amono-si them

made up the total to £ 164 17 s ., the joint list of Bros . A . Duckett and A . G . Hayman , of Friendship , Unanimity , and Philanthropy being ^ 28 7 s . Last year the Province took no part in the Festival , and therefore we the more heartil y congratulate our Somersetshire Mark brethren on the generous support they gave to the noble brother who occupied the chair .

WARWICKSHIRE , with nine Stewards , of whom five acted for the newly constituted Lodge of Charity , No . 430 , raised ^ 48 6 s . Last year a single Steward handed in a total of £ 15 15 s . WORCESTER , with Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P ., Prov . G . M ., for its representative , returns £ 5 5 s ., and NORTH AND EAST 1 ORKSHIRE , per Colonel R . G . Smith , D . P . G . M ., a similar amount .

WEST YORKSHIRE last year figured for ^ " 53 15 s . 6 d ., three out of its 11 lodges being represented by half-a-dozen Stewards , while Bro . C . L . Mason , P . G . M ., did duty for the Province . On Wednesday the same three lodges sent up five otewards , and Bro . Mason acted as before for the Province , but the sum ot their lists was ^ 71 8 s . The other Stewards represented the Rose and Lil y Uiapter , No . 95 , Rose Croix , the Premier Conclave , Order of Red Cross ot Constantine , and South Australia ( Bro . the Hon . Chief Tustice Wav ) .

tne sum of their lists being £ " 21 . In conclusion , we most heartily congratulate Bro . Viscount Dungarvan , M 'V ^ ° ^ 9 Stewards , and Mark ' Master Masons generally on a result which , under the circumstances , must be described as satisfactory . They lave the gratification of knowing that their labours have materially benented the L < und for which they canvassed .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND .

i ~ th annua ' Grand Lodge of this province was held on Wednesday , the b ' n inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Eaglesfield-street , Maryport , under the "dnner of Whitwell Lod ge , No . 151 . Bro . Colonel F . R . Sewell , D . P . G . M ., Pr ' n V" absence of the Prov . Grand Master ; Bros . P . de E . Collin , T C TU gland ' -P -S-C T . W ., as D . P . G . M . ; Rev . } . Anderson , P . S . G . W . ; J- ^ - Thompson , P . J . G . W . ; and many Present and Past Provincial Grand

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

Officers , Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , and members of the province . It may be said the day was almost set apart for Masonic gatherings by the membersof the Craft in and around Maryport , as at 11 . 30 a . m . the Red Cross of Constantine met ; 12 . 30 p . m . the Royal Ark Mariners ; 1 . 30 p . m . the Whitwell Mark Lodge was opened by Bro . J . O . Scott , P . P . G . L of W .,

W . M ., to advance a candidate ; and at three p . m . the Deputy Prov . Grand Master and his officers were reported and received according to rank , and Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , and the roll of lodges and Provincial Grand Officers called . The former all were represented , and a few of the latter had tendered apologies for unavoidable absence . Bro . COLLIN , Prov . Grand Treasurer , read a statement of accounts , which

showed a balance of ^ 38 3 s . 3 d ., and were passed as read . Bro . THOMPSON moved that Bro . Collin be re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer . Bro . ANDERSON seconded the motion , and it was carried unanimously . The following- brethren were then invested Provincial Grand Officers for

the year : Bro . T . A . Argles ( High Sheriff Westmorland ) , 195 ... Prov . S . G . W . „ E . B . Penrice , 151 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ,, Thomas Onniston , 60 ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O .

„ Joseph Hewson , 229 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ j . O . Scott , 151 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . ,, Rev . James Anderson , 21 3 ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ P . de E . Collin , 151 ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas . ,, H . Bevirs , 213 ... ... ... Prov . G . R . of M . „ Jas . Gardiner , 151 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ G . B . Mackay , 282 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D .

,, James Stout , 421 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ F . J . Thornber , 195 ... ... ... Prov . G . L of W . „ Edwin Loach , 282 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . ,, Geo . Starkey , 213 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . ,, Spencer Broadbent , 213 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Dr . Jas . F . Muir , 213 ... Prov . G . Std . Br . ,, John Smith , 151 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, John Gibson , 151 ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G .

,, T . J , Richardson , 60 ... ... ... " „ David Atkinson 213 Prov . G . Stewards . ,, James Lowery , 421 ... ... ... j „ Arthur Moordaff , 421 ... ,, Cabb Bland , 216 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The following were appointed members of the Committee of General Purposes : Bros . J . Nicholson , P . M . 151 , P . G . D . of England ; James Harper , P . M . 216 , P . P . J . G . W . ; Rev . Jas . Anderson , P . M . 213 , P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Chap . ; and J . C . Thompson , P . M . 282 , P . P . J . G . W . Bro ' . Col . SEWELL , D . P . G . M ., spoke in feeling terms to the longtime the

Right Hon . the Earl of Bective , M . P ., had been Provincial Grand Master , and expressed his deep regret at his lordship ' s unavoidable absence , and he hoped in a little time they would have the pleasure of seeing him preside over Provincial Grand Mark Lodge again as he so ably could , and now moved as a recommendation to the M . W . G . M . that he be appointed Prov . Grand Master for a further period of three years .

Bro . COLLIN seconded the recommendation , and the brethren supported it with Masonic applause . Bro . H . HARTLEY , W . M . 216 , P . P . J . G . O ., moved , on behalf of Bro . Stout , that the next annual meeting be held at Egremont , under the banner of the Sewell Lodge , No . 421 . Bro . DALRYMPLE supported the recommendation , and it was unanimously agreed to .

Bro . COLLIN moved that 10 guineas be voted to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

Bro . DALRYMPLE seconded the motion , and it was agreed to . Bro . Col . SEWELL moved— " That Bro . Henry Peacock , P . M . 229 , P . P . S . G . W ., have the recommendation of the province to the M . W . G . M . for the appointment to the ofiice of Grand Steward . " This was , he said , an honour that Bro . Peacock highly merited , and he also felt sure the brethren would all approve of it .

Bro . J . C . THOMPSON seconded the recommendation , and it was supported with applause . Bro . DALRYMPLE gave notice of motion for 10 guineas to be voted to the Cumberland and Westmorland Educational Fund , as per copy of resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Craft Lodge last

September , viz . — " That an Educational Fund be established for the Province of Cumberland and Westmorland , to be subject to such qualifications for individual donors , lodges , and chapters as may afterwards be agreed upon , and to be at all times under the control of Provincial Grand Lodge , and without prejudice to the other Masonic Charities . "

The D . P . G . M . said he could not close Provincial Grand Lodge without making a few remarks regarding the Mark province . The past year had been one of great activity ; a new Mark lodge had been consecrated at Egremont , No . 421 , and an honour had been conferred upon himself , which he felt exceedingly proud of . The new lodge had been named the Sewell , and for its brief existence the Master , Bro . Stout , and his officers had not been idle . It was also an addition to the province of considerable importance , and the

number of warrants granted the past year for new lodges showed clearly how popular the Degree had become . There was now two Royal Ark Mariners lodges in the province . One new warrant had been added during the year , and a deserved compliment paid to Bro . Collin in naming the new lodge the Collin , and it has a good membership , three candidates having been elevated that day , and he hoped in a word to see in the future of the province the Mark and Ark sail on together in perfect harmony and prosperity .

Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Star Hotel , where an excellent banquet was served , Bro . Col . Sewell , D . P . G . M ., in the chair , supported by Bro . T . A . Argles ( High Sheriff Westmorland ) , Bros . P . de E . Collin , J . G . Gaudy , and others . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed and responded to , after a most successful provincial meeting .

I he following brethren were also present : Bros . J . Dickinson , P . M . 151 , P . P . J . G . W . ; J . Abbott , P . M ., P . P . J . G . O . ; J . Messenger , P . P . G . T yler ; T . Swainson , S . W . 151 ; J . Reed , M . O ., T . Annison , S . O ., R . Leach , P . P . A . G . D . C , J . ., R . Brown , J . Hodgson , and J . G . Gaudy , P . P . G . R . of M ., of 195 ; Thos . Richardson , 213 , P . P . G . Tyler ; T . Mason , P . M . 229 , P . P . J . G . O . ; J . Hewson , W . M . 229 , P . P . G . Tyler ; H . Peacock , P . M . 229 , P . P . S . G . W . ; T . Atkinson , P . M . 229 , P . P . J . G . D . ; A . Salkeld , P . M . 282 , P . P . G . R of M . ; R . J . Nicholls , 216 ; C . J . Nanson , P . M . 60 , P . P . G . M . O . ; W . Barwise , 216 ; and others .