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THE HERCULES , LEADENHALL STREET . F . NEADE , Proprietor , WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT , 119 Leadenhall Street , London , E . C . Excellent accommodation for Lodges of Instruction . The Confidence Lodge , No . 193 , meets at this establishment every Wednesday , at 7 o ' clock .

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^ WILLIAM WILLSHIRE , j £ WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT , THE BRITANNIA , BERWICK STREETOXFORD STREETLONDON .

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sizasseagi ^^ , = ™ SATUEDAY , 1 ST DECEMBEE 1900 .

Grand Lodges Next Week.

GRAND LODGES NEXT WEEK .

r an HE Quarterly Communications of the Grand Lodges of JL the Craft and Mark , to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday next , are particularly interesting , as on these occasions the Grand Masters and Grand Treasurers are to be

nominated , and in the case of the latter , at least , a contest is probable . There is no doubt in regard to the Grand Masterships—H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will be again nominated without opposition .

The Report of the Craft Board of General Purposes has some interesting items , particularly that in regard to the returns of Lodge members required by the Clerks of the Peace—surelv this is somewhat out of date in these enlightened days . Full copies of the Agendas for the two meetings are given elsewhere in this issue .

The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the city of London were present at 'the installation meeting of the Alliance Lodge , No . 1827 , of which the Lord Mayor is a Past Master , on rnday , 10 th ult , when Dr . truest Clarke , E . R . C . S ., installed . dro . W . ' JL ' . Roberts as his successor in the chair .

On the motion of Dr . Clarke I . P . M ., seconded by the Treasurer , a Grand Sword Bearer ' s jewel , was voted to Maj . Henry VVright , on his obtaining Grand Lodge honours , lhe jewel was presented to the Major by the Lord Mayor , l he Worshipful Master proposed , and the Treasurer seconded ,

a vote of congratulation to the Lord Mayor oh his attaining the highest civic honours , and the vote was carried unanimously . ' Ihe Lord Mayor , in acknowledging the compliment , said he appreciated the vote most highly . After the banquet

Alderman Sir J oseph Dimsdale P . G . Treasurer responded to the toast of the Grand Officers , the work of which Brethren he highly ^ praised . He was able to speak in that strain , he added , because he was in the position of being an elected Grand Officer , and he thanked the Brethren tor his election .

lhe development of Masonry of late years had been very great , and the best feeling was existing between Grand Lodge and all the Lodges throughout the Kingdom . Both were actuated by the same objects , and those objects , while religious , were not sectarian , ihe strides of Masonry within

the last quarter of a century had been great , and the Craft was still extending its blessings , proving that to be a good Mason one must be a good man . He complimented the W . M . on the success of the evening . The W . M . gave the toast of the Lord Mayor , to whom he presented an illuminated

address of congratulation on his election as the Chief Magistrate . The Lord Mayor , in reply , said he was one of the oldest Past Masters of the Lodge . The Lodge was a great success , and that fact he attributed to the way in which it was

started . Sir John Monckton was its first Master , and he was favoured by being asked by him to be a Warden . He thanked the Brethren for the address which they had presented to him . It would be one of his greatest pleasures to hand that address to his family as an evidence of the regard

Grand Lodges Next Week.

in which he was held by his Brethren , and more especially by his Brethren of the Alliance Lodge . He should treasure to the end of his days the way in which he had been received . The W . M . next gave the toast of Sir John B . Monckton , mentioning that he was the founder and first W . M .

twentyone years ago , and testifying to the interest he had always taken in the Lodge . Sir John B . Monckton , in response , expressed the pleasure it gave him to see the success of the Lodge with which for such a long time he had been so closely identified .

# * * The centenary of the introduction of Royal Arch Masonry is to be celebrated next month in the city of Toronto , and great anticipations are cherished as to the success of the special gathering on that occasion .

Applause In Lodges.

APPLAUSE IN LODGES .

APPLAUSE is the spontaneous approval , by outward demonstration of clapping hands or shouting , of a speech , a song or an action . it is pent-up enthusiasm let loose . It follows the climax of . an eloquent speech , an oratorical peroration , or a flight of fancy that fills the hearer

with unbounded pleasure , it is the voice of endorsement , given in audible and energetic sounds by the multitude . The maids of men are wrought upon by eloquent speech , beautiful rhetoric and forceful action ; by the dulcet strains of sweet music , or the inspiring song ot patriotism , until they must

g ive vent to their feelings in outward expression . Thus can one man , by his silvery words of oratory , sway the multitude , until " hanging upon his words " they burst forth into

tumultuous ana enthusiastic demonstration ., These , marks of approval are always pleasing to the one who causes them . " Oh , popular applause ! what heart of man is proof agamst thy sweet , seducing charms ? " ;

The . good booK tells us that there is a time for all things , a time to be born , a time to die , a time to laugh and a time to refrain from laughing . If all things were done at the proper time there would be perfect harmony and concord in the world . But one trouble is that in our human construction

there are incongruities , and we frequently do things at inopportune times . We do not blame men for bursting forth in clapping of hands at the conclusion of an eloquent speech , but there are times and places where such outbursts should be omitted .

We remember the first time we ever heard applause rn the Church of God . It was on a Thanksgiving Day about the close of the Civil War . The minister , one of the most eminent as we ' ll as most eloquent men who ever wore the cloth , spoke of the return of peace , with its attendant

blessings , and pictured the fruitful fields yielding their abundant harvests in such words as held his immense audience spellbound . Out of the intensity of silence suddenly there burst forth a loud and long applause , in which we involuntarily joined . At first it was a shock to our sense of propriety

and reverence for that holy place , but , as the great sermon progressed , we became used to the expression of the congregation in approval of the sentiments uttered . We visited the same church frequently afterwards , and on the Sabbath day heard similar demonstrations . We felt that such a

demonstration was wholly out of place in the house of God an . d on the Sabbath day . The applause at the Thanksgiving Day services was more excusable than on the Sabbath day . The place was the same , but the time and occasion different . In some of our Lodges there is a dispositioa to applause

during a portion of the work that to us seems altogether out of place . At the conclusion of a lecture where no special ceremony follows , there may be applause without detracting

from the work ; but after the presentation of any part of the Lodge emblems , or during the lecture of the Second Degree , it is entirely out of place . It takes from the solemnity and dignity of the ceremonies .

Workers in Masonic Lodges who excel in their ability and impressive manner desire and should receive the commendation that is their due . It is certainly encouraging to them , and leads them to persevere and to strive to do better .

This approval can be spoken to them privately , or the approbation may be strongly expressed in a perfect silence , which is more eloquent many times than words . Let us be mindful of the time and place when we give expression to our feelings , and under no circumstances forget the solemnity of the work or the dignity of the place . — " Masonic Standard , "