Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

— : o : — We shall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings ir insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to

• end a representative , to report Lodge or other proceedings . We do not sanction anyone attending Lodge meetings as our representative without a specific invitation . CRAFT : METROPOLITAN .

and among the visitors were Bros . S ydney Davis W . M . 25 , Alfred Ford W . M . 2757 , Fred . Lewis P . M . 1599 , W . J . Janes P . M . 1708 , Wm . Roots P . M . 2539 , Robt . G . Minton P . M . 170 S , A . Jones i-. M . 1949 , A . M . Scarff S . D . 1364 , D . D . Dennis S . D . 171 , Richard Masters J . D . 2467 , W . T . Hodges 2182 , C . H . Williams 16 95 , J . Griffiths 156 3 , and A . C . David 1901 .

Mount Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 . INSTALLATION OF BROTHER ALFRED BOOTH . ; THE Installation Meeting of this ancient Lodge took place at the Bridge House Hotel , Southwark , on Tuesday , 15 th ult . Bro . Alfred Booth was installed as W . M . by Bro . Walter J . Gregory P . M . and Secretary , the ceremony being performed in a most masterly and impressive manner . There was a large attendance of Past Masters of the Lodge ,

The Worshipful Master invested the Officers to serve during his term , as follow : Bros . Donald Fairmaner I . P . M . . A . J . Jeffrey S . W ., George Hook J . W ., George Free P . M . Treasurer , Walter J . Gregory P . M . Secretary , G . G . Bidgood S . D ., J . H . Wills J . D ., Arthur S . Jennings I . G ., G . H . W . Grace P . M . D . C ., Henry L . Hart P . M . Steward , and H . Gaskin Riches Organist . Bro . A . G . Young was elected Tyler , a duty he has performed at this Lodge for the last eighteen years .

At the banquet which followed , after the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts , the health of the Worshi pful Master was proposed bv Bro . Donald Fairmaner I . P . M .

Bro . Booth , in reply , said it would be his endeavour to show his appreciation of the honour that had been done him by maintaining the hitrh reputation for which this Lodge was famed . The toast of the Visitors was responded to by Bros . Sydney Davis W . M ., Alfred Ford W . M ., Frederick Lewis P . M ., R . G Minton P . M ., William Roots P . M .

The toast of the Immediate Past Master was received very enthusiastically . That of the Past Masters was responded to by Bro . Dr . Dixon P . M ., who served the Lodge as Treasurer for nearly twenty-four years ; and by Bro . George Free P . M . who was Secretary of the Lodge for twenty-eight years .

During- the evening a programme of music was given under the direction of Bro . William Brett Plummet- , the following Brethren taking part : Duncan Tobey , W . B . Plummer , Gaskin Riches . Arthur Hilton , and Alfred Ford .

Chaucer Lodge , No . 1540 . ON Monday , 28 th ult ., the usual meeting was held , the Brethren appearing in Masonic mourning . The Officers were Bros . Wm . Miles W . M ., I . Jenese I . P . M ., C Graham P . M . S . W ., A . F . Serjeant J . W ., A . J- Bailey P . M . freas ., L . Wail P . M . Sec , S . Russell S . D ., E . H . Parry J . D .. Wm . Cooper I . G ., G . W . Cooper Organist , J . Polak P . M . D . C . ' . W . Geddcs Steward , and a small gathering of the Brethren .

Bros . Thomson and Purvis were raised to the third degree , and Messrs . Janish , Woodley , and DaCosta , after being duly balloted for , were initiated . The ceremonies were performed by the W . M . in a very admirable manner . Just before the closing of the Lodge he referred in very sincere

and feeling terms to the irreparable loss the Empire had sustained . The W . M . called on Bro . Polak to read the Poet Laureate ' s Poem which was impressively done , all the Brethren standing . ' When the Lodge was closed the Brethren sang " God save the King . " There was no banquet .

Henry Mugrgreridgre Lodgre , No . 1679 . A VERY successful meeting was held on Saturday , at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet Street , those present including Bros . T . Fred Strutt W . M ., J . A . Worthington I . P . M ., T . Sibley P . M . acting S . W ., G . W . Hiscock J . W ., A . Sack P . M . Treas ., William Boyce P . M Sec

C . J . Sowton P . M . acting S . D ., P . Page J . D ., Sidney Roberts Org . ; Percy Gayer I . G ., J . Rawles Tyler ; Past Masters J . W . Gomm , Si Stampfer ; also Bros . G . A . J . Annegarn , W . Stanley , R . Edwards F . Gayer , J . Skinner , H . Franklin . G . White , W . Tipton , W . Fisher ' R . W . Duce , T . Smallman , T . Baragwanath , and others . '

Amongst the Visitors were Bro . W . H . Watson I . P . M . 2664 . W Stevenson 2191 , W . H . Pardye Secretary 2310 . A . Ryder 1614 , B Whitehead I . P . M . 1329 , J . Wynman , etc . There being a very full agenda the Lodge was opened at 3 . 30 , and the minutes having been confirmed , Lodge was advanced to tire

second degree . There were four candidates for raising on the agenda but Bro . F . W . Herring was unavoidably prevented from being present . Bros . W . Stanley , G . B . J . Annegarn , and R . W . Duce were examined , and having answered the questions were entrusted ; the Lod ge was further advanced and those Brethren were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason .

The Lodge was resumed to the firs t degree , when Bro . Fred . John Gayer , who was initiated at the previous meeting , being iri ilUerydance , was examined , and having answered the questions tu

Reports Of Meetings.

the satisfaction of the W . M . was entrusted . The Lodge was again opened in the second degree , and that Brother was passed as a Fellow Craft . The W . M . again resumed the Lodge to the first degree , and the ballot was taken for Messrs . Alfred John Croft and William Whitworth Nightingale and proved unanimous in their favour . In due course those gentlemen had the pleasure of being initiated into the mysteries of Ancient Freemasonry .

The excellent working of Bro . Strutt Worshipful Master being so well known requires no compliments on our part , suffice it to say that the three ceremonies , including the Ancient Charge , were rendered without the slightest hitch or hesitation . The W . M . informed the Brethren that he would . attend the

i estival of the Roval Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged I reemasons in February , arid hoped the Brethren would support him . Bro . Boyce P . M . Secretary proposed that the sum of ten guineas be voted from the Lodge and placed on ' the list of the W . M . Bro . Sack P . M . Treasurer gave notice of motion that the Lodge should provide as usual a Past Master ' s jewel and collar for the W . M ., to be presented him at the Installation night . Two gentlemen were proposed for initiation .

Before the Lodge was closed the W . M . proposed that a vote of sincere condolence be sent to His Majesty the King , on the loss he and the nation had sustained by the death of their most beloved Queen . It was decided that the Officers should not dine in their Masonic clothing .

At the termination of the dinner the W . M . with deep emotion called on the Brethren to drink in silence to the pious memory of their ever beloved Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria ; after which the W . M . proposed the health—and a prosperous reign—of the Most Worshipful Grand Master the King ; the * Brethren evinced their loyalty by heartily pledging " God Save the King . " The W . M . in a few words submitted the toast of the initiates .

Bro . A . F . Croft said he sincerely thanked them for having initiated him in the Lodge , and hoped to become a good member of their ancient Society . He wished he were allowed to say more , but as the Worship ful Master had said he desired the speeches to be curtailed , he only thanked them all for having accepted him as a Brother amongst them .

Bro . W . W . Nig htingale thanked the W . M . and Brethren for their kind welcome . It had been his intention to become a Freemason twenty-five years ago , but he was told several fairy tales , and was persuaded not to join the Craft . Much to his sorrow he followed that advice , but lately a friend had told him of the excellencies of the Order , which struck him as being one of the very best of societies ,

and he took the step of becoming a Freemason . He was now thankful for it . He had been very much impressed with the ceremony and sincerely thanked . the Worshipful Master for having initiated him . He hoped to prove himself worthy of their confidence . The W . M . said that sometime ago an Officer of the Lodge , Bro . Baragwanath , left for South Africa to fight for his country . He had now returned and on behalf of himself and the Brethren he

gave him a most hearty welcome . Bro . Baragwanath was most thankful for the hearty welcome he had received from the Brethren ; the Lodge was never out of his memory ; he found the benefit of being a Freemason when he was in South Africa . Amongst the Boers he found a great number belonging to the Craft . Again he thanked the Brethren for their very kind reception .

The W . M . again rose and said it was a most exceptional privilege to be able to give the toast of two Immediate Past Masters —• one of that Lodge , the other , Bro . Watson I . P . M . of the Hygeia Lodge—of both of which he had the great honour of being W . M . Bro . Worthington said he was pleased to be their I . P . M . The working of the last meeting was really perfection , and that .

night it had been sublime . He had been told by the Doctor not to go out , but could not resist attending the meeting , although he knew the W . M . would not require his assistance ; he rather attended to witness his excellent working . He was pleased to reply to the toast of I . P . M . and appreciated the observation of the W . M ., regarding the unique position of having on his left his two Immediate Past Masters . To work the three degrees , including the charges ,

was not easy matter ; the way in which the W . M . had worked them was marvellous ; during his career he had never witnessed anything like it . He felt sure that Bro . Watson was equally proud with himself at the position he held of being I . P . M . under such a worthy Master . He hoped to meet Bro . Watson again under more agreeable and pleasant circumstances , the death of Her Majesty' the Queen having upset all ideas of social enjoyment .

Bro . Watson I . P . M . Hygeia Lodge said he had long had an ambition to visit his Worshipful Master , as well as theirs , at the Henry Muggeridge Lodge , of which he had heard such excellent accounts . He was not surprised at the excellence of Bro . Strutt ' s work there that night , he having his two Immediate Past Masters on his left . He had travelled hundreds of miles and had attended

many Lodge meetings , but had never seen or heard of such an occasion before . Concerning the working of Bro . Strutt—he had patted him on the head so much that he was afraid he had contributed to the bare result at the top ; and as the football season was nearly ended he thought it better perhaps to leave it alone for a little

while ; still he could not omit to highly compliment Bro . Strutt on his working—it was indeed something to be i > roud of . Before sitting down he asked the permission of Bro . Worthington their I . P . M . to propose the toast of OUR W . M ., and this being accorded , Bro . Watson called on the Brethren to honour their president . "

Bro . Strutt responded . He said he was proud of being the head of the Lodge , and highly appreciated the kindness he received from , its members . He sincerely thanked them and the Officers for all their kind assistance . The respect shown the memory of our departed Queen was very manifest on this occasion , none of the hearty social enter *