Reports Of Meetings.

BROMLEY ST . LEONARD LODGE , No . 1805 . AT the Bow Bells , Bow Road , on Wednesday , 2 nd inst ., this Lodge re-opened . after the summer recess with a good muster of Brethren , under the presidency of Bro . H . M . Pollock W . M ., supported by Bro . G . Fennell S . W ., F . A . Slater J . W ., W . Boyce P . M . S . D ., C . Holland J . D ., 3 .

Goulston I . G ., J . De Casseres P . M . Preceptor , F . Thornton Sec , J . Oxley P . M ., Ben Johnson P . M ., L . Da Costa P . M ., Parker , 3 . Davis , 3 . Maloney , D . Napthali , W . Bettinson , W . Joss , Owers , J . Absalom , S . Bird , G . Warn P . M .. & C . The Lodge being opened , the ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . J . Davis acting as candidate .

The W . M . vacated the chair in favour of Bro . Oxley P . M . who , in his usual admirable manner , rehearsed the ceremony of installation , Bro . P . M . Ben Johnson acting as D . C . Bro . Pollock resumed the chair and the Brethren assisted Bro . L . Da Costa P . M . to work the first and second sections of the lecture .

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Bro . Oxley for his rendering of the ceremony of installation . Bro . Fennell , S . W . of the Mother Lodge , was appointed to the chair for Wednesday next . Under the able preceptorship of Bro . J . De Casseres P . M . this Lodge of Instruction looks forward to a successful session .

CITADEL LODGE , No . 1897 . THB regnlar meeting was held on Friday , at the Farleigh Hotel , Amhurst Road , Stoke Newington , when Bro . I . P . Cohen P . M . presided , and proceeded to rehearse the second and third degrees , Bios . Mason and Bishop acting as the candidates . Afterwards a meeting of the Masonic Charities Association attached to

the Lodge was held , Bro . F : Dunstan President in the chair . Three ballots for Life Subscriberships in the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution were taken , they resulting in favour of Bros . J . J . Lamigeon W . M . Clissold , R . Jourden W . M . Eclectic , and W . Wright P . M . Citadel and P . G . Organist Middlesex . These make thirty-eight Subscriberships balloted for since October last .

CEAFT : PEOVINCIAL .

NEW FOREST LODGE , No . 319 . AT the regular meeting , at Leamington , on Tuesday , llth ult ., Bro . G . R . Masters was elected W . M . and Bro . Doman P . P . G . S . D . was re-elected Treasurer for the twenty-sixth year in succession .

ST . BEDE LODGE , No . 1119 . THE annual meeting took place at Jarrow , on Wednesday , 26 th ult ., the principal business being the installation of Bro . Wm . F . Renton . There was a large attendance of members and visiting Brethren . Bro . Renton was presented for installation by Bro . J . Taylor P . M . D . C , and the ceremony was performed in an able and impressive manner by the retiring W . M . Bro . Madgshon .

The Worshipful Master received the congratulations of the . visiting Brethren , and afterwards the Lodge was closed in due form . In the evening , the annual banquet was held at the house of Bro . 3 .

Rutherford , the County Hotel , Bro . Renton presiding . A sumptuous dinner , which reflected great credit on the management , was partaken of , after which Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured . The proceedings were varied by music , and a most enjoyable evening was spent .

ST . JOHN LODGE , No . 1343 . AN emergency meeting was held on Wednesday , 26 th ult ., at the Masonic Hall , Grays . The business consisted of the passing of two candidates and the raising of Bro . Herbert E . Brooks , J . P ., CO . The former ceremony was admirably performed by the W . M . Bro . F . W . Pelling , and the latter by the I . P . M . Bro . 0 . Westwood . The Lodge was afterwards closed in due form .

Subsequently the Brethren dined together under the presidency of Bro . Pelling , who , in the course of the proceedings , was warmly congratulated upon the great success which had so far attended his Mastership of the Lodge . The speeches were interspersed with a musical programme , which was excellently carried out under the direction of Bro . Wingrove P . P . G . O .

SACKVILLE LODGE , No . 1619 . THE annual installation meeting was held on Tuesday , 1 st inst ., at the Crown Hotel , East Grinstead , when Bro . W . H . Dixon was installed W . M . for the ensuing year by Bro . C . M . Wilson , the outgoing W . M ., who was presented with the Past Master's jewel as a token of the appreciation of the Brethren for the admirable manner in which ho had carried out his duties during the past year .

At the close of the subsequent banquet there were visitors from Lodges at Brighton , Horsham , Lewes , and Redhill . The musical programme was upplied by the Lewes Orpheus Glee Union .

OBEDIENCE LODGE , No . 1753 AT Okehampton , on Monday , 31 st ult ., Bro . John W . Reed was installed W . M . by Bro . W . A . Gregory , the Brethren present numbering over sixty . At the installation banquet at the White Hart Hotel , the Grand Lodge of England was responded to by Bro . F . R . W . Hedges P . G . Sword Br . Sec . R . M . I . Girls . Other toasts followed . o o o BLACKWATER LODGE , No . 1977 . AT the monthly meeting held at Maldon , on Monday , 24 th ult ., Bro . Thomas J . Grant Provincial Grand Steward was elected W . M . for

Reports Of Meetings.

the ensuing year , Bro . S . Shawyer P . M . P . P . G . Sword Br . was re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . W . R . Hance Tyler , in place of Bro . Captain E . Pearmain , deceased , who filled that office for many years .

DOROTHY VERNON LODGE , No . 2129 . THE annual installation meeting was held on Tuesday , 1 st inst ., at the Town Hall , Bakewell , when Bro . George Leigh was duly installed W . M . for the ensuing year . When the formal proceedings were over and the Lodge duly closed , a . banquet was held at the Rutland Hotel , where the usnal toasts were given and responded to .

ENGLAND'S CENTRE LODGE , No . 2555 . PLEASANT and successful were the proceedings at tho annual installation festival held on Thursday , 20 th ult ., at the Horseshoe Tavern , Weedon . The W . M .-elect Bro . Surgeon-Major Flood P . G . Swd . Br . was unfortunatel y unable to be present , owing to illness , but his place was taken by Bro . H . Brown P . P . G . Warden P . M . 360 .

Bro . Flood was installed into office in his absence , and his Officers for tbe year duly appointed and invested . The Brethren subsequently sat down to an exceedingly well arranged banquet .

Ancient Syrian Masonry.

ANCIENT SYRIAN MASONRY .

THE origin of the Cabirian Mysteries , which are often mentioned by ancient writers , is not well known . The Cabiri were probably priests or deified heroes , venerated by the ancients as the authors or interpreters of religion , and the founders of human society and civilisation . The multiplicity of names applied to the same character ; the interchange of the names of the deities themselves with those of their priests ; oracular law ,

which enjoined the preservation of ancient barbaric names , and thus led to a double nomenclature , sacred and profane ; together with the profound secrecy of the rites—have rendered the subject one of extremely difficult elucidation . Some say that the worship of the Cabiri was brought to Samothrace by the

Pelasgi , and others they are the same as the Corybantes . In Egypt their temple was never entered by any but the priests . In Phoenicia and in Rome , where they had an altar in the Circus Maximus , and in other countries of Europe and Asia , traces of their worship are to be found .

Thus it appears that the secret rites ( Cabiria ) prevailed very extensively , at an early period , in every quarter of the world . Indeed , the Mysteries of Isis , Ceres , Mithras , Trophonius , Bacchus , Rhea , Adonis , Osiris , and all the similar customs of Egypt , Greece , and Hindostan , seem to be merely ' varieties of the Samothraoian rites , which are celebrated in the obscurity of night , and with the most profound secrecy .

After a previous probation of abstinence , chastity , and silence , the candidate for initiation was purified by water and blood . He then offered a sacrifice of a bull or a ram , and , as in the Isianio rite , was made to drink of two fountains , called Lethe ( oblivion ) and Mnemosym ( memory ) , to enable him to wash away the memory of former guilt and to remember the new

instructions . He was then conducted to a dark tower or cavern , and made to accomplish the mystic journey through gloom and terror , during whioh he met with the most frightful adventures . The most appalling sounds assailed his ears—the rushing of water , the roar of thunder , and dreadful yells—while occasional gleams of light , flashing through the darkness , revealed to his view

the most horrible phantoms . At length he found himself in a vast hall , in solitude , silence , and darkness . Presently a feeble light diffused a pale and spectral glare through the apartment , affording him a confused and dim view of the objects surrounding him . The walls were clothed with block drapery and everywhere appeared the symbols of decay and death—those emblems

that point to the grave , and speak eloquently and impressively of the supreme hour of man ' s worldly life , and of the exceeding vanity and emptiness of all sublunary enjoyments and pursuits . Terrific phantoms , grim and ghostly , passed and repassed before him ; a bier rose up at his feet , on which was a coffin , and in the coffin a dead body I At this stage of the proceedings , a

funeral dirge was chanted by an invisible choir ; and thus these sounds of terror and spectral visions were multiplied around him with rapid alternations , until the proper effect was supposed to have been produced upon his mind . Sometimes the neophyte was so overcome with fear that he fell senseless to the ground . The pilgrimage of gloom , however , here ended . A flood of

dazzling light now poured in upon the scene , which was changed as by enchantment . The dark drapery , with its startling devices and emblems , had disappeared , and garlands of flowers and foliage adorned the walls and

crowned the altars . The dead body upon the bier returned to life , the funeral psalm gave place to a song of hope and victory , and the ceremonies which had commenced in gloom and darkness ended in light , and joy , and confidence .

After these ceremonies had been performed , the candidate was led to the presiding priest and instructed in the mystic science of the institutiontheology , morals , philosophy , and politics being embraced in these instructions . The candidate was baptised , and , as in the Christian church , received a new name . This new or baptismal name was engraved , together

with a mystic token or sign , upon a small white stone , which , thus prepared , was presented to the initiated . He preserved it as a sacred talisman , and carried it with him wherever he went , as a means of recognition —it being efficacious to procure him relief from distress and security from danger . It was at the same time the emblem of victory over fear , and darkness , and error , and the moans of security , enjoyment and peace . St . John , of the