Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

We ahall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings tor insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to send 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 .

Chough Lodge , No . 2 2 64 . INSTALLATION OF BROTHER JAMES A . SMITH . THIS year's installation meeting of the well known Chough Lodge , held on Thursday , 26 th ult ., at the Cannon Street Hotel , under the presidency of Bro . C . Frohlich W . M ., proved very successful , and attracted a large number of members and visitors , among the latter being Bros . J . Jacobs P . M . 239 6 P . P . G . P . Herts ., S . F . Thomas 1778 , T . W . Chant W . M . 2128 , H . E . Frances 1861

P . P . G . D . Middlesex , S . J . Nichol 2795 , c - A - Reeve I . P . M . 869 , F . W . Denning 1772 , D . W . Rodger 60 , T . E . Roberts S . D . 1512 , E . H . Dean Smith P . M . 6 , S . H . Labone W . M . 1201 , R . G-renville V 161 , J . W . Balls P . M . 1747 , F . King P . M . 1056 , C . A . Gompertz P . M . 86 9 , H . T . Johnson S . D . 1357 , P . Gray I . P . M . 1 597 , F . Medlvurst 1692 , H . Massey P . M . 619 192 S , H . C . Pink S . D . 155 S , W . A . Sterling D . C . 174 , C . H . A . Harris P . M . Treas . 1599 , F . C .

Forward D . C . 1693 , J . Lew t ' . M . 205 , F . P . Caffyn 266 5 , C . H . Goldsmith I . G . 1597 , W . N . Haydon I . P . M . 2128 , W . Le Gamier S . W . 2347 , S . W . Aslin 1728 , E . A . H . Hinchliff 2454 , W . H . Purkess 860 , W . F . Stephenson 2530 , H . L . Thomas 1962 , F . V . Goddard 217 , W . W . Morgan 177 , A . F . Wallace 1050 , Bernard Groner P . M . i 6 n , A . H . Bawkes 1076 , C . T . Stewart 2 ^ 30 , W . Hayes P . M . 173 1 , H . Newland P . M . 28 , F . J . Holdsworth W . M . 153 8 , and R . W . Heney 144 .

The usual formalities having been observed in regard to the opening of the Lodge , the minutes of the last regular meeting , held in March , and of two subsequent Emergency Lodges , were read and confirmed .

The reoort of the Audit Committee of the Lodge and Benevolent Funds was next submitted and received . It showed the Lodge to be in an excellent financial position . Then came the chief ceremony of the year , the installation of Worshipful Master . The W . M .-elect Bro . J . A . Smith has a brother in the Lodee , who is one of its Past Masters , and in order

to allow that Brother to perform the ceremony of installation Bro . Frohlich kindly stood aside , and resigned his gavel to Bro . W . C . Smith P . M . for the ceremony . The new Master was duly presented , obligated , and installed , the work being excellently performed , and the ceremony appearing to be particularly impressive , perhaps on account of the near relationship of the two Brethren primarily

interested . Having been proclaimed and saluted in the three degrees the new Master appointed and invested his Officers , as follow : Bros . W . G . A . Edwards P . M . S . W ., G . H . Ingle J . W ., E . T . Edwards P . M . Treas ., J . W . Dewsnap P . M . Sec , L . Schneiders S . D ., W . J . Sowden J . D ., W . T . Hunt I . G .. J . H . Mullerhausen D . C , J . Turle Lee Organist , T . J . Ive , and J . D . Myers Stewards , and J . Bowler P . M . Tyler .

The new Master next had the pleasure of initiating two friends he and his brother had nominated—Mr . Herbert Lindsey Sheat , and Mr . Edwin James Sheat—and performed the ceremony in such a way as to give promise of his ability to successfully manage the affairs of the Lodge during his term of Mastership .

Previous to the closing of the Lodge Bro . Frohlich I . P . M . addressed the Brethren . He said they would remember the Lodge voted a testimonial to Bro . E . T . Edwards P . M . Treasurer , on the occasion of his marriage , and that the Brethren very liberally subscribed to it . He had received the following letter from Brother Edwards in acknowledgment thereof :

"Dear Brother Frohlich , —Before you leave the chair I should like to express to the Brethren , through you , my appreciation of the very handsome present they made to my wife on the occasion of our marriage . As the first Master of the Lodge , and one who has always done his best to further its interest and welfare , I regard their generosity on that occasion , not as a proof than mv efforts in that direction have been more than , or , indeed , as much as those

of many others , but as putting into practice the great Masonic principle that the value of anv service is not to be measured by results , but by earnest desire and effort to do one's best with whatever is taken in hand . My connection with the members has been one of the pleasantest experiences of my life , and it is my earnest hope and desire that it may so continue to the end . With kind regards to yourself .

I am , faithfully and fraternally yours , E . T . EDWARDS . " The closing ceremonies Laving been observed the Brethren repaired to the Pillar Hall of the hotel , where the installation banquet was served , Bro . Pusey P . M ., one of the proprietors of the establishment , personally superintending the service , which well sustained the reputation of the famous city house .

After grace had been sung the W . M . submitted the toast of the King and the Craft . This , he said , was always a popular sentiment , whether given in a Masonic or any other gathering of Englishmen . Few words—or none—were needed to introduce it , and he would accordingly ask the Brethren to honour " the King and the Craft . " which was done . Miss Maggie Purvis sang the National Anthem . The W . M . said that was the first occasion on which he had had the privilege of proposing the toast of the Duke of Connaught M . W .

Reports Of Meetings.

Grand Master , and he approached it with pleasure . He had had the gratification of seeing His Royal Highness installed at the Albert Hall , and was struck on that occasion with the capable way in which he had taken up his duties . In proposing the health of the Grand Officers the W . M . said the Brethren included in this toast were men well worthy of the positions they were called upon to occupy , or they would never have been appointed to them .

Bro . Frohlich I . P . M . next rose . The toast he had the privilege to propose to the Brethren was the one that fell to the lot of tlie Immediate Past Master for the first time at Installation Festivals . He thought he expressed the feeling of every member of . the Lodge when he said that Bro . J . A . Smith was one of the best and truest Masons who had ever sat in the chair of the Chough Lodge . He

was initiated in the Lodge , and worked up step by step , gathering friends around him in every position , until he had reached the post of honour he then occupied . Having attained the premier position he was sure no one would fill the Office , better than he would do . So long as the Choughs could attract such talent as he the Lodge would remain secure in its position as one of the leading City Lodges .

The W . M . said that in reply to the toast which the I . P . M . had so kindly and enthusiastically proposed he had but little to say . He thanked them all—the Immediate Past Master especially—from the bottom of his heart , for the way in which the toast had been proposed and received . He promised , on the occasion of his election ,

to do all m his power to uphold the reputation already achieved by the Chough Lodge , and as far as he could he should endeavour to fulfil that promise . If any of the visitors were able to again attend the Lodge during his year ' s Mastership he trusted he might be in the position to entertain them .

The W . M . then announced that the amount collected in the Charity Box that evening was £ ^ 8 s 6 d . Now came the toast of the I . P . M . The W . M . said Bro . Frohlich had proved Himself a Worshipful Master worthy of their esteem and one well able to carry out the duties of ruler of the Chough Lodge . He promised the Brethren he would do his best , and he had fulfilled that promise up to the hilt during the past

year . He had particular pleasure in asking Bro . Frohlich ' s permission to pin on his breast the Past Master ' s jewel of the Lodge , voted by the members as a mark of their esteem , and in presenting it he felt sure there would never be a more worthy Master of the Chough Lodge than Bro . Frohlich had proved himself during the past year . He trusted their I . P . M . might long be spared to be among them .

Bro . Frohlich thanked the W . M . most heartily for the kind words he had expressed in his favour , and his Brother Officers and Brethren generally for the hearty support they had accorded him during the past year . When placed in the chair of the Lodge he asked the Brethren for their hearty support , and he felt he could truly sav they had given it him during the time he nad presided

over the Lodge . It was certainly very gratifying to be Worshipful Master of such a Lodge as theirs , and he could truly say he had spent many happy hours during the time he had occupied the position of chief among them . The presentation they had been good enough to make him reminded him of the time—now a few days short of thirty years since—when he had his first medal pinned upon his

breast : the war medal of 1870-1 . Proud as he then felt of the distinction he could truly say nothing had been more gratifying to him than to be decorated with the Past Master ' s jewel of the Chough Lodge , which he had been assured was given as a token of the respect and esteem of the members . He felt sure no Brother

could wish for more , and he , on his part , cordially wished every Brother present a hearty " God speed . The two presentations of Bro . Frohlich , the German war medal and the Past Master ' s jewel , were exhibited side by side to the Brethren , and were regarded as pleasing mementoes of two great epochs in our Brother ' s career .

Bro . E . T . Edwards P . M . and Treasurer of the Lodge was entrusted with the toast of the Initiates , and , in cheerfully responding to the call of the W . M . to propose it , said his doing so inculcated the practical lesson of obedience to the newly admitted members , for although he was the senior Past Master of the Lodge , and so

entitled to a certain amount of rest , he cheerfully responded to the call of the Master to propose the toast . He accorded the Initiates a hearty welcome , and trusted they would make such progress in Freemasonry as to benefit themselves and satisfy the Brethren who had admitted them to the mysteries of the Craft .

Bro . H . L . Sheat desired to thank the members most heartily for his reception that night , and expressed his particular indebtedness to Past Master Bro . Edwards for the kind advice he had offered him . Bro . E . J . Sheat felt he could add but little to his brother ' s

remarks . He was equally indebted to each of the members for their reception . Masonry was indeed a sealed book to them , but he hoped thev would always act up to the true principles of the Brotherhood , and never do anything to disgrace the Chough Lodge , which had admitted them .

Bro . W . V . lull P . M . proposed the Visitors . He said the W . M . had entrusted to his care one of those toasts which really required no commendation at all . The members hoped that by its work and by its entertainment their Lodge ensured that the visitors would be satisfied with the evening they had passed with them . The toast was always accorded a huge reception in the Chough Lodge , and he trusted that occasion would prove no exception . Those who

knew the Lodge knew that in its nature it was most cosmopolitan , and that remark aoptied equally to the visitors of the Lodge , for there was se'dom an installation meeting but that there were guests from nearlv every quarter of the globe . But whether their visitors came from London or from far away they were equally welcome . It was his desire that the members should accord the guests such a welcome on that occasion as should induce them to come again aa soon as possible ,