Installation Meetings, &C.

INSTALLATION MEETINGS , & c .

CITY OF WESTMINSTER LODGE , No . 1563 .

THE regular installation meeting of this Lodge was held on Thursday , the 27 th nib ., afc the Regent Masonio Hall , Air street , Regent-street , when the following Officers were present : —Bros . B . Phillips W . M ., E . White P . M ., B . Turner S . W ., J . E . Shand J . W ., B . Swallow P . M . Treas ., E . J . Scott P . M . Sec , J . Hutchinson S . D ., J . Waugh J . D ., T . Murray James D . C , E . C . Woodward I . G . There

•was a full attendance of members , and several visitors , among the latter being Bros . R . Payne W . M . 1328 , W . Coombes P . M . P . G . S . B , Middlesex , J . Edell I . G . 108 , F . Green 1687 , Matthew Crook 1614 , T . Lewis W . S . 1472 , F . A . Wigsrins 160 , A . Bassington W . M . 205 , Geo . F . Hammond 1765 , E . Farwig W . M . 180 , J . W . Elvin 538 , Louis Beck W . M . 1559 , F . G . Baker P . M . 753 , W . Carrington I . G .

1791 , A . J . Mucklow 1584 , J . A . Scarlett 276 . J . Austen P . M . 753 , R . Coad 1328 , T . Simpson W . M . 1178 , R . Callingham 1178 , G . A . Watkins 1585 , James Cronland J . W . 1687 , W . T . Martin 1681 , R . Emanuel 188 , W . Grover J . W . 749 , S . Wenkheim 1017 , W . W . Morgan jun . 1385 , H . Black 1728 , H . Massey P . M . 619 , T . W . Murlev S . W . 1247 , A . Boehr S . W . 1515 , John Moore 548 , Charles Wale 79 ,

Henry Cross J . W . 586 , Wallace Wells 1319 , H . Harvey 1604 , E . Batemau 180 . Tho W . M . duly opened tho Lodge , and called on tho Secretary to read the minutes of the last meeting , whioh in due course were confirmed . The ballot was taken and fonnd to bo favourable for the reception of six gentlemen who were candidates for initiation . Five of them being in attendance wero formally introduced and

regularly initiated into Freemasonry—these were Blessrs . Chas . Lena May , Alfred Strevcns , Herbert Cloots , Edward Line , and Thomas Robert Wenn . Lodge was now advanced ; Brother Past Master White took the chair , and Brother Benj . Turner the W . M . elect was formally presented for the benefit of installation . Being duly obligated , a Board of Installed Masters was formed , and

Bro . Turner was placed in tho chair of K . S . in ancient form . On the re-admission of the brethren , he was proclaimed and saluted , and then appointed and invested the Officers for the ensuing year , as follows : —Bros . Shand S . W ., Hutchinson J . W ., Swallow Treasurer , Scott Secretary , Rev . P . M . Holden P . M . ( named as ) Chaplain , Waugh S . D ., Emanuel J . D ., Pratt I . G ., Jones D . C , Hancock P . M .

Steward , Potter Tyler . Tho report of the Audit Committee , which showed the Lodge to be in possession of a good balance , waa next received and adopted ; and this completing the business of tho evening , the new W . M . proceeded to close his Lodge , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet room , where a first-rate dinner was served . At the conclu-ion grace was said , and then the W . M . proposed the

usual toasts . In giving that of Her Majesty the Qneon , he said that although Charity was tho distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart , Loyalty was also a prominent feature , and he felt assured the members would join him in drinking heartily the toast of the Queen , with which he coupled success to the Craft . The to : ist was enthusiastically received , and quickly followed by that of the Grand

Master . H . R . H . had , the W . M . considered , greatly honoured the Craft by becoming its Grand Master , and , as Masons , he felt they could bufc honour the toast proposed in his favour . Tho Prince of Wales was always ready to do anything for the people of England , bufc especially was this the case as regarded the Masonic portion . Tho next toast—thafc of the Pro G . M ., the Depnty G . M ., and the resfc of

the Grand Officers—the W . M . considered a most important one . It was a large and influential toast , almost as prominent as that of tho Grand Master . This toast was followed by the duet " All ' s Well , " sung by Bros . Wells and Cross , whose vocal abilities are well known , more especially in connection with Sfc . Andrews , Well-streefc , where they take a prominent part in the choral services . Bro . B . Phillips

I . P . M . now proposed the health of the W . M . The brethren who had witnessed the working of tho W . M . in tho various offices which he had filled , from Inner Guard upwards , were able to form a good idea of his Capability for performing the duties which wonld now be required of him . Personally Bro . Phillips felt no doubt as to the result which would attend the labours of his successor . He did nofc think the

brethren could possibly have done better than they had in electing the present Master to his proud position , nor did ho doubt but that the Lodge would be greatly benefitted dnring Bro . Turner ' s term of presidency . After a song by Bro . Wallace Wells , the W . M . replied . He was exceedingly grateful to the I . P . M . for his remarks , and thankful to the brethren for the heartiness with which they had responded

to the toast . He bad been made most happy during the term of bis connection with the Lodge , and felt grateful to tho brethren for having placed him in tbe chair . He felt very proud of his position , and considered ib a great compliment ; he should endeavour to do even better for tho Lodge in the future than ho had in the past , and hoped his year of office might result as successfully

as Bro . Phillips bad predicted it would . The health of tho Initiates was next given from tho chair . Tho Master was especially pleased to welcome tho five brethren who had been admitted to the benefits of Freemasonry dnring the evening . Each of them had expressed tho pleasure he had experienced in being received into the Lodge . Bro . May was the first to respond , he briefly thanked the

brethren for the kind way in which they had received him and had just responded to tho toast proposed in his honour . Bro . Cloots expressed tho great pleasure he felt in being elected a member of the noble society of Freemasons . He shonld strive to do his duty as a brother Mason . Bro . Strevens felt very delighted that he had beeu initiated into tho ancient brotherhood . He should

endeavour to promote its usefulness with all his ability . Bro . Weuu hoped ho might never forget that he was a Mason , and ever act up to tho lessons he had been taught that evening . Bro . Lino thought it a great honour to becoino a Mason , and hoped ho might never disgrace so grand an Order . The W . M . next rose . He felt they had now arrived afc the joy of tho evening . He saw a great many

Installation Meetings, &C.

brethren around him who were members of other Lodges , and had on the present occasion honoured tho City of Westminster by visiting and taking part in tho work of the day . Tho guests wero thirty , eight in number , to all of them he desired to tender , on behalf of the Lodge , the heartiest welcome . Ho hoped that throughout his term of office the Lodge would maintain its reputation for

hospitality . Bro . Coombes , who waa the first called upon to respond , considered it a very great honour to reply on behalf of so distinguished an array of visitors . The work he had witnessed that night had been admirable . Every year tho Lodge seemed to progress , and when they took into consideration the class of men who had filled the chair , ifc seemed impossible for any other result to accrue . Ho concluded by

hoping thafc every success might attend the Master during his term of office , and that tho Lodgo would continue to prosper in tho future as it had in the past . Bro . Anstin followed . There was no doubb in his mind bat that visiting was ono of the greatest privileges wo enjoy . How and where he could find words to thank the W . M . and brethren was his great difficulty . He could only express the great

pleasure he had enjoyed in witnessing the work performed in the Lodge . Ho trusted the Master might havo ample work dnring the coming year . Bro . Farwig expressed his pleasure at witnessing the progress of the Lodgo , it could but be a pleasure to every good Mason to see ifc . Bro . Beck also tendered his thanks . Bro . Payne was next called upon . It was a great pleasure to him to respond to the call . He

was intensely gratified to see Bro . Turner in the chair . He knew him to be a good man and true . Ho congratulated him on the position ho had attained in tbe Lodge . Bro . Baker also responded . The W . M . now proposed the toast of the Past Masters . Each ono of them had acted during his respective year of office as thoy could wish every Master to act . Vory few Lodges could boast of such brethren as thoy

numbered among thoir Past Masters . Bro . White was one who never cared what trouble he put himself to if it was for tho benefit of tho Lodge . The W . M . had especially to thank him for the way iu which he had that evening placed him in the chair . Bro . Holden was a good man and true . To hear him render a ceremony was a treat . As Chaplain of the Lodge he was especially entitled to tho thanks of the

members . Bro . Swallow was last , bufc certainly not least ; as founder of the Lodge ho had done wonders , indeed had it not been for him the Lodge wonld never havo been iu existence . A most important part of the duty of the Master at this timo was to present to Brother Phillips the Past Master's jewel which had been nnanimously voted by tho Lodge . Tho W . M . had great pleasure in placing it

on his breast . Brother Phillips desiied to thank the brethren for the jewel they had so kindly voted him . During his year of office he had done his best for the City of Westminster Lodge , and so long as he lived ho should endeavour to improve tha Lodge as far as ho cmild . Bro . Swallow tendered his thanks . Ho thought the present AV . M . was likely to add to the prosperity of the

Lodge . Bro . Holden regretted hh inability to bo present at , the first part of the evening . Being in the chair in another Order of Freemasonry , ho was nnablo to attend tho Lodge earlier ; but he congratulated the brethren on the successful meeting they had had . Bro . White felt ifc a very great privilege to be allowed to instal tho Master . The four brethren who had passed the chair of the Lodgo were

among the founders of it ; now they had a brother in tho chair who joined after the foundation , and mig ht thus bo considered to start on a now em . He felt very proud of beinsr numbered among the Past Masters of so distinguished a Lodgo . The W . M . next proposed a toast in honour of the Treasurer and Secretary . Thoso were two Officers it would be impossible to do without . Bro . Swallow , in

reply , thanked the brethren for tha great honour they had conferred ou him in again electing him to the important office ho filled in tho Lodge . Bro . Scott also thanked the brethren . He tried to please all , but sometimes found it a difficult task . He thought the brethren should take into consideration the arduous nature of a Secretary's duties . As last , bufc not least , the W . M . described the next toast .

Without Officers , ho shonld be in a position similar to a ship without a rudder . The S . W ., Bro . Shand , took a great interest in Freemasonry , bub more especially in the welfare of the City of Westminster Lodge ; indeed , his zeal in this respect was only equalled by his horror at the trading of Crown Servants . The present J . W .

was an excellent Mason . If ever bo was placed in the chair , he would go far to outshine all who had preceded him . Each of tho Officers present in turn responded to the toast . This brought the proceedings to a termination , excepting that the usual compliment was paid to distressed brethren before the brethren separated .

St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 1024 . —Tho monthly meeting of this Lodge , held afc the Masonic Hall , Maldon , Essex , on Wednesday , 26 fch ult ., was of exceptional interest , the occasion being tho visit of the D . P . G . M . of Essex , the V . W . Bro . the Rev . S . R . Wigram Past Grand Chaplain . At six o ' clock the brethren met , and the first and third degrees were admirably worked by tho W . M . Bro . H . J . Sansom

P . G . J . D ., assisted by Bros . J . P . Lewin , acting as S . W . in the absence through illuess of Bro . Frank Freeman , T . Elscy Blanrl J . W ., Rev . E . R . Horwood Chaplain , F . G . Green Hou . S < c , E . Gowers Hon . Organist , J . D . Wright S . D ., F . Bird J . D ., T . J . Cramphorne I . G . The following Past Masters wero also present : —Bros . George Pennington Jay , T . Aldham , W . F . Francis , William Humphreys , and E . Huiitphrets

I . P . M . , Tho Visitors included F . Orchard 198 , W . J . Upton 276 , John Baker 567 , R . Smith and S . H . Ellin 697 ; and tho attendance was made up by unofficial brethren to about thirty-five . Mnsic was made an important feature in the ceremonies . Mr . O . D . Belsham bad kindly lent to the Lodge , for tho occasion , a very ex' -elhnt harmonium , and tho brethren , on thu pinp i'iii . if Br ,. r hi .

Donaldson , seconded by Bro . W . Humphreys , resolved to givo pffpfi- to tho W . M . ' s appointment of an Honorary Organist by purchasing an organ out of the Lodge funds . The D . P . G . M . was escoitcd to his place with due ceremony , aud a vote of thanks was passed tor bin attendance . At the conclusion of labour , the brethreu adjourned for tho annual widgeon supper , at the Bin" Boar Hotel ; a . ii-1 the reputation of the house for the preparation of the birds was fnllv maintained .