Meetings Next Week.

Bennett who officiated as W . M . with Bros . Metcalfe Baillie S . W ., J . T . Whitehead ( Sec . of the Instruction Lodge ) J . W ., Walloce Russ Deacon , W . J . Yardley I . G ., J . Wynman , and others . The W . M . rehearsed the ceremony of initiation fin excellent style , Bro . Baillie S . W . 193 giving the charge .

That Brother was subsequently elected to preside at the next meeting , and in tendering thanks for the appointment intimated thiait he would endeavour to go through the three ceremonies if time permitted . Bro . H . Hyde P . M . presented a Square to the Lodge , as one

of the great lights ; Bro . Carroll sent a jewel for the Treasurer ' s collar ; and Bro . Metcalfe Baillie presented a box to hold the property of the Lodge . A vote of thanks to these throe Brethren was proposed by Bro . Bennett , seconded by Bro . Whitehead , and carried unanimously .

Bro . Russ was elected as an ordinary member , while the compliment of honorary membership was conferred on Brother J . Wynman , and suitably acknowledged in each case . The Lodge meets every Friday evening at 8 o'clock , and is well deserving of patronage by Brethren who desire to perfect themselves in the practice of our ritual and ceremonies .

Movable Lodges And Recreation.

MOVABLE LODGES AND RECREATION .

THERE IS a well known saying that "They little know of England who only England know , " and the same may with equal truth be said of Londoners ; indeed we might even go further , and say there are many who pass many years of their life in the great metropolis , and know little or nothing of its extreme limits . The * , ' may spend the bulk of their time within sight of that portion of

" Father Thames" which flows between London and Westminster Bridges , and yet be unacquainted with the river as it is seen on the borders of the Port of London—say at Gravesend—and when we think of all this we can but re-echo the regret often expressed , that our great waterway is not more popular than it is , and that it is not made a more general source of profit and pleasure to the tired workers of our great city !

We have often wondered that a scheme of " Movable Lodges " has not been attempted in connection with Freemasonry in our great centres of population ; and while we recognise there are many obstacles to be surmounted before such a system would receive general approval , we think the advantages would soon make themselves so apparent as to ensure popularity ; once the plan was started and officially recognised .

It is true the idea has , so to speak , been met half way by the institution of " summer outings , " but as ceremonial " work" on such occasions is prohibited , the great charm of actual Masonic association and Fraternal activity is lost to the Brethren , although it must be admitted many of them apparently manage to fairly enjoy such outings—comforting themselves , perhaps , with the idea that

summer refreshment is following winter work ; thus the hope of reward that sweetens labour is realised . But would it not be much better if some of the London Lodges—and the argument applies with equal force to the Lodges of other large towns—could hold one or even two stated meetings during what is now regarded as the recess , away from their usual home , at some pleasant country

resort ? It seems to vis many of the lessons of Freemasonryparticularly its universality—could be made more forcible by such a course , and the long waits between spring and autumn to which we are so generally accustomed in town Lodges would be nullified , and the Brethren of such Lodges would be kept more in touch with each other .

The neighbourhood of Gravesend seems to afford special facilities for such " movable" Lodges . It is within easy reach of the centre of the metropolis , is , in fact , within the Port of London , and there is ample Masonic accommodation for any number of London Lodges which might arrange to " migrate" there during the warmer months , if such a system could be arranged . The

Clarendon Royal Hotel is an instance . Here the regular meetings of the Lodge of Sympathy , No . 483 , are held , and anyone who has paid a visit to that Lodge will agree that comfort and convenience are adjuncts of its home . It is true that Lodges already patronise the establishment for " summer outings , " and other special gatherings , but why should there not also be permitted a system of

outside Lodge meetings for those sections of our Craft which , during half of the year , are virtually cut adrift from Masonry , because meetings in our great cities are not generally appreciated in the summer months ? But we fear such an innovation will not become a realised fact for very many years , and we should therefore rather enjoy the blessings already provided for us , than pine for those at present bevond our reach .

With such sentiments there is much to be said in favour of a pic-nic or summer outing , with the Royal Clarendon Hotel at Gravesend as headquarters . The journey to and fro may te made by river or by rail , and if the latter course is adopted then a few hours tri p further down the Thames , or a drive in the very interesting district , may be arranged as a part of the day ' s

programme , and either found to be most enjoyable . The Proprietors of the Clarendon Hotel make a special feature of catering for such outings , and in suitable weather can offer accommodation to almost any number under canvas on the lawns of the Hotel facing the river . Attached to the Hotel is a large Banqueting Hall which

is used for Masonic banquets , beanfeasts , public dinners , and other purposes ; while the Hotel proper contains the usual Coffee Smoking , Writing , Reading and Drawing Rooms , also a first-class Billiard Saloon , in addition to some fifty Bedrooms and Private Apartments . A well selected stock of wines and spirits of the finest brands arc at command , and in all matters the management are

Movable Lodges And Recreation.

most anxious to give satisfaction , sparing neither pains nor money to achieve it . Here is certainly to be found the accommodation necessary for outside meetings , and we are not at all surprised that those responsible for the entertainment of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Kent , on its visit this vear to Gravesend , selected the Clarendon

Royal Hotel for the festive part of the day s proceedings . Prov . Grand Lodges enjoy and profit by a change of meeting place ; shall we Hve to see something of the same sort attempted in connection with the busier of our Private Lodges ? We hope so , and arc convinced such a pleasant change would be generally appreciated by those at present " cooped up " in our busy centres of commerce .

Books Of The Day.

BOOKS OF THE DAY .

; v . Books , Music , & c . Intended for review , sinuld be addressed to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Chronicle , at Fleet Works , Mew Barret . - — : o : —¦ The Heritage of Unrest . By Gwendolen Overton . —The Macmillan Company .

THIS volume should at least escape general hostile criticism , for its author has done much to . propitiate all classes of renders . Her style , always pleasing , is carefully finished , and she studiously avoids those sins of over statement to which so many of her contemporaries are prone . She has " ample room and verge enough" for her story—a story of the white man and the

redfind of their doings on the great mainland far West in troublous , because unsettled , times . Here and there we have a passage that might have been penned by some old soldier who has travelled much . " The post was tremendously excited , as the cavalry trotted off up the slope toward the oot-hills , the men left behind went to the back of the post and watched , women looked through

field glasses , from the upper windows , children balanced upon the fences of the back yards , and Chinese cooks scrambled to the top of chicken coops and watershed sheds , shading their eyes with their hands and peering in the direction of the gap . Dogs barked and hens cackled and women called back and forth . Down at the suiter ' s store the German was being comforted with beer at a

dollar a bottle . " This is clear and concise as language can well make it , and shows , too , a familiarity with the subject which the writer is attempting to portray . As the story proceeds we become almost insensibly interested in the welfare of its characters , mnd are , perhaps , somewhat disappointed to find how often the unworthy personage " . comes out on top . " We regret that Kirby ' s

wife should shoot her children and self rather than fall into the hands of the Indians , and that , ins the story closes , our last impression is of a wounded woman dying in her husband ' s arms . This is certainly , a book to be read , for it bears the unmistakable impress of a nimble mind and skilful hand . We arc pleased to know that it has already been reprinted .

The Whirligig :. By Mayne Lindsay . Illustrated by Maurice Greift ' enhagen ( 6 s ) . —Ward , Lock and Co ., Limited . THE name of Mayne Lindsay is a favourite with all readers of the "Windsor" Magazine—that militant monthly which ran so suddenly into the ring and knocked out all competitors in a -round . When we read " The Valley of Sapphires , " " The Ride from the

Dead , " and " The Witch Baby " there were those amongst us who predicted that Messrs . Ward , Lock and Co . would find their new contributor to be an exceedingly ra . ble writer , and we think nobody will deny that such has proved to be the case . There are apparent in the pages of the "Whirligig" certain qualities which the author shares , we think , with those able writers that drew " Lady

Barbarity" and "A Man of his age , " a healthy philosophy of human life , which holds all things good and serviceable when rightly appreciated ; a wholesome love of an adventurous yet honourable life ; and a literary skill in the setting forth of these qualities , which many writers never attain . The " Whirligig" is a- really able story , vividly yet sanely conceived ; handled dramatically

yet with a certain needful restraint withal , and elaborated in a heightened iand telling fashion which makes the story as satisfactory as it is entertaining . The many drawings by which Maurice Greiffenhagen has illustrated this volume are cleverly executed , but why are deeds of violence deemed worthy of so much of the artist ' s skill ? We should like to see less of the " blood and thunder" qualities in the illustrations , for such stories are too

good to be accompanied by too much of this lurid portraiture . With this defect duly rectified we can imagine an ideal library of prose fiction written and illustrated by men known to us all through the enterprise of Messrs . Ward , Lock and Co . The books would be written by J . C . Snaith , Mayne Lindsay , and Hamilton Drummond ; they would be illustrated by Bertha Newcombe , Stanley L . Wood , and J . Ambrose Walton .

New Century Library ( 2 s net per vol . ) . —T . Nelson and Sons . The Works of CHARLES DICKENS . Vol . xi ., Hard Times and Christmas Books . Vol . xii ., Little Dorrit . THOSE will be ' •hard times" indeed when we are so wholly engrossed by the cares of this transitory life as to find no leisure

for reading the novels of Charles Dickens . We doubt whether the Boundcrbys or the Gradgrinds would allow us such frivolous recreations were we under their thumbs , which we are devoutly thankful is not the case . " Hn < rd Times " was written by Dickens at a time when he was more than usually anxious to read us all a lecture ,